Roofing Contractor inCane Bay, SC.

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A family living in one Berkeley County community said they have not been receiving their mail on a regular basis, even after contacting postal officials. That’s when they reached out to News 2’s Raymond Owens.

“We moved here about a year and a half ago and over the past year or so we have had problems with sporadic mail delivery,” said Cane Bay resident Tim Jacintho. “It doesn’t show up when it’s supposed to; it now has gotten to where we’re getting mail maybe two or three days a week.”

He said a lot of people depend on the mail for prescription medications, Social Security checks, and other items. He said everyone is frustrated with the situation.

Jacintho said he and other Cane Bay residents have reached out to the Summerville Post Office with their concerns.

“She’s been telling me what’s going on- they’ve had a lot of turnover with contractors, and they’re shorthanded. She said that the growth in the Cane Bay/Nexton area, which they serve, has put too much stress on the post office. They don’t have the staff or the facility to handle it.”

He contacted Congressman Nancy Mace’s office, and his state representative and state senator. He has not heard back from them. He said Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb returned his message.

“He, like, within a few hours, and said no thanks for reporting it. He said he can’t really do anything. It’s at the federal level.

Finally, he reached out to News 2 for help.

“I reached out to you because certainly I’m frustrated with the situation here and I know that my fellow neighbors and residents are also very frustrated,” he said.

News 2’s Raymond Owens called Congresswoman Mace’s office. Their office called Jacintho back and told him they would look into the problem.

We also called the postal service – their spokeswoman said she is researching the issue to learn more and will get back to us. They later provided the following response:

“The Postal Service appreciates its customers and always strives to provide the best possible service. We apologize for any inconvenience that may have been experienced by customers living in the Cane Bay and Nexton communities. Local management is currently working with all stakeholders to ensure any delivery concerns are resolved. We can confirm the Summerville Post Office, like many businesses, is experiencing staffing challenges; however, through successful hiring efforts we have increased our workforce significantly. The Postal Service will continue flexing our available resources to match the workload, in addition to hosting more hiring events until all positions are filled. Interested applicants should log on to http://usps.com/careers frequently to check for new postings. We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis. We urge any customers with concerns or questions about their mail delivery service to contact their local Post Office, so that we can look into and resolve their concerns promptly. Customers may also visit our website at www.usps.com/help.”

News 2 will continue following this story and bring you updates as we learn more.

Paul Stoney and his staff have quietly built a massive state-of-the-art YMCA within the growing 4,500-acre Cane Bay housing community in Berkeley County. He calls it South Carolina’s best kept secret.

“When people come here, they are amazed by what we have been able to do,” said Stoney, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Charleston and the Cane Bay Family YMCA near the development’s entrance.

On a 69-acre tract of donated land, the 54,000-square-foot Cane Bay YMCA opened in May 2019 with a branch of the Berkeley County library system as well as a variety of indoor and outdoor fitness, sports, education programs and mental health services. An average of 3,600 people of all age groups and physical abilities enter this Y weekly, Stoney said.

The Y is a hopping place. A 25-meter swimming pool and basketball courts are used by Cane Bay High School and four nearby charter schools for a variety of sports and after-school programs. Swimming lessons are growing in popularity, especially among the physically challenged and underserved communities. Youth sports, including soccer, volleyball and basketball, serve more than 1,000 children each season. The Cane Bay Y is a regional tournament venue for a variety of youth and adult sports.

The Cane Bay Family YMCA is also near international manufacturers, such as Volvo, Boeing and Mercedes Benz. Their proximity and support gives the Y a solid membership base. Stoney stresses, however, membership is not restricted to Berkeley County residents. Charlestonians can join this Y, too.

Stoney’s Lowcountry YMCA experience began in downtown Charleston at 61 Cannon St. He gave up a high-level YMCA position in central Florida in 2006 to become the CEO and president of the YMCA of Greater Charleston, which included the Cannon Street YMCA Association. The Cannon Street Y, which is the nation’s oldest Black Y, was chartered in 1866 to teach formerly enslaved people to read and participate in physical fitness.

In addition to its longevity, the Cannon Street Y is remembered as the place that nurtured the Cannon Street All-Stars Baseball Team. It was ruled ineligible to compete in the 1955 Little League World Series because white teams refused to play with Charleston’s Black players.

Before Stoney arrived in Charleston,the Cannon Street Y merged with the predominantly white Christian Family YMCA at 21 George St. to form the YMCA of Greater Charleston.

Stoney, a native of Queens, N.Y., came to Charleston with 20 years in leadership posts at large metro YMCAs around the country. The top job at the Cannon Street Y presented him with the opportunity to open more Y facilities in the Lowcountry. Accepting the job, Stoney said, placed him for the first time in the leadership position at a historically African American YMCA “where my skills were needed [since] a number of them were closing.”

Stoney realized, however, that the Cannon Street Y’s building, erected in 1955 on a tiny lot, could not continue to serve a changing Black community within a gentrifying Charleston. Because of these forces, he said, the Y was losing about $250,000 a year for 10 years, he said. The organization’s board of directors made the difficult decision to sell the Cannon Street building for $2 million and move to Berkeley County. “If we didn’t get off Cannon Street, we would be dead on the vine,” he added.

In 2009, Stoney took over the management of a financially struggling Berkeley County YMCA in Moncks Corner.

As a result, Ben Grambling of Grambling Brothers developers asked Stoney what he would need to build a YMCA at Cane Bay. That conversation led to Grambling donating 69 aces for the Berkeley County facility along with $100,000 annually for 10 years. Funds for the $28 million building came from a bank loan secured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural development program. The Cane Bay Y still owes USDA $17 million over 36 years. The Y also received a $250,000 gift from McDonald’s franchise owner Carolyn Hunter-Heyward to build a swimming pool with easy access for people with disabilities.

In 2012, the Moncks Corner Y merged with the YMCA of Greater Charleston when it was on the verge of closing. It is still open, but it is again on the verge of closing.

“It has fallen in disrepair,” he said. “We have voted to sell that property.”

If the building is sold, Stoney said, the Y will continue to offer some services in the Moncks Corner area at a satellite facility.

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The Gray Collegiate Academy girls softball team is starting the 2023 season in a familiar spot.

Gray is ranked No. 1 in the S.C. High School League Coaches Poll. The War Eagles defeated Latta to finish 2022 as state 2A champions, with a 28-4 record.

“We have 15 players returning from last year’s squad,” said Gray head softball coach Doug Frye. “We’re loaded and we have lots of depth.”

He also described his team as athletic and well-practiced.

“We do tons of reps a day,” Frye said. “We hit them the ball over and over to sharpen their fielding. We have them hit at least 100 balls a day off the T.”

Frye said the only starter not coming back in 2023 is Brooke Tranum. She played second base and had a batting average of more than 600, with 18 home runs.

“Brooke was a great leader,” Frye said. “We’ll have to replace that leadership. Someone will have to emerge.”

Frye said, in 2023, pitching and defense are the strengths of his team.

Taylor Corley went 17-1 on the mound last year and she is back. Frye said Corley has offers to play college softball, but she plans to go to medical school and will not play at the next level.

Brooklinn Thomas will play a key defensive role at shortstop. She is a Duke commitment and also a strong hitter. Frye said Thomas hit four home runs in a preseason scrimmage.

Catcher MJ Stradinger is solid behind the plate, said Frye. She is committed to play at USC-Beaufort after high school.

Madison Knapper, a Columbia College commitment, plays first base for the War Eagles.

“She is a strong defensive player and she will be counted on to produce with her bat,” Frye said.

Gray has played one game so far this season. It was a non-conference contest versus 5A Summerville on March 6. Summerville won 8-0.

“It’s early and our goal is to get better as we go forward,” said Frye. “We want to be at our best in the playoffs, like we were last year.”

Gray opens home play this week, as it is set to host Cane Bay on March 15 and Fairfield Central on March 17 before traveling to play Westwood on March 20.

More new houses are headed to a Berkeley County mega-development that’s projected to have more residents than the city of Spartanburg.

Starlight Homes, a division of Ashton Woods Homes, recently paid $4.08 million for 50 acres in the former Wildcat Tract that is now part of the expansive Cane Bay Plantation off U.S. Highway 176.

A Starlight representative did not immediately respond for the number of housing units it is planning for the site.

Starlight’s website shows it has one subdivision in Cane Bay already called Pender Woods. The company also is developing homes in Watson Hill in North Charleston off S.C. Highway 61 in Dorchester County.

About 10,000 homes are permitted for the 4,500-acre Cane Bay tract off U.S. Highway 176. The neighboring 2,000-acre Wildcat Tract was bought by Cane Bay developer Gramling Brothers Real Estate & Development in 2016 and will have 5,700 homes at build-out.

Cane Bay has about 7,000 homes on the ground in the combined tracts, according to a spokeswoman. About half of the planned houses have been built in the developing unincorporated community that will have almost 40,000 residents at full buildout. That’s more than the current population of the city of Spartanburg, the state’s 12th largest municipality.

More multifamily

A new apartment development is in the works for North Charleston.

A 264-unit multifamily complex is planned on about 26 acres off Dorchester Road near Franchise Street, east of the Patriot Boulevard intersection.

The property is owned by DHI Communities, an affiliate of homebuilder D.R. Horton. The Arlington, Texas-based company paid $1.74 million in August for a 34-acre parcel on Dorchester Road, just inside the county line.

The property sits in front of a 52.5-acre parcel purchased for $8.25 million in June by an affiliate of industrial property developer Robinson Weeks Partners of Atlanta.

A traffic study by Short Engineering & Consulting LLC of Columbia references the site as the Whitfield Residential Apartment Project.

An access driveway with a right-turn lane off Dorchester Road is needed for the planned apartment development that will include eight buildings, a clubhouse and pool. Most of the complex would be located on the northeast corner of the site next to the Charleston County line because of wetlands throughout much of the property.

Upgrading

A Moncks Corner-based rehabilitation agency now has a new facility to house more men as they recover from drug addictions.

Changing Lives Ministry snipped the ribbon Dec. 9 on a nearly 5,000-square-foot facility at 470 Reid Hill Road near Walmart.

The $1.2 million structure includes two one-story buildings with space for 14 men and four staff members, who also live on site, according to spokesman Tommy Turpin.

The facility replaces a double-wide mobile home where 10 men and two staff members had previously lived.

The nonprofit does not charge its residents a fee for the 13-week rehabilitation program. It relies on donations. Proceeds raised at the CLM Resale Store at 502 E. Main St. help to support the program as well. The ministry bought the former Central Hardware shop in June for $765,000 after outgrowing its previous leased resale shop space at 506 E. Main St.

GOOSE CREEK — Two boys basketball powers of Region 6-AAAAA clashed on Tuesday night as Class AAAAA third-ranked Goose Creek hosted No. 8 Cane Bay.

Goose Creek got the leg up on the region title with a 57-47 win, improving to 17-2 overall and 2-0 in region play. Cane Bay, the defending region champion, falls to 14-5 overall and 2-1 in 6-AAAAA.

“I’m not real pleased with our performance overall,” Goose Creek coach Blake Hall said. “It’s good to win ugly, but we have to get a lot better. We left a lot of meat on the bone tonight. We have to learn how to finish games.

“We had control most of the night but we really didn’t play that well. We have to be better if we want to be a team that makes a run in the postseason.”

Due to its edge in size, Goose Creek held a decided advantage on the boards, often getting two and three shots at the basket.

Goose Creek was led by Elijah Dates, who scored 16 points. Justin Britt added 11 points and Shane Potts chipped in with eight points.

Curtrell Dixon’s 15 points paced the Cobras, while Chauncey Capers added 14 points.

After a competitive first quarter, which ended with Goose Creek leading, 12-10, the Gators turned up the pressure defensively and the Cobras did not respond well.

Gabe White’s basket inside gave the Gators a 26-18 lead with two minutes left in the first half. Goose Creek put together a 15-5 run over the last 6:45 of the second period and held a 31-19 lead at the break.

The Gators were up 35-26 with three minutes left in the third, and Jordyn McKeen’s 3-pointer with 30 remaining brought the Cobras to within seven at 38-31.

Britt, however, hit a driving layup just before the buzzer to give Goose Creek a 40-31 advantage after three quarters.

Goose Creek answered every Cane Bay attempt to close the gap in the fourth quarter.

Two highly successful Charleston-area coaches have earned honors in different ways.

James Island Charter High School named its baseball field after former coach Tom Hatley in a ceremony on March 10, and former Goose Creek girls basketball coach Tim Baldwin will be inducted into the S.C. Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.

Hatley coached for 30 years at James Island, leading his team to the playoffs each year and never suffering a losing season. His teams won 536 games, three Lower State titles, two state championships and 11 region titles. He is a member of the Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame and the S.C. Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

Baldwin will be inducted into the SCBCA Hall of Fame on March 17 at Seawell’s Restaurant in Columbia. In 22 seasons at Goose Creek, he posted a career record of 449-104 with four state championships in 2010, 2017, 2019 and 2020. His teams also finished as state runners-up in 2011 and 2015.

Baldwin spent last season as an assistant coach at James Island Charter High, assisting his wife, Emily, who is the varsity girls coach.

Ashley Ridge’s Trephan in NCAAs

Former Ashley Ridge wrestler Owen Trephan, The Post and Courier’s wrestler of the year as a sophomore in 2017, currently competes for North Carolina State. The Wolfpack won their fifth consecutive ACC championship last weekend, and Trephan, a sophomore, won the ACC title in the 285-pound classification.

This weekend, Trephan will compete in the NCAA national tournament, seeking to earn All-American honors.

Only two other wrestlers who prepped in South Carolina have earned Division I All-American status. Former Orangeburg-Wilkinson star Shelton Benjamin was twice an All-American while wrestling for the University of Minnesota. Former Irmo High wrestler T.J. Dudley was national runner-up in 2016 while competing for the University of Nebraska.

All-star games

Two major high school all-star basketball events for S.C. High School League senior players will take place over the next two weekends, and both all-star events will include top senior performers from the Charleston area.

This Saturday (March 18), the annual North-South all-star games for boys and girls seniors will be played at Brookland-Cayce High School in Columbia. The girls game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. tip-off, with the boys game to follow.

Suiting up for the South all-star girls team will be Jadein Haynes of Stall, Kennedy Rivers of Philip Simmons and Kaelin Davis of Military Magnet.

Four area boys will play for the South all-star team. Selected to the roster were Elijah Dates of Goose Creek, Jai’Viaun Chisholm of Summerville, Malin Allard of Lucy Beckham and Mahki Rivers of Oceanside Collegiate.

Hoggard High in Wilmington, N.C., is the host of the Carolinas Classic all-star event, which comprises top senior boys and girls from South Carolina and North Carolina. The games will be played on Mar. 25 beginning at 1 p.m.

Timberland head coach Jerome Stewart will serve as the head coach of the South Carolina boys all-star team. Area players for the boys game are Justin Britt of Goose Creek and Malachi Stevens of Oceanside Collegiate.

Selected to the SC girls roster are Alaina Nettles of Cane Bay, Amiyah Ferguson of Timberland and Yasmine Cook of Stratford.

Statewide baseball rankings

Nine area high school baseball teams are ranked in the latest polls for each classification by the S.C. Baseball Coaches Association.

In Class AAAAA, Berkeley remains the top-ranked team while West Ashley has climbed to No. 2. Summerville is ranked seventh while Ashley Ridge is ranked ninth.

James Island is ranked fourth in the AAAA list, with Hanahan is ranked fourth in Class AAA.

Oceanside Collegiate holds on to the top spot in Class AA. Woodland is ranked sixth in AA and Bishop England is ranked 10th.

With the completion of the basketball and wrestling seasons, the focus in high school sports turns to spring sports.

However, there are a few things to wrap up from the winter sports season, including an all-star basketball doubleheader to be held this Saturday (Mar. 11).

Porter-Gaud will be the host of the second annual Lowcountry all-star basketball games. The day will consist of girls game, tipping at 1 p.m., followed by a boys game at 3 p.m. Twenty girls and 20 boys will participate. Cost of admission is $10 and is good for both games.

Meanwhile, all-region teams in basketball and wrestling are trickling in. Lists can be emailed to shelto66@hotmail.com.

Region 7-AAAAA boys basketball

Summerville’s David Long has been selected as the Region 7-AAAAA coach of the year, and Summerville junior Yannick Smith is the league’s player of the year as voted on by the coaches.

Joining Smith on the all-region team from Summerville are Michael Jenkins, Melvin Teal and JaiViaun Chisolm.

West Ashley selections are Damari White and Tyler Point, and picks from Ashley Ridge are Jahlil Hope and Ahmir Colpetro.

Stall placed Kevin Dukes and Da’merion Mungin on the team, with Fort Dorchester’s Darius Bailem and Collin Shephard rounding out the list.

Region 6-AAAAA boys basketball

Goose Creek senior guard Elijah Dates is the Region 7-AAAAA player of the year, and Berkeley head coach Matthew Mullins is the coach of the year.

Goose Creek’s all-region picks also include Justin Britt and Shane Potts. Goose Creek won the region title and the AAAAA Lower State championship this season.

Jordyn McKeen and Chauncey Capers are all-region selections from Cane Bay. Dawson Dubose and Josh Youngblood earned the nod from Berkeley.

Wando selections are Kai Murdock and Quin Dugdale, with Stratford’s Amari Washington and Kam Clark rounding out the all-region team.

Region 6-AAAAA girls basketball

Coach Kelly McNeil of the Class AAAAA Lower State champion and region co-champion Stratford Knights was tabbed as the region coach of the year in 6-AAAAA. Cane Bay senior Alaina Nettles was the league’s player of the year.

Seniors Yasmine Cook, Kiki Prudhomme and Kaleiya Brown are all-region picks from Stratford. Joining Nettles on the all-region team from co-champion Cane Bay are Lauren Thomas and Lochar Lawrence,

Kia McGee and Ayanna Moses are Goose Creek’s selections, while Jordan Rivers and Jordyn Ray are Berkeley’s picks. Rounding out the all-region team are Wando’s Taylor Brown and Jordan Imburgia.

Region 7-AAAA girls basketball

Andrea Brown of James Island was voted the runner-up for region player of the year. Region 7-AAAA includes two Charleston-area schools, James Island and Lucy Beckham, along with several schools from the Beaufort and Walterboro area.

Other local all-region selections included Logan Collins and Annabella Cox of Lucy Beckham.

Basketball All-Lowcountry nominations

The Post and Courier’s annual All-Lowcountry basketball and wrestling teams will be announced later this spring. Nominations for the basketball lists are now being accepted and should be emailed to shelto66@hotmail.com.

The deadline for nominations is Mar. 20. Please include name, grade, position and pertinent statistical information in your nomination. We select a first and second team (10 players each) as well as an honorable mention list for boys and girls.

Wrestling’s All-Lowcountry teams are decided by results of state tournament performance by each weight class.