GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Every week, dozens of families flock to the Helping Hands of Goose Creek food pantry for everyday products that feed families struggling to get ahead.

For people like Loretta Mitchell, it’s a vital resource.

“I am so proud of what I got today,” Mitchell said. “I have some pita bread, some cinnamon rolls. I have fruits and vegetables. All the healthy food that we need.”

But recently, the pantry’s shelves have become emptier. Executive Director Nicole Franklin says budget cuts at the national level have hit them hard. They get much of their food from a United States Department of Agriculture program, but that program is being scaled back.

“In the first quarter of 2025, we saw a decrease of 14,000 pounds in food that we can distribute,” Franklin said. “So if you qualified for the USDA program, you were getting about 35 pounds of food, and now you’re getting about 20. Before, you could probably make three meals out of that. Now you can probably make two.”

On top of that, a large chunk of their funding to purchase food, about $11,000, is tied up in a grant that is being paused, despite it already being awarded.

If less food and less money aren’t enough, Franklin says they’re on track for a record year on the demand side of things, too.

“We went from 3,600 grocery carts that we distributed to 5,200 grocery carts in one year. So there was a huge influx – about 30%,” Franklin said. “We saw one family come in last month that had lost their job with Boeing because of the cuts. So, what we are seeing is that as cuts happen across the country, more people are coming because they have a need.”

Last month alone, Franklin says they fed nearly 500 families.

Pastor Yolanda White came to the pantry to pick up food for one of her parishioners. She says now is not the time to roll back government support for programs that help feed people.

“Those that make that decision are not in need,” White said. “They probably have never experienced what it means to be hungry or to try to determine how they can either pay their rent so they can remain in the apartment where the housing bill is astounding, or feed their family. Or what it’s like having to decide, do I pay my health care bill? Do I purchase the medication or do I purchase food?”

This weekend is the United States Postal Service’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive. Every second Saturday in May, people can leave items at their mailboxes, and mail carriers will pick them up. It generates thousands of pounds of food for local food pantries like Helping Hands.

Franklin says last year there wasn’t much advertising about the drive, and there hasn’t been any this year either. She says they saw a large drop in donations, going from 10,000 pounds to 14,000 pounds from the single food drive to just around 900 pounds last year. She is hoping this year will be different.

She says getting food on the shelves is a critical problem.

“I think that feeding people is the first way that we make a difference. If everyone’s bellies are full, kids are going to learn better at school. Employees are going to perform better,” Franklin said. “Everything across the board is benefited when bellies are full and families are fed.”

To participate in the food drive on Saturday, all you have to do is leave a box or can of nonperishable food at your mailbox, and the mail carriers will do the rest.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. — Berkeley County officials cut the ribbon Friday on a new $4.3 million Goose Creek Magistrate and Public Safety Substation, a 12,102-square-foot facility designed to consolidate key county services under one roof.

Located at 653 Red Bank Road, the new building replaces three previously rented locations and now houses a modern magistrate’s office, a 24/7 EMS substation, and a Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office substation. County leaders say the consolidation will improve efficiency, cut response times and better serve the growing Goose Creek community.

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“This location, hosting multiple county services, will help us better serve the County while improving commute times for many,” said Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb.

The magistrate’s office features three fully equipped courtrooms and will be staffed by three judges, six clerks, constables, bailiffs, and security personnel. The former office on North Goose Creek Boulevard is now closed. Normal operations at the new site begin Monday, May 5.

The EMS substation will maintain round-the-clock coverage with a dedicated ambulance and two-person crews rotating across four shifts. The sheriff’s substation will be staffed during business hours, with deputies regularly stopping in for administrative work and evidence processing.

Designed by Herrington, LLC and constructed by Design Build Construction, the project also received major contributions from Berkeley County Roads & Bridges and IT teams.

County Chief Magistrate Rad Deaton praised the new facility as a long-overdue investment. “This new location, built with the future of the community and staff in mind, reflects the Court’s ongoing commitment to better serve the public.”

Sheriff Duane Lewis added, “This substation will allow our deputies to better respond to the needs of the community while strengthening our visibility and engagement in the area.”

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Reality Church in Goose Creek and The Formation Project are getting human trafficking victims back on their feet with a new support home in Berkeley County.

The Eden House project aims to house six women at a time who have experienced human trafficking. The women will come through a nonprofit organization, The Formation Project, that focuses on providing services to victims and survivors.

The women will be monitored by and receive services through the nonprofit, including internet access to help them enter the workforce.

A property purchase by Reality Church Lead Pastor Ric Edgar is what sparked the idea. Edgar purchased 10 acres of land in the Ladson area that included a 1960s home in July 2024.

Edgar says the land was originally meant for a new church as well as demolishing the included home. The demolition was meant to have an open view for the new build, but plans changed.

The pastor says the home will be renovated to become the Eden House or “the place for new beginnings” for rescued women. Plans for the property still include adding a church building. Edgar says the support home will take priority for now as it is a decision supported by his church community.

“[The church family] knew like I knew that God gave purpose to the land,” Edgar says. “But they also knew, as I knew, this has to be first,” Edgar continues. “We will not build a church until this house is renovated and is up and running and Formation Project has these women here. This is first.”

A series of connections sparked Edgar’s decision. The lead pastor says he realized human trafficking “happens right in our backyard” by watching former National Football League quarterback and retired Major League Baseball player Tim Tebow’s ministry programming. Edgar says he was also moved to take action by trafficking statistics from across the Lowcountry and especially Berkeley County.

An annual report by the state Attorney General shows the state had nearly 400 human trafficking victims statewide in 2024. The report shows the number of tips for investigators in the Lowcountry. Berkeley County saw 18 human trafficking investigations, which is second only to Charleston County’s 31.

Edgar says he hopes to bring awareness to the issue and show people that it is happening wherever they are.

“People really can have an awareness that it is right here in our own backyard,” Edgar says. “And we’re passionate about it, I mean it’s really exciting for me that our church has the opportunity to impact the community by helping these women find their way back to a good life.”

Renovations are the next step for the home.

Edgar says the home needs about $130,000 worth of work.

Reality Church and The Formation Project plan to raise funds to meet renovation costs.

Anyone interested in getting involved can reach out to 843-494-4474 or [email protected]. There is also more information on how to get involved on the project website.

Human trafficking tips can be reported to the 24/7 National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Big Lots has released an official list of all 219 stores planned to reopen over the next several months, including 18 in South Carolina.

After bankruptcy and store closures, Big Lots plans to gradually reopen 219 stores. A No S.C. stores reopened during Wave 1 of the opening plan, but four Wave 2 stores are scheduled to open in early May.

According to a previous news release from the Henderson, N.C.-based company Variety Retailers responsible for the openings, customers will experience "remodeled stores, a large selection of closeout deals and new merchandise categories, including apparel for the family and electronics" upon the reopening of Big Lots stores.

Here's what we know about the final waves of reopening plans, including every store scheduled to open in S.C. and N.C.

Which Big Lots stores are reopening in SC?

Previously, Big Lots announced the opening of Wave 2 stores, of which S.C. had four. On April 23, business media website Fast Company released the company's plans for locations set to reopen in the final two waves including the following in S.C..:

Previously announced: Big Lots stores opening in SC in Wave 2

No South Carolina stores reopened in Wave 1.

Which Big Lots stores are reopening in NC?

More than 50 Big Lots stores are set to open in N.C., about a quarter of all reopenings.

Previously announced: Big Lots stores opening in NC in Waves 1, 2

Big Lots reopening locations

Stores are also reopening in 13 other states including:

How many Big Lots stores are reopening?

Variety Wholesalers acquired 219 stores it aims to open in four waves. 54 stores will reopen during the second wave, 78 during the third wave and a final 78 in the fourth wave.

When will Big Lots reopen?

The first wave of Big Lots openings took place on April 10. The second wave is scheduled for early may, and remaining stores will open on unspecified dates through early June, leading up to a grand opening celebration taking place across all stores in the fall.

BigLots.com and Big Lots social media channels will feature more news and updates on store announcements, according to the release.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].

Goose Creek, S.C. – Will Goose Creek help do some good for the gander by displaying a pro-bird statue urging everyone to ditch cruelly-obtained down feathers? PETA thinks so! In a letter sent today to Crystal Reed, Director of Goose Creek’s Recreation, Art and Parks, PETA asks to participate in the city’s “Adopt-a-Goose” program—in which local businesses can place a customized goose statue around town—with a statue depicting a half-plucked, crying goose and a plaque reading, “My Feathers Belong to Me. Please, Don’t Wear Down.”

“Geese feel pain and fear, love their flock members, and don’t deserve to be tormented, plucked, and violently slaughtered for down,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “By embracing PETA’s message, Goose Creek could encourage residents to show compassion for birds of a feather by sticking to down-free coats, pillows, and blankets.”

PETA points out that geese are family-oriented and mate for life, mourning for long periods when their partners die. In the down industry, workers often pin down terrified geese and tear their feathers out by the fistful, plucking them so violently that many are left with gaping, bloody wounds. At the slaughterhouse, workers slit their throats—often while they’re still conscious. The down industry also helps prop up the immensely cruel foie gras industry, as producers often seek to bolster income by selling the feathers of tormented, force-fed geese.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat, wear, or abuse in any other way”—points out thatEvery Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Libby Roerig follows.

May 5, 2025

Crystal Reed

Director of Recreation, Art & Parks

City of Goose Greek

Dear Ms. Reed:

I hope this letter finds you well. On behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and our nearly 800 members and supporters in Goose Creek, I am requesting to participate in Goose Creek’s “Adopt-A-Goose” program. We hope you’ll make an exception for our goose from outside the city limits, as PETA’s statue has an important message to share.

PETA’s goose would honor Goose Creek’s namesake and inspire residents to show compassion for these loyal, intelligent birds by ditching down and letting birds keep their feathers. One side of the statue shows a happy, healthy goose living freely, while the other side reveals the cruelty that the down industry tries to keep under the covers.

In China—the world’s largest producer of down—many birds are live-plucked, their feathers yanked from their skin while they are conscious and shriek in terror. Even disingenuously named “responsible down” is a sham, as all birds used for down are exploited and ultimately slaughtered. A PETA Asia investigation revealed that geese used for Responsible Down Standard-certified feathers were beheaded with a dull axe, requiring multiple blows to kill them. Foie gras producers also exploit geese, profiting not only from stealing their feathers but also from force-feeding them and selling their diseased, fatty livers. These birds suffer at every stage of their short, miserable lives.

Birds are not stuffing for pillows and jackets or food for people who find fatty livers appetizing. They are devoted parents and lifelong partners. Even as goslings, they are skilled swimmers, and their parents are meticulous nest keepers. Their family bonds are so strong that they mourn the loss of loved ones and refuse to leave injured flock members behind. These family-oriented fowl deserve our respect and protection.

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to working together to promote a meaningful message in Goose Creek.

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman

Executive Vice President