GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - In Berkeley County, the city of Goose Creek and the South Carolina Department of Transportation worked together to approve a stoplight at St. James Avenue and Myers Road.

The stoplight was approved almost a year and a half ago and residents in the area say they’ve almost lost hope that it will get completed.

Data from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety shows more than 150 crashes have occurred at the intersection over the past five years resulting in dozens of injuries.

A traffic analysis found the volume in that area was too high leading to the approval of the signal with construction scheduled to take up to 15 months. SCDOT says the design of the signal began when the project was approved in March of 2022 with a contract in place in August that same year.

Michelle Yusko has lived in Okatee Subdivision for 15 years, directly across from St. James Avenue and St. Myers intersection. Yusko says she lives in a family neighborhood that’s peaceful and quiet. She’s seen cars cut through her neighborhood to get onto St. James Avenue just to avoid the intersection.

“They’re cutting through the neighborhood, which is making it worse,” Yusko says, “They cut through our neighborhood, so they don’t have to go to the end of Myers Road and pull out of our neighborhood onto St. James Avenue.”

Yusko is in favor of a red light but says she is unsure if it’s going to get done or if progress has been made. Especially when she’s seen accidents happen right in front of her.

“It’s awful, it’s ridiculous, it’s horrendous,” Yusko says, “They’ve been promising us a red light forever and ever.”

Yusko says they’ve gotten no notice or update on when the light will officially be at the intersection.

“Never, I have to go ask other people, maybe the electric company, they keep telling me what they’re hearing and it’s just not happening,” Yusko says.

SCDOT says the traffic signal mast arms for this intersection have been designed and ordered. The next step is installation, and the official completion date is Dec. 31 of this year.

If you have a road concern that’s driving you crazy you can let us know by clicking on this link.

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GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - A Goose Creek couple’s condo has been without working air conditioning for weeks and they say they’re fed up.

The husband and wife claim they’ve been back and forth with their landlord to get it fixed, but the temperature continues to rise in their home at Greenslake Condominiums.

Thursday afternoon, Niambi Burton and Fred Mcleod’s condo was 84 degrees and they considered that cool, compared to what they had been dealing with.

Earlier in the week they said the condo was in the low 90′s, forcing them to pack their bags and head to a hotel for two nights.

Burton said she’s “beyond frustrated at this point.”

Last month the couple noticed their AC wasn’t working properly, and after keeping an eye on it for about two weeks, they notified their landlord that something was wrong.

“Her response was to shut the unit off, and she would let me know when she heard back from the guy,” Burton said. “Hours passed and the temperature was rising in the house.”

Weeks later, the couple said a repair man showed up and after a few hours claimed it was all fixed, but the problem only escalated from there.

“I noticed that the temperature just kept rising and rising and rising,” Burton said.

She explained that they were then told a part for the unit that was ordered wasn’t working and another part must be ordered, the couple then turned to purchasing fans and a portable unit to stay cool.

“Out of my own money and then still pay the full amount of rent,” Burton said.

So, what rights do you have if you find yourself in a similar situation? According to the South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a landlord shall maintain reasonably good and safe working order and condition of facilities and appliances, including air conditioning.

“Is the landlord reasonably and actually trying to make repairs and make that system operable? How long has it been down? What caused it to go down?,” real estate attorney Brent W. Suttles explained.

The act requires landlords to initiate repairs that they are responsible for that affect health and safety within 14 days of notice, according to Suttles.

“I think communication goes a long way in protecting both parties in a scenario, but it all falls back on the lease and the Landlord and Tenant Act,” Suttles said.

The Act requires landlords to initiate repairs that they are responsible for that affect health and safety within 14 days of notice, according to Suttles.

The couple’s landlord did not want to go on camera Thursday, but she said the part to fix the AC unit was ordered on Wednesday, sent photo proof of that order, and said she expects it will arrive soon.

If you’re in a situation where you think your landlord is not following the Landlord and Tenant Act, click here or here for more information.

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GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) – The city of Goose Creek hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday afternoon as construction begins on the new Joseph S. Daning Amphitheater.

Although the Daning Amphitheatre will not open until the fall of 2024, members of Goose Creek City government, including Mayor Greg Habib, are already emphasizing the impact the new entertainment venue will have on the city.

“You can learn a lot about a city based on the emphasis it puts on the arts,” Habib says. “The arts can separate good cities from great cities, and separate great cities from destinations; this project is but the latest in our commitment to art in Goose Creek.”

Costing just under $4 million, the amphitheater can seat 800 people and will be located at the lake behind City Hall, beside the City’s Recreation Complex.

The city announced last August that the amphitheater will be named after former S.C. Rep. Joe Daning, who was a Goose Creek City Council member for over 20 years.

“I can’t tell you how much this amphitheater will provide a wonderful event space for all types of cultural happenings in the Goose Creek community for many generations,” Daning says. “And for me, and I know for a lot of folks, it’s a dream come true.”

Habib says the entertainment space will redefine what it means to grow up in Goose Creek and be a testament to arts in the city.

“We are enriching our hometown expanding our horizons and making an impact beyond our borders and moving our world,” he adds. “Ladies and gentlemen, this amphitheater is going to redefine what it means to grow up in Goose Creek.”

Cultural Arts Commission Vice Chairperson Libby Roerig also says that the structure will increase the quality and quantity of performance arts in the city.

“The amphitheater will mean more cultural events and programs, more concerts, more poetry nights, more dramatic performances, more movie nights, more special events,” Roerig says. “More opportunities for more kids to take part in and to take in performing arts in Goose Creek.”

The amphitheater will take 18 months to complete following Tuesday’s groundbreaking and will be built by Trident Construction.

The Middleton Group Architects and Baker Engineering LLC are also partners on the project.

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Goose Creek enters the 2023 season seeking a fifth consecutive region championship, but coach Jason Winstead has his least experienced team of the current run.

The Gators, however, are athletic and talented at some key positions and could be considered the favorite again.

Cane Bay was the runner-up to Goose Creek last season and returns good experience in the offensive and defensive backfields. Development along the trenches will determine the Cobras’ success.

The threesome of Wando, Berkeley and Stratford are running just a tad behind the top two teams, but this region is up for grabs. There may not be many teams with a winning overall record in this region, but winning the four league games is key.

Goose Creek

HEAD COACH: Jason Winstead

2022 RECORD: 5-7

WHAT TO KNOW: The Gators were 0-6 in non-region games, but 4-0 in league play last season before a first-round playoff exit. Gone is a three-year starter at quarterback and a bevy of defensive starters, making this season the first rebuild since Winstead’s first season in 2018.

The strength of the team is at receiver where Davion Malloy, Evan Daniels and Ashton Drayton will be tough covers for opposing defenses. Malloy is a recent commitment to West Point (Army) and Drayton is a transfer from Hanahan.

Junior Jehoava Williams is a dual-threat athlete at quarterback with solid potential, but the offensive line returns only one starter in center Maurecio Summers.

The defense will have a host of first-year starters, but sophomore corner Jordan Ravenel and junior linebackers Devante McNeil and Fred Mouzon will be key leaders.

Cane Bay

HEAD COACH: Russell Zehr

2022 RECORD: 8-3

WHAT TO KNOW: Head coach Russell Zehr enters his 13th season as head coach and will rely heavily on the offensive backfield this fall. Senior Mark Stewart returns at quarterback and has four games of starting experience from last season.

The three-headed running back monster consists of seniors Deshawn Tompkins and Langston Rhodes and junior Brycen Johnson. The lone returners up front are seniors Jayden Ferguson (center) and Andrew Tumbleston (tackle).

Corner Jonas McKeen and safety Keaton Cooley are senior returners in the secondary. Senior Parker Osborne is back at linebacker and senior Will Coker anchors an inexperienced defensive front.

Stratford

HEAD COACH: Dennie McDaniel

2022 RECORD: 2-9

WHAT TO KNOW: The Knights will showcase sophomore quarterback Jachin Davis, a Division I prospect who took over midway through last season. Davis will rely heavily on tight end Jacob Deacon and sophomore receiver JQ Crosby in the passing game, while junior Kerwin Squire shows promise at running back as a first-year varsity performer.

The Knights will be solid along the offensive line with four returning starters. The unit is led by senior Landon Stradcutter and junior DJ Crawford.

Darrell Holmes, a two-year starter at defensive end, is a key leader returning but is moving to linebacker this fall. Nose guard Otis Gardner anchors the front with seniors Trey Davis and Ahnrei McMillan returning at outside linebacker.

Berkeley

HEAD COACH: Eric Lodge

2022 RECORD: 3-9

WHAT TO KNOW: Lodge begins his first season at Berkeley after an outstanding three-year stint at Seminole High in Florida, and inherits a program that produced only five wins over the last two years.

The Stags will look to develop freshman Henry Rivers at quarterback. Rivers has all of the tools athletically and Lodge feels he will grow in his understanding of the game during the season. Senior tight end Jovan Wigfall is a solid target at 6-3, 220 pounds and will be a major factor offensively.

While the receivers and running backs lack varsity experience, the offensive line has solid leadership returning in seniors Malachi Purdie, Tylique Gillians and Austin Bridges.

The Stags may start 10 underclassmen on defense, but Lodge likes the overall potential of the unit. Senior Jove Rouse returns along the front as an all-region performer in 2022. Three sophomore linebackers, led by Kevin Rivers, Jr., will be solid defenders, according to Lodge. Juniors Omar Meggett, Gavin Gaskins and Jermaine Jackson will be starters in the back end.

Wando

HEAD COACH: Rocco Adrian

2022 RECORD: 3-8

WHAT TO KNOW: The Warriors were a stout defensive team in 2022 but most of that starting unit has moved on. Wando returns more experience on offense, a unit that struggled to find consistency a year ago.

Wando will start a host of underclassmen this season, with one of the top returners being junior tight end/linebacker Brock Feinberg, who will be a third-year starter. Juniors Landon Miller and Kingston Taylor, along with seniors Jameson Bell and Nathan Bennis, will be among the top performers along the offensive and defensive lines.

Senior Zach Osthoff is a strong candidate to be the starting quarterback this season. Senior Carter Adams and junior Cole Fletcher are candidates at receiver. Senior Jaheim Weston is a returning leader in the secondary.

Homeowners in a Goose Creek neighborhood are looking for a solution to the flooding that affects their properties every time it rains.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Homeowners in a Goose Creek neighborhood are looking for a solution to the flooding that affects their properties every time it rains.

Kristen Gilliam has lived in the Boulder Bluff Neighborhood in Goose Creek for about 15 years. She has a home around the corner from her parents and they both see their properties fill up with sitting water each time it rains. It’s not just the yards threateningly close to their homes; she says it’s also the streets.

“It doesn’t even have to be heavy rain. It does get very bad in some areas, especially down one of the roads here. Water Oak Drive and Lucy Drive itself. They do tend to flood to where people have to literally turn around and take another route. The neighborhood tends to shut down,” Gilliam says.

She says the flooding is affecting some of the homes, and she knows people who are moving out and say the water is a big reason why.

“Like on this road alone, we actually have a bunch of vacant homes right now because they’ve left. A lot of people have had damages happen in the past year. Like my next next-door neighbor, they’re gone. A couple of other owners have just left their homes,” Gilliam says.

A road over in Boulder Bluff, Leslie Powell and her family have lived in their house for three years.

“The first time that we noticed the flooding was like, maybe a month after we moved in. We were in the house hanging out and then looked out the window and our whole yard was underwater. And we talked to our neighbors and they said the flooding hadn’t been that bad since Hugo and since then three years ago, it happens throughout the summer. It happens every couple of weeks or so,” Powell says.

She says their property is a little downhill and dips down from the road so their house is built up from the ground. But, they still have issues with water getting into their crawl space and water getting into their cars.

“We have to move the cars there’s been damage under our house and water has gotten into our cars before when we’ve been out of town. And so it’s been going on for at least three years now,” Powell says.

The women say the neighbors talk amongst themselves and some have individually tried calling the city and county to get answers. But so far, they haven’t been able to get in contact with the right person, and say they feel bounced around with no answers.

“There’s clearly a bigger issue that needs to be addressed and I don’t know what that is. So I don’t know the right questions to ask,” Powell says.

Gilliam acknowledges that making sure drains are clear from trash or tree trimmings is the responsibility of the neighbors.

“I know the neighborhood has a lot of debris and trash and it is our responsibility to also clean up the neighborhood. But I believe is the county or the city, whatever you live in I feel like it’s their responsibility to make sure that our trenches or ditches are actually trenched out and they’re not being built up with a bunch of debris,” Gilliam says.

The city of Goose Creek directed concerns for this area to the Berkeley County Stormwater Department. Berkeley County Stormwater Department says they are looking into the service history and plans for the neighborhood and will provide them when available.

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