Your First Choice for Scratch and Dent Appliances in Goose Creek

Huey Magoo’s celebrated its newest franchise store with a grand opening in Goose Creek, president and CEO Andy Howard announced this past week.

Huey Magoo’s in Goose Creek, at 431 St. James Ave., is the franchise’s 56th restaurant opening system-wide, spanning 10 states, with more than 265 franchises currently sold in 13 states.

The 3,800-square-foot free-standing restaurant features an outdoor patio and a drive-thru.

This is the second of eight Huey Magoo’s stores to open in Greater Charleston and Columbia by franchisees Philip Horn, Don Bauer and Eddie Ward, who are also franchisees/operators of Papa John’s Pizza and Jersey Mike’s Subs. Huey Magoo’s Goose Creek will offer dine-in/out, take-out, catering and delivery through third-party delivery services DoorDash and Uber Eats.

“We are very happy to have the grand opening of our second Charleston-area Huey Magoo’s location and bring the ‘Filet Mignon of Chicken’ to Goose Creek,” Horn, Bauer and Ward said jointly in a press release. “Now, more locals can look forward to a fresh and flavorful new dining experience to enjoy and explore. We are also excited to be more involved with the supportive community by offering our Spirit Nights program.”

Huey Magoo’s fast-casual restaurants offer dine-in/out, take-out, catering, delivery through third-party delivery services, drive-thru and curbside pickup at participating restaurants. All guests will enjoy Huey Magoo’s signature grilled, hand-breaded, or “sauced” premium chicken tenders, farm-fresh salads, sandwiches and wraps. Each Huey Magoo’s tender is always made all-natural, with no antibiotics, hormones, steroids or preservatives.

Huey Magoo’s operation hours are 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Visit www.hueymagoos.com or call 843-625-3330 for the Goose Creek restaurant.

Summerville Communications Inc. has added a new person to its marketing and advertising team.

Chloe Thirkettle, 25, of Summerville, began working as a multimedia account executive this past October.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the local communities in this capacity,” Thirkettle said. “I grew up here, so I need to see the area grow and thrive. It’s exciting that I get to have a part in making sure that happens.”

Thirkettle graduated from Charleston Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in business. She was previously the marketing director for Chick-fil-A, an account manager for Luxor Scientific and Go Social, and worked in the business development division for Clearwater BioTech.

“I’ve always been passionate about helping clients grow their businesses,” she said. “There are so many ways I can help clients, whether print or digital advertising and marketing, and I look forward to doing just that.”

Call Thirkettle at 843-708-0270 or email her at cthirkettle@postandcourier.com for marketing and advertising needs.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCIV) — A white dust emitted from the Century Aluminum plant has been spreading through parts of Goose Creek.

Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib addressed the issue in a social media post on Oct. 2.

Read more: MCRFD: Driver crashes into house in Moncks Corner; crashes again while trying to leave

According to Habib, the white dust is Alumina dust, which is produced during the smelting process. Alumina dust is not supposed to leave the plant and is considered an important component of plant's ability to make more aluminum.

Century Aluminum believes the emissions may be caused by an "unusual" failure in the plant's baghouse, according to Habib.

"As you may know, all exhaust from the manufacturing process runs through a scrubber to clean the air and the Alumina dust is collected into the bags in the baghouse," the mayor said in a statement. "Century Aluminum then takes the dust and reintroduces (it) into the manufacturing process to make more aluminum."

According to Habib, Century Aluminum is looking at two potential possibilities for the emissions. One possibility is a recent change of suppliers for the filters in the baghouse and another is recent episodes of high pressure in the baghouse.

The mayor says Century Aluminum reported the issues to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).

"Century assures us they are working diligently to address these emission issues," Habib said in a statement. "I do not doubt this. The Mount Holly aluminum smelter has been in operation for more than 40 years. They employ hundreds of our friends and neighbors and have a tremendous impact on our local economy. In my 40 years of living here, I do not recall another issue related to emissions from the plant."

Read more: Attorney General Alan Wilson announces 26th Annual Silent Witness Ceremony

Habib also says he has asked for a town hall from Century Aluminum and the DHEC.

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An online petition was created on Oct. 1 demanding action to reduce aluminum emissions from the plant. As of Oct. 3, it has 333 signatures.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is now investigating complaints about a white dust produced by an aluminum plant that has caused complaints and worries for Goose Creek residents.

Alumina dust is a gritty substance people who live near the Mount Holly Century Aluminum Plant say coats vehicles, plants, mailboxes and anything else outside in areas across Goose Creek. It is produced during the smelting process but is not supposed to leave the plant, a problem DHEC is now looking into.

The Mount Holly aluminum smelter has been operating for more than 40 years. But some neighbors say it is recent emissions from the plant that they’re not getting answers about, making them worry about their health.

“It looks like someone has taken baby powder and just shook it all over the cars,” Jackie Davis Pfister, who lives in Goose Creek, says. “It’s gritty. It’s baking into our cars.”

Davis Pfister says this entire process has just been a nightmare and says she’s not the only one who is frustrated. There are multiple posts on Facebook that have garnered hundreds of comments about the same thing.

“It needs to be more addressed than it has been,” Goose Creek resident Marilyn Leegette says. “I wish DHEC would send out some kind of hazard report so people can make themselves educated about what this can do to them.”

DHEC confirmed agents have been to the facility and in the community to gather information as part of their investigation. They say they are working closely with the facility to develop an immediate corrective action plan.

Jonathan Brown, Century Aluminum’s Environmental, Health, and Safety Manager, confirmed that Century believes the emissions may be caused by an unusual failure in the plant’s baghouse. The plant is not 100% sure of the reason for the failure, but are looking at two potential possibilities. One is that a recent change of suppliers for the filters in the baghouse took place, and Century knows that on three occasions a very small portion of the bags failed. The second possibility is recent episodes of high pressure in the bag house.

Brown says Century is working diligently to address these emission issues.

On Monday, Century confirmed they had four “events.” One happened on Sept. 3, two on Sept. 16 and another on Sept. 30. Century says the issue will be fixed by Oct. 17.

But those in the community are worried about their health with some people reporting problems like rashes and difficulty breathing.

“It’s very concerning for me,” Leegette says. “I believe honestly that if there are short-term effects that are showing, there has got to be long-term effects as well.”

“If we could just know what type of air we’re breathing: Is it dangerous to us? I think we just want to know the answer,” Davis Pfister says.

DHEC says alumina dust is not considered a hazardous substance. The particle size of the dust being seen in the community is large and therefore too big to enter human lungs; however, it can still irritate skin, eyes, and the nose, and can be a respiratory irritant after prolonged exposure.

DHEC has also deployed portable air sensors in the area to measure any smaller, breathable particulate matter, called “fine particulate matter.”

DHEC says it’s important to know that the data will represent all particulate matter in the area, not just from a single source or single facility. There can be many different sources of particulate matter emissions within an area. The data from these sensors will help the agency identify any air quality trends in the community.

After an inquiry into the issue, the city of Goose Creek set up a town hall meeting with Century Aluminum and DHEC representatives for Monday at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Greg Habib will moderate this discussion, which will include questions from attendees. Experts in toxicology, air quality and public health from DHEC will join Century Aluminum leaders who will discuss the issue of excess emissions at the plant, and the plan to fix this problem.

Century says they have set up a website where residents should report their personal situation. They can also call a hotline number at 312-696-3131.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCIV) — People who live in Goose Creek have been complaining for weeks about a white powder-like substance in the air- identified as alumina dust.

They said it’s been covering their cars and homes, and even making it hard to breathe.

Monday night, Goose Creek residents heard from health and environmental experts for the first time about the issue, and their plan to fix it.

Century Aluminum addresses alumina dust concerns in Goose Creek: Promises resolution in 10 days. Community town hall held Oct. 9, 2023. (WCIV)

They were also able to ask representatives from Century Aluminum and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) questions

Some told News 4 before the meeting started they were just looking for transparency.

“First, we’re sorry. I understand your concerns and frustrations, but we also appreciate your patience. We will fix this issue,” said Dennis Harbath, the plant manager at Century Aluminum.

Century Aluminum said the release of alumina dust in Goose Creek first happened because of accelerated bag failures. They said they’re replacing the failed bags and expect their action plan to take 10 days to solve the problem.

Read More: White dust emitted into Goose Creek from Century Aluminum plant; officials respond

But people who live in the area are still concerned.

“I’m exhausted all the time, I get headaches, you know, my eyes burn. It’s just been a total nightmare,” said Jackie Davis Pfister.

Pfister lives in Goose Creek, and people like her who have preexisting conditions like asthma are worried about long-term effects.

“Before I never really had to use my inhaler except for when I was sick or overexerted myself, that was the only time I used it, but now it’s just a regular basis, three to five times [per day],” she said.

Read More: Goose Creek residents grapple with alumina dust from local aluminum plant

DHEC said there is a certain type of aluminum oxide particles they’re keeping their eye on.

“What we were most concerned about is actually the smaller particles that you could actually breathe in and actually get into your lungs. So, for that reason we did put out some air sensors,” said Rhonda Thompson, the Bureau of Air Quality chief for DHEC.

But she said the readings from their sensors have been very low so far.

Other questions came from the crowd: Why didn’t the plant shut down when the leak first happened? And, how will aluminum oxide affect animals, and not just people?

Read More: DHEC confirms 2023 season's first flu-related death in SC

But Monday’s experts said they couldn’t answer some of those questions, leaving many frustrated.

Statistics from the DHEC air sensors and the area’s current air quality can be found on DHEC's website.

People can also go to mthollyupdates.com for more information from Century Aluminum, including how the plant is working to solve this issue.

South Carolina’s population growth continues to climb. Numbers on who is coming and where they are moving are compiled from numerous sources. One source that can offer some unique insight is a moving company.

According to the company’s one-way truck rental numbers, U-Haul has some data showing South Carolina is the 4th ranked state for growth in the country.

“Every year, we receive data sets for all one-way customer transactions. These are going to include truck moves and one-way trailer moves,” said Jeff Lockridge, manager of media and public relations for U-Haul. “We receive those data sets divided into states and cities, and those two categories are broken down so we can look at every market where we have a U-Haul facility and see the incoming and outgoing traffic from those markets.”

U-Haul reports its migration trends data, compiled from more than 2.5 million one-way U-Haul customer transactions annually across the U.S. and Canada.

“South Carolina has been right at the top of our growth state rankings for several years,” he said.

The company shows Charleston-North Charleston and Myrtle Beach are the usual hot spots, and now Goose Creek and Summerville are also specifically named in the data.

According to the U-Haul rental spot at Duncan’s Hardware in Goose Creek, business is good. Manager Henry Thorne said this past spring, the location was in the top 100 in the county and is third in his district in the Southeast region.

“We see people coming from all over the place, California, Texas, Ohio,” Thorne said. He also added the military base doesn’t hurt business, either.

“We’ve got the naval base up the street,” he said. “That is where we get many of our one-ways coming in and going out.”

According to information from U-Haul, while the migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the index is a good gauge of how well states and cities attract and maintain residents. The company reports the top five states for those relocating this year are Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

“Certainly into the 2020s since the pandemic, South Carolina has been a hotbed for people moving from the Northeast along the East Coast and even up from Florida,” Longridge said. “Very much just a positive net gain market for us each year. We see a lot more incoming than outgoing.”

The holiday season has wrapped up for food pantries, and after 35 years, Helping Hands of Goose Creek made it through by feeding hundreds in December and giving food to 30 families a day the week before Christmas, ending a record-breaking year.

In 2022, the food pantry and assistance center at 104 Commerce Place reported it logged more than 4,000 volunteer hours and distributed 232,350 pounds of food. In 2023, the numbers are higher.

“We served more families in 2023 than we ever had in the history of Helping Hands,” said Niccole Franklin, the new executive director at Helping Hands of Goose Creek.

Unemployment is low in the area. The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce reports the unemployment rate in Berkeley County at 2.5%. While elected leaders tout a business-friendly approach to bringing in jobs, the template only works for some families.

“The biggest eye-opener right now is the family unit we call the ALICE family, the asset-limited, income-constrained and employed,” Franklin said. “They work but don’t make enough money to make ends meet and don’t qualify for assistance because they work. We’re seeing families who are barely keeping their heads above water.”

Franklin said one spouse may have one full-time job, and the other in the home will have one or two part-time jobs.

“They have kids. They have daycare,” she said. “They have life.”

With housing and the cost of food and travel, local life has become much more expensive. Helping Hands is now heading into the lean months regarding donations.

“We rely on the schools, the churches, and the community doing the drives at Christmas and Thanksgiving so that we can make it through January, February, and March,” Franklin said.

This past year, the South Carolina State Legislature started the Food Security Council, now guided by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and other state agencies. According to the DHEC, its purpose is to examine state agency programs addressing food insecurity in the state and identify gaps in services for the more vulnerable populations.

DHEC Director Dr. Edward Simmer wants his agency to find new and creative ways to bring people and good together. They have been meeting since September, and the council, according to Simmer, will have a report ready for lawmakers in late January. The state is not doing well regarding the two levels of food security.

“There is what is called low food security, where you have food but it’s not very good quality because you don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and about 15% of South Carolinians have that level of food insecurity,” Simmer said. “Then there is very low food security, where people are going to bed hungry and don’t have enough to eat. We are the worst state in the nation for people who are actually hungry, who have very low food security, and we are the fifth-worst overall when you include both levels.”

It seems there is nowhere to go but up in the effort, but Simmer admits there is a lot of work to get people enough to eat and enough healthy food. It’s either feast or famine in specific communities. Some have an hour’s drive to the nearest grocery store, and others have a half-dozen within two miles.

“The legislature asked us to do this report, and I hope they will take this and some action,” Simmer said. “I think the other thing, though, is bringing more attention to this problem and making people aware of the already available resources. I hope in a year or two we have better programs and better coordination among programs.”