Best Jewelry Store in Goose Creek, SC

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Hiring issues aren’t only affecting employers and workers. The problem is affecting the people they provide services to.

Almost not having enough bodies to get the job done is what first responders said they are dealing with.

The Goose Creek Fire Department is one of many in the Lowcountry not fully staffed. As of February 2022, 19 people work in the department, but 13 positions are open and waiting to be filled.

“Those things you don’t necessarily want to see on the news, our people are going to those calls and responding and taking care of those hundreds of calls, thousands of calls all along the Lowcountry,” said Mike Nixon, fire chief for the city of Goose Creek Fire Department.

The Professional Firefighters Association of South Carolina said hiring for public safety jobs has always been hard but especially during the pandemic.

“Because of shortages in the fire service and COVID, they’re being mandated to work an additional 24 or an additional 48 hours. So, they could be in the fire house for three straight days, and it could be longer in some places,” said Bill Pesature, Vice President of The Professional Firefighters Association of South Carolina.

Chief Nixon said he knows that his crew is feeling the effects of being short-staffed.

“When we can’t fill seats, we have to have our people that normally work there normal work week pick up more hours,” said Nixon.

The association said with not enough time to recuperate on days off, it’s taking a toll on people in the field.

“The amount of traumatic injuries and traumatic events that you would see in your lifetime is probably three. The amount of traumatic events that a fire fighter sees every year is three,” said Pesature.

According to the association, mental health counseling or therapy isn’t covered under workers compensation for firefighters and EMTs.

“They have to either not get paid or use vacation or use sick time,” said Pesature. “It’s an injury that you got at work, why aren’t they covering this to take care of people at work?”

Goose Creek Fire crews respond to calls in both Berkely and Charleston Counties. Chief Nixon said the spike in population in those areas play a huge factor.

“We love to see that business is booming. We love to see the neighborhoods blossom, but it taxes our service sometimes before we are even ready for it,” Nixon said.

Out of the nearly 8,200 calls Goose Creek crews respond to, about 70% are for medical purposes, which is why they Nixon said hiring paramedics and EMTs is so important.

“We’re looking to build a great team here, and we want great people that want to do great things. If you’re one of them, please look us up.”

If you or someone you know would like to apply to work with the Goose Creek Fire Department, click here.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. - Bobby Seymour continued his torrid month of June by driving in four runs in the Charleston RiverDogs 11-7 takedown of the Salem Red Sox on Friday night.

The team is now 10-0 on Friday nights after earning the victory in front of 4,280 boisterous fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr Park.

The RiverDogs remain tied with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans for first place in the Carolina League South Division with 11 games remaining in the first half.

For a second straight night, it was Salem (28-27) that jumped in front early. The game began with singles by Edinnson Paulino and Brainer Bonaci.

Marcelo Mayer and Nathan Hickey followed with groundouts to the right side, forcing the first run in. Before the frame ended, Niko Kavadas added an RBI single and Karson Simas drove in a run with a ground-rule double over the left field wall.

RiverDogs starter JJ Goss settled in after that and allowed three runs on five hits in 4.0 innings of work.The RiverDogs (39-17) managed to tie the game within two innings of play. Seymour put them on the board with an RBI single in the bottom of the first.

In the second, Oneill Manzueta walked and came around to score on a single by Nathan Perry that was followed by a fielding error on right fielder Darel Belen.

Perry was thrown out at the plate on a single by Jelfry Marte for the first out of the frame, but Mason Auer hit a chopper back to the mound that was mishandled by Juan Daniel Encarnacion to tie the score. With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Seymour cleared the bases with his 12th double of the campaign to push the RiverDogs in front 6-3.

The Red Sox trimmed the deficit by scoring single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but missed out on an opportunity for further damage by leaving a combined five men on base in the two frames. The game tipped heavily in the home team’s favor beginning with a three-run sixth. Auer followed a leadoff walk by Marte with an RBI triple to make it 7-5.

He scored moments later by breaking to the plate on a pitch in the dirt from Graham Hoffman.

Later in the frame, Seymour walked and went to second on an errant pick-off throw.

Nick Schnell brought him in with a single that advanced the lead to 9-5. Another RBI single from Schnell and a run-scoring double from Nathan Perry led to an 11-5 advantage heading to the ninth. Salem scored a pair of runs in the final frame off of reliever Neraldo Catalina.

Over Galue improved to 5-0 on the season with 3.0 innings on the mound in which he allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits. Catalina finished the game by tossing 2.0 innings. the right-hander surrendered the two runs on three hits and three walks.

Seymour finished the night 2-3 with a double, two walks and four runs batted in.

Auer’s triple was his ninth of the season, a total that leads Minor League Baseball. He also drove in two runs, collected three stolen bases and scored three runs.

Schnell and Perry added two hits each as part of the team’s eight-hit attack. The Red Sox were paced by Paulino’s 3-6 night at the plate with two RBI.

Ballpark Fun

Prior to the first pitch of the contest, fans in attendance witnessed the reenlistment ceremonies for both D’Ebony Wilson and Cody Thompson of the United States Navy.

Each of them followed the ceremony by throwing a ceremonial first pitch.

Congresswoman Nancy Mace, a Goose Creek native, also threw out a first pitch before the contest.

The RiverDogs will aim to extend their winning streak to six games on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m.

LHP Antonio Jimenez (2-3, 4.31) will get the start for the RiverDogs with RHP Hunter Dobbins (0-0, 6.00) countering for the Red Sox.

The game will mark the beginning of Larry Doby Weekend presented by MUSC Health.

Gates will open for a charity softball game at 4:00 p.m. that features prominent black business owners from around the Lowcountry.

In addition, the RiverDogs and Red Sox will wear Negro League jerseys for the game. Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com. RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are available at //riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).

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GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Goose Creek will be breaking ground on a new 13-acre park next month, and officials say it will have something for everyone.

The new park is called Central Creek Park, and it will cost $9 million to build. The city will soon be breaking ground on a piece of land off Old Moncks Corner Road, near St. James Avenue, to build Central Creek Park.

Recreation Director Crystal Reed said the park will cater to everyone.

“The focus of this park is it’s going to be inclusive,” Reed said. “We’re on a wellness mission, and inclusivity is our top priority.”

The park will be funded by just over $4 million in coronavirus relief money, $1.5 million from the city’s general fund and just under $3.5 million from hospitality taxes.

Reed said with that money, the park will be loaded with features.

“We’ll have a sand volleyball court, basketball court,” she said. “It will have a greenspace with a stage with a food truck area, so that people can have social gatherings.”

Other features in the park include pickleball courts, a pavilion that will host events and an all-inclusive playground for kids of all ages and abilities.

Sean June lives in Goose Creek and came out to play basketball with his friends next to where Central Creek Park will be. He said he can’t wait for it to be built.

“I was actually kind of shocked because I was talking to my friends,” he said. “I thought they were going to put apartments over there, but it will be a nice addition to the community.”

June also said he plans on using the basketball courts and the food truck area once the park eventually opens.

“Every weekend, there’s always a bunch of people behind playing basketball,” he said. “I’m pretty sure it’s a big staple in our community to have parks.”

Reed said the city’s focus on building parks, such as the recently opened John McCants Veterans Park, is to make sure people can get together outdoors.

“It’s really just a focus on creating community,” Reed said. “That’s why we’re doing it. We want people to have activities and places to go in their city where they don’t have to leave the city limits of Goose Creek.”

Officials said the groundbreaking is scheduled for March 31. That’s when they will reveal how this park will take shape.

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Goose Creek High School’s football team has captured three straight region championships and reeled in as many player of the year honors from the offensive side of the ball in the process.

It’s easy to overlook the guys in the trenches who help make those accomplishments possible. Gators senior lineman Jayden Johnson was hard to miss, though. Johnson moved defenders around quite easily at times, opening holes aplenty to run through and giving quarterbacks time to throw.

“Jayden is a good guy,” Gators coach Jason Winstead said. “He’s not a problem. He doesn’t get into trouble and causes no issues. He’s had a great career, and he’s a captain.”

For his efforts in the classroom and on the field of play, Johnson earned a scholarship opportunity to play football at South Carolina State in Orangeburg.

Johnson (6-4, 305) started four seasons up front for the Gators, garnered three all-region nods and two all-state selections. He was chosen to the South Carolina Shrine Bowl team and ultimately ended up playing in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl in Myrtle Beach on Dec. 11. The Shrine Bowl was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns for the second year in a row.

Johnson’s South squad won the all-star game for the third time in a row.

“In four years, Jayden blocked for over 15,000 yards of offense,” Winstead said. “That’s a lot. You don’t find many guys who start all four years in 5A football.”

Equally as impressive was a standout performance in the classroom.

“That 3.4 grade-point average is what got him this opportunity,” Winstead said. “If he didn’t have the grades, none of this would be happening. First question all these college coaches want to ask is how are his grades. If they can’t get into the school, they’re not going to stay a long time. It’s going to be a short conversation.”

With Johnson anchoring the front, future S.C. State teammate Demetri Simmons earned back-to-back region player of the year honors.

Simmons, a running back who also signed with the Bulldogs on Dec. 15, touched it 566 times in three seasons on the varsity level and totaled 4,138 yards and 44 touchdowns. He was named all-state as a senior and also a team captain.

“He really needs no introduction,” Winstead said of Simmons. “He’s an outstanding young man.”

Simmons was selected to the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl but missed the game with an injury.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - The city of Goose Creek and the South Carolina Department of Transportation are working together to put up a stoplight at St. James Avenue at Myers Road where residents have reported multiple accidents.

There are a few neighborhoods off of that road, and people in the area were excited to hear about the project. The actual project likely won’t be completed until the end of 2023, but the plans are in motion.

Thomas Garter lives nearby and says the sooner a light is put up the better.

“It’s hectic in the morning and the late afternoon coming from work. I have seen several accidents,” Garter said.

SCDOT officials said a traffic analysis found the volume in that area is too high, so a signal has been approved and is in the design phase.

Construction will likely begin in October and could take up to 15 months.

Caleb and Allen are friends who like to play basketball at a nearby church after school, and they say they have seen accidents happen at the intersection, and people often cut through the church parking lot to avoid the line of cars.

“There’s traffic, and every time we play they cut through [the parking lot] instead of waiting. I’ve seen a lot of accidents,” Caleb said.

“The bus will be super late to school due to the accidents,” Allen said.

The department of transportation will build a mast arm style light which will cost between $250,000 and $350,000. SCDOT and Goose Creek have agreed to share the cost with the department of transportation building the standard steel poles for the traffic signals.

The city is interested in having mast arms extend over the intersection to which the signals would be mounted. Goose Creek has agreed to pay for the mast arms.

“I’ve been waiting to see our light here since I was 6, because I’ve lived here for a while with the traffic and accidents. I just hope they get better,” said Caleb.

The project is on Tuesday night’s Goose Creek City Council meeting agenda with the administration department expected to speak on the issue.

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