Home Care In Charleston, SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. – ESPN Events has officially announced the field and format for the 2025 Shriners Children's Charleston Classic, set to return for its 17^th year at TD Arena in Charleston, S.C.. This year's tournament will be held on November 21 and 23 and will feature two independent brackets.

The first bracket will feature Clemson, Georgia, West Virginia, and Xavier, while the second bracket will include Boston College, Davidson, Tulane, and Utah State.

Matchups, tip-off times, and ESPN network designations for all games will be announced in the coming months.

Field 1 Highlights

Field 2 Highlights

Owned and operated by ESPN Events, the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic is in its 17th year. Past Classic champions include Drake (2024), Houston (2023), College of Charleston (2022), St. Bonaventure (2021), and Florida (2020).

The family-friendly event offers teams a week of practice, play, and experiences in and around historic Charleston. The Charleston Classic website offers information on travel packages, tickets, and more. Tickets will be available for purchase after the complete tournament schedule is announced later this summer.

Pre-Sale Signup For first access to premium seats and the lowest prices, sign up today:

Event Ticket Information - ESPN Events

About Shriners Children's Shriners Children's improves the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, conducting innovative research, and offering outstanding education programs for medical professionals. Children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care, regardless of the families' ability to pay, and receive all care and services in a compassionate, family-centered environment. For more information, please visit shrinerschildrens.org.

ESPN Events ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2024-25 academic year, the 34-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston County Council gave nine yeses to the final phase of an affordable housing program on Tuesday night.

About three years ago, the council purchased 18 homes from the Charleston County Housing & Redevelopment Authority, with 16 being part of the Charleston Home Program.

The Charleston Home Program looks to maintain the designated 16 properties’ current price for those living in Charleston for decades.

“With these partners that we have on these projects, we’re able to deliver,” Charleston County Council Member for District Nine Jenny Costa Honeycutt said.

Since this is the last phase in the program, the developers are able to start working on the rest of the homes.

“When they complete the repair work, in exchange, the county will give them the home. Then they can rent the home or they can sell the home, but it must remain affordable for 90 years,” the Charleston County Director for Community Development and Revitalization, LoElla Smalls, said.

Honeycutt says that because the county is growing and prices on homes are increasing, it can become a challenge.

“There’s that sort of median middle that we aren’t able to supply enough housing stock, and these new homes being back in the market are going to help with that,” Honeycutt said.

This has been in the works for years, and the council and the county’s staff are ready to take final steps for these last five homes in the program.

“One of the priorities in the plan is to maintain the existing affordable stock that we have. And so being able to take these houses and maintain their affordability is critical in providing that missing middle with the housing they need,” Honeycutt said.

Smalls said once these homes are finished, developers are able to cater to those living in the Area Median Income, including teachers, officers or restaurant workers.

“The home that we just finished earlier this year, the person that’s renting the home works in a locally owned restaurant. He is now two minutes away from his work, and he has two children and a wife. That’s a major for an individual to be able to live in a home,” Smalls said.

Smalls said as they wrap up this last phase, she’s hopeful to see the impact these homes have on the community.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The signing of a law abolishing constituent boards within the Charleston County School District leaves soon-discharged board members reeling and staff looking to formalize a path forward.

House Bill 4014 will ban the existence of constituent districts and boards, which oversee several duties: student discipline cases, student transfers and school zoning. Gov. Henry McMaster signed the law Monday evening, according to the Office of the Governor, placing those responsibilities into the hands of the district’s Board of Trustees.

District Superintendent Anita Huggins applauded the move on Tuesday. Huggins said the district is working with community members and principals through hearing panels to gauge a plan.

Huggins said the district is expected to share a formalized plan at a Committee of the Whole meeting on May 12.

“Our role is not to exclude them [families] whatsoever or to be prohibitive of the inclusion of them. Many districts, in fact, most districts across South Carolina, conduct hearings solely during the school day. That is not necessarily our intent at all,” Huggins said. “The process will be more efficient. It will be able to address concerns more rapidly.”

Huggins said the district will not propose a plan where hearings are conducted by one person, despite several school districts in the state and nation having this process.

Chief Financial Officer Daniel Prentice expects the move to save the district money and plans to adjust the upcoming 2026 budget discussion as needed.

“We had a plan in place to be able to add additional officers to have for 2026, but the net cost of the constituents in their current form would account for $300,000 in savings,” Prentice said.

The decision comes two months after exclusive documents obtained by Live5News revealed affidavits and emails pointing to unrest and questioning the power of constituent members. Some of the accusations involved Constituent District Four in North Charleston, which also saw a larger number of case overturns compared to other districts.

More than 50 principals asked the Charleston Legislative Delegation to consider disbanding the boards within the next week. Following public hearings, one hosting a large group of those advocating for the change, and another with many opposing it, the delegation took its findings back to the state house.

Constituent boards were created in 1968 around the eight former school districts in place at the time. Like the Board of Trustees, these are elected positions. Many constituent board members consider themselves to be volunteers, but do say they make around $20 per meeting.

District staff, state lawmakers and the governor claim this was the only remaining district in the nation with constituent board practices in place. Some constituent board members have denied this.

Nearly 60 constituent board members sit with a moment of uncertainty as the district works out how it will move forward.

“There was a time when the constituent boards had more involvement. And if it came back, would that be better? I simply do not know the answer to that,” Former District 10 constituent board member Francis Beylotte said. “I do think it is important that the district continues to keep community voices at the table.”

Beylotte said he resigned from his position after feeling he was witnessing potential bias and unfair treatment. He believes the ban will create better transparency across all 88 schools.

“My experience as a constituent board member made me realize beyond the shadow of a doubt that this kind of thing needs to be done by professionals, not politicians, volunteers, or people with nothing else to do. It made that 100% clear that it needs to happen now,” Beylotte said.

A constituent board member for District Three casts a shadow of doubt.

In a public comment on Monday, Katy Calloway said the Board of Trustees would be responsible for handling hundreds of student disciplinary cases, along with the other duties they cover. In the 2024-2025 school year, Calloway cited more than 700 across the district.

Calloway questioned whether the district would do this during “business hours,” as opposed to the constituent set-up of special meetings, typically done after school.

“We live in the neighborhoods we serve. A lot of the families we see for discipline issues are people we know. We see them in the grocery store, in church, on the weekends,” Calloway said. “Every student is different, and the constituent boards had the ability to really listen to students’ and parents’ concerns. That practice is going to be tabled to become efficient.”

Calloway was preparing to go into district meetings discussing the appointment of a middle school principal when she heard the law was being signed. She said the district is asking board members to “maintain their duties until the end of the year.”

Calloway also claimed board members were not included in current or prior discussions related to the board’s disbanding, although she figured for several years the idea was being suggested.

“Nobody asked us about our positions, or why we think we are objective, or needed, for that matter. So it was a little bit frustrating,” Calloway said. “My concern is they are really just kind of building the plane as it’s going down the runway.”

Governor McMaster released a full statement addressed to Representative Joe Bustos on H. 4014:

“I have signed into law R-23, H. 4014, which abolishes the constituent districts of the Charleston County School District and their respective boards of trustees. As the General Assembly is well aware, like several of my predecessors, I have consistently vetoed local or special legislation that violates the South Carolina Constitution. Our Constitution expressly prohibits the General Assembly from enacting legislation “for a specific county” and “where a general law can be made applicable.” S.C. Const. art VIII, § 7; S.C. Const. art. III, § 34(IX). Although our courts have held that greater deference is warranted in the context of public education, “legislation regarding education is not exempt from the requirements of Article III, § 34(IX).” Charleston Cnty. Sch. Dist. v. Harrell, 393 S.C. 552, 558, 713 S.E.2d 604, 607 (2011). Therefore, I carefully review and consider all such legislation presented to me and scrutinize the same in view of the governing law. Absent other issues or infirmities, I have signed local or special legislation that is not clearly unconstitutional, such as where a general law could not be made applicable or where “a special law would best meet the exigencies of a particular situation.” Id. at 559, 713 S.E.2d at 608. Regardless, I have repeatedly cautioned the General Assembly to avoid relying on local legislation and, whenever possible, to instead address the underlying issues by passing laws of uniform, statewide application. Here, although H. 4014 plainly pertains to only Charleston County, apparently the Charleston County School District is the only district that still uses constituent districts. H. 4014 will, in other words, have the same effect as any statewide bill. In addition, the General Assembly has demonstrated that it is necessary to “best meet the exigencies of [this] particular situation.” Id. For instance, abolishing the constituent districts will lead to more consistent disciplinary action and result in significant financial savings. Therefore, I am persuaded that H. 4014 does not constitute impermissible local legislation based on the standards established by the South Carolina Supreme Court. The Honorable Joseph M. Bustos Page 2 April 28, 2025 For the foregoing reasons, I have signed H. 4014 into law.”

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill Monday that will change a portion of how the Charleston County School District board operates.

McMaster signed H.4014, a bill designed to drop the constituent districts and their respective boards of trustees within the Charleston County School District.

Charleston County has eight different constituent board districts. The constituent boards system is designed to handle issues like disciplinary hearings, student transfers and school zoning, but some have complained they are overreaching.

More than 50 district principals signed a letter back in February addressed to the Charleston Legislative Delegation, calling for the boards to be disbanded on the basis that they do not serve the interests of students and the community. The letter included claimed the board members are being difficult to work with, straining relationships and making student discipline decisions that place schools in harm’s way.

In a letter dated Monday to state Rep. Joe Bustos, R - Charleston, McMaster acknowledges that the state’s constitution “expressly prohibits the General Assembly” from enacting laws “for a specific county.” But, he said, since Charleston County is the only county whose school district has a constituent school board system, the law would have the “same effect as a statewide bill.”

He also said the General Assembly demonstrated to the governor’s satisfaction that the law is necessary.

“For instance, abolishing the constituent districts will lead to more consistent disciplinary action and result in significant financial savings,” McMaster wrote.

A prior investigation uncovered emails and affidavits showing board members involving themselves in conversations or arguments not within the scope of district’s constituent boards’ power.

READ MORE: Drama, accusations and unrest displayed inside Charleston Co. constituent boards

“As school leaders, we work with constituent board members and understand they are largely well-meaning, community-minded people,” the letter from the 50 Charleston County principals stated. “We also know they become standard-bearers in a redundant, structurally misguided system.”

The principals said wanted to make it clear that they were certain the functions constituent boards serve can be managed in more efficient ways that are aligned with the district’s priorities and positive student outcomes.

The bill states the constituent districts will no longer exist as of July 1, and that from that date, the district’s Board of Trustees will assume all of the former constituent district boards’ powers, duties and functions.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A nationwide effort is set to bring transformative therapies to people on Medicaid who are diagnosed with sickle cell disease through a new model by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy visited the Holy City on Friday to meet with state elected officials and Lowcountry doctors during an annual conference put on by the National Council of Insurance Legislators.

“This is a real win-win for everybody,” Kennedy said.

He says this new model’s goal is to expand access to transformative therapies for people with Medicaid and mainly for those with sickle cell disease.

Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Abe Sutton says those with sickle cell are currently treated for their symptoms, but Kennedy wants new gene therapies to focus on its root causes.

A handful of protestors stood outside the Francis Marion Hotel during this announcement in hopes of getting their message across to folks driving by.

“What I fear is a return to pre-existing conditions before we get insurance and things like that,” protestor Jennifer Small said. “And that’s totally ridiculous.”

Kennedy says he wants to create standardized insurance processes so people’s treatment can go from lasting months to just days. Plus, he wants to allow patients to make intuitive payments to manufacturers depending on whether the drug actually works for them.

He says people assume budget cuts translate to worse service, but it does not have to be that way.

“When we adopt cutting-edge technologies and make tough and fair negotiations with industry, we can cut costs and improve patient care,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy says 35 states have already applied to be involved in this new model, including South Carolina.

And one of the elected officials who met with Kennedy is South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who says the Palmetto State is fourth per capita in the nation of people with sickle cell. She says talking with a sickle cell patient directly in the meeting helped enhance her perspective.

“Competition is what drives costs down,” Evette said. “So, as these start to be proven and more people get into this field and start producing more drugs, that will eventually bring the costs down also.”

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (R) also met with the small group and says it means a lot to him as he’s worked on sickle cell legislation for the past ten years. He says 60% of sickle cell funding comes through Medicaid, and he wants to make sure that stays intact.

He also brought up another personal concern with Kennedy.

“Frankly, I had some concerns that the Office of Minority Health was going to be eliminated, and I wanted to make sure that I got the assurances that I wanted from RFK that that was not the case,” Scott said. “It’s moving over to the American Hospital Association part of the administration. So, that was good news to hear that as well.”

The Medical University of South Carolina’s adult and pediatric blood and marrow transplant and cellular therapy program medical director, Dr. Michelle Hudspeth, says she’s hoping these changes become long-term.

“Someone in your family is going to be affected by a life-altering illness, and we never know what that day may be,” Hudspeth said. “And so, this is about the background of science and research coming to a point where we can truly change lives.”

Overall, the group agrees they want to make these life-changing solutions in a fiscally responsible way.

Hudspeth says the group hopes this model will get approved in South Carolina so these therapies can start right away. But for now, there’s no timeline of if or when it may happen.

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