Mobile Home Sales in Huger, SC

COLUMBIA — Travelers will soon be routed off the most southern portion of Interstate 77 as state crews resurface rough and bumpy bridges, detouring drivers through and around Columbia and adding time to commuters’ drives.

I-77 is a major thruway connecting Columbia to Charlotte and ending at the interchange with I-26, leading to Charlotte and Greenville. Initially, the work will close the northbound lane of I-77 from the night of March 24 through April 2 between mile marker 0 at Interstate 26 and mile marker 5 at Bluff Road. Later the same route will be closed on the southbound side.

The S.C. Department of Transportation will install signs to help travelers navigate other interstates to get around construction, but local drivers could choose to stick with backroad detours.

The signed route that takes drivers around the west side of Columbia on I-26 and I-20 is seemingly impractical for those trying to shoot up I-77 headed toward Charlotte, which would normally a handful of minutes.

But a test drive on March 21 showed that a detour on local roads may cut miles but adds minutes most of the time.

For drivers on the east side of Columbia or in Forest Acres, it’s a toss-up on time between the local or interstate detours, that may depend on one’s destination. For those downtown, it makes most sense to get to the Blossom Street bridge and head to Cayce.

“It just really depends on your start and end point,” DOT spokeswoman Ginny Jones said, “but the recommendation is, if you can find a way that you feel comfortable with, whether it’s the interstate or not, … then you should do that.”

At the end of April, the same section of I-77 will shut down in the southbound direction.

In total, the interstate will be closed for nine days in each direction and 17 potholed and cracked bridges will be resurfaced. More than 90,000 cars a day travel along the portion of I-77 under construction, making it one of the busiest in Richland County, according to state data.

Here’s how the detours will work.

DOT-signed interstate route

Drivers travelling on I-26 West who planned on getting on I-77 North toward Charlotte will be out of luck next week. Fortunately, DOT will have posted detours taking drivers around the I-77 bridge repair.

The detoured route is just more than 20 miles, and takes about 21 minutes.

Under DOT’s signed detour, drivers can continue west on I-26 toward Spartanburg. After about 11 minutes, they can get on I-20 East toward Florence, and continue on for 8 more minutes, before taking exit 73b to 277 North. Shortly, 277 will merge into I-77 North well beyond the construction area, and drivers will be back on their way.

When I-77 southbound shuts down in late April, DOT recommends that drivers take the same route in reverse.

The route will take drivers through the convergence of I-20 and I-26, more commonly known to commuters as malfunction junction, which is also under construction but remains open. The makeover of the interchange known for its heavy traffic and dangerous merges, called the Carolina Crossroads Project, will overlap with repairs on I-77, but DOT officials have said they are not concerned about excessive backup.

“We’ve worked with (the Carolina Crossroads) staff to make sure that scheduling for this time period doesn’t have any conflicts,” said I-77 project coordinator Tony Magwood in an earlier press conference.

A test drive of the route on March 21, showed traffic along the detour was light around midday during the week before the bridge repair. But added traffic from I-77′s closure could add more cars to the interstates and increase congestion, especially during peak traffic times.

Jones said that weekday rush hour traffic is expected to cause the longest delays.

Local route through Columbia

Locals who usually take I-77 from the Cayce area up to Northeast Columbia, might want to avoid the headache all together and take local roads.

“It’s just about driving around that area and just mapping it out, even practice beforehand if you feel nervous about it,” Jones said. “But the most important thing is to drive safely.”

To get around the closed section of I-77, drivers can loop through Cayce into downtown Columbia.

The easiest route, recommended by Apple Maps, is about 10 miles and takes 23 minutes, as opposed the 8 minutes it would take to shoot up the five closed miles on I-77.

While taking local roads would nearly halve the number of miles from taking the interstate detour, local traffic and slower speed limits add time to the drive, according to a test drive around midday on March 21.

But, added interstate traffic during rush hour and during I-77′s closure could make taking local roads worth it. Plus, many local drivers would prefer to avoid malfunction junction at any time of day.

A local detour route recommended by Apple Maps takes drivers down Charleston Highway through Cayce, and around the sharp right turn where the road turns in to Knox Abbott Drive. From there, drivers would cross the Blossom Street Bridge into Columbia, and hook a right on Huger Street.

Huger Street leads drivers to Whaley Street, where the road narrows to one lane and takes a couple of sharp curves. Soon, the road will open back up as drivers take Bluff Road past Williams-Brice Stadium, where they can connect back to I-77 North.

Drivers heading south when the interstate is closed again in late April may take the same routes in reverse, or get off I-77 at S.C. 277, which will lead them to Bull Street in downtown Columbia.

And, those traveling from eastern Columbia near Garners Ferry and Fort Jackson to the Cayce area will have an extra 10 minutes tacked on to their route, as they will need to take Rosewood to Blossom Street and head across the bridge.

Additionally, DOT has worked with large Columbia-area manufacturers off I-77 and worked out alternate routes for their employees to get to work, Jones said.

For updates, drivers should keep an eye on DOT social media throughout the week, she said.

Charlotte-based Nucor Corp. is expanding again. The steel company will invest $425 million and add 50 full-time jobs at its South Carolina manufacturing facility.

The news comes less than a month after Nucor said it would invest $200 million over five years on a modernization project at the same sheet and beam Berkeley County mill.

Nucor’s latest expansion will add a galvanizing line to expand the manufacturing of corrosion-resistant products at the 1455 Old Hagan Ave. in Huger plant, according to a news release from S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster’s office Tuesday. Huger is near the South Carolina coast, about 30 miles north of Charleston.

It will be Nucor’s eighth wholly-owned galvanizing line, according to a company news release Tuesday. Nucor is one of the largest manufacturers of steel and steel products in North America.

The new South Carolina flat-rolled galvanizing line will have an annual capacity of about 500,000 tons and be able to produce galvanized steel up to 72 inches wide, Nucor said. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2025.

“Anytime a longtime existing industry commits to an expansion, that’s positive proof that a lot of people are doing things right,” Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb said in a statement.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a $400,000 grant to Berkeley County to help with site preparation costs, according to McMaster’s office.

Nucor also received job development credits from South Carolina and the state’s utility provider, Santee Cooper, provided a grant to Berkeley County to help cover the costs of facility upgrades related to the expansion, according to a company news release. Nucor and Berkeley County also entered into a fee-in-lieu of tax agreement.

Nucor Steel Berkeley has 975 employees, according to the company.

Nucor’s Board of Directors also approved a galvanizing line to be constructed in the western U.S. with details to be announced later, according to the company.

Nucor Steel Berkeley is among a growing list of expansion moves by Nucor over the past year.

▪ Last month, Nucor said it will build an air separation unit to supply industrial gases to the steelmaking sheet and beam mill at the same Berkeley mill. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

▪ In early August, Nucor said it is adding a $100 million melt shop to its Kingman, Arizona, bar mill. It will create 140 full-time jobs with an average salary of $85,000. The project is expected to take two years.

▪ In June, Nucor completed its $3 billion acquisition of C.H.I. Overhead Doors from KKR & Co. Inc. C.H.I. manufactures overhead door products for homes and businesses, as well as rolling steel and rubber doors for commercial and industrial customers.

Also in June, Nucor agreed to acquire Summit Utility Structures and a related company, Sovereign Steel Manufacturing, producers of metal poles and other steel structures for utility infrastructure and highway signage.

▪ In April, Nucor shared a $350 million expansion plan to add 180 jobs at its third rebar micro mill in Lexington, N.C.

The same month, Nucor said it is investing $15 million in NuScale Power, a developer of small modular reactor nuclear plants.

Nucor also acquired steel racking manufacturer Elite Storage Solutions for $75 million with locations in Monroe, Georgia; and Chandler, Arizona.

▪ In January, Nucor said it will build a $2.7 billion sheet mill in Mason County, West Virginia, with capacity to produce 3 million tons of steel each year.

▪ Last fall, Nucor said it would add a blast and prime line at its $1.7 billion steel plate mill under construction in Brandenburg, Kentucky, and create 400 jobs. The project is expected to open later this year.

▪ In August 2021, Nucor acquired two insulated metal panel brands from Cary-based Cornerstone Building Brands for $1 billion, the Observer reported. The deal added 830 employees from seven Cornerstone manufacturing sites, three offices and a product center.

This story was originally published September 28, 2022, 10:48 AM.

Just 45 minutes outside of Charleston, a small town with a population of roughly 3,379 people lies in the midst of Berkeley County.

Huger is the hometown of Dr. Anthony Williams and Dr. Jessica Berry, both of whom were recently named to South Carolina State University’s Top 40 under 40 inaugural class.

The award was designed to honor alumni that have made strides to further their careers and impact their communities.

Growing up in Huger, Berry was a fluent native Gullah Geechee speaker. She attended Cainhoy Elementary and Middle School, the same school that Williams would attend only a few years later.

“Huger is extremely rural, people don’t really get to see a whole lot outside of that space there,” Berry said.

Berry went on to graduate from Hanahan High school and Williams at Timberland High School.

“At Timberland High School, I wasn’t the ideal student,” Williams said. “I didn’t have a 4.0 GPA, I didn’t have all A’s, I wasn’t in the honor classes. But my school counselor at the time, who is also an SC State graduate, Mr. Hilton, for some reason saw a lot in me. He saw way more in me then I saw in myself.”

Williams attended South Carolina State University, located in Orangeburg, in the fall after high school graduation. Four years later, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in child development.

Inspired by his own experiences with his school counselor back at Timberland High, Williams began working toward his master’s in school counseling.

“I had to be a school counselor because I wanted to pay it forward, Williams said. “I would not be here if it wasn’t for my own school counselor.”

Two and a half years later, in 2017, Williams graduated once again from SC State University with an administration degree. For a final time in July 2020, Williams completed his doctoral degree at SC State and since has been serving as an assistant principal at Sumter High School.

Today, Williams uses his personal experience of growing up in Huger as a testimony to what students can become despite any current circumstances.

“Being from that community, I understand there’s a lot of difficult situations and that circumstances aren’t always ideal,” Williams said. “Sometimes when you’re in it, you can’t see out of it. When I was a school counselor I used to say, ‘your grades are your get-out. Continue to pour into your school work and you will get out. If you want to be a lawyer or a doctor or a dentist or a principal, it is possible.’ I could have been a principal with just my master’s degree but my doctoral degree is to show the kids that you can do it. It’s not that far fetched. Go get it,” Williams said.

After completing her undergraduate degree at Winthrop University, Berry began pursuing her master’s at SC State University. It was during this time that her passion for educating the next generation on cultural biases that exist and advocating for people who don’t speak mainstream English was first sparked.

After receiving her doctoral degree from Louisiana State University, Berry returned to the state to serve closer to home.

Today, Berry continues to partner with school districts promoting this advocacy and even writing a book titled “The little Gullah Geechee: A Guide for the Come Ya (2019),” in an ambition to educate others on the Gullah Geechee culture.

Since 2017, Berry has served as an assistant professor with SC State in the speech pathology department.

Growing up unsure if she would ever have the opportunity to obtain a degree as grandiose as her own, she now leads the same department where she was once a student.

“My hope is that there’s another little girl in my area who sees me get this award and serve the community and educate people about who we are as Gullah Geechee and decide that I am worth it,” Berry said.

HUGER, S.C. (WCBD) – Blissful Dreams Rescue Ranch located in Huger is using horses as a form of therapy for children and adults struggling with psychological, emotional, physical, and relational challenges.

Started in 2010 by Jamie Kohler, the faith-based non-profit offers a safe environment to help visitors with self-awareness, socialization skills, and more by riding, feeding, and grooming the horses.

“We use rescue horses, dogs, cats, all sorts of animals to try and reach out to those in the community no matter what ability they have” said Kohler.

Wednesday morning, Camp Artism, a program for artists with autism, spent time at the ranch.

“It’s kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Ryan Tomaszycki, a camper at Camp Artism.

Ashley Drayton, the founder and CEO of House of Artists Foundation and Camp Artism, says activities like riding horses bring smiles all around.

“This helps with their communication skills both the horse and the rider are one together. They are able to thrive abundantly beyond the spectrum,” said Drayton. “I see them smiling, I see them having a really, really great time getting able to experience something that they don’t get to on a daily basis.”

Many of the animals at the ranch are rescues including three horses saved from the kill pen.

“They know that they’re loved and they give that love right back,” said Kohler. “I like to work with challenging horses so we got them, them not knowing a whole lot, and worked with them and now pretty much anyone can ride them.”

The non-profit is looking to expand its reach with inclusive summer camps.

“This year we’re really trying to focus on doing all the inclusion camps including everyone of any age and ability whatsoever,” said Kohler.

For more information on the camps, click here.

Camper Ryan Tomaszycki says the trip to Huger is worth it.

“When we work together and the horses work together it’s about tenacity, perseverance, and sticking it out!”

HUGER, SC (WCSC) - Many homes on French Quarter Creek, in Huger, still had water in the living rooms Tuesday. Items like mattresses and carpet were stacked outside on driveways, a display of items destroyed in the flood.

"This is the first day of cleanup," said Bill Cahill.

Water levels had gone down significantly, allowing people to get an idea of just home much they lost.

"I'm thinking $150,000," said Cahill.

Cahill and his family were picking up pieces from the storm at a home he built more than 20 years ago.

On Saturday night, it was that home where many found refuge.

"We were pulling people from all the houses around the neighborhood," said Cahill. "911 was calling us. Tommy and Bud down the road had boats and DNR couldn't get in here. So, they were bringing the people here to the porch."

More than 20 people packed on Cahill's porch. Soon, the US Coast Guard sent a helicopter to help.

Cahill, now a neighborhood hero, had only one thing on his mind.

"We were just trying to make sure everybody stayed safe," said Cahill. "At that point they're safe and you just worry about the damage later."

Thankful everyone was safe, his family now begins tackling those damages.

Recovery was seen around Huger.Just down the street, on Charity Church Road, Carrie Bennett was dragging her carpet to the road.She was still in disbelief at what she saw during the storm.

"I mean the water was coming up across the highway," said Bennett. "You couldn't walk to your mailbox without getting wet up."

The welcome sign at French Quarter Creek still had water at its foot, but much less compared to what the was seen days ago.The message on the sign reads "Thanks for visiting, please drive safely." It's a message of care that's still evident in the hearts of the people in Huger.

"I don't think you can ever underestimate things," said Cahill.

"God does everything for a reason," said Bennett. "It could be a blessing, and who knows. I'm just going to thank him anyways in advance."

The American Red Cross was also in Huger, assisting with damage assessments. For help with that in Charleston, call : 843-764-2323 x321

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