Quartz Countertopsin North Charleston, SC

Dal'mont Gourdine playing at UConn, celebrating after making a play.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Dal'mont Gourdine is the standard bearer in more ways than one. His family, neighborhood, and high school all should be proud.

By the sounds of it, North Charleston-born and raised Gourdine could be the mayor of Storrs, Connecticut, after five years of playing football for the UConn Huskies.

"The people are very welcoming," he said. "They want to get to know you. Coach Hurley [is] over there across the street. Real cool dude - got to know him. Chopped it up plenty of times. The whole university. I know the president."

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He's made UConn his home. When others "portal'ed" to the next spot, the only chasing he did was opposing quarterbacks.

"My game plan going forward is NFL," he said. "Main goal on top of the main goal since I was a youngin'."

That very well could happen. But with what he's already accomplished – it doesn't much matter.

"Where we come from in North Charleston, not many take that next step and next level to go where the family wants them to go," he said. "We probably had eight graduation tickets, but I had to go back to people and say I have like 20 graduation tickets. I have people coming from North Charleston up here. The university helped me get those tickets for the people, who spent the weekend up here."

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His college career is now over. A foot injury at practice late in the season forced surgery. He won't play in the upcoming Fenway Bowl against UNC. He's every bit a part of getting them there. You bet he'll be in Boston for it.

"Waking up at 4:30 a.m. to go to workouts and train," he said. "I'm happy for this team. The guys, the coaches, the families around this team. When things went left, we got them right during the season."

He's also the last of his kind. The final Garrett Tech Falcon to fly. The final athlete from the now-shuttered high school off of Dorchester Road.

"I think about it all the time," he said. "We always talk about high school, what is your HS doing this Friday? I never join in the conversation because I don't have a high school anymore. Garrett is gone. Last athlete, something I can hold my head on. I'm the last to ever do it at the school. Before they built CCSD, I tried to contact the people to get my name on there that I was the last one to do it."

He may not have to ask for that in Storrs, Connecticut.

CHARLESTON COUNTY , S.C. (WCIV) — North Charleston Holiday POPS kick off the Christmas season with a sparkling performance Saturday. Local artists from across the Lowcountry will take the stage along with special performances by Martin Chalk, Heather Rice, Suzanne Fleming-Atwood, and Palmetto City Ballet.

From founding the iconic South Carolina rock band Hootie & the Blowfish to spreading his message of hope and transformation , Jim "Soni" Sonefeld will also join the orchestra as he performs a new release from his own Christmas record “Light of Joy.” The festive EP shares the sounds of the season, the coming of the savior and some of his favorite holiday memories. The two time Grammy award winner describes his single "Light of Joy (Gloria)" which he wrote with Martin Chalk as majestic and emphatic. The two collaborated on the song in Mount Pleasant.

Martin Chalk told News 4 it was a "beautiful idea that Jim started. It's a story of the birth of Jesus and just the angels singing Gloria and the light that Jesus brought to the world." Chalk currently serves as a Worship Pastor at Saint Peter's Church in Mount Pleasant.

Jim Sonefeld attended the University of South Carolina and continues to be an ally for the Lowcountry, employing local filmmakers to capture the performance.

The orchestra will present a variety of holiday favorites including Hanukah Overture (arranged by Adam Shugar), music from The Nutcracker, original songs by Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, Martin Chalk and Heather Rice, and a Christmas singalong.

"I think the sing-alongs will bring the audience in and dancing as well," Sonefeld told News 4. "For us it's about community and getting together with musicians and performers that are local and have a lot to offer in the arts. I think it's just a great idea to gather at this time and start this holiday season off with a boom. "

Chalk echoed Sonefeld, saying, "I would hope that people who come tonight would leave with some brightness in their eyes, little bit of joy and hope, and sort of just almost like, a kickstart to this wonderful time of year."

The holiday celebration embodies the spirit of giving this holiday season. The North Charleston POPs are teaming up with Deans Dogs, founded by Hootie and the Blowfish's Dean Felber, for a donation drive during the show benefiting the Charleston Animal Society. If you donate any amount to Dean's Dogs or the North Charleston POP's you will be entered to win a backstage tour and meet and greet with the Hottie and the Blowfish musicians.

Tickets are still available online and at the box office. Doors open at 6:30 P.M. The Show begins at 7:30 P.M.

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NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston County Council discussed the Better Northbridge project in their committee meeting Thursday.

The project intends to build a standalone pedestrian and bike bridge, making it safer for those crossing between North Charleston and West Ashley. County staff members requested approval for Better Northbridge, so they can send a RAISE grant to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

“Right alongside the existing Cosgrove bridge that would connect West Ashley and North Charleston communities together,” Alex Owsiak, manager of Charleston County public works capital programs, said. “There have been quite a few accidents and injuries, and fatalities along the bridge – with generally bicyclists and pedestrians. So we’re looking to provide that safe avenue for those folks to get across and connect those two communities together.”

Charleston Moves, a transportation advocacy group, has been working with the county’s staff on this project. Katie Zimmerman, executive director, said not many changes would need to be done on the application itself, since they have already done the groundwork.

“If the county were to try again, I think a- it would be an easy lift because we already have a really strong application that we can build on,” Zimmerman said. “But also, really making sure we get that political support I think would put it over the top.”

This will be the fourth time the county has sent in this application. However officials said in 2023, the USDOT’s federal review team gave this project high marks, indicating it has a good chance this time.

“In fact, we were told we did not receive funding just because there were so many applications, and they ran out before they were able to get to us,” Owsiak said. “So, we’ve already been pre-approved this time around. It’s just a matter of getting that council approval for the application. So, I think we have a really good chance of getting funding this time around.”

Leaders said that the Ashley River crossing project, a similar Charleston County proposal, received federal funding from this grant. It had been applied for three times and was accepted.

Whichever way the council goes, both parties said they are prepared to keep this project a priority in the county.

“We still want to do things that are going to keep the project moving forward. Whether that’s getting the money to finalize the design or start working on permitting. You know taking little chunks and moving it forward. We don’t want it to sit and languish,” said Zimmerman.