NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Questions are growing after several community cats that had been living for years near a North Charleston The Home Depot suddenly disappeared.

Caregivers say the cats weren’t just strays — they were part of a managed colony under a trap-neuter-return program, where animals are sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to the area they know.

For Jennifer Conlon, those cats became part of her daily life.

“They’ve been with us for years. We’ve spent so much time fixing them, feeding them…they have homes here,” Conlon said.

But recently, she says, that routine was disrupted.

“A couple of them disappeared… and we found out they were trapping them over at Home Depot,” she said.

Advocates say posts began circulating online, alleging that a trapper had been hired to remove cats from the property.

Maggie Cloninger, president and co-founder of Hope for Feral Hearts, says there are still more questions than answers.

“There was a post in a private group saying this Home Depot had set out traps to remove colony cats that have lived here for years… and we haven’t been able to confirm where they went,” Cloninger said.

In a statement to Live 5 News, Home Depot acknowledged the situation, saying in part that it has asked the store to stop working with the trapper involved.

Still, caregivers say the biggest concern remains the cats’ whereabouts.

Under Charleston County ordinance, free-roaming cats that are part of a managed TNR program are allowed to remain in the community if properly cared for.

Animal welfare experts say those programs are designed to reduce overpopulation and stabilize colonies over time.

“Spaying and neutering these cats and returning them where they live… it prevents more from moving in. It’s what actually controls the population,” a representative with Charleston Animal Society said.

Advocates say if cats need to be removed, there is typically a process involving animal control, microchip checks and relocation to a verified rescue or sanctuary.

They say it’s unclear whether those steps were followed in this case.

Cloninger says relocating cats improperly can put them at serious risk.

“They rely on caregivers for food and shelter… so putting them somewhere unfamiliar—they don’t know how to survive. Right now, they could be fighting for their lives,” she said.

For those who cared for them, the situation is personal.

Until more information is released, caregivers say they’re left asking one question: “Where are the cats?”

CHARLESTON — Community members got their first real glimpse at potential designs for future affordable housing that city staff and architects from Europe and Savannah have been working on this week.

The $125,000 week-long design effort is part of Mayor William Cogswell’s housing initiative called Project 3500 that aims to add 3,500 new affordable units by 2032 and redevelop wide swaths of the peninsula.

Most onlookers March 18 marveled at the sketches and mock-ups that embrace Charleston’s historic charm. But some expressed concerns about whether longtime low-income residents currently living at sites the city is targeting will be displaced.

Others wondered whether those residents might not have been able to attend the 5 p.m. weekday event held at the city’s Dock Street Theater downtown.

“This is very much still a work in progress,” Cogswell said adding that critiques about the accessibility of the location were valid.

Before any of the designs are finalized, Cogswell said city staff will go on the road and take them to the neighborhoods where residents will be most impacted.

To meet the city’s ambitious housing goal, Cogswell wants to redevelop nearly 100 acres across the peninsula combining properties the city owns with Charleston Housing Authority sites that were already earmarked for redevelopment, along with land the county owns along Morrison Drive.

Cogswell brought in architects and designers he and other city leaders met during a tour of Europe late last year to help plan and design the targeted sites into communities of density-packed, smaller buildings that look like downtown Charleston, rather than the tall boxy apartment complexes that have popped up along the upper peninsula.

“I’m gravitating toward the designs that keep it looking historic,” said Bri Meyer, a student blacksmith at the American College of the Building Arts. “Beauty shouldn’t dictate what you can afford.”

The city hopes developers, who will eventually take the designs and build them, will partner with the college in an effort to keep building costs down and also keep that future skilled workforce local.

Cassandra Stilley, who is studying stonemasonry, said the city is taking a novel approach by considering historic designs and materials to make new spaces where you can’t tell which apartment is affordable and which is “high end.”

City says it wants feedback, but how will it be documented?

Cogswell began the March 18 open house by saying that the design teams wanted feedback. But there was no way to record any suggestions, compliments or critiques residents brought. Cogswell said they were listening and would incorporate the verbal feedback as they move forward.

On March 16, at the kick-off event, Cogswell was caught off guard when the audience members asked questions about costs and the potential displacement of residents living at the targeted sites.

“It doesn’t feel true to genuine feedback,” said Lin Jay, an organizer with the Friends of Gadsden Creek.

Only a few acres remain of the once vibrant tidal creek that runs near Gadsden Green, one of the housing authority properties that is being redesigned. Jay said mock-up panels on display showed part of the remaining creek filled in and built over, which she said is alarming.

She’s less interested in the designs and called it “shiny stuff.” Her focus is wanting to preserve the natural amenity that the creek provides to the community surrounding it.

“I don’t think anyone’s against affordable housing,” said Margaret Ling, who lives near the Wagner Terrace neighborhood. “But are we actually listening to the people who live there?”

Cogswell has said that adding nearby city properties to the mix allows for a staggered build out, which will also help ensure that those currently living in Housing Authority properties won’t be displaced while the re-development happens.

“This effort is about creating housing that reflects Charleston and works for the people who call it home,” Cogswell said in a statement the city sent after this story published online. “We are committed to a thoughtful process, and we look forward to hearing from residents in the weeks ahead.”

The city plans to distribute comment cards at the final workshop on March 20, launch an online feedback form to collect input from residents across the city, and bring the preliminary design concepts directly into neighborhoods through a series of community meetings and pop-up events, according to the news release.

The week-long workshop will end March 20 with a wrap-up presentation where the design team will show the week’s progress and discuss next steps. That event starts at 5 p.m. at Dock Street Theater, 135 Church St.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the updated location of the final workshop on March 20, and the city’s response to how it will handle feedback going forward.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — More than 1,000 families attended a community baby shower Saturday, with some arriving hours in advance, as Molina Healthcare of South Carolina and community partners distributed supplies to new and expectant parents.

Over 5,000 diapers, baby wipes, baby clothing and food were distributed at the event. The Charleston Hispanic Association also gave out more than 10 tons of free food. Participants gathered information about maternal health resources and Molina member benefits.

Molina Healthcare of South Carolina organized the event in partnership with Healing Hurts Ministries, the Charleston Hispanic Association and Learn4Life.

David Irizarry, senior growth specialist for community engagement at Molina Healthcare, said two out of every five families skip a meal to pay for diapers.

“Today when you come out and you look around and you see moms smiling, and families coming together, it fills our heart, because we know these events are making a difference,” Irizarry said.

Dr. Tamela Brown, principal of Learn4Life High School Charleston, said the event brought the community together.

“It’s just a beautiful blend of community partners and education where our community can come in and get what they need,” Brown said.

Learn4Life is a tuition-free, nonprofit public school that provides students with learning opportunities, life skills and career training. To learn more about it, head to the Learn4Life website.

Nefateri Smalls, executive director of Healing Hurts Ministries, said the turnout reflected the scale of need in the community.

“I always have an expectation for the lives that we’re going to impact. But when I see them in numbers, it just lets you know that the need is not only great but that they recognize that there’s someone there that’s going to walk alongside them. So this, it really makes my heartbeat,” Smalls said.

The event comes as financial pressure on families continues to grow. According to data from the National Diaper Bank, the cost of diapers has increased by more than 20%. Rising gas and grocery prices have added to the strain on expectant families.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Laughter echoed through the halls of the North Charleston Fire Museum this week, even as visitors grappled with the bittersweet reality that the beloved attraction will soon close its doors for good.

City officials announced Thursday that the North Charleston Fire Museum will shut down in less than 10 days, prompting families, firefighters, and longtime supporters to stop by for one final visit.

Despite the news, the atmosphere inside the museum was far from somber. Children had a chance to explore while parents watched them soak in hands-on lessons about fire safety and history.

“It would just be really good to keep it open,” said visitor Avry Dearie, who toured the museum with family members.“I feel good that we can come here before it closes and we didn’t come here too late and it’s already closed.”

For many families, the museum was more than just a collection of fire trucks—it was a place of tradition and connection. Visitor Kettley Kyre said bringing her grandchild to the museum had become a regular thing they did.

“I always pick him up from his mama and I would say, ‘Hey, let’s go see the fire trucks,’” Kyre said. “And he loves them.”

Beyond nostalgia, the museum served an important educational role, especially for children learning how to stay safe in emergencies. Interactive exhibits taught visitors about smoke detectors, fire escape plans, and what to do if a fire ever breaks out.

“We like to see the plans with smoke detectors, and we like to see fire escape plans so we can be ready if it ever happens,” Dearie said.

Local firefighters say the museum played a crucial role in connecting with the community in ways traditional classroom visits cannot.

“It’s a little more interactive than us coming to the schools,” said firefighter Kyle Goceliak. “The kids might grasp what we’re saying to them, but here they get to play with stuff and actually put their hands on it.”

As the countdown to closure continues, city officials announced anyone can visit the museum until its closing date, Feb. 14.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — North Charleston is facing a housing crunch and city leaders say the need to act is urgent.

“Let’s get these people from under these bridges. Let’s get these people from under these dilapidated homes. Let’s get these people off the sidewalks. Get them in these buildings,” Mayor Reggie Burgess said.

In response, the city has created a new, hands-on position aimed at helping residents find housing faster. North Charleston’s first-ever housing coordinator works directly with people searching for homes, tracking down available units and making sure vacancies don’t sit empty while families remain on waiting lists.

Karen Thrower was recently hired to fill that role.

“The job entails helping people, that’s it in a nutshell,” Thrower said. “My whole responsibility is to connect people to housing, which means I also need to connect them to developers. Those are the two things. This is a job about connecting people to resources.”

Thrower works directly with seniors, people experiencing homelessness, and low-income families. Much of her work involves walking residents through applications and stepping in when paperwork or eligibility issues stall the process.

She says one of the biggest obstacles residents face is simply knowing where to start.

“The biggest barrier, number one, is where do they go?” Thrower said. “A lot of people call, just in the short time that I’ve been here, asking, ‘Who can I talk to? Where can I go?’ I don’t know. A gentleman called today looking for housing for his 75-year-old mother. He said, ‘Are there any senior facilities, senior apartments that I can find? Where do I go to find those?”

The demand for housing in North Charleston remains high. Nearly 4,500 people are currently on the waitlist for one- and two-bedroom units through the North Charleston Housing Authority, which operates about 600 units across the city.

Thrower says part of her role is making sure residents are connected to organizations and services they may not even realize are available.

“They’ll begin to see a greater level of connectivity to nonprofits that serve individuals who are unhoused, who are medium to low income,” she said. “The job is to, again, begin to connect people to the resources that they normally don’t know where they are.”

City leaders acknowledge the new role won’t solve the housing shortage overnight. But they believe having a dedicated person focused on housing navigation can help move people into homes faster and reduce the number of units sitting empty across the city.