CLOSINGS & CANCELLATIONS: Schedule changes continue from Tropical Storm Debby (2024)

By Patrick Phillips, Marissa Lute, Steven Ardary and P.J. Williams

Published: Aug. 4, 2024 at 3:21 PM EDT|Updated: 16 minutes ago

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The effects of Tropical Storm Debby are continuing to wreak havoc with schedules for government offices, schools and businesses across the Lowcountry.

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Some portions of the Lowcountry have seen more than a foot of rain over the past few days and additional rain is expected. Many roadways across the Lowcountry have been closed because of flooding as well, causing more issues for businesses and their employees.

The following schedule changes are in effect:

Schools and Colleges

Berkeley County School District: Schools and offices in the Berkeley County School District will rely on virtual operations through Thursday. All extracurricular activities, athletics and school programs are canceled on Wednesday and Thursday.
Charleston Southern University: Charleston Southern University will extend remote work for employees through Wednesday. CSU will move all in-person classes to virtual learning through Thursday.
- Rivers Library will close and reopen when classes transition back to in-person learning.
- Dining services will remain open, offering limited options due to staffing. All food will be served from the Dining Hall only.
- The Brewer Center will be closed until classes are back on campus.
- The Campus Store will close through Thursday.
- All campus tours are canceled through Thursday.
Colleton County School District: The Colleton County School District moved to eLearning on Wednesday. The district said families will be notified each day by 4 p.m.
Dorchester County School District 2: All district offices and schools will be closed through Thursday in conjunction with Dorchester County. Employees will work remotely. Friday will be a workday for teachers and staff. All extracurricular activities remain canceled until Thursday afternoon. However, this could change depending on the amount of rainfall and storm damage. The district has postponed the first day of school until Monday.
Dorchester County School District 4: Teachers and staff will work remotely through Thursday. Tentatively, faculty and staff are expected to return to work on Friday. Elementary School Principals are working to reschedule “Meet the Teacher” on Friday. School will begin on Monday for all students.
Georgetown County School District: The Georgetown County School District will hold eLearning days for the district through Thursday. District leaders say they will release an update on schedule plans on Thursday. All after-school activities, programs and athletics are canceled for Tuesday through Thursday.
Orangeburg County School District: Wednesday and Thursday are eLearning days, the district says. District leaders say they expect “a significant number of roads” will be impassable, primarily in the eastern portion of the school district. Students and staff are not to report to any district buildings, which will remain closed. All afterschool programs and athletic events, including practices and games, are canceled until schools resume their normal schedule or until further notice.
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College: Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College will remain closed on Thursday.
Palmetto Christian Academy: Palmetto Christian Academy will be closed on Wednesday.

Government Offices and Community Services

Beaufort: City offices will be closed for normal operations on Tuesday and Wednesday. The City of Beaufort will open and resume to normal business operations on Thursday.
- Capital Waste Services plans to resume trash pickup services on Thursday. Capital Waste will be servicing Tuesday and Wednesday garbage routes on Thursday. On Friday, they will service Thursday and Friday garbage routes.
- All tables, chairs, and trash cans are being removed from Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. In addition, the marina will shut off fueling operations later today.
Beaufort County: Beaufort County offices are closed Wednesday. Determination for Thursday will be made at a later time, depending on weather conditions.
- County Convenience Centers will be closed Wednesday.
- Lowcountry Ferry Service/Daufuskie Island: The service will be closed Tuesday, Wednesday and possibly Thursday as well.
- Hilton Head Island Airport and Beaufort Executive Airport are operating normally at this time, however as Tropical Storm Debby approaches, travelers need to check with their carriers for any possible flight delays and cancellations.
Berkeley County: Macedonia Middle School shelter will be closed Wednesday. Berkeley High School (406 W. Main Street in Moncks Corner) remains open as an emergency shelter. Cots, food, and water will be provided.
- All Berkeley County Government offices will reopen for normal business hours on Thursday.
Bluffton: Bluffton government offices will be closed to the public on Wednesday. Most employees will be working from home.
- Bluffton Municipal Court is canceled on Tuesday. The court will reschedule court dates and notify defendants.
- Wednesday’s Historic Preservation Commission meeting has been canceled.
- Waste/Recycling routes will not service the remainder of Monday or Tuesday. Waste Management will decide about the remainder of the week depending on storm conditions.
- Building inspections were not expected to resume until Thursday at the earliest.
CARTA: CARTA is suspending service until further notice as of Tuesday afternoon because of deteriorating weather conditions and multiple areas of flooded and impassable roads. Officials are continuing to monitor weather and road conditions and will resume service in areas as conditions permit.
Charleston: All city offices will close at 3 p.m. and will reopen on Friday during normal hours.
- All public meetings at the City of Charleston are canceled for the remainder of the week.
- The Municipal Court at the City of Charleston is closed until Friday.
- A general population and pet shelter is open at the Charleston County Sheriff’s Administration Building, located at 3841 Leeds Ave. People can reach the shelter by normal CARTA routes.
- Trash collection is canceled for this week. No garbage collection will occur on Tuesday and Wednesday (subject to change). Residents should secure their trash, garbage, and recycling bins and remove them from the street.
- The Citizens Services Desk will operate 24 hours a day starting Monday. Residents can call or email with non-emergency questions or requests at 843-724-7311 or citizenservices@charleston-sc.gov. Spanish-speaking services are available through Charleston County Government at 843-746-3909.
- The County Council buildings will be closed Thursday. The committee meetings will be moved to Aug. 13 beginning at 6 p.m. followed by County Council.
Charleston County Parks & Recreation Commission: All Charleston County Parks programs and camps have been canceled through Thursday.
Charleston County Public Libraries: All branches and offices will be closed Thursday, along with all book droops and automated material returns. Patrons are asked not to leave items outside of the book drops. The libraries will resume normal operations on Friday.
Charleston International Airport: The airport remains open and is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Debby. The airport urges passengers to check with airlines about flight delays and cancellations.
Charleston Recreation and Summer Camps: Camps were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Municipal Golf Course Camp is canceled for the entire week. Please note that all schedules are subject to change based on evolving weather conditions.
Charleston Water System offices: Charleston Water System offices will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Residents can pay bills online or by phone. For emergencies, residents should call 843-727-6800.
Colleton County: All Colleton County Government Offices will be closed Tuesday. Anyone who needs law enforcement assistance should call the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office at 843-549-2211. Call 911 for any emergencies.
Dorchester County: All Dorchester County Administrative Offices and Dorchester County Courts will be closed from Tuesday through Thursday. The county plans to reopen on Friday.
- All Dorchester County Convenience Sites will close at 5 p.m. on Monday and will reopen Friday.
- All Dorchester County Parks will close at 5 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. Parks will plan to reopen on Friday pending safety assessments.
- All Dorchester County Public Libraries will close at 5 p.m. on Monday. All Dorchester County Libraries will plan to reopen on Friday.
James Island: James Island town offices will remain closed throughout the State of Emergency as officials and staff shift into their emergency roles.
- All Town-sponsored public meetings have been canceled for the week.
- The Charleston County Community Information Line is being staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to provide updates and answer questions regarding the storm. For assistance in English, dial 843-746-3900. For Spanish, call 843-746-3909. As always, if you are experiencing an emergency, dial 911.
Mount Pleasant: Mount Pleasant Town Hall will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday but will conduct business remotely. Town staff will be available by phone and email and all online services will remain available.
- No garbage and trash collection will occur on Tuesday or Wednesday. A modified schedule will be issued once collections can resume.
- Other than Monday committee meetings, all public meetings for the week are canceled. The Municipal Court will not be in session this week. All court appearances will be rescheduled and notifications will be mailed.
- All Recreation activities and facilities, including camps and the Farmers Market, will be canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday. Schedules may change based on weather conditions.
Mount Pleasant Waterworks: Mount Pleasant Waterworks will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. The operations center, located at 1619 Rifle Range Road, will reopen on Thursday at 9 a.m. depending on weather conditions at that time.
North Charleston: All City of North Charleston offices will be closed from Tuesday through Thursday. All public meetings during this time are canceled, including the Board of Zoning Appeals on Monday and City Council on Thursday.
- Trash collection will be suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday. Collection will resume on Thursday. Tuesday’s route will be collected on Thursday, Wednesday’s route on Friday. Thursday’s route will be dependent upon landfill operations on Saturday.
- Municipal Court will be closed from Tuesday through Thursday. However, bond hearings will take place daily. All individuals with scheduled court dates will be notified by mail of their rescheduled dates.
- All recreational and cultural arts programs and activities, including Summer Camp, Athletics, and the North Charleston Farmers Market, are canceled through Thursday. Facilities such as Athletic Buildings, Community Centers, Senior Centers, and Park Circle Playground will remain closed through Thursday.
North Charleston Police “National Night Out”: North Charleston Police say their “National Night Out” event has been postponed until Oct. 1.
TriCounty Link: TriCounty Link is suspending service until further notice as of Tuesday afternoon because of deteriorating weather conditions and multiple areas of flooded and impassable roads. Officials are continuing to monitor weather and road conditions and will resume service in areas as conditions permit.º

Medical Facilities

Charleston GI Specialists: Charleston GI Specialists and its surgery centers closed at 1 p.m. Tuesday and will be closed all day Wednesday.
Fetter Health Care: All Fetter Health Care Network locations will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Fetter will reopen access on Friday afternoons. Please note the following schedule for patient care and pharmacy services:
- Friday: Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Aug. 16: Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Aug. 23: Closed (staff training-no services)
- Aug. 30: Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sept. 6: Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Low Country Rheumatology: Low Country Rheumatology will be closed on Tuesday.
Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System: The Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System will operate on an altered schedule through Thursday. All closures listed are outpatient closures, but inpatient care units and the emergency department will remain open and operational. Virtual care options will be available for those requiring outpatient care.
- Goose Creek VA Clinic: Closed Tuesday through Thursday.
Roper St. Francis Healthcare: Roper St. Francis Healthcare will implement temporary changes for elective procedures and facility operations.
- Roper St. Francis is rescheduling all elective procedures slated for Tuesday and Wednesday and are informing patients. Decisions about Thursday procedures will be made on Tuesday.
- Roper St. Francis Physician Partners sites will be virtual on Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Roper St. Francis Express Care locations will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, though some exceptions may allow for virtual visits.
- The following RSFH sites will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. The facility will make a decision on Tuesday about Thursday operations:
  - Roper Hospital Diagnostics & ER - Northwoods - effective 7 a.m. Tuesday
  - Moncks Corner Medical Plaza - effective 7 a.m. Tuesday
  - Waring Senior Center in West Ashley
  - Lowcountry Senior Center on James Island
  - The Roper Learning Center
  - The Roper St. Francis Office Park

Lowcountry Attractions

Boone Hall Plantation: Boone Hall Plantation will be closed Tuesday because of potentially hazardous weather conditions. A determination as to the schedule for the rest of the week is expected as crews evaluate the storm’s impact. Tickets purchased to tour Boone Hall Plantation are valid forever for any one day in the future ticket holders choose to tour the venue.
Charleston City Market: The Charleston City Market will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry: The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry will remain closed through Thursday.
Middleton Place: Middleton Place will remain closed through Tuesday.
South Carolina Aquarium: The South Carolina Aquarium will remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Select trained staff will remain safely onsite to handle all animal care needs.

Check back for updates to this list as additional schedule changes are announced.