CLOSINGS & CANCELLATIONS: Offices begin reopening after Tropical Storm Debby’s landfall (2024)

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

Published: Aug. 4, 2024 at 3:21 PM EDT|Updated: Aug. 8, 2024 at 11:10 AM EDT

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Some government offices, health care facilities and Lowcountry attractions are reopening now that Tropical Storm Debby has made landfall and the threat of severe weather and flooding has begun to subside.

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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.

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 Thursday.
Charleston County School District: Teachers and staff can access school buildings on a voluntary basis from noon to 6 p.m. on Thursday. Buildings will be fully reopened on Friday.
Charleston Southern University: Charleston Southern University will continue 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. Friday will be a workday for teachers and staff. All extracurricular activities will resume on Thursday afternoon. The district’s first day of school will be 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. All after-school activities, programs and athletics are canceled through Thursday.
Orangeburg County School District: The Orangeburg County School District will operate an eLearing day on Thursday. 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 Thursday. It will reopen on Friday.
Trident Technical College: All Trident Technical College campuses will reopen on Friday, and the college will resume normal class and work schedules.Instructors should be flexible with students who were unable to complete coursework while the college was closed. Employees who are unable to report to work at their normal time should contact their supervisor to discuss adjusting their work schedule.

Government Offices and Community Services

Beaufort: 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 reopened for regular business at 8 a.m. Thursday. Beaufort County Council plans to rescind the state of emergency for Beaufort County on Thursday afternoon.
- County Convenience Centers reopen on Thursday.
- Lowcountry Ferry Service/Daufuskie Island returns to its normal schedule at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
- 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: All Berkeley County Government offices resumed normal operations on Thursday. This includes the Courthouse, Berkeley Animal Center, Cypress Gardens, Library branches, the Berkeley County Landfill and Convenience Centers. Bond Court will hold a 2 p.m. session only.
- Berkeley High School (406 W. Main Street in Moncks Corner) remains open as an emergency shelter. Cots, food, and water will be provided.
Bluffton: Bluffton government offices reopened on their normal schedule Thursday.
Charleston: All city offices 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. 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 on 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 Recreation and Summer Camps: All Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission parks and facilities will remain closed on Thursday. All programs and camps have been canceled through Thursday. 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’s St. Philip Street branch office will be closed on Thursday. Residents can pay bills online or by phone. For emergencies, residents should call 843-727-6800.
Dorchester County: All Dorchester County Administrative Offices and Dorchester County Courts will be closed through Thursday. The county plans to reopen on Friday.
- All Dorchester County Convenience Sites are following their regular schedule on Thursday.
- All Dorchester County Parks will be closed through Thursday. Parks will plan to reopen on Friday pending safety assessments.
- All Dorchester County Public Libraries will be closed through Thursday. All Dorchester County Libraries will plan to reopen on Friday.
James Island: James Island town offices will remain closed through Friday and will resume normal office hours at 8 a.m. on Monday.
- All Town-sponsored public meetings have been canceled for the week.
- Bulk debris and yard waste collection will resume on Monday.
- 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 and government offices reopen Thursday at noon.
- The landfill will be closed on Thursday. Garbage and trash collection will resume on Friday. Garbage only will be collected on Friday (Tuesday’s route), Saturday (Wednesday’s route), and Monday (Thursday’s route).
- 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.
- Recreation will resume operation at all indoor facilities and the Mugsy Kerr Tennis Center tomorrow at noon. Participants in Summer Camps will be notified via RecConnect on the status of the camps. Outdoor recreation fields are currently closed to allow flooded areas to dry out.
North Charleston: All City of North Charleston offices will be closed 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 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 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.

Medical Facilities

Fetter Health Care: All Fetter Health Care Network locations will open on a delayed schedule Thursday. Sites will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday. The sites will not close for lunch, allowing patients who were originally scheduled for appointments between 8 a.m. and 10:20 a.m. to be seen. 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.
Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System: The Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System will be open on Thursday with the exception of the Goose Creek VA Clinic which will remain closed on Thursday. Already scheduled virtual appointments are to remain virtual unless a face-to-face appointment is deemed necessary.
Roper St. Francis Healthcare: Roper St. Francis Healthcare has resumed normal system operations as of Thursday morning, including elective surgery cases and Roper St. Francis Physician Partners practices.

Lowcountry Attractions

Boone Hall Plantation: Boone Hall Plantation will remain closed through Friday. Normal tour operations will resume on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Willie’s Roadside Market At Boone Hall Farms will also remain closed through Friday and will reopen on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets purchased to tour Boone Hall Plantation are valid forever for any one day in the future ticket holders choose to tour the venue.
The Charleston Museum: The Charleston Museum and the Joseph Manigault House will open at noon on Thurdsay. The Heyward-Washington House will remain closed.
Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry: The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry will remain closed through Thursday.
Middleton Place: Middleton Place will open at 10 a.m. on Thursday and will have a limited tour schedule.
South Carolina Aquarium: The South Carolina Aquarium will remain closed on 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.