MORNING NEWSBREAK | The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened an inquiry into a $1.3 million grant program aimed at curbing North Charleston gun violence problem, city officials confirmed.
“The City of North Charleston is committed to transparency and is ready to assist with any investigation into the gun violence prevention program to ensure the community’s trust in the current administration,” North Charleston Communication Coordinator Tony Tassarotti said in a statement Tuesday. His boss, Mayor Reggie Burgess, is a past police chief of the city.
Meanwhile, recently retired North Charleston Police Chief Greg Gomes told The Post and Courier that he was contacted Friday by the FBI and was asked to retain all documentation related to the city’s Gun Violence Reduction Grant Program. Gomes’ last day with the department was June 30.
In 2022, the City of North Charleston awarded $1.2 million in grants to 12 nonprofits to reduce gun violence in the community. Each nonprofit was awarded $100,000 to fund services like mentorship programs, food for the community and more.
But according to media reports, North Charleston officials were unable to keep tabs on where the taxpayer money went and what the nonprofits were doing with the money, hampering the first-time program.
“We take these concerns very seriously, and Mayor Burgess supports any necessary inquiries,” Tassarotti added. “Our dedication to safety and openness is unwavering. To further this commitment, we have retained the team of Peter McCoy and Nathan Williams as outside counsel to facilitate the process and will continue to work with all partners to address gun violence and uphold the trust and confidence of our community.”
Both Charleston-based lawyers spent time as federal prosecutors, with McCoy serving as U.S. attorney for South Carolina from 2020 to 2021.
In other recent headlines:
CP FOOD: ‘Is It Cake?’ cast to install hyper-realistic cakes in The Loutrel. The installation begins July 8 and will be free and open to the public through September 30. Guests can expect to see an array of “realistic southern dishes, coastal creatures and baubles.”
North Charleston prepares for area’s largest July 4 fireworks celebration. The city is inviting people from across the Lowcountry to visit beautiful Riverfront Park on Thursday for the area’s largest fireworks show and celebration, kicking off at 5 p.m.
- CP NEWS: 8 spots to watch fireworks in Charleston
- Where to watch firework on Fourth of July in Charleston
Loophole closed in Charleston’s thick plastic bag ban. The single-use plastic bag ban with an updated ban on thick plastic bags within the City of Charleston is now in effect as of this week.
The mysterious origin of South Carolina’s ‘red dot’ stores. Liquor stores were prevented from having any advertising or explicit signs, so the unusual result happened to be the recognizable three red dots seen across South Carolina liquor stores. The origin started in Charleston, and expanded from there.
Charleston Co. finalizes investigation of hostile school workplace claims. An outside investigation into claims of a hostile workplace at the Charleston County School District exonerated Superintendent Anita Huggins and other district officials.
Lowcountry hospital to open $30M operating room expansion. Trident Medical Center is planning to open its latest expansion this month with a $30 million operating room. The medical center has been working on the expansion for the past year to expand the hospital’s surgical services and increase its ability to serve the community.
Charleston churches working together to break racial barriers. James Island Presbyterian Church and St. James Presbyterian Church came together one Saturday to tear down a fence that was once put up to segregate Black and White churchgoers who have been buried on the properties.
New report shows King Street occupancy and foot traffic for second quarter. According to the report, the majority of Upper King Street occupancy belonged to restaurants, at 37%. Middle King’s bulk was apparel shops with 51% occupancy. Apparel shops also accounted for the largest portion of Lower King’s occupancy with 39%.
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