Clemson, ECPI donate computers for new workforce development lab

Clemson Extension and ECPI University have donated 18 computers to the city of North Charleston for a computer training lab in the city’s Midland Park neighborhood.

The Midland Park Community Center and Computer Lab will be used for workforce development skills to create opportunities for neighborhood residents.

Cable installation was provided by Teleco Communications and high-speed Internet access by Comcast Cable in Charleston. The building for the center was donated by the city of North Charleston.

Community leaders expressed a need to improve the technical capabilities of the local population, said Harry Crissy, Clemson regional community and economic development agent for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.

With a six-computer general use area and 12-seat classroom, the center will be used to help local residents of the community develop computer skills.

“This project will help residents of Midland Park learn word-processing skills, and day-to-day computer applications such as email and the Internet,” Crissy said. “Put simply, the basic computers skills they learn at the lab will help them find jobs.”

The center at 7349 Stall Rd. in North Charleston is the second computer lab Clemson and its partners have opened in the city. The first, at the Gussie Greene Community Center, opened in May 2009. The group plans to open additional centers in communities across the three-county region, Crissy said.

North Charleston Mayor R. Keith Summey said the computer lab provides many with the opportunity to establish and expand important skills that will enable them to gain meaningful employment.

“In an age where information prevails, becoming computer literate and technologically savvy is invaluable,” Summey said. “I am very grateful for the many contributors to this project, and I am confident that the entire community will benefit from their generous deeds.”

Collaborators in the project are:

• City of North Charleston
• Rhonda Jerome
• S.C. Linux Users Group, Charleston
• Clemson Extension
• SClabs, a non-profit outreach aimed at creating free labs for in-need communities
• Clemson University Restoration Institute
• Clemson University Institute for Economic and Community Development
• Teleco Communications
• Caminos Nuevos, a non-profit outreach and education group
• Comcast Cable
• ECPI University, North Charleston

Green Grove Community Center ribbon cutting

North Charleston Mayor R. Keith Summey and City Council Members cut the ribbon to the newly completed Green Grove Community Center, located at 2634 Bennett Yard Road.

With the facility's opening, it will became the City's 19th community center to come online. The City's 20th community center is currently under construction on Dorchester Road and is scheduled to open later in the spring.

Green Grove Community Center will be utilized for neighborhood association meetings, afterschool programming, senior activities, and will serve as a summer camp site.

SAIC dedicates new building in North Charleston

Science Applications International Corporation dedicated its new building at 1141 Remount Road, North Charleston, S.C. 29406. Honored and invited guests include local Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) leadership, local government officials including North Charleston’s Mayor Keith Summey and SAIC leadership.

SAIC has worked with the government on programs of national and international importance in the Charleston area for more than two decades. The company has supported its neighbor in Charleston, SPAWAR, for more than 25 years through systems engineering, platform integration, management, administrative, and logistic services. The 250 employees at the North Charleston facility enables SAIC to expand its existing presence and continue to provide support to customers in the area.

The new facility will house SAIC’s Advanced Computer Engineering (ACE) Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility designed to foster the innovation of technologies that deliver command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions. The ACE Lab will allow SAIC experts to work with customers to develop advanced engineering solutions for the nation’s most significant technological and software challenges.

SAIC will occupy 43,081 square feet of the 105,150 square foot building. The company signed a lease with Venture One Real Estate, LLC to occupy the property until 2021.

“This is a great opportunity for SAIC to enhance its presence in Charleston. Our employees here are proud of the contributions they make for our customers and we look forward to continued growth in the Low Country community,” said Deb Alderson, SAIC’s Defense Solutions Group President.

About SAIC
SAIC is a FORTUNE 500® scientific, engineering, and technology applications company that uses its deep domain knowledge to solve problems of vital importance to the nation and the world, in national security, energy and the environment, critical infrastructure, and health. The company’s approximately 41,000 employees serve customers in the U.S. Department of Defense, the intelligence community, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, other U.S. government civil agencies, and selected commercial markets. Headquartered in McLean, Va., SAIC had annual revenues of $11.1 billion for its fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2011. For more information, visit www.saic.com. SAIC:  From Science to Solutions

North Charleston dedicates its new home

Hundreds of citizens came out to be a part of history as Mayor Summey and City Council dedicated North Charleston’s third City Hall on Sunday, September 20, 2009.

The Open House allowed the citizens of North Charleston an opportunity to explore their City Hall. As Mayor Summey expressed, “City Hall belongs to the citizens that this government serves, which is very important to remember.” He continued, “We wanted an occasion for the public to visit their government’s new home, so they could appreciate it as much as we do.”

United States Congressman Henry Brown was among the dignitaries in attendance. Congressman Brown presented a proclamation to commemorate North Charleston’s new City Hall, and promised to deliver a flag being flown over the United States Capital Building during the opening ceremony.

City Hall is a very functional, state of the art facility that allows for more accommodating service for the people and businesses of the City of North Charleston. Every department except Public Works is now housed under one roof.

The North Charleston City Hall is officially dedicated to the citizens of North Charleston.

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