Orthodontist near West Ashley, SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — It may look like a simple wooden box, but for many West Ashley families, it means everything. Blessing Boxes are small, community-run pantries where neighbors can “take what they need and leave what they can.”

With the recent government shutdown delaying SNAP benefits, many Lowcountry families are struggling to put food on the table.

The motivation is that there are people in our community who rely on SNAP benefits, and because of the government shutdown, those benefits were delayed,” Kenneth Marolda, Co-Founder of West Ashley Connects explained.

Although benefits are set to be partially funded again, local leaders say the help may not go far enough.

“As we head into the holiday season, the partial funding may not be sufficient even to meet their daily needs, let alone holiday celebrations,” Marolda added. “And this is a way that we can help provide relief.”

The West Ashley Connects neighborhood group manages several of these Blessing Boxes across the area, filling them with canned goods, baby formula, hygiene products, and snacks. Volunteers say it’s their way of helping when larger systems fall short.

“I can’t provide official aid in any other way,” Marolda said. “But we can do what we can here to help make sure that people are fed.”

There are two main ways to get involved. You can drop off nonperishable food or hygiene items at four local partner businesses: Highfalutin Coffee Roasters, Café Rocha, Frothy Beard Brewing Company, and Shift Pilates Studio. Volunteers collect these donations regularly to restock the boxes.

You can also contribute financially to West Ashley Connects through PayPal or Venmo. Every dollar goes directly toward purchasing nonperishable items for the boxes.

We’re going to do it as long as we can,” Marolda said. “As long as people will donate and as long as there’s need. So either when the need is gone or when the funds dry up.”

Blessing Box locations and donation sites are:

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Just a week after his wife, a man pleaded guilty to charges relating to squatting in a West Ashley home.

Christopher “Nate” Marcum, along with his wife, Evelyn Pollard, and Daniel Byrd, on Dogwood Road, along with destroying the personal property of the family who lived there.

Affidavits stated that the trio removed the homeowner’s belongings and incinerated them in the backyard, attempting to conceal evidence that the owner still lived there. That personal property included couches, bedroom furniture, and living room furniture.

A day after their arrest, charred remains could be seen in the backyard surrounded by what appeared to be tiki torches.

Before the January charges, Marcum and Pollard were the subject of months of in which multiple West Ashley homeowners alleged that they had been squatting in their homes.

Marcum’s plea hearing took place on Wednesday in front of Judge R. Kirk Griffin. Marcum’s sentencing terms are similar to his .

The terms of Marcum’s deal are as follows:

Pollard’s plea deal suspended five years of prison time to 27 months of probation, the first nine of which are being spent in a residential treatment facility. She was also referred to substance abuse counseling.

Beyond the squatting-related charges, today’s plea deal resolved Marcum’s 2023 methamphetamine charge.

Marcum’s public defender, Martha Runey, said that he has a West Ashley trailer that he plans to live in after release.

The last defendant in the case, Byrd, is set to plead on Oct. 31. Assistant Solicitor Jewell Gearding, who prosecuted Pollard, indicated during her hearing that Byrd is expected to receive probation.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Novant Health announced the opening of West Ashley Internal Medicine, a new primary care clinic designed to expand access to high-quality, patient-centered care in the Charleston area. The clinic is located at 10-B Farmfield Avenue, Charleston, SC 29407.

The new practice will open with Sarah Minter, DO, an experienced primary care physician dedicated to building long-term relationships with patients and helping them manage their health at every stage of life.

“Expanding access to primary care is one of the most important ways we can meet the growing health needs of families in the Charleston area,” said Kirsten Royster, president of Novant Health’s Charleston area. “With the opening of West Ashley Internal Medicine, we’re ensuring that more patients have convenient access to trusted providers close to where they live and work.”

Primary care plays a vital role in preventive health and in the early detection and management of chronic conditions. Novant Health is planning to open additional primary care clinics throughout the Tri-County.

Novant Health has also hired a dedicated primary care patient navigator who can help patients explore which provider is right for them – and set them up with same-day and next-day appointments - by calling 843-471-1239.

“My goal as a primary care physician is to get to know my patients, understand their health history and partner with them to make decisions that improve their long-term well-being,” Minter said. “I’m excited to be part of Novant Health’s commitment to bring more options for high-quality care to West Ashley and the greater community.”

In addition to the new West Ashley location, Novant Health also recently welcomed Stewart Trimble, MD, at Novant Health Sewee Family Medicine at 570 Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant. Together, these expansions reflect Novant Health’s ongoing commitment to meet the growing demand for primary care across the Charleston area, along with advanced services at Novant Health East Cooper Medical Center.

Appointments at West Ashley Internal Medicine are now available online or by calling the primary care new patient navigator at 843-471-1239.

About Novant Health

Novant Health is an integrated network of more than 900 locations, including 19 hospitals, more than 750 physician clinics and urgent care centers, outpatient facilities, and imaging and pharmacy services. This network supports a seamless and personalized healthcare experience for communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. Novant Health is nationally recognized for our unwavering commitment to safety and the highest quality care, and we serve as a catalyst for healthcare transformation through clinical trials, leading-edge research, innovative care delivery models and robust virtual care networks. The expertise and empathy of our more than 40,000 team members along with more than 8,500 independent and employed clinicians are at the heart of Our Cause as industry leaders caring for communities across the Carolinas. In 2023, Novant Health provided more than $1.6 billion in , including financial assistance and services.

For more information, visit . Follow Novant Health on , , and .

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A woman charged with breaking into a West Ashley home and burning the owner’s belongings pleaded guilty Wednesday but walked out of the courtroom remaining a free woman.

Charleston Judge Debra McCaslin accepted a negotiated plea deal that gave Evelyn Pollard a five-year sentence, suspended to 27 months of probation. McCaslin stated she could not intervene with the assistant solicitor and public defenders’ decision, as it was part of a negotiated plea deal for probation.

On Jan. 7, 2025, Pollard, along with co-defendants Christopher “Nate” Marcum and Daniel Byrd, was , along with destroying the personal property of the people who lived in the home.

Pollard will spend the first nine months in residential treatment at a facility, was ordered to pay almost $3,500 in restitution and undergo substance abuse counseling. The prosecution stated it had lost contact with one of the victims with the charge involving that individual to be dismissed.

Judge McCaslin told Pollard repeatedly that she was first hesitant to even consider the negotiated plea agreement.

“I’m telling you that I usually don’t do this. There will be no tolerance for any violations, period,” McCaslin said. “You go into somebody’s house, squat, tear up their stuff and steal all their belongings; you wouldn’t like it if somebody did it to you.” Pollard replied, “Yes, ma’am.”

Back in June, a judge and forced her to remain in jail despite a high-risk pregnancy. She was later released in July to a treatment facility.

of Pollard and Marcum’s alleged squatting in multiple West Ashley Homes dates back to the beginning of January.

So far, no law has been passed formally criminalizing the act of squatting. Removing a tenant in a private home, even in a case of squatting, still requires months of lengthy eviction court proceedings before an individual can be forcefully removed.

The other two accused squatters, Marcum and Byrd, are both scheduled to enter pleas by the end of the month.