Pressure washing in Goose Creek, SC

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. – At the Goose Creek Recreation Center, the sounds of laughter, educational activities, and shared stories have become increasingly familiar for the last several years. Now, the Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians is preparing to build on that momentum, announcing an expanded 2026 calendar of free culture classes, community gatherings, and heritage tourism initiatives designed to bring Indigenous traditions into public view — and public participation.

The yearlong program will offer monthly, hands-on culture classes open to residents and visitors alike, focusing on Indigenous arts, foodways, music, dance, and environmental knowledge rooted in the Lowcountry. Tribal leaders say the initiative is about more than preserving tradition — it’s about strengthening community ties across generations and cultures.

“These classes are about more than learning a skill,” said Joshua Shumak, Vice Chief of the Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians. “They are about building bridges—between generations, between cultures, and between communities. By sharing folk life and folk art traditions in open, welcoming spaces, we strengthen cultural understanding, support heritage tourism, and ensure these traditions continue for future generations.”

What began three years ago as a small series of workshops has evolved into a robust cultural calendar, reflecting growing interest from both tribal members and the broader community. In partnership with the Goose Creek Recreation Center, the Tribe has steadily expanded access to Indigenous cultural education, responding to increased participation and intergenerational engagement.

Monthly culture classes will be held on the second Saturday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., free of charge. The 2026 lineup includes Dream Catcher making in January, Basketry in February, Drum Painting in March, and Pottery in April — each class combining practical instruction with historical and cultural context.

In May, the program will pause for a special Community Picnic, Dance, and Drum Showcase at the Wassamasaw Community Farm. The gathering will feature performances by participants from the Tribe’s drum and dance classes and highlight the Youth Garden Project, emphasizing food sovereignty, youth engagement, and community wellness.

Summer and fall sessions will continue with Frybread in June, Bone Bead Bracelet making in July, Loom Beading in August, and Gourd Art in September.

The year’s programming will culminate in one of the region’s most significant Indigenous cultural events: the Wassamasaw Powwow, scheduled for October 10, 2026, at Old Santee Canal Park in nearby Moncks Corner. The powwow replaces the regular October class and brings together dancers, drummers, artists, and community members for a day of cultural celebration, education, and exchange.

The final months of the year will include Soap Making in November and Plant Identification and Uses in December, with the possibility of outdoor, hands-on learning at the Community Farm.

In addition to the monthly classes, the Tribe will continue its ongoing cultural practice programs, including Men’s Drum Classes led by Kaya Littleturtle of the Warpaint Singers and Women’s Dance Classes taught by Sierra Russell, featuring Traditional, Fancy, and Jingle Dance styles.

The Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians traces its roots back centuries to the lands and waterways of present-day Berkeley and Charleston counties. Despite generations of displacement and cultural erasure, the Tribe has remained a living community, preserving kinship networks, cultural knowledge, and a deep relationship to place.

Today, that legacy continues through education, land stewardship, and community-based programming — efforts that tribal leaders say are essential to keeping culture alive, not just remembered.

Local partnerships have played a key role. In 2025, the Tribe honored the Michael J. Heitzler Recreation Complex with its Bridge Builder Award, recognizing the facility’s support in expanding Indigenous programming and strengthening relationships within Goose Creek.

As interest in cultural tourism grows across the Lowcountry, the Wassamasaw Tribe sees its 2026 programming as an invitation — to learn, to participate, and to celebrate Indigenous culture as a living, evolving presence.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) — A new high-tech manufacturing facility, now open in Berkeley County, is set to play a key role in the future of the U.S. Navy while delivering long-term economic benefits to the local community.

Defense contractor Leonardo DRS officially cut the ribbon on its new naval power manufacturing facility in Goose Creek, a more than 140,000-square-foot site designed to build and test electric power and propulsion systems for U.S. Navy submarines.

Company leaders say the facility will be used to manufacture and test submarine propulsion systems, supporting naval vessels expected to remain in service for decades.

“This is the formal opening of our brand new facility here that will be used for building and testing submarine propulsion systems,” said Jon Miller, senior vice president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Naval Power Systems.

The Goose Creek site will test motors and build generators for the U.S. Navy, including systems for the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, the next generation of U.S. submarines designed to carry nuclear missiles. The Columbia-class is expected to serve as a cornerstone of the Navy’s fleet well into the second half of the century.

“We’re providing equipment for submarines that will be in the oceans out through the 2080s,” a Leonardo DRS executive said.

Local leaders say the impact of the investment goes beyond national defense. Berkeley County officials point to skilled, long-term jobs, opportunities for local contractors, and new tax revenue generated by the facility.

Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb said that revenue from the site could help fund public safety and education each year.

“With the tax revenue from this one site, we can hire new paramedics, two new EMS employees, new sheriff’s deputies each year,” Cribb said. “And with the money that will go to the school district from this one site, 10 new teachers this year and every year, so that is significant.”

Officials also say Berkeley County’s low tax rate, access to major highways, and proximity to the Port of Charleston made the area an attractive location for the investment.

Leonardo DRS leaders say the Goose Creek facility represents just the first phase of development, with future expansion planned to increase manufacturing and testing capacity. The company expects the site to support production for decades.

“We’ll be building that product here in the 2040s, 2050s, and perhaps beyond,” a Leonardo DRS naval power executive said. “We’re talking about jobs for generations.”

HII celebrates one year of operations at Newport News Shipbuilding in Goose Creek, emphasizing increased production and community engagement.

Quiver AI Summary

HII celebrated the one-year anniversary of Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) Charleston Operations in Goose Creek, South Carolina, with a town hall event for employees and community leaders. NNS President Kari Wilkinson praised the team's contributions to U.S. Navy programs, highlighting the successful ramp-up of production since the facility's acquisition in January 2025. The South Carolina team achieved its first unit delivery within 40 days and exceeded production goals for 2025, which is part of HII's strategy to increase shipbuilding capacity. Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker emphasized the importance of distributed shipbuilding in meeting national defense needs and noted the advantageous location of the Charleston facility within a growing maritime ecosystem. HII is actively partnering with various shipyards and international manufacturers to further expand its capabilities.

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FAQ

HII marked one year of operations at Newport News Shipbuilding Charleston in Goose Creek, South Carolina.

Community and Navy leaders, along with shipbuilders from NNS Charleston Operations, attended the anniversary event.

The facility delivered its first unit within 40 days and exceeded its production targets for 2025.

HII is focusing on distributed shipbuilding, leveraging partnerships with 23 shipyards and fabricators across the country.

NNS Charleston supports HII's mission to enhance shipbuilding throughput and meet increased demand for naval vessels.

Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.

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Full Release

GOOSE CREEK, S.C., Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII) today marked one year of Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) Charleston Operations in Goose Creek. The company hosted community and Navy leaders at the facility and a town hall event for all NNS Charleston Operations shipbuilders.

“Today, we celebrate our teammates here in South Carolina for the incredible difference you are making and will continue to make,” NNS President Kari Wilkinson said. “Whether you work in South Carolina or Virginia, we are one team on an important mission with the power to change the course of history — one component, one unit, one module, one boat or one ship at a time.”

Since the asset acquisition closing in January 2025 , NNS has continued to ramp up production at this important facility in support of its U.S. Navy programs. The South Carolina team was able to deliver its first unit within the first 40 days as NNS Charleston Operations, and has exceeded production targets for 2025.

Photos accompanying this release are available at: http://hii.com/news/hii-marks-one-year-of-newport-news-shipbuilding-charleston-operations/ .

“You are crucial as we continue to ramp up submarine and carrier shipbuilding,” Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker, program executive officer, attack submarines, told shipbuilders at the town hall. “Part of increasing shipbuilding is what we call distributed shipbuilding or outsourcing, (which means) leveraging the people here and those around the country to be able to increase our capacity to build the submarines and aircraft carriers and ships that our nation needs. I can’t thank you enough for what you do day in and day out.”

NNS Charleston Operations is located on 45 acres along the Cooper River with more than 480,000 square feet of covered manufacturing space. It is strategically located within South Carolina’s rapidly growing maritime ecosystem, having both barge and rail access, capacity to expand, and growing access to the highly skilled maritime trades workforce.

The work underway in South Carolina is part of HII’s distributed shipbuilding initiative to increase shipbuilding throughput and meet the increased demand for ships. In addition to NNS Charleston Operations, HII is partnering with 23 shipyards and fabricators beyond the company’s traditional labor market. HII also forged partnerships with international manufacturers to explore meaningful ways to expand capacity, including evaluation of adding an additional shipyard in the U.S.

About HII

HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII’s mission is to deliver the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.

As the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 140-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:

Contact:

Todd Corillo Todd.T.Corillo@hii-co.com (757) 688-3220

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d7b1d82-7887-4766-9b84-1b7dc3396046