61°FogHigh 75° · Low 49°

  1. 6 a.m.Fog.61°
  2. NoonPartly cloudy.72°
  3. 6 p.m.Cloudy.66°
  4. MidnightPartly cloudy.57°

Sunrise 6:43 a.m. Sunset 5:23 p.m.

Forecasted byThe Weather Channel

See this week
  1. 6 a.m.Fog.61°
  2. NoonPartly cloudy.72°
  3. 6 p.m.Cloudy.66°
  4. MidnightPartly cloudy.57°
  1. TodayFog. High 75° Low 49°
  2. SunClear. High 72° Low 48°
  3. MonClear. High 77° Low 46°
  4. TuePartly cloudy. High 78° Low 50°
  5. WedPartly cloudy. High 75° Low 51°

Sunrise 6:43 a.m. Sunset 5:23 p.m.

See full forecast

Saturday, November 7, 2026

Literary Festival kicks off and Ben Sawyer Bridge closes Sunday night

Plus, Dillard's is closing at Citadel Mall and pointing shoppers to Northwoods Mall.

The 5AM North Charleston team2 stories14 sources4 min read

Things to DoTop story

The Charleston Literary Festival kicks off its 10th year with 52 events through Nov. 15

The festival packs 52 events into 10 days

More than 100
authors, thinkers, performers and academics
52
events across Charleston
10
days, ending Nov. 15
$10,000
for the Cato Fellowship prize recipient

Sources: WCBD News 2, WCIV

If you like a good book talk, the Charleston Literary Festival officially began Friday and runs through Nov. 15 at the . Organizers say more than 100 authors, thinkers, performers and academics are in town. Communications manager Ann Biondi named Salman Rushdie, Barbara Kingsolver, Terry Jones and Ferdia Lennon among the biggest names.

Got kids? Misty Copeland's event is geared toward children ages 8 to 12, and Pete the Cat creator Eric Litwin will visit three Charleston County School District schools. Students from Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties are invited to special events.

  • Closing night: staged reading of Virginia Woolf's "Freshwater," Nov. 15
  • Main venue: Dock Street Theatre in downtown Charleston
  • Chef Kwame Onwuachi event: Charleston Gaillard Center
  • Tickets: required for most events, at charlestonliteraryfestival.com

1,500students organizers expect at Eric Litwin's school visits

Litwin will visit three Charleston County School District schools. More than 500 local students are also expected on field trips.

Source: WCIV

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Traffic

The Ben Sawyer Bridge will close to vehicles overnight Sunday as repairs near completion

If you're headed to Sullivan's Island or Mount Pleasant Sunday night, plan around the . The S.C. Department of Transportation announced the overnight closure for Nov. 8 and asks drivers to find alternate routes.

The bridge will be closed to vehicles from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Ben Sawyer Bridge between Sullivan's Island and Mount Pleasant

Midnight6 a.m.Noon6 p.m.9 p.m.to 4 a.m.
  • 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.Closed to vehicles
Night
Sun., Nov. 8

Source: Post and Courier

View as table
WhenWhat
9 p.m. to 4 a.m.Closed to vehicles
NightSun., Nov. 8

The repairs stem from a mechanical issue on Oct. 19 that kept the main span from locking into place, SCDOT spokesperson Tyler Fedor said. It's the latest of several overnight closures, including Nov. 2 and Wednesday night.

  • Marine openings: back on a normal schedule, per Sullivan's Island police
  • Before: openings were limited to three times a day
  • Repairs: SCDOT is nearing the end of structural work

The bridge has closed overnight several times since the Oct. 19 malfunction

  1. Oct. 19A mechanical issue keeps the main span from locking into place.
  2. Nov. 2The bridge closes to vehicles from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
  3. Nov. 4The bridge closes from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. for maintenance.
  4. Nov. 8The bridge will close to vehicles from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

News Notes · More

Dillard's

Dillard's posted closure notices on Nov. 5 for its Citadel Mall store in West Ashley after 34 years. The notices direct customers to its store in North Charleston. Post and Courier

Bird flu

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources has confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza among wild birds. It came after the City of North Charleston published a public health notice on Oct. 19 about several dead birds near . SCDNR is warning people to use caution around sick or dead wild birds. There's currently no treatment or cure for the virus. WCBD News 2Live 5 News

Sales tax

County voters approved a half-cent transportation sales tax on Nov. 3, and it's expected to generate $4.25 billion for traffic and safety, flooding, greenspace and mass transit in Charleston County. Charleston Mayor William Cogswell, speaking at a State of Our City stop on James Island, spoke about road improvements. He said it's "off to the races" on them. He said the city can't afford to fix roads on its own. Post and CourierWCIV

Football

Fort Dorchester beat Wando 34-28 on Nov. 5 in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. On Friday, Ashley Ridge lost 49-7 to Sumter in the same round. The StateWACH.com

Ashley Ridge lost to Sumter in the playoffs' first round

  • Fort Dorchester34 (won)
    Wando28
    Final, Nov. 5SCHSL Class 5A Lower State first round
  • Ashley Ridge7
    Sumter49 (won)
    Final, Nov. 6SCHSL Class 5A Lower State first round

Home

Two home kitchen upgrades under $24 while sales last: super-absorbent dish towels that come in an eight-pack and include a hanging loop, and a water-absorbing stone sponge holder that’s minimalist, compact, and keeps counters and sponges dry with natural diatomite stone. Advertising from Amazon.

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Play

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Content marked with an * is advertising.

Asked

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Asked

Where will you do most of your holiday shopping this year?

Be the first to answer.

Today’s puzzles

A new puzzle in each one every morning, played right here.

All 13 games

Quoted

Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.

— Cesar A. Cruz

Things to Do

Things to Do

North Charleston, SC

Saturday, Nov. 7

See every North Charleston eventFeature your event

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The Buy

Around the Block

Around the Block

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Neighbors

Good morning neighbors anyone now what I just captured today?

“In my back yard”

— A neighbor, Charleston Farms
Photo from the neighbor’s post

152 likes · 42 comments

View post

The Wrap

Goose Creek has a Scarecrow Family Build, where hay is provided and families bring clothing and accessories to dress their own scarecrow friends. The event also has live music, fall crafts, face painting, balloon twisting, and a life-sized scarecrow. It's a fall community event.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? West Ashley Greenway set to reopen after second sewer break

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Every source in this edition14 links · 8 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. WCBD News 2counton2.com
  3. WCIVabcnews4.com
  4. Post and Courierpostandcourier.com
  5. WCIVabcnews4.com
  6. WCBD News 2counton2.com
  7. Post and Courierpostandcourier.com
  8. WCBD News 2counton2.com
  9. Live 5 Newslive5news.com
  10. Post and Courierpostandcourier.com
  11. WCIVabcnews4.com
  12. The Statethestate.com
  13. WACH.comwach.com
  14. North Charleston events calendar5amnorthcharlestonsc.com

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5AM North Charlestonto me · Sat., Nov. 76:00 a.m.

Literary Festival kicks off and Ben Sawyer Bridge closes Sunday night

Plus, Dillard's is closing at Citadel Mall and pointing shoppers to Northwoods Mall.

The TLDR

  1. Charleston Literary Festival kicks off its 10th year, through Nov. 15
  2. Ben Sawyer Bridge closes to vehicles overnight Sunday
  3. Dillard's at Citadel Mall closes and points shoppers to Northwoods
Read this edition

More stories this week

From 5AM North Charleston’s other editions

All the news
West AshleyThe West Ashley Greenway is expected to reopen today after a second sewer break in weeksIf you run, walk or bike the West Ashley Greenway, the stretch between Coburg Road and Farmfield Avenue is expected to reopen by this afternoon. The sewer main break on Tuesday, Nov. 3 closed that stretch and sent sewage toward the nearby marsh.TransportationCharleston County voters extend the half-cent transportation sales taxCharleston County voters said yes Tuesday to extending the half-cent transportation sales tax. It passed with nearly 64 percent in early results that will be certified later this week, and WCIV says about 57 percent of registered voters turned out. The new tax replaces the current one when it expires next year, so the rate you pay doesn't go up.ElectionsA school sales tax and $300 million in bonds also passed, and Rivers Avenue transit has a 2029 targetIf you voted in Charleston County, you answered three questions Tuesday, and all three passed with more than 60% support in unofficial results. One continues the half-cent transportation tax. Another lets the county issue up to $300 million in general obligation bonds backed by that tax's revenue. The third is a school construction sales tax.

Around North Charleston

From WIS News 10, Live 5 News and 2 more newsrooms, gathered by 6AM News, 6AM City’s local news service.

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  2. Live 5 News3 hours ago

    Beckham, Philip Simmons win volleyball state championships, on Live 5 News

    Beckham and Philip Simmons each won titles in their respective classifications at Dreher High School while Wando came up short in the finals.

  3. Post and Courier4 hours ago

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  4. Live 5 News4 hours ago

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    The South Carolina Stingrays swept the weekend series over the Orlando Solar Bears with a 3-0 shutout victory on Saturday night in front of 5,065 fans at the North Charleston Coliseum.

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  5. Live 5 News4 hours ago

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    UT Martin defeated Charleston Southern by a final score of 20-10 on Saturday afternoon to continue the Bucs final homestand of the season.

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    The Citadel Drops 2026 Home Finale Against Rival Furman, 24-148, on Live 5 News

    The Citadel (2-8, 0-6 SoCon) dropped the team’s 2026 home finale against in-state rival Furman (3-7, 2-4 SoCon), faltering in front of a sellout Homecoming crowd via a 24-14 verdict Saturday afternoon at Sansom Field at Johnson Hagood Stadium.