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MOUNT AIRY, N.C. —

A Mount Airy native is trying out for "America's Got Talent."

Dashawn Hickman shared his excitement for the show and what he hopes to accomplish.

Hickman has played the pedal steel guitar since he was 5 years old. Now, he is preparing to play with Steve Ray Ladson from South Carolina in a four-person band.

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Hickman met Ladson through mutual friends.

After performing in the Cirque du Soleil show called "Song Blazers" last year, Ladson asked Hickman to be part of his band and audition for "America's Got Talent."

"You know, you never think that you will be doing things like that, but me and Steve had been talking for a long time just about doing stuff together," Hickman said.

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Tuesday was Hickman's first time on "America's Got Talent."

"It was an experience to be amongst all the excitement of AGT and seeing how all it got put together. And you know it was something to experience," Hickman said.

Hickman said the audition process was lengthy and that he waited in line for 12 hours.

During the fourth day of auditions, the band performed Ladson's original song, "Back of My Truck."

All four Judges voted 'yes' for the band to move onto the next round and agreed it was a hit.

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For the owner, it was an idea spawned by the COVID-19 pandemic. Edie May and her husband bought electric bikes to ease the boredom and isolation during the lockdowns. She said she fell in love with the bikes and decided she wanted as many people as possible to have the same experience.

As she approached retirement, she wanted to open a business, and electric bikes were at the top of her list. The grand opening of It’s Electric: The E-Bike Shop was May 1.

“They are so much fun," May said. "Once I saw this space for sale, I said, I have got to do this."

The bike shop is located at 650 College Park Road in the Ladson area of Berkeley County. She said her twist is that she wants to offer more mid-range bikes that everyone can afford. At her shop, the bikes currently range from $550 to $2,500, but prices could change.

“I’m absolutely terrified of the tariffs,” she said. “I have been contacted by every one of my vendors, and they say things could be up 100% after May 1. I hope President Trump will say we don’t need these tariffs.”

May said she is not into politics and the only dogs she has in the fight are the e-bikes. She said if the tariffs go through, her current e-bikes will stay the same, and she will have to raise the prices on her future inventory.

“It will affect the customers once it affects me," she said. "That's the only thing I can do."

For now, she remains optimistic. It’s her best option, considering the shop is up and running with a brand-new inventory of bikes. She believes her shop is unique to the area because while e-bikes are becoming more popular, shops that personalize the bikes and offer test rides are limited.

“Some bicycle shops sell a few e-bikes but usually sell the higher-end e-bikes, the $5,000-$6,000 bikes," she said. "Mine is the only e-bike shop that offers scooters and the larger bikes."

Considering the size of the battery, some of her bikes can hold a charge for a full day or longer. The speeds vary, but the top speed is limited. She said state law requires e-bikes not go faster than 28 miles per hour. Any faster and they will no longer be considered bicycles. She wishes they would need insurance and licenses like motorcycles, but regardless of the speed restriction, the bikes have brought her the type of joy she wants to share.

“They are so much fun, and I just can’t stress enough; if people just get on them once, it changes their mind," she said. “I want it to be when they walk out of here, they are so excited about going out and riding these bikes.”

LADSON, S.C. (WCSC) - Around 15,000 people have eaten their way around the Ladson Exchange Park over the weekend to enjoy the annual Black Food Truck Festival.

The festivities began this weekend with the “Rhythms & Booze” Opening Soiree at the International African American Museum and continued with the food trucks into the rest of the weekend.

The festival’s founder, Marcus Hammond, says between 45-50 vendors selling everything from seafood to desserts to apparel lined the park.

With the festival starting after the pandemic three and a half years ago, he says they’ve tried to bring the cultural ties between food, music and culture back year after year.

“The entertainment is top notch,” Hammond said. “We always find the best bands from the region, locally, around the area. People love the Kids’ Zone. They’re able to come out and have their kids with the Kids’ Zone. I mean, there’s just something for everybody. That’s the best part about it.”

Hammond says he wanted this tradition to be multi-generational so that anyone and everyone would keep coming back for the food, entertainment and more.

And aside from the daytime festivities, the festival has also hosted after parties, such as “Trappyoke” and “AfroChuck” for those who want to stay into the night.

“We really just wanted to celebrate the culture in a major, major way here in Charleston,” Hammond said. “Charleston is world-renowned for its hospitality and tourism and its cuisine, and Black people are a part of that. So, we want to celebrate that with the community and celebrate that with the world.”

In the future, Hammond wants to continue bringing this festival back to the Exchange Park and start a new culinary bootcamp for kids. He says he’s welcome to anyone reaching out to help make that goal a reality.

Click here to get in touch with Hammond and all things under the Black Food Festival.

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