NEWS BRIEFS: Wienermobile made Mount Pleasant appearance Thursday

Karen Byko with the Wienermobile. Photo by Rob Byko.

By Rob Byko, contributing photographer 

“THE WIENERMOBILE IS IN TOWN!” Karen Byko shouted excitedly. “One day, if I’m really, really lucky, I will be the driver of this awesomely fabulous vehicle!”

For 35 years, my wife’s not-so-secret dream was to one day captain the world-renowned Wienermobile. On Thursday afternoon, the 27’ long wiener with mag wheels and a sports car suspension put in an appearance at Mount Pleasant’s Patriots Point. 

While we couldn’t wrestle away the keys from the “hotdoggers,” as the drivers are affectionately known, they did let us step inside to bring Karen one step closer to realizing her lifelong dream: to captain the Wienermobile…Hotdoggery! 

Commenting later on the experience, Karen said, “My first time seeing it in person-it did not disappoint!“

Also in recent news:

Help the Lowcountry “mask up.” I Serve with Joy is a South Carolina nonprofit that is distributing masks and PPE directly to schools as well as to individuals at events, alongside food distribution, or out and about in the community. So far, the organization, which has partnered with the North Charleston Police Department to boost distribution, has provided more than 3,000 masks in the effort to keep Lowcountry residents protected from COVID-19, which it says is needed despite increasing spread of vaccines.  It seeks to distribute 20,000 masks by May 1.  You can donate money ($100 pays for 500 masks), supplies or spread the word to keep residents safe. More.

S.C. distilleries fight for fairness in legislature. A bipartisan bill sponsored by nearly 30 state lawmakers could address what spirits industry leaders say is a fundamental issue of fairness that has kept the state’s 28 micro-distilleries from being able to serve customers after 7 p.m. or on Sundays like breweries and wineries can. They also can only sell their own brands of liquor.  And they can’t serve food or a cold beer. Learn more about what distilleries are trying to get lawmakers to do. 

Hate crime bill stripped of LGBTQ, other protections.  South Carolina’s LGBTQ community may not be protected by a proposed hate crime law after a Republican-controlled S.C. House subcommittee stripped provisions that would strengthen penalties for crimes committed because of gender and sexual orientation, observers say. As originally proposed, H.3620 calls for protections for people victimized because of their “race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability.” A House subcommittee unanimously approved an amendment Thursday that removed language related to sexual orientation, creed, gender, age and ancestry.  “I think this amendment will go a long way to alleviating a lot of the concerns of our membership,” said  S.C. Rep. Chris Murphy, R-North Charleston. Read more in the Charleston City Paper.

Judge allows McMaster, Lucas to intervene in abortion law case.  A federal judge allowed SC Gov. Henry McMaster and House Speaker Jay Lucas to enter an ongoing lawsuit Tuesday contesting the state’s new anti-abortion fetal heartbeat law.  More: The State.

House approves ‘step’ raises for teachers.  The S.C. House gave unanimous approval Wednesday to a proposal greenlighting public teachers’ small annual raises that were stalled by budgeting in the pandemic. The proposal is now heading to Gov. Henry McMaster’s desk. McMaster has expressed support for the bill. A lump sum covering the entire school year could be in teachers’ checks by June 15.  More: AP News.

U.S. House passes Clyburn’s gun fix for Charleston loophole.  The U.S. House Thursday passed Congressman Jim Clyburn’s bill to enhance background checks for gun purchases in a 219-210 vote.  More: The Post and Courier.

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