Staff reports | Charleston-area lawmakers on Tuesday introduced two bills intended to stop citizen’s arrests in South Carolina. Both bills, which face a slim chance of passage because of an abbreviated legislative year, were proposed in reaction to Ahmaud Arbery’s shooting death near Brunswick, Ga.
Staff reports | Eleven county parks have been reopened in recent days with limited amenities, such as being open for running, walking and biking on designated trails. Staff of Charleston County Parks will be on hand to ensure that guests are following social distancing guidelines and not using closed amenities, according to a statement..
Six parks reopened Friday:
— Caw Caw Interpretive Center
— James Island County Park
— Johns Island County Park
— Mount Pleasant Pier (fishing not allowed)
— Palmetto Islands County Park
— Wannamaker County Park
Charleston County Parks that also are currently open include:
— Laurel Hill County Park
— Meggett County Park
— Stono River County Park
— Wannamaker North Trail
— Isle of Palms County Park
Staff reports | North Charleston Democratic Rep. Wendell Gilliard described the state Department of Health and Environmental Control as chronically short-staffed and underfunded in a Friday story in sister publication Statehouse Report. He said while testing supplies were a nationwide issue, the state agency struggled with responding to public needs.
Staff reports | Residents of the Wappoo Shores neighborhood in West Ashley collected more than $650 in the last two weeks to feed police, firefighters and first responders as a way of thanking them for their service.
Fueled by an additional in-kind donation by D’Allesandro’s Pizza in downtown Charleston, the neighbors bought 30 of the company’s pies for officers on Friday afternoon. They plan to deliver as many to West Ashley firefighters next week.
Reynolds eats a slice of D’Allesandro’s pizza — at a safe social distance from anyone else!
“We’re so grateful for the support,” said Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds, who jokes how pizza, or “Vitamin P,” is his favorite food. “This is yet another example of showing how much the community cares for us.”
Staff reports | You remember why you’re planning to celebrate on May 5, right? It’s Cinco de Mayo, surely etched into your memory as the 158th anniversary of the Battle of Puebla in which Mexican forces turned back French troops on May 5, 1862. More than 250 soldiers died on the day in what later morphed into a holiday celebrating Mexican heritage.
By State Treasurer Curts Loftis | It’s no secret that money has a significant influence on our lives. While this is frequently made obvious in our daily routines, nothing underscores that sentiment quite like the current crisis.
Loftis
The emergence of COVID-19 has resulted in a societal spike of anxiety and fear, with many Americans rightfully concerned about their health during this time. Weighing just as heavily on our minds, though, are the economic consequences we are being confronted with.
Staff reports | Charlton Singleton, Shovels & Rope, Manny Houston, Lee Barbour, Kanika Moore and other artists will perform May 8 at a telethon to pay for services that benefit people transitioning out of homelessness. The event will run on a variety of local media outlets. The Homeless to Hope Benefit Telethon starts at noon May 8 and will operate until 8 p.m.
By John Tecklenburg, mayor | When the City of Charleston issued the stay-at-home order a few weeks ago, the primary goal was to “flatten the curve” so as to not overwhelm our hospital capacity and to greatly reduce the spread of contagion. I have been encouraged by the most recent numbers, which is a testament to our citizens staying smart, staying distanced and listening to medical experts. The plan to “flatten the curve” has and is continuing to work and we must be vigilant to keep Charleston from becoming a “hotspot”.
As we continue to flatten the curve, it is time to ready our strategic reopening to avoid any resurgence or spikes of the virus. I view this challenge in three ways:
* Protecting the lives and wellness of our citizens;
* Keeping our hospitals from being overwhelmed;
* Maintaining economic activity and core government services until a vaccine or treatment becomes available.
Staff reports | Lowcountry Local First (LLF) is offering a new “Adopt a Local Restaurant” campaign to help the Lowcountry’s food and beverage companies and their staffs stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.
Staff reports | Charleston Shoe Company, known for stylish and comfortable sandals, has donated 100 pairs of its new Lulu sneakers to MUSC health care professionals who are working to battle the coronavirus. And now, in a bid to keep the company going as its 30 stores across the nation are shuttered to deal with the virus, it is launching a “buy one, give one” offer to allow customers to send more shoes to hospitals.
“Instead of taking a passive approach, our team is facing this unique situation head on — pushing ourselves to adapt and persevere for our business, while also focusing on our community as a whole and what we can do to help,” founder and owner Neely Powell wrote last week. “Our store managers, who had to close their shop doors in mid-March, are instead, selling from their homes. From social media takeovers to Zoom call shoe parties, these incredible women continue to spread smiles (and bright sunny shoes) during hard times.”
We Can Do Better, South Carolina! (2019) by editor and publisher Andy Brack offers incisive commentaries on the American South, politics, the common good and interesting South Carolina leaders. Available exclusively for Kindle for $7.99. A paperback version will be ready soon. Learn more.
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