APRIL 24, 2022 | The state Supreme Court issued a temporary stay on Wednesday that delayed an execution by firing squad due to a litigation in another court challenging the constitutionality of South Carolina’s execution methods. Last year, the General Assembly authorized use of a firing squad as a third alternative when a second, death by lethal injection, isn’t an option because of the lack of authorized execution drugs.
Meanwhile as the high court issued a stay for the April execution, it scheduled another for May, which was then put on hold two days later. Gov. Henry McMaster has said he wouldn’t commute the sentence of the man scheduled to die in April. Finally, the Associated Press outlines here how a firing squad will work in South Carolina.
In recent Charleston-area news:
Charleston booms despite climate change hurdles to development. Climate change is becoming impossible to ignore in Charleston, with “sunny day” flooding making the city center nearly impassable roughly once a week, The New York Times reported this week. Elsewhere, groundwater burbles up. But despite the challenges, Charleston is booming. The story included a reference to the Charleston City Paper’s weekly crane count.
State officials say wastewater monitoring is smart. State officials say proactive monitoring of wastewater for diseases like COVID-19 could be a better way to predict how illnesses will impact residents. In Charleston, the program that measured levels of COVID-19 in wastewater proved an invaluable tool ahead of and through the Delta surge in 2021, officials said. But the program has quietly gone by the wayside, worrying health providers ahead of an expected surge in infections from the BA.2 variant.
Earth Day zen: A paddle with Jimmy Buffett near Charleston. Senior editor Chris Dixon writes that when Jimmy Buffett calls you early on a beautiful Earth Day morning to see if you’re keen for a second round of local dolphin searching via paddleboard, do you head into the office, or do you make the water your office? “I’ll give you one guess.” (It wasn’t the office.)
Two Charleston-area hotels named on list of best 100 openings in the world.
The Loutrel, a 50-room property that opened on the peninsula in November, and the Post House, a restaurant and seven-room inn in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village, both made the cut for Travel + Leisure’s “It List” of 100 new or recently reopened hotels in the world.
Fire destroys historic Mosquito Beach hotel on James Island. The fire happened at the Pine Tree Hotel which served African Americans during segregation. The hotel was going to be restored thanks to a grant from the National Park Service.
Charleston County among counties with fast-rising rental rates. The cost of rent in the United States is rising at the fastest pace in decades, making housing more costly than ever for many Americans. Rents continue to rise at the fastest pace in decades, making housing costlier than ever for many Americans. Beaufort County’s 31.1 percent increase since 2019 leads the Palmetto State, with York County’s 28.3 percent close behind. In fast-growing Charleston County, rent has risen 19.6 percent since 2019, just under Horry County’s 20.7 percent increase.
New Walmart distribution center brings over 1,000 jobs to Ridgeville. A Walmart expansion bringing a new $220 million distribution center to Ridgeville is expected to bring more than a thousand new local jobs.
S.C.-1: Wilson endorses Arrington over Mace in Republican primary. U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-Charleston, endorsed Republican Katie Arrington in her bid for U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s District 1 seat.
Shahid jumps in race for Charleston mayor. West Ashley city council member Peter Shahid announced this week he would run for mayor, a seat held by longtime friend John Tecklenburg, who is running for reelection. The election is in November 2023.
Cunningham advocates for legal marijuana. At a 4/20 event on Wednesday in Charleston, gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham voiced his opinion on the legalization of marijuana and believes legalization is what constituents want, but politicians don’t listen.
In recent statewide and political news:
Third suspect arrested in S.C. mall shooting. Police on Thursday arrested a third suspect accused of participating in an Easter weekend shooting at a Columbia mall that wounded nine people. On April 16, nine people were shot and five hurt in the mall shooting. The following day, nine more people were shot at a Hampton County nightclub. No deaths were reported. Earlier in the week, some S.C. lawmakers called for tougher gun penalties.
Breakaway churches ordered by high court to return property to national Episcopalians. Nearly a decade ago, more than two dozen parishes broke away from the national Episcopal Church. But on Wednesday after years of legal wrangling, the South Carolina Supreme Court ordered 14 of the 29 parishes that broke away must return its property to the Episcopal Church and its affiliated South Carolina diocese. The court also ordered turnover of Camp St. Christopher on Seabrook Island to the national church, which is represented by 29 parishes from Charleston to Columbia.
S.C. Republicans’ fight over power threatens early voting bill. The state House of Representatives and S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster accused the state Senate of a power grab, threatening the chances of having true early voting in upcoming S.C. elections.
S.C. bill to expand access to birth control advances. The bill will give women 18 and older more access to birth control or other hormonal contraceptives by going directly to a pharmacist without a doctor’s prescription.
Lucas to step down at end of legislative session in May. S.C. House Speaker Jay Lucas on Thursday announced he will step down from his leadership post when this year’s regular session ends on May 12.
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