12/1 NEWSBREAK: Charleston police see overdose numbers dropping

The state Department of Health and Environmental Control says opioids continue to be the primary cause of overdose deaths in recent years, but the Charleston Police Department has taken steps to help reduce the number with public training seminars aimed at educating community members about Narcan.

There were 54 deadly incidents in the first six months of the year, according to WCSC, but officials say the number of calls in October and November have been down. Comprehensive Opioid Stimulant and Substance Use Program Project Coordinator Shelby Joffrion said it’s important for everyday citizens to be educated on overdoses, as it “touches every single demographic, income level, education level.”

The department is hosting several informational training sessions to educate people about substance abuse and administering Narcan. Coming sessions are from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays at Bees Ferry West Ashley Public Library (Dec. 7); from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Johns Island Public Library (Dec. 14); Main Public Library, downtown (Jan. 4); St Andrews/Hurd St Public Library (Jan. 11); and Keith Summey/North Charleston Public Library (Jan. 18)..

The training will begin with informational videos talking about what substance use disorder is, how it occurs and how someone who is using painkillers and opioids in a legal way can turn illicit. Participants will learn how to administer Narcan and there will be opportunity for an open floor discussion.

In City Paper news today:

CP OPINION: GOP voters must dump Trump, back Haley

“It’s almost inconceivable that this narcissist who rallied a mob to insurrection at the U.S. Capitol is being taken seriously in our democracy, especially since he faces 91 felony counts in four cases ranging from trying to overturn the 2020 election and falsifying business records to obstructing justice and mishandling classified information.”

CP CARTOON, Ariail: Plucked, roasted and smoked
CP CARTOON, Stegelin: Despite all that

CP FEATURE: Charleston celebrates 250th anniversary of its tea party. Two hundred fifty years ago, Charlestonians committed an act of defiance against the British crown by refusing to import 257 chests of tea aboard the ship London, which anchored in the harbor on Dec. 2, 1773.

CP NEWS: Williamson to campaign in Charleston, across S.C. Democratic presidential candidate and author Marianne Williamson will be in Charleston 6 p.m. today for a talk at Buxton Books. She’ll also meet, greet and campaign in Beaufort on Saturday, Myrtle Beach on Sunday, Columbia and Rock Hill on Monday, and Clemson on Tuesday.

CP NEWS: Oyster shell recycling is key to preserving shorelines. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ Oyster Recycling and Enhancement Program spearheads community-based rehabilitation efforts to restore oyster reefs and living shorelines with replanted oyster shells and manufactured reefs.

CP NEWS: Genealogist uncovers 3 centuries of his family’s history. Darius Brown details in his recently released book, At the Feet of the Elders: A Journey into a Lowcountry Family History 300 years of his family history from the colonial period until the mid-1900s.

CP FOOD: Charleston brewers head west for hops. For Charleston-area brewers, many say the best way to get good hops is to visit the Yakima Valley in Washington state, where they get to touch, smell and select the hops that will help dictate their beer’s quality. Also in food:

In other news:

S.C. business leaders warn of affordable child care shortage. The Council for a Strong America and Ready Nation on behalf of state business leaders reported South Carolina’s current child care system falls well short of the needs of Palmetto State employers and their workers, many of whom do not have access to child care. The study also reported a $1 billion loss annually for the state due to lack of childcare.

Charleston council members, officials discuss affordable housing at Union Pier. Since a new team has taken over Union Pier planning, the City of Charleston’s Director of Housing and Community Development is working to get everyone on the same page.

Charleston addressing Hagood Avenue flooding with new project. The City of Charleston’s Chief Resilience Officer Dale Morris said the city is launching a project that will address that flooding and start with a six-to-nine-month research and planning process.

S.C. education superintendent proposes teacher pay bump, but calls for more work days. Superintendent Ellen Weaver proposed an increase of $1,500 to every cell of the state’s minimum teachers’ salary schedule, if the school districts add five more days to a teacher’s school year.

USC to offer a course on Taylor Swift. The School of Sport and Entertainment Management will offer the course “Life is Just a Classroom: Taylor’s Version” beginning with the Spring 2024 semester.