12/19 NEWSBREAK: Charleston airport hits passenger record in 11 months

Charleston International Airport shattered a record in November with more than 504,000 arriving and departing passengers,boosting the yearly total to nearly 5.7 million. The previous yearly record was reported in 2022 with 5.32 million travelers passing through the airport.

The airport got a big boost during the seven-day Thanksgiving travel holiday period with a passenger count of 130,000, up 11% from the year before. It also broke a one-day record on the Sunday after Thanksgiving with 11,094 people screened for departing flights, according to airport officials.

Spokesman Spencer Pryor attributed the rise in passenger numbers to airlines flying directly to more cities from Charleston. Airport officials say they also expect December’s passenger count to grow 4% to 5%, adding a projected number of nearly 445,000 travelers, bringing the yearly tally to more than 6.1 million to set a new annual record.

In other news:

Lowcountry beaches cleanup after major flooding. The Isle of Palms received over eight inches of rain as heavy Sunday rainfall brought flooding, washing away seawalls, docks and private piers. Emergency management crews have been working to clear the beachfront of wooden planks, trash and storm debris. Along the coast, communities cleaned up after the nor-easter that hit during a record high tide.

Young Black men disproportionately jailed in Charleston for guns. A report released Dec. 11 by Charleston County’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council revealed more people are locked up in the county jail for unlawful carrying of a firearm than any other charge, with 90% of those charged being Black men.

Field of candidates grows for Charleston Co. sheriff. Two more people have joined the growing field of candidates looking to become the next Charleston County sheriff. Former Charleston County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Alan Ali and North Charleston Police Captain of Special Operations Rick Keys joined Folly Beach Deputy Chief Rocky Burke, former Mount Pleasant Police Chief Carl Ritchie and incumbent Sheriff Kristin Graziano for the seat.

Summey reflects on time as North Charleston mayor. Keith Summey has led North Charleston for nearly 30 years, and as the year comes to an end, so too will his time as the city’s mayor.

Warming centers open across the Lowcountry as temperatures drop. With temperatures expected to fall this week, organizations across the Lowcountry are opening their doors for those in need of a warm place to stay.

Charleston luxury getaway puts its own spin on ‘holiday inn’. The Wentworth Mansion was included among 25 historic hotels from around the U.S. with the “most magnificent gingerbread displays.” The establishment’s gingerbread display is a detailed, scaled-down replica of the boutique 21-room inn.