12/21 NEWSBREAK: Cruise passengers return to flooded cars

Dozens of Carnival Cruise passengers returned this week to parked cars that were totaled after the Dec. 17 nor’easter that hit downtown Charleston with major flooding, including at the parking lot belonging to the S.C. State Ports Authority. Passengers discovered damaged vehicles upon their return.

“We got to the cars, and honestly, we’ve never seen anything like it,” one passenger told WCSC-TV. “Everybody had their hoods up. It was crazy. The folks parked next to us had informed us that the cars had flooded and that the engines were history, and nobody’s car was starting.”

Another passenger added: “It would have been nice if they had informed us that this had occurred, and if they had some assistance out there. Assistance would have been more appreciated by me and my wife, and other people to guide us on what to do because we don’t live in Charleston.”

Both S.C. Ports Authority and Carnival Cruise Line responded with regret in formal statements and said they offered some assistance to passengers, such as towing, leaving cars in the lot and helping people connect with insurance companies.

Meanwhile, Charleston’s initial assessment from the storm found only minor damages, with 87 buildings affected and 41 suffering minor hits. However, polluted storm runoff forced the closure of several shellfish-harvesting beds ahead of the Christmas weekend.

In other news:

CP NEWS: Tecklenburg looks back over 8 busy years. In an exclusive interview, outgoing Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg has a lot that he’s proud of accomplishing in his eight years as mayor. But he says the coolest — something that reaches deep into his heart — is how the community came together to make a big dent in homelessness.

Holiday travel about to pick up. Travel over Christmas and New Year’s tends to spread out over many days, so peaks in the U.S. are likely to be lower than they were during the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the Associated Press. It reported that most people will drive during the holiday. Meanwhile, here are some Charleston-area restaurants that will be open on Christmas day.

Charleston-area Democrats face off in special election. A special election is being held to fill the House District 109 seat that covers the neighborhoods around Charleston International Airport between Interstate 26 and the Ashley River.

Spinx convenience store opens in West Ashley. The Spinx Company has opened a new convenience store in West Ashley located beside West Ashley High School.

Charleston middle school getting renovated. The Charleston County School District will soon demolish Morningside Middle School in preparation for a new one with a $46 million construction budget.