MORNING NEWSBREAK | Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region late Thursday as a Category 4 storm, causing record surges and winds before slowly weakening in Georgia and the Southeast. Nevertheless, it dumped torrents of rain and caused flooding, high winds and tornadoes from Alabama, through metro Atlanta and to the South Carolina coast.
Dozens of roads in downtown Charleston closed Friday due to severe flooding. A flash flood warning has been issued through 11:45 a.m. and a tropical storm warning is in effect until 1:15 p.m. There’s a high surf advisory until 8 p.m. Friday.
- NOTE to City Paper readers: As a safety precaution, delivery of Friday’s print issue of the newspaper is delayed until Saturday. But you can see a full, flippable version of the issue online here.
About 2 inches of rain fell in the Charleston area between Thursday and Friday mornings, but things were much worse in the Upstate, which received more than 6 inches of rain, according to media reports. The Midlands was projected to receive 2 to 6 inches of rain as the storm raced through the Southeast.
Winds and tornadoes have also been an issue across the state, with sustained winds at 36 mph and gusts approaching 50 mph, according to data from the Charleston Executive Airport. Two dozen counties have been under both a tornado and tropical storm warning since Thursday.
While the storm was moving quickly today, it caused millions across the Southeast to lose power and impacts that will change lives forever.
In City Paper news today:
CP OPINION: Stop Weaver’s indoctrination of South Carolina’s students. “At issue now is her decision to align the state Department of Education with PragerU, a controversial content producer that pumps out videos with information that its leader has admitted seeks to indoctrinate students into adopting conservative viewpoints.”
CP CARTOON:
CP FOCUS: Fall Arts Preview: Art is the antidote. Art offers new perspectives and allows us to re-examine old ones. In compiling a list of must-see art for the fall in Charleston, one common theme seemed to emerge: the power that art can play in helping us to heal and grow.
CP NEWS: ‘Won’t go back’ chant inspires Harris supporters. “Not going back” is a defiant response that reverberates loudly in voter-rich swing states across the country as Kamala Harris tries to sell herself as a forward-thinking alternative to Donald Trump. For different reasons, the phrase resonates with people of different genders, ages and races.
CP NEWS: Charleston teachers, advocates on the fence about new book rules. About a month into the school year, Lowcountry teachers and education advocates are unsure about the impact of new state regulations that require teachers to report all books and instructional materials used in their classrooms to an online database. Some fear the rule could lead to easier politically motivated book bannings.
CP FOOD: Mex 1 continues to evolve after 12 years. Mex 1 Coastal Cantina is fresher than ever, thanks to a restaurant-wide upgrade on the heels of its 12th anniversary.
- Holey City Bagels competes in the New York BagelFest this weekend
- Bar Copa brings good food, drinks and vibes to Johns Island
CP MUSIC: Charleston’s The Psycodelics hit the big screen. The spirited sounds and stories of Charleston’s funk sensation, The Psycodelics, will reverberate through the iconic Terrace Theater Sep. 29 as it hosts the premiere of The Psycodelics: The Movie.
In other headlines:
McMaster seeks rehearing on K-12 vouchers. Gov. Henry McMaster has asked the state Supreme Court on Thursday to rehear arguments on the state’s school voucher program, in hopes justices flip their ruling, even as legislative leaders say that’s a waste of time.
North Charleston law firm expands to offer affordable legal help. Charleston Legal Access’ immigration practice, launching early next year, seeks to fill an under-resourced need in the tri-county area. The legal services will include representation for asylum seekers, defense for those facing deportation, assistance with family reunification and support for residents seeking citizenship.
Charleston leaders discuss affordable housing plans. The city is working on a plan to add more affordable housing as they develop areas like Union Pier and Sumar Street. The Sumar Street plan has finalized affordable housing, and the city is working to add it to the Union Pier project.
Ashley River pedestrian bridge plan could see changes as project costs get closer to $100M. Construction of a long-awaited bike and pedestrian bridge connecting West Ashley to the Charleston peninsula is set to start next month, but Charleston Mayor William Cogswell wants to alter the eastern approach to the drawbridge eliminating its connection to one of the city’s biggest employers, the Medical University of South Carolina.
Charleston’s newest comedy club highlights Black comics. Wit’s End Comedy Club and Lounge in North Charleston, the newest fixture in the region’s comedy scene, recently played host to a national tour spotlighting Black voices.
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