MORNING HEADLINES | Officials say an air quality alert due to smoke from Georgia and Florida wildfires is in effect today for 35 of the state’s 46 counties, including Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.
What that means is that smoke and fine particulates may get to unhealthy levels. If you have respiratory issues, officials say you should stay inside to avoid smoke.
According to the National Weather Service in Charleston, “As the sea breeze develops this afternoon, smoke concentration may increase along and ahead of the sea breeze. However, deep mixing should aid in keeping smoke limited to patchy. Some degree of smoke may linger into early this weekend depending on the coverage of showers and thunderstorms and wind speed.”
Meanwhile, Lowcountry fire crews have been busy in recent days due to dry conditions exacerbated by a drought that is being experienced across the state. With fire season underway and a lack of rain, it’s easiest for fires to ignite and preach, according to this story.
“The drought that’s in place is making fuels much drier than normal, so leaves and limbs ignite quickly and everything is burning faster than we would typically see,” said Darryl Jones of the S.C. Forestry Commission.
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In recent headlines
CP ARTS, Review: “The Ocean We Swim In” in Charleston wades into local waters. In “The Ocean We Swim In, the evocative, absorbing new drama by Summerville resident Brad Erickson at PURE Theatre, it appears that a tango with undisclosed truth applies to art critics, too.”
STATEHOUSE: House rejects changes to hemp bill. The bill over hemp-derived THC consumable regulation, weakened by the Senate, now heads to a compromise committee after the House returned to the core of its original proposal — which one GOP lawmaker complained would set up the industry to fail.”
- Bars, restaurants might get one-year insurance reprieve
- Senators vote to suspend law requiring alcohol insurance for bars, restaurants
- State lawmakers try raising pay again
- No-exception abortion ban splits gubernatorial candidates
Colbert sends Kimmel a box of Iran war jokes. Stephen Colbert, the South Carolinian whose CBS late night show will end soon, says he worried the Iran War might not be over by Memorial Day — after the show ends — so he sent a package to comedian Jimmy Kimmel.
Activists worry about new nuclear arms race. Retrofitting a building at Savannah River Site to build plutonium pits for atomic bombs could cost up to $30 billion, watchdogs say. More importantly, they add that they worry the country is headed to a new nuclear arms race.
Earth Day brings cleanup effort to Charleston’s Gadsden Creek. Volunteers cleaned up the area in Charleston’s West side emphasizing calls to protect it from development. Other ways the Lowcountry celebrated Earth Day.
Bauer nominated for diplomatic role. Former S.C. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer was appointed to be the next U.S. ambassador to Belize. The nomination needs U.S. Senate approval.
Black Food Truck Festival returns this weekend. On Friday through Sunday, thousands will flock to Exchange Park for the fifth annual spring event.
Goose Creek schools picked as learning labs. State educators picked two Goose Creek schools as the state’s two learning labs for the state.
Charleston’s new mobile license plate readers bumps up tickets. An unmarked police car with a camera at the top has a mobile license plate reader is jacking up tickets of people parked too long.
Charleston Co. sales tax proposal closer to landing on November ballot. Charleston County Council is about ready to recommend putting a half-penny transportation sales tax on the November ballot to raise $4.25 billion over 25 years.
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