Hurricane Isaias to bring rain, flooding to Charleston

MORNING HEADLINES | Charleston is preparing for significant flooding on the downtown peninsula due to a king tide cycle and heavy rain that is expected, in part, from Hurricane Isaias that is expected to slam into the Florida panhandle later today.

The National Weather Service forecasts strong impacts in Charleston beginning Friday night through Sunday morning as the Category 3 Hurricane Isaias approaches the gulf shore. The heaviest rain — about 3 to 4 inches in most areas — is expected Saturday afternoon into the evening.

Tides in Charleston Harbor are forecast to peak near 7.7 feet Saturday morning and remain elevated through the evening. Isolated tornadoes and dangerous rip currents are also possible.

As part of the city’s flood mitigation plan:

Stormwater crews have been clearing storm drains and debris since Sunday. Contracted vacuum trucks will join this weekend;
Mobile pumps are fueled and will be activated today;
Colonial Lake and Lake Dotterer will be lowered today ahead of the rain;
Barricades are staged throughout the city;
The Charleston Fire Department will staff two high-water vehicles, and Emergency Management will monitor conditions throughout the weekend;
Code enforcement officers are patrolling downtown to keep debris out of storm drains; and
Street sweepers, cleanup crews and trash crews are on standby for debris removal.

Five city parking garages will be free for city residents to move vehicles from flood-prone areas. Residents may enter after 6 p.m. today, and must exit before 4 p.m. Sunday.

Follow the city’s WaterWise site for the latest storm information, flood tools and more.

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In today’s issue of the Charleston City Paper

CP OPINION: Andrews, Lacore, Clyburn deserve your vote Nov. 3. “With Democrats widely expected to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives in November’s midterm elections — as well as having a clear path to retaking the U.S. Senate — there’s a good argument to be made that as the nation changes, so should South Carolina.”

CP CARTOON: Stegelin: A word from SCAC
CP CARTOON: Ariail: Transfer portal

CP COVER STORY: Sherman’s March is heading to Lowcountry for 13th Charleston Film Festival. It’s not every day that you are serenaded with a vintage Ashley Hall school song by an internationally hailed, award-winning septuagenarian documentary maker. But on a phone interview in September, Ross McElwee belted out, “Sing, Sing, Oh Ashley Hall” as if he had heard it countless times.

CP NEWS: 15 candidates vie for 5 seats on Charleston school board. With 15 candidates trying to become trustees for the board of Charleston County School District, the five races on the November ballot are shaping up to be doozies.

CP NEWS: The man behind the Big Trump Head. It is hard to miss Jim Blain on some morning commutes. There he is near an important building, a gas station or an attraction, wearing a blue suit, white shirt and long red tie — as well as something you don’t see every day: an oversized paper-mache head of President Donald Trump.

CP FOOD: Famed New York corned beef, pastrami to be here soon. Want the tastes of New York without flying there? Starting Oct. 11, you can pre-order corned beef and pastrami from New York City’s famous Carnegie Deli through Lowcountry Nosh, the annual Jewish food and heritage festival hosted by Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE) held in November.

CP MUSIC: Riverfront Revival festival celebrates the Lowcountry Oct. 9. When the Riverfront Revival Festival kicks off Friday night at Riverfront Park in North Charleston, it begins a celebration of all things Lowcountry. Saturday’s scheduled show has been cancelled.

Riverfront Revival cancels Saturday event due to severe weather threat

In recent headlines

Charleston Pride festivities to feature S.C. ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ contestant, parade, more. On Oct. 17, downtown Charleston will be washed in all the colors of the rainbow as the Charleston Pride Parade returns for its 17th year.

View the City Paper’s Pride Week guide

S.C.-1: GOP, Dem nominees split on affordability, health care, AI in first debate. Two South Carolina candidates in the race to succeed Rep. Nancy Mace shared their differing visions for affordability and law enforcement policies in their first debate Wednesday in Charleston.

Charleston museum marks 500 years since first documented U.S. slave revolt. Saturday will mark the 500th anniversary of the San Miguel de Gualdape Revolt, which, according to historians, is the first documented revolt by slaves in the United States.

New Hunley exhibit in Charleston Museum tells story about men aboard

Pepsi bottling plant redevelopment gets OK from Charleston design board. Redevelopment plans for a mixed-use project to replace the former Pepsi Co. bottling plant on Meeting Street have received preliminary approval.

Charleston mourns longtime community booster and activist Barbara Gathers. Barbara Gathers had so many friends in the Holy City that her family gave her the nickname Miss Charleston.

STATEWIDE: Domestic violence has big impact on S.C. children, data show. Data from the S.C. Department of Social Services say that some of the deepest, most enduring trauma is inflicted on children who never receive a single physical mark.

CALENDAR: How to find cool things to do around town

Our online events calendar has scores of events around the Lowcountry every day, making it the most detailed calendar of what’s happening in the area. Just click on “Events” above at right under the black toolbar. You’ll be amazed at what you find.