MORNING HEADLINES | A state environmental official said this week the state doesn’t test freshwater bodies of water for deadly “brain-eating” amoeba because there are no established standards to do so.
A 12-year-old Columbia boy died July 18 after encountering the deadly amoeba in Lake Murray two weeks earlier. His death due to a parasitic infection was the first in the state since 2016, according to the Associated Press.
The amoeba reportedly is fairly common and most dangerous when water is warmer than 77 degrees Fahrenheit, the AP story said. But infection, caused after water is forced up the nose such as when someone jumps in water, is fairly rare. Some 167 cases were reported in the United States from 1962 to 2024.
A state official said there are no standards to test for the parasite.
“There is no science-based threshold for what would be considered a ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’ level of Naegleria fowleri [amoeba] in ambient water,” said Laura Renwick, a spokesperson for the S.C. Department of Environmental Services told The Post and Courier. “We’re not aware of any states that perform routine sampling of ambient water for this amoeba.”
She added that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t recommend testing because the location and quantity of the amoeba can change over time.
In other headlines
CP NEWS: Charleston unveils two park projects. The city of Charleston on July 24 announced two major recreation projects launching as part of its parks and recreation master plan, which was funded by a $70 million parks bond referendum that voters overwhelmingly approved in 2023.
CP FOOD: Weekly Lowcountry markets hum with conviviality, community. French markets have flourished for hundreds of years and are a necessity for fresh food in places without grocery stores, farmers markets seem to be making a comeback across the Lowcountry. Charleston long has had a Saturday farmers market that gave truck farmers a place to sell produce and crafters a place to share their art. These days, there are at least 16 weekly summer markets in the area with at least one held every day of the week except Tuesdays or Fridays.
Books on slavery could be pulled from Charleston historic sites under new federal policy. Ten books sold at Charleston area historic sites will be reviewed under U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum’s May 2025 order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” Among them is Margory Wentworth’s “Shackles,” a children’s book about slavery on Sullivan’s Island. “There’s something about a picture book being brought into question that really indicates how far this government is willing to go to erase history,” Wentworth said. “That has terrifying implications for all of us.”
2026: Mace fuels speculation she’ll announce for governor. Staffers for First District U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace announced a “major address on the future of South Carolina” scheduled for next Monday. “I will be making a decision over the next couple of days about my future,” Mace told Fox News on July 28.
Trump Treasury chief says new investment accounts a ‘back door for privatizing Social Security.’ South Carolina native and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that new “Trump accounts” created by the recent GOP tax and spending bill are a “back door for privatizing Social Security.” Later in the day, Bessent appeared to walk back his remarks, calling the accounts an “additive benefit for future generations.” But a top Democrat says the privatization talk is a “warning sign” about the GOP.
Hollywood productions continue to expand in Charleston. According to tourism officials, Hollywood’s growing use of Lowcountry locations adds multiple layers of economic impact and helps promote area tourism.
Trident Tech to expand STEM program after successful pilot. Charleston’s Trident Tech is expanding a pilot program that teaches students critical science, technology, engineering and math concepts after graduates of the 18-week pilot landed jobs at places like Boeing.
Kiawah Conservancy volunteers working to install manufactured reefs. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers with the Kiawah Conservancy, 800 artificial reefs will soon be supporting marine habitats along the island’s shoreline. “The marsh is one of our most critical ecosystems in the Lowcountry and in the Sea Islands,” said Sean Cannon, a restoration and enhancement specialist with the conservancy. “So us doing any kind of protection and restoration of the salt marsh is critically important.”
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