MORNING HEADLINES | Charleston County will spend $10 million in a partnership with the State Conservation Bank to buy the 2,364 acres near Adams Run for a state forest and public park.
The Avocet Timber land west of Charleston will represent the largest county greenbelt property so far. The State Conservation Bank is contributing $8.4 million toward the purchase.
Charleston County Council narrowly approved the deal Nov. 10 with a 5-4 vote after Councilman Rob Wehrman switched his vote to a “yes.” At issue was whether the landowners were offering the county enough of a discount on the property — just over $1.3 million off the appraised value.
Council members Teddie Pryor, Brantley Moody, Kylon Middleton and Henry Darby voted against the deal. Wehrman flipped his vote at the last minute to join council members Herb Sass, Larry Kobrovsky, Joe Boykin and Jenny Honeycutt to approve the purchase.
After the purchase, the land will be acquired by the Open Space Institute with plans to transfer it to the state.
Meanwhile, the historic Black Snowden community in Mount Pleasant became the fifth neighborhood to gain a historic designation from Charleston County. The community comprises over 350 acres of land near the Interstate 526 interchange. It was founded after the Civil War ended and plantations broke apart.
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In today’s issue of the Charleston City Paper
CP OPINION: From ‘love thy neighbor’ to ‘do no harm.’ “Zoom out a little to find two fundamental, transformational messages behind voters’ zeal for change in the blue wave that swept the nation in the midterm elections.”
- CP CARTOON: Ariail: When we needed him
- CP CARTOON: Stegelin: Schadenfreude!
CP COVER: South Carolinians debate future of surveillance cameras. The fight over Flock cameras — formally known as automated license plate readers, or ALPRs — is currently playing out in local council chambers, the state attorney general’s office, and soon, the S.C. House and S.C. Senate.
CP NEWS: New bike-ped bridge on track for summer 2027 completion. Ashley River Crossing, the long-awaited bike-pedestrian bridge spanning the Ashley River between downtown Charleston’s hospital district and West Ashley, is getting closer to completion, with elements starting to appear over the water.
CP NEWS: North Charleston man serves decades in prison over armed thefts worth $923. Nearly 70% of the inmates serving life sentences under South Carolina’s two-strikes and three-strikes law are Black, ranging in age from 35 to 85 years old, according to S.C. Department of Corrections (SCDC) data.
CP FOOD: How we win when chefs travel abroad. You or I might come back from vacation with a cheesy T-shirt. Chefs, however, often bring back inspiration that changes their techniques and menus.
CP ARTS: Cultural icons share thanks for local arts scene. Even in a city renowned for its embrace of the arts, it’s true that Charleston’s artists and practitioners confront plenty of challenges – insufficient funding, scarce studio space and even ideologues who meddle in their artistic expression.
CP MUSIC: SUSTO launches Charleston residency with full-album performances. It’s not often that a fan gets to see a band’s entire evolutionary path in just a few shows, but that’s what fans of Charleston’s SUSTO band are going to get, starting on Nov. 18 at Royal American.
In other recent headlines
LOCAL: Emanuel 9 memorial to open to public Saturday. A memorial honoring the nine people killed in a June 2015 shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church will open to the public Saturday, 11 years after the attack.
- First families could move into new 50-home affordable housing development on Johns Island by next summer
- New permit fees could drive Charleston housing costs even higher
Charleston judge rules S.C. Ports didn’t violate open-records law. A Mount Pleasant resident who sued the S.C. State Ports Authority board for not notifying the public about a closed-door meeting with its CEO shortly before she quit last year has lost the case.
Bond denied for S.C. man accused of burying his 11-month-old son alive. A South Carolina man accused of burying his 11-month-old son in a dog crate in a clump of scrubby pines was denied bond Thursday.
Andrews, Scott agree to work together for South Carolina. U.S. Senator-elect Annie Andrews met with both of the state’s current Republican senators this week, including the woman she defeated, and said she is looking to work with anyone “willing to put our state first.”
S.C. lawmakers weigh possible property tax changes as local leaders warn of funding challenges. South Carolina lawmakers are considering changes to the state’s property tax system, but local leaders warn that reducing tax revenue could make it harder to fund essential services.
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.
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