Human trafficking; sexual abuse of children; substance abuse; teen suicide. These all are issues that affect kids who live in high-crime, high-poverty areas. Nothing like this could ever happen in Mount Pleasant, where the most pressing problems are exasperating traffic jams and overdevelopment, mostly because of the vast number of people who want to take advantage of the … [Read more...]
77 Missed Calls: The Plague of Illegal Telemarketers
It’s happened roughly ten times today already: My phone rings, and I innately know not to pick up. If I don’t know the number or am not expecting the call, I let it go to voicemail. Well, I have 77 unchecked voicemails taunting me, all from telemarketers. There are missed calls from Zapata, Texas, Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Mississippi, Los Angeles, California, cities all … [Read more...]
Keeping Promises: Growth Management Is Mayor’s Top Issue
Since taking over as mayor of Mount Pleasant, Will Haynie has dealt with issues ranging from school safety to traffic congestion, drainage, short-term rentals and protecting the environment. The most important subject in his ever-expanding in-basket, however, is growth management, the issue that has helped remake the composition of the Town Council during the past two election … [Read more...]
Pollution Solutions: Mount Pleasant Is Saying Goodbye to Plastics
Mount Pleasant is a community where waterways – filled with marine life – glisten, palms grow tall and sea oats sway in the balmy breeze. It’s also a place where plastic straws, lids and cutlery are the most common items recovered during beach-side cleanups. Come April, those trash culprits will hopefully not appear as often as they do, scattered upon the coasts and roadsides. … [Read more...]
Finding Your Best Ride to Work: Mount Pleasant Conducts First-Ever Transit Plan
Nearly 75 percent of workers in Mount Pleasant don’t live here. Let that sink in for a minute. Every day, tens of thousands of vehicles stream into town, while a similarly large number head the other way to jobs elsewhere in the region. And most of those commuters – 9 out of 10, according to one recent regional study – are traveling alone. “The reality is, we’re going … [Read more...]
Preparing for the Worst: Getting Ready for Future Emergencies
On June 4, the Lowcountry was rattled by a 5.5-magnitude earthquake. Many people were injured and some died. Buildings collapsed and the bridges that normally take motorists across the Ashley, Cooper and Wando Rivers and the Intracoastal Waterway were damaged and had to be shut down, at least until they could be thoroughly inspected. On June 6, an aftershock brought more … [Read more...]
The Pelican Brief: A Bird’s Eye View of Mount Pleasant’s Shem Creek
It’s summertime, and that means more time than ever on Mount Pleasant’s beloved Shem Creek. So when Perry the Pelican asked us if he could submit a feature about his experiences living on our iconic waterway, we said “of course.” Please enjoy the following essay, and remember to be kind to our feathered neighbors, no matter the time of year. -The Editors Pelicans don’t … [Read more...]
You’ve Come a Long Way to Baby: Postpartum Care
The miracle of life is a beautiful thing. But after the baby showers, the nursery themes, the “babymoon,” (yes, that’s a thing now), maternity photos and nervously clicking the empty infant car seat into place for the first time as you anticipate the arrival of your bundle of joy, the shocking realities of becoming a mom – or adding another to your brood – begin to take shape. … [Read more...]
Baby Fever: Understanding the Fertility Journey
For some, the decision to start or expand their families is as simple as that – a decision. Yet for others, it’s only the beginning of a long and often emotionally draining process. According to Dr. John Schnorr of Coastal Fertility Specialists, roughly 14 percent of all couples trying to conceive experience obstacles throughout the process. Common Hurdles While there are … [Read more...]
They Bend But Never Break: The New Look of the Family Unit
Family. If you look in the dictionary, you’ll find that it reads, “a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children.” But take a closer look, because that’s not all. Just a few lines down, you’ll notice another definition that suggests a family can be made up of any group of adults, be it grandparents, aunts or uncles that care for the children in a home. To us, … [Read more...]