We’ve come across a great mix of “feel good” local news topics to share with you this month, covering Aviation and Industry, Civic and Community, Entertainment and Sports, and Medical and Health topics. There should be something of interest for everyone. Read on and click on any of the links where you see bold blue font to learn more about the topics that interest you.
In Aviation and Industry news, Air Canada’s Charleston-Toronto route, in its third season, will now offer expanded 6-day, non-stop seasonal service from April through October. Boeing is busy on two fronts in North Charleston: filling orders for its 787 Dreamliner jets – including building the last six planes for Ethiopian Airlines’ “landmark” 2023 order to support the expansion of its international service network – and making progress on its $1B expansion that will add a second assembly line. Polestar has made the commitment to build its Polestar 3 EV SUV vehicle exclusively at Volvo Car’s Ridgeville plant – thanks to it sharing the same platform as Volvo’s battery-powered EX90 made here and having Volvo as an investor in Polestar. The $50M expansion and return to full service of the Mount Holly Smelter near Goose Creek by Century Aluminum is nearing completion, further securing the company as the “largest U.S. manufacturer of… ‘primary’ aluminum” and expected to increase national production by 10 percent.
We are thrilled to share an abundance of “feel good” Civic and Community news. Starting with taxes, you will be pleased to know that Charleston has the 7th lowest median annual residential property tax bill among major U.S. cities according to a study by SmartAsset and that the property tax for SC boatowners will soon be reduced to match the current tax rate of 6% for cars. Planning and design of the $625M Lowcountry Rapid Transit System is now complete, with construction of the bus line between Ladson and downtown Charleston expected to begin in 2027. In June, Hanahan will begin developing a dedicated town center named Blackwells Corner – a 40,000sf mixed-use development with dining, retail, office and services around a central green for events and outdoor dining. Mount Pleasant and North Charleston each have new “food forests”, with newly planted fruit-bearing trees that will expand resident access to healthy food and strengthen community ties. In recognition of their “protection, restoration, and interpretation of Charleston’s historic built environment”, the Historic Charleston Foundation recently announced the 2026 Charter Day award winners for their work on the Bennett Rice Mill, St. Philip’s Church and four historic residences downtown, two landmark structures at Mosquito Beach, digital storyteller Bill Olson and more.
Continuing with Civic and Community news, ten resident-led neighborhood improvement projects have received mini-grants from the City of Charleston’s Love Your Block program to be carried out between May and mid-September (with volunteers welcome!). The Town of James Island is getting a new $3M Arts & Community Center, with groundbreaking last month and completion planned for 2027. A 1,300-acre property in Cordesville near Mepkin Abbey has been donated to Berkeley County for preservation and future use as a passive public park. CARTA’s free Beach Reach shuttle between Mount Pleasant Towne Centre and the Isle of Palms returns this summer (from Memorial Day to Labor Day), with its weekend service expanded to include Fridays. And for those who cycle to and around IOP, thanks to the LENS Foundation, there are now three IOP public bike repair stations across the island that are stocked with tools and air pumps.
The good news continues in the area of Entertainment and Sports. The Credit One Charleston Open, the largest women’s tennis tournament in North America, set an attendance record for opening weekend and attracted over 90,000 fans over its 9-day run on Daniel Island. The Charleston Stingrays play Game 5 of the Kelly Cup Playoffs at home on May 1st, and if they win, they advance to Round 2! Frankie’s Fun Park will be reopening in North Charleston this summer, after a renovation and expansion that include a new 18,000+ square-foot arcade, a Zero Gravity high-speed ride and more. Two young men raised in Mount Pleasant are making their way into the world of professional sports: Offensive tackle footballer Monroe Freeling was picked by the Carolina Panthers on the first night of the NFL Draft and golfer Andrew Novak played in his first Augusta National Masters Tournament last month.
As for Medical and Health news, MUSC is active on several new fronts, including breaking ground on its $87M, 80,000sf Nexton Medical Pavilion that will serve the fast-growing Berkeley County area, launching its $250M fundraising campaign for its $1B advanced cancer care hospital planned for downtown Charleston – with MUSC Day on May 5th featuring matching gifts and challenges, and moving forward on its Downtown Charleston Master Plan recently approved by its Board of Trustees. Roper St. Francis Healthcare has also broken ground on its new 68,000sf Mount Pleasant Health Pavilion.
And that’s a wrap for our May news! More to come next month.
