Charleston in the News - August 2019
Charleston County's Academic Magnet High School is No. 1 in National Ranking of Public High Schools
On April 30th, U.S. News & World Report announced that the Academic Magnet High School (locally referred to as "The Magnet" or AMHS) led the rankings in a pool of about 17,000 public high schools in the nation. Academic Magnet is frequently ranked in the Top 100 of various websites and publications and is known for not only its rigorous course loads but also for having some of the most academically gifted students in Charleston County. As a state that falls among the worst-performing academically in the nation, The Magnet really stands out and there is a reason why. Almost all of its courses involve honors or Advanced Placement classes and all students are required to complete and present a research project during their junior and senior years, with many students' works published in academic journals. Another impressive note about AMHS is that it not only has a 100 percent graduation rate, but 100 percent of students earn scholarships to college as well! Read More Here...
More Area Municipalities Placing Restrictions on Short Term Rentals (STRs)
Short term rentals - and the need to regulate them - has been receiving increasing attention around Charleston recently. A short term rental is commonly defined as a residential dwelling that is offered, advertised, or provided to tenants (excluding family members) for a fee or some kind of compensation for a time frame of less than 28 days. Area jurisdictions that currently have ordinances in place for STRs are Charleston County, the City of Charleston, the City of Folly Beach, and the City of Isle of Palms, with the Town of Mount Pleasant close to adopting one. These regulations are being adopted in an effort to preserve the quality of life and character of neighborhoods while allowing those who want to have STRs to still do so, as well as to minimize any adverse impacts on the local hotel and residential housing sectors. Local officials also see these regulations as a way to manage STR volumes, licensing and taxing which have been ongoing concerns. If you would like assistance with specific ordinances that relate to where you reside or are considering to move or buy, please contact us at 843-900-0155!
Record Cargo Volume for the Port of Charleston
The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) reports that the Port of Charleston had a record-setting year in terms of cargo volume and that the SCPA handled nearly 2.4 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) from July 2018 through June 2019, an annual increase of nearly 9%! The Port handled just over 213,000 cruise passengers in fiscal 2019. Vehicle exports shipped from the Port were also strong as were rail moves, with the port now handling almost 25% of containerized volumes via intermodal container rail, the highest annual percentage ever achieved by the Port. SCPA is soon to be home to the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet. Jim Newsome, SPCA President and CEO, stated “The Southeast remains the best place to be in the port business with a growing population to support imports and a strong manufacturing and automotive presence to boost exports ... While we expect more modest growth in fiscal 2020, we are optimistic about the future and continue to invest in our infrastructure.” Read More Here...
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