Happiness is based on many factors including physical and mental health, financial security, family and friends, social connections and job satisfaction. WalletHub has analyzed the top 180 U.S. Cities based on 31 key indicators to determine the happiest cities.
Coming in at #20 on the list is Charleston, South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina ranked out at #108.
Methodology
In order to determine the happiest cities in America, WalletHub
compared 182 of the largest cities — including the 150 most populated
U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each
state — across three key dimensions: 1) Emotional & Physical
Well-Being, 2) Income & Employment and 3) Community &
Environment.
We evaluated these categories using 31 relevant metrics, which are
listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on
a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing maximum happiness.
Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available only at the
state level.
We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Sandy Morckel – Executive Producer, Homeless to Hope Benefit Concert
614.306.8856
smorckel@gmail.com
Charleston, S.C. —The Mayors’ Commission on Homelessness and Affordable Housing today announced the performance lineup for the upcoming second annual Homeless to Hope Benefit Concert, which will include recent South Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductee Blue Dogs, soulful vocalist Zandrina Dunning and BlackNoyze Band, percussive Americana Rock band Rene Russell and the Bottom End, and singers from the College of Charleston Choir, Charleston Symphony Chorus and Taylor Festival Choir under the direction of Dr. Rob Taylor, with special musical appearances by Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie.
The Commission also announced that Humanities Foundation founder Tracy Doran will be honored at the concert as the 2019 Honoree of the “Homeless to Hope Award for Enduring Contributions to Alleviating Homelessness.
”The Homeless to Hope Benefit Concert will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 25, 2019 in the Gaillard Center Performance Hall. Proceeds will benefit the Homeless to Hope Fund, which helps citizens transitioning out of homelessness by providing support through a network of community organizations and service providers.
Raffle tickets can also be purchased onlinefor a chance to win either two VIP tickets and backstage passes to the Hootie & the Blowfish Group Therapy Tour Concert, or a guitar singed by Darius Rucker, members of Hootie & the Blowfish and Edwin McCain.
Mayor Tecklenburg said, “On behalf of my fellow mayors, I’d like to say how happy we all are to be a part of this important event and to thank all of the entertainers who will be giving up their time to share their music with us. This uplifting evening brings together our region’s service providers to honor them and raise funds so they can continue providing much needed services to our citizens experiencing homelessness.”
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (March 29, 2019) – Mount
Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie and Mount Pleasant Town Council today
released the Town’s annual report highlighting milestones, challenges,
successes and accolades earned over the past year. The 2018 Mount
Pleasant Annual Report is available online here.
“I
am proud of the work we accomplished in 2018 even with real challenges
such as Winter Storm Grayson, the Wando Bridge shutdown, Hurricane
Florence and more,” said Mayor Haynie. “As a community, we have come
together to overcome these obstacles and to become a stronger, more
resilient town.”
“Even with increasing call volumes and demand for
work, our dedicated Town Council and staff worked hard to provide the
best possible level of services,” added Mayor Haynie. “I invite you to
read the many successes we have had as a community this year and I look
forward to our continued success in 2019.”
Mount Pleasant is a
2010 and 2018 All-America City and the fourth largest municipality in
South Carolina. Located across the harbor from Charleston, Mount
Pleasant is home to approximately 88,000 residents and 6,000 businesses.
For more information and to view the 2018 Mount Pleasant Annual Report, visit us online here.
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Feb. 18, 2019) – Registration
for summer camps at the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department will open
Monday, Feb. 25, at 8 a.m. Registration is first come, first served and
will stay open until camps fill up.
With
over 100 camp offerings, and multiple dates and locations, there
is something for everyone at the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department.
“We
have been working all year to provide our residents with a wide variety
of summer camps for all interests,” says Tina Carter, MPRD program
coordinator. “We have camps for aspiring athletes, scientists, pilots,
dancers, artists, engineers and more. We even have a video game design
camp where ages 8-12 will get to design and create their very own video
game.”
For a full list of summer camp offerings, residents are encouraged to view the Summer 2019 InMotion Magazine here.
To
ensure your registration process goes as smoothly as
possible, MPRD has issued six quick tips to follow before, during, and
after registration:
Check
your online login information now. If you can’t remember your username
or password, call the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department at (843)
884-2528. Phone lines will be busy on registration day, so make sure to
check this ahead of time. Note:For
those new to Mount Pleasant, you will need to stop by an MPRD facility
to register your household and/or any new family members.
Pick
your camps now. Camps will fill up quickly, so make sure to have your
activity codes and backup camps picked out now and ready to go on
registration day.
There are two ways to register for camps: online at https://webtrac.tompsc.com
or in person at the R.L. Jones Center Monday through Saturday, or the
G.M. Darby Building or Park West Programming Building Monday through
Friday.
If you are registering in person, make sure to have your camps and backup camps with activity codes ready to go.
After
registration, make sure to mark you camps and relevant information in
your calendar. MPRD will not send out reminders prior to camps
starting.
The week before camps start, make sure to check the location, time, and any required equipment, clothing, and/or materials.
For more tips, updates, and camp highlights, follow the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department on Facebook and Instagram.
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (March 28, 2019) – The Town of
Mount Pleasant Shem Creek Study Advisory Committee is seeking public
input as it works to develop a special area management plan for Shem
Creek.
Public input is collected through the use of comment cards available on the Town’s website.
The comment cards feature three questions with space for additional
comments and must be submitted to Community and Government Affairs Chief
Lauren Sims no later than Wednesday, April 17.
The next Shem
Creek Study Advisory Committee meeting will take place on April 17,
followed by a final public input meeting on May 21. The committee
expects to have a draft report of the Shem Creek Area Management Plan
sent to Town Council by late summer for their consideration.
The
Shem Creek Area Management Plan was borne out of the desire by the Shem
Creek Study Advisory Committee to determine appropriate actions to
preserve the future of Shem Creek, an iconic working creek that is a
valuable cultural and economic resource to the Town and its citizens.
The
group’s mission is to preserve, promote, and protect the unique
history, nature, and economy of the Shem Creek Study Area and maintain
the character of it as a working creek.
More information about
the Shem Creek Study Advisory Committee and the Shem Creek Area
Inventory and Baseline Data Report may be found on the Town’s website here.
A group of nationally renowned land use and urban planning experts representing the Urban Land Institute (ULI)
will be making recommendations next week to the City of North
Charleston, South Carolina; Charleston County, and South Carolina
Coastal Conservation League on improvements to Rivers Avenue and the
former U.S. Naval Hospital site. ULI is a global, multidisciplinary real
estate organization whose work is driven by more than 43,000 members
dedicated to responsible land use and building thriving, sustainable
communities.
The ULI representatives, convened through ULI’s renowned Advisory Services Program,
will be visiting the city from March 31 to April 5. Sponsored by South
Carolina Coastal Conservation League, Charleston County, and the City of
North Charleston, the Advisory Services panelists will consider:
The appropriate density/scale of development;
Tools and strategies to encourage investment while mitigating or minimizing the disruption to existing neighborhoods;
The role of private/public partnerships; and
Potential public investments to the area’s built environment.
As part of this visit, the panel will look at how to support the
goals of the greater community while focusing on preserving the
neighborhood’s quality of life and affordability.
Leading ULI member Andrew Irvine, a senior principal at Stantec in
Denver, Colorado, will chair the panel. “It is both humbling and
invigorating to be able to engage with North Charleston to explore
meaningful solutions to the challenges and opportunities our panel is
asked to consider,” said Irvine. “Our team comes to the city as a
resource, with no preconceived ideas or biases. We believe that the
residents are the experts within their own community, and our job is to
listen, to understand their aspirations, and to apply our best
professional expertise to create meaningful and realistic
recommendations.”
Irvine will be joined by: Catherine Buell, vice president, policy and
programs, Greater Washington Partnership, Washington, D.C.; Veronica O.
Davis, cofounder, Nspiregreen, LLC, Washington, D.C.; Aletha Dunston,
executive director, Fort Harrison Reuse Authority, Indianapolis,
Indiana; Thomas Jansen, director, HR&A, Los Angeles, California;
Emil Malizia, research professor, Department of City and Regional
Planning, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill,
North Carolina; Paul Peters, principal, Hood Design, Oakland,
California; Lance Robins, chief executive officer, Urban Smart Growth,
Los Angeles, California; and Gayle Starr, managing director, Capital
Markets, Prologis, San Francisco, California.
During
the week, the panel will tour the former U.S. Naval Hospital and
surrounding neighborhoods, and interview a variety of community
stakeholders before developing a set of recommendations that will be
shared at a public presentation at the conclusion of the panel’s visit
on Friday.
Now in its 72nd year, the ULI advisory services program assembles
experts in the fields of real estate and land use planning to
participate on panels worldwide, offering recommendations for complex
planning and development projects, programs and policies. Panels have
developed more than 700 studies for a broad range of land uses, ranging
from waterfront properties to inner-city retail.
According to Thomas Eitler, senior vice president of ULI’s advisory
services program, the strength of the program lies in ULI’s unique
ability to draw on the substantial knowledge of its 43,000-plus members,
including land developers, engineers, public officials, academics,
lenders, architects, planners and urban designers. “The independent
views of the panelists bring a fresh perspective to the land use
challenge,” Eitler said. “The advisory services program is all about
offering creative, innovative approaches to community building.”
Past sponsors of ULI advisory service panels include federal, state
and local government agencies; regional councils of government; chambers
of commerce; redevelopment authorities; private developers and property
owners; community development corporations; lenders; historic
preservation groups; non-profit community groups; environmental
organizations and economic development agencies.
Charleston, S.C.–The official ribbon cutting and grand opening for the Louis Waring, Jr. Senior Center took place today featuring Charleston Mayor John J. Tecklenburg, members of Charleston City Council, President and CEO of Roper St. Francis Healthcare Lorraine Lutton, Louis Waring, Jr. and the Waring family
In December, 2015, Charleston City Council named the senior center in honor of Louis Waring, Jr., a United States Navy World War II veteran who also served as the Charleston City Council member for District Seven from 1994 to 2012.
Designed by Liollio Architecture and built by Howell and Howell Contractors, Inc., the approximately 16,000 square foot facility on the campus of Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital features a fitness center, café, resource center with access to computers, exercise studio and outdoor pickleball courts. The center provides adults who are 50 years of age or older the opportunity to exercise, socialize and engage through a variety of activities and events focused on active lifestyles, well-being and growth.
Mayor Tecklenburg said, “The Louis Waring, Jr.Senior Center, named for one of our city’s finest public servants, will be a truly extraordinary resource for our city and its citizens. I’d like to thank everyone involved in making this day possible, including and especially our fine partners at Roper St. Francis Healthcare,who will be providing the high quality events, classes and services our residents need and deserve.”
“With the Louis Waring, Jr. Senior Center, Roper St. Francis Healthcare is replicating the success we’ve had at the Lowcountry Senior Center in keeping older adults engaged and active,” said Lutton. “It is our honor to join forces with the City of Charleston to ensure our residents can access this beautiful space to stay active, stay young, and stay connected.”
The Louis Waring, Jr. Senior Center is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Current class offerings for March include Enhance Fitness, a group exercise class for a range of fitness levels, line dancing, art, Tai Chi, yoga, knitting, book club, calligraphy, water colors, and more.
Membership is available to anyone 50 years of age or older and provides access to a wide range of programs including annual special events, travel opportunities, health and wellness educational programs and self-management classes.Basic Membership is $70 per year for Charleston County residents ($80 for out-of-county residents). This membership does not include access to the fitness center and pickleball courts.
Gold Membership, which includes access to the fitness center and pickleball courts, is $125 per year for Charleston County residents ($135 for out-of-county residents).
More information about registration and memberships can be found online at www.waringseniorcenter.comor in person by visiting the center.
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Feb. 28, 2019) –
The Town of Mount Pleasant is proud to announce the establishment of
the Neighborhood Recreation Facilities grant, which aims to improve
recreational opportunities for unincorporated neighborhoods within town
limits, while providing access to these facilities for Mount Pleasant
Recreation Department activities.
The NRF grant will be awarded
on a project by project basis with a maximum grant allowance of $8,000.
Up to 80 percent of eligible project costs may be covered by this grant
with an approved application. Applications are now being accepted from
eligible unincorporated neighborhood associations through Sept. 1.
“Through
this grant, we can support facilities improvements, providing key
access to recreation that these neighborhoods may not have had in the
past, ” said Councilman Gary Santos, recreation committee chairman.
“With increased access to recreational facilities townwide, we can
promote improved health, which improves quality of life for our
residents.”
The NRF grant was borne out of the desire by the Town
to create a granting program for areas that are not in the Town of Mount
Pleasant, where joint-use facility agreements could be made to promote
community and MPRD recreational activities.
To be considered
eligible for the NRF grant, applicants must be established, financially
stable homeowners’ associations or similar entities of the
unincorporated neighborhoods within the town limits of Mount Pleasant.
Facilities must be open to the public, owned by the neighborhood and
under the direct control of a neighborhood association for maintenance
and control of use.
The NRF application must be submitted to the
Town by Sept. 1 of each year. Priority will be given to those projects
that display a benefit to town residents and an ability to maintain the
facilities in good condition. Award of grant recipients will be
determined at the October Recreation Committee meeting.
“Building
partnerships is a key element in how we operate at the Town,” said
Santos. “With this grant, we will develop and explore ties to our local
community neighborhoods that we haven’t had in the past.”
Complete information about the NRF grant may be found in the NRF grant application here. Questions and inquiries about the NRF grant may be directed to Recreation Deputy Director Jimmy Millar by email at recreation@tompsc.com.
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (March 8, 2019) – Town businesses are reminded that the single-use plastic ban ordinance
passed last April will come into effect next month, on April 16. The
new ordinance addresses environmentally acceptable packaging and
products, like carry-out bags and plastic straws.
“The momentum to minimize
single-use plastic in our business community is strong,” said Business
Development Manager John Holladay. “With our local economy and recreation being
so dependent on our environment and waterways, we urge our businesses to Be the
Solution, Stop the Pollution”
Holladay highlighted the
resources the Town has expanded to facilitate the transition. To review
the ordinance, visit the municipal website at www.tompsc.com. There you will also find a FAQs page and a video
with information and tips to help businesses make this eco-friendly
transition. You can also contact the Business Development Office at
(843) 884-8517 for more information.
Charleston, S.C.—Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) of Charleston was recently named a Gold Level program, one of only 14 YVC programs throughout the U.S. and Canada awarded this honor. Created in Fall 2015 as part of the Mayor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families, the YVC Charleston program offers volunteer opportunities for more than 250 youth volunteers who serve more than 1,500 volunteer hours each year.
“YVC is paving the way for YVC programs all over the U.S. and Canada,” said David Battey, founder and president of YVC’s headquarters, located in Kansas City. “The program has had such a profound impact on both youth volunteers and the community they’re serving.
”YVC Headquarters works with each YVC Affiliate to ensure that they are serving the youth and their community in the best way possible. The Gold Level rating goes only to the very top YVC programs that serve as stand-out examples for how the program can serve its community.
Mindy Sturm, director of the Mayor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families, said, “We are honored to receive this distinction for our YVC program and all of our hardworking youth volunteers. YVC Charleston has already done great work throughout our community, and we look forward to seeing everything that our youth volunteers will accomplish in the years ahead.
”Last year 150 youth served a total of 1,280 volunteer hours with YVC in Charleston, helping out at places like retirement homes, soup kitchens, animal shelters, parks and more.
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