Public Invited to Share Ideas for the Future of West Ashley Bikeway and Greenway

May 22, 2018 by 1 Comment
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Community Design Workshop, Public Forums Set for June 4-7 in West Ashley 
 
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Parks Conservancy and the City of Charleston are inviting the public to voice their opinions and ideas for forthcoming improvements to the West Ashley Greenway and Bikeway at a series of interactive design workshops from June 4 to June 7 in West Ashley. 
 
The Conservancy and the city are creating a detailed master plan and design for a combined 10.5-mile stretch of the Greenway and Bikeway. This West Ashley Greenway & Bikeway Community Design Workshop is a chance for area residents to share their suggestions and have a say in shaping the future of these public spaces. 
 
“This is an exciting opportunity to be part of transforming a significant public space that connects so many neighborhoods in the City of Charleston,” said Harry Lesesne, executive director of the Charleston Parks Conservancy. “We’re looking forward to working with the public on ideas and inspiration as to how we can make the West Ashley Bikeway and Greenway even more inviting.”
 
West Ashley Greenway & Bikeway Community Design Workshop Schedule 
 
Kickoff & Community Design Forum
June 4 – 6:30-8:30 p.m.  
The Schoolhouse, Large Community Auditorium at 720 Magnolia Road in West Ashley 
 
Open Studio
June 5 and June 6 – 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (drop in anytime)
Charleston Parks Conservancy, Studio Space at 720 Magnolia Road, Suite 25, in West Ashley 
 
Work-in-Progress Presentation and Feedback Forum
June 7 – 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
The Schoolhouse, Large Community Auditorium at 720 Magnolia Road in West Ashley 
 
The design process also includes a public art program. Last year, the Charleston Parks Conservancy received a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for a project that would add public art activities along the West Ashley Greenway and Bikeway. Temporary public art and arts programming will be incorporated into the master plan.  
 
The master plan should be completed by late summer or early fall. In partnership with the City of Charleston, the Conservancy will immediately begin seeking public and private funds to complete a prioritized list of improvements.
 
For questions about the upcoming Community Input Workshop, call 843-724-5003 or email planning@charlestonparksconservancy.org.
 
About the Charleston Parks Conservancy
The Charleston Parks Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring the people of Charleston to connect with their parks and together create stunning public places and a strong community. The Conservancy opens doors to individuals and organizations in Charleston wanting to engage with their parks and green spaces in a kaleidoscope of positive ways. With the help of its Park Angels, the Conservancy improves, enhances, and invigorates these spaces, making Charleston even better, stronger, and more successful. For more information about or to support the Charleston Parks Conservancy, please visit www.charlestonparksconservancy.org.
 
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Charleston Parks Conservancy on social media:
Twitter / Instagram @charlestonparks

New Study Ranks Charleston, S.C. the Worst Place to Start a Small Business

May 22, 2018 by 3 Comments
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RewardExpert has its study on the Best and Worst places to start a small business.  The study compared 177 metropolitan areas with more than 250,000 residents, using 30 data points in nine categories to determine which metropolitan areas will give your small business or tech startup the best chance to survive and succeed, and which ones will present you with the most daunting of challenges.

Based on the results, Charleston, South Carolina is ranked as the worst city to start a small business.

First let us provide a list of the Top 10 cities

  1. Denver / Aurora / Lakewood, Colorado
  2. Boston / Cambridge / Newton, Massachusetts
  3. Bridgeport / Stamford / Norwalk, Connecticut
  4. Minneapolis / St. Paul / Bloomington, Minnesota
  5. Madison, Wisconsin
  6. Lincoln, Nebraska
  7. Hartford / East Hartford / West Hartford, Connecticut
  8. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  9. Fort Collins, Colorado
  10. Austin / Round Rock, Texas

Worst Places to Start a Small Business

  1. Charleston / North Charleston South Carolina
  2. Florida Panhandle Region
  3. Inland Empire and Bakersfield, California
  4. California’s Central Coast (Santa Maria-Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo-Salinas)
  5. Central Valley, California (Fresno-Visalia-Porterville-Merced-Modesto-Stockton-Lodi, California
  6. Huntington-Ashland, West Virginia-Kentucky
  7. Provo / Urem, Utah
  8. Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi
  9. Port St. Lucie, Florida
  10. Clarksville, Tennessee / Kentucky

Charleston / North Charleston, South Carolina Logic

The Charleston, South Carolina, metropolitan area comes in as the number one least-favorable place to start a small business for a number of reasons. In the first place, office rents are a sky-high $23.60 per square foot, well above the national average of $17.15 per square foot. Second, housing costs are above the national average for both renters (median monthly rent is $975 versus $803 nationally) and owners ($1,367 versus $1,217). Third, public transit is infrequent and underutilized, with only 1 percent of Charleston area commuters using public transportation. And finally, the area business ownership rate is below average, in the 8th percentile, with a very low percentage of startups (0.89 percent), and a below average five-year survival rate of 48.32 percent.

Compete Study Results

The Charleston East Side Has a New Kid on the Block: Eastside Bagel and they pack a killer breakfast/lunch punch

May 20, 2018 by 2 Comments
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The Charleston East Side Community has a new player in the breakfast and lunch game and they have a delicious message.  Jesse Warnock and Eric Mills opened Eastside Bagel with one simple mission, great, fun breakfast and lunch with a little flare.  This harmonious little shop located at 8-D Line Street has a little front yard with a few chairs, tables on the sidewalk, a free library by the front steps and enough inside space for about six people.  Yet, what you walk out with is much more important.

Donned with old school stickers all over the counter and walls, Simpsons framed art, Babe Ruth on the wall and a Deion Sanders Yankees card by the sugar packets, this eclectic eatery brings a twist to the Charleston scene, steamed bagels and a whole lot of smiles.

From the French Toast Bagel to the Eddie Vedger to the Caprese in the U.S.A., Eric and Jesse have created an environment and culture of neighborhood fun, great food and an inviting urban appeal.

Their Story

Long time Pals, Eric Mills and Jesse Warnock have always abided by the bagel.  Yes, they have eaten their fair share of bagel sandwiches.  But then, in 2018, they decided to obey the calling of the bagel by creating a bagel sandwich shop with the most delicious of bagels where everyone is welcome.

Eastside Bagel is a creative & casual eatery, serving funky steamed bagel sandwiches made from scratch.  And it is a treat.

About Eastside Bagel

Charleston’s Original, one-of-a-kind, steamed bagel sandwich

Welcome to Eastside Bagel, home of Charleston’s original steamed bagel sandwich.  It should be noted that this is NOT just another bagel sandwich.   With menu selections inspired from childhood through more recent experiences basking in the culinary greatness that is Charleston, SC, we have created sandwiches that we love to eat and, hopefully, you will too. Originated in NYC, made famous at Oxford, Ohio’s Bagel & Deli, the magic of the steamed bagel knows very few boundaries.  We’ve never tasted a more lighthearted slice of turkey or a meltier piece of cheese.  And the bagel.  Ah…the bagel.  Soft on the inside with just the perfect texture on the outside.  What we’re trying to say is that this stuff is good.  And you should try it.  Have a nice day.

Come out an experience Eastside Bagel, we know you will be back for more.

Eastside Bagel Official Website

Complete Menu

Tattooed Moose West Ashley Grand Opening – Tuesday, May 22, 2018

May 20, 2018 by 0 Comments
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What:  Grand Opening of the newest Tattooed Moose Location in West Ashley

When:  Tuesday, May 22, 2018 – 11:00 AM

Where:  Tattooed Moose (West Ashley) – 2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd, Charleston, South Carolina 29407

Tattooed Moose Official Website

Event Details

Come join us for opening day! Home of Mike’s Famous Duck Club! Voted Charleston’s Best French Fries, Johns Island Bar, Late Night Food and Pub Food. Open every day 11am – 2am. Brunch Saturdays and Sundays. Live music Thursday 6-9 and Saturdays 3-6!

Charleston-based Afaxys Celebrates 10 Years of Serving the Public Health Community

May 18, 2018 by 0 Comments
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The mission-driven company was founded in 2008 to serve the unique needs of public health providers and their patients

CHARLESTON, S.C., May 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — This summer, Charleston-based public health company Afaxys, Inc. celebrates its 10th anniversary. Since the company was founded a decade ago, Afaxys has been dedicated to serving the unique needs of more than 15,000 American public health providers and the 23 million people who visit their clinics, hospitals and health departments each year. By driving down the costs of needed products and services, Afaxys seeks to support public health providers’ viability for years to come.

“We’re humbled by our chance to serve the public health community and its patients these last ten years, and we recognize the importance of those who have been with us from the beginning and those who have joined us over the years,” said Ronda Dean, founder, president and CEO of Afaxys. “To all of you, we’d like to say thank you. Without your unwavering support, none of this progress would be possible. You have brought our mission to life.”

After launching Afaxys with the help of a grant from the Packard Foundation, within the first five years of operation, Ms. Dean led Afaxys Group Services to profitable operations with its Group Purchasing Organization. The company then expanded with Afaxys Pharma into its first product category – contraception – and has become the #1 provider of oral and emergency contraceptives to U.S. clinics. Through its newest subsidiary, Afaxys Marketplace, customers are able to place orders for supplies directly through an online portal called emapp™, saving health clinics time and money.

About Afaxys Afaxys, Inc., a name which comes from “affordable access,” is a first-of-its-kind, mission-driven, socially conscious business enterprise dedicated to serving the needs of the public health community. A leader in the public health sector, Afaxys manages the supply needs of public health providers, ensuring customers receive affordable, reliable access to the products and services they need to serve their patients. Afaxys is made up of three business subsidiaries: Afaxys Group Services, Afaxys Pharma and Afaxys Marketplace. To learn more, visit www.afaxys.com.

Media Contacts:
Kamilah Howard, Ketchum on behalf of Afaxys, Inc.
(202) 835-9425 or kamilah.howard@ketchum.com

SOURCE Afaxys, Inc.

Want A Lifetime of Happiness? An Exercise in Communication, Love and Family

May 18, 2018 by 0 Comments
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Is it possible to spend forty-three years of your life, fifty weeks a year, 86,000 total hours, 8600 plus hours commuting, 1375 hours in travel in a place and be satisfied?  More importantly, can you leave behind a legacy that makes yourself and your family proud of the career you have made?

That was a mouthful to swallow.  Let me take a step back.  How many remember exactly what they did at work yesterday?

Sometimes that is even a hard question.

We work our little butts off making crafts and climbing robes in elementary school and junior high.  Then we fight for a reputation in high school and then start right over again redefining ourselves in college.  If we are lucky, we get to stay a little longer in graduate studies.  Then the big decisions happen.  What do I do next?

What do you like, you ask yourself?

  • Sleeping in
  • Drinking, partying and dancing
  • Hanging with the friends
  • Ultimate frisbee
  • Afternoon naps
  • Road Trips
  • Playstation

Not the most transferable skill sets.  We obviously have a dilemma.  How do we translate current state to future state and still find the same level of happiness we had for the first twenty-two years for the next forty-three?

happy2If there was a simple answer, we wouldn’t have all these blogs and articles on career planning and career management and happiness in the workplace, blah, blah, blah.

Throughout history, we have seen very content and satisfied employees that have had roles ranging from extremely complex to overly simple.  From Thomas Edison to Fred Flintstone, Einstein to Homer Simpson, one constant is true, finding value in your work and balancing it with the true elements of happiness:  Love and family.

Maybe we found our variable.  Love and family.  So, we have two wandering puzzle pieces:  Crazy fun you and responsible consistent you.  Both are running for the hills in opposite directions.  What if….What if, there was a magnetic glue that could push the two together and then hold it tight.  Love and family.

I believe we have solved the greatest mystery of life.

Let’s take five minutes to do a little assignment.

Take these three categories and list five things you love about them and five things you do not love

  • Social / Play Life
  • Work Life
  • Family

Next, find the common elements in all three.

Put those common elements on a piece of paper or index cards with the title “Things that make me happy in my social, work and family life.  What are yours?”

Now mail these cards to five of your closest friends and family members.  No texting, no emailing, no cloud sharing.  Mail!!!!!  Stamps and all.

Add a post it asking them to find five things that make them happy at work, life and family and then share it with five people.

Besides the fact that this is a great way to communicate and a unique and fun exercise, it will open some eyes.

One of the areas so many of us fail at in life is communication.  We hold back and bottle up our feelings in fear of confrontation, loss or disapproval.  This is a passive method of letting others know, there is happiness in all we do and sometimes we need to look to others to harness this.

This is an exercise that can be done at work in a team building session as well.  Don’t rule that out.

Love and family may be the glue, but communication is the fuel that will lead down the road of a lifetime of happiness.

Don’t forget that.

NEEDTOBREATHE Golf Classic a Stroke of Luck for OneWorld Health

May 17, 2018 by 0 Comments
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Proceeds provide funding for medical care in Nicaragua and Uganda
Stormy skies didn’t dampen spirits at the sixth annual NEEDTOBREATHE Classic held April 23 at the Daniel Island Golf Club in partnership with Commonwealth Cares Foundation. The golf outing, which featured athletes, musicians and pro players, raised more than $200,000 in support of the international nonprofit OneWorld Health.

In 2013, the Commonwealth Cares Foundation partnered with NEEDTOBREATHE on the foundation’s annual charity golf tournament with hopes of creating something special. The focus was on developing an event that not only raised valuable funds but also increased awareness of the mission of OneWorld Health, a nonprofit organization based in Charleston that aims to bring sustainable quality healthcare to developing communities in Central America and Africa.

The partnership resulted in a first-class two-day event that combines the best of golf, music and giving. To date, more than $1.2 million has been raised to start and sustain two NEEDTOBREATHE Medical Centers in Tola and Jinotega, Nicaragua.

Slogging it out on the fairways until heavy rain forced players back to the clubhouse were Gamecocks Sterling Sharpe and Connor Shaw, Clemson Tiger Kevin Youngblood, three-time GRAMMY winner TobyMac, country artist David Nail, friends of the band including John Mark McMillan and Jon McLaughlin, and five-time GRAMMY nominee Hunter Hayes, who performed with breakout country star Devin Dawson.

The Charleston-based foursome that makes up NEEDTOBREATHE is lauded for their humanitarian efforts and widely acknowledged by music devotees and media tastemakers for their anthemic, alt-rock dynamic. Brothers Bear Rinehart (vocals, guitar) and Bo Rinehart (guitar, vocals), Seth Bolt (bassist/vocalist), and Josh Lovelace (keyboardist/vocalist) have earned those accolades through musicianship and innovation.
Their forthcoming collection of songs, Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions), has garnered attention after the release of the first track, “Bridges Burn,” and is the title of their 37-city headlining tour that kicks off Aug. 10 with stops at the Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, the Greek in Los Angeles, and a likely third career sell-out at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colo. The tour ends on Oct. 7 with a performance at the Volvo Car Stadium on Daniel Island.

About NEEDTOBREATHE
NEEDTOBREATHE is a GRAMMY-nominated rock band hailing from South Carolina, comprised of brothers Bear Rinehart (vocals, guitar) and Bo Rinehart (guitar, vocals), Seth Bolt (bass, vocals), and Josh Lovelace (keys, vocals). Their most recent album H A R D L O V E released in 2016 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Albums, Top Current Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts and #2 on the Billboard 200, their greatest debut yet. H A R D L O V E is the follow-up to 2014’s Rivers In the Wasteland, which debuted at #3 overall on the Billboard 200 and spawned the RIAA-certified Gold single “Brother (feat. Gavin DeGraw).” The hit earned the group their first GRAMMY nomination as well as a pair of Billboard Music Award nominations. NEEDTOBREATHE, well known for the aggressive touring schedule and impressive live show, celebrated three consecutive sold out shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, as well as sell outs at Greek Theatre (Los Angeles), Ascend Amphitheatre (Nashville), Aragon Ballroom (Chicago), Verizon Theatre (DFW) and more. NEEDTOBREATHE will release their 4-track EP – Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions) – on July 13 and embark on the 35+ city “Forever On Your Side Tour” this summer and fall. For more information, visit needtobreathe.com.

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH CARES FOUNDATION
Incorporated in 2007 as the charitable arm of Commonwealth Financial Group, the Commonwealth Cares Foundation is a tangible manifestation of our corporate VISION. The Foundation initially provided gifts and raised awareness for local organizations through our annual charity golf event. Today, the Foundation, a 501(c) 3 organization, is an active member in the community. Through outreach efforts and generous giving by dedicated volunteers and corporate sponsors, we’ve had a lasting impact on people and organizations close to our hearts. …Winston Churchill once wrote “we make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”

ABOUT ONEWORLD HEALTH
Our vision is to see impoverished communities take ownership in a sustainable healthcare model, so that they become empowered to bring about long-term change and tangible improvements in their health and quality of life. Our mission is to provide quality, affordable healthcare to people in need. We have developed a model that provides affordable healthcare to the communities who need it most and does not require ongoing support to keep the doors open. Each OneWorld Health medical center offers a full scope of healthcare services to the community, delivered by trained nationals and offered at a price point that is affordable to the overwhelming majority of the population. Patient fees offset the costs of running the clinic, eventually meeting or exceeding the total monthly operating costs.
Photo attached: Pictured are NEEDTOBREATHE band members, from left, Bo Rinehart, Bear Rinehart, Seth Bolt, Josh Lovelace

 

 

What is your journey? – A Testimony to Life

May 17, 2018 by 0 Comments
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“A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.”
-James Allen

We all have a journey.

Some have a bucket list, some a mission and others are just content being ignorant assholes that are so narrow-minded by prejudice and stereotype that they contribute to the hatred in our society.

Throughout this journey of life, we will all get lost. Each day is a path of twists and turns, corners of darkness and visions of light. If a day did not go by where we thought for a brief moment, an end would simply and shorten the madness we love and hate so much we would not be human. In the end, the journey is about something. It is a quest for moral right and a rendezvous with destiny.

It all works out though.

Some have a short journey while others are long and full of evolutionary change.

Life is never about you!

We all find what we are looking for and in the end, it is never about us. Think about it. Is it about your daughter who looks at you each morning with her baby blue eyes and smiles at the sight of your morning glow? Is it your partner for life who you sacrificed your soul to spend every breathing day of your life with? Is in your mother and father who led by example and shaped you into the person you are? Is it the refugee camp that is suffering from death and disease that you have dedicated yourself to saving? Is it your true love who soul was brought to you in an act of fate? Is it the music and lyrics that touch millions of lives and turn a lost soul away from the bridge to live one more day?

We are here with purpose.
We are given the gift of breath.

What fascinates my mental being is how some of us choose to get lost in the sea of uncertainty. All too often we guess and second guess our own purpose in life without accepting that we are fulfilling it through our passions, our actions, our unselfish hand and ultimately the lives we help bring meaning to.

We are all granted the ability to be angels on earth with a chance to hold out our hand and offer shelter to those in need.

I love that we all have gifts and talents. Some is through song, some strength, some compassion but at the end of the day, the gifts we use are not for us, not for self-fulfillment or any personal pleasure. They are for the stranger in the street, the homeless child, the girl with the broken heart, the sick friend.

Find your purpose and share it.

It’s all about love

How amazing is a life where we have this much power to help others. No matter what our talent, no matter what we say or do it is all guided by one common force that brings us all together; love.

Love is and will always be the answer to life’s unanswered questions. No matter which direction we go, love is all around us.

How can you not wake up each morning and smile with that thought dancing in your head.

I know I can’t.

 

Charleston, South Carolina Named #4 Best Place to Start a Career In Latest Study

May 16, 2018 by 0 Comments
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WalletHub has released their 2018 Survey of Best and Worst Places to start a career for a new college graduates.  Coming in at #4 on the list and #1 for most entry-level jobs per 100,000 working class adults is Charleston, South Carolina.  The Lowcountry truly is becoming a land of opportunity.  Congratulations to Charleston for giving all our new graduates in the Lowcountry and those relocating, opportunities like they never had had before.

In a time when the overall, U.S. unemployment rate stands at record lows of 3.9%, this is an honored list to be included in.

To all the employers, thank you and we hope you find some great talent out there.

Complete Survey Results

Here are the list of the Top 25:

 

 

 

CARTA seeks to set ridership record on National Dump the Pump Day

May 16, 2018 by 0 Comments
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PARTNERS ON JUNE 21 INCLUDE HOLY SPOKES, AFFORDABIKE AND MORE

CHARLESTON, S.C. (MAY 15, 2018) – The time for talk is done. On Thursday, June 21, everyone in the Lowcountry can do something about traffic congestion – even if it’s just for one day.

How? The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is leading local efforts to encourage alternative travel methods on National Dump the Pump Day — and the authority will also seek to set a single-day ridership record of more than 20,000.

“CARTA has been steadily improving its efficiency, fleet, amenities and technology,” said CARTA board chairman Mike Seekings. “Dump the Pump Day is the perfect time for residents to give the system a try. We think they’ll like what they find, and we think it will lead to sustained ridership increases.”

CARTA National Dump the Pump Day efforts include:

  • Dump the Pump Pledge: If you’re going to Dump the Pump, put it in writing by signing the Dump the Pump Pledge at ridecarta.com/dumpthepump. Then share it with friends.

  • Dump the Pump Social Media Contest: Signing the Dump the Pump Pledge is also the first step to winning some fabulous prizes. Here’s how it works:

      • Sign the pledge.

      • Download the CARTA-endorsed Transit App in the Apple Store or Google Play.

      • Document your day-of trip with photos on social media using the hashtag. #DumpthePumpCHS

      • The giveaway will be hosted on the CARTA Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts and the winner will be chosen by CARTA staff. (Rides on the TriCounty Link system are eligible for entry, as well.)

    • The prize package includes:

      • A brand-new Charleston Chariot bicycle from Dump the Pump partner Affordabike (valued at $250)

      • A year-long CARTA “Golden Ticket” pass

      • A $50 giftcard to the restaurant HoM and more.

  • LowcountryGo: A free, web-based program available to those who want a better way to commute in the Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester region. That could mean bus, carpool, vanpool, biking, walking and more.

Those who want to dump the pump can review routes and schedules at ridecarta.com and download the Transit App in the Apple Store or Google Play to help with planning trips and and tracking buses. The timing for Dump the Pump also couldn’t be better: gas prices have increased locally by nearly 30 cents per gallon in three months.

CARTA provides free WiFi and bike racks on buses. Regular fares are just $2 one-way. Express rates are $3.50 and both the Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) and Hospitality on Peninsula (HOP) shuttle are free.

“There are really no excuses,” Seekings said. “The Transit app makes it easy, and we’re simply asking people to give CARTA a try for one day and see where it goes from there.”

About National Dump the Pump Day

Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the 2018 National Dump the Pump Day is a day that encourages people to ride public transportation and to take them where they need to go, instead of driving a car.  Started in June 2006 when gas prices were $3 per gallon, this national day emphasizes that public transportation is a convenient travel option that also helps people save money.

About CARTA

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is a public transportation system dedicated to providing affordable transit to the Charleston community through fixed routes, Tel-A-Ride/demand service and express routes. For the latest on CARTA, visit www.ridecarta.com, like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @RideCARTA. All customers are encouraged to download Transit​, the CARTA-approved app, in Google Play or the App Store. Next arrivals can be obtained by calling or texting (843) 202-4410.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Daniel Brock
Rawle Murdy Associates
(919) 820-2612
dbrock@rawlemurdy.com