Queen Ruby of the Pirates and her Ladies in Raiding, the Cruise of the Jeweled Princess

Flag of Queen Ruby of the Pirates

© 2023 by William J. Hamilton, III

Ride the Bus, Join the Drama

This summer Best Friends of Lowcountry Transit invites you not merely to take the bus to the beach, but to use transit to access a summer island filled with adventure, drama, swordplay and romance. 

This is the first written chapter  in our pirate drama. We maintain a complete chronology with links to all the chapters and events 

When you encounter Queen Ruby of the Pirates or one of her Ladies in Raiding, you may be given a golden pirate coin which will allow you to win discounts, earn prizes or even participate in the dramatic contest between Queen Ruby, his majesty's royal militia, the fiendish Pirate Anderson or the venal operatives of the British West India company. 

Here's our story up to now. Join the next chapter on Memorial weekend when we open the ocean at 10:30 am on the front beach of the Isle of Palms and join the drama which will bring  excitement as well as better transit to the Lowcountry up to its conclusion of Labor Day Weekend.

After you have read the backstory below, read the latest chapter, the conclusion of which will unfold in Summerville on May 18. Read Crystal Goes A Roving, Pirate War in Summerville?

A Hard Life Come to a Dead End

Ruby was the beloved daughter of a famous Admiral of His Majesty’s Royal Navy. Middle age found her married to a rum ruined former ship’s captain and now tavern owner in the impoverished town of Port St. Phillip. Trapped in circumstance, peril and adventure yet awaited the handsome woman who believed her life was to be spent tending bar, scrubbing run sodden tavern floors and sloping pigs.

Peril from the Sea, Anderson's Pirates Raid Port Phillip

Peril came in the form of Anderson’s pirate band, who raided the town and carried off everything of any worth. St. Phillip was poor on a good day. The King’s taxes and the ruinous terms of trade with the monopoly of the British West India Company made life expensive and hard. With rations low and a pirate crew on the verge of munity, Anderson came to take everything Ruby and her neighbors had. The King and his fleet were, as usual, far away guarding the profits of the West India company.

Ruby’s husband was a sot, but when the door of his tavern was breached by the thirsty pirates he rose on his feet to defend his wife, whom he still loved, the only true treasure he possessed. The Captain's final battle was brave and short. He ended in a pool of his own blood on the dank, beer soaked floor. Ruby, unready, was taken prisoner as were the other ladies of the town. It took five strong men to drag Ruby to their ship.

On board Ruby and her sisters contemplated the horrors that awaited them in one form of slavery or another. They were hardship toughened women from age 12 to 80, subject to the various uses men might devise for them unless they freed themselves.

Ruby knew the uses of rum on sailors and proposed a party, a welcome surprise to  the pirates. The revels began, but the pirates quickly fell into a drunken sleep while attempting to prove to the smiling women which of them might hold the most rum.

When they awoke with headaches the following morning, they were startled to find irons on their feet, shackled to chains run around the beams of the ship. Above them they could hear the sound of feet on the deck, hear the rasp of rigging running through the blocks and the high pitched voice of Ruby, directing the trimming of the main course. What had been their ship was under way. They were now prisoners locked in irons. Ruby and the women were in command of what was now the ladies’ ship.

Ruby had heard many stories of the sea, none more legendary and improbable than the tale of the key to the sea. Said to have been forged by Vikings, the large iron key to the sea was alleged to give the Captain who held it command over wind and wave. It was said the key was the power which allowed the Vikings to find Greenland and the new world. The key could put the wind behind your sails and turn it against your opponent. It could calm the storm for your vessel’s crossing but raise the gale against a ship in pursuit.

In the hands of the righteous, the key was the most powerful magic on the sea. However, in the possession of a murderous thief and kidnapper like Anderson it had been of no use, a relic that had cost him much and had yielded him nothing.

When Ruby and the ladies battered down the door to the captain’s cabin they found the key among his many treasures. Ruby knew what it had to be. She passed over the precious gems, gold and silver in the treasure chest to grasp its handle. She told the other women; “with this we shall be powerful and free.”

A Decision is Made, A Voyage Begins

At dawn Ruby donned Andersons worn pirate costume and fitted his oversized bicorn hat to her smaller head. She directed the women to work the anchor up with the windlass, lowered the sails and let the ship fall down into the wind. As what would be known as the Jeweled Princess of the Seas began to make headway and the rudder began to cut, Sapphire, who had taken up the work of the helmslady asked Ruby if they should return to the ruins of Port Phillip.

Ruby reached into the pirate jacket’s oversized pocket and touched the key to the sea with her fingers, feeling the waves tremble beneath the ship at her touch. She looked at the women before her rapidly become an effective crew. Ruby considered what their lives back in the power of others might be. More hardship, burials sure to be forgotten and the certain return of other pirates. They could expect forced, unfair dealings with the rapacious agents of the West India Company or the occasional press gangs of the erstwhile Royall Navy taking the men. That course did not promise freedom or happiness for them or the many others who suffered.

Ruby looked at Sapphire (all the ladies had taken to naming themselves after precious gems) whose hands rested on the huge wooden wheel of the ship. Assisting her was beautiful, raven haired Crystal, a young girl with her entire life ahead.

Ruby turned her face into the wind, feeling the air. The sea breeze opening with the morning’s warming heat brought the worn plume of Ruby’s hat up and into the sun. It was a fair wind for travels North to a convenient island where Anderson and his pirates could be marooned. Beyond that could be found the wealthy parts of the Caribbean, a sea of arrogant captains, greedy company agents, slavers and more pirates than a women should have to contend with.

Not the ordinary workplace of a lady for sure, but work which needed doing.

Ruby looked at Sapphire and Crystal, and beyond them to the blue sea and islands out to the horizon.

“I think not,” famously said Queen Ruby, adjusting her hat. “Easy over three points to starboard.” She touched the key in her pocket and the ocean beneath the keel yielded to the ship, the wind backed to her desired direction and the Jeweled Princess began its first voyage.

300 Years Later in Carolina

Pirate Queen Ruby and her Ladies in Raiding have been sailing for years. Crystal is now a young women and can hold down the poop deck in a storm with the confidence of any man. However, as Ruby possesses the key, no storm every overthrows the Jeweled Princess.

For the struggling people of these colonies, Ruby’s ship and its crew are a welcome sight. They bring help when needed. The women defend against pirates and recover some of the wealth the West India Company takes from these people tossed by hurricanes and often starved by poor, island soils. 

On the hot, still days after a hurricane, when everything is in ruins, it is the Jeweled Princess that often shows up first with assistance. If the crates of crackers heaved into the lighters bear the mark of the West India company, no one seems to mind.

Except of course, for the West India company, who profits for King and investors by buying everything the islands produce at prices of it’s choosing and selling everything needed there at a premium, standing on its royal grant of monopoly. The King gets his share of all. The Royal Navy’s first job it to be sure of that.  The sugar cane grown gets sold to the company for a pittance and the run later purchased costs dear. It does not profit the West India company to see it’s run and crackers donated to the poor for free, even after a Hurricane.

During one storm, when Ruby used the key of the sea to end a mighty Hurricane. The massive energy of the storm was concentrated and there was an exposion. She and her ladies find themselves in a strange world, 400 years in their future. A world of wonders, but also troubles. They have kept their distance up to now, attempting to observe this world of marvels from a safe distance, but their casks have run dry. 

Ruby and her ladies have been forced to land at the Isle of Palms after scouting the Lowcountry to obtain that most precious treasure, water, to fill the casks of the Jeweled Princess. They will distribute some largess, get help hauling the water out to their ship and be quickly off over the waves leaving the pirates, royal navy and company agents in their wake, who have somehow also reached the future with her. 

The casks are full. The Jeweled Princess is ready to make sail, but Crystal, now the flower of young womanhood, cannot be found. Ruby must remain ashore with the other ladies in raiding to search for her sister. As the island fills with summer visitors, the Ladies in Raiding are not unnoticed. Reports have reached the King guards. The West  India Company has offered rewards: 20 pounds for a lady in raiding, 100 for Ruby and a thousand for the Key to the sea.

Crystal is rumored to be in Summerville, reveling in the opportunities this new century presents to an experienced 16th Century Pirate Maiden. Our next chapter unfolds in Summerville on May 18. Read Crystal Goes A Roving, Pirate War in Summerville?

Ride the Bus, Join the Story

The Royal Navy, as always, is far away protecting the king’s profits, but Anderson and his pirates are close. They escaped their lonely island years ago and stole a new ship. They are bearing down on Ruby, the Isle of Palms and the King’s small guard, a friend to none of them. It is the beginning of summer. While visitors revel and sport traveling from the mainland on the free bus service, Ruby and her ladies must act to save all.

On May 27, 2023, starting at 10:30 am on the Isle of Palms, take the free CARTA Beach Shuttle from the mainland and join the story.  

More Information

For more information, see our main page on the 2023 bus to the beach or contact William Hamilton at (843) 870-5299 or wjhamilton29464@gmail.com

 

Help Mt. Pleasant Town Council Candidates become Transit Aware

We were deeply disturbed by the lack of basic understanding of local transit issues we observed at the Oct. 23 Candidates forum for Mt. Pleasant Town Council. We are acting now to bring the community into active involvement to motivate the candidates to become informed. We need your help to make this work.

Pathetic Mt. Pleasant Answers Cause Alarm

Audience at Forum, Oct. 23

Watch the pathetic answers offered to the sole Transit question presented at the forum, "Would they support getting the Bus Rapid Transit line to run no later than December 2023?"  You can hear and most of the forum video at https://www.facebook.com/LWVCharleston/videos/407443876855289/, however the stream appears to have failed before Louise Brown successfully demanded they ask a Transit Question. Several questions are asked regarding traffic and climate change in which in over 15 minutes of discussion, Transit is never mentioned in the video we do have.  One candidate suggested the Town establish a bus service to take workers dontown to jobs at MUSC, an express bus service that has been running for 12 years, the #2 Express. Another suggested a circular shuttle route similar to the Mt. Pleasant local which was cancelled in Spring 2001 or the East Cooper Connector, which had overwhealming reliabilty problems and was cancelled about 2014 and once served the very Senior Citizens Center the forum was held at but never had a bench, shelter or safe walker and wheelchair accessable access from and two the building. Not one candidate mentioned Tel-A-Ride, our paratransit service used by the elderly at an event held for Senior Citizens that several of those in attendance used to reach the event. It was a horror show of clueless disinterest that disgusted Louise Brown. She share her thoughts with William Hamilton and the Staff at Joe Cunningham's, our congressman's office at our visit following the forum.

This lack of knowledge of transit is remarkable in a  town where one of our largest employers, Hubner supplies bus articulations to transit vehicle manufacturers around the world.

Image, Left- Developer Provided Bus Stop in Mount Pleasant.

Without improved transit, Mt. Pleasant will simply become impossible to travel around in as West Ashley and Summerville have already become for several periods of time each week. The only long term solution is high capacity BRT on segregated lanes linking dense, transit enabled hubs, supported by a strong last mile shuttle service and connecting service to the beach. They will either recognize this now, as the people on the town's master planning committee have or someone will figure it out some time after the afternoon the traffic stops moving for three hours.  Mistakes like the horrific location of the new Football Stadium only reenforce the autocentric values which will doom the town to failure. To do this as the town's population of elderly people who can't drive continues to increase is clueless and cruel.

A Plan to Go Forward

After what we saw today, the struggling Town of Lincolnville and little Ridgeville look a lot better. As busy as we are, we can't leave Mt. Pleasant where it is. Together, We Go Forward.

Call Them Now- We're asking our East Cooper Supporters, including those outside the Town of Mt. Pleasant who use the bus lines there to call the candidates with their concerns and ideas about transit. It was clear at the forum that most of these candidates believe our buses are empty and that you, do not, in fact. actually exist.  This web page lists their contact information, phone numbers and emails.

Guided Bus Ride Oct. 29- We're offering every candidate for Mt. Pleasant Town Council at guided bus ride beginning at Wando Crossing Shopping Center on Tuesday,  Oct. 29 at 7:15 am and returning to Mt. Pleasant on the #40, arriving back at Wando Crossing at 9:03. Candidates should bring bus fare of $3.50, exact change. We'll be calling into a talk radio station and live streaming from downtown during the ride. If a candidate wants to ride sooner, we're ready tomorrow. Just call (843) 870-5299.

Experts- We're offering these candidates access to our panel of independent transit experts. They can  also contact the Council of Governments, which has already spent 7 million dollars planning the rapid transit line over the past 25 years. Their I26 alt plan treats East Cooper Bus service extensively.

Updated Transit Materials and Questions were handed to all of the candidate's at today's forum. You can read our annotated questions for muncipal election candidates online. We'll be asking for answers to those questions at the Moultrie News Election Forum next week. We've sent a copy of the questions and Christian King's, candidate for Charleston City Council's answers to them to the Moultrie News which is preparing the questions for the forum.

Answers- We'll publish any written answers to our Transit questions or link to any answers posted online from our Blog, Facebook and Twitter feeds.

We'll attend next week's Moultrie News forum on Tuesday evening. It's not on a bus route and as a usual policy we would refuse to attend, but the problem here is so extreme, we're going to make an exception. We'll Uber to the forum from the #40 bus stop at Oakland Marketplace. We'll provide and RSVP signup and an opportunity to donate towards the cost.  We'll have "Transit Voter" stickers for all our supporters in attendance.

We'll be traveling out to the Forum on the #40 and #42 buses and returning home by Uber and the #40 bus (The bus out to the Wando Library stops running at 6:30. We depart Mary Street downtown at 4:30 and arrive at the forum location at 5:47. Signup up on eventbright online for paid bus tickets and Uber fees. We'll be wearing our yellow shirts, but if you don't have one, try for the shade of yellow on the tranist voter sticker above, close or just yellow will be fine.

A Proud History of Achievement now in Disarray, How Quickly a Community Can Forget Transit

Our organization began as Hungryneck Straphangers in Mt. Pleasant and the East Cooper area and made remarkable progress between 2009 and 2016 in that area. We increased transit ridership to 308% of its 2007 level. We persuaded the town to install benches at bus stops and inspired them to begin requiring developers to build bus stops as part of their development agreements like the one at right. We pioneered transit outreach in conservative Southern suburbs in ways national experts told us noone had every tried and achieved results we were told were impossible before we started. Our East Cooper effort, supported by Mayor Linda Page, laid the foundation for passage of the Half Penny Sales tax and funding of the first Rapid Transit system in the history of the state. The restoration of bus service in Columbia began with a hail Mary jump on the candidate at breakfast effort we executed at a political convention where the candidate for the Mayor of Columbia found himself surrounded by people in tranist union provided "Don't Cut Transit T-shirts."

We knew there was a real risk of losing ground on suburban and rural bus when we chose to concentrate on trying to force progress on the bus rapid transit line a year ago.  However, we recognized that without an actual rapid transit spine a system slowly strangled by rising traffic congestion was the likely outcome. That's why we're in Ridgville, Dorchester County and Summerville now. Ridgeville, you'll be happy to know is a $45 Uber ride from Mt. Pleasant but it was worth it. We met 3rd graders who know more and care more about transit and what it can do for their community at Clay Hill Elementary School up there (See image left) than some of the candidates at this forum. They were certainly more fun.

We believe if they are properly motivated by the need to earn votes from Mt. Pleasant Transit supporters that progress can be made. We appreciate your support.

If you have any questions or ideas please email or call: wjhamilton29464@gmail.com or (843) 870-5299.

Thank you for your help, together we go forward.

Transit and Climate Change in SC Lowcountry- Problems and Solutions

Our core issues relate to Climate Change in many ways, largely through human impacts.

Transit- Flooding disrupts transit service and salt water destroys transit vehicles. Hurricanes shut down the transit system resulting in lost farebox revenue and lost federal matching funds. Flooding can sever the north south tranist lines which run through the Charelston neck, making transit travel between Charelston and N. Chareleston impossible. Cars, which operate on elevated I26 do not have this problem. however the massive amount of traffic now running on Rivers Ave. and Sprull is diverted to I26 and detours through West Ashley, making on time operations impossible. Our system relies on transfers between infrequent service to function. Without keeping schedule, a trip of ten miles can take several hours and waiting often has to take place at unsheltered stops. Though county council committed 600 million of the half penny sales tax for improved transit, there have been some suggestions that the transit system be cancelled and the fund used to build a flood protection wall around wealthy homes in downtown Charleston. A provision allowing the half penny tax to be used for "drainage" was slipped into the referendum language secretly by County Council. At the time everyone thought that meant buidling and improving drainage along the road and transit system.

On the bright side any bus, full of passengers emits far less carbon for passenger mile. The Oldest CARTA bus, burning diesel at the rate of four miles per gallon transporting 50 passengers Operates at at a rate of 50 passenger miles per gallon. A single passenger vehicle, operating at 30 miles per gallon burns nearly twice the gas per passenger mile. CARTA has five electron Pro Terra buses on order.

Transit vehicles are also durable. Some CARTA buses have been in service since the Atlanta Olympics and are now over 20 years old, reducing the environmental impact of new vehicle construction.

Transit reduces the need for roads and parking lots, which absorb a lot of solar radiation and contribute to global warming. Since this temperature increase in concentrated in urban areas, this increase the energy demand for air conditioning. Hard surface roads and parking lots also contribute to flooding.

Floyd Manor Public Housing near planned Transit line

Affordable Housing- Hugo destroyed about 8 thousand low income housing units, mostly older wooden houses which often sheltered several families. these buildings had termite and rot problems and simply collapsed under the force of the wind. Several people were killed that way. The cost of rental housing went up drastically as wealthier people forced from their homes competed for the available apartments in the market. the large public housing project East of East Bay street near what is now the Aquarium was flooded and later leveled. Condos for the wealthy, elevated above anticipated flood levels now stand there.Homeless people are very vulnerable in hurricanes and even rain flooding. Many live under bridges or in low lying areas. Since Tent City was cleared, most homeless people now live in mobile micro camps and reaching them with warnings and evacuation assistance is very unreliable. The loss of affordable housing in the city due to flooding and hurricane damage reduces the population of people who use transit, meaning lost ridership and cancellation of routes and service.

Tent City, Charleston, 2016

Transit makes it possible for people seeking lower housing costs to choose from more options in more areas and to have more power in negotiating rent costs. Housing is more affordable when a family does not have the burden of supporting a car. 30% of the cost of the new apartment buildings being constructed in Charleston is devoted to the cost of parking structures and lots. Parking lots and structures could be better used as housing or open space.

The planned Bus Rapid Transit line promised to begin operating in 2025 will open large areas for the creation of dense, walk able communities where residents will be able to walk, or in some cases ride the elevator to their local transit stop. We've been involved in the effort to build such a community on the site of the old naval hospital for two years.

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Living Wage- Hurricane Dorian cost the local tourism industry over 50 million dollars, including 10s of millions of dollars in wages and tips which were not earned. Workers will still have to pay the high rents Charleston demands.  (there is some public assistance available for that purpose from FEMA)  Dorian  was the third nearly week long shut down of our tourism industry in 12 months. The Snow storm and the 2018 hurricane also took place in the previous 12 months. Low wage workers are often required to work instead of evacuate. SC is a right to work space and they know they can be fired for any reason or no reason at all.

Transit helps riders save money. Parking downtown now costs about $20 a day. The new HOP lot reduces that to $5 per 24 hours and connects people with a fast shuttle ride into the city. Getting more people to ride improved bus services all the way from their homes would be even better for the environment. Parking lots are far from free. the new park and ride facility in N. Charleston cost about $3 million dollars or about 10 thousand dollars per space.

Twelve Goals to Achieve transit justice – Build BRT and strengthen bus service

Achieve Transit Justice – Build BRT and Strengthen Bus Service

These 12 demands are part of a more detailed document containing over 70 recommendations for improving transit in the Lowcountry. They elaborate one of the demands being made by Climate Strike Charleston, “Achieve transit justice – Build BRT and strengthen bus service”

During the Global Climate Strike, Sept. 20 to 28, 2019, we are asking transit riders and the general public to review the Google Docs Version of the full, five page document online and post their comments and suggested additions and revisions. We are distributing the longer document online to reduce the use of paper and carbon impacts. Our organization has already begun work on all 12 of these goalsm but details and tactics continue to evolve with community input.

The final version will be published to the Democratic candidates for President present at the Blue Jamboree in Charleston County on Oct. 5 and delivered to Republican leaders and local elected officials and the BCD Cog, CARTA and Tri County Link shortly thereafter.

These 12 goals are the ways in which Best Friends of Lowcountry Transit believes the Lowcountry can use improved transit to reduce our community’s carbon footprint, slow the destructive changes in climate and sea level which threaten our community and increase environmental justice.

The full, detailed document is now open for comment on Google Docs.

12 Goals for a better Transit enabled future for the Lowcountry 

1. Plan, build and commence operation of the Bus Rapid Transit line on or before Oct. 1, 2022 connecting Charleston, N. Charleston, Summerville, Ladson & Lincolnville.
2. End the 11 Million dollar per year “Pay Go” diversion of transit funds and apply more of the 350 million dollars approved by voters in 2016 to approve existing regular bus service.
3. Build 20 more sheltered bus stops in Charleston County in 2020.
4. Return Transit service to the beach by Memorial Day 2020.
5. Double Transit Ridership by Seniors and Students by November 2020.
6. Transit Enable the Lowline for fast, efficient rapid transit service to the heart of Charleston.
7. Restore Webcast and Video Archiving of CARTA Board Meetings. Establish Webcasting and archiving of Tri County LINK board meetings.
8. Reserve space for affordable housing along planned rapid transit line.
9. Build complete streets for transit riders, cyclists and pedestrians.
10. Plan Rapid Transit to the heart of Downtown Summerville and increase frequency and coverage of transit service in Dorchester County.
11. Begin better bus service and shelters for Berkeley County
12. Maintain Breeze Bus service from Walterboro to Hilton Head and establish a circulator service connecting Walterboro with surrounding rural communities.

Read and comment on the full document 

at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IueWoN-ZDVPWLPKas2bc7UyThoi0L671/view?usp=sharing or contact William Hamilton at wjhamilton29464@gmail.comwjhamilton29464@gmail.com or call (843) 870-5299

Climate Strike for Sustainable Community for All

Note= 9-25-19- The schedule of events has been updated again, past events have been deleted.

The South Carolina Lowcountry must change its focus to its people and the future. Tourism, history, landmarks and the priorities of the wealthy cannot force us to wait until climate change, development, sea-level rise and globalization allow others to make all our decisions for us. We must have a community where affordable housing is available, living wages are paid and our transportation system offers mobility to all planned in a way that accounts for the changes in sea level and climate change. These plans must reduce the impact of those changes on the remaining generations that will live here.

Download Updated, printable PDF flyer- Ver. Sept. 12-230


A Strike for Climate, Mobility and Equity- From Friday, Sept. 20, the first day of the Global Strike for Climate until Oct. 5th, when candidates for President from around the nation will be here for the Blue Jamboree held by the local Democratic Party, our coalition will demand local, state and national government respond to the problems destroying the quality of life for ordinary people here. This includes the 30th. Anniversary of Hurricane Hugo, marking a generation since Charleston ignored its first wakeup call on climate and lost thousands of affordable housing units. During the generation since, sprawl development and gentrification have ended downtown Charleston’s inherited model for civic and economic life.

We demand that the next 30 years of planning in the Lowcountry focus on three priorities as they impact the lives of working people”

Sustainable Community for All

Living Wage & Unions for All - Raising the minimum wage will benefit everyone in Charleston—working people, businesses, and the entire economy. Research shows about 684,000 South Carolina workers — or a third of the state’s workforce — would see their wages increase if a $15 federal minimum wage were adopted by 2025. Why Unions? Unions can bargain for the establishment of workplace environment committees that give workers real power to set sustainability benchmarks and to play an active role in the implementation. Unions can also demand that employers commit to specific environmental goals directly in their contracts.

Affordable housing for All - on high ground in safe areas constructed in a durable, sustainable fashion which reduces carbon impacts.

Mobility for All- A Transit and Transportation system linking those jobs and living areas efficiently so that people have the time and choice they need to live rewarding lives without being forced to buy and maintain a car. Road planning in which the focus is on serving areas inland, uphill and accessible to all. Reduce carbon impacts, congestion and injuries to transit riders, pedestrians and cyclists with complete streets. You can read our detailed response to the climate Strike in 12 calls to action, which cover 70 planned transit agenda items  (Currently open for public comment through Google Docs) online now: Achieve Transit Justice, Build BRT and Strengthen Bus Service. 

Our Shared Demand for Transit Equity-

As part of the general Lowcountry Climate Strike effort we've committed to support, "Achieve transit justice – Build BRT and strengthen bus service."  Our detailed demands for Transit Equity add actionable detail to the generalized statement. Please read, share and comment. We'll revise after the climate strike and publish to the candidates for president, state and local leaders at the Blue Jamboree and other public events in October. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IueWoN-ZDVPWLPKas2bc7UyThoi0L671/view?usp=sharing

Tentative Summary Schedule

Note- For more detailed information on CofC connected events, check the links and the new Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/CharlestonClimateStrike/  Note that past events have been deleted and many wonderful events have already ended. Plans for a second major series of events are not being made, so come to the remaining activities on the schedule to get involved and help shape the future of the local effort. 

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 7-8 PM Climate Justice: Unequal Consequences College of Charleston RSS235 Omar Muhammad

Thur. Sept. 26, 5 to 6 pm- Dutch Dialogues Demonstration- Join a demonstration outside the Gaillard Center before the last event (6 to 7:30 pm) focused on dealing with flooding facilitated by experts from the Netherlands. Make sure the needs of people and their right to resources for the future aren’t forgotten. (On CARTA 210, 20, 1, 2, 3 & 4 Bus Lines) Facebook Sign up for this event. 

We'll be filling in the final twenty spaces left on the Community Commitment to Transit that evening. That's the massive petition (image right, Congressman Sanford should have taken it more seriously) we've circulated for three years to hold our politicians to their promise to build the transit system made before the referendum. We'll have a mini teach in and demand, again, somewhat louder, that CARTA return bus service to the beach instead of just waiting for the ocean to come to the nearest bus stop in about 40 years. We'll have a table and sign making supplies on site. Other groups and activists are welcome to join and bring up there issues.

Friday, September 27, 2019 1-2 PM- Beneficial Plants: Let Nature Reduce Bad Insects Dr. Linda Geronilla @ Pink House (Permaculture) Dr. Linda Geronilla

September 27, 2019 5:00-6:30 PM Climate Change and Mental Health: Caring for Ourselves and the Planet at the Same Time Dr. Jen Wright College of Charleston RSS 252*

Image, left, we celebration our referndum victory for the new transit system on Rivers Ave. November 2016)

Saturday, Sept. 28, Rapid Rivers Reactivation- Persephone Moulton Community Center, North Charleston, South Carolina, 1919 Robertson Blvd. N. Charleston. Activists will do outreach along Rivers Ave. in N. Charleston.  We'll be working bus stops, street corners and hanging door knobs in neighborhoods along the planned transit line. We need people to stuff outreach bags, which can be done sitting down in the shade. We need people to walk the streets before heading to the Candidates for N. Charleston. We need four rock solid activists to join our Go Forward SMAK team which will cover several neighborhoods. SMAK stands for Speedy Movement Allied for Komunity, its a very fast structured, radio and internet enabled outreach team, bring a backpack and waterbottle.)  Bag stuffing begins at 8 am. First team goes out at 8:30 pm. SMAK deploys at 10:00 am.

Saturday, Sept. 28 3 pm- N. Charelston Mayoral Forum- That afternoon we'll converge on the Mayoral forum  at 3:00 pm. at Mt. Moriah Church. Along #10 CARTA Bus line. Get tickets for N. Charleston Mayor's Forum. Transit and affordable housing are two of the three issues the forum will focus on.

Saturday, October 5 - Unions for All - We will join Fight for $15 under the banner of Unions for All as we stand together on a day of action and solidarity. We will begin the day at 9am on Rivers Ave-nue by standing with workers, followed by a charter bus ride and lunch as we travel to the Blue Jamboree located at The Bend in North Charleston. Don’t miss this unprecedented opportunity to unite the fights for environmental, racial and economic justice.
*This is a national media event, please wear your organization tee or bring your signs. We will have a brainstorm/sign-making party towards the end of September to tie in various issues. Tickets for the Blue Jamboree, lunch, and transportation are included. Contact Amanda @ (803) 322-3097 or amanda.robertson@thefightfor15.org to add your organization to the list.

Sat. October 5- Blue Jamboree- Confront candidates for President at this Democratic Party event with our local priorities as we face a rising cost of living, rising congestion and a rising ocean. . Fight for $15 is organizing an action for the living wage which will begin on River's Ave. on the #10 bus line and provide free entrance and lunch to the Blue Jamboree where participants will parade in. Once you are at the event, visit our yellow information booth in the village area, make a button and learn about our work which will continue. We'll also have some spare chairs because sometimes you have to rest.

This coalition effort involves many organizations with radically differing approaches to the challenge of climate change. Not all organizations agree on the details of policy or method. Please communicate directly with the individual organization for their precise position and policies. Planning for all of these events has been disrupted by the recent Hurricane and changes are to be expected. 

Coalition Supporters
Best Friends of Lowcountry Transit
Lowcountry Up is Good
Fight for $15 and and a Union

Hashtags
#climatestrike
#fridaysforfuture
#chstransit

#UnionsForAll

Hurricane Evacuation Bus Service

Charleston County operates a Hurricane Evacuation Bus System.

The system uses yellow school buses which may be labeled Charleston County Schools or Durham Student services. They run to specially marked stops around Charleston County. These buses bring people to emergency hurricane shelters. 

Shelters are now concentrated on high ground, inland in N. Charleston and Ladson.

List of Stops - Some of the stops have been relocated and improved since last year. You can find a list of them starting on page 23 of this PDF. https://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/emergency-management/files/hurricane-guides/2018-Hurricane-Guide-Color-Full-Size.pdf

Disabled Persons - Page 26 of this document has contact numbers of disabled persons or other persons with special needs who cannot reach the Hurricane Evacuation Bus System.  https://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/emergency-management/files/hurricane-guides/2018-Emergency-Preparedness-Disabilites-Guide-Color-Full-Size.pdf  "If you are disabled and cannot get to the nearest evacuation pick-up point: Contact the Charleston County Emergency Public Information Line at (843) 746-3900, and a vehicle will be dispatched to transport you to the nearest available shelter."

Animals and Pets- "If you have an animal to evacuate with you and you do not have transportation: Contact the Charleston County Emergency Public Information Line at (843) 746-3900, and a vehicle will be dispatched to transport you and your pet(s) to the evacuation animal shelter. Bring all supplies needed for your pet: crate, collar, leash, food, identification, veterinarian/immunization records, etc.

The nearest Hurricane Evacuation Bus Stop to the Mary Street Transit Center downtown is locations at bus shelter on the sidewalk on Meeting Street in front of Courtney School near the Mary Street on the East Side.

Signs for the stops look like this.  Transportation on the buses is free. People who rode the buses and stayed at the shelter last year had a hard time connecting with the buses. Best Friends of Lowcountry Transit made an issue out of this and published our thoughts on how they system could be improved, which appear to have been implemented in part.

Here is an image of a Hurricane Evacuation Bus in operation last year.  Buses may not always stop right by the sign so keep a look out and wear bright colors. The drivers try hard to find everyone.

We continue to believe that as many of these stops as possible should be co located with major CARTA bus stops on major regular bus routes. We also believe that finding locations with rain shelter and lighting for these stops should be a priority. The system didn't work well last year, but people speaking out (see video) has made a difference since. There has been improvement in this area in the past year, however as usual getting different government agencies to coordinate their activities here remains a struggle.

Half of the Lowcountry Population doesn't have a driver's license and the obsession with private automobiles during hurricane evacuation continues to leave government with a blind spot. However the people running the shelters and the buses were trying very hard last year. If your area has to evacuate, heat out as early as you can, wear bright colors and if you see a bus wave and try to get their attention.