Understand SC

While health officials urging South Carolinians to wear masks in public is nothing new, mandatory masking ordinances in the state are. In this week's episode, we discuss why masking policies are popping up across S.C., why we don't have a statewide mask mandate and what the proper mask-wearing practices are at bars and restaurants.

After more than 17 hours of sawing, slicing and tethering, the 12-foot-tall statue of John C. Calhoun that's towered over Marion Square for more than a century came down on Wednesday. This week, we dig into how City Council got to its unanimous vote to remove the monument, what the statue symbolized when it was constructed more than a century ago, and why one of our guests says the city was creating new history, not erasing it.

This month, a steady stream of Charleston-area restaurants have announced they're re-closing. The reason? Their employees tested positive for coronavirus. But food editor Hanna Raskin says those closings are likely to become more rare, and more businesses will keep operations going after cases are identified.

For our latest special COVID-19 episode, we checked back in with health editor Lauren Sausser and health and business reporter Mary Katherine Wildeman to talk about the recent rise in coronavirus cases, which South Carolina county has emerged as a hotspot and why the rise can't be explained by increased testing.

Last Saturday, South Carolinians took the streets, joining protesters across the U.S. and world who are — again — calling for the killings to stop. We talked with reporters Greg Yee and Sara Coello who cover breaking news and photographer Gavin McIntrye. All three of them have been reporting on the ground from these protests which were sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

Givionne “Gee” Jordan was arrested during a peaceful demonstration against the killing of George Floyd Sunday afternoon in downtown Charleston. A video of that arrest has gone viral, prompting criticism of police. Gee joined us to talk about his experience. This is the full interview.

Charleston has a front row view to the effects of our rapidly-changing climate. We talked with projects editor Glenn Smith and senior projects reporter Tony Bartelme about our Rising Waters, The Post and Courier's new approach to covering flooding and sea level rise in real time, with a mix of breaking news reporting and deep dives into the science behind the issues.

Despite warnings from state leaders and public health officials, many South Carolinians are going maskless. We talked with projects reporters Avery Wilks and Thad Moore about why the question of when to wear a mask has become a social conundrum.

For some South Carolinians, being able to access public beaches again was one of the most highly-anticipated aspects of reopening the state. We sat down with reporters Chloe Johnson and Mikaela Porter to talk about how coastal communities enforced beach access rules, what restrictions still remain and why beach reopenings nearly led to a Charleston-area legal battle.

How has Charleston's famous food and beverage been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic? Food editor and chief critic Hanna Raskin and food and beverage reporter Dave Infante joined us for a discussion about how the health crisis has impacted Charleston's dining scene, what plans the industry has for reopening and which changes will likely linger post-pandemic. Listen to find out.