Folly Beach pier, a popular gathering place
Charleston’s Folly Beach is open for its usual summer business. But for the first time, alcohol is banned on popular beach near Charleston. A temporary ban is in place because of a July 4 disturbance when party buses pulled up and dispersed young people. Their rowdy behavior brought out law enforcement and fights broke out. At least seven partiers were arrested and five of the law officers suffered injuries.
Julia Colone helps run Bert’s Red and White grocery, a staple at Folly Beach. She says she and others in the business community would like more discussion on the matter instead of a knee-jerk reaction of banning alcohol.
Colone says Folly is an eclectic beach town that needs creative solutions and she is very concerned about the fallout she is hearing about on social media.
AUDIO: Local businesswoman talks about what she is seeing on Facebook
AUDIO: A local man, Patrick, who was fishing from the pier
AUDIO: Eliza is a folly beach resident and says she has mixed feeling about the ban
The current ban will last through Labor Day while beach town officials consider getting a referendum on the November ballot which would make the ban permanent. It has already passed on the first reading.
Reported by Sheree Bernardi, WTMA.
