CLOSINGS: Governor closes schools, state government offices in several SC counties
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - In an executive order issued by Governor Henry McMaster on Monday, 26 counties in South Carolina will close schools beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 11, in addition to state offices.
On Tuesday, the governor adjusted the number of counties in the evacuation order and a number of counties now have school to resume on Wednesday, Sept. 12.
One such adjustment, the governor announced, was the cancellation of mandatory evacuations for three coastal counties from Monday's executive order. Colleton, Beaufort, and Jasper counties are no longer under the mandatory evacuations. Edisto Beach and all other areas ordered to evacuate are still ordered to do so.
The mandatory evacuation executive order remains in effect for all zones in Horry, Georgetown, Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties and for Edisto Beach. Additionally, the governor has ordered that schools and state offices in the following counties will be open beginning Wednesday, Sept. 12: Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Beaufort, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper.
The following counties will not have school beginning Tuesday until further notice:
- Berkeley
- Calhoun
- Charleston
- Clarendon
- Darlington
- Dillon
- Dorchester
- Florence
- Georgetown
- Horry
- Lexington
- Lee
- Marion
- Marlboro
- Orangeburg
- Richland
- Sumter
- Williamsburg
The Kershaw County School District sent a notice, saying they would be in operation:
Although Gov. McMaster has closed neighboring school districts tomorrow because of Hurricane Florence, the Kershaw County School District (KCSD) will operate on a normal schedule for Tuesday, September 11.
KCSD officials will continue to work closely with local emergency preparedness officials to monitor the weather situation and if any changes are made to school schedules for other days this week, those will be communicated to families via the school district's automated messaging system and local media.
"Many of our neighboring school districts are being used to shelter the evacuees who are coming into the area via I-26, but the Governor did not determine that our facilities were needed for this purpose so we are on a regular schedule tomorrow," said KCSD Superintendent Shane Robbins. "We will continue to monitor the weather situation as the safety of our students and staff is always our greatest concern."
The SC Department of Education also published this easy-to-read map of counties impacted by the closures.
The governor issued executive orders to evacuate coastal counties and interstate reversals on Monday.
To see a full list of closings in the Midlands, click here. The list will be updated as closings come into our newsroom.
Check back for more updates.
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