News Flash

Today, city spokesperson Jack O’Toole released the following statement, in response to inquiries about the timing of the city’s decision to remove carriage horses from the streets under the city’s new heat ordinance:

Under the new city ordinance, carriage horse tours in Charleston must end when the city logs four consecutive readings of either 95 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, or a heat index of 110 degrees or higher, at the official Charleston Weather Bug station in the City Market.

At 2:40 p.m. today, the city logged its third reading of 95 degrees or higher – in this case, 97 degrees, a two degree increase over the previous reading. Due to the rapidly rising temperatures, city Livability Director Dan Riccio ordered all horses to remain at the gate until the next reading was taken at 2:55 p.m.

After the 2:55 p.m. reading found a temperature of 95 degrees, Mr. Riccio ordered all horses back to their barns, and horse carriage service was formally suspended until two consecutive readings below 95 degrees were logged at 4 p.m. -- at which point, the carriage companies were given the go-ahead to return to the street, in accordance with the ordinance. The carriage companies then voluntarily chose to keep their horses stabled for the rest of the afternoon.