Readers share ideas to improve community news

What types of stories do you think are being overlooked?

• Road conditions. Many of the large trucks associated with development are tearing up our road surfaces.

• Traffic congestion, especially on 526. Lack of mass transit.

• Ever do follow up on police blotter when a suspect is apprehended or charged with the crime?

• Gardening!

• It would be interesting to see more health/wellness information. Perhaps an exercise of the week, interesting health facts (i.e. water intake recommendations, average push-ups for adults, meditation apps, etc). I’m a fitness instructor and could contribute to this! I know there are a lot of others too!

• Civic groups updates

• Where is all of the HOA dues being spent?

• Spotlight on chefs with a restaurant recipe? Garden plant spotlight?

• Development, building on every square foot of the island, needs to stop. Our neighborhood associations need to band together and slow down the growth for a while.

• Global issues and impact on our community, giving back/how to give back, what’s going on in greater Charleston and South Carolina. Everyone who lives on DI is so insular – getting off the island and understanding how global, regional issues impact them would be good.

• I want to know how every one of my representatives, state, local & national, voted in each matter that was taken up the previous week, with contact info.

• Local happenings

• I think it’s absolutely poor journalism to consistently use Facebook groups to ask people for their opinions or story suggestions. DI Moms page or DI Neighborhood Forum is no source for stories. People post in private groups for that reason; it’s PRIVATE. It’s borderline solicitation when some of these ‘journalist’ post on those private pages.

• History of DI. e.g. Simmons and other landmarks which are often missed.

• I would like to know more about the local businesses on the island. Also volunteer opportunities and donation drives.

• Lack of government services to support the community, Moncks Corner is not a very good option, no postal services, no property tax services, etc

• Obituaries of DI residents.

• Feature stories on your loyal advertisers. Who are the people behind the businesses? Owners and employees. Stories explaining different bylaws of the Property Owner Association (no e-bikes on trails, height/color of fencing, no two houses of the same color side-by-side unless they are white, how to get approval to cut down a tree, etc.) This is an endless source of information. Maybe start with a quiz to see how much people know.

• Local and state politics

• Overbuilding on DI

• It would be great to have a weekly listing of sporting events, plays, concerts, activities etc. happening at Philip Simmons and BE that the community could come out to support.

 

What types of stories receive too much attention?

• Nancy Mace

• Home & Garden

• Getting to know your neighbor. The stories never say anything bad about the family, which makes the story a waste. Oh, to live in such a perfect world must be nice.

• Kids Say is getting a bit monotonous. Spring a slightly different one in there now and then? Dogs Say? Granny Says? Teacher Says?

• The career guy/ HR - bad advice /outdated, the pages of the betting sponsors.

• E-bikes

• Can’t think of anything, the variety is already very good.

• Youth and high school sports

• Pets, kids

 

What are story ideas you’d suggest for the future?

• Stories about the fire department on the island. Church/religion happenings.

• This might be an interesting story – Berkeley County has compiled tons of walking, biking, and canoeing trails here: berkeleyoutdoorlife.com. My husband and I have really enjoyed some of the places. I had no idea they existed!

• A story about many of the large thefts that have taken place on the island and are any connected? Have thieves been apprehended in most cases or still at large?

• Would love to see a local/state nonprofit organization highlighted in each edition. There are so many valuable ways to serve with our time/money/talents this would be a great way to encourage more local participation.

• A review of all of the churches on DI?

• Improvements to the island need to be addressed. The path upgrades and sidewalk landscaping in front of the condos and townhomes, which the city owns, must be maintained similarly to the Park Side sidewalks. 

Additionally, speeding cars on Pierce Street near the pool is a serious issue that needs immediate attention; someone could get seriously injured or worse.

• NC/SC fires, new Charleston restaurants, big events around Charleston (arts, culture, gallery opening, author visits, gaillaird, gibbes)

• Follow ups to crimes.

• Short and sweet, positive news stories like “good deed of the week” or “local hero of the week.”

• With remote work being in the news, I think an article on the value of remote workers who live in the Daniel Island/Clements Ferry corridor. 

• Stories about the great things other than just sports happening in our high schools and perhaps middle schools. A focus on good things teenagers are doing.

 

Please share with us any other thoughts you have about the DI News coverage.

• In general it’s pretty informative. I’d really miss it if it went away.

• Would like to see more hard news, govt meeting coverage, and less fluff.

• Love the Steve Ferber articles.

• Would you consider putting DI News at the Clements Ferry Road Publix?

• Love The DI News. Thank you for being our eyes and ears in the community.

• Regular endorsement of DINA. Very important civic group that too many residents are unaware of its existence.

• Stop delivering the paper. What a waste of trees. 

• Sometimes the longer articles seem very generic, lacking in the right kind of detail. Declutter article is an example.

• I have lived a lot of places, and the DI News is the best local paper I’ve had!

• Question/answer section if not one already. For instance: Why are there dead fish in Smythe park pond?. Or: who is responsible for keeping public areas clean? How would one report an area of concern?

• I like the book review section!

• You are an excellent local newspaper! I appreciate receiving this local flavor delivered to my doorstep.