Charleston Currents – 2016

HISTORY: South Carolina’s technical education system

S.C. Encyclopedia | Technical education in South Carolina has a lengthy history, dating back to John de la Howe’s 1797 bequest of land to a school that would provide practical instruction for the needy children of Abbeville District. Systematic technical education, however, would have to wait until the post–World War II era, when political leaders realized that South Carolina’s ability to attract new industry hinged on the availability of an educated workforce.

by Special to Charleston Currents · 03/14/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Features, S.C. Encyclopedia

FOCUS: Buckwheat Zydeco to perform at Cajun Festival

Staff reports | Renowned Cajun musician Buckwheat Zydeco will bring his energetic, accordion-laced sound to the Lowcountry Cajun Festival on April 3 at James Island County Park.

Zydeco and his band, which claim the three largest selling Zydeco albums of all time, will perform from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the festival, which opens at noon. Two other featured acts during the spring festival are Shrimp City Slim and Sidewalk Zydeco.

by Charleston Currents · 03/14/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

BRACK: Take care of your lint

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | Lint is not something I ever figured I’d write about. But that changed after what I found in our family’s dryer recently.

About a month ago, I started worrying about lint in the dryer. I don’t know why — perhaps I saw something in the news about a dryer fire. Maybe there was an ad on TV about some kind of newfangled lintbuster. Whatever the trigger, I went to a store to buy something to help suck the lint out of the dryer hose, but couldn’t find anything.

by Andy Brack · 03/14/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

GOOD NEWS: Slave Auctions marker unveiled in Charleston

“Slave Auctions” is a new historic marker unveiled March 10 at the corner of Gillon and East Bay streets next to the Old Exchange Building.

The new marker acknowledges the significance of the area around the building as a destination for the domestic slave trade. The marker focuses on slave auctions that occurred just north of the Exchange while also acknowledging other areas downtown where slaves were often sold.

by Charleston Currents · 03/14/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Good news, News briefs

MYSTERY: What a gate, but where?

This is the kind of Charleston gate that you won’t forget if you see it, but where in the world is it? (Hint, downtown). Send your best guess to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com — and make sure to include the name of the town in which you live.

by Charleston Currents · 03/14/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Mystery Photo, Photos

PHOTO: Storytellers enthrall

Chicago-area storyteller Oba William King enthralled crowds Friday and Saturday at the fourth annual Charleston Tells festival put on by the Charleston County Public Library. Hundreds of children and adults packed tents and rooms to hear stories at dozens of performances of nationally-known and local artists with gifts for words and spinning good yarns.

by Michael Kaynard · 03/14/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Photos

PHOTO: The water is wide

The Combahee River churns past the Harriet Tubman Bridge at the Beaufort-Colleton county line on a recent sunny day. This kind of typical Lowcountry scene — an expanse of marsh, pluff mud and black water — was captured better by the late Pat Conroy than any other writer. Read a tribute to him and his words in Andy Brack’s commentary today.

by Andy Brack · 03/07/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Photos

CALENDAR, March 7+: Storytelling festival, water walk, oyster roast

On the calendar for week of March 7, 2016: Chamber to offer economic forecast; Terrace Charleston Film Festival; Charleston Tells storytelling Festival; Walk for Water; St. Paddy’s Pawlooza; Bushels and Bids auction

by Charleston Currents · 03/07/2016 · Comments are Disabled · calendar

LETTER: Silent Haley must act on overdose, HIV rates

Elaine Pawlowski: “Gov. [Nikki] Haley’s silence on the overdose epidemic as well as the high rate of HIV in rural communities continues to risk the lives of thousands of South Carolinians. The PBS documentary that aired Monday, Feb. 29, 2016, Wilhemina’s War, paints a bleak picture of those that are infected with HIV in S.C. “

by Andy Brack · 03/07/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Feedback

REVIEW: Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family

Nonfiction by Amy Ellis Nutt: My favorite book so far in 2016 is Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt, who is also a science writer for the Washington Post. This book is a very well written nonfiction account of twins – both born as boys – one of whom knows at a very early age that he/she is different.

by Charleston Currents · 03/07/2016 · Comments are Disabled · Features, Reviews