GOOD NEWS: Hands Across the Sand draws 100 on Saturday

About 100 people joined hands Saturday to “draw a line in the sand” and support efforts to cancel plans for Atlantic offshore drilling and to raise awareness of the dangers of seismic airgun blasting off the East Coast.  The local event was one of about 50 along the coast over the weekend. (Photo provided.)

“I’ve spent time in the Gulf of Mexico’s marine industry,” GOP State Sen. Chip Campsen said, according to a press release.  “I’ve experienced the extensive onshore infrastructure necessary to support offshore drilling. That degree of industrialization is wholly incompatible with the residential, historic and natural resource land uses that dominate South Carolina’s beautiful coast.”

While the federal government recently cancelled plans to sell offshore leases to oil companies, activists say more protections are needed, such as cancellation of plans for airgun blasting that seek to search for oil and gas deposits in an area stretching from Delaware to Florida.

“The fight to protect the Atlantic is not over,” said Samantha Siegel, campaign organizer at Oceana. “Coastal communities remain united in their opposition to offshore drilling activities off our coast. Today’s events draw a clear line in the sand against offshore drilling exploration and development. With offshore drilling off the table, there’s even less reason for us to still be considering seismic airgun blasting off our coast. It’s time for President Obama to stop seismic airgun blasting before it’s too late. The risks are simply too great.”  More information:  StopTheDrill.org.

In other good news:

Online tribute on Emanuel shooting.  The Lowcountry Digital History Initiative, Lowcountry Africana and the College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture offer an online Tribute to the Mother Emanuel Church as the one-year anniversary of the tragic shooting approaches.  The multimedia presentation documents national and local responses to the mass shooting, including more than 200 photographs.  “We see this online tribute as a healing and educational resource, for Mother Emanuel and the wider Charleston community,” said the pastor of Emanuel A.M.E. Church, Rev. Dr. Betty Deas Clark, in a news release.

Pinckney portrait.  A portrait of the late state Sen. Clementa Pinckney, the pastor of Emanuel AME who was killed in the shooting, will be unveiled Wednesday in the state Senate in Columbia.  Learn more.

Summer reading kick-off events.  The Charleston County Public Library offers dozens of programs kicking off its annual two-month Summer Reaching program.  Kick-off events include a presentation of The Tortoise and the Hare by Porkchop Productions (June 6 to 8 at 12 libraries); Imani Milele Children’s Choir from Uganda (eight libraries);  puppet show by All Hands Productions (11 libraries); Jam with Farmer Jason (11 libraries) and more.  Register for summer reading and learn more about lots of programs.

Best shade tree.  A story in the Sunday issue of The New York Times on the nation’s most intriguing islands includes places like Hawaii, Manhattan, Mackinac Island, Mich., and this place — Johns Island, S.C.   It has, according to the story “We’ve got you surrounded — by water,” the nation’s best shade tree:

“The 65-foot live oak known as the Angel Oak Tree in Angel Oak Park on John’s Island, just outside Charleston, produces 17,200 square feet of shade on a sunny day. When it was registered with the Live Oak Society in 1934, it had a girth of 22 feet. Today some of its branches are so massive they rest on the ground.”

Poll managers needed.  County elections officials say they still need 175 poll managers for the June 14 statewide primaries, particularly in Mount Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island, Charleston, James Island and Lincolnville.  Poll managers earn $120 for two days of work (training and managing).  Download an application here.