GOOD NEWS: 4 meetings on tap for input on regional walk/bike plan

Staff reports  |  The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments is hosting four public meetings to gather input for Walk + Bike BCD, the regional pedestrian and bicycle master plan. Three meetings are this week with a new one just added for North Charleston on Dec. 13.

The meetings will be an open house format allowing interested citizens to drop-in at any time between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.. All residents of Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties are invited to learn about proposed roadway and trail improvements, and recommended new programs and policies for active transportation. Residents are encouraged to use this one-on-one time with the project team to share their vision for walking and bicycling in the three-county region.

Meetings are set for:

• Nov. 29: Cuthbert Hall, Summerville Community Center, 105 W. 5^th South St., Summerville.
• Nov. 30: Moncks Corner Train Depot, 100 Behrman St., Moncks Corner.
• Dec. 1: James Island Charter High School cafeteria, 1000 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston.
• Dec. 13: Chicora Life Center (the old Navy Hospital), 3600 Rivers Ave., North Charleston.

For those unable to attend, information about the plan’s progress and an online comment form are provided at http://www.walkbikeBCD.com.

In other good news:

WINGS for kids.  Hats off to this locally-started organization for two recent big deals.  First, it has won a $2.5 million grant from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation to support its national expansion and sustainability efforts to focus more on social and emotional learning of kids.  Second, CEO Bridget Laird has been named one of 10 Champions of Children’s Wellbeing by Ashoka Changemakers and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  To learn more about WINGS for kids, please visit its website;

Big chili.  Hats off to the Charleston Animal Society for smashing previous records by raising more than $500,000 in this month’s annual chili contest, which was held Nov. 19 at Riverfront Park in North Charleston.  Some 9,000 people, including 7,000 estimated in attendance, raised money to help injured animals.    “Record after record was broken as this became the largest animal event in South Carolina history,” said Charleston Animal Society CEO Joe Elmore. “This raised about $25 per animal that we treat and that goes a long way toward our fundraising efforts to treat so many animals and sustain our No Kill Community.”

Wreath-making workshop:  Holiday wreath-making workshops return to the Aiken-Rhett House, 48 Elizabeth St. on Dec. 3 as Gathering Events and Charleston Stems will offer instruction that covers the essentials of seasonal decor for home and entertaining. Classes will begin with mantle installation demonstrations followed by wreath-making in the expansive courtyard of the antebellum property.  There are two two-hour sessions, one starting at 10 and another at 2 p.m. The fee is $150 per person and includes a tour of the house museum.

Sad news times two.  We mourn the passing of Anthony Wright, also known as Tony the Peanut Man.  He was a legend for the joy – and tasty peanuts – he brought to thousands of fans at RiverDogs games.  More.

We also pause to remember Gussie Humes, 92 of McClellanville, who served for years as a volunteer political organizer for Democrats in the northern part of Charleston County.  He passed away on Nov. 20.

Rest in peace, Tony.  Rest in peace, Gussie.