Charleston Currents #13.09 | Jan. 11, 2021
THE GIANT LIVES. You can still find some of these old stickers on the backs of street signs around Charleston. Not sure what it is? Send us an email to learn more: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
FOCUS: Charleston has some really bad drivers, study says
COMMENTARY, Brack: Scott may face 2022 challenge from his own party
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
NEWS BRIEFS: Black Ink Festival set to be online this week
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
MYSTERY PHOTO: In stereo
CALENDAR: Charleston Restaurant Week will run through Jan. 17
Charleston has some really bad drivers, study says
By Samantha Connors | Charleston may be home to some of America’s most dangerous drivers, according to the insurance shopping service Insurify How bad? Fifth worst in the country.
With more people traveling by car this past holiday due to the pandemic, Insurify sought to identify areas with the country’s worst drivers and encourage greater caution.
By reviewing the 2.9 million driver applications in the company’s database, analysts catalogued cities with the highest proportion of drivers with a record of an at-fault accident, driving under the influence or a speeding ticket — or a combination of the three.
Here’s how the Holy City stacked up against the national average, according to Insurify:
Charleston driving statistics:
- Drivers with at least one of three incidents: 32.5 percent
- Drivers with a speeding ticket: 15.53 percent
- Drivers with an at-fault accident: 16.71percent
- Drivers with a DUI violation: 1.03 percent
National average driving statistics:
- Drivers with at least one of three incidents: 23.22percent
- Drivers with a speeding ticket: 9.47 percent
- Drivers with an at-fault accident: 11.24 percent
- Drivers with a DUI violation: 1.69 percent.
Charleston drivers may be below the national average for DUIs, but the rest of local numbers are higher. But Charleston isn’t the only South Carolina city sharing the shame spotlight — Columbia was No. 15 on the list. Most dangerous city? South Jordan, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City.
Some of the cities considered to have the safest drivers included Laredo, Texas; Brownsville, Texas; and Taylor, Michigan. As a region, the Northeast had the lowest record of incidents while the Midwest had the highest.
This story first appeared in the Charleston City Paper. Have a comment? Send to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com
Scott may face 2022 challenge from his own party
Scott speaks at a 2016 news conference
By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | So what’s a Republican U.S. senator from South Carolina supposed to do to keep MAGA-hat conservatives mollified? Particularly after voting against President Trump during certification of the presidential election that led a mob to storm the Capitol?
For U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, the task is pretty easy. He’ll spend the next four years spewing vitriol about incoming President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, just like he did during the Obama administration. He wants conservatives to forget how he dumped Trump in the last addled days of his presidency after spending four years licking his boots and carrying his golf clubs. Graham figures by the time his next reelection comes up in 2026, he’ll have spent six years trying to fix potential damage from anyone who might consider running against him in a primary.
But Lowcountry U.S. Sen. Tim Scott has a thornier problem. His “betrayal” of Trump by voting to uphold the U.S. Constitution has to be explained by 2022, which he’s said would be his last time running. He’s been a loyal Trump ally and has given him cover on some race issues. But Trump acolytes, notably the disturbed mob and their supporters who didn’t make it to the Jan. 6 party at the Capitol, are livid.
They won’t remember Scott tried to keep their support by proposing a thinly-veiled “please don’t sack me” measure to examine the integrity of the 2020 presidential election — even though it’s crystal clear that Trump’s delusional “stop the steal” message was not rooted in reality. Trump loyalists won’t forget what they see as Scott’s anti-Trump vote.
Just look at negative Facebook reactions to a comment Scott made condemning the violence at the Capitol:
“You should have fought for us to be heard! Now we have to do it ourselves!”
“’Team Scott is safe,’ you think that’s our first concern right now?? You’ve contributed to what’s going on today as much as any other member of the GOP. May your party go the way of the Whigs.”
“You are partly to blame for not backing your President.”
“You should have faught (sic) to save our constitution. WE THE PEOPLE PAY YOUR SALARY.”
Translate all of this into politics and it means Scott faces a real possibility of being challenged in the GOP 2022 primary by a Trump supporter. If that person is white, the ugly unspoken issue of race will automatically be part of the primary — even if no one overtly admits it or obliquely says anything about it.
“The Trump version of the GOP only seems to reward loyalty, not to the rule of law — not to traditional norms, not to clearly-defined standards of behavior, but to one thing only, what’s is Trump’s wish or demand,” said Greenville political analyst Chip Felkel. “That’s not a party. That’s cult-like behavior.
“Scott is better than that and he’s proved it by not going along with the political theater. He was bitterly attacked for doing the right thing and depending on what Trump’s status is, he may find himself with a challenge should he run again. That’s an unfortunate result of Trumpism.”
Political science professor Danielle Vinson of Furman University said she thought Scott would be able to explain what he did, which was to follow the U.S. Constitution. And because most people don’t pay close attention to politics, they might not hear messages of betrayal from hard-core Trump supporters fronting a candidate to oppose Scott..
“But for all those base supporters, there are others who spent four years rationalizing Trump to themselves because they are Republican and wanted Republicans in control,” Vinson said. “As Trump recedes — and he will at least for those watching something other than Trump media — most Republicans will be fine by 2022 with Scott’s decision, or they’ll at least be willing to listen to his explanation.”
As of Sept. 30, Scott’s campaign committee had $6.6 million cash on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Charleston Currents, and publisher of the Charleston City Paper. Have a comment? Send to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring Charleston Currents to you at no cost. Today we shine our spotlight on Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, founded in 1676 by the Drayton family.It has survived the centuries and witnessed the history of our nation unfold before it from the American Revolution through the Civil War and beyond. It is the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry and the oldest public gardens in America, opening its doors to visitors in 1870. Open 365 days a year, Magnolia offers its visitors splendid tours of nature and history and the role African-Americans played in the development of its award-winning Romantic-style gardens.
- Visit www.magnoliaplantation.com to learn how you can experience a complete plantation experience.
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Black Ink Festival set to be online this week
Staff reports | Black Ink: A Charleston African American Book Festival will feature author Kwame Mbalia as keynote speaker during the three-day online event that amplifies voices of black authors.
Mbalia
Mbalia told the Charleston City Paper he is honored to be involved in the festival, where his keynote speech will be titled, “Be a Sapper, Not a Gatekeeper.”
“I absolutely love the premise of Black Ink,” he said. “Talking about Black authors, Black books, writing about Black culture — this festival is exactly what I needed to start off 2021.”
Other panelists in the 5th year of the festival include Charleston poet laureate Marcus Amaker, Southern Review of Books editor-at-large Shani Raine Gilchrist and Turning Page Bookshop owner VaLinda Miller.
The programs for authors and readers include panels and workshops featuring authors, publishing professionals, librarians and more. Topics include marketing your writing project, a self-publishing workshop and a discussion on advocating for black voices, a panel on influencer marketing featuring Instagram Influencer Jeanell Marvin. Learn more.
Also in recent news:
COVID-19 cases rage: South Carolina health officials reported 3,667 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, with 48 additional confirmed deaths. The state surpassed 4 million total tests administered on Sunday. Some 28.6 percent of the 12,821 new tests reported Sunday were positive. In the tri-county area, there were 183 new positive cases of the 3,667 reported. More.
In-person court suspended. The S.C. Supreme Court has announced that all in-person court proceedings across the state are suspended starting today until further notice due to COVID-19. There are limited exceptions. Hearings and non-jury trials will be conducted virtually, whenever possible, according to a press release.
Belated congratulations. Charleston architecture firm LS3P won a Merit Design Award in November from the American Institute of Architects South Carolina (AIASC) for its design of the Wando Mount Pleasant Library. “We were super-excited about the award and wanted to make sure that you all knew about it,” architect David Burt told us. Hats off!
New rehab unit. East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant has a new Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit that features 10 rooms, a rehabilitation guy, a speech therapy room, recreation space and more. Rehabilitation treatment for the following conditions: stroke, brain injury, myopathy, spinal cord injury, hip fracture, joint replacement, amputation, polyarthritis, multiple sclerosis, degenerative or progressive neurological disorders and Parkinson’s Disease, according to a press release.
Soul-searching. The Republican Party may be searching for its soul following last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol, but things seem to be business as usual in South Carolina. More: Statehouse Report.
McMaster to release budget. Gov. Henry McMaster was to release a 2021-22 budget today that includes $400 million in new education spending, kindergarten through college. More.
- Have a comment? Send to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com
Questions on vaccination that need answers
To the editor:
Governor, you are a (expletive deleted) poor administrator.
- How do I get vaccinated? Really!
- Where do I sign up?
- Where is the list?
- What is my place on the list?
- Will I be notified to show up?
- How much lead time will I have?
- What documentation do I need to bring?
- Must I wear a mask?
- Should I wear short sleeves?
- What is the range of wait I should anticipate because I pee often?
- Why are you screwing over again black and brown people not providing any equity?
- Can I give my place to my wife who has a heart condition at 72 years?
- What documentation will I receive to aid in a “recall” or followup if it is needed?
- Will I get notified about the second shot?
Yea, one big mess. As I said you are a terrible administrator.
— Fred Palm, Edisto Island, S.C.
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Send us a letter: We love hearing from readers. Comments are limited to 250 words or less. Please include your name and contact information. Send your letters to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com. | Read our feedback policy.
Tell us what you love about the Lowcountry. Send a short comment – 100 words to 150 words – that describes something you really enjoy about the Lowcountry. It can be big or small. It can be a place, a thing or something you see. It might be the bakery where you get a morning croissant or a business or government entity doing a good job. We’ll highlight your entry in a coming issue of Charleston Currents. We look forward to hearing from you.
In stereo
Here’s an old photo in stereo, but what does it show? Can you tell anything else about it? Send to editor@charlestoncurrents.com. And don’t forget to include your name and the town in which you live.
Our previous Mystery Photo
Our Jan. 4 photo, “Big columns,” showed the Fireproof Building in downtown Charleston.
Congratulations to several readers who recognized the building, now home to the S.C. Historical Society: Chris Brooks of Mount Pleasant; Jay Altman of Columbia; James McMahan, Susan Highfield, Autumn Bennett, Brandon Reid, Kristina Wheeler of Charleston; Bill Segars of Hartsville; Marnie Huger of Richmond, Va.; Jane Bergen of Alexandria, Va.; Chuck Boyd of Hanahan; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas.
McMahan shared, “Designed by the architect Robert Mills and constructed 1822-27, it was built as a state building to house Charleston District records. The building was leased to the South Carolina Historical Society in 1955. It was recently converted to a jewel of a museum.”
Segars added, “Its construction was completed in 1826 as the first fireproof building in the US for the purpose of holding public records. It’s an all masonry building with the brick being laid by John Gordon and the stone being cut by James Rowe and John White.”
Huger also added, “A fire did eventually break out in the upper level, but records in the lower level were saved. Due to a better temperature controlled environment, records are now housed at the Addlestone Library at the College of Charleston. After an extensive renovation costing more than $6 million the new Museum of the South Carolina Historical Society opened in the fireproof building in September 2018.”
- Send us a mystery: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send it along to editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
Charleston Restaurant Week will run through Jan. 17
Staff reports | Almost three dozen area restaurants are participating Jan. 7 to Jan. 17 in Charleston Restaurant Week, a period when diners can get special deals at restaurants all over town.
This culinary dream, executed by Explore Charleston, is one of the most highly anticipated culinary events in the Charleston area,” according to the visitors’ bureau website. “It is an opportunity to enjoy the world-renowned cuisine of the Lowcountry as participating restaurants offer prix fixe lunch and dinner menus.”
Also on the calendar:
Birthday party: Jan. 12. You can celebrate the 248th birthday of the Charleston Museum by enjoying this archived blog post on the mahiole, a Hawaiian headdress that is one of the museum’s earliest collected objects.
MLK Ecumenical Service: 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17, via Zoom. S.C. Sen. Darrell Jackson, a civil rights advocate and pastor from the Columbia area, will serve as keynote speaker during this free service to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sign up to attend virtually at ywcagc.org/mlk-ecumenical.
MLK Annual Business and Professional Summit: 7:30 a.m. Jan 19. While the annual breakfast event will be held for a socially-distanced few at the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Camden Room at 375 Meeting Street in Charleston, you can participate virtually with hundreds virtually. Registration information will be available in early January at ywcagc.org. Philanthropist and businesswoman Anita Zucker will keynote.
Sunday Brunch Farmers Market: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., every Sunday, Charleston Pour House, 1977 Maybank Highway, James Island. While the market is discouraging people from spending too much time hanging out during the market, everyone is invited to shop their local vendors.
Wallace abstracts on display. Through Jan. 31, Park Circle Gallery, 4820 Jenkins Ave., North Charleston. Works by local abstract artist Scott Wallace will be on display through the end of the month at a free show. The exhibit, called “Abstraction in Action,” features works in acrylic that explore unusual color palettes and the textural possibilities of acrylic paint. More: ScottWallacePaintings.com.
Craft entries sought. Fine craft artists from around the state are invited to enter the 19th annual S.C. Palmetto Hands Juried Fine Craft Competition and Exhibition, which will be presented April 28 to May 2 as part of the North Charleston Arts Fest. Entry fee is $15. The deadline for entries is March 15. Applications are offered online only. The show, cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, will offer objects made in media of clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and three-dimensional mixed media. More info: culturalarts@northcharleston.org.
- If you have any online events, drop us a line (editor@charlestoncurrents.com) and make sure to put “Online event” in the subject line. Similarly, if you’ve got cool ideas for stuff to do while in isolation at home, send them our way.
ORDER NOW: Copies of our new book, 350 Facts About Charleston, are in Lowcountry-area bookstores now, but if you can’t swing by, you can order a copy online today.
As more people stay home to deal with the coronavirus crisis, people are looking for things to do. You can find some fun things to do online in our calendar section below, but let us also encourage you to FORWARD your issue of Charleston Currents to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. It’s got a great price, as you know: Free! We hope they’ll enjoy our coverage.
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