Charleston Currents #13.33 | June 28, 2021
TAKING US BACK. Charleston right-fielder Garrett Hiott (8) slaps a ball toward third base Sunday in a 3-0 RiverDogs win over the Augusta GreenJackets at The Joe in Charleston. The RiverDogs currently have a 31-15 record and are at the top of their division. See something you think our readers would enjoy? Snap a shot and send it along to editor@charlestoncurrents.com. Photo by Andy Brack
FOCUS: Counting on Nature program promotes better understanding
COMMENTARY, Brack: Celebrate Carolina Day with gusto
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: South Carolina Ports Authority
NEWS BRIEFS: State ranks slightly worse on child well-being in new survey
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
MYSTERY PHOTO: Curious bridge
CALENDAR: Enjoy all of our local farmers markets
Counting on Nature promotes better understanding
Exploring Caw Caw park. Photo provided by CCPRC.
Staff reports | Look around and you might find something new, just as local resident Tess Moody did three years ago.
In June 2018, Moody, a part-time staff member at the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission (CCPRC), found a new species of millipede at Caw Caw Interpretive Center, according to the agency. She took a photo of the arthropod and posted it to an online forum for entomologists for identification.
She then was contacted by Jackson Means of Virginia Tech, who believed it could be an unidentified species. They were unable to find the millipede specimen at Caw Caw again until June of 2020. This second discovery allowed the two to confirm that the millipede was indeed previously undescribed in scientific literature.
Now, the parks agency is encouraging people throughout the county to look around for more new species. Across the world, eight have been found this year.
CCPRC’s Counting on Nature program takes participants on guided walks in various county parks’ natural environments. They are led by a professional naturalist sharing their expertise. Guests also photograph and report their observations and findings to platforms such as apps and websites during the program. Counting on Nature not only allows participants to learn more about plants, animals and the surrounding ecology, but also helps conserve biodiversity.
“The bottom line is that more reporting means more understanding, which can mean more support for protection and conservation,” said Keith McCullough, Natural History Interpretation coordinator. “We’d like to share first our knowledge of natural history, and second, our knowledge of reporting apps and websites and how to use them, with the hope that people will use their newfound reporting skills while on their own.”
Find out more: Every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Counting on Nature allows participants to get out directly into the study of nature while furthering their knowledge base. Participants will explore Palmetto Islands County Park in Mount Pleasant, James Island County Park on James Island, or Johns Island County Park on Johns Island. Registration is $9 per person and advance registration is required. Register and learn more online at CharlestonCountyParks.com.
- Have a comment? Send to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
Celebrate Carolina Day with gusto
Engraving shows British ships firing on Fort Sullivan in the Battle of Sullivan’s Island. Engraving via the Library of Congress.
By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | All South Carolinians today should toast the courage and mettle of patriots from 245 years who vanquished the powerful British navy in the Battle of Sullivan’s Island and secured the first major colonial victory in the Revolutionary War.
It’s a great story of underdogs in an unfinished palmetto log-and-sand fort with 31 cannons who repelled nine man-of-war ships with almost 300 cannons. The victory by South Carolina patriots on June 28, 1776, showed leaders in colonies up and down the east coast that the cause for freedom from Britain’s tyranny was winnable. It inspired them to sign something else important in those times — the Declaration of Independence.
Colonists started building a fort on Sullivan’s Island in February 1776 after news of plans the British wanted to capture Charleston, then one of the richest ports in the Americas. Taking Charleston, British leaders thought, would split the colonies, take away revenue fueling the patriot cause and help them quell an insurrection.
According to the S.C. Encyclopedia, the fort protecting Charleston harbor was to be square with 500-foot-long walls with a bastion at the corners. Builders placed thousands of palmetto logs in two parallel walls that were 16 feet apart. In between the walls was sand and more sand. By the end of June, only two walls and bastions were complete. Some 400 soldiers were stationed at the unfinished fort. Another 300 were at the north end of the island to keep British marines from crossing Breach Inlet.
On June 8, the British demanded a surrender, which was rejected and led to British troops landing on what is now Isle of Palms. On June 28, warships advanced on the fort and started firing just before noon; the fort’s guns responded. Soon, three ships tried to sneak between the island and mainland to fire on the unprotected rear of the fort and block reinforcements. But they ran aground. While two later were freed from sandbars, one eventually was set afire.
The cannonade continued through the evening, but the little fort survived with little damage, in part because of how the interwoven fibers of the palmetto logs, plus the thick berm of sand, absorbed the shock of British volleys. The non-pliable wooden ships, however, weren’t as lucky. Several were damaged in the nine-hour battle and British troops had more than 200 casualties, compared to 40 patriots. It wasn’t long before the Royal Navy withdrew and the unnamed fort was named to honor Col. William Moultrie, its commander. Now, the site is part of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park.
Visitors should learn more about the Revolutionary history of the state, rather than focus on the Civil War that some still seem to be fighting. Had it not been for the patriot victory at Sullivan’s Island plus the scores of skirmishes and battles in the Carolinas that stretched the British supply lines, the patriot cause might not have been successful.
Just look at a few names from South Carolina that are familiar to Revolutionary War junkies:
- Henry Laurens, the merchant and slave trader who helped to bankroll revolutionary fervor and who succeeded John Hancock as president of the Second Continental Congress.
- His son, John Laurens, who was a key aide to General George Washington.
- Christopher Gadsden, the organizer best known today for his “Don’t Tread of Me” flag.
- General Francis “Swamp Fox” Marion, whose guerilla tactics kept British and Loyalist forces on constant edge.
- General Thomas “Gamecock” Sumter, another guerilla leader known for furious attacks.
As you lift a glass to these leaders who put all on the line for a new country, let’s try to do a better job in capturing their spirits in the modern day so we can be just as proud of how we’re working to improve education, boost health care, reduce poverty and increase economic opportunity as we are of our history.
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Charleston Currents, and publisher of the Charleston City Paper. Have a comment? Send to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
South Carolina Ports Authority
Founded in 1942, the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) owns and operates public marine terminals at two port facilities, the Port of Charleston and the Port of Georgetown, in addition to inland ports in Greer and Dillon, S.C. These facilities are owner-operated terminals, meaning the SCPA owns the terminals, operates all container cranes, manages and operates all container storage yards and leads all customer service functions in both the yard and the lanes.
SCPA promotes, develops and facilitates waterborne commerce to meet the current and future needs of its customers, and for the economic benefit of the citizens and businesses of South Carolina. In fact, SCPA facilities in Charleston, Dillon, Georgetown and Greer drive $63.4 billion in annual statewide economic impact and 1 in every 10 S.C. jobs is attributed to the port.
- For more information, visit www.scspa.com.
- To meet all of our underwriters, click here.
State ranks slightly worse on child well-being in new survey
Staff reports | The environment in which South Carolina’s children grow up has gotten slightly worse over the last five years, according to a review of annual studies that rank child well-being in states across the nation.
South Carolina ranks 41st out of 50 states in child and family well-being, according to the 2021 KidsCount national survey. Five years ago, the state ranked 39th.
The annual survey of data, which is compiled by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and reported in the Palmetto State by the Children’s Trust of South Carolina, combines four data points each for economic well-being, education, health care, and family and community to develop the overall ranking.
When asked about the danger of state and local lawmakers doing nothing to move South Carolina’s children away from the nation’s bottom tier of results, Children’s Trust Director of Research Aditi Srivastaf Bussells said, “When we don’t set up our future generation for success, the success of South Carolina is at stake. When our children can’t flourish, how can we expect our economy or our communities to?”
In other recent news:
Cunningham proposes expanded voting, redistricting reform. Proposals to end straight-ticket voting, expand early voting and reform redistricting are among the changes now being floated by Democratic candidate for governor Joe Cunningham. He said his 10-point plan would “protect and expand voting rights in South Carolina,” and also includes automatic voter registration at age 18, allowing voters to register and cast a ballot on the same day, 30-days of early voting, an expansion of ID types that can be used to vote and making Election Day a state holiday. The plan would also eliminate witness signatures for mail-in ballots, make ballot drop boxes available in every county and invest in voting machines and personnel to cut down on lines. Read more.
Hospital nationally ranked. MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital was the only children’s hospital in the state to be nationally ranked in a new survey by U.S. News & World Report, according to a release. Among the rankings by speciality: Cardiology and heart surgery (12th), gastroenterology and GI surgery (42nd) and cancer (44th). In other news, the hospital received a $250,000 check June 23 from Jersey Mike’s Subs’ locations in Charleston from its 11th annual Day of Giving efforts in March.
Send us a letter
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Curious bridge
A longtime loyal reader sent in this curious photo of a bridge that’s somewhere in the Lowcountry. Send your best guess to editor@charlestoncurrents.com. And don’t forget to include your name and the town in which you live. And if you’ve got a clever mystery photo for our readers, send it to the same address (Try to stump us!)
Our previous Mystery Photo
Last week’s mystery, “Take a walk in these shoes,” showed the walking feet from a bronze statue of the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond located at the Statehouse complex in Columbia.
Congratulations to everyone — including no one from Charleston — who recognized those feet: , Bud Ferillo, Jean Prothro and Jay Altman, all of Columbia; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas.
Peel shared: “ Designed by William Behrends, the memorial was dedicated on December 4, 1999 while Thurmond was still alive, making it the second monument to a living person on the SC State House grounds (the first was for James F. Byrnes).”
- 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.
Enjoy all of our local farmers markets
Here’s a look at a bunch of local farmers markets where you can find fresh fruit, vegetables, crafts and more. If you know of others, send us a note at: feedback@charlestoncurrents.com.
Mount Pleasant Farmers Market: 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., every Tuesday, Market Pavilion at Moultrie Middle School, 645 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant. Check here for more.
Holy City Farmers Market: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., every Wednesday, Holy City Brewing, North Charleston. vendors rotate weekly to provide shoppers with a tiny but mighty shopping experience. vendors will be selling a range of products from specialty foods, home and body care to arts and crafts. More info.
West Ashley Farmers Market: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., every Wednesday, Ackerman Park, 55 Sycamore Avenue, Charleston. More.
North Charleston Farmers Market: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., every Thursday, Felix Davis Community Circle in Park Circle. The market offers fresh, locally grown produce as well as arts-and-craft vendors, specialty foods and live music. More.
Charleston Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., every Saturday, Marion Square, 329 Meeting St., Charleston. More.
Summerville Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., every Saturday, First Citizens Bank parking lot near Town Hall, 200 S. Main Street, Summerville.
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. More info.
Also on the calendar:
Art of Jazz Series: 6 p.m., July 1, Aug. 25, Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St., Charleston. The 2021 Art of Jazz Series of original music inspired by art at the museum will feature Matt White and the Super Villain Jazz Band on July 21 and the Geoffrey Dean Trio on Aug. 25. Tickets are $40.
Party at The Point: 6 p.m., Fridays in July, Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina, Mount Pleasant. The long-beloved Happy Hour concert series returns July 2 with live music and plenty of food and drinks. Each event is limited to 600 general admission ticket holders. Tickets are available at citypapertickets.com. All shows are $10, with children 12 and under are free. Gates open at 5 p.m. The lineup:
- July 2: The Dubplates.
- July 9: New Ghost Town.
- July 16: The Red Dog Ramblers.
- July 23: Mr Holland’s Oats: A Tribute to Hall and Oates.
- July 30: Rock the 90s: The Ultimate 90s Tribute Band.
Johns Island concert: July 10, Johns Island County Park. Enjoy the Motown sounds of The Legacy on July 10. Gates open at 6 p.m. with music beginning at 7 p.m. Shows end by 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $60 per 10×10 square, not per person. Squares are limited to four people max. Guests must arrive together, as each vehicle must have a ticket for entry. Squares will be available on a first-come, first-served basis upon arrival. Each show will also offer food vendors; no outside food, alcohol or coolers will be permitted. Alcohol will be available for purchase. Patrons are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, tables, etc. to be used at their space. Masks are required, except when eating.
Safe Sounds: Firefly Distillery, North Charleston. Head over to citypapertickets.com to secure a spot. Tickets are available now. Doors open 6 p.m. for shows that begin an hour later. (Editor’s note: City Paper Tickets, which is run by sister publication Charleston City Paper, is operating ticketing for Safe Sounds.) Check out some of the shows that are on the way:
- July 15: Sevendust with Austin Meade and Kirra.
Ongoing
Now free: Weekend beach bus. The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority is operating a new Beach Reach Shuttle with hourly weekend service to provide a new connection between Mount Pleasant and Isle of Palms. Landside Beach Reach parking is located along Market Center Boulevard in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre. The on-island Beach Reach stop is located at 9th Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, adjacent to public beach access. Open through Sept. 6 from 9:15 a.m. through final departure from Isle of Palms at 5:35 p.m. Cost: free.
The Lawn Party exhibition: Through Sept. 19, Charleston Museum, Meeting Street, Charleston. The Charleston Museum is pleased to present The Lawn Party: From Satin to Seersucker, the latest offering in its Historic Textiles Gallery. In an “unprecedented” era when large gatherings have been discouraged and fashion has trended towards leisurewear, this exhibition is a celebration of getting dressed up for an outdoor party. Bringing a hint of glamour to a trying time, the garments on display were selected with the grand idea of “after” in mind. This is a perfect opportunity to come see what to wear for your next outdoor event as we head toward the new “normal.”
Reviving photos. Through Oct. 31, Charleston Museum, Meeting Street. The museum is exhibiting The Lowcountry in Living Color: Making Historical Photographs Come to Life as the latest offering in its Lowcountry Image Gallery. Colorizing black and white pictures allows viewers to see components that otherwise might be overlooked. Buy tickets.
Birds of Prey flight demonstrations: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays and Saturdays, Center for Birds of Prey, 4719 Highway 17. Awendaw. The center has reopened its doors to visitors after closing due to the COvID-19 pandemic, inviting people to once again come and explore the world of raptors through an outdoor program and flight demonstration. Tickets: . $20/adult; $15/children age 3-17.
Bird-watching at Caw Caw. Every Wednesday and Saturday — particularly through the end of February — you can see a plethora of birds at Caw Caw Interpretive Center in Ravenel as they make their way through the Lowcountry. The two-hour regular walks, which start at 8:30 a.m., are through distinct habitats that allow participants to view and discuss a variety of birds, butterflies, and other organisms. Registration is not required. Participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars. A paid chaperone is required for participants ages 15 and under. Max. 10 participants. Fee: $9; free for Gold Pass holders. Open to all ages. More: Caw Caw Interpretive Center.
- 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.
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