Charleston Currents – Andy Brack

Articles by: Andy Brack

BRACK: South Carolina not so polite to immigrants

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | South Carolina has long been a home for immigrants — from the English, enslaved Africans and French Huguenots to Germans, Irish and, most recently, people from Latin America.

But these days, we shamefully ignore our rich immigrant soup, caught in the guttersnipe of national politics about “those people” who want to come to the United States, just like our forefathers moved here. And just like the grandfather of the forgetful current president, who has embarrassingly branded undocumented immigrants as “animals.”

by Andy Brack · 05/21/2018 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

BRACK: How we pick lieutenant governors is going off the rails

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | The new way South Carolina picks its lieutenant governor has gone off the rails.

For years, the governor and lieutenant governor campaigned for office separately, which occasionally led to the odd situation of different parties holding the offices, instead of the lieutenant governor being a junior governor and part of the governor’s team.

by Andy Brack · 05/14/2018 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

BRACK: Engaging in community discussions may help us move forward

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | Most people don’t have the time or inclination to attend lots of public meetings where elected officials make decisions that impact their lives. Most people have got better things to do, including not being bored (much of the time) out of their skulls in meeting rooms.

But every community has faces familiar to elected officials. These are the squeaky wheels, the people who show up and make their cases, time after time. And more often than you’d think, they get the grease in the public policy process because they advocate for their positions. But just because these folks are squeaking doesn’t mean that what they want is what most people want.

by Andy Brack · 05/07/2018 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

MYSTERY: Extreme close-up

This is a close-up photo of a place in Charleston that readers should frequently see. Where is it? Send your guess to editor@charlestoncurrents.com with “Mystery Photo” in the subject line. Please make sure to include your name and contact information.

Last issue’s mystery: In the April 30 Mystery Photo, we showcased the top of a building and asked where it is. Answer: Wentworth Mansion in Charleston, a top-quality, luxury hotel on, well, Wentworth street.

by Andy Brack · 05/07/2018 · Comments are Disabled · Mystery Photo, Photos

BRACK: Seize the rudder to thwart ambivalence, apathy, neglect

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | With the annual legislative session roaring to a close, there are a multitude of unresolved issues, as usual.

Most prominent is the state’s nuclear mess, a $9 billion fiasco stemming from a nuclear plant project that failed last year without generating a watt of power. Currently, the state House and Senate are mired in working out differences in how to deal with this issue that has consumed hours and hours of legislative time.

by Andy Brack · 04/30/2018 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

BRACK: Will the Year of the Woman impact S.C. governor’s race?

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | Strap in. The silly season is creeping up on us.

South Carolina’s primary elections are less than two months away. You’re about to get inundated with campaign literature, commercials, emails and lots of junk, particularly from gubernatorial candidates.

Up until now, the 2018 race for governor has been anything but titillating. In fact, it’s been pretty tame and dull. But that’s expected, in one sense because early campaign time is devoted mostly to raising enough money so candidates can stir up the party faithful later. And that “later” is now beginning.

by Andy Brack · 04/23/2018 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

WHAT WE LOVE: Breach Inlet and Orchestra League

Two readers were the first to submit entries into our new “What We Love About Charleston” feature.

Gabriel Andrade of Mount Pleasant pointed to Breach Inlet between Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms, noting it “is a great place to watch dolphins play during the summer right before sunset.”

Music lover David Savard of Charleston tapped the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League as something he loves – and he encouraged people to enjoy the organization 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 29 for its “Sippin’ Sangria on the Stono” party at the Island House on Johns Island. He also promoted the organization’s scholarship concert at 1 p.m. May 6 at Bishop Gadsden on James Island.

by Andy Brack · 04/23/2018 · 2 comments · What We Love

BRACK: If you want prosperity, you’ve got to invest to build talent

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | If you’re a little overweight, you know – in your heart of hearts – what you really need to do: Eat less, get rid of junk food and exercise more.

For states like South Carolina that are underweight in terms of education, economic disparity, health outcomes and poverty, we know – in our heart of hearts – what we really need to do: Invest more in our future, throw off the shackles that still hold us back and increase opportunities for our people.

by Andy Brack · 04/16/2018 · 3 comments · Andy Brack, Views

NEW FEATURE: What we love about Charleston

We started Charleston Currents a decade ago because the area was missing something – a focus on good news, the kind of information that consistently celebrates the rich and good quality of life in the Lowcountry.

It’s easy for traditional media to write blaring headlines and loud promos about bad stuff that plagues more and more communities – traffic, crime, education, conflict. It’s not tough to collect and publish news stories with negativity. All you have to do is show up at official sources to read through police and court reports.

While bad news might drive eyeballs to TV screens and newspapers, bad news isn’t what keeps people living here and attracts them in droves to visit and relocate. People move here because they love lots of various things – from the beaches, marshes and special places to the warmth of people, food, lifestyle and more. Click to enter today!

by Andy Brack · 04/16/2018 · Comments are Disabled · What We Love

BRACK: S.C. friendship touted in new book isn’t all that unlikely

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | In 1975, the rock group War released a popular song titled “Why can’t we be friends.” It wasn’t complicated. The title was repeated a lot between various couplets, including this one: “The color of your skin don’t matter to me; As long as we can live in harmony.”

Forty-three years later, two South Carolina Republican members of Congress released a book on friendship that for all intents and purposes reiterates a similar theme.

by Andy Brack · 04/09/2018 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views