Charleston Currents – Andy Brack

BRACK: A vaccine that saves women’s lives

By Andy Brack | A pat on the back to the S.C. House for passing a bill last week that will save women’s lives. For seven long years, women’s advocates have been working to get the male-centric legislature to approve a bill that would allow the state to educate and vaccinate girls — with parental permission — to protect them against a virus that causes deadly cervical cancer, a disease that kills about 4,100 women in the U.S. annually. Every month, five South Carolina women die from cervical cancer.

by Andy Brack · 03/23/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

BRACK: Colorful nicknames becoming part of past

By Andy Brack | Spot. Goat. Boopa. Preacher. Peatsy. Red.

Nicknames, including those of political figures of all stripes, once were commonplace, perhaps a reflection of a society that spent more time talking with each other than emailing, blogging and staring at smartphones.

These days, with what South Carolina novelist Josephine Humphreys calls the “gentrification of South Carolina politics,” political nicknames run a comparatively narrow gamut with the occasional, bland Chips and Treys.

by Andy Brack · 03/16/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

REVIEW: The Good Luck of Right Now

Although Matthew Quick explores various aspects of mental illness, the story is never morose. The reader will find himself uplifted by the courage and determination of Bartholomew and his friends. Highly recommended. The Good Luck of Right Now.

by Andy Brack · 03/16/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Features, Reviews

Pluff Mud Kids enjoy last week's Chase The Leprechaun event benefiting Pattison's Academy at Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park.

SABINE: Site offers monthly calendar for kids

By Leigh Sabine | Did you happen to see Pluff Mud Kid’s printable monthly calendar for March?

Each month we aim to highlight a few of our favorite events for children in the Lowcountry. You can print the calendar, add some of your own ideas, and stick it on the refrigerator to remind you to plan your weekends and day trips ahead of time.

by Andy Brack · 03/16/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Kids, Views

BRACK: Two dumb ideas: Splitting the school district, offshore drilling

By Andy Brack | There are a lot of dumb ideas floating around these days, but we thought it was time to pick on two: breaking up the Charleston County School District and drilling for oil and gas off our shore.

by Andy Brack · 03/09/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

Brack: “Dum spiro spero” on S.C. public education

By Andy Brack | Twenty years from now, historians just might look back on the past week as the tipping point for state legislators finally “getting it” that public education, particularly in rural areas, needs a lot of attention, not episodic Band-aids.

The state House of Representatives finally seems to have a leader — a man who grew up in the Corridor of Shame’s Darlington County — who is walking the walk, not just talking the talk about public education.

by Andy Brack · 03/02/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views

Brack: Mayor’s race is shaping up

Boy, this year’s race to replace Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, retiring in his 40th year at the top spot, is shaping up to be a doozy. First, just try to wrap your brain around the notion of whether anyone can replace Joe.

by Andy Brack · 02/23/2015 · Comments are Disabled · 2015 Mayor, Andy Brack, Views

Photo: Modern fly in amber

Last week’s freezing weather created a lot of icy still life images in area ditches and streams.

by Andy Brack · 02/23/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Photos

College of Charleston President Glenn McConnell says he's the first president in 178 years to be a graduate of the college. His diploma is in the background. (Photo by Andy Brack).

McConnell starting to have a little fun

By Andy Brack | Glenn McConnell is starting to enjoy being president of the College of Charleston.

“I couldn’t have given you that answer in July,” says the longtime former West Ashley senator who grudgingly became lieutenant governor in 2012 before taking over the college.

Within 30 minutes of beginning as new president last year, members of the basketball team told him they didn’t want to play for the coach. That kerfuffle …

by Andy Brack · 02/16/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Good news

Brack: More civics education is a good thing

The James B. Edwards Civics Education Initiative calls for high school students to take a 100-question U.S. Citizenship Civics Test as part of an existing half-year course in government. The proposal doesn’t mandate passage of the test as a requirement for graduation (although it should), but students who get a passing score of 60 or better will receive an achievement certificate.

by Andy Brack · 02/16/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Andy Brack, Views