Charleston Currents

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FOCUS: Champs! RiverDogs win first minor league title in 99 years

By Samantha Connors | The Charleston RiverDogs defeated North Carolina’s Down East Wood Ducks and secured the Low-A East Championship Series Sunday night at The Joe. It’s a franchise first for the RiverDogs and the city’s first minor league baseball title in nearly a century.

After winning the first two games and dropping the next two in the best-of-five series, the RiverDogs knocked the deciding fifth game of the series out of the park with a 9-2 win.

The RiverDogs led for the first eight innings, jumping out to a 7-0 lead by the fifth inning. The Wood Ducks were able to add two to avoid a shutout in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough.

And Sunday’s victory was no small feat. This is the first time a Charleston minor league team has taken home a minor league championship since 1922 when the Charleston Pals secured the South Atlantic League title.

by Charleston Currents · 09/27/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Pride Week offers plenty of events to celebrate diversity

Staff reports | There’s plenty you can do to take part in highlighting the diversity and uniqueness of the Charleston LGBTQ community during Charleston Pride week starting Sept. 25, even though the annual Charleston Pride Festival on Oct. 3 was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.

Kicking off the week, Closet Case Thrift Store will host the inaugural Rainbow Market, a day-long event full of treasure hunting, tasty bites,and thrifty finds from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 25 at its store’s parking lot at 1801 Reynolds Ave. in North Charleston. Mask-wearing requested. There also will be a contest for best mask.

The event will feature more than 20 curated vendors Grease Kelly Vintage, Embellished Premium Apparel, Butter Fruit Frog Jewelry, Bitty Chip Cookies, and other community-based businesses offering clothing, accessories, records and home decor …

by Charleston Currents · 09/20/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

The MUSC COVID-19 Epidemiology Intelligence Project rates the Charleston-area disease impact as “severe.” MUSC image.

FOCUS: State’s COVID-19 rate now s 4nd highest in U.S.

Staff reports | South Carolina has the fourth highest rate of COVID-19 with 88 cases per 100,000 people, according to Sept. 13 data from The New York Times. At one point last week, the state ranked highest in the country, but rates in Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia are higher now, according to media reports.

Over the last two weeks, the virus has shown few signs of abating as hospitals are filled with unvaccinated COVID-19 patients, schools struggle to stay open and hospitalizations are increasing for children.

On Sept. 8, new data from MUSC showed the rate of breakthrough infections from COVID-19 in the area appeared to be rising slowly. But only two cases among MUSC employees and students led to hospitalization.

by Charleston Currents · 09/13/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Best ways to beat COVID-19: Get vaccinated, wear masks

Staff reports | The current surge being driven by the delta variant of COVID-19 could be nearing its end — depending on community action, said Dr. David Zaas, CEO of MUSC Health, on Friday.

“Our hope is that we have seen a significant spike that is still rising in many areas of our state,” he said at a briefing. “But it seems to have plateaued over the last few days, and my eternal optimism is that we will be on the other side of this surge in the coming weeks. That’s going to be impacted by how we as a community step up.”

State health officials reported 6,032 total cases of COVID-19 on Friday, with 4,685 confirmed. A total of 38 new deaths, with 31 confirmed, were reported Friday. With 46,627 tests reported, 12.6 percent were confirmed positive. Meanwhile, six Charleston County schools are operating virtually due to rising virus numbers.

by Charleston Currents · 09/06/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Time is now to vote for new Rescue Brew Beer winners

More than 670 dogs and cats wait for your votes to be spokesdog and spokescat for the Charleston Animal Society in its contest to put faces on labels of 2021 Rescue Brew Beer. If this year’s competition is like last year’s, picking the three finalist dogs and three finalist cats will be fierce, organizers say.

Voting continues through Sept. 17. Each $1 vote cast at CharlestonAnimalSociety.org supports the lifesaving programs of the Charleston Animal Society, including No Kill South Carolina 2024. From the three finalists in each category, one dog and one cat will be selected for grand prizes by celebrity judges to appear on the labels and will be announced Oct. 16.

by Charleston Currents · 08/30/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

Ann Caldwell belts out a tune during The Sound of Charleston. Photo provided.

FOCUS: The Sound of Charleston resumes shows after hiatus

Staff reports | The Sound of Charleston, the region’s longest-running musical production, will resume weekly shows at Circular Congregational Church at 7 p.m. Sept. 4.

With more than 500 concerts since 2010, the show highlights the Lowcountry’s rich musical history from gospel spirituals and jazz to the music of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” and light classics of the venerable St. Cecilia Society. During December’s six Holiday Editions, music of the season is added to the show.

After almost a year and a half with no shows, producer Bill Perry said he was excited but nervous about shows in the months ahead: “Nervous about whether audiences will return to indoor venues and whether we can ensure safety of our audiences and cast members.”

by Charleston Currents · 08/23/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: State animal shelters declare state of emergency

Staff reports | Pet shelters across the state are swamped with thousands of homeless animals leading them to declare a state of emergency and a rescue program that will run through August 22.

“Nearly every shelter in the state, including the largest shelters [Greenville County Animal Care, Charleston Animal Society, Horry County Animal Care Center and Columbia Animal Services] are at the breaking point and need help now,” said No Kill South Carolina 2024 Chief Project Officer Abigail Appleton in a statement. “These lifesaving organizations are critically overcapacity and there’s no sign of it letting up, especially as the pandemic is surging again and folks are not getting out as much as they did earlier this summer.”

Locally, the Charleston Animal Society said it had more than triple the number of animals it has the room to house at its shelter in North Charleston, caring for over 700 animals despite only having the space for about 230.

by Charleston Currents · 08/16/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

Kara Stewart, executive director of Tricounty Family Ministries, with volunteer Louise Carpenter, right. Photo provided.

FOCUS: James Island woman, 95, honored for years of service

By Eric Johnson, special to Charleston Currents | Louise Carpenter has volunteered at Tricounty Family Ministries three days a week for 12 years, paying for a ride each day, even throughout the pandemic. For her 95th birthday, the James Island resident was surprised Aug. 4 by friends and family, along with North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey and a representative from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott’s office.

Carpenter has been a mainstay for a dozen years for the North Charleston nonprofit, feeding and providing services to homeless members of the community. Tricounty Family Ministries offers meals, clothing, job training, wellness checks, legal help and housing assistance.

”It is better to give than receive and not everyone lives by that,” Summey said.. He continued, saying the 95-year-old has set a foundation for generations that follow. A flag will also fly in her honor over the U.S. Capitol.

by Charleston Currents · 08/09/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg watches Saunders on a big screen at a watch party.

FOCUS: Lowcountry track and field athletes medal in Olympics

Staff reports | North Charleston native Jasmine Camacho-Quinn took gold for Puerto Rico in the women’s 100 meter hurdles early Monday in the Tokyo Olympics while Charleston’s Raven Saunders on Saturday nabbed the silver medal in the shot put.

Camacho-Quinn, a 24-year-old graduate of Fort Dorchester High School who went on to be a college track star at the University of Kentucky, on Monday ran the event in 12.37 seconds, according to NBC. Camacho-Quinn competed for Puerto Rico because her mother is from there.

On Saturday in the shot put final field of 12, 25-year-old Saunders was edged out by Chinese competitor Lijao Gong, whose final two throws of more than 20 meters bested Saunders’ longest throw of 19.79 meters.

by Charleston Currents · 08/02/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Second contest underway to find new Rescue Brew stars

Staff reports | You can now enter Charleston Animal Society’s second annual contest to get an image of your rescue dog and cat printed on labels of 2021 Rescue Brew Beer cans of beer from Palmetto Brewing Company.

Nominations for the spokespet star search are open through Aug. 15. The cost? A donation of $10, which will support programs at the animal welfare organization. After the entries are in, voting will be from Aug. 16 through Sept. 17. The grand prize spokesdog and spokescat will be announced Oct. 16.

“We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate the unconditional love that pets bring to our lives and partner with Palmetto Brewing Company, Southern Eagle Distributing, WCSC Live 5 News, Charleston City Paper and Cupcake DownSouth to find the second spokesdog and spokescat for the 2021 Rescue Brew Beer,” said Joe Elmore, president and CEO of Charleston Animal Society.

by Charleston Currents · 07/19/2021 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news