Charleston Currents

Focus

FOCUS: Thoughtful, considerate action should bring sustainable unity

By Maurice Washington, candidate for mayor | The tragedies of last month will forever be in our memories. Our hearts are with the families of the nine worshippers whose lives were taken in a premeditated rage. In spite of this horrific crime of hate, love has overcome these horrible moments, and, once again, the Charleston community has shown the world how a God-loving community can and should act under the most awful circumstances.

The families of the victims, choosing to forgive rather than condemn, demonstrated the very essence of Christianity. …

by Special to Charleston Currents · 07/20/2015 · Comments are Disabled · 2015 Mayor, Focus, Good news

MORRIS: Charleston is part of a global community

By Kyra Morris, contributing editor | My husband and I traveled all over Australia last month. At the beginning of June, only a few people we met were familiar with Charleston, our fair city. By the end of our travels because of the tragedy at Mother Emanuel, most of the people we met knew of Charleston.

Their comments were kind expressions of sorrow, but also of how they were impressed by the total community support and display of love and unity that Charleston showed to the families of the victims. This unity was felt by the world.

We did that part right. We let the world know that Charleston is not a place of hate. …

by Kyra Morris · 07/13/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Money, Views

FOCUS: Two groups seek to increase youth mentoring

By Nicole LaChance | Two Charleston-area organizations are expanding their existing partnership in hopes of increasing the long-term success of local youth and boosting the region’s economic future.

Be a Mentor, an in-school mentoring program that works to ensure that every child in the Lowcountry has a caring adult in their lives, and Charleston Young Professionals (CYP), Charleston’s premier organization for young professionals, aim to involve 10 percent of CYP members in mentoring by the end of the year.

by Charleston Currents · 07/06/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: The healing power of art

Staff reports | The Gibbes Museum last week highlighted a way to use art to promote community healing following the tragic June 18 church shooting that left nine dead.

“Throughout history, people have looked to the arts for inspiration and healing during times of deep sadness,” an email said. “Members of the local art community are responding to the tragedy through their creativity, and the staff and board members of the Gibbes Museum have been profoundly touched by theses meaningful photographs, videos, drawings and illustrations that have been shared with us.

by Charleston Currents · 06/29/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Memorial in Charleston

By Jack Bass | JUNE 19, 2015 | The only time I sat in what is known in Charleston as Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church was in the early nineteen-sixties, when Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered a sermon. I was a reporter at that time, and I remember King speaking not as a civil-rights leader but as a preacher, with call and response to his message coming back from the congregation.

A few years ago, though, I met Mother Emanuel’s pastor, the Reverend Clementa Pinckney. Interested in getting to know him, I called one day to ask if we could meet, and he offered to come to my office. We visited for almost half an hour, talking about current issues before the state legislature. Pinckney was murdered at his church on Wednesday, along with eight members of his congregation. Now I regret not recalling more of our conversation.

by Charleston Currents · 06/22/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Lots to do in area on July 4

Staff reports | Looking for what to do on July 4? The Lowcountry, with one of the nation’s longest and strongest links to American history, offers everything from fireworks viewing and partying to a special history fair at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

The history fair, which is free with regular admission from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 4, will showcase 24 historic organizations and institutions, including Fort Moultrie, site of the nation’s first victory of the Revolutionary War. Lots of people also spend part of Independence Day wandering the beaches and streets of coastal communities …

by Charleston Currents · 06/15/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: President honors Folly Beach woman for innovation

By Barry Waldman | Folly Beach resident Krissa Watry is inventing “The Internet of Toys.” President Obama has noticed and soon, your children are going to notice too. Watry joined President Obama and other emerging entrepreneurs from around the world for a ceremony recognizing young innovators at the White House on May 11. Watry is CEO of James Island-based Dynepic, which is inventing “The Internet of Toys.”

by Charleston Currents · 06/08/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Call to action on James Island library

By Carol Tempel and Stewart Weinberg (updated) | The future of the James Island library is at stake this month. The Charleston County Council is scheduled June 16 will have a final vote for the location of the new library on James Island.

Last week, the library board presented a report to county council on available sites for the James Island Library. Many of us had ideas for a location, but we waited until the report was presented to the council before voicing a preference. The report confirmed our thinking…the Bi-Lo site or the Dills Bluff land owned by the James Island Public Service District would be the best choice.

by Charleston Currents · 06/01/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Folly Beach is one of nation’s best restored beaches

Staff reports | Folly Beach has one of America’s top five best restored beaches for 2015, according to the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA).

“As Americans flock to our nation’s coastline during the upcoming beach season, most don’t even realize they may be enjoying a restored beach,” said ASBPA President Harry Simmons, who is mayor of Caswell Beach, N.C.

Folly Beach won the award, in part, for work to fix Folly Beach County Park, which became inaccessible in August 2011 after Hurricane Irene. Without the project to restore the beach, the park would still be closed, according to a press release.

by Charleston Currents · 05/25/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Spearman to attend unveiling of school painting project

Staff reports | State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman will join students, parents, community partners, faculty and administrators of Sanders-Clyde Creative Arts School at the school’s Black Box Theatre on Morrison Drive at 5:30 p.m. May 21 for the unveiling of a painting done to inspire students.

The school’s eighth graders picked artist Teil Duncan to be the inaugural painter for Inspirational Pathways, a project aiming to expose students to talented South Carolina artists while awakening creativity and raising art awareness for the next generation of leaders. Duncan, a native of Columbus, Ga., is a full-time painter who describes her works as “mostly figurative and non-objective work.” In addition to paintings and prints, she offers stationery and leather clutches on her website.

by Charleston Currents · 05/18/2015 · Comments are Disabled · Focus