Charleston Currents

Focus

At the Feb. 26 endorsement of Biden in Charleston were (l-r): former Charleston councilman Paul Tinkler, former Charleston Mayor Joe Riley, S.C. Sen. Marlon Kimpson, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, Charleston County Auditor Peter Tecklenburg, Biden. | Photo by Adam Schultz / Biden for President

FOCUS: South Carolina played key role in Biden victory

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | It can be argued that without South Carolina, Biden wouldn’t be president-elect.

In February, he won the Democratic presidential primary in South Carolina. It was his first big win that preceded a string of wins built on the strong backing of U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the Palmetto State’s kingmaker. Clyburn’s endorsement of Biden in late February is widely viewed as the key to Biden’s win here, which was key to securing the nomination.

But much earlier, the late U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, who was chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 1972, tapped Biden as the Democrat for Washington senators to support in the Delaware race for U.S. Senate. Then 29, Biden was a county councilman and unknown to many.

“He ended up taking a chance on me,” Biden said in April 2019 at Hollings’ funeral.

by Andy Brack · 11/09/2020 · 1 comment · Focus, Good news

FOCUS, Ervin: Our nation’s soul will endure

By Tom Ervin, special to Charleston Currents | Two Fridays ago, I stood in line for almost three hours to vote. It was heartwarming!

A young mother pushed a double stroller holding her twins and carried a third baby tucked in her backpack. Many elderly voters waited patiently in line while leaning on their walkers. Several voters arrived in wheelchairs. College students were voting with their parents.

Although the line wrapped all the way around the parking lot at the Greer Recreation Center, everyone was smiling and talking. Almost everyone wore masks and exercised social distancing. Several of us pleaded with a poll worker to move the young mother with her three small children to the front of the line. When he agreed, everyone cheered. Another woman passed out bottles of water to strangers. These folks were demonstrating their love of freedom and democracy. They were determined that their voices would be heard.

by Andy Brack · 11/02/2020 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news, Views

FOCUS: Vigorous government action needed to curb spread of virus

By Fred Palm, contributing editor | Correct and effective state action to battle COVID-19 is required. Now. Otherwise, more lives and livelihoods across South Carolina will suffer as a third wave descends upon the state.

Gov. Henry McMaster’s Oct. 23 public relations visit to Myrtle Beach revealed a guy who is in over his head with no way out. That means we have no way out.

“We’re vigilant. We’re trying to do our best,” he said during the visit. “We’ve heard from a lot of people in a lot of different kind of businesses; we’re taking all of that into consideration. These restrictions, it’s uncomfortable. Sometimes it imposes great hardship; we’re aware of that. All of these decisions are made not quickly.”

by Fred Palm · 10/26/2020 · 1 comment · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: F*ck cancer

By Catherine Brack, special to Charleston Currents | October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and for many, it is pink: Pink ribbons, walks and fashion shows featuring pink clothing, shoes and cocktails. If there needs to be an awareness month to inspire more women to schedule mammograms and have real talks about their health with their doctors, then great. Keep it up.

But if this is about the symbolism of a month or a ribbon or socializing at walks or parties, then that’s nothing but Barbie-fying breast cancer. It desensitizes the public to the reality of breast cancer. It fails to illustrate how difficult this disease is to detect, much less treat.

Breast cancer is vile. It is soul-destroying. It is physically painful. It is an emotional terrorist. It is my reality, every single day.

I talk openly about cancer because I want people to understand the face of cancer. I never wanted this reality. I never wanted the surgeries or scars. I never thought I could be facing death at my age, 51, and yet, here I am. Cancer sucks, but that’s not even close to sufficient description.

by Special to Charleston Currents · 10/19/2020 · 1 comment · Focus, Good news

Gov. David Beasley in Uganda. Photo courtesy of WFP.

FOCUS: Beasley leads Nobel Prize-winning food program

By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | Hats off and hearty congratulations to Former Gov. David Beasley and the United Nations’ World Food Program that he leads. Just days ago, it won the Nobel Peace Prize for its work to feed the world’s hungry. Part of the prize’s international glory is a tribute to Beasley’s leadership. It’s something in which the whole state should take pride.

Beasley, who admitted to reporters that he was speechless after hearing the news, wrote on Twitter earlier today: “I struggle to put into words what the @WFP family is feeling right now. We are so touched by your overwhelming support. But it breaks my heart that millions of people are starving today. Let this #NobelPeacePrize2020 awaken the world to the suffering and struggle of so many.”

Three years ago after Beasley took the job that has taken him all over the world, we offered the following profile of what he’s been doing. It’s fitting to republish it today.

by Andy Brack · 10/12/2020 · 1 comment · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Five Lowcountry Senate races to keep an eye on

By Lindsay Street, Statehouse Report | Political observers are watching five Lowcountry state Senate seats as being ripe for plucking by Democrats in the November elections. But Republicans aren’t worried about losing control of the Senate because they’ve targeted Democratic seats across the state that may flip, too. Read the full story in Statehouse Report.

“Democrats could pick up four races in Charleston County, and if Democrats win four races in Charleston County, they would be looking at a tie (in the Senate),” Democratic strategist Tyler Jones of Charleston said, adding that a tie could benefit Democrats since not all Republicans vote along party lines. He said a tie would have big consequences in 2021, a redistricting year.

But S.C. Republican Party Chair Drew McKissick isn’t worried: “No fear at all about losing the Senate at all,” he said. “There are seats that are ripe for Republicans to win in this cycle in the Senate.”

by Charleston Currents · 09/28/2020 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Interest in Slavery to Freedom Tour spikes at Magnolia

By Herb Frazier, special to Charleston Currents | With rapid-fire questions, Georgia nurse Leonza Hudson wanted to know where the enslaved people at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens attended church and cook and were the children taught to read.

He and his wife, pediatrician Tamara New-Hudson, directed their questions to Joseph McGill as he led the couple and eight others through four former slave dwellings open daily during Magnolia’s Slavery to Freedom Tour.

The African-American couple, who lives in Decater, Ga., said they were drawn to Charleston for its history. A Google search steered them specifically to Magnolia for a lesson on slavery. They said slavery was not taught in the all-white schools he attended in Michigan and at her school in Maine.

by Special to Charleston Currents · 09/21/2020 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: “Support the arts,” group tells federal lawmakers

Staff reports | Charleston Stage blasted out an urgent email last week urging area taxpayers and arts lovers to get in touch with members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to steer funding to the arts.

“Our industry is in a huge crisis,” the email said. “We were one of the first to close during the pandemic in March, and we’ll be the last to re-open. A lot of acts (the DAWN Act, the RESTART Act and more) are on the table. And now, more than ever, we need your help contacting your legislators to support the arts.”

One of the reasons that Charleston wins “best city”awards from travel magazines, the plea continued, is because of its rich arts offerings. “South Carolina’s arts-related sector adds $9.7 billion to the state’s economy through jobs, tax revenue and spending, and $270 million in state revenue each year….

by Charleston Currents · 09/14/2020 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS: Animal Society’s cool beer contest

Staff reports | You only have until Tuesday to enter your pet in a cool contest for a cat and dog to be on the label of a new beer. On Wednesday, you’ll be able to vote for your favorite.

Charleston Animal Society has teamed up with the Palmetto Brewing Company, Live 5 News, Charleston City Paper and Cupcake DownSouth to launch the “2020 Rescue Brew Beer” contest.

One dog and one cat will win the honor of appearing on the label of Palmetto’s “2020 Rescue Brew Beer” being released Nov. 21. Nominations to enter the contest end on Sept. 8 and voting by the public for favorites starts Sept. 9. Funds raised through the online contest and beer sales support the lifesaving work of Charleston Animal Society

Go to CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/RescueBrew to enter your pet by uploading a photo and telling us why he or she deserves to win.

by Charleston Currents · 09/07/2020 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news

FOCUS, Palm: Governor should create new state health testing office

By Fred Palm, contributing editor for the common good | In the bizarro world of 2020, South Carolina legislators of both parties are not only demanding that a state agency ask for more money, but telling its leaders outright they will get whatever they need.

It should be obvious by now — even to us dullards casually watching the paint dry with the absence of our no-show legislature — that for seven long months, our governor, Henry McMaster, does not want a big effective testing program to contain COVID-19. The S.C. McMaster program is no testing and no masking.

McMaster lacks the modicum of a plan to contain the COVID-19 infections, illnesses and deaths. There is no victory; just enduring the pain and dislocations. Nada. Nope. Just Southern plantation slow talk without substance.

McMaster likes coasting and bumping along, as if this is a flood. McMaster dons his black emergency-in-charge shirt standing ready to send in helpful stuff as the waters recede. Governor: This is a pandemic. The storm emergency model does not work in this virus emergency.

by Fred Palm · 08/31/2020 · 1 comment · Focus, Good news, News briefs