Charleston Currents

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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

NEWS BRIEFS: Coalition sets sights on curbing hate crimes

Staff reports | A startup coalition called Stamp Out Hate South Carolina is rallying ahead of the 2021-2022 legislative session to urge lawmakers to finally pass a hate crimes law in South Carolina. Despite efforts for years by S.C. Democratic Reps. Wendell Gilliard of Charleston and Beth Bernstein of Columbia to pass protections, South Carolina remains one of three states without a hate crimes law.

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

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

NEWS BRIEFS: Hollings terminal now welcomes airport visitors

Staff reports | Charleston International Airport’s main passenger terminal now has signage that designates it as the Ernest F. Hollings Terminal.

Hollings, a South Carolina Democrat who served in the United States Senate for 38 years and was the state’s governor from 1959-63, was a key overseer of aviation policy and funding while a powerful member of two committees, the Senate Commerce Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee. He died April 6, 2019 at age 97.

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

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

This Greenway bin along Canterbury Road overflowed with trash, obviously neglected for awhile compared to other similar locations. Photos by Andy Brack.

PHOTO ESSAY: West Ashley Greenway needs a little tender loving care

Staff reports | If there’s one thing that the coronavirus pandemic has done, it’s made people get outside more often. The perfect testament is the West Ashley Greenway, which seems busier than ever.

But the upside of more use also means there’s more trash and wear on what essentially is a walking park that stretches for miles.

This photo essay shows conditions along the greenway at various West Ashley intersections with city streets.

If you want to let the city know what you think about its parks, the city is undertaking an update to its comprehensive plan (see news briefs), which includes seeking input about parks and recreation.

You can have your say by clicking on this link:

Take the One Charleston park survey.

These photos follow the greenway from Folly Road to Arrington Drive.

by Andy Brack · 08/24/2020 · 1 comment · Focus, Photo Essay, Photos

NEWS BRIEFS: Charleston collecting input to update its comprehensive plan

Staff reports | Charleston residents can help update the city’s comprehensive plan, the guiding outline for decisions on development, housing, transportation, land use and more for the next 10 years.

This input ensures the “Charleston City Plan” reflects citizens’ vision for the Holy City’s future. Some of what officials are looking for are ways to strengthen residential neighborhoods, improve transportation, increase affordable housing and improve the general quality of life for the Charleston community.

by Charleston Currents · 08/24/2020 · Comments are Disabled · Good news, News briefs

FOCUS: Encountering hope during a pandemic

By Kyra Morris, contributing editor | It is not over. This pandemic is still wreaking havoc with our lives.

* We still need to wear masks when we go into public places.
* We still need to wear masks anywhere when we are going to be closer than 6 feet from another person.
* We still need to wash our hands after doing any activity that has us touching things.
* We still must be careful about any socialization or eating out.
* We still must consider whether an activity will be indoors where ventilation is a key or outdoors where the air is free-flowing.

The difficult part of this is that the only certainty is uncertainty. How do we therefore determine what is important?

As we continue our journey of uncertainty, many of us experience “hedonic adaptation.” This is the capacity for human beings to adapt to their new circumstances, for better or for worse. Many studies show that we can quickly adapt to a new baseline — a new normal.

by Special to Charleston Currents · 08/17/2020 · 1 comment · Focus, Good news

NEWS BRIEFS: SCETV is helping gaps in teaching with remote learning

Staff reports | South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV)’s public broadcasting is known for helping young children learn from “Sesame Street” and “Super Why,” but its role shifted to aiding teachers with remote-learning in the early days of the coronavirus in the state.

by Charleston Currents · 08/17/2020 · Comments are Disabled · Good news, News briefs

FOCUS: MUSC dashboard offers peeks into the community’s health

Staff reports | The Medical University of South Carolina is offering an online tool that helps make sense of data related to the coronavirus pandemic in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.

The MUSC COVID-19 Epidemiology Intelligence Project provides leading indicators in a color-coded dashboard that can help people make informed decisions. Indicators in the “green” are safe, while those that are yellow and red show more work needs to be done.

According to the project, “an Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation chart from the website illustrates the level of the expected impact in South Carolina [on several indicators], …

by Charleston Currents · 08/10/2020 · Comments are Disabled · Focus, Good news