Staff reports | You can connect with and learn more about Hispanic culture during National Hispanic Heritage month, which lasts from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. Several gatherings and fun events are planned for the Lowcountry.
By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | Bill Herbkersman wanted to do something to make a difference after Hurricane Dorian. So he got some disaster relief supplies and flew them to Treasure Cay, part of the decimated Abaco Islands of the Bahamas.
A seasoned developer and Republican state representative from Bluffton, Herbkersman made two roundtrips Sunday, each leg of which is about 90 minutes. He plans to make three trips daily for most of the rest of the week. On each trip, his Cessna 182 single-engine plane, which he describes as a “Suburban with wings,” can haul about 1,100 pounds of whatever he can get — water, food, disinfectants, cleaning supplies and medical supplies, such as stethoscopes, gloves and medicine.
“They need every thing over there,” he said Sunday night from a staging base in Fort Pierce, Fla. “The people who are doing triage over there said they can really use baby powder and those bottles with bubbles in them for kids so they can keep the kids’ minds off of what happened. … Even a book club can get a case of baby powder.”
Staff reports | The College of Charleston’s Race and Social Justice Initiative at the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture will rename its Student Leadership Award to honor James E. Campbell, a longtime civil rights activist, global educator and friend of the Avery Research Center.
Staff reports | With evacuation of the coast ordered by Gov. Henry McMaster starting at noon Monday, hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors will head west in anticipation of Hurricane Dorian’s arrival on Wednesday or Thursday.
Here are some links and resources that can help you prepare as you plan to leave or ride out the massive storm.
EVACUATION: McMaster orders coastal evacuation. Lanes will be reversed on Interstate 26 from Charleston to Columbia and on U.S. 278 from Hilton Head starting at noon today. Schools and government offices, already closed for Labor Day, will be closed Tuesday with many expected to be closed for the rest of the week. The Post and Courier. More stories: WIS TV; The State. Click this link to see these and more articles below.
Lane reversal process begins Monday morning. WCSC TV.
Charleston-area evacuation routes. The Post and Courier.
State price-gouging laws in effect. WCSC TV.
Staff reports | Thousands of Democrats will flock to a North Charleston field Oct. 5 to see big-name presidential candidates as the Charleston County Democratic Party holds its 2019 Blue Jamboree.
The event, which has been growing since it started in 2010 with 150 people, is getting a lot of attention due to the 2020 presidential contest with more than 2,000 tickets already being sold, according to the county party.
By Curtis Loftis, state treasurer | August is ABLE to Save Month (#ABLEtoSave), a national grassroots initiative of the ABLE National Resource Center, designed to educate the public about ABLE accounts. The campaign not only brings attention to this important savings resource, but it also demonstrates a positive step towards levelling the financial playing field for the disability community.
Living with a disability can significantly add to the financial pressure families live with every day, especially when families cannot save money for fear of losing eligibility for important benefits like Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. Only a few years ago, individuals with disabilities and their families were faced with this impossible financial dilemma: sacrifice saving for the future or lose vital public benefits. As it stood, if individuals with disabilities had more than $2,000 in financial resources, they risked losing means-tested benefits they often relied on for income, health care, food and housing.
Staff reports | Mitchell Hill, a Charleston-based interior design house, will open a design center in the fall on upper King Street in an art deco building long known as Chase Furniture.
According to a press release, the business founded in 2010 by Michael Mitchell and Tyler Hill will revive the 12,000-square-foot space as a multi-line showroom, but will continue to operate as a gallery.
By Kyra Morris, contributing editor | We can always focus on the problems. That is easy. But what if we change the focus to look for the opportunities or solutions? Then, perhaps, we’ll accomplish something worthwhile.
The markets and world events in today’s financial markets are creating a lot of uncertainties. The interest rate yield curve is inverted. Tariffs and their ultimate effect on our economy is unknown. The stock market is a roller coaster, to put it mildly. Uncertainties such as these stir up our fears, and this often leads to poor decisions. Our lives and investments are tied to the markets. What can we do to make sure that we do not fall into the trap of reacting emotionally from fear?
So we need to go back to the basics. Does the fluctuating stock market truly make a difference in your day-to-day life? If not, then let the markets do what they may, and see if you can invest as opportunities are created. If your daily life is affected, then it may be time to take a closer look at your total situation and revisit what is important.
Staff reports | Burke High School on Saturday hosted Charleston County School District’s 13th annual Hootie’s Homegrown Roundup.
The annual event provides K-12 school students with supplies and services donated by Hootie and the Blowfish, the Rotary Club of Charleston and local businesses striving to make an impact by giving kids a head start on the coming school year. Despite the threat of rain, the event was well-attended by hundreds of kids and their parents.
Staff reports | Trident Technical College this fall is offering students a chance to take classes for free if they enroll in specific in-demand career training programs in manufacturing, information technology, culinary and hospitality, emergency medical technology and technical trades.
“This is a great opportunity for people who want to get the skills required to land a good job, and also for people who are already working to upgrade their skills to get a better job,” said Trident Tech President Mary Thornley.
The college is able to offer students free tuition through a combination of federal, state and college financial aid funds, according to a press release. The total aid package for a tri-county student taking 15 credit hours is more than $2,800.
To take advantage of this free semester of college, students must apply to the college and pay the $30 application fee. The college admission application can be completed online at www.tridenttech.edu.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina! (2019) by editor and publisher Andy Brack offers incisive commentaries on the American South, politics, the common good and interesting South Carolina leaders. Available exclusively for Kindle for $7.99. A paperback version will be ready soon. Learn more.
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