Charleston Currents

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

DONATE: Remembering the Emanuel 9

Staff reports | Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised through two official funds set up by the city of Charleston to take donations following the June 17 shooting at Emanuel AME Church that left nine dead.
As of 9 a.m. Friday (the latest info available), contributions of $691,006 went to the Mother Emanuel Fund, and $126,702 to the Lowcountry Ministries Pinckney Fund.

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

GOOD NEWS: Planning underway for Lowcountry Blue Trail project

The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) was awarded a grant to partner with the Department of Interior’s National Park Service to lead the formation of a BCD Regional Blueways Coalition.

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

The ladybug street tile is a symbol against "senseless violence" in The Netherlands and is often placed on the sites of deadly crimes, according to Wikipedia.

GOOD NEWS: Ladybugs to fly free at Magnolia Gardens

More than 150,000 ladybugs will fly free July 25 at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens during the Lowcountry’s largest release of the environmentally-friendly insect.

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

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

GIVE: Two funds will provide help to families, community

The city of Charleston has established two official funds to take donations following Wednesday’s tragic shooting at Emanuel AME Church.

by Charleston Currents · 06/22/2015 · Comments are Disabled · 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

The current James Island Public Library.

GOOD NEWS: Council vote on libraries to be June 16

Charleston County Council is expected to vote Tuesday evening on locations for new libraries for James Island and West Ashley. Also: Google milestone, Joe Lasaght, home energy savings

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

GOOD NEWS: James Island library still in news

There’s been lots of back and forth over the last week about the location of the new James Island library, a story first featured in last week’s issue of Charleston Currents.

At issue is whether the new library, to be built with part of the revenues from a $108 million bond referendum passed overwhelmingly by county residents, should be in a location recommended by the library board of trustees or in a non-central island location on South Grimball Road backed by county council.

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

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