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Issue
1.18 | Monday, Jan. 12, 2009 |
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FEEDBACK THE
LIST GOOD
NEWS ALSO INSIDE ___::
CALENDAR: Coming events |
ABOUT US CharlestonCurrents.com is a new online twice-weekly publication that offers insightful community comment and good news on events. It cuts through the information clutter to offer insight and news on the best of what's happening locally. More. |
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TODAY'S
FOCUS JAN. 12, 2009 -- "What is there to do in Mount Pleasant?" That's a question I get almost daily from people interested in visiting the area. Charleston, I have to admit, is more nationally well-known, but I enjoy exposing all of Mount Pleasant's secrets to all who are ready to listen. More than 4 million people visit the Charleston area annually. It is my goal to make sure all of them discover what is unique about Mount Pleasant.
As part of a new strategic approach to capture the tourism market, the town of Mount Pleasant will be launching a tourism Web site this year. The site will feature up-to-date information on attractions, lodging, dining, shopping, golf, local event details and much more. Videos, testimonials and an array of pictures will further capture the true essence of Mount Pleasant as a tourist destination. The Web site is just a component of an overall branding strategy that Mount Pleasant is developing. Other features include a focus on marketing to day visitors, business travelers and even eco-tourists. Did you know that there is a large event or festival occurring every month in Mount Pleasant? Continued development and promotion of these events will also play an important role in the town's tourism plan. A new attraction is scheduled to open the weekend of July Fourth - the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park. Located next to the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the park will feature a new Visitor Center, Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion, War Memorial, children's playground and 1,250-foot pier. It will quickly become the new destination for tourists and the local community. Festivals, dances, programmed events, receptions and much more will be happening at our new 22-acre park. "What is there to do in Mount Pleasant?" Plenty! Whether you are a golfer, nature-lover, history buff, beachcomber or avid shopper, there is something to be found in Mount Pleasant. With a multitude of activities to offer and at reasonable hotel rates, Mount Pleasant is becoming a world-class destination. Ashley McKenzie is the community development and tourism officer for the town of Mount Pleasant. She can be reached at 884-8517 or amckenzie@townofmountpleasant.com. CURRENTS JAN. 12, 2009 - - As the nation ponders Barack Obama's pending inauguration, a president from 60 years ago - - Harry S. Truman - - has lessons for us today.
During the fall's Friends of the Library book sale, I spied an old friend - - "Plain Speaking: An oral biography of Harry S. Truman," by Merle Miller. I remembered the book from reading it as a teen-ager, probably for a civics book report. The $3 book joined the pile to buy. By December when in need of something different, Miller's book seemed to cry out from a corner. I read a few pages at random and laughed at Truman's candor, such as a description of how two-time Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson didn't seem to get along with regular folks:
Over the next few days, I continued to pick up the book, read a few pages and chuckle. Around New Year's Eve, it seemed like time to do it right and reread it from the beginning.
In the introduction, Miller describes how he and a TV crew taped Truman from the middle of 1961 through the winter of 1962 for a possible television special. For some reason, nothing ever came of it, but Miller later took transcribed tapes and generated this "oral biography" filled with Truman's forthright talk. The book is remarkable for its insights. "Give 'em hell" Harry doesn't hold back:
"Plain Speaking" continues to be a joy. If you haven't read it, you should. It has countless lessons on leadership that today's leaders would be smart to emulate. Andy Brack is publisher of CharlestonCurrents.com. He can be reached at: publisher@charlestoncurrents.com FEEDBACK To the editor: I was disturbed to see the infiltration of ALDF [Animal Legal Defense Fund], an animal rights group, into Charleston School of Law [Today's Focus, 1/5/09]. This group, the legal arm of PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals], includes radicals who seek only to promote animal "rights" to impressionable students. The discipline
of animal law includes issues such as livestock, sales, commodities, personal
injury and estate planning. It has nothing to do with social justice,
as SADLF [the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund] claims. Animal-related
social justice is "animal rights" -- the desire to make animals
equivalent to humans with personal rights and owner restrictions. Indeed,
they admit they are dedicated to nothing beyond lobbying: "Because
enacting legislation requires public support. …" True animal
law programs are not about "enacting legislation." They are
about studying how animals are treated within existing legal framework. Furthering this lobbying goal, the article states "… public support and awareness is key to the success of animal law." Public support is not necessary for animal-related laws to be taught, any more than teaching of tax law requires public support and awareness. The sole plan is to lay groundwork for the lobbyists and extremists of ALDF to impose their beliefs on a group of easily influenced young students, and neither the Charleston School of Law nor this publication should stand for it. Anyone inclined to support this group, particularly students of the Charleston School of Law, should do some research into ALDF, its association with PETA, and the wide discrediting of their positions.
SPOTLIGHT
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents to you at no cost. This issue's featured underwriter BB&T, a regional bank that has built on a tradition of excellence in community banking since 1872. BB&T is a mission-driven organization with a clearly defined set of business principals and values. It encourages employees to have a strong sense of purpose, a high level of self-esteem and the capacity to think clearly and logically. BB&T offers clients a complete range of financial services including banking, lending, insurance, trust and wealth management solutions. To learn more, visit BB&T online or drop in to talk with its professionals at the main branch office at 151 Meeting Street, Charleston. Phone: (843)720-5168
GOOD
NEWS
Keep Charleston
Beautiful is sponsoring a cell-phone recycling campaign during the month
of January to help local residents dispose of old cell phones in an environmentally
friendly way. On average, while Americans retire about 130 million cell
phones every year, only about 15 percent of those phones are reused or
recycled. The phones contain lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic that,
if not properly disposed of, can be absorbed by the soil and washed into
ground water. Cell phones
to be recycled can be dropped off at the Bank of America on Meeting Street,
Blackbaud on Daniel Island, MUSC, Rising High, the city of Charleston's
Parks Department at 823 Meeting St., Ben and Jerry's in the Market, and
Earth Fare on Folly Road. KCB will
send the collected cell phones to a recycling company for proper disposal
according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards. Any proceeds
will benefit KCB's educational work. Phones that are in good condition
will be refurbished for donation to needy individuals around the world.
YWCA organizing several events to honor MLK Day
The YWCA of Greater Charleston is sponsoring several community events, including a breakfast, a parade and an ecumenical service, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. All events are open to the public. Here's a rundown of what's on the schedule:
Trident Literacy in search of tutors; orientation planned The Trident Literacy Association relies on volunteers to tutor its adult students in reading, writing, mathematics, English as a second language, General Education Diploma (GED) preparation and basic computer use. Tutors are currently needed at all Trident Literacy sites, including downtown Charleston, North Charleston, Summerville, Goose Creek and Moncks Corner, as well as numerous satellite locations throughout the Lowcountry.
A free tutor training and information session will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at the agency's office, 5416-B Rivers Ave., North Charleston. No particular educational background is required to be a tutor; the Trident Literacy staff says the most important qualities are a desire to help others learn, patience and flexibility. Materials and support are provided, and programs are student-directed. Trident Literacy serves adults ages 17 and up in the tri-county area who want to improve their literacy or prepare to take the GED. To learn more or register for the information/training session, call 747-2223 or visit online. Workplace Flexibility Award nominations requested Lowcountry businesses are invited to apply for the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. The award salutes employers of all business types and sizes for innovative workplace programs and practices that promote effectiveness and flexibility.
The awards are a component of a program called "When Work Works," a nationwide initiative designed to share research and best practices for making work "work" in the 21st century. Last fall, Charleston was selected to be one of 30 communities to participate in When Work Works. It's the second time Charleston has been selected. The Innovation Division at the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce is helping lead and direct the project. Nominations for the flexibility awards are open until March 9. In Round I, employers nominate themselves by completing an online application survey about their workplace flexibility programs, policies and culture. In Round II, for qualifying employers, a sample of employees will be asked to complete a survey about their access to workplace flexibility programs and about the culture at their workplace.
REVIEW
HISTORY
SPOTLIGHT In 1941, just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Army took over Charleston Municipal Airport to develop an air base to train B-24 crews. In 1943 the base was reassigned to Air Transport Command to train flight crews for transport aircraft. Following the conclusion of the war the base was deactivated. During the Korean conflict the base was refurbished for $28 million and rededicated in late 1953, becoming a major link in the nation's Military Air Transport Service. The cold-war base served as host to the 456th Troop Carrier Wing, flying and maintaining C-119 aircraft, known as "Flying Box Cars." It provided support and intelligence data during the Cuban missile crisis and later transported supplies and troops to Vietnam. Charleston Air Force Base planes also provided medical support to troops in Indochina and evacuated the wounded back to the United States. In 1993 it became the first U.S. Air Force base to receive the massive C-17 aircraft, which led to ten years of extensive renovations and modernization, including new facilities and flight simulators along with new housing for personnel. By the 1990s the base's host unit was the 437th Airlift Wing, operating aircraft to provide logistical and troop support to Operation Desert Storm (1990-1991) and the Balkans Crisis (1995-1999). Early in the twenty-first century, the base was providing support to U.S. initiatives in the Middle East, the Balkans, and Afghanistan. During fiscal year 1999, active-duty and reserve personnel numbering 7,595 were stationed at Charleston Air Force Base and providing an estimated annual economic impact to local communities of $439 million.
CREDITS CharlestonCurrents.com is provided to you twice a week by:
© 2008-2009, Statehouse Report LLC. All rights reserved. CharlestonCurrents.com is published every Monday and Thursday by Statehouse Report LLC, PO Box 22261, Charleston, SC 29413. |
You can now also subscribe by RSS. Click here or check the options on our blog. THE
LIST These five cities in Charleston County saw the greatest increase in population, percentage-wise, from 2000-2007:
"This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer."
MLK Breakfast: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Jan. 14, Gaillard Auditorium, 77 Calhoun St., Charleston. Annual business and professional breakfast, hosted by the YWCA of Greater Charleston, to honor the work and life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Speaker: Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers Jr., president of Voorhees College. Cost: $25. Tickets: 722-1644. More info in our Good News section. Power
of Making a Difference: 7 p.m. Jan. 15, Admissions Auditorium,
Robert Scott Small Building, College of Charleston, St. Philip and Calhoun
streets, Charleston. Speaker: Former CNN anchor Daryn Kagan, author of
"What's Possible! 50 Real People Who Dared to Dream They Could Make
a Difference" and founder of the inspirational online community,
DarynKagan.com.
Cost: $20 in advance, $30 at the door. Information/tickets: Center
for Women, Sophia
Institute or 720-8528. Marsalis at Music Hall: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16, Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St., Charleston. Multiple Grammy Award winner Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform at a benefit for the Charleston Concert Association. A fundraising gala will follow at the William Aiken House, 456 King St., featuring a black-tie dinner with the musicians and entertainment by local jazz musician Quentin Baxter. Tickets for Marsalis' performance are $35, $55 and $100. Gala/dinner tickets are $250, which includes a ticket to the concert. Call the Charleston Concert Association at 571-7755 or Ticketmaster at 554-6060. (NEW) Listening to Your Business: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 17, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, 2750 Speissegger Drive, North Charleston. Offered by the chamber and the FastTracSC Coalition, the workshop will provide entrepreneurs and business managers with critical tools to help maximize their business' growth and profitability. Topics include setting a three-year vision, taking a snapshot of your business, evaluating where you are in the planning process and translating goals into action steps. Cost: $50. Registration: Online or 805-3027. Digital TV Primer: 11 a.m. Jan. 17, John L. Dart Library, 1067 King St. (722-7550); 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12, Dorchester Road Regional Library, 6325 Dorchester Road (552-6466). The Digital TV conversion happens on Feb. 17. Are you ready? What do you need to know? How will this change your television viewing? Experts from WCSC-TV (Channel 5) will explain the ins and outs and answer questions. (NEW) Music & Oysters for Wildlife: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 17, Sewee Outpost, 4853 Highway 17 North, Awendaw. Fourth annual fund-raiser for the SEWEE Association, a friends group for the National Wildlife Refuges and Forests of coastal South Carolina. Bulls Bay oysters are on the menu, and the Blue Dogs, Danielle Howle, Doug Jones and Cravin Melon are among the performers. There will also be a live auction. Tickets: $30 for adults; under 12 free. Available at Sewee Outpost, online or its local outlets (Cat's Music on Folly Road and in Summerville and Monster Music across from Citadel Mall). MLK Concert: 4 p.m. Jan. 18, Mount Moriah Family Living Center, 7396 Rivers Ave., North Charleston. "Perseverance: Where Do We Go From Here: A Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.," presented by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Gospel Choir and the city of North Charleston's Cultural Arts Department, featuring music, historical audio and video footage. Free; donations will be accepted at the door to support the choir's community outreach work. First-come, first-served entry tickets available at the Gaillard Auditorium Box Office in downtown Charleston; Mount Moriah Family Living Center in North Charleston or the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department. CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON City Leaders' Talks: 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Jan. 21, Holiday Inn Mount Pleasant. Mount Pleasant Town Administrator Mac Burdette will speak to the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce's East Cooper Area Business Council about what's happening in the town and what to look for in the year ahead. Part of the chamber's Mayor's Month series. Up next: Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Doubletree Guest Suites Historic Charleston, 181 Church St. Cost: $15 chamber members, $30 nonmembers. More info: http://www.charlestonchamber.net or Diane Owens, 805-3094. E-commerce for Small Businesses: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 21, Charleston County Public Library Main Branch, 68 Calhoun St. Free class to help small-business owners learn about choosing e-commerce solutions, including choosing the right software, selecting a cost-effective e-payment system and picking a reliable web hosting service provider. Speaker: Tina McDuffie, WebWoman LLC. More info: Click here or 805-6930. (NEW) Charleston Home + Design Show: Jan. 23-25, Gaillard Auditorium, 77 Calhoun St., Charleston. More than 100 local vendors of custom home and design products and services. Seminars on Saturday and Sunday include "Planning Your Dream Kitchen," "How to Green Your Home with Solar Energy" and "Picking the Best Window Treatments." There will also be a "speed-dating" style chance to interview groups of architects, builders and interior designers. Tickets: $7 per person (good for two days), 12 and under free; $15 per person for "Kitchens, Baths + All That Jazz" (special Friday night event with beer, wine, food, cash bar and the Frank Duvall Jazz Trio). Hours/details. Camellia Clinic: 1 p.m. Jan. 24, Garden Market and Nursery at Middleton Place, Highway 61. Free seminar on camellia care with Sidney Frazier, Middleton's vice president of horticulture, and nursery manager Matt Jackson. Learn about which varieties work best in local gardens and get advice on when, where and how to plant. In addition, seedlings from some of Middleton's historic, internationally known camellias will be available for purchase. More info: http://www.middletonplace.org. 26th Annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 25, Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant. Enjoy oysters, live music, an oyster shucking and eating contest, and a kids corner with pony rides and a jump castle. Sponsored by the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association; money raised goes to Ronald McDonald House, Hollings Cancer Center, and Charleston County Schools Science Materials Resource Center. Tickets: $10 in advance from the GCRA Web site or Applebee's restaurants; $12 at the gate; free for children under 10. Oysters sold by the bucket (3 dozen to 4 dozen for $8). More info: 452-6088. Murray Boulevard Centennial: 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28, Charleston County Public Library's Main Branch, 68 Calhoun St., downtown. The most scenic drive on the Charleston peninsula celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2009. Using archival documents and images, Dr. Nic Butler of the Charleston Archive will present an illustrated review of the boulevard and how it was developed by the city. Details: 805-6930. Southeastern Wildlife Exposition: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 13 and Feb. 14; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 15, downtown Charleston (eight venues). SEWE features 120 artists, lectures, Busch Wildlife shows, sporting outfitters, and conservation exhibits. In addition, the popular Dock Dogs competitions return, along with retriever demos, free flight shows by the Center for Birds of Prey, and children's activities. Tickets start at $10 & kids 10 and under are free. VIP packages available. More info/tickets: http://www.sewe.com or 723-1748. (NEW) Winter Golf Classic: Feb. 16, Wild Dunes Resort's Links and Harbor courses, Isle of Palms. Sponsored by Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, with 60 teams and plenty of chances to network. Following the event, there will be a Business After Hours at the Sweetgrass Pavilion. Sponsorships still available. Tournament cost: $650 per team, or $200 per individual. To register or learn more, click here. For sponsorship info: Laura Kate Whitney, 805-3113. In this section, we offer a list of good reads that you might want to consider reading:
FOCUS ARCHIVES 1/8:
Lazarus:
Fun with auctions THRASH ARCHIVES 1/8/09:
Local
man moves up in contest BRACK ARCHIVES 1/5/09:
Manning
band is inspiring LIST ARCHIVES 1/8:
Fowler's
top weather months SISTER PUBLICATIONS We encourage you to check out our sister publications:
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