HAPPY 50TH: Kevin Mills (left), CEO of the South Carolina Aquarium, and Dr. Shane Boylan, a vet at the facility, carry a turtle named Scute to the water at the Isle of Palms on Saturday. Scute was the 50th rehabilitated turtle to be released by the aquarium, and one of seven sea turtles released on Saturday, the largest one-day release in the history of the aquarium. Get the turtles' tale of the tape in today's List. (Photo by Barbara Bergwerf)

FEEDBACK
:: Send us your thoughts

THE LIST
:: Turtle tales

GOOD NEWS
:: Voting, native plants, Battery

ALSO INSIDE

___:: CALENDAR: This week ... and next

___:: REVIEW: Send us your recommendations

___:: HISTORY: Cattle ranching

___:: QUOTE: On mulch

___:: SPOTLIGHT: Meet an underwriter

UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

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TODAY'S FOCUS
An insider's tips: making the most of Spoleto this year
By CAROLINE MAAS
Public relations and marketing manager, Spoleto Festival USA
Special to CharlestonCurrents.com

Maas

MAY 3, 2010 -- Spoleto Festival USA opens in Charleston on May 28, offering a dazzling array of worlds to explore: a Tim Burton-inspired carnival-style dance extravaganza ("Oyster"); avarice among the hollyhocks in the 18th-century English countryside ("Flora, an Opera"); the witty repartee and glamorous flair of 1930s London ("Present Laughter"); a brilliant comic's musings on death, divorce, and John Denver ("This Is What Happens Next"); musical prodigies reviving the rich tradition of fiddle and banjo music of the Piedmont (the Carolina Chocolate Drops); and much more.

And with less than a month until the opening of the 34th annual festival, the time to get your tickets and plan your Spoleto experience is now!

To help you plan your performances and ensure that you maximize your Spoleto experience, we recommend the following tips.

Ticket tips

• You can purchase tickets online at http://www.spoletousa.org, by phone at 579-3100, or in person at the festival box office at Gaillard Auditorium, 77 Calhoun St.
  
  
• If your schedule is flexible, consider midweek performances for ticket bargains.
  
  
• Select a variety of shows for the full Spoleto experience: Combine a signature Spoleto opera with a theater piece and a classical concert. Enjoy jazz under the stars in the Cistern Yard and chamber music at the historic Dock Street Theatre. The magic is in the mix.
  
  
• Make an event of it! Groups of 15 or more receive a discount and other valuable benefits.

Inform yourself

• See our Web site for much more about enchanting Charleston, including accommodation and restaurant listings, transportation information, and links to area attractions.
  
  
• Consider becoming a donor: Spoleto Society patrons enjoy a wealth of benefits that enhance their festival experience, including exclusive back-stage access and invitations to festival parties and receptions."
  
  
• Join our e-mail list and explore our social networking sites for more information, photos, videos and links to guest artists. Participate in special offers and contests, and join the Spoleto conversation.
  
  
• Get information about Piccolo Spoleto, organized by the city of Charleston as a companion festival to Spoleto Festival USA. Piccolo Spoleto presents local and regional performing and visual artists in hundreds of performances at venues throughout Charleston.

Clothes calls

• What should you wear to performances? At Spoleto Festival USA, there is no dress code. To be sure, you will see all styles of dress - from highly formal to hyper-casual - reflecting the wide range of Festival performances, artists, genres and audience members. Some people take the opportunity to dress to the nines, while others prefer comfortable attire, and most people fall somewhere in between. Simply stated, we don't care what you wear -- just come and enjoy!
  
  
• Plan to spend time on your feet: Charleston is a pedestrian's paradise, and walking is the best way to see the sights. It goes without saying that the more comfortable the shoes, the more pleasant the walk.
  
  
• Bring insect repellant when attending outdoor performances -- you'll be glad you did.
  
  
• Don't worry! Come as you are. And if you find you need something else, you can always spend time exploring Charleston's charming boutiques and elegant shops for truly memorable souvenirs of your Spoleto experience.

CURRENTS
1st district candidates sound mostly like cardboard cutouts
By ANDY BRACK, publisher

MAY 3, 2010 - With more than a dozen candidates running to replace grizzled and crusty U.S. Rep. Henry Brown in the First Congressional District, it seemed like a good time to try to make some sense of the election.

Brack

[Disclosure: I ran for this seat against Brown in 2000 and lost. This may give me more insight than some, but then again, I lost.]

The biggest early battle in the contest will be among Republicans who pick among nine - yes nine - candidates to be the GOP's standard bearer. For well-known candidates, the next month will involve a lot of knuckle-biting. For the others, it's about getting better known. Many of these are hoping to turn out enough voters to come in second and get into a June 22 runoff. (Remember, that's what happened in 1994 when relative unknown Mark Sanford came in second in a multiple-candidate race.)

Here's an overall impression of the GOP field: Most of them don't tell you on their Web sites why they want to be a congressman. Instead, they roll out predictable sloganeering about lower taxes, getting the government off your back, abortion, guns and the like. They seem cardboard cutouts from the same box. Here's a little about each candidate (in alphabetical order):

Carroll Campbell III: "Tumpy" Campbell got in the race early, which probably forced Brown to not run again. The mid-district businessman is using the record of his father, the late Gov. Carroll A. Campbell Jr., for all its worth. More than likely, Campbell peaked early and now has to contend with front-runners Tim Scott and Paul Thurmond for attention.

Ken Glasson: This Mount Pleasant Town Council member is in the financial services industry, talks about spending and debt, and wants the country to steer back onto course.

Katherine Jenerette: A Grand Strand Army vet who has been running for the seat for years says she's the Sarah Palin of the South. But she hasn't seemed to update her issues much as her Web site seems stuck back in 2008.

Larry Kobrovsky: Buzzwords fill the site of Kobrovsky, an attorney who is a former member of the Charleston County School Board. He's running to end the "fiscal madness" (apparently forgetting how Republicans and Democrats caused it), term limits and ending "ObamaCare."

Mark Lutz: A computer software businessman, political newcomer Lutz wants to "Take Back America," a nod to Tea Party rhetoric, which is featured on his Web site.

Clark Parker: An accountant and past president of the S.C. Tax Council, Horry County -based Parker highlights fiscal discipline and limited government.

Tim Scott: The former Charleston County Council chair and current state representative first wanted to run for lieutenant governor and then changed his mind to run for this seat. Although one of the better known candidates in the race, his rhetoric is worn and it's difficult to get a feel on why he wants to be in Congress, other than to add the job to a resume.

Paul Thurmond: This son of the late legendary U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond tells why he is running - "real change, not empty promises," a slap at President Barack Obama. Unlike most other candidates, Thurmond provides a substantive site that takes multiple issues into account.

Stovall Witte: A protégé of Brown who is so loud of a critic of Obama that he is "demanding" change, it's surprising his Web site looks as if it could have been built by Obama's team -- similar colors, fonts and more. His message is stuck on "security," a buzzword in the 2008 campaign.

The other major political party, the Democratic Party, has two candidates: retired Air Force Reserve Col. Robert Burton and perennial candidate Ben Frasier of John's Island. Burton, a Mount Pleasant pilot who is pushing job security (bzzz) and saving Social Security as top issues, should easily win his primary, but reportedly isn't taking Frasier's challenge lightly.

There also is a Green Party candidate (Robert Dobbs) and an Independence Party candidate (Jimmy Wood, a veteran who works as a government contractor).

PRIMARY PREDICTION: A June 22 GOP runoff will feature Thurmond vs. Scott, with Thurmond squeaking by in the end. Burton will win the Democratic primary on June 8.

Andy Brack is publisher of CharlestonCurrents. He can be reached at publisher@charlestoncurrents.com.

FEEDBACK
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SPOTLIGHT
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GOOD NEWS
Deadline approaches to register to vote in June 8 primaries

May 8 is the deadline to register to vote for the June 8 Democratic and Republican primary elections for a number of state and local offices. Registration forms can be downloaded online at http://www.scvotes.org. The application may be submitted in any one of three ways: by mail to Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration, P.O. Box 71419, North Charleston, SC, 29415 (must be postmarked by May 8); by fax to 974-6419 or by e-mail to voterregistration@charlestoncounty.org. The application must be scanned in with your signature on the application.

If you need to look up your voter registration record, or if you've moved and want to be sure your address is up-to-date and see where you'll need to go to vote, go to http://www.scvotes.org.

All voter registration changes made before May 28 will be reflected on the registration lists at the polls. Changes made after May 28 will processed and written in on the correct precinct's voter registration list. If your address has changed and you don't update it before primary election day, you have two options:

1) Update your address at your old (previous) precinct where you are currently registered and vote a ballot with only U.S. Congress, statewide and countywide offices; or

2) Update your address at the Board of Elections office on election day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and vote a complete ballot with all offices for which you are qualified to vote at your new (current) address.

Absentee ballots are expected to be available by May 6 at the BEVR office, 4367 Headquarters Road, North Charleston. For more information on absentee ballots, visit this Web site, or, to have a ballot mailed or e-mailed to you, contact the office at 744-8683 or send an e-mail to absentee@charlestoncounty.org. The last day that BEVR can mail a ballot is June 4.

S.C. Native Plant Society to hold symposium at Magnolia

The Lowcountry Chapter of the South Carolina Native Plant Society is sponsoring the society's 2010 Symposium, "Nurture Nature," May 7 to May 9 at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. The two-day event will feature speakers, field trips and workshops promoting the best practices for sustaining biodiversity in our own backyards.

"Nurture Nature" will bring together a diverse group of the state's Master Gardeners and horticulturists, home gardeners, landscape architects, nursery and landscape professionals, professors and students, as well as representatives from state and local government, to learn and share ideas.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Douglas Tallamy, chairman of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, as well as the author of "Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants." Local experts who'll be giving workshops, and their topics, include Judith Kramer, "Gardening as if All Life Mattered"; plant pathologist Kari Whitley, "Plant Diseases"; botanist Joel Gramling, "Creating a Personal Herbarium"; and naturalist and ecologist Billy McCord, who will lead a butterfly walk.

To register or see a program schedule, go to the South Carolina Native Plant Society's Web site.

Battery games in May to feature 'nonprofit of the match'

The Charleston Battery soccer team and Blackbaud are teaming up to feature a "nonprofit of the match" at each Battery home game on Daniel Island during May.

The nonprofit organization will be highlighted at halftime and will have a chance to share its mission, raise awareness of its work and get the community involved. The program kicked off on May 1 by recognizing the Charleston Animal Society.

Other nonprofits of the match will be Lowcountry Local First on May 8, the five local Habitat for Humanity chapters (East Cooper, Charleston, Sea Island, Dorchester and Berkeley) on May 15, and the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry on May 29.

All the games begin at 7:30 p.m. at Blackbaud Stadium, 1990 Daniel Island Drive. For tickets, go here on the Web.

RECOMMENDED
Send us your reviews

HAVE A REVIEW? If you have a review or recommendation of a book, movie, restaurant or local arts endeavor, please send no more than 150 words to editor Ann Thrash. Make sure to include your name and full contact information.

Cow pens, cattle drives, and open range herding-distinctive characteristics typically associated with the American West-were important features of the agricultural landscape during the colonial period in South Carolina. British settlers, especially colonists of Celtic ancestry such as the Welsh and Scots-Irish, brought husbandry traditions to colonial South Carolina. Many enslaved West Africans also had extensive knowledge of cattle raising.

Cattle ranching, a lucrative frontier occupation, appeared first in the lowcountry, where black bondsmen became America's first "cowboys." Using the open range system, livestock foraged during the day in the swamps, forests, and pastures. Cattle were usually penned in the evenings and during branding, cattle sales, and butchering. Periodically, large cattle drives occurred, and drovers or "crackers" using cattle whips herded livestock to the ports of Charleston and Savannah. The livestock was then butchered and the beef packed in barrels for shipment to Caribbean plantations and urban centers in the northern colonies.

By the early 1700s beef and pork were leading agricultural exports. As plantation agriculture became established in the lowcountry, cattle ranching shifted to the backcountry beginning in the 1730s. The sandy upper coastal plain soils, ill suited for agriculture, were ideal for cattle. Consequently, the Edisto, Salkehatchie, and Savannah valleys eventually became the principal areas of cattle ranching in colonial South Carolina. Herds of several hundred head of cattle were common. Capital amassed from livestock also encouraged the later development of plantation agriculture among the sons of backcountry cattle raisers.

The cattle ranching tradition that germinated in South Carolina and other areas of the southern backcountry subsequently spread to the frontier of the middle South during the early nineteenth century and eventually developed into the large-scale ranching and cowboy culture typical of the West.

-- Excerpted from the entry by Mark D. Groover and Richard D. Brooks. To read more about this or 2,000 other entries about South Carolina, check out The South Carolina Encyclopedia by USC Press. (Information used by permission.)

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PICTURE CONTEST

Congratulations to Courtenay B. Mims, who won the photo contest in last Thursday's issue. Courtenay, a constituent service representative in U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint's Charleston office, knew that the statue pictured is Gen. William Moultrie, and that it is located at White Point Garden. As our winner, Courtenay will have her name assigned to a duck that's racing in next month's Charleston Duck Race, sponsored by five local Rotary Clubs to benefit local charitable causes. If you'd like to adopt a duck, click here.

THE LIST
Turtle tales

Sea turtle nesting season in South Carolina began Saturday, the day that seven sea turtles -- three sub-adult loggerheads and four juvenile green sea turtles -- that had been rehabilitated at the South Carolina Aquarium's Sea Turtle Hospital were released on the Isle of Palms. Here's the tale of the tape on the turtles who headed back to the sea last weekend.

• Beasley: A victim of a "cold-stunning" in North Carolina in February 2009, Beasley, a loggerhead sea turtle, was one of only 20 (out of 109) surviving sea turtles. Beasley weighed only 65 pounds then, but was eagerly eating live blue crabs (one per day) at the time of release.
  
  
• Ocracoke: A victim of the same N.C. cold-stunning that affected Beasley, Ocracoke's treatment included fluids, antibiotics and drugs for pneumonia.
  
  
• Dare, Cluse and Frisco: Three green sea turtles that survived another extreme cold in North Carolina. Cluse also had damage to its shell.
  
  
• Scute: A juvenile loggerhead sea turtle stranded in Myrtle Beach in 2009, with a history of rope entanglement around the head and neck. Its carapace was completely covered with tube worms and smothering barnacles which covered 65-75% of its carapace. Today, Scute is described as "an aggressive eater (of) all of the various types of fish it is offered -- mackerel, smelt or blue runner … also an expert at catching and consuming live blue crabs."
  
  
• Mingo: A juvenile green sea turtle found floating in a creek at Mingo Point on Kiawah Island, Mingo was very thin (18 pounds) and had a moderate barnacle load and severe dehydration. At one point during treatment, Mingo had to be tube-fed a fish gruel containing mineral oil.

The South Carolina Aquarium is an underwriting partner of CharlestonCurrents.com.

QUOTE
On mulch

"The unmulched garden looks to me like some naked thing which for one reason or another would be better off with a few clothes on."

-- Ruth Stout, gardening writer (1884-1980)

CALENDAR: THIS WEEK

(NEW) CYP Cinco de Mayo: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 5, Spirit of South Carolina Tall Ship, 10 Wharfside St., downtown. Monthly networking meeting for Charleston Young Professionals (CYP), an initiative of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce that seeks to empower and engage young business professionals in the Lowcountry. In addition to the Cinco de Mayo party, attendees will be eligible to win their own after-hours party with all the trimmings at the Cynthia Rowley shop on King Street, including cocktails and an outfit for the event. Cost: $10 CYP members, $20 nonmembers; includes beverages and appetizers. More info/registration.

"A Class Act": Various days and times, April 30 through May 16, Footlight Players Theater, 20 Queen St. The Footlight Players show focuses on the heartwarming and inspiring tale of lyricist Edward Kleban, who's responsible for the music and lyrics from "A Chorus Line." Tickets: $30 adults, $25 seniors, $15 students. Call the box office at 722-4487 or go online here.

Blues by the Sea: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. May 8, Freshfields Village. Free performances by popular blues artists, including Bobby Parker & the Blues Night Band, the Shane Pruitt Band and Skyla Burrell Blues Band. Freshfields Village is located between the crossroads of Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns islands. Directions/more info.

CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON

(UPDATE) Blessing of the Fleet: 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 16, Waterfront Memorial Park, foot of the Ravenel Bridge, Mount Pleasant. The 23rd Annual Blessing the Fleet and Seafood Festival has been rescheduled for this date; originally planned for April 25, it was cancelled because of inclement weather. Although the fleet has already been blessed and has started the season, the festival will still feature local restaurants serving samples of their seafood dishes, music by the East Coast Party Band, shrimp-eating and shag-dancing contests, children's activities and a craft show. More info.

Yacht Affair: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. May 16, Charleston City Marina, 17 Lockwood Drive. Benefit for Communities In Schools (dropout prevention programs) features tours of exclusive yachts, a silent auction, entertainment and food by some top local chefs. Tickets: before May 10, $85 per person or $150 per couple; at the door, $95 per person or $170 per couple. To purchase: 740-6793 or go online here.

(NEW) Colonial Art Tour: 4 p.m. each Thursday, May 28 through June 24, Heyward-Washington House, 87 Church St., downtown. Explore the art of portraiture and satirical engravings popular with wealthy colonial Charlestonians. The Charleston Museum's art collection at the house features portraits by Jeremiah Theus, Samuel F.B. Morse and Henry Benbridge; later copies by Johann Stolle and George Whiting Flagg; and original, irreverent engravings of William Hogarth. Cost: $10 adults, $5 ages 3-12; free for Charleston Museum members. Reservations not required. More info: 722-2996, ext. 235.

FOCUS ARCHIVES

7/26: Parezo: Personal chefs
7/22: Bender: Shark Week
7/19: Witty: Growth in down market
7/14: Carroll: Networking
7/7: Blanchard: Financial planning
7/1: Shaffer: Picky Eaters Group
6/28: Bender: Fishy Fourth
6/24: Belden: Society 1858
6/21: Stevenson: Summer reading
6/17: Handel: On Jim Fisher
6/14: Reeves: Summer dress
6/10: Martin: Garden tips
6/7: Dubrofsky: Green homes
6/3: McCutcheon: Young pros
5/31: McFaddlin: Health benefits
5/27: Ledbetter: Senior riders
5/24: Myers: Microloan's impact
5/20: Gadson: Rural Mission's needs
5/17: Bender: Bocce bashing
5/13: DeMarco: Homeless help
5/10: Spencer: Ending violence
5/6: Westmeyer: Fish to buy
5/3: Maas: Spoleto tips

• More of Focus in the archives

THRASH ARCHIVES

7/29: Lazy? Boiled peanuts
7/22: Purple Toes book
7/14: Art opens doors
7/1: Lots to do on 4th
6/24: Ways to nab skeeters
6/17: Dump the Pump, more
6/10: Lots to do locally
6/3: Dancin' for dollars
5/27: Locals' 15 minutes
5/20: Strawberry season
5/13: New for foodies
5/6: Poll managing
4/29: Adopt a Duck
4/22: Indelible ink
4/15: Grab-bag of items
4/1: In jingle semifinals
3/25: Blues and birds
3/18: Recalling "The Charleston"
3/11: East Cooper hospital
3/4: Green mowers
2/25: Get outdoors
2/18: Local guide book for kids
2/11: Reviewing Jenny's book
2/4: MSNBC looks at success
1/21: Tell Mt. Pleasant
1/14: Winter plant tips
1/7: New books

• More Ann Thrash in the archives

BRACK ARCHIVES

8/2: Cherry juice, Gardner
7/26: Biden on Hollings
7/19: About Turkey
7/7: Campaign trash
6/28: Impatient electorate
6/21: Haley's thin record
6/14: Daddy-daughter trip
6/7: Gulf spill report
5/31: New SC poll flummoxes
5/24: BBQ should be state meat
5/17: Advice to new grads
5/10: Bad Spoleto poster
5/3: First District candidates
4/26: Don't veto cigarette tax
4/19: Great weekend of fun
4/12: Remembering Civil War
4/6: Be counted in Census
3/29: SC economy is recovering
3/22: Meeting Turkish neighbors
3/15: Clyburn whips up support
3/8: The Wreck rec
3/1: Cut all of the cuts
2/22: A look at summer camps
2/15: School district Einsteins
2/8: About mules
2/1: Bauer should get out
1/28: Gibbs at White House
1/25: Friend's new show
1/18: Rockwell painting
1/11: Palmetto Priorities
1/4: Piggly Wiggly visit

• More Andy Brack in the archives

BUSINESS INDIGO

4/22: Green Wizard, more
4/1: Encouraging biz signs
3/18: Biz fair, CED venture
3/4: Lowcountry tech hub
2/4: Advice on working with Boeing
1/21: Co-working group
1/7: Free library text questions

LIST ARCHIVES

8/2: Bedside reading
7/29: Five for fall
7/26: Hollings library
7/22: Wine + Food fest
7/19: New Chas app
7/14: Chas at top
7/7: SC films
7/1: Keeping cool
6/28: LinkedIn tips
6/24: Be an Angel
6/21: CFW finances
6/17: Pirate facts
6/14: Gadsden Flag
6/10: Butterfly tips
6/7: 1773 awards
6/3: Good reads
5/31: 5 Southern artists
5/27: Local jazz legends
5/24: Piccolo for kids
5/20: Pats on back
5/17: Tea tips
5/13: PeaceLoveHipHop
5/10: Myth detector
5/6: Cooking with Mom
5/3: Turtle tales

• More Lists in the archives
  
  
• Let us know if there's a broken link