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Issue
4.28 | Monday, May 14, 2012 TODAY'S
FOCUS CURRENTS THE
LIST GOOD
NEWS HISTORY
ALSO INSIDE :: FEEDBACK: About butchered trees :: SPOTLIGHT: Twenty Six Divine :: CALENDAR: This week ... and next :: QUOTE: Something's missing :: BROADUS: Piling of asparagus |
ABOUT US CharlestonCurrents.com offers insightful community comment and good news on events each week. It cuts through the information clutter to offer the best of what's happening locally. What readers say WHERE IS IT?
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MAY 14, 2012 -- During Piccolo Spoleto, the city becomes a stage and opera is for everyone! Piccolo makes the Spoleto Festival USA experience accessible to everyone as it showcases the crème de la crème of artists and performers from throughout the Southeastern United States over the course of the 17-day festival.
In the process the city comes alive, there is excitement in the air and people share the enchantment, sense of awe, exhilaration and sadness of the kind arts festivals elicit. Everyone - friends and strangers alike, young and old - recognize each other not by their differences but by their common human qualities. For a brief time people are part of an event that expands their horizons, lifts their spirits and fills their hearts with optimism, joy and wonder. This year, Piccolo has more than 700 events , including theatre productions, dance performances, concerts and presentations with something to please every taste! Some of this year's festival highlights:
MAY 14,
2012 -- Becoming South Carolina's lieutenant governor in March just might
have saved Glenn McConnell's life.
"People
have said ever since I came down here, I look healthier and I've been
healing faster," said McConnell, the powerful Senate president pro
tempore who resigned from a job he loved to take over for disgraced former
Lt. Gov. Ken Ard, who was sentenced March 9 on ethics charges. In December,
a rare tick bit McConnell on the neck. He didn't think much of it. Unfortunately,
the tick injected a virus into his bloodstream. McConnell then got asthma
after a concrete-pouring project. But the drug to treat the asthma interacted
so negatively with the tick virus that McConnell ended up in January in
an intensive care unit on the verge of congestive heart failure. As he was
trying to heal, Ard's shenanigans came to light, causing enormous pressure
on McConnell. On one hand, he'd spent more than 31 years building seniority
in the Senate so he could be the policy power player that he'd become.
But on the other, he knew what the state Constitution really required.
"It
would have been easy for me to get the doctor's excuse that I needed to
step down as president pro tem -- the stress and everything," the
Charleston Republican said last week in an exclusive interview with sister
publication Statehouse
Report.
"I
told them it may be a two-day story for y'all, but it will be an everyday
story for me when I had to look at myself in the mirror. How can I ever
come back to the Senate floor and talk about constitutional compliance
and I did the talk but wasn't willing to make the walk?" He added,
"Constitutions shouldn't be twisted into something that they're not
and you shouldn't try to circumvent them, go around them or reinterpret
them for your benefit." Today,
there's a new Glenn McConnell filled with a new vitality and energy. Yes,
he's still healing. And sure, it's frustrating to not be able to interject
policy and political views as he's presiding over Senate debates. But
a lot of the pressure is off. "I'm
not going to say I'm having fun," he said. "I will say I am
enjoying now what I'm doing. And now that the stress is off of me, I'm
able to get more focused." "I
have become enthusiastic about my new duties in trying to ensure seniors
of South Carolina have a bright future and that the taxpayers of this
state know we've used best business practices and the best judgment to
deal with the problem of improving the track record" of the office. When he took over, more than 8,000 seniors were on waiting lists to get services from rides to doctors' appointments to meals to home-based health care. McConnell
has lobbied the Senate to restore operational funding for his office in
the new state budget -- and to add $5 million to the Office on Aging.
The move should save money by allowing seniors to get the help they need
for a fraction of the cost of being put in a nursing home, he said. "We
don't have seniors signing up on waiting lists to get in nursing homes,"
he said. "They want to stay home." Over the
next months as McConnell hits the road to talk about aging issues across
the state, many will wonder whether he's going to try to keep the job
he never sought -- whether he'll run for lieutenant governor, or even
governor. "I
haven't even opened an account," he'll tell you. When pushed, he'll
reflect on what he's learned this year: "I'm just not going to rule
out anything. I learned this year -- you don't know what you're facing.
You take it as it comes and you make a decision based on what's before
you." One thing
is for sure. We can use a few more Glenn McConnells in Columbia.
To the editor:
You also
can drop by for lunch at their upper King Street location. The chefs offer
individual quiches of the day, two different soups of the week, and a
broad array of cakes and tarts. Take a look at their online cafe menu
and you'll see an array of seasonal eats that will delight your taste
buds. Visit TwentySixDivine.com
today.
Karen
E. Brack will become Charleston's new fire chief on August 1, Charleston
Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. has announced. Brack is
no relation to Charleston Currents publisher Andy Brack.
Karen Brack
currently serves as deputy chief of the Eugene, Oregon, Fire and EMS Department.
She will replace Frank Finley, who has served as Charleston's interim
fire chief since the March 1 retirement of Chief Emeritus Thomas Carr. Chief Brack
has 30 years of experience in the fire service. Currently, her responsibilities
include being in charge of all field operations of the Eugene, Oregon
Fire and EMS Departments. A native of Savannah, Georgia, Chief Brack began
her career in the fire service with the Fulton County, Georgia Fire Department
in 1982 and moved up the ranks, becoming a battalion chief in 2001. In
2007, she was selected to become Deputy Chief in Eugene, Oregon. In 2010,
she assumed simultaneous responsibility for the neighboring Springfield,
Oregon Fire and Life Safety Department, as the Eugene and Springfield
departments pursue a merger. "We
received applications from a group of outstanding fire service professionals,"
Riley said, noting that the city reviewed applications from 61 candidates.
"Karen Brack was the best choice. She possesses leadership ability
and experience that will be extremely valuable to our Fire Department
and to our community in the coming years. In speaking with her current
co-workers and those with whom she worked in Georgia, hearing their comments
about her, qualities and style of leadership, her extraordinary work ethic,
her professionalism and character was so impressive and reinforcing of
the impressions I gained through my interviews with her." In a press
release, Chief Brack added, "It is a great honor to be selected as
Chief of the City of Charleston Fire Department. Charleston is well known
as a wonderful city and I have been very impressed with its strong fire
service team. I am committed to continuing the record of progress set
by Chief Carr and continued by Chief Finley. " Pizza
chain helps raise money to battle cancer Throughout
May, the Charleston owners of Papa Murphy's pizza chain are putting their
pizza-making skills with special heart-shaped pizzas available at its
five area locations. For each heart-shaped pizza sold, the company will
donate $2 to the American Cancer Society.
The heart-shaped pizzas are available by request at all five Papa Murphy's Charleston Locations: Goose Creek, West Ashley, James Island, Mount Pleasant and Summerville. Roper
St. Francis offers health care app The substantial
growth in Smartphone use has led Roper St. Francis Healthcare (RSFH) to
expand its services in the mobile arena by partnering with iTriage®,
a free health care application.
This mobile
technology brings immediate healthcare information to residents and visitors
in the tri-county area and surrounding communities. Mobile users of iTriage
can search medical symptoms; read about possible causes and treatment
plans; find information on RSFH services, hours of facility operations
and directions to facilities; check into RSFH emergency rooms before actual
arrival; and schedule an appointment with an RSFH doctor To access
iTriage, Lowcountry residents can download the free application from the
app stores for both iPhone and Android devices.
The designation is timely. Humanities Foundation, which was founded in 1992 by Tracy Doran and her husband Bob Doran, is currently celebrating its 20th year of operation. During that time, the foundation has developed nearly 1,400 apartment units and has helped more than 22,000 people stay in their homes through Shelternet, a direct assistance program. The Humanities Foundation has recently expanded into Virginia and is targeting other Southern states for expansion opportunities. More information.
Thomas Broughton (?-1737) was among the most controversial figures in the early political history of South Carolina. Little is known about his early life. He was the son of Andrew Broughton and was probably born in England. Around 1683 he married Anne Johnson, the daughter of Nathaniel Johnson, who would serve as governor of South Carolina from 1703 to 1709. The marriage produced at least seven children. By the mid-1690s Broughton had settled in South Carolina, emigrating from the West Indies. Broughton quickly became involved in the Indian trade and used his connection to Johnson to advance his position. In 1702 Broughton made an unsuccessful attempt to secure a monopoly on the Indian trade from the Commons House of Assembly. Considered by many to be an unscrupulous trader, Broughton was prosecuted in 1708 by the Indian agent Thomas Nairne on charges that Broughton had enslaved friendly Cherokees and misappropriated deerskins that belonged to the province. Governor Johnson came to the aid of his son-in-law, and Broughton was acquitted, while Nairne was arrested for treason based on the dubious testimony of two witnesses. Broughton invested his trade profits in planting ventures. He acquired at least four plantations, including Mulberry on the Cooper River, where he built a massive, Jacobian-style brick mansion dubbed "Mulberry Castle." Broughton's political career began in 1696, when he was first elected to the Commons House of Assembly. He represented Craven and Berkeley Counties until 1703 and then again from 1716 to 1717, when he served as Speaker. He also served as a deputy to the proprietor John Lord Carteret and was appointed to the Grand Council in 1705. Other influential offices held by Broughton included surveyor general (1707), commissioner of the Indian trade (1719), and collector of the Port of Charleston (1721). In 1725 St. Thomas and St. Denis Parish returned Broughton to the Commons House, where he again served as Speaker until 1727. Following the death of Governor Edward Tynte in June 1710, Broughton was a leading candidate for the governorship. He lost, however, after Robert Gibbes bribed a councilor and secured the post for himself. Broughton and armed supporters marched on Charleston in protest but withdrew shortly thereafter. Capitalizing again on family connections, Broughton became lieutenant governor of South Carolina in 1731, after being recommended by Governor Robert Johnson, his brother-in-law. Following Johnson's death in May 1735, Broughton assumed the role of acting governor. His brief administration was marked by a renewal of factional tensions in South Carolina, a situation exacerbated by Broughton's inept and arrogant actions in office. He repeatedly angered the Commons by interfering with appropriation bills, which the Commons deemed to be its sole prerogative. His maladministration of Johnson's township system brought the township fund to the brink of insolvency. Broughton
also antagonized the younger colony of Georgia by backing South Carolina
merchants in their attempt to establish control over the Creek Indian
trade, claiming that no colony had the right to interfere with the licensed
traders of another (even though the South Carolina traders were operating
in Georgia territory). Georgia retaliated by strictly enforcing its own
Indian trade laws and by seizing several South Carolina vessels in the
Savannah River. The quarrel between the two colonies would not subside
until after Broughton's death on Nov. 22, 1737.
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Five tips to keep
flowers fresh Lots of mothers might
have received fresh flowers yesterday on Mother's Day. Here are five tips
from Organic
Bouquet CEO Robert McLaughlin on how to keep your flowers fresh and
vibrant longer:
Something's missing "If it's a penny
for your thoughts and you put in your two cents worth, then someone, somewhere
is making a penny."
Loading
Stroke
screening: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., May 16, Trident Medical
Center. Free stroke prevention assessments will be offered by appointment.
To reserve your place, call 797.3463. AT noon, there will be a free lunch
in Cafe B of TMC featuring a talk by Dr. Thomas Privett. Yappy Hour: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., May 17, James Island County Park's dog park. Live music will be provided by local band Folk Grass. Other Yappy Hours planned for June 7 and Aug. 23. Free with admission to park. More. (NEW) "Remembering 'Her' Time:" May 17 through Aug. 17, Avery Research Center, 125 Bull Street, College of Charleston. This three-month exhibit of the art of Bernice Mitchell Tate is a material culture, historic, fine craft, and art installation exhibition honoring the collective spirit of female identity and African-American womanhood. The exhibit serves as a personal tribute, a "herstory", recognizing the life and times of Tate's mother, the late Veronica Robinson-Mitchell of Sheldon, South Carolina. Furthermore, it is a celebration of Lowcountry culture and authentic African-American Gullah-Geechee heritage. The grand opening will be 7 p.m. May 17 at the Avery Research Center. More info: 843-953-7609. (NEW) "Run, Forrest, Run" Race: 5 p.m., May 19, at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, Lockwood Blvd. Charleston. RiverDogs' fans who want to participate in a 5K race can lace up their running shoes for an event that benefits the MUSC Storm Eye Institute. Players will greet participants at the end of the race. Forrest Gump will be on hand to start the race. More info and registration forms at RileyParkEvents.com. Weekend water fun. Splash Zone Waterpark at James Island County Park, Splash Island at Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park, and Whirlin' Waters at Wannamaker County Park will be open on weekends in May. Splash Zone will open daily beginning May 21, Whirlin' Waters and Splash Island open daily beginning May 28. More: www.splashparks.com CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON (NEW) Nighttime at the Museum: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., June 1, Charleston Museum. Celebrate the end of the school year with your family at the museum's annual evening tour find out how history comes to life! This year's theme is "What is it?", all about exploring curious and odd things from history. There will be scores of living historians representing many time periods, so a young guest could rub elbows with a colonial herbal woman, a Civil War soldier, a flapper next to her 1928 Model A Ford -- or even a medieval knight! Come as you are or join the fun by dressing in historic costume or as a Lowcountry animal! A light pizza supper is included, plus an ice cream station. Tickets are $10/member adult, $20/non-member adult, $5/member child, $10/non-member child, and under 3 free. Early reservations are strongly encouraged. Register online or call 722- 2996 x233. (NEW) Learn how to crab: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., June 5; 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., June 6, at the Daniel Island Waterfront Park Pier, 101 River Landing Road, Daniel Island. The Charleston Parks Conservancy will help people -- including children 5 and up with chaperones -- to learn how to catch crabs. You can even take home your catch of crabs larger than five inches! Pre-registration is a must as the class size is limited. Cost: $20 per person. More info. Magnolia's photo
contest: Entries due June 6. If you want to submit pictures
to the 2012 photo contest by Magnolia Plantations and Gardens, you can
start taking picture now. Submissions start April 1 for photos
taken between March 5 and May 31. More
info. Bird walks: 8:30 a.m. to noon, every Wednesday and Saturday. This is the time of year that a great variety of migrating birds fly through the Lowcountry so what better time to take part in one of the regular early morning bird walks at Caw Caw Interpretive Center in Ravenel. Pre-registration is suggested. Cost is $5. Learn more online. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
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Sunset
Serenade -- America's beloved opera, Porgy and Bess, comes to life
in concert form as guest conductor Joseph Young, a S.C. native, leads
the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, internationally acclaimed soprano,
Roberta A. Laws, bass baritone Alvy Powell and the CSO Spiritual Ensemble
in a performance of highlights from George Gershwin and DuBose Heyward's
classic work. The program also includes selections from Bernstein's
West Side Story and Copland's Rodeo. U.S. Custom House, Concord and
Market Sts. May 25 at 8 p.m. (corrected)
At
most, some of his friends advised, manipulating Senate rules and the Constitution
to avoid becoming lieutenant governor wouldn't be news for long. 
Until
such time as power is put underground, which may be never, it would make
more sense to simply remove large trees rather than 
The
talented husband-wife team of chefs at Twenty Six Divine offers high-quality
desserts and restaurant-quality meals. Pastry Chef Jennifer Meintel Parezo
bakes, decorates, builds and arranges specialty desserts, cakes and savory
baked goods that are inventive, delicious and beautiful. Executive Chef
Enan Parezo is head chef of an innovative new type of personal chef service
specializing in gourmet healthy meals at reasonable prices. Twenty Six
Divine offers personal chef service without the personal chef price! Each
week, the service will prepare a customized menu for your family and fill
your refrigerator with freshly-cooked, easy-to-serve meals. 
"We've
been a part of this great cause for many years now. It's near and dear
to our hearts," says Bobbi Gosselin, owner of Papa Murphy's of Charleston.
"Cancer touches all of our lives in some form - whether you have
battled cancer or know someone who has or is fighting the disease. The
Relay For Life and our heart-shaped pizzas are an emotional tribute to
cancer survivors and those we've lost to the disease. It's an honor to
be a part of the cause and raise money to give back to those in our community."
Developed
by doctors, iTriage combines health information with GPS and mapping technology
to help users find care whether they are traveling, at work or close to
home. iTriage also gives users quick and easy access to medical information
and the ability to schedule appointments from their phone. 
"We
are honored to be designated as one of the top 50 developers in the country
by Affordable Housing Finance magazine," said Tracy Doran,
president of Humanities Foundation. "This is a real milestone for
us." 
