“Frederick Douglass…No Turning Back” a Theatrical Triumph – Returning for Spoleto 2019

Read More

By Mark A. Leon

Enter into the Circular Congregational Church, with the harmony of piano orchestrated by Rachel Premo in the background and the slight hint of sunlight radiating through the stain glass. Stage Right, Pastor Brewster and Frederick Douglass walk slowly and sit patiently waiting for the conclusion of the musical number.

At this moment, you are miraculously taken back to 1872.

After a passionately beautiful introduction by Pastor Brewster played with prominence and poise by Clarence Felder, Frederick Douglass takes the podium. As Felder slowly descends from the stage, the dominant Douglass rises from obscurity to voice a generation with his masterful oratory gift and his passion for the brotherhood of humanity.

Over the next hour, acting sensation Kyle Taylor transforms into the embodiment of Frederick Douglass.

Through tremendous adversity, his faith in Christianity and Jesus and his mission to abolish ignorance and promote freedom for all mankind, Frederick Douglass gave a life dedicated to the values of equality. With nothing but faith, he escaped the chains of oppression to find meaning and share his message to the masses.

Kyle Taylor’s one man performance, like the life of Frederick Douglass is filled with courage, hope, humor and song. As he sung the gospel of Jesus, channeling the soulful voice of the likes of Paul Robeson, the audience felt shivers, applauding each note with ovation.

As the final cries of peace concluded this triumphant performance, the entire room rose and gave a full one minute ovation until the moment Taylor exited the church floor.

As Taylor spoke of the journey of Douglass with vulnerable transparency, his emulation of this critical figure in US history began real and the dialogue soon became a metamorphosis. It is rare in live theatre, then an actor can bring to life so much of the pure essence of a character as Kyle Taylor has done with Douglass.

Throughout this one act play, the audience is taken on a roller coaster of emotion from hatred of the ignorance, to empathy for the cause to celebration of freedom.

In one of many entrancingly moving scenes, Douglass recounts the moment his stood up to his Master. It was that act of bravery that not only led to his Master never hitting him again, but solidified the realization he had become a man. This would become the true turning point when slave became leader.

History is driven by moments. These moments are all part of a larger journey. Books, letters and manuscripts paint a beautiful picture and help us piece together the lives of our forefathers, but to bring to life the remarkable story of a single man, whose life led him from slavery to a seat with President Lincoln, takes a respectful act of research, patience and heart.

Chris Weatherhead has orchestrated a piece of writing and direction that is a filled with so much heart and honesty, that is must be experienced. Her dedication to the authenticity of American history and mission to continue to share the stories of our founding fathers and inspirational leaders is a testament to the play she has shared with us.

Kyle Taylor is an absolute triumph. His vision of Frederick Douglass was so real, so raw and so poignant, it may be one of the best performances of the Spoleto season.

See Frederick Douglass:  No Turning Back at Spoleto 2019

No show may be more important to see during Spoleto than ‘Fredrick Douglass: No Turning Back’ – http://bit.ly/2Q8HSDT

Is Charleston, South Carolina defining the new look of corporate America?

Read More

The business complex of “Pacific Box & Crate”, located on the King Street Extension, that houses Boomtown, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company, Twelve South, The Harbor Entrepreneur Center, Workshop, The Middleton Group, Palmetto Clean Technology, Con Rex and MVMT may be redefining how we look at corporate architectural design, work life balance and corporate lifestyle.

This aesthetically pleasing complex provides area for work, play, relaxation, dining, thinking and creative release. Its state of the art facility combining the elements of modern architectural design and nature have created a local buzz and could be one of the influencers of modern corporate design in the future.

Take a journey through the grounds and see how Charleston is building a balance between work, play, wellness and productivity. Soon you will see why the little recreational community of Charleston, SC is becoming a hub for technological growth and expansion.

Pacific Box & Crate Official Website

Grand Opening of Blade and Bull’s Axe Throwing Facility! – Saturday, May 18, 2019

Read More

We’re finally OPEN. Please join us to celebrate the long awaited Grand Opening of our Park Circle AXE THROWING facility on Saturday 5/18 from 12pm-12am. To guarantee yourself a spot, please visit www.bladeandbull.com and click “Book now – Park Circle Facility”. We expect to fill all the available slots, so book quickly. Walk-ins will be welcomed, but there is no guarantee for axe throwing availability.

In addition to axe throwing, we offer beer, wine, and mead. Drink them out of authentic viking Ale Horns, hand carved from ox horn. We have a medieval bar/dining hall where you can enjoy food from Southern Roots Park Circle and Azul Mexicano Restaurante. We are glad to order and pick up your food, then deliver it to your axe throwing lane.

All ages welcome. Kids as young as 6 have been successful, but if the younger ones aren’t having any luck, we have a foam/velcro target for them.

Blade and Bull – 1077 E. Montague Ave North Charleston, SC 29405

Official Website

Koniver Wellness Welcomes Premiere Fitness Expert Ben Greenfield to Charleston

Read More

CHARLESTON, S.C. – One of the most influential health and fitness experts is coming to Charleston for a discussion on health and longevity. Ben Greenfield is an ex-bodybuilder, Ironman triathlete, obstacle course racer, human performance consultant, speaker and author of 13 books, including the New York Times bestseller “Beyond Training.”

Dr. Craig Koniver, founder of Koniver Wellness in Mount Pleasant, is hosting Greenfield on Wednesday, May 29, for a dinner and discussion on biohacking, brain performance, longevity and more. The event is 6-8 p.m. at Tradd’s, 167 East Bay St. in Charleston. Tickets are $250 each and include dinner and a goodie bag.

Greenfield lives in Washington where he is the founder and CEO of Kion, creating step-by-step solutions – from supplements and fitness gear, to coaching and consulting, to education and media – for individuals and athletes around the world who want to live a truly limitless life with fully optimized minds, bodies and spirits.

“As one of the leading innovators in the biohacking space, Ben Greenfield has a plethora of cutting-edge information,” Koniver said. “We are excited to bring him to Charleston to spread his knowledge of fitness, nutrition and longevity to all the health and fitness enthusiasts in our community.”

Koniver has been practicing performance medicine for more than 18 years. He helps his clients optimize their health and performance through time-tested, nutrient and science driven protocols that are the cutting-edge of medicine.

Be part of this lively discussion on the future of medicine. Space is limited to 80; purchase tickets online.

Sweetgrass Festival Basket Maker & Crafter Applications Available Online (Mount Pleasant, SC)

Read More

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (May 15, 2019) – Applications to participate in the Sweetgrass Basket and Craft Show at the 15th Annual Sweetgrass Festival on Saturday, July 13 at the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park are now available at ExperienceMountPleasant.com.

Basket makers, crafters and artists who conceive their own designs and execute original finished products are invited to apply to participate. Crafter and artist applications are juried simultaneously with the best entries in each category selected on a limited basis to offer a diverse and balanced show. The application deadline is May 28.

The annual Sweetgrass Festival in Mount Pleasant is designed to promote and bring attention to the contributions of the Gullah people’s history, culture, traditions and their sweetgrass basket art form that originated in Mount Pleasant and continues to exist in our town and surrounding communities today.

Offering free admission, entertainment and activities, the Sweetgrass Festival also provides an opportunity for local basket makers to showcase, promote and market their sweetgrass merchandise to locals as well as cultural tourists from around the country.

Additionally, the Sweetgrass Festival provides an opportunity for engagement, interaction and exposure to the Gullah People’s cultures. Informative and interesting educational sessions will enlighten and entertain participants of all ages.

For more information and the application, please visit ExperienceMountPleasant.com/events/sweetgrass-festival or facebook.com/MountPleasantRec

CARTA Moving Forward with Fare and Pass Improvements

Read More

SENIOR FARES TO EXPAND, TRANSFER FEES TO BE ELIMINATED, WEEKLY FARES TO BE ESTABLISHED

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (May 15, 2019) – Today, the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) Board of Directors approved moving forward with the following items:

  • Expansion of Senior Fares ($1 per ride) to all operating hours (previously available between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.)
  • Elimination of transfer fees (currently 50 cents)
  • Establishment of weekly unlimited regular passes ($15) and Express passes ($25) (currently available on a monthly basis)

CARTA staff will now revise official policies and complete required authorizations to put the changes in place for approval at the July 15 board meeting.

“The steps taken today will directly benefit a large portion of our ridership by easing strain on wallets and reducing barriers to mobility,” said CARTA Board of Directors Chairman Mike Seekings. “The board is focused on continuing to develop a system that works hard for riders in a convenient and cost-efficient manner and our work to this point has placed us in a position to make constructive decisions like this.”

The CARTA board noted the involvement of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry in bringing forward the changes for consideration.

ABOUT CARTA

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is a public transportation system dedicated to providing affordable transit in the Charleston community through local fixed routes, on-demand paratransit service, and express commuter routes. For the latest on CARTA, visit www.ridecarta.com, like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @RideCARTA. All customers are encouraged to plan rides and track buses with the CARTA-endorsed Transit app.

Charleston, SC Based The Cassina Group Closes First Quarter with Record Sales Volume

Read More

The Cassina Group, a Charleston, SC based real estate firm, closed the first quarter of 2019 with a record sales volume for the company. The high-producing firm closed 92 deals, a 13% increase over their first quarter of 2018 and an exceptionally impressive feat given that the firm only has 38 REALTORS®. Their average sales price for the first quarter of 2019 was $635,997.

CHARLESTON, S.C., May 12, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Cassina Group, a Charleston, SC based real estate firm, closed the first quarter of 2019 with a record sales volume for the company. The high-producing firm closed 92 deals, a 13% increase over their first quarter of 2018 and an exceptionally impressive feat given that the firm only has 38 REALTORS®. Their average sales price for the first quarter of 2019 was $635,997. Follow this story to get email or text alerts from WRCB when there is a future article following this storyline.Follow this story

“We are extremely impressed with our first quarter numbers,” said Owen Tyler, Partner and Managing Broker of The Cassina Group. “Our full-time, experienced agents are the best REALTORS® in Charleston, and we are exceptionally grateful for our loyal clients who continue to work with us transaction after transaction.”

Fourteen of the firm’s first quarter sales were over $1,000,000. Some especially notable transactions include the sale of 517 King Street, a penthouse condo in King Street Lofts, which sold for $3,300,000. Elizabeth Ramsay Dickinson represented the sellers and Stephanie Wilson-Hartzog represented the buyers. The firm also had three notable sales in The Crescent-9 Johnson Road (Robertson Allen represented the sellers, Curry Smoak represented the buyers; $2,200,000), 6 Broughton Road (Robertson Allen represented the buyers and the sellers; $1,400,000) and 24 Jamestown Road (Adam Edwards represented the buyers; $1,350,000). The Cassina Group also had two significant sales in the exclusive Olde Park neighborhood in Mount Pleasant. Meghan Webster represented the sellers on 735 Olde Central Way ($2,650,000) and Jimmy Dye represented the sellers on 310 Pilots Point ($1,445,000).

Other notable sales include:

  • 4020 Betsey Kerrison Road (Garrett Rust represented the buyers; $2,675,000)
  • 28 New Street (Charles McIntosh represented the sellers; $1,750,000)
  • 43 Vincent Drive (Carter Rowson represented the sellers; $1,339,000)
  • 121 Freeman Street (Jackie Kelly, represented the buyers; $1,199,000)
  • 189 N Shelmore Boulevard (Laura Rembert, Chip Eiserhardt & Heath Verner represented the sellers; $1,075,000)
  • 912 Mciver Street (Phil Sykes and Jay Unger represented the buyers; $1,075,000)
  • 558 Planters Loop (Jackie Kelly represented the sellers; $1,060,000)
  • 15 57th Avenue (Jason Ogden represented the buyers; $1,182,500)

SOURCE The Cassina Group

West Point will Graduate 32 Black Women in their 2019 Class – Largest Group Ever

Read More

For the 2019 graduating class at West Point, 32 black women will be joining that elite class of graduates. This is the single largest graduating class in the history of the academy.

Because Of Them We Can reports 32 Black women graduated from West Point.

Cadet Tiffany Welch-Baker told the outlet, “My hope when young Black girls see these photos is that they understand that regardless of what life presents you, you have the ability and fortitude to be a force to be reckoned with.” She also said, “In just a short while I met so many cadets that looked like me, and that offered me some comfort. I have been fortunate to have my sisters in arms, we have been fortunate to have each other.”

Thank you for bringing this truly amazing story to light and sharing what a bright future we have ahead.

Photo Credit: Because of Them We Can and Tiffany Welch-Baker’s mother

Clover Health Survey Finds 57 Percent of Charleston Seniors Are Concerned About Their Financial Stability

Read More

As the Lowcountry population ages, nearly half of retired residents have considered returning to work for financial reasons

CHARLESTON, S.C. (May 3, 2019) – Newly released survey results from Clover Health revealed 57 percent of Charleston adults 60 and older are concerned about their future financial stability. Further, 47 percent of retired seniors surveyed have considered re-entering the workforce for financial reasons, indicating a worrisome trend for the Lowcountry’s aging population.

Despite this level of financial instability, Charleston seniors are less worried than their peers across the U.S. Nationally, 72 percent of adults over 60 expressed concerns about their future financial well-being, but are on par with those retirees who have contemplated re-entering the workforce (47 percent).

The Clover survey also found that:

  • Charleston women over 60 worry more about their finances than men: While 62 percent of female seniors are concerned about their future financial stability, just 51 percent of local men reported feeling the same. Women are also more likely to consider going back to work – 49 percent said they’ve thought about coming out of retirement for financial reasons, compared to only 45 percent of men.
  • Suburban seniors have more financial peace of mind: Just 50 percent of Lowcountry adults over 60 living in the suburbs are concerned about financial stability, compared to 69 percent of those living in rural areas and 61 percent living in the city.
  • Charleston’s low-income seniors admit to serious concern about future financial stability: A whopping 91 percent of local seniors with a household income below $35,000 are concerned about future finances, compared to 57 percent of those who make $35,000 to $74,999, and just 21 percent of older adults with an income above $75,000.
  • Older adults living alone are more likely to consider coming out of retirement: 72 percent of Charleston seniors who live alone have considered coming out of retirement for financial reasons, compared to 41 percent of those who do not live alone.

As Americans continue to live longer than before, it is no surprise the workforce is changing. In fact, one recent analysis of Labor Department data reveals that of the 2.9 million new jobs gained in 2018, nearly half (1.4 million) were taken by adults 55 and over. While some older adults are going back to work to alleviate boredom or to remain active as they age, deciding to leave retirement due to financial stress can be detrimental to the health of those individuals.

“It’s disheartening to see that more than half of Charleston seniors have serious financial concerns,” said Dr. Jennifer Stolin, MD an in-network Clover physician from Palmetto Primary Palmetto Primary Care Physicians, Oakbrook office. “Adults with poor financial health are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression, migraines, and trouble sleeping. Even in times of stress, it’s crucial to continue to visit your primary care doctor for proactive ways to maintain your mental and physical health.”

As a Medicare Advantage plan serving the Lowcountry, Clover is focused on preventative healthcare by leveraging data and its technology platform to proactively address potential illnesses and complications. In doing so, Clover helps its members mitigate the risk of hospitalizations along with the accompanying financial stressors, something that is extremely valuable to seniors on a fixed income.  

The study from Clover, a healthcare company using technology to improve medical outcomes, was conducted by Wakefield Research of 300 adults age 60 and older in Charleston. The national survey was of 1,000 adults 60+ throughout the U.S.