Author: Charleston Daily

Charleston Daily is a concept in community. Its mission is to promote, assist, and celebrate in everything Charleston, South Carolina. By partnering with businesses, community leaders, volunteers and events, we are spreading the love that is Charleston. As this city continues to grow and prosper, we want to help spread the message to all about how wonderful this community is. Charleston is about the people, community, water, land, history, heritage and the true southern warmth it brings with each and every day.

Local Charleston Author Publishes Love Story Centered Around Folly Beach

November 28, 2018 by 5 Comments
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Local Charleston area author River Wild has just released a beautiful new fictional novel, The Artist’s Special Touch, focusing on Hannah and Jackson set in the backdrop of beautiful Folly Beach.

Book Description:

Have you ever loved someone so much that you never wanted to spend one moment away from them? If you ever got separated, you would find your way back to each other no matter what…

Jackson Henderson makes a magical discovery on the last day of school. He stumbles across a magazine that teaches him how to paint. In a short time, he becomes a Master Painter and discovers he’s been given a special gift.

Hannah Walker is starting a new chapter of her life in the coastal town of Folly Beach near Charleston, South Carolina after losing her mother to breast cancer.

The young couple have a chance meeting on Christmas Eve that turns into a swirling romance that takes them both by storm. As their love grows, they make a solemn promise to be together no matter what. As they navigate the twists and turns of life, tragedy strikes. Can they keep their solemn promise?

Bio/Press Release:  

River Wild grew up in Charleston and fell in love with the magical beauty that is Charleston.  During his childhood, he spent many days on Folly Beach and in the rivers of the area swimming and fishing.  Middleton Place was one of his favorite gardens to visit.  He keenly remembers climbing the storied Angel Oak Tree many years ago as well as visiting all the sites mentioned in the book.  His love of Charleston and its beauty and rich history made it a natural choice to write about.  During high school, he met and eventually married his high school sweetheart.  River served in the military and learned a lifetime of lessons dealing with people and difficult situations.  He and his wife have been married for many years and the love they share was the inspiration for the characters in the book “The Artist’s Special Touch.” The title of the book and some of the specifics were actually inspired by a country music song.  While traveling, a song came on the radio that he’d heard many times before, but now this time, something was different.  The song, “Paint Me A Birmingham,” by country artist Tracy Lawrence, touched him in a special way and this inspiration became a theme of the book.  The book doesn’t follow the song, but the ability of the artist is what captivated him and what became the central theme.  Although the book is a work of fiction, many scenes were part of the author’s life in full or in part.  It is up to the reader to figure out which ones those might be.  River and his family live in South Carolina.

BCDCOG Receives National Innovation Award for Hop Park-And-Ride Shuttle

November 26, 2018 by 0 Comments
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THE CARTA SERVICE WAS INCLUDED AMONG 90 PROJECTS NATIONALLY

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (Nov. 26, 2018) – The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) has been nationally recognized for its work spearheading the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) Hospitality on Peninsula (HOP) Shuttle.

BCDCOG recently received the 2018 Aliceann Wohlbruck Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO). The awards program recognizes regional development organizations for improving economic and community competitiveness.

Launched in April of this year via a partnership between the BCDCOG, CARTA, the City of Charleston, Charleston County and the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the HOP is the first park-and-ride offering on the Charleston peninsula. The service was developed to assist workers in the hospitality and food and beverage industries who were faced with rising parking meter costs, though the $5-per-day lot and free shuttle are open to anyone.

A recent survey of HOP riders found that 70 percent park their vehicles in the HOP lot, with a majority previously paying an average of $10 per day for parking. To date, 60,0000-plus riders from across the tri-county region have used the service, saving money and obtaining safe, reliable transportation to and from work in the process.

“The HOP showcases what can be accomplished through regional planning and cooperation,” said BCDCOG executive director Ron Mitchum. “Working closely with our partners allowed this innovative service to become a reality and a platform for future success.”

BCDCOG and the HOP were recognized at NADO’s 2018 Annual Training Conference, held in Charlotte, N.C., in October.

“The Aliceann Wohlbruck Innovation Awards program recognizes the important and wide-ranging work of regional development organizations in communities across the country,” said 2017-2018 NADO president Doug Elliott, executive director of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments, located in Cedar Rapids. “These awards demonstrate the value of regional development organizations and highlight their critical role in promoting economic development for the nation’s rural and small metropolitan communities.”

NADO is a Washington, DC-based membership association of regional development organizations that promotes programs and policies strengthening local governments, communities, and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery, and comprehensive strategies.

ABOUT BCDCOG

The BCDCOG is a voluntary association of, by and for local governments, and was established to assist Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester county leaders in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. BCDCOG’s purpose is to strengthen the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions. For the latest on BCDCOG, visit www.bcdcog.com, like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @BCDCOG.

ABOUT NADO

Since 1967 the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) has provided advocacy, education, networking, and research for the national network of 540 regional development organizations. NADO members provide professional, programmatic, and technical assistance to over 2,300 counties and 15,000 municipalities.

 

SCANA and SCE&G Settle Class Action Lawsuit with Attorney General and Plaintiffs Related to V.C. Summer Nuclear Costs

November 25, 2018 by 0 Comments
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Cayce, SC, November 24, 2018… Plaintiffs Richard Lightsey, LeBrian Cleckley, and Phillip Cooper have reached an agreement with SCANA Corporation and South Carolina Electric & Gas Company to settle a lawsuit filed in the state Court of Common Pleas in Hampton County on behalf of themselves and current and former SCE&G electric customers. The settlement addresses these customers’ claims and the Attorney General’s arguments related to the Base Load Review Act (“BLRA”). SCANA and SCE&G deny the allegations made in the lawsuit, but have agreed to resolve this matter.

SCANA and SCE&G have agreed to a Common Benefit Fund comprised of the following amounts, to be distributed to the class members:

1) A credit of up to $2,000,000,000.00 in future electric rate relief will inure to the benefit of the Common Benefit Fund in favor of class members over a period of time established in the proceeding pending before the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (the PSC); and

2) A cash payment of $115,000,000.00, which will include the full value of the SCANA rabbi trust funded in January 2018 that was created in whole or in part for executive change-in-control payments; and

3) Transfer of SCE&G owned real estate or sales proceeds from the sale of real properties, including among others, the Ramsey Grove Plantation; the original Charleston Gas & Light Building at 141 Meeting Street in Charleston; and certain Otarre properties in Cayce.

Distribution of any settlement funds is subject to court approval, as well as a final order

by the PSC approving a merger between SCANA Corporation and Dominion Energy, and a closing of the proposed merger between the parties.

Affected current and former SCE&G customers will receive information regarding their rights under the settlement. Eligible settlement class members will receive compensation in the form of a bill credit or a payment of an amount to be distributed by a court-approved class action administrator. Upon the approval of the settlement announced today, the lawsuit will be dismissed by agreement and the claims of SCE&G ratepayers will be resolved.

Former United States Attorney, and lead counsel for the certified class, J. Preston Strom, Jr., had the following to say about the terms of this settlement: “In reaching this agreement, we have been able to secure more than $ 2 billion in relief and accountability for the people of South Carolina. We thank the Attorney General’s office for their hard work throughout this case and particularly in securing the return of funds set aside for executive bonus payments to the ratepayers.”

 

Attorney General Alan Wilson issued the following statement: “The settlement reached today is the result of countless hours of work by our office seeking to make SCE&G customers whole for the abandonment of the failed V.C. Summer nuclear project. I am proud of the hard work of my entire team in bringing about this result, starting with the aggressive posture of Solicitor General Bob Cook regarding constitutional issues related to the Base Load Review Act, and continuing through tough settlement negotiations to bring resolution to civil matters related to these issues.”

“At all times, our goal has been to look out for the ratepayer and see that justice is done. We believe that this settlement, which encompasses over $2 billion in benefits, is the largest of its kind in the history of South Carolina. The settlement resolves the injury that SCE&G customers suffered under the Base Load Review Act by refunding revised rates previously collected. We also required that the entirety of the SCANA rabbi trust, which had a number of financial benefits for senior managers of SCE&G, be made available for the payment of obligations of the company.”

“This milestone ends our pursuit for restitution to ratepayers, but does not end our inquiry into the individual actors that may have contributed to the project’s failure. We want to acknowledge the hard work of the private lawyers who zealously fought for the interests of ratepayers as well through various lawsuits filed on the behalf of SCE&G ratepayers.”

“Additionally, we want to thank Dominion Energy for its willingness to provide the financial resources necessary to make this restitution. It is important to note that Dominion Energy was not involved in the creation of this situation, and we appreciate its role in finding a resolution that serves the best interests of SCE&G ratepayers.”

Jim Stuckey, SCANA’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel, issued the following statement: “We are pleased that we were able to achieve a mutually

acceptable resolution of this matter so that we can keep our focus on moving forward with the merger with Dominion Energy.”

The State of South Carolina was represented in this matter by Attorney General Alan Wilson. Class Counsel are J. Preston Strom, Jr.; John R. Alphin, Jessica L. Fickling, Mario A. Pacella; and Bakari T. Sellers, of Strom Law Firm, LLC; Terry Richardson, Edward Westbrook, and Daniel S. Haltiwanger, of Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC in Barnwell; Dan Speights and A.G. Solomons, III of Speights and Solomons in Hampton; J. Edward Bell of the Bell Legal Group, LLC in Georgetown; James L. Ward, Jr., and Whitney B. Harrison of McGowan, Hood & Felder, LLC; Vincent Sheheen of Savage, Royall, & Sheheen, L.LP.; and Gregory Galvin of the Galvin Law Group. SCE&G and SCANA are represented by David Balser and Jon Chally of King & Spalding LLP in Atlanta, GA; Leah B. Moody of the Moody Law Firm in Rock Hill, SC; and Jamie Becker and Bob Knowlton of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd in Columbia, SC.

PROFILE

SCANA Corporation, headquartered in Cayce, SC, is an energy-based holding company principally engaged, through subsidiaries, in electric and natural gas utility operations and other energy-related businesses. Information about SCANA and its businesses is available on the Company’s website at www.scana.com.

Media Contact: Analyst Contact:
Public Affairs Bryant Potter
(800) 562-9308 (803) 217-6916

Mount Pleasant, SC

Charleston Cars & Coffee (Every Saturday, 8 AM) – Mount Pleasant Towne Center (In Front of Atlanta Bread)

November 23, 2018 by 7 Comments
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A bunch of car and motorcycle enthusiasts that meet up every Saturday around 8AM at the Mount Pleasant Towne Centre in front of Atlanta Bread Company.

Mission:

Establishing a weekly meeting place for car enthusiasts in the Charleston, SC area.

Currently meeting every Saturday at 0800 at the Mount Pleasant Towne Centre (in front of Atlanta Bread Company).

Description:

A place for car enthusiasts of any marque to share information and plan events in the Charleston, SC area.

Army Corps dedicates $41M to deepen South Carolina harbor

November 22, 2018 by 0 Comments
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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday announced the release of more than $40 million to help deepen a South Carolina harbor, bringing total federal funding for the project to $108 million thus far.

The Army Corps announced that it was dedicating $41.4 million to deepen the Charleston Harbor to 52 feet (16 meters), a project that will make it the deepest on the East Coast.

50 feet (15 meters) so the Port of Charleston can handle a new generation of larger container ships that are becoming more popular in global shipping.

South Carolina State Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome has said that handling larger ships without waiting for high tides so they can reach the docks is a key to the competitiveness of the state’s ports, a sentiment he echoed in a statement Wednesday.

“This depth advantage is vitally important for significant long-term volume growth and the deployment of large container ships,” Newsome said. “We are very grateful for the dedication and hard work by many to keep this project moving forward at record speed.”

In 2014, the Army Corps released a long-awaited draft feasibility study and environmental impact statement on a deepening project, proposing that it would cost just over a half-billion dollars, higher than the $350 million previously suggested. Officials have estimated the project could take anywhere from three to six years.

Construction to deepen the Charleston Harbor Entrance Channel to 54 feet (16 meters) began in February after the first two dredging contracts were awarded.

The federal share of the more than $500 million total project cost is an estimated $166 million, and Newsome has said the port needs about $90 million in federal funds each year for three years to stay on schedule.

The South Carolina General Assembly has put aside $300 million for the work, plus made available a $50 million loan to be paid back by the federal government.

Both U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott lauded the effort. In a news release, Gov. Henry McMaster said the port expansion is “an investment in our entire state’s future,” with so many goods moving through the area.

“When companies see that we are committed to our infrastructure, they have reason to be more confident in their investment in our communities, which means more jobs for our people,” McMaster said. “The Charleston Harbor becoming the deepest on the East Coast will one day be seen as one of the most impactful moments in South Carolina’s prosperous economic future.”

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Meg Kinnard can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.

Today Marks the 155th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address – A tribute in pictures and audio

November 19, 2018 by 0 Comments
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155 years ago today, November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered one of the most important speeches in United States history.
This speech began a chain reaction that would set the stage for the end of slavery in America.

Today, we would like honor the man, the speech and our freedom.

Gettysburg Address

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Abraham Lincoln – November 19, 1863

 

Demystifying the Mystery of Pilates: A Lowcountry Perspective

November 17, 2018 by 0 Comments
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What is it? One local instructor and studio owner says “it’s like taking WD40 to the joints.”

Story and Photos by Tonya McGue

Stars like Reese Witherspoon, Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Madonna do it. Doctors, retired people and professional athletes do it. People with pain or injuries use it to help them recover.

If you do a Google search on Pilates in the Lowcountry, about 50 places pop up offering some form of Pilates. They include dedicated Pilates studios, big gyms, physical therapy centers, spas and boutique fitness centers. Almost 9 million people in the U.S. participate in Pilates, but if you ask non-participants what they think Pilates is, most don’t know.

Peeking in a Pilates studio, it’s hard to tell what it is. Is it physical therapy? The equipment kind of looks like it. Is it yoga? Many of the participants have lean, muscular bodies and are holding athletic poses. Is it personal training? There’s one or two people working with one trainer.

So, what are they doing? What is Pilates?

In short, Pilates is a low-impact, resistance-based fitness system invented by German Joseph Pilates. He was a bodybuilder who firmly believed in the importance of mind-body connection.  His method is based on a combination of western bodybuilding, gymnastics, eastern yoga, tai chi and meditation. He called it Controlology.

During World War I, Pilates was interned as an enemy alien. He began experimenting with rehabilitation techniques. His system consisted of 500 different exercises, still used today, some performed on a mat and others using special equipment.

He helped bed-ridden patients recover from their arm and leg injuries which resulted in the creation of The Cadillac, Pilates equipment that looks similar to a WWI hospital bed with straps and springs. Other Pilates equipment includes The Reformer (looks somewhat like a rowing machine), the Wunda Chair, the Ladder Barrel and the Wall Tower, all using a spring-based system.

“We really pride ourselves on the equipment we use,” said Dana Romanosky, a certified Pilates instructor at Coastal Body Studio in The Shoppes at Brickyard in Mount Pleasant. “Pilates is all about spinal decompression and balancing the large and small muscles that support our joints. Using the springs on the equipment really differentiates Pilates from other types of exercise.”

Pilates focuses on core strength, posture, balance and flexibility. It emphasizes the connection between body and mind and is for people of all athletic abilities, beginner to advanced.

Lindsay Jackson Ward, owner of Coastal Body, a classical Pilates studio that offers private and semi-private sessions, said, “The number one priority is seeing results safely and quickly. The three main Pilates principles are Stretch, Strength and Control.”

To ensure results, certified Pilates instructors are required to complete intensive instruction which includes personal workouts, lectures, observation and a teaching apprenticeship program. “It took me almost two years while working full-time as a waitress,” Lindsay said. “It was like getting a degree.” Lindsay and Dana completed over 700 hours of training, including advanced teacher instruction.

Lindsay, a former professional dancer, first heard about Pilates from a friend who was a certified instructor. “After hanging up my shoes, I tried Pilates and got hooked right away. It includes movement, strength, balance and flexibility. I felt like I was in the same world.” Within a few months of becoming certified, she bought Coastal Body Studio.

Lindsay said one of the biggest misconceptions about Pilates is that it’s for women. “Actually, almost half my clients are men. Most of them are golfers who want to maintain strength and flexibility so they can keep playing well.”

J.B. Belicka (pictured), one of Lindsay’s clients, said he started doing Pilates about 20 years ago because of pain from a bulging disk in his back. “It helped me almost immediately,” he said. “If I don’t do it consistently, at least two times a week, my back starts acting up again. I can get laid up for weeks if I miss many sessions.”

Dana also discovered Pilates because of pain in her back. “I had a car accident and for 10 years I couldn’t get rid of the pain in my back and hips. Nothing worked,” she said. “I tried Pilates and it helped right away. It fixed my alignment. I don’t know why my doctors and physical therapists didn’t suggest it. The experience was so transformative, I changed careers from an equity marketing manager to a Pilates instructor. Other people need to know about its benefits and I want to share how amazing it is.”

Dana is a big proponent of Pilates being the next step after physical therapy. “It’s the natural next step after PT. Pilates corrects alignment. It’s about raising awareness of movement and breathing. Our goal is for people to take what they learn out the door so that they can live their lives more fully, playing that golf game or being able to pick up their child without pain. It’s music to our ears when we hear a client say she noticed she was slouching and corrected her posture immediately.”

Lindsay said, “It’s awesome to see people feel good, improve their posture and flexibility, get stronger and have more energy. Pilates is like taking WD40 to the joints.”

@coastalbodystudio

https://www.coastalbodystudio.com/

Mount Pleasant, SC

The Weather is Crisp, the Air is Sharp and Tavern & Table’s New Fall Menu is Live

November 14, 2018 by 0 Comments
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By Mark A. Leon

There is something special in the air in the Lowcountry this time of year.  The Festival of Lights are illuminating our nights, holiday markets are brimming in the air, the words of Dickens are echoing from the walls and the new Autumn menu for Tavern & Table is finally live.

Today kicks off the official release of the Autumn/Fall Menu for Tavern &Table in Mount Pleasant located on the heart of Shem Creek.

We were honored to be part of the kick off celebration featuring custom seasonal cocktails and dishes that will surely leave you in a festive mood.

Some highlights that will be featured for the next four months as we move into the Autumn and Winter seasons are:

  • Fire Roasted Oysters – Braised spinach, chorizo, garlic aioli
  • Burnt End Mac & Cheese – BBQ brisket, orecchiette, fondue, cornbread crumble
  • Salmon Salad – Broiled salmon, baby watercress, shaved brussels, parmesan, sunflower seeds, lemon confit, lemon vinaigrette
  • Truffle Fondue Burger – Carmelized onions, pickled shiitake mushrooms, truffle fondue
  • Braised Short Rib – Bone-in short rib, parsnip puree, maple roasted carrots, roasted celery and cippollini onions
  • Lamb Bolognese – New Zealand lamb, house-made ricotta cavatelli, piquillo peppers, tomatoes, bread crumb, parmesan
  • Pork Duo – Keegan-Filion Farms pork, cheddar grits, cider braised cabbage, brown butter + apple thyme compote
  • Crab Salad Roll – Jumbo lump crab, crispy potato strings, challah roll with duck fat fries or sweet potato wedges
  • Steak Salad – Seared sirloin ‘bavette’ steak, arugula, frisee, blue cheese, candied hazelnuts, shaved pears, balsamic dressing

We hope this provides an enticing preview.

Here are the complete lunch and dinner menus available today!!!

Tavern & Table Lunch Menu

Tavern & Table Dinner Menu

Do your homework, make your reservation and make this holiday season a special on at Tavern & Table.