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.

Charleston 9 Brick Project

March 13, 2017 by 0 Comments

On June 18, 2007 the Charleston Fire Department lost 9 of its own in the Sofa Super Store Fire. This had been the single deadliest fire incident since 9/11 where immediately after, the families, Charleston Firefighters, Citizens, and the fire service mourned. The Charleston Fire Department would never be the same and committing to never allowing this to happen again, epic changes ensued and to this day continue. We also believe the fire service has changed because of the fire and we pray that it’s never repeated.

According to The Post and Courier, On April 23, 2008 after 90 minutes of debate and objections to the cost voiced by several council members, Charleston City Council agreed to purchase the site for $1.85 million dollars.  Mayor Riley called the site of the disastrous June 18th fire “sacred ground”, and when it meant the most, our City Council stepped up in the face of opposition and did the right thing. The memorial site was constructed and markers were placed where each of the firefighters were found. Currently the site consists of the markers, a flag pole and shrubs.

Fire and Iron Motorcycle Club Station 28-Charleston wants to do our part and help take the memorial to the next level and we need your support to make it happen. There is a path way from the parking lot to the flag pole that guides visitors to the center of the memorial. Currently the pathway is gravel crush and our project is to replace it with engraved bricks. We estimate a need for 10,000 bricks to cover the area and it is our hope that you’ll support our efforts, place you name in sacred ground, and forever remember the Charleston 9. With your contribution, you will transform the Charleston 9 Memorial into a place of Honor for the fallen, peace for the families, and respect for all who visit.

The Charleston 9 will always be near and dear to the members of the Charleston Fire Department and the Citizens of Charleston. With your help, they’ll know we haven’t forgotten, they made the ultimate sacrifice.

Thank you for your support!

 We are selling 4×8 bricks with 3 lines and 18 characters for $100, 8×8 bricks with 6 lines and 18 characters for $150. Additionally we are selling donor bricks and donor certificates.

*For more information, and to donate visit our website http://www.fireandiron28.com/charleston-9-memorial-page  

A Few Things To Get Over On “National Get Over It Day”

March 9, 2017 by 0 Comments
By, Minta Pavliscsak

March 9th is National Get Over It Day. Originally conceived by a guy attempting to get over his girlfriend, he quickly realized how it can apply to so much more. There is so much in life that is beyond our control, yet it is going to happen anyway. And as bad as we think life may get, always remember one thing…It Could Always Be Worse!
So you have a choice. You can complain, wallow in self-pity, be a poster child for gloom and doom, OR you can make the decision to do something about it and simply Get Over It!

In case you need some inspiration of something to get over today, here are a few things we have noticed both around our community and elsewhere that have gotten their fair share of griping lately. Why not, at least just for today, Get Over it?!

– Traffic problems in and around Charleston.

– The extension of 526.

– Alcohol ban on the beaches.

– Hotel growth on the peninsula.

– Trump.

– The ever increasing cost of living in Charleston.

– Tourist season.

– Daily population migration into Charleston.

– The new presence of cranes in the Holy City.

– Folly Gras 2017.

Many people have said it many different ways. The bottom line is nobody is going to be happy all the time. The key is to make the most of what you have while you are lucky enough to have it. Today we are reminded of this.

“Life’s not fair. Get over it!” -Bill  Gates

A Woman’s Place – Original Poem by Charleston Poet Loretta Jophlin (In Support of International Women’s Day)

March 8, 2017 by 0 Comments

A poem from me to you, in honor of International Women’s Day.

A Woman’s Place – Original Poem

By Loretta Jophlin

Today we celebrate our gifts to make the world a better place

We have fought to be counted amongst the human race

We are not here for your pleasure, but we’ll alleviate your pain

You can’t “grab” us or grope us in jest for your game

We are not an accessory, a muse or a “plate”

Our strength is limitless and we stand against hate

We are half of the world, half of the love, half of the power

We have come through the worst and lived our darkest hour

Women unite, with children and our brothers

We fight for justice and respect each other

We won’t be reminded of “our place” again

Our place is this world, equal to all men.

*Loretta has been a featured poet twice in the last year at East Bay Meeting House Monday Evening Poetry and Open Mic

She recently published a collection entitled “Ephemeral Unions:  The Art of Never Being Still”

Roper Hospital and Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital Named to Truven Health Analytics, IBM Watson Health, 100 Top Hospitals Award Winners

March 6, 2017 by 0 Comments

ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Truven Health Analytics®, part of the IBM Watson Health™ business, released its annual study identifying the 100 Top U.S. hospitals based on their overall organizational performance. The annual five-year trend analysis found significant improvement for U.S. hospitals on a number of key quality measures, such as inpatient mortality and complication rates, 30-day readmissions, and lengths of stay. It also found costs were held flat for the majority of U.S. hospitals.

The time period analyzed, 2011 through 2015, coincides with the hospital industry’s initial adoption of value-based care. The national improvement in quality metrics, concurrent with curbed growth in expense, may be a harbinger of future trends as more hospitals shift away from fee-for-service payment models.

“The hospital industry’s ongoing transition from fee-for-service to value-based care appears to be bearing some positive results for both patients and payers,” said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president at Truven Health Analytics. “The magnitude of improvement we’ve observed over the last five years is greater than any other five-year period we’ve tracked. On top of that, this year’s winners have reached new highs in performance in comparison to peers across the country, which suggests that improvement in value from hospitals is likely to continue.”

Nationwide Hospital Benchmarks

The 100 Top Hospitals study calculates five-year changes in performance on an annual basis. This directional performance data provides a granular look at where U.S. hospitals are showing the most significant improvement, and where performance has plateaued or declined. Some of the most noteworthy trends in overall hospital performance include:

  • Significantly Improved 30-Day Readmission Rates: One of the most closely watched quality metrics, 30-day readmission rates, has shown significant improvement in 52 percent of U.S. hospitals over the last five years. That rate has stayed flat in 48 percent of hospitals and worsened in just 0.1 percent of hospitals.
  • Significantly Improved Mortality Index: The risk-adjusted mortality showed significant improvement in 21 percent of U.S. hospitals over the study period, remained steady in 79 percent of hospitals, while only 0.1 percent of hospitals saw an increase in mortality.
  • Shorter Average Length of Stay: The severity-adjusted average length of stay improved in 18 percent of U.S. hospitals over the same time period. That rate held steady in 76 percent of hospitals and worsened in six percent of hospitals.
  • Flat Inpatient Expenses: The average cost of treating an inpatient over the five-year study period improved in two percent of U.S. hospitals, held flat in 79 percent of hospitals, and worsened in 19 percent of hospitals.

100 Top Hospitals Performance vs. Peer Benchmarks

The Truven Health 100 Top Hospitals winners’ performance and improvement substantially exceeds that of peers, resulting higher national benchmarks than the previous year. This year’s Truven Health 100 Top Hospitals award winners saw mortality index rates that were 23 percent better than peer group hospitals and complications index rates that were 17 percent better than peer group hospitals. They achieved this while also incurring inpatient expenses that were nine percent lower than their peers.

Based on the results of this year’s study, if all Medicare inpatients received the same level of care as those treated in the award-winning facilities:

  • Nearly than 89,000 additional lives could be saved;
  • Over 61,000 additional patients could be complication free;
  • Over $5.6 billion in inpatient costs could be saved;
  • The average patient stay would decrease by half a day;
  • Over 300,000 fewer discharged patients would be readmitted within 30 days;
  • Patients would spend nine minutes less in hospital emergency departments per visit.

If the same standards were applied to all inpatient care, the impact would be even greater.

The Truven Health 100 Top Hospitals is the most comprehensive, academically driven study of its kind. It evaluates clinical and operational performance in 11 areas, addressing: inpatient mortality; 30-day mortality rate; complications; core measures; 30-day risk-adjusted readmission rate; severity-adjusted average length of stay; mean emergency room throughput; inpatient expense per discharge; Medicare spend per beneficiary; adjusted operating profit margin; and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) score (patient rating of overall hospital performance). The study has been conducted annually since 1993.

For the ninth year, Truven Health Analytics is also recognizing the 100 Top Hospitals Everest Award winners — those hospitals among the 100 winners that delivered the greatest rate of improvement over five years. This year, there are 10 Everest Award winners.

To conduct the 100 Top Hospitals study, Truven Health researchers evaluated 2,740 short-term, acute care, non-federal hospitals. They used public information — Medicare cost reports, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) data, and core measures and patient satisfaction data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare website. Hospitals do not apply for awards, and winners do not pay to market this honor.

For more information, visit www.100tophospitals.com.

Here are the winning hospitals, by category, with asterisks indicating the Everest Award winners:

Major Teaching Hospitals

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital – Park Ridge, IL
Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville – Jacksonville, FL*
Beaumont Hospital – Royal Oak – Royal Oak, MI*
Emory University Hospital – Atlanta, GA
Houston Methodist Hospital – Houston, TX
NorthShore University HealthSystem – Evanston, IL
Northwestern Memorial Hospital – Chicago, IL
Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans, LA
OhioHealth Doctors Hospital – Columbus, OH
Providence – Providence Park Hospital – Southfield, MI
SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – St. Louis, MO
St. Joseph Mercy Hospital – Ann Arbor, MI*
St. Luke’s University Hospital – Bethlehem – Bethlehem, PA
University of Colorado Hospital – Aurora, CO
University of Utah Health Care – Salt Lake City, UT

Teaching Hospitals

Adventist Medical Center Hinsdale – Hinsdale, IL
Aspirus Wausau Hospital – Wausau, WI
Beaumont Hospital – Grosse Pointe – Grosse Pointe, MI*
Bethesda North Hospital – Cincinnati, OH
Billings Clinic Hospital – Billings, MT
BSA Health System – Amarillo, TX
Franciscan Health Indianapolis – Indianapolis, IN
IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital – Muncie, IN
Kendall Regional Medical Center – Miami, FL
Lancaster General Hospital – Lancaster, PA
LDS Hospital – Salt Lake City, UT
Mercy Health Saint Mary’s – Grand Rapids, MI
Mercy Hospital St. Louis – St. Louis, MO
Newton-Wellesley Hospital – Newton, MA
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital – St. Louis Park, MN*
Parkview Regional Medical Center – Fort Wayne , IN
Poudre Valley Hospital – Fort Collins, CO
Riverside Medical Center – Kankakee, IL
Rose Medical Center – Denver, CO
Sentara Leigh Hospital – Norfolk, VA
St. Cloud Hospital – St. Cloud, MN
St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center – Boise, ID
St. Mary’s Hospital – Madison, WI
St. Vincent Healthcare – Billings, MT
The Christ Hospital Health Network – Cincinnati, OH

Large Community Hospitals

Advocate Condell Medical Center – Libertyville, IL
Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center – Medford, OR
Chandler Regional Medical Center – Chandler, AZ
Chester County Hospital – West Chester, PA
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Tyler – Tyler, TX
EvergreenHealth Kirkland – Kirkland, WA
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital – Pinehurst, NC
Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center – Daytona Beach, FL
Henrico Doctors’ Hospital – Richmond, VA
Logan Regional Hospital – Logan, UT
Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center – Houston, TX
Mercy Hospital – Coon Rapids, MN
Mosaic Life Care – Saint Joseph, MO*
North Florida Regional Medical Center – Gainesville, FL
Roper Hospital – Charleston, SC
Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla – La Jolla, CA
St. David’s Medical Center – Austin, TX
St. Francis Downtown – Greenville, SC
WellStar West Georgia Medical Center – LaGrange, GA
West Florida Hospital – Pensacola, FL

Medium Community Hospitals

American Fork Hospital – American Fork, UT
Baptist Medical Center Beaches – Jacksonville Beach, FL*
Baylor Scott & White Healthcare – Round Rock – Round Rock, TX
Blanchard Valley Hospital – Findlay, OH
Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital – Charleston, SC
Chino Valley Medical Center – Chino, CA
Clermont Hospital – Batavia, OH
Dupont Hospital – Fort Wayne, IN
Fairview Park Hospital – Dublin, GA
Holland Hospital – Holland, MI
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital – Fairfax, VA
Medical Center of the Rockies – Loveland, CO
Mercy Medical Center – Cedar Rapids, IA
Ochsner Medical Center – Baton Rouge – Baton Rouge, LA*
Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa – Nampa, ID
Sherman Oaks Hospital – Sherman Oaks, CA
St. Vincent Carmel Hospital – Carmel, IN
Sycamore Medical Center – Miamisburg, OH
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest Fort Worth – Fort Worth, TX
West Valley Medical Center – Caldwell, ID

Small Community Hospitals

Alta View Hospital – Sandy, UT
Aurora Medical Center – Two Rivers, WI
Aurora Medical Center – Oshkosh, WI
Fairview Northland Medical Center – Princeton, MN
Franklin Woods Community Hospital – Johnson City, TN
Hawkins County Memorial Hospital – Rogersville, TN*
Henry Community Health – New Castle, IN
Lakeview Hospital – Bountiful, UT
Lakeview Hospital – Stillwater, MN
Lakeview Medical Center – Rice Lake, WI
Oaklawn Hospital – Marshall, MI
OSF Saint James – John W. Albrecht Medical Center – Pontiac, IL
Parkview Huntington Hospital – Huntington, IN
Spectrum Health United Hospital – Greenville, MI
Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital – Zeeland, MI
St. John Owasso Hospital – Owasso, OK
St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital – Howell, MI*
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance – Fort Worth, TX
Waynesboro Hospital – Waynesboro, PA
Yampa Valley Medical Center – Steamboat Springs, CO

About the Truven Health 100 Top Hospitals® Program

Since 1993, the Truven Health 100 Top Hospitals program has used independent and objective research to guide hospital and health system performance. Organizations do not apply or pay for this honor, or pay to promote their award. Award-winning hospitals and health systems prove that better care is possible and provide an example for other organizations to follow across the industry. The 100 Top Hospitals award winners demonstrate top performance on both how patients are cared for under clinical measures and how the hospital performs as an efficient business. 100 Top Hospitals is a registered trademark of Truven Health Analytics. Visit 100tophospitals.com for more information.

About Truven Health Analytics, Part of the IBM Watson Health Business

Truven Health Analytics®, part of the IBM Watson Health™ business, provides market-leading performance improvement solutions built on data integrity, advanced analytics and domain expertise. For more than 40 years, our insights and solutions have been providing hospitals and clinicians, employers and health plans, state and federal government agencies, life sciences companies and policymakers, the facts they need to make confident decisions that directly affect the health and well-being of people and organizations in the US and around the world. The company was acquired by IBM in 2016 to help form a new business, Watson Health. Watson Health aspires to improve lives and give hope by delivering innovation to address the world’s most pressing health challenges through data and cognitive insights.

Truven Health Analytics owns some of the most trusted brands in healthcare, such as MarketScan®, 100 Top Hospitals®, Advantage Suite®, Micromedex®, Simpler ® and ActionOI ®. Truven Health has its principal offices in Ann Arbor, MI, Chicago, IL and Denver, CO.

For more information, visit www.truvenhealth.com

CONTACTS

Ariana Nikitas
anikitas@us.ibm.com
312.533.3437

Brian Erni
For Truven Health Analytics
J. Roderick, Inc. Public Relations
brian@jroderick.com
631.584.2200

SOURCE Truven Health Analytics

Lowcountry

Hutson Alley and its Family of Restaurants Take You Back to a Time of Hemingway and Gatsby

March 3, 2017 by 1 Comment

By Mark A. Leon

It is often said, we yearn for simpler times when a cocktail took time to be made properly with love and dining was an experience.  From the Ivy on the walls, live Jazz echoing throughout the alley to an eclectic mix of global dining options, Hutson Alley takes you to a different time.

So often overlooked, between the bustling King Street, Charleston Music Hall, Bus Depot, Museum Mile and Marion Square, but right in the heart of the social madness of Charleston’s economic stimulus, lies an alley that truly defines Southern charm.  With grace and dignity, this alley houses some of the finest dining and cocktails in all of Charleston, South Carolina.

On Thursday evening, I spend several hours exploring the culinary delights of Michael’s on the Alley, the Italian creations of Vincent Chiccos and the artistic cocktails of Victor Social Club.  During the evening, we were gracefully serenaded by a soothing jazz duo infusing 80’s and 90’s hits to jazz rhythms.

Starting with the Men Without Women cocktail, comprised of house infused fig bourbon, Grand Marnier and fresh lime, I was comfortably relaxed right under the stars surrounded by the marque lights of the restaurants and quiet alley corridor.  A beautiful creation that cooled the palate and complimented the assortment of appetizers which included bruschetta, Oysters Rockefeller and an assortment of sharp and mild cheese.

As you sit outside, feeling a slight warm night breeze giving you goosebumps, you somehow feel something enchanting happening as if you are taken back to the past when ladies wore flappers and the Charleston dance was all the rage.  Something almost beyond explanation.  It is difficult to explain how an alley just one street block long can provide an access point to a great escape filled with wonderful food, drink and memories.  There is an intimacy that has become a foundation in Charleston.

The relationship between the restaurant, food, service and patrons is becoming one as true as Southern folklore.  During our stay, Victor Social Club General Manager Roscoe came out and shared some of his stories of travel and hospitality offering up recommendations in Savannah and Raleigh.  His intimate knowledge of food and beverage and shared experiences created an atmosphere closely aligned to a family dinner.

Our server brought a certain warmth you rarely find.  Her smile and attention to detail was as important to the experience as the food itself.  Donning from the Charlotte area, she now calls Charleston home and she expressed that with a smile that went from cheek to cheek.

After we finished our food and cocktails, in a slightly belated act of kindness, the staff offered champagne and a heavenly torte to celebrate my birthday that occurred just a day earlier.

Hutson Alley Family of Restaurants

What makes the restaurants in Hutson Alley so special is not just the diverse range of global food offerings, exquisite service or inviting alley ambiance, but the feeling of family.  That is simple to explain.  Holy City Hospitality owns and operates 39 Rue de Juan, Coast Bar and Grill, Vincent Chiccos, Michaels on the Alley and Victor Social Club.  When you come for one experience, you are getting a collective embodiment of a truly large family.

The inspired chefs of this family of restaurants utilize the freshest local seasonal ingredients and with careful care and a little magic create a unique dining experience that will leave your palate wanting more.  It is the careful attention to detail and love that goes into their dishes that exemplify the Charleston food experience.  With a fine selection of wines from Italy at Vincent Chiccos and Cuban themed cocktail creations from Victor, the pairings will solidify the completeness of your evening out.

Hutson Alley

In a little alley in the little historic town of Charleston, South Carolina, there is a place where you can go to Paris, Havana or Rome.  It is a place where the ivy grows on the walls, the sound of live music echoes down the corridor and you are met with a smile.  This place will masquerade your worries and take you to a place of happiness.  There is no traffic, no lewd noise, nor interruption; just the marquee lights and the stars.

This is a place called Hutson Alley.  Whether you are a tourist or a local, it is a place for two or three hours a night, you can call home.

 

 

 

 

 

Why Charleston Isn’t Always “Paradise”

March 3, 2017 by 22 Comments

By Mark A. Leon

If you spend any time on social media and frankly, you may have to be living in a bubble or underground not to, the phrase “paradise” is often thrown around when describing Charleston.  As an avid supporter of the beauty, culture, community and charm, it is often easy to do.  We also need to look at the big picture of a geographic region and understand, that reaching the plateau of paradise is often challenging or impossible.  Setting those expectations, can also set others to fail, by painting a false picture of “paradise”.

This article is meant as a tool of awareness that Charleston has its own set of challenges and daily wears.  Like any other city, we have our flaws and many we deal with regularly, while others are growing to potentially explosive proportions.

Here are some of the reasons, Charleston is not always “paradise”

  • Postal System Challenges:  If you are a local, the news that we have a poor postal system in Charleston County should come as no surprise.  From the long lines and slow service to the delayed delivery times, even for local postal items, there is tremendous room for improvement in our postal system.  Often, the daily home deliveries are inconsistent and not uniform.
  • Limited Nature Preserve Outdoor Options:  If you are an avid runner, hiker, biker or adventurer, the term Lowcountry has never had a more defined meaning.  If you are looking for mountains or waterfalls, the closest destinations are four hours plus away from Charleston.
  • Heavy Taxation:  Charleston County just approved in 2016 a 0.5% tax increase bringing sales tax to 9.0% (Higher than New York City).  Our restaurant food tax is 10.5% / restaurant alcohol is 15%.  In a 2016 study, South Carolina was rated the third worst driving state and this has resulted in increases in automobile insurance rates.  This author saw a 22% annual increase in insurance rates without any incident.  In 2018, the annual vehicle renewal fee has added 5 additional taxes to support county programs adding a 310% increase in annual vehicle fees.
  • Housing Costs:  If you are in the real estate market, you are capitalizing on a golden opportunity.  If you are looking to buy a home or rent, you need to do a bit of research, because it may be very costly.  We are in a housing bubble.  One that could grow or explode very quickly.  Recently, a house was sold on The Battery for a record $6.2 Million and houses throughout the county are seeing sharp rises.  This is also affecting rental costs on the peninsula.  In the Elliotborough Section, we found a 3 bedroom, 2 ½ bath for $3600 a month.  In 2010, a two-bedroom ranged from $900 – $1300 a month.  Today, that same option is averaging $1600 – $2000.  With the added costs of utilities and internet, it is becoming a struggle to support downtown living.
  • Traffic: The only explanation this needs is experiencing this on a daily basis.  Whether you drive Savannah Highway, Bees Ferry, Highway 17, Interstate 526, Interstate 26, Folly Road or Calhoun Street, maneuvering through the Charleston area is nothing short of a driving nightmare.  If you have the unfortunate distinction of driving during rush hour or tidal flooding, the situation only gets worse.
Spring Street
Spring Street
  • Flooding:  Charleston is coastal living.  There is no denying the unquestionable beauty of the harbors and beaches, but there is also a sustainable issue about flooding on city streets and residential areas.  As an attendee of the recent mayoral debate, flooding was a critical topic throughout the discussion and remains today.  One consistent element the audience took away from the seven candidates, is that no one has a sustained answer on how to address and correct the issue.
  • Unspoken Racism: We are one of the friendliest cities in the country, if not the world.  We don’t protest or riot and we keep to ourselves except for the friendly smile or ‘hello’.  That doesn’t mean we opening believe in equality for all.  Charleston has a clear separation of black and white.  In economics, housing, lifestyle and treatment.  Southern racial tensions are high in Charleston and those that choose to ignore it, are making a clear statement as well.
  • Construction:  You would be hard pressed to remember a time in the last three plus years when there weren’t cranes, construction vehicles, cones or detours destroying the esthetics of The Holy City.  Drive down Lockwood, President Street, Spring Street, King Street, Calhoun or Meeting.  Watch out for potholes and construction workers.  It has been a long time since we didn’t have to walk through a construction tunnel or see a crane blocking one of our beautiful church steeples.
  • Affordability: We have a Mayor that campaigned on “livability”, yet failed to look at affordability as Charleston continues to grow to a “high end” residential and hospitality community.  With the new community taking over Sergeant Jasper, boutique shopping on Upper Meeting, Northern expansion of Upper King, high end hotel development and retail, Charleston is becoming less about appealing to locals and more about tourism.  That position was made very clear when in 2016 when Hughes Lumber, Bob Ellis Shoes and Morris Sokol Furniture closed (All local foundations that stayed in business from 60 to 100 plus years).
  • Identity Crisis: For those that don’t know, James Island resides under two jurisdictions, James Island and Charleston.  There are even two different garbage pick-ups in the same neighborhoods.  Is James Island part of Charleston or its own municipality?  West Ashley has fought for its own namesake for years, but it is still part of Charleston.  This identity crisis needs to be addressed.
  • Corporate Name Tags:  I moved to Charleston partly because of Jestine’s Kitchen and a local record store.  It was the small-town appeal that won me over.  Today, there are 9 Starbucks downtown, Five Guys Burgers, Chipotle, Panera, Subway, Moe’s, West Elm, Williams-Sonoma, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, Godiva, Victoria’s Secret, American Apparel and an Apple Store.  We expect those corporate name tags to continue to grow.
  • Lack of Ethnic Food: Food is king in Charleston.  Hello, ‘Top Chef’ just filmed here.  You can search the peninsula far and wide (Campus Food excluded) and you will find a large void in ethnic food options.  Traditional Southern cuisine owns downtown.  There are derivatives of that theme, but still one-sided.  If you want true ethnic options, North Charleston offers the best selection.
Radcliffe Street
Radcliffe Street
  • Cooper River Bridge and Ice – I will be the first to say, the Cooper River Bridge is one of the most beautiful bridges I have ever seen.  It is part of who we are and folks around the world identify us by its majestic span.  Many years ago, when the architectural designers laid plans and built this bridge, it came with a flaw, falling deadly icicles.  We don’t often get freezing level temperatures, but when we do, it can and has shut down the bridge that connects Mount Pleasant to Charleston over the harbor.  This shutdown forces traffic to detour to 526 and 26.  If you have lived through it, you have stories, but we don’t recommend it.
  • Rise in tourism and drop in local commerce is driving generational local businesses to sell or go under – The local Charleston community has witnessed dozens of local businesses, annually, closing due to lack of customer traffic and forced increases in rent opening the doors to large corporate retails outlets with deeper pockets.  Yet, the city pushes “buy local”.  Unfortunately, that message is not reaching the masses of tourists coming by boat, car and plane.

Debate and expressionism is healthy.  It breeds creativity and ignites change.  We hope this article opens your minds and reminds you that Charleston is a remarkable place to live, but we have areas that are not perfect.

We welcome your thoughts, comments or stories.

Media Release: Folly Beach Association of Business to Work Closely with the City to Address Crowd Issues During This Year’s Folly Gras

March 2, 2017 by 1 Comment

Media Release:  Folly Beach Association of Business to Work Closely with the City to Address Crowd Issues During This Year’s Folly Gras

Folly Beach, SC – While last weekend’s Folly Gras event on Folly Beach was a huge revenue generator for the island’s businesses, it has also drawn negative feedback from some. The annual event, which was previously organized by the city but has been organized by The Folly Association of Business (FAB) since 2015, took place on Saturday, February 25, 2017 and drew record crowds.

FAB President, Lewis Dodson, says, “It was the perfect storm. A gorgeous, 85 degree day in February is always going to cause crowds and traffic backup on the beach, but when that is combined with a big, popular event, it can become overwhelming.”

Knowing that the weather was forecasted to be sunny and warm, the event’s planners started preparing for a larger than usual crowd. “On Wednesday of last week, we increased event staff and reached out to the police chief to talk through security issues,” explains Dodson. “We contacted the Charleston County Police to hire more off-duty officers, but, unfortunately, we could not get a reply.”

Dodson and the FAB committee plan to work closely with the City of Folly Beach to map out a plan to control negative instances during festivals moving forward. “We normally see 4,000 to 5,000 people for FollyGras. To try to deal with double that, was definitely a challenge and we prepared as best we could. We love our citizens and we love our locals. We are all locals ourselves, which is why we are listening to all feedback and are going to work closely with the city and the Folly police to come up with a plan to allow visitors to enjoy what we have to offer and still keep Folly Beach the fun, funky place it has always been,” says Dodson.

With thousands of people both at the festival and enjoying the beach that day, there were a definitely a handful of people who were out of control. While the event encourages both locals and out of towners to have fun, FAB has stated explicitly that they do not condone excessive partying or littering.

 

Cost of Living in Charleston, SC vs Rest of the United States

March 1, 2017 by 7 Comments

Wondering how Charleston Cost of Living compares with other United States Cities.

Here is your chance to find out.

Look at the latest Charleston and South Carolina Cost of Living analytics and use the calculator to find out how we compare with other cities.

Index Charleston South Carolina National
Goods & Services index 102 101 100
Groceries index 108 109 100
Health care index 107 100 100
Housing index 131 80 100
Transportation index 94 93 100
Utilities index 112 104 100

 

Index Charleston South Carolina National
Cost of living index 112 95 100

 

Did You Know

  • The cost of living in Charleston is 18% higher than the South Carolina average.
  • The cost of living in Charleston is 12% higher than the national average.
  • The cost of housing in Charleston is 31% higher than the national average.
  • South Carolina general sales tax is 18% higher than the national average.
  • South Carolina state income tax is 100% lower than the national average.

*Source – Areavibes.com

Cost of Living Comparison Calculator

Is Mayor Tecklenburg’s Promise of “Livability” Real or a Hoax

February 28, 2017 by 4 Comments
Waterfront Park

By Mark A. Leon

Just over a year later, we look back at a promise.  During the Mayoral campaign that took two voting days to decide, Mayor John Tecklenburg stood behind the promise of making Charleston “livable” again.  It was a bold statement with much room for interpretation.

Now, we look to today and the future, and it has become clear that “livability” is not about the citizens that have chosen to live their days here in Charleston, but the tourists and the developers that are reaping the rewards of this once great city.

The politicians, media and tourism boards have boasted the year over year increases in tourism and high hotel occupancy rates.  What they haven’t spoken to is the flat GDP of just over 2%.  With double figure increases in tourism traffic and low economic growth, the indicator is that local residents are not coming to Historic Charleston as frequently as they once did.

This is also evident in the closing of local Charleston foundations including Morris Sokol, Hughes Lumber and Bob Ellis Shoes (stores that would be frequented by locals, not tourists).

In 2009, I would work from my downtown apartment on Morris Street for miles and take in esthetic beauty in all directions.  There were pockets of crowds and carriages all around, but that was part of the ambiance of this city.  What was not prevalent were orange cones, deep roadway damage, cranes and endless high rise construction in every major part of the city.  From Joe Riley Stadium, to MUSC, East Bay, King Street, Meeting Street and Broad Street.  This city is being attacked from all directions with the simple goal:  Make a few major developers and investors very wealthy.

Simply put, we are no longer in control of our city.

All the perks of being a local have been compromised and here is how we are suffering:

  • Parking garage rates have increased
  • Most residential parking is now only 1 hour for non-residents 24 hours a day
  • Restaurant tax is 10.5% for food / 15% for alcohol
  • The East Side lost its only means of groceries

Several weeks ago, a group of business owners met to finance free bus service for residents of the East Side to go to Mount Pleasant and Northern Charleston for groceries because their BiLo (Former Piggly Wiggly) closed-down.  Instead of celebrating this generous act, why aren’t we looking at why it wasn’t kept open in the first place.

Cistern Yard – College of Charleston

The Westside Neighborhood has trees uprooted from the sidewalk that are being ignored from the last devastating storm.

Yet, simultaneously,

  • A 1.2 billion-dollar development is going up on Upper Meeting
  • A new hotel is in development to compliment the newly launched hotel on Upper King
  •  A new housing development is being built on Upper Meeting and Huger Street
  • Lockwood is setting the foundation for a new development
  • A new shopping and dining complex is under construction across from Joe Riley Stadium
  • Sergeant Jasper could see new community rise if all provisions are met.
  • Construction continues on the new MUSC Children’s Hospital
  • Approvals are being finalized for a new bank building on the corner of Calhoun and Meeting
  • King Street is closed off from the Crosstown for the next two years
  • Infrastructure and building construction on the College of Charleston campus

Several days ago, we joked that Charleston was no longer the “Holy City” but the “Crane City”.  Humor aside, there is a fear brewing in Charleston and we are on the sidelines without a means of getting in the game.

We have heard many speak on the social forums that they want the Northerners to stop moving here, yet Charleston is starting to look more like New York or Cleveland than Savannah or Beaufort.

As citizens of Charleston, we will not see our skyline or traffic alleviation from construction projects until 2020 or beyond.  Is that what we signed up for when we were promised “livability”?

We have a voice Charleston.  Maybe, it is time we start looking for answers.  We have local officials whom you have voted in to speak on our behalf.  Utilize them.

Spring Street

‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Midtown Productions May Be One of the Best Times You Have in Charleston Theatre This Season

February 27, 2017 by 1 Comment

By Mark A. Leon

Midtown Production’s musical revue ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’, directed by local theatre visionary Sheri Grace Wenger is a step back in time to the days of Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller when music was king and Harlem was its castle.  It was the period of the 1920’s through the 40’s when the United States went from the Roaring 20’s to the Great Depression to recovery.  Still, the late-night hours of musical mayhem in upper Manhattan could be heard from blocks away.

With a powerful use of vocals and dance moves, the cast of Tierney Breedlove, Immanuel Houston, Jairus McClanahan, Megan Pue and Monique Waters have brought the composition and lyrics of Fats Waller to life.

Set in the Cotton Club where patrons dress in pin stripe suits and glamorous dresses, the band including Howard Nathan Brown Sr on piano, Brandon Brooks on drums and Arnold Gottlieb on bass play to the wee hours of the morning.

During that time, cocktails are sipped, glances from across the room are shared, and the aura of romance and lust is as thick as butter.  This is the place where jazz remind us of the glamourous life.

The patrons sit around tables with checkered table tops, lit candles in the center and indulging in wine and beer.

Midtown exquisitely creates a live theatre experience which include 31 musical numbers during this two-hour spectacle.  From get out of your chair fun loving numbers of “Jitterbug Waltz” and “Fat and Greasy” to the soothing love soaked “I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling” and “Two Sleepy People”, the full spectrum of emotion is shared from stage to audience.

During the performance, the exchanges of intimacy show a fine line between love and sin; lust and intimacy.  Yet, when they danced, the place was rockin’.  From tap to flips, the dance numbers were filled with pure unadulterated energy.

“Ain’t Misbehavin” may be one of the most fun experiences you will have in Charleston area theatre this season.  Whether you bring someone you love or your parents, you are sure to have a remarkable time.  Musical theatre is alive and well and Midtown Productions has brought a winner.

There are still four more performances during this run (March 2 – 5).  You can purchase tickets at Click Here for Ticket Information