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The TyWanza Sanders Race for Achievement Scholarships are now available. Please click the link for information on how to apply.
Contact Dominique at dominiquegray@gmail.com for further information.
Click Here for Scholarship Application
We need your help: Petition – Stop the Chop in Sullivan’s Island Maritime Forest
Unique among barrier islands, Sullivan’s Island, located outside Charleston, SC, is accreting land instead of eroding and supports a 190-acre “successional Maritime Forest” of dune grasses, flowers, shrubs, wetlands, and a robust maritime forest.
This incredible gift from Mother Nature is home to nesting sea turtles, butterflies, birds, and the Sullivan’s Island Bird Banding Station. The diversity of trees, shrubs and wetlands is essential for birds, insects and other species to thrive. Each year, thousands of birds and Monarch butterflies stopover to rest and re-nourish as they make their round-trip journey between their northern homes and the tropics.
The vegetation provides critical protection from the #1 threat to the island: hurricane storm surge, and is a source of incomparable resilience in the face of climate change.
In 1991, just after Hurricane Hugo, the Town put this land into a trust, owned by all Sullivan’s Islanders, to preserve in its natural state for the benefit and enjoyment of this and future generations of islanders and South Carolinians.
In September 2020, Town Council voted to settle a lawsuit by beachfront homeowners wanting to cut down trees and shrubs to gain ocean views. This will destroy this ecosystem by removing thousands of trees and shrubs, and remove the island’s hurricane storm surge protection.
We are committed to preserving our island for the benefit of all to enjoy, for our wildlife partners, and our public safety. Please join us by helping to “STOP THE CHOP”!
Click Here to Sign
Photo Credit: Station 28.5 Photography
The Duke Endowment invests $1.25M in the International African American Museum
The International African American Museum announced a $1.25 million grant received from The Duke Endowment, one of the largest private philanthropic trusts in the Southeast. The grant includes $1 million for the Museum’s endowment and $250,000 to be used to meet its greatest needs between now and its opening in March 2022.
An endowment is typically made up of charitable donations to a nonprofit organization, which uses the resulting investment income to support its mission. Most endowments are designed to keep the principal amount intact while using the investment income to support the organization’s work. The current principal of the International African American Museum Endowment is approximately $8 million, including the grant from The Duke Endowment. The Museum’s endowment is managed by the Coastal Community Foundation.
“Creating a sustainable institution is essential and building our endowment is part of our plan to do so,” said Dr. Elijah Heyward III, the Museum’s Chief Operating Officer. “Over its 96-year history, The Duke Endowment has shown its wisdom in selecting investments. We are so proud to be in its distinguished portfolio.”
Construction of the Museum is underway, and the exhibitions and programming are in the final stages of development. “The Duke Endowment understands the importance of unrestricted donations,” said Joe Riley, former mayor of Charleston, S.C., and lifetime member of the Board of the Museum. “The $250,000 grant gives us the flexibility to use the funds to continue to build our leadership team, hire experts to help develop programming, create a comprehensive marketing program and more.”
Rhett Mabry, president of The Duke Endowment, visited the site of the Museum earlier this year. “From its historic position on Gadsden’s Wharf, the International African American Museum seeks to share the diverse stories of the African American journey, promote understanding, and provide an educational experience for visitors from the Carolinas and beyond,” Mabry said. “The Duke Endowment is honored to support that vision and contribute to this important endeavor.”
About the International African American Museum
The International African American Museum strives to foster empathy and understanding, empowering visitors with the knowledge of the past. The journey will challenge, illuminate, inspire and ultimately, will move people to action. The Museum’s exhibitions will share untold stories using classic techniques as well as new approaches driven by innovation, technology and digital interactivity. Themes will include connections across the African diaspora, the spread of African American culture and influence, and the movements for justice and equality. The Center for Family History will enable visitors to trace their genealogy, while changing exhibitions and special events will keep the Museum energized. Educational programs will provide life-long learning opportunities for visitors both young and old.
The International African American Museum will open early 2022. For more information, visit our website at www.iaamuseum.org or connect with us on social media @iaamuseum on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
About The Duke Endowment
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private philanthropic trust that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $4 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but each is a separate organization. For more information, go to https://dukeendowment.org.
McClellanville Land Placed in Conservation Easement
22-acre parcel is part of important network of protected properties near McClellanville
CHARLESTON, S.C. — About 22 acres in McClellanville will be permanently protected after the owners opted to grant a conservation easement to the Lowcountry Land Trust. Known as Taylor’s Farm, the Pinckney Street property is in the Santee River Focus Area, one of 12 focus areas in the state identified for wildlife protection and land conservation.
“We are happy to have put our property in McClellanville into a conservation easement,” said property owners Charles and Frances Geer. “We are grateful to the Lowcountry Land Trust for enabling us to protect this natural area for the benefit of future generations.”
The protection of Taylor’s Farm expands a network of existing privately and publicly protected lands near McClellanville, including the Francis Marion National Forest, the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, and several other conservation easements. Taylor’s Farm is also visible approaching the Robert E. Ashley boat landing, a public access point to Jeremy Creek.
The property is primarily used as a residential retreat and is managed for passive recreational and forestry purposes. It offers protected views from the Intracoastal Waterway and Pinckney Street, in McClellanville, further protecting the rural character of the village of McClellanville.
With about 615 feet of creek frontage, the protection of Taylor’s Farm promotes scenic viewshed protection, biological diversity, and preservation of downstream water quality in the Intracoastal Waterway and Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the Geers for donating a conservation easement on this significant property,” said David Ray, acting CEO & chief conservation officer of Lowcountry Land Trust. “Taylor’s Farm is an important addition to the network of existing protected lands in the McClellanville area. We are actively working to protect places like this that preserve views and water quality for Lowcountry communities like McClellanville, particularly where they intersect with nationally significant places like Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.”\
Lowcountry Land Trust has protected nearly 148,000 acres of land across 14 South Carolina counties. In 2019, the Land Trust protected seven properties in four counties, totaling 3,402 acres of protected land, including the protection of Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant and Big Snooks in the Savannah River watershed.
About Lowcountry Land Trust
Founded in 1986, the Lowcountry Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to honor the relationship between people and land by protecting irreplaceable Lowcountry lands and treasured places. Lowcountry Land Trust has protected nearly 148,000 acres across 14 counties in coastal South Carolina. More information about the Lowcountry Land Trust is available at www.lowcountrylandtrust.org.
South Carolina Department of Education purchases $15.3M in online resources
The S.C. Department of Education has purchased digital learning resources from Charlotte-based digital textbook and education resources company Discovery Education to support teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The department purchased four Learning Management Systems, a Learning Object Repository, and a suite of digital learning resources, according to a news release.
Funding for the programs, totaling more than $15.3 million during a three-year period, is being provided through federal pandemic relief. Advertisement
“The purchase of these three platforms and the seamless ability for every South Carolina teacher to access them and incorporate high-quality content into their classroom instruction can be a game-changer for our state,” S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said in the release. “COVID-19 has presented enormous challenges to teaching and learning but this digital platform will help level the K-12 education playing field this school year and beyond.”
A Learning Management System is a software framework through which education content is delivered and managed. Students and educators are assigned licenses to access content and complete assignments. The education department presented four platform options: Canvas, Schoology, Blackboard, and Google Classroom, with student and staff licenses, fully funded by the state for the next three years.
A Learning Object Repository serves as a digital library of educational content, including Bill Nye: The Science Guy episodes and National Geographic documentaries, that can be shared through the learning management system. The education department chose SAFARI Montage, with access for every teacher paid for through 2023.
“The South Carolina Department of Education is providing every school district with a state Learning Object Repository chock full of high-quality digital educational video resources to support teachers, students and parents at home and in school during these challenging educational times,” Andrew Schlessinger, CEO and co-founder of SAFARI Montage, said. “This will go a long way to supporting educational equity throughout South Carolina by providing all public school students with easy access to the outstanding digital content they need for meaningful remote learning. All school districts will be able to customize the LOR for their own district to make sure many of their procured course digital resources are also accessible in one place.”
All S.C. students and teachers will also receive access to Discovery Education Experience, a collection of high-quality content, professional learning resources and digital lessons.
“Discovery Education is honored to be selected by the South Carolina Department of Education to support the education of K-12 students statewide,” said Anna Strassner, Discovery Education senior manager of education partnerships. “With our headquarters in nearby Charlotte, many of us at Discovery Education call South Carolina home and send our children to the state’s excellent schools. We look forward to working in our own community to bring our powerful, engaging digital resources to teachers and students statewide.”
Charleston Local Escape Spotlight: Stono County Park
In the heart of Johns Island, just off of Savannah Highway and adjacent to the long beautiful Stono Bridge is Stono County Park. This scenic walking and biking path will offer sun-filled and shaded paths of exercise and relaxation. You may even find a few great photo opportunities.
Location: 3644 Moonglow Dr, Johns Island, SC 29455
Here are a few highlights:
Approximately 2 1/2 miles of paved, dirt, and boardwalk (FYI – Bikes cannot we rode on the boardwalk. They must be walked
- Dog friendly
- Single user restrooms
- Water bottle filling fountain
- Beautiful views of the marsh and Stono Bridge
- Benches throughout to rest or take a scenic selfie or family picture
- There is a kiosk for a $1 honor system entrance fee
Here are some visuals to help motivate you
Happy Hiking, Walking, Biking, or just enjoying the beauty of the Lowcountry.
Dear Young Woman – Original Poem
By Mark A. Leon
Dear young woman, you are the future
Dear young woman, you will shine in the midst of darkness
Dear young woman, you will hold the torch that will guide the path to a new and amazing tomorrow
Dear young woman, you are the voice that will sing a chorus of love
That is the song that we hear
You are the footsteps
You will never walk alone
Two steps; hundreds, thousands, millions, billions together hand in hand
You will embrace the struggle; united together as one
Coast to coast; ocean to ocean;
In the schools
The workplace
The playing field
The homes
The limitless places defying gravity
Dear Young Woman
You are the inventors, the scientists, the athletes, the dreamers, the visionaries and the leaders
Dear Young Woman
You inspire through compassion
Empower with unstoppable force
Change through the power of unification
Dear Young Woman
You will do good
Goodness; kindness; hope, perseverance
No longer will you look to the stars and only dream
You will touch them and smile
And look down upon a world you have shaped
Dear Young Woman
The gift of responsibility is upon you
Take hold and instill a new day we can all be proud of
Change is gradual, but change is real and now
It is your mind
Your body
Your emotions
Your strength
Dear Young Woman
We are so proud to see the future in your eyes
Seeing a world we have yearned and fought for and oh what a beautiful place it will be
Tecovas Charleston Grand Opening (King Street – Charleston) – Friday, November 6, 2020
We are thrilled to welcome you to the Grand Opening of our Charleston store.
Everything kicks off on Friday, November 6th at 10 AM. Swing by and have a drink on us, enjoy live music, complimentary drinks, boot shines, and receive a free gift if you’re among the first 50 folks in the door each day!
Friday, 11/06: 10 AM – 7 PM
Saturday, 11/07:- 10 AM – 7 PM
Sunday, 11/08: – 12 PM – 6 PM
Address: 288 King Street, Charleston, SC 29401
As always, we’re committed to the safety of our employees and customers and will continue to take precautions. Don’t forget, masks are mandatory. We’ll have them available if you forget yours.
We hope to see y’all (safely) there!
CARTA Board Approves Free Student Fare Program
MAKES NO-COST FARES FOR K-12 STUDENTS A PERMANENT FEATURE
NORTH CHARLESTON (Nov. 2, 2020) – The Charleston Area Transportation Authority (CARTA) Board of Directors voted at its most recent meeting to implement a permanent policy allowing students in grades K-12 to ride at no cost as part of the system’s Free Student Fare initiative.
The fare structure had previously been in place as a pilot program since early 2019 and has seen monthly ridership surpass 7,000.
“The Free Student Fare initiative permanently eliminates a mobility barrier for students, sets the stage for the next generation of transit ridership, and offers relief to parents whose children ride CARTA,” said CARTA Board of Directors Chairman Mike Seekings. “Getting to school, recreational activities or a part-time job is easier than ever for students, and making those connections for free today allows kids to get comfortable with public transit.”
The Free Student Fare program is available to all public and private school students and applies to all CARTA services. Children under 5 also ride for free. Student IDs are recommended when boarding.
CARTA buses can be tracked in real-time by downloading the Transit App. Trips can be planned and details on CARTA routes and services can be found at RideCARTA.com. Questions regarding the program should be directed to CARTA marketing and communications manager Michelle Emerson, who can be reached at memerson@bcdcog.com or (843) 529-0333.
ABOUT CARTA
The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority 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.
State of South Carolina assembles task force to address control of rodents on Kiawah Island
| CLEMSON, S.C. – Throughout history, people have tried to strike a delicate balance between their needs and those of nature. Rats complicate the issue considerably. That’s the reason behind the South Carolina SGA Rodenticide Task Force, recently formed by the state Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), which seeks to balance the scales between the tenuous hold of wildlife along South Carolina’s fast-developing coast and the human health concerns of the deadly diseases — like plague, hantavirus or rat-bite fever — that rodents spread. The task force brings together the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Clemson University science researchers, local officials, and the pest control industry. It is charged with researching and creating strategies to address rodent populations on Kiawah Island and the simultaneous loss of several of the island’s famed bobcats, some of whom have shown traces of rat poison in their systems. “Our goal is to continue to monitor rodent control and the effects of second-generation rodenticides on Kiawah and provide research on the progress being made there,” said Steve Cole, director of Regulatory Services at Clemson, which administers DPR and other state regulatory agencies. “Hard data is essential, so we’re fortunate to have the help of all the parties involved, from local and state government as well as pest control operators, to examine all sides of the issue.” In the 1950s anticoagulants, which keep blood from clotting, began to be used in rodenticides. The second generation of anticoagulants, called SGAs, were developed in the 1970s and proved faster and more effective. They’ve been used internationally to control rodents ever since. But when biologists found traces of SGAs in some Kiawah bobcats — which are known to feed on rats — the discovery sparked concern that the chemicals were a danger to the feline predators. Nine companies handle more than 90 percent of the pest control contracts on Kiawah, according to DPR. Those and other smaller companies already have begun to adopt a type of control known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which employs a variety of control methods, many of which don’t involve chemicals at all. An August training for pest control operators held online by Clemson offered an arsenal of IPM techniques for 50 attendees. “I think we are absolutely headed in the right direction as we consider the wildlife issue on Kiawah,” said Jim Wright, executive director of the South Carolina Pest Control Association (SCPCA). “We’re very appreciative that DPR put together this task force to focus on rodent control in this part of our state. This ensures the unbiased collection of information and effective communication about rodent control sensitivities with pest management professionals.” The assistance of DNR wildlife officials and Clemson research scientists such as toxicologist Thomas Rainwater of Clemson’s Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science in Georgetown is a welcome addition, said Mike Weyman, deputy director of Clemson’s Regulatory Services, who leads DPR. “This is a multifaceted problem and we need data to address it effectively,” Weyman said. “DNR is now mapping the island and determining where to deploy traps. We are conducting a blind survey of the 74 licensed pest control companies on Kiawah to determine how many SGAs have been used in the past year.” “SGAs are used because they work. They’re a crucial arrow in the quiver for pest control operators,” he said. “In a restaurant or food storage facility the threshold for a rat is zero. They don’t have a choice. A rat dropping will shut them down. They have to use the best product available. It all comes down to public safety. The important thing now is that the task force collect accurate data and share the facts with all the parties involved so we can reach shared decisions.” Wildlife may not read the data, but they are among the parties most involved, said Emily Cope, deputy director of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries at DNR, whose agency is experienced in dealing with the complex issues that arise with any threat to South Carolina wildlife and their habitats. “We appreciate the opportunity to further investigate any potential impact of rodenticides upon the wildlife at Kiawah,” Cope said. “We are grateful to have the support of Clemson and Kiawah Island in this project. We all share the same ultimate goals.” Chief among the goals is the age-old balance of man’s needs with nature’s — ensuring that, as Kiawah Island continues to develop, its visitors and residents can be safe from dangerous pests while the remaining wildlife and its habitat are protected. “This task force is another step forward to addressing the big picture,” Wright said. “The SCPCA agrees the pest management industry can voluntarily reduce the use of these products. We’re committed to helping resolve the problem and more than willing to be part of the solution.” |