CurEat – the innovative new restaurant app designed to help residents and travelers now available for Charleston

May 18, 2017 by 0 Comments

CurEat – the innovative new restaurant app designed to help residents and travelers discover a great place to dine and drink – became available in the iTunes App Store January 2017. CurEat provides trustworthy, curated lists of award-winning, independent and time-honored restaurants in over 60 cities across the United States, and empowers users to create and share their own lists. This week, CurEat introduces its Charleston “CurEaters” – food and beverage pros and tastemakers – and their restaurant recommendations. The Charleston CurEat app will officially launch during DIG SOUTH’s Innovation Conference, April 25-27.

Created by entrepreneur, world traveler, and passionate diner Steve Mangano (also a DIG ICON speaker!), CurEat fills a void in the dining app world, now dominated by negative, customer-driven reviews and inferior restaurant lists. With a background in the hospitality industry, Mangano’s inspiration for this app is the direct result of his desire to more easily discover “the place” to eat while traveling as well as support independent restaurants.

Restaurant lists are a core feature of the app. Users may create and share restaurant recommendations with followers. The app allows you to easily make your lists for different cities and share them within the app, or via text message or email. Lists may reflect any topic, from the “Best Restaurants for Fried Chicken” to “Where to Eat with the Kids.” The app refines your restaurant searches based on the lists you make and the lists you follow, further curating lists of restaurants you may wish to discover.

CurEat is an official Launch Sponsor at DIG ICON — conference attendees will be able to test out the app with Stanfield and Steve in-person! 

CurEaters offer a unique feature within the app. They represent a cross-section of each community, and include prominent chefs, bartenders, artisans and tastemakers in the area. CurEaters’ restaurant lists are visible to all users, and thereby, influence the restaurant searches within each area. CurEaterAshley Christensen – a James Beard Foundation winning chef and owner of Poole’s Downtown Diner, Fox Liquor Bar, Beasley’s Chicken + Honey, Chucks and Death & Taxes in Raleigh, NC, was among the first CurEaters in CurEat.

Initial CurEaters in the Charleston area include:

Charleston Wine+ Food Festival
John Lewis, Lewis Barbecue
Jill Mathias, Chez Nous
Craig Deihl, Cypress Restaurant, Artisan Meat Share
Jacques Larson, Wild Olive, Obstinate Daughter
Jason Stanhope, FIG
Karalee Nielsen Fallart, Monza, Taco Boy, Closed For Business, The Royal American, The Park Café, The Green Heart Project
Lauren Mitterer, Wildflour Bakery
Randi Weinstein, This is Fab
Ryan Casey, The Dewberry
Stanfield Gray, DIG SOUTH 
Terry Fox, Charleston Arts Festival, PURE Theatre, Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston Creative Parliament
Tim Hussey, Artist Studio Hussey

Find CurEat in the iTunes store here and register for DIG SOUTH’s Innovation Conference by April 24 to save $200! 

Link to the App Page – CurEat

Garden & Gun’s Eighth Annual Made in the South Awards Call For The Best Of Southern-Made Products

May 17, 2017 by 0 Comments

Press Release:  SOURCE Garden & Gun

Awards Celebrate Southern Craftsmanship in Style, Crafts, Drink, Food, Home, and Outdoors

CHARLESTON, S.C., May 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Garden & Gun announced today the kick-off of its eighth annual Made in the South Awards with the official call for product entries in six categories: Style, Crafts, Drink, Food, Home, and Outdoors. The overall winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize, and, along with all category winners and runners-up, will be prominently featured in the magazine’s December 2017/January 2018 issue.

Garden & Gun created the Made in the South Awards in 2010 to celebrate and encourage Southern craftsmanship, and to recognize the best available Southern-made products.

“One of our favorite times of year is when the Made in the South Awards entries arrive. It’s always an honor to shine a spotlight on the talent and creativity of the South’s artisans, craftsman, chefs, designers, and tastemakers,” said David DiBenedetto, senior vice president and editor in chief of Garden & Gun. “It has been amazing to watch previous winners go on to great success over the last seven years, adding a new level of excitement as we enter the award’s eighth call for entries.”

The 2017 Made in the South Awards judges are:

  • Reese Witherspoon (Nashville, TN), actress, producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Draper James-a lifestyle brand that emphasize her southern roots and personal style (Style)
  • Andrea Hyde (New York, NY), a tenured retail executive and current CEO of Draper James (Style)
  • Paula Wallace (Savannah, GA), president and co-founder of the Savannah College of Art and Design-a private, nonprofit, accredited university for creative careers (Crafts)
  • Derek Brown (Washington, DC), entrepreneur, restauranteur, writer and award-winning mixologist (Drink)
  • Mashama Bailey (Savannah, GA), entrepreneur, chef and co-founder of The Grey-a familiar yet elevated restaurant experience occupying a 1938 art deco Greyhound bus terminal in Historic Downtown Savannah (Food)
  • Bunny Williams (New York, NY), tastemaker, entertainer, celebrated interior designer and founder and CEO of Bunny Williams Home-a collection consisting of reproductions of Bunny’s own treasures as well as original designs (Home)
  • T. Edward Nickens (Raleigh, NC), award-winning author, journalist, on-camera host, scriptwriter and outdoorsman (Outdoors)

All Southern artisans or businesses with a product in one of the six categories (Style, Crafts, Drink, Food, Home, and Outdoors) that will be available for sale through January 2018 may apply. For entry forms, category descriptions, and rules, visit madeinthesouthawards.com. The entry fee for submissions is $75 and entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET on July 1, 2017. Winners will be publicly announced in the December 2017/January 2018 issue of Garden & Gun, which will hit newsstands in November 2017.

To follow the Made in the South Awards conversation and judging process, use #madeinthesouthawards on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or visit us at gardenandgun.com.

About Garden & Gun
Garden & Gun is an award-winning national lifestyle magazine that covers the best of the South, including the sporting culture, the food, the music, the art, the literature, the people and their ideas.  Reaching a national audience of more than 1.5 million passionate and engaged readers, the magazine has won numerous awards for its journalism, design, and overall excellence. Visit gardenandgun.com.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/garden–guns-eighth-annual-made-in-the-south-awards-call-for-the-best-of-southern-made-products-300458859.html

©2017 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

Smithsonian Earth to Stream SC Aquarium Work with Sea Turtles Live

May 16, 2017 by 0 Comments

Smithsonian Earth is now streaming the work the South Carolina Aquarium is doing with Sea Turtles.  This is a proud moment for Charleston and for the dedicated staff and volunteers that work with so much heart and passion to protect our seat turtles.

Thank you to our caring community and the Smithsonian for sharing our story.

About Sea Turtle Rescue

The waters off the coast of South Carolina are host to many sea turtle species, ranging from massive loggerheads to the Kemp’s Ridley, the world’s smallest and most endangered. The summer months show an uptick in the number of injured turtles that wash on shore, victims of everything from commercial dredging operations and fishing hooks to shark and stingray attacks. Fortunately, the dedicated team who make up the South Carolina Sea Turtle Rescue Center are on constant standby, ready to step up their rehabilitative efforts to ensure these ancient reptiles recover and return to their natural ocean habitat as soon as possible.

Watch Trailer

SC Aquarium Sea Turtle Care Center

Learn more about sea turtle hospital tours

Booz Allen Expands Digital Services Business With New Hub in Charleston, SC

May 16, 2017 by 0 Comments

TYSONS CORNER, VA, May 15, 2017 — Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH) has opened a new office in South Carolina as the company works to expand its digital solutions business to provide technology support to federal government agencies, ExecutiveBiz reported Friday.

The company said Thursday the 75,000-square-foot Charleston Digital Hub is projected to bring an estimated $10 million in new capital investment and complement programs with customers such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Navy‘s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic.

About Executive Mosaic: Founded in 2002, Executive Mosaic is a leadership organization and media company. Executive Mosaic offers highly coveted executive events, breaking business news on the Government Contracting industry, and delivers robust and reliable content through seven influential websites and four consequential E-newswires. Headquarters are located in Tysons Corner, VA. www.executivemosaic.com

Contact:
David Smith
(703) 226-7002
david.smith@executivemosaic.com

Food & Bev

May is National BBQ Month – Here are a few great healthy recipes for you Charleston

May 16, 2017 by 0 Comments

Grilled Chicken with Chipotle-Orange Glaze (Recipe by EatingWell)

Servings: 4 / Calories per serving: 153

Preparation Time:  20 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp orange juice concentrate, thawed
  • 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, (see Note)
  • 1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp molasses
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (8 oz)
  • 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat grill or broiler to high. Lightly oil the rack.
  • Whisk orange juice concentrate, chiles, vinegar, molasses and mustard in a small bowl.
  • Sprinkle chicken with salt. Grill or broil the chicken for 2 minutes. Turn the chicken, brush with the chipotle-orange glaze, and cook, brushing occasionally with more of the glaze, 4 minutes more. Turn the chicken again, brush with the glaze, and cook until no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 5 minutes more.

Contains

Gluten

Poultry

 

Minced Tomato, Onion and Glazed Tofu Kebabs

Servings: 4 / Calories per serving: 178

Preparation Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 14-oz package extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
  • 16 fresh mint leaves
  • 4 plum tomatoes, quartered and seeded
  • 1 onion, peeled, quartered and separated into layers
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup kecap manis, (see Note)

Instructions

  • Cut tofu in half horizontally, making two large slices about 1 inch thick. Fold a clean kitchen towel and place it on a cutting board or large plate. Set the tofu on the towel. Put another folded clean towel over the tofu and place
  • a flat, heavy weight (such as a skillet) on top; drain for 15 minutes; remove the weight and cut the tofu into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
  • Preheat grill to medium-high.
  • Combine lime juice, soy sauce and ginger in a medium bowl. Add tofu and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  • Tuck a mint leaf into each tomato quarter and thread onto 4 or 8 skewers alternately with tofu, onion and jalapeños. (Discard any remaining marinade.)
  • Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, for 7 minutes. Brush with kecap manis and grill until the vegetables are softened and the tofu is well glazed, about 3 minutes more.

Contains

Gluten

Soy

 

Grilled Buffalo Steak with Radicchio-Beet Skewers

Servings:  4 / Calories per serving: 222

Preparation Time:  40 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese, or feta cheese
  • 4 tsp white-wine vinegar
  • 3/4 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
  • 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 small heads radicchio
  • 1 15-oz can baby beets, drained (the liquid can be reserved for Pickled Eggs)
  • 1 lb buffalo or beef New York strip (loin) steaks, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 portions

Instructions

  • Preheat grill to high.
  • Place cheese in a medium bowl and mash it with the back of a spoon until creamy. Add vinegar, dry mustard, shallot, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; whisk to combine. Continue whisking and slowly drizzle in 1 tablespoon oil until blended. Set aside.
  • Cut each radicchio head in half, core and quarter each half. Thread radicchio chunks and beets onto skewers. Drizzle the skewered vegetables with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Rub steaks with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil. Season the steaks and skewered vegetables with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  • Grill the steaks 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Grill the vegetable skewers, turning frequently so the radicchio doesn’t burn, until the radicchio is wilted and lightly charred, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer the steaks to a plate; let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skewers. Serve the steaks and vegetables drizzled with the sauce.

Contains

Dairy

Red Meat

 

Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes & Basil

Servings: 4 / Calories per serving:  248

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 whole wild salmon fillet , (also called a “side of salmon,” about 1 1/2 lbs; see Tips)
  • 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
  • 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat grill to medium.
  • Mash minced garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife or a spoon until a paste forms. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oil.
  • Check the salmon for pin bones and remove if necessary (see Tips). Measure out a piece of heavy-duty foil (or use a double layer of regular foil) large enough for the salmon fillet. Coat the foil with cooking spray. Place the salmon skin-side down on the foil and spread the garlic mixture all over it. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup basil. Overlap tomato slices on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  • Transfer the salmon on the foil to the grill. Grill until the fish flakes easily, 10 to 12 minutes. Use two large spatulas to slide the salmon from the foil to a serving platter. Serve the salmon sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup basil.

Contains

Paleo

Pescetarian

South Carolina Ranked as 45th Worst State to Be a Police Officer in New Study

May 14, 2017 by 0 Comments

Source: WalletHub

Currently, there are over 900,000 uniformed police officers in the United States.  In the last 10 years, over 1500 have died in the line of duty including 143 in 2016.  This is a noble profession, but one that comes with high risk.  WalletHub just released a study on the best and worst states to be a police officer.   Our own South Carolina ranked as the 45th worst state to be a police officer.

Below is the breakdown of the 50 states including methodology and analysis.

Methodology of Study

Ask the Experts

Best and Worst States to Be a Cop

Overall Rank State Total Score ‘Opportunity & Competition’ Rank ‘Job Hazards & Protections’ Rank ‘Quality of Life’ Rank
1 North Dakota 63.05 12 6 1
2 Connecticut 59.56 31 1 10
3 New York 58.57 2 25 12
4 Illinois 58.04 5 11 16
5 Minnesota 56.66 16 4 29
6 New Hampshire 56.29 48 5 2
7 New Jersey 55.32 6 8 34
8 Texas 54.50 3 27 21
9 Maine 54.13 49 2 19
10 South Dakota 54.01 38 13 4
11 Delaware 53.46 29 10 14
12 Rhode Island 52.73 43 3 25
13 Pennsylvania 52.13 9 15 37
13 Washington 52.13 18 12 33
15 Maryland 52.05 13 33 5
16 District of Columbia 51.93 1 48 22
17 Indiana 51.91 19 18 20
18 Hawaii 51.40 26 23 11
19 Massachusetts 51.27 17 9 41
20 Florida 51.19 40 21 8
21 California 50.86 8 28 31
22 Wisconsin 50.47 21 17 32
23 Virginia 49.84 11 14 47
24 Michigan 49.79 10 30 30
25 Vermont 48.95 41 7 40
26 Kansas 48.45 42 39 3
27 North Carolina 48.20 20 16 46
28 Utah 48.18 51 22 7
29 Wyoming 48.11 14 32 24
30 Colorado 47.98 7 43 23
31 Ohio 47.83 24 20 38
32 West Virginia 47.75 36 35 9
33 Iowa 47.56 23 29 27
34 Arizona 47.46 15 31 35
35 Montana 46.40 32 40 15
36 Oregon 46.16 44 24 26
37 Nevada 45.25 39 44 6
38 Oklahoma 44.78 28 46 13
39 Nebraska 44.15 27 36 36
40 Alabama 43.43 45 38 17
41 Mississippi 43.23 25 47 18
42 Idaho 43.05 47 19 43
43 Georgia 42.12 35 26 51
44 Missouri 41.72 34 34 42
45 South Carolina 40.44 37 42 39
46 Tennessee 38.49 30 45 48
47 Kentucky 38.46 50 36 44
48 New Mexico 38.06 4 50 45
49 Alaska 37.36 22 51 28
50 Arkansas 35.88 46 41 50
51 Louisiana 33.14 33 49 49

To all the Moms: A Celebration of your unconditional love – Happy Mother’s Day

May 13, 2017 by 0 Comments

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” –Tenneva Jordan

“Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love.” –Mildred B. Vermont

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” –Author Unknown

“When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” –Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

“Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.” –Marion C. Garretty

“Mother – that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.” –T. DeWitt Talmage

“The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men – from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms.” –Oliver Wendell Holmes

“I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” –Abraham Lincoln

“You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back.” –William D. Tammeus

“Mother, the ribbons of your love are woven around my heart.” –Author Unknown

“A mom’s hug lasts long after she lets go.” –Author Unknown

“Who fed me from her gentle breast
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother.”
–Ann Taylor

“A mother’s heart is a patchwork of love.” –Author Unknown

“On Mother’s Day I have written a poem for you. In the interest of poetic economy and truth, I have succeeded in concentrating my deepest feelings and beliefs into two perfectly crafted lines: You’re my mother, I would have no other!” –Forest Houtenschil

 

“Mom, when thoughts of you are in our hearts, we are never far from home.” –Author Unknown

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” –Washington Irving

“Most mothers are instinctive philosophers.” –Harriet Beecher Stowe

“Before a day was over,
Home comes the rover,
For mother’s kiss – sweeter this
Than any other thing!”
–William Allingham

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” –Marcel Proust

“A man’s work is from sun to sun, but a mother’s work is never done.” –Author Unknown

“Sing out loud in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children.” –Marilyn Penland

“No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother’s love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints, and over wastes of worldly fortunes sends the radiance of its quenchless fidelity like a star.” –Edwin Hubbell Chapin

“The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.” –Honoré de Balzac

“Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials.” –Meryl Streep

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” –Washington Irving

“Once you become a Mother, your life belongs to another.  Your hopes, dreams and passion are shared and your mission is a tomorrow of promise for your children.” – Mark A. Leon

 

“Frederick Douglass…No Turning Back” Presented by Actor’s Theatre of South Carolina

May 12, 2017 by 0 Comments

In a one-man play, “Frederick Douglass – No Turning Back” starring Kyle Taylor, Douglass’ has been invited to speak in a church and recount his journey from slavery to be one of the greatest orators and philosophers in history. It reveals his tremendous gifts of observation of humanity, passion for freedom, horrific struggles, relationships with friends, engaging humor and decades as a free American writer, newspaper editor and public leader. Includes incidental Gospel music. Produced by the award-winning Actors’ Theatre of South Carolina.

Director:

Chris Weatherhead

Playwright/Composer/Lyricist:

Frederick Douglass compiled by Chris Weatherhead

Ticket Prices: Adult: $21

Ticket Prices: Senior: $16

Ticket Price: Student: $16

Call Piccolo Spoleto Box Office or visit: www.actorstheatreofsc.org

BOX OFFICE – (843) 724-7305
http://www.PiccoloSpoleto.com

Official Event Website

Kyle Taylor – Starring

I Love You – Original Poem (A Poem for Everyone)

May 12, 2017 by 1 Comment

By Mark A. Leon

I woke up and something was missing
The air was a little crisper, but that wasn’t it
The sun was shining bright, but that wasn’t it
A chill filled my senses leaving goosebumps behind

The trees, clouds, wind all spoke to me
A plea
A request from the stars

In soft spoken chords, I heard a collective song of terror asking for help

We have lost our way
That line echoed over and over

Lost without direction home

Innocence engulfed by lust
Sharing shattered by greed
Compassion, a fleeting memory
Acts of kindness trampled by arrogant selfishness

Our bubble of beauty has popped
Bleeding out, short of breath, praying for a miracle

Today, I say to you, without fanfare, without expectation, without reward

I love you
I love you all
Each of you has blessed me with a life of meaning

For each hand I touch, I am inspired
Each voice, a new life lesson
Each act of giving, a reward so priceless

I love you
I don’t say it enough
I don’t say it with all the vigor in my heart

Now, I have awoken

I want today to begin a quest to regain that love around the world

I ask kindly
Say it today
Say it everyday
With zest and passion and vitality

I love you

Charleston Traffic: A Sh*tfest wrapped in a Clusterf*ck: Who is paying the price?

May 11, 2017 by 6 Comments

By Mark A. Leon

This afternoon, there was an accident on Highway 26 westbound near Aviation causing a backup nearly to downtown Charleston.  While on Highway 526 near Highway 17, the westbound traffic was blocked off due to another accident causing a 1 hour plus delay.  On River Road on John’s Island, a semi-truck jackknifed off the road blocking off traffic on both sides.  On the crosstown due to construction and a car stalled on the entrance to the crosstown off 26 Eastbound, there was a stop and go back up.

This was today.  This could be any day.

On a typical day, we experience traffic patterns causing extreme pain points throughout our home roadways.

  • The James Island connector can be backed up five or more lights during afternoon rush hour from downtown.
  • Folly Road is constant traffic in both directions throughout the day.
  • Savannah Highway, Bees Ferry, Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant, Harborview Road on James Island, Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant, Route 61 in West Ashley, Ashley Phosphate and Dorchester in North Charleston all suffer tenaciously difficult traffic issues.
  • Rivers Avenue is an adventure and not one for the weak
  • Cooper River Bridge leaving downtown Charleston during rush hour can be a parking lot

Who is suffering from this traffic mayhem that seem to not have a simple answer?

  • The South Carolina drivers wallets and pocketbooks – It was announced this week that South Carolina is raising the gas tax in increments over several periods to support a new state highway funding bill. Beginning July 1, the gas tax will go up 2 cents up to a total of 12 cents a gallon.
  • Vehicle owners in the Lowcountry – We can isolate a location like the Westside, Spring Street, Cannon Street and so on, but for locals, the wear and tear on our vehicles is punishing due to cracks, potholes and construction. A few months ago, the Post and Courier ran an article indicating that the average area car owner spends nearly $1800 annually in car repairs due to poor roadways and flooding.
  • Local business owners – In the past, the Lowcountry has had issues with isolationism.  Folks from James Island didn’t go to Mount Pleasant.  Downtown residents didn’t go to West Ashley and so forth.  In the last five years, that sentiment has grown stronger.  A 10-mile journey can run you 40 minutes or more and that is forcing many to stay truly local.  For small business owners who are fortunate to expand, they are opening multiple site locations throughout the Lowcountry, but for those that do not have the finances to expand, they are being pinched because they cannot get people from other communities to come and shop.  This is forcing many to shut down or look to e-commerce to grow their business.
  • Law Enforcement – Charleston and Berkeley counties have amazing and dedicated men and women that work tirelessly to preserve our safety. With increases in accidents and more able bodies needed to support their efforts, state and local law enforcement are being taken away being visible in their communities.
  • Entire infrastructure of Charleston – Most of historic Charleston, SC is below sea level and we are surrounded in most directions by water and marsh. That is okay for walkers, and horse drawn carriages in our quaint historic town.  Even from a strategic standpoint, this area was blessed during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars because it made it very difficult for enemies to penetrate land and easy to defend.  Unfortunately, this area is not built for 45 new residents a day and 4.2 million tourists annually.  You don’t need a Master’s Degree in Urban Development to see that.

Traffic truly is a sore subject here at home.  Some don’t even venture out between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM on weekdays or try to leave for the beaches after 11:00 AM on weekends.  The results are “slow”.

The biggest fear, isn’t the inconvenience, increased gas prices or cost of vehicle maintenance, but that the future of the natural resources, the stability of the roadways and the safety of our citizens are in jeopardy.