For 230 years, the census has been one of the most important and historical events in our nation. It is mandated in the U.S. Constitution. Every 10 years since 1790, multiple generations of our ancestors have participated. In 2020, it is our turn to be counted once again. In the past, documents were delivered and returned by mail or someone went door to door to record who … [Read more...]
Falling Behind? Shedding Light on Daylight Saving Time
Waking on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 3, and realizing there’s an extra hour to wallow — by the clock’s terms — is a nice perk. But the joy of that glorious hour fades when it starts getting dark before dinner time and you remember how short the days seem in the winter. Daylight saving time (DST) occurs in the spring when clocks are turned an hour forward, so it is … [Read more...]
Bigger and Better than Ever: New Mount Pleasant Town Hall Gym Open
An array of recreational activities, from basketball and volleyball to sock hops and pickleball, have returned to Mount Pleasant’s Town Hall complex — and there are more improvements on the way. The town’s new gymnasium officially opened its doors in April, 15 months after ground was broken where Police Department headquarters and the town’s old gym once stood. Those … [Read more...]
Crossing the Bridge: Jogging the Minds of Local Runners
Moving to Charleston four years ago and driving over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge for the first time, I was awestruck. It was simply beautiful, arched above the blue water, as it seemed to touch the sky at its highest point. It’s amazing to think that an architectural structure as simple as a bridge built over the Cooper River blesses the Lowcountry daily as people drive to … [Read more...]
Coral Found to Thrive Off South Carolina Coast: A Beautiful Discovery
Try to imagine a towering hillside nearly five stories taller than the iconic steeple of St. Matthew’s Church in downtown Charleston. Next, think about that colossus 85 miles long – vast enough to stretch unbroken from Mount Pleasant to Conway. Now let your mind’s eye transport that massive mound 160 miles off the South Carolina coast and submerge it to the ocean floor half … [Read more...]
Flying the Eye: The Hurricane Hunters
Howard Elgison called Mount Pleasant home from the late 1970s through the mid 2000s. He raised his family here and was living in Snee Farm when Hurricane Hugo blew through town. Though not a journalist, he helped tell many storm stories in the Hurricane Hugo: Storm of the Century publication and interviewed Jim McFadden, a hurricane hunter who flew across the eye of Hugo as it … [Read more...]
It’s Sweater Weather – Where to Find the Ugly Ones
Ugly Christmas sweaters. There are whole stores dedicated to them; parties planned for them; contests held for them. Why the fascination? Why the adoration? Some might wonder why we even bother when they see those decked-out sartorial atrocities, outer garments so mind-numbingly ugly that even our grandparents wouldn’t wear them – not even to shuffle down the driveway to … [Read more...]
The Center for Birds of Prey Takes Storms Seriously
When tropical weather begins brewing in the Atlantic Ocean, Stephen Schabel tunes in for updates the way most of us do here on the coast – albeit for a slightly different reason. Schabel, director of education and husbandry at The Center for Birds of Prey, is tasked with keeping all birds safe in the event of a hurricane. Whether the storm on the water is a Category 1 or … [Read more...]
Making Red Lights Beautiful: Traffic-Box Art Project Takes Off in Mount Pleasant
Chances are you’ve been at a red light in Mount Pleasant when suddenly something rather colorful catches your eye. Traffic boxes throughout town don everything from intricate paintings of the Ravenel Bridge to scenes of sea turtles trekking their way to shore. This artful initiative has helped to beautify an already picturesque community – adding artistry among sidewalks, … [Read more...]
Drawn to the Woods: Who Is the Deer Hunter?
Finally catching my breath, I steadied myself and took one last look through my binoculars. Satisfied, I unloaded my rifle and climbed down the rickety ladder to solid ground. I walked slowly up the rice field to the deer that lay motionless on the edge of the field. I knelt beside her and sat quietly for several minutes. There was no cheering section – no one to slap me on the … [Read more...]