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In the twelve plus years that I’ve been writing this weekly column, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned the Highlands Writers Group. That is a shifting association of professional writers, semi-pros like me, and gifted amateurs. One of the finest writers in the group is Anne Doggett; she helped create the Group a decade ago, She’s a distant cousin who creates Southern people and situations on paper easily as well as the legendary Eudora Welty. I won’t mention any of the other members for fear of slighting excellent talent among those I don’t mention, Suffice to say, there’s enough talent...

This is Carolina Day, the 232nd anniversary of the Battle of Fort Sullivan. If you are not a native of South Carolinian (and possibly even if you are), you likely have never heard of Fort Sullivan and the significance of this day. Most American school children have heard stirring stories of the battles of Concord Bridge and Lexington Green, relatively minor skirmishes fought by the Minutemen of Revolutionary lore. These were fought in April 1775, and at Concord Bridge was fired the "shot heard 'round the world." But it was at an unfinished, palmetto-log fort on Sullivan's Island where the...

Luck was not on the side of Charleston police last night, as a sobriety checkpoint for The St. Patrick's Day holiday was cut short because of two car chases. two drivers, not willing to comply with officer commands, thinned out the number of officers, making it too difficult to sustain through the evening... The first pursuit began just after 9 p.m. when a car pulled up to the checkpoint and the driver was asked if he had been drinking. The driver, identified as Todd Nelson Miller, 27, of Charleston, submitted a driver's license, but then sped off, nearly hitting several...

UPDATE @ 4:40PM: This information is from Metro 911: AS OF THIS TIME...METRO 911 HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY REPORTS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING ACUTE DISTRESS FROM CONTACT WITH THIS UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE. METRO 911 STILL HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE SOURCE OR ORIGIN...AND NO ONE HAS NOTIFIED METRO 911 THAT THEY HAVE HAD A LEAK OR RELEASE. AS SUCH...EMERGENCY OFFICIALS ARE NOT ADVISING A FORMAL SHELTER IN PLACE...BUT IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO VOLUNTARILY PROLONG EXPOSURE BECAUSE THE SUBSTANCE IS STILL UNKNOWN.

Economan Felled by: Malcolm A. Kline, January 14, 2008 An economics professor at Charleston Southern University ran afoul of federal laws when he tried to go from macro to micro. “A former economist pleaded guilty Friday for his role in swindling investors out of an estimated $90 million, which authorities said he used to purchase a half-dozen homes, swanky cars and jewel-encrusted pens,” AP writer Bruce Smith reported in USA Today last October. “Al Parish, 50, admitted to two counts of fraud and lying to investigators.”

SUMMERVILLE — It was raining and lightning was popping when Greg Schneider went out to check the mail shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday. That's about all Schneider, 37, remembers after a lightning strike burned a 2-inch hole in his favorite Ducks Unlimited baseball cap. Schneider wound up sprawled on his back on the front lawn of his house on Alwyn Boulevard. "There was mail all around him," neighbor Brian Koellner said. Schneider said he came to as Koellner's 11-year-old son, Taylor, poked him and called out, "Mr. Greg, Mr. Greg." Another neighbor leaned over him and asked, "Greg, are you...

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. --Two men were detained after police found and detonated a suspicious item found in their car during a routine stop for a speeding violation on a highway near Charleston, Berkeley County sheriff's Lt. Vince Lombard said Sunday morning. Lombard said the men were being held pending a charge of unlawful possession of an explosive device, but he would not say what the device was or what bomb technicians from neighboring Charleston County exploded about 2:45 a.m. Sunday. The item made a loud bang, similar to a firecracker, when it was demolished. Authorities closed the road about 7...

Fire swept through a furniture warehouse, collapsing the building's roof and claiming the lives of nine firefighters in a disaster the mayor described Tuesday as "difficult to fathom or quantify." "Nine brave, heroic, courageous firefighters of the city of Charleston have perished fighting fire in a most courageous and fearless manner, carrying out their duties," Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley said at a morning news conference. "To all of their loved ones, our heart goes out to them." Two employees in the building were rescued from the blaze, which broke out at about 7 p.m. Monday in the Sofa Super...

The search is underway for as many as seven missing firefighters at the scene of a West Ashley fire. Charleston Mayor Joe Riley told reporters that several firefighters from three different local agencies were unaccounted for after the Sofa Superstore collapsed, but provided no further details. The fire broke out late Monday afternoon, shutting down part of Highway 17 near Wappoo Road. Flames were spotted shooting from the roof and thick black smoke billowed into the sky and could be seen as far away as James Island. Local residents and bystanders attempted to assist firefighters contain the fire. Some moved...

CHARLESTON — In a new twist in American race relations, a federal court has ruled that a white teacher in a predominantly African-American school was subjected to a racially hostile workplace. The case concerned Elizabeth Kandrac, who was routinely verbally abused by black students at Brentwood Middle School in North Charleston. Their slurs make shock jock Don Imus look like a church deacon. * * * * * Although Kandrac clearly suffered — she was suspended from her job shortly after a story about her EEOC complaint appeared in the local newspaper, and her contract was not renewed — her...

4/30/2007 - CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFNEWS) -- A 3-year-old boy became the youngest honorary pilot for the 17th Airlift Squadron as unit Airmen held a Pilot for a Day program April 20 at Charleston Air Force Base. Zachary Moore was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at 18 months and is undergoing chemotherapy treatment at the Medical University of South Carolina. He is the son of Capt. Christopher Moore, the 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs chief. Captain Moore said he talked to Lt. Col. Lenny Richoux, the 17th Airlift Squadron commander, a few months ago, but the colonel didn't...

A motorist drove a car through West Virginia's open-air, pedestrians-only Veterans Memorial early Sunday morning, damaging at least one black granite panel that lists the state's war dead, authorities said. State Administration Secretary Rob Ferguson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, described the damage as extensive. "There's got to be a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of damage,'' Ferguson said as he surveyed the memorial. "They really took it out.'' Artist P. Joseph Mullins, who designed the memorial and sculpted its four statues, was pleased the damage was not worse. Besides the cracked panel, the memorial had red paint scrapes and...

President Bush received a rousing welcome today in Indiana where he spoke on behalf of Representative Mike Sodrel. Later, W traveled to South Carolina where he spoke to the men and women serving at Charleston Air Force Base. First Lady Laura Bush joined Representative Nancy Johnson at a campaign fundraiser in Farmington, Connecticut. Enjoy your Weekend on Sanity Island

Ok, just getting ready to head to Charleston South Carolina for the weekend and haven't been there in YEARS! Anything new there that I should try not to miss? Anything I need to avoid at all costs? Thanks!

Dear Locus, I have been diagnosed with amyloidosis. That is a rare blood disease which affects only 8 people out of a million each year, and those 8 per million are divided among 22 distinct forms of amyloidosis. They are distinct enough that while some have no treatment at all, for the others, the treatment that works on one will have no effect whatsoever on any of the rest. An amyloid is a misshapen or misfolded protein that can be produced by various parts of the body and which may deposit in other parts of the body (nerves or organs)...

The break is at Turkey Creek. The 48 inch pipe is over the marsh and no ones knows how it happened. This comes at the time when we have The Cooper River Bridge Run, the Azalea Festival, the Cajun Festival, and a few other high profile events happening.

WESTWOOD ONE LAUNCHES THE MONICA CROWLEY SHOW --New Program to Air Saturdays, Noon - 3 p.m. ET-- Beginning Saturday, April 1, 2006 New York, NY Monday, Mar 20, 2006 - Westwood One (NYSE: WON) is proud to announce the national launch of The Monica Crowley Show, the three-hour talk program hosted by author and news personality Monica Crowley. The show begins Saturday, April 1, 2006, and will air from noon to 3 p.m. ET. The Monica Crowley Show will debut on major market stations across the country including: WABC-AM New York, WTKK-FM Boston and WTNT-AM Washington DC. The show will...

Plane crash near Charleston, WV. Plane was being escorted as it was not communicating with tower. No indication yet of foul play. Waiting for news to catch up. Admin Mod, no link as of yet. Please delete if need be due to this.

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2006 – An enthusiastic crowd of about 1,000 airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines and civilians gave Vice President Dick Cheney a Lowcountry welcome as he traveled to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., today to thank them for their support in the war on terror. Vice President Dick Cheney thanks servicemembers at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and vows that the United States will see the war on terror through to success. Photo by Master Sgt. Mike Buytas, USAF  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Cheney visited "Team Charleston," home of the 437th Airlift Wing, to praise the...

Paul Thurmond, 30, seeks nomination for Charleston County Council seat By LEE BANDY Staff Writer Paul Thurmond, the youngest son of the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, said Thursday he will seek the Republican nomination for a seat on the Charleston County Council.Thurmond, in making the first run for public office by a child of the former senator and governor, said he views the seat as an opportunity to make a difference for the people of Charleston County.For three years, Thurmond served in the Charleston County Solicitor’s Office before co-founding the Thurmond Kirchner & Timbes law firm.Thurmond, 30, promised to...

(Charleston-AP) October 18, 2005 - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston and Bishop England High School have broken ties to Saturday's Race for the Cure. They made the decision because the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation gives money to Planned Parenthood in other cities. The race is expected to attract about six thousand people in Charleston this year. Race organizers say some students from the Bishop England High School will participate on their own, but will no longer receive community service credit for their efforts. Proceeds from the race are required to go toward breast cancer screenings for...

Building's origin, purpose make for quite the mystery The Quarter House is lost, but its tale of subterfuge might still be nearby, quiet as a tomb. A local researcher suspects the "Dead House," the mystery outbuilding of the former Charleston Naval Base shipyard complex, might be part of the reason British troops in Charles Town during the Revolutionary War barracked at and staged raids from the Quarter House, a roadhouse tavern and inn six miles from what was then the city. The Quarter House would have stood a mile or less from the Dead House. "You have a Loyalist who's...

According to an email received by McCabe from the office of U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), the Marion monument project has already received the blessings of U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R–S.C.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), as well as Congressmen Henry Brown (R–S.C.), Gresham Barrett (R–S.C.), Bob Inglis (R–S.C.), John Spratt (D–S.C.), James Clyburn (D–S.C.), and Wilson. The next step is the actual bill, which McCabe believes, will be introduced in Congress over the coming weeks.

The Defense Department has scheduled a second major, three-day exercise to combat nuclear terrorism in the Charleston, S.C. area. The goal is not prevention, but coping with the catastrophic results of a terrorist nuclear attack on a major U.S. port city. The Defense Department has scheduled a second major, three-day exercise to combat nuclear terrorism in the Charleston, S.C. area. The goal is not prevention, but coping with the catastrophic results of a terrorist nuclear attack on a major U.S. port city. The military's Joint Task Force-Civil Support, headquartered at Ft. Monroe, Va., will host the three-day drill for commanders...

CHARLESTON, SC: (1/20/2006)--If the Archbishop of Canterbury and his 2008 Lambeth Design Team continues a "business-as-usual" Lambeth conference, with North American churches present, the Anglican Communion will incur the judgment of God and effectively put an end to the Communion as a serious, respected Christian body. The Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll, Episcopal theologian and Vice-Chancellor of Uganda Christian University, told more than 300 delegates to a "Mere Anglican" conference here, that changing the subject and "moving along," is no longer acceptable, and that what happened at Lambeth '98, which wrestled with central issues of human sexuality, cannot be glossed over....

It's one thing to watch the dramatic televised images of last week's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It's quite another to wade through the dust, debris, and twisted black shells of three buildings, two of which had come to symbolize the dominant economic power of New York City.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A worker helping to demolish the Silas N. Pearman Bridge in Charleston is dead after part of the structure collapsed and he fell along with it Tuesday. The name of the worker was not immediately available Tuesday night, the state Department of Transportation said. The state agency said the demolition contractor was removing a steel girder and concrete section of the bridge over Drum Island and the worker fell during the collapse of part of the structure. Demolition work will be halted until an investigation determines it is safe to continue, the Transportation Department said. Dismantling...

CHIEF GREENBERG RETIRES Health concerns cited as reason for departure BY DAVID SLADE Of The Post and Courier Staff Links to additional stories below.Reuben M. Greenberg was hired in 1982 to run a police department dispirited by the suicide of the previous chief in a city struggling with racial tension and high crime rates. In the more than 23 years that followed, Greenberg turned the Charleston Police Department into a national model. In the process, he became a celebrity and a source of pride for the city, though he had his share of critics. Mayor Joe Riley, who hired Greenberg,...

Charleston, S.C. -- Hundreds of people filled an eight-lane highway in place of cars and trucks Saturday to dedicate the $632 million Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River, the longest cable-stayed span in North America. "We have created not only a bridge, but a thing of beauty," said Arthur Ravenel Jr., the former state senator and U.S. congressman for whom the span is named. The bridge's 1,546-foot main span is supported by cables stretching down from the tops of a pair of diamond-shaped, 570-foot-tall towers. Unlike suspension spans such as San Francisco's Golden Gate, where the deck is suspended beneath...

Will the last Democrat with an idea please stand up? It doesn’t even have to be a good one. Just pick an idea: A chicken in every pot. An intern under every desk. Whatever. But please, Democrats, do something soon to indicate some minimal brain activity before a Florida judge shows up and pulls your feeding tube. Yes, it’s that bad. In fact, it’s worse. Democrats, you’re starting to make George W. Bush look smart. There he was on TV the other night, answering questions about a plan to save Social Security, conjugating most of his own verbs, and zinging...

Charleston, SC - It's still unclear when the new Cooper River Bridge in Charleston will open. Officials are having difficulty getting the 632 million dollar bridge paved. It takes just the right combination of temperature, humidity and wind to allow workers to put a two-inch concrete roadway layer over the 15-hundred-46-foot main span of the bridge linking Charleston and Mount Pleasant. Project manager Charles Dwyer with the Transportation Department says some days they get the right temperature and wind, but the humidity is too low. Only about one-third of the main span has been paved so far.

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

CHARLESTON, S.C. - For the 10th straight year, Charleston tops the unofficial list of the nation's best-mannered cities.

An international march to recognize America's role in slavery -- where white people wear yokes and chains while black people escort them -- will arrive in Charleston on Tuesday, a day after the Columbus Day federal holiday. If the group's Annapolis, Md., march last week is the measuring stick, the event should be free of violence but mouths will drop open along the parade route. The Lifeline Expedition is meant to prod observers into talking, praying and thinking about slavery. Charleston, because of its gateway role in the slave trade, is among 10 cities the group is targeting for "slavery...

From +Archbishop Donoghue, +Bishop Baker and +Bishop Jugis Worthy to Receive the Lamb:Catholics in Political Life and the Reception of Holy Communion August 4, 2004 + As bishops, we have the obligation to teach and guide the Catholic Faithful whom we shepherd in the Body of Christ. A fundamental teaching of our Church is respect for the sacred gift of life. This teaching flows from the Natural Law and from Divine Revelation. Life is a gift bestowed upon us by God, a truth underscored by the commandment: "You shall not kill" (Deut 5: 17 ). The Old Testament also teaches...

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world. A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in...

The President flew from Camp David, using the Hagerstown, MD airport, to Charleston, WV, but not before he and accompanying staff and Cabinet members had to change jets. AF1 had a faulty engine and another jet had to be flown from Andrews AFB for the President and his entourage to use. The President missed a Church service that he had planned on attending in WV, but said that he didn't miss it because of the sermon but because of a faulty engine and necessary jet change. He spoke to an enthusiastic crowd in Charleston, where applause interrupted his speech after...

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The towering steeple of Second Presbyterian Church was used by Union batteries to sight the guns that lobbed shells into Charleston during a 587-day Civil War siege. And now in its building nearby, the Charleston Museum has mounted its first permanent exhibit of those days of war and deprivation. Although technically not a siege -- the rail lines to the west still operated although tenuously toward war's end -- the Union blockade put a stranglehold on Charleston, which refused to surrender. The new exhibit in the nation's oldest museum shows how the city weathered the conflict that...

Charleston police act on employees' tips; 5 arrested BY PHILLIP CASTON Of The Post and Courier Staff In a Friday night raid on a downtown grocery store where police suspected drug dealing and illegal gambling, Charleston narcotics officers seized cocaine, marijuana and video poker machines. Officers raided the Cannon Street Grocery at 571 King Street about 6:45 p.m. They were following tips from employees at the store, Lt. James Mackey of the Charleston Police Department said. Officers arrested five people, including several store employees, on charges ranging from trafficking cocaine to illegal gambling. "This was a pretty good operation for...

The founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley, made explicit his view of slavery as early as 1774, when he wrote, “I absolutely deny all slave-holding to be consistent with any degree of natural justice.” It would have surprised Wesley to see defenders of a cause that condoned slavery honored in a Charleston-area church bearing his name, Methodist scholars say. On Wednesday, the Hunley’s Confederate crew lay in state at John Wesley United Methodist Church on Savannah Highway. “Though he died before the Civil War, there’s no doubt Wesley would have sided with the anti-slavery forces,” said John Wigger, a...

Runner dies in 10K race in Charleston Published Saturday, April 3rd, 2004 CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A 47-year-old North Carolina man died while racing in the 27th Annual Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston on Saturday. Spectators and fellow racers attempted to resuscitate James Scott after he collapsed during one of the first legs of the 10K race from Mount Pleasant to downtown Charleston, The (Charleston) Post and Courier reported. Scott of Hickory, N.C., was pronounced dead at the hospital around 9:30 a.m. Charleston County Coroner Susan Chewning said Scott died of cardiac arrest. "It was just awful," said Tami...

"Knowing what I knew then, and knowing what I know today, America did the right thing in Iraq," President Bush told a crowd in Charleston, S.C., today. Bush spoke at a homeland security event at the container port in Charleston. He said the liberation of Iraq was an act of justice. "The liberation of Iraq removed a source of violence and instability from the Middle East," he said. "And the liberation of Iraq removed an enemy of this country and made America more secure." The president said Operation Iraqi Freedom has shown the world that America and its allies are...

Feb 5, 11:47 AM (ET) CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - President Bush acknowledged on Thursday that the United States has not found banned weapons "we thought" were in Iraq, but defended the war as "the right thing" to do. "We have not yet found the stockpiles of weapons that we thought were there," Bush said in a speech at the port of Charleston, South Carolina. However, he said, "Knowing what I knew then and knowing what I know today, America did the right thing in Iraq."

Check Out Bush SPeaking in my city of Charleston, South Carolina.

Local Civil Rights Leaders Consider Boycott In Wake Of Police Chief's Comments Charleston, SC (AP) - A Charleston state senator says a boycott of the city's tourism industry should be used to force Police Chief Reuben Greenberg to step down. Greenberg provoked outcries earlier this month when he used an expletive to describe black-on-black killings in an interview with The Post and Courier of Charleston. Senator Robert Ford says Greenberg's home and that of Charleston Mayor Joe Riley (website - news - bio) should be picketed. The Reverend Joe Darby is the the state NAACP (website - news) 's...

The Navy's secret brig Prison's mission evolves as terror suspects arrive BY TONY BARTELME Of The Post and Courier Staff It's 4:30 p.m., quitting time at the Naval Weapons Station, and hundreds of cars and trucks roll single-file past the gate onto Remount Road. Across the street, a photographer aims his camera toward a distant building on the base. BRAD NETTLES/STAFF The brig in Hanahan is one of the military's main medium-security prisons in the United States. The building is mostly blocked by live oaks and pines, but between the trees, you can make out an orange barricade, a fence...

<p>An Army Islamic chaplain, who counseled al Qaeda prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, naval base, has been charged with espionage, aiding the enemy and spying, The Washington Times has learned.</p> <p>Capt. James J. Yee, a 1990 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., was arrested earlier this month by the FBI in Jacksonville, Fla., as he arrived on a military charter flight from Guantanamo, according to a law-enforcement source.</p>

Half-cent sales tax tossed out State Supreme Court ruling puts brakes on CARTA County to sell land for first bridge payment BY ARLIE PORTER Of The Post and Courier Staff The S.C. Supreme Court on Monday threw out Charleston County's half percent sales tax election, a decision that officials have said would shut down the area's regional bus system whose future hinged on sales tax funding. Barring the justices reversing their unanimous decision, buses could stop rolling as soon as two weeks from now. "This is a major blow for many citizens in Charleston County, particularly those depending on public...

<p>A U.S.-born man captured in Afghanistan has joined two other men deemed enemy combatants at the Navy brig at the Charleston Naval Weapons Station.</p> <p>Yasser Esam Hamdi was transferred to the brig near Hanahan from Norfolk, Va., on July 30, Maj. Michael Shavers said.</p>

McGee loses his job Termination follows anchorman's arrest in DUI-related case Brad McElhinny <bradmc@dailymail.com> Daily Mail staff Friday July 04, 2003; 10:30 AM Television anchorman Tom McGee has been fired from his job at WCHS and WVAH Fox 11 after a drunken driving arrest, sources said. Station manager Terry Cole said he could not confirm the firing. "I can't comment on personnel matters," Cole said Thursday evening. The two Charleston-area television stations already have taken pictures and references to McGee from their Web sites. The anchorman's position is expected to be posted early next week, sources from the station said....