Her grandfather had been a mystery for as long as she could remember, his name an unanswered question, a frequent Google search.

All Sandra Sharpe knew about him was what others had told her.

“Good man,” they would say. “Fine soldier,” many recalled.

The rest was crumbs and brief glimpses of his life through out-of-place facts: He was a Marine and a general. He fought in World War I and II, and died suddenly of a heart attack in India during a round-the-world trip in 1965.

For decades that was all she could really find — nothing about a gravesite or even what town.

Until one day in 2012 when she discovered she wasn’t the only one looking for him.

Read it all.

The quest to find and bring home the remains of Maj. Gen. Harry K. Picket became an odyssey. A family looking for answers would join forces with a group of Citadel graduates determined to bring back one of their own. Soon it will reach its emotional end.
https://t.co/tpWrrxtFIW

— Caitlin Byrd (@MaryCaitlinByrd) July 4, 2023

Thousands of people are working at the run of new warehouses and manufacturing sites spreading throughout the Charleston region in recent years and all of them need to eat.

Trouble is, many of those industrial buildings are located in congested or out-of-the-way areas that aren’t close to quick and easy dining options, leaving workers with limited choices when it comes to grabbing a meal during a short lunch or dinner break.

Now some businesses are recognizing that a full-bellied employee can be more productive than one who’s going hungry, and they’re adding food to the list of perks that workers can take advantage of without having to leave the factory. While the meal offerings aren’t necessarily priced lower than what a worker could find elsewhere, the convenience can add up to dollars in terms of time and travel expenses that are saved.

Read it all.

Some businesses are recognizing that a full-bellied employee can be more productive than one who's going hungry and they're adding food to the list of perks that workers can take advantage of without having to leave the factory. https://t.co/n3AOlEI0xm

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) July 3, 2023

Listen to it all, and the web link there for those interested in a podcast download option.

The Anchorite by Teodor Axentowicz, 1881 [National Museum of Warsaw, Poland] pic.twitter.com/a1MjF70ctq

— Jack Daugherty (@JackDauCIHPE) May 12, 2022

A gloved hand digs through the sand around a plastic water bottle, prying the piece of trash from the clutches of the shoreline and depositing it safely into a green trash bag alongside a hodgepodge of other debris.

An orange grabber snaps down on a cigarette butt in the dunes, separating it from the tangles of seabeach evening primroses and firewheels blossoming along the mounds.

While children play with shovels and buckets and balls, a boy around their age beside them bends down to rescue the sea turtles from one of the many bits of left-behind litter that will eventually turn into microplastics and scatter the Lowcountry’s beachfronts, marshways and ocean floors. He was among about 30 volunteers who signed up for this particular beach cleanup on Isle of Palms on a sunny summer Sunday morning.

The cleanup is one of four that Charleston band Easy Honey has helped organize along the East Coast in the coming months as part of their five-week Surf Tour that coincides with the release of new EP “Ooooo.” In between playing 20 shows along the coast, they will stop in Wilmington and Beaufort, N.C., as well as Portland, Maine, to pick up trash along waterways.

Read it all.

This IOP cleanup is one of four that Charleston band Easy Honey has helped organize along the East Coast in the coming months as part of their five-week-long Surf Tour. https://t.co/ClBBnKMhcn

— Charleston Scene (@chasscene) June 30, 2023

Former Mayor Joe Riley met Edward Ball at a private downtown home on Meeting Street in the mid-1990s. Ball was doing research for the book he was working on, “Slaves in the Family.” The volume would go on to win a National Book Award.

“I was very intrigued, to say the least, with what he was doing,” Riley said, adding that his conversations with Ball revealed how little the mayor knew about enslaved people and their experiences in Lowcountry. “It wasn’t something discussed, it wasn’t something studied.”

When “Slaves in the Family” was published in 1998, Riley devoured it.

“I was so taken with it, and the fact that Charleston, this community — I think the country — really knew very little of the practice and reality of enslaved people.”

Charleston, the city of his birth, the city built physically and economically by people in bondage, was at the center of this history, Riley acknowledged.

“I finished the book and said to myself, ‘We should build a museum.’ I asked my colleagues if they thought I was crazy, or if they thought it was a good idea. They thought it was a very good idea. That’s how it started.”

Read it all.

How the International African American Museum was made, and what it will do https://t.co/I92smYuzqp via @postandcourier

— Joe Darby (@josephdarby) June 27, 2023

Listen to it all, and there is also more there for those interested.

https://t.co/o9KhWXoRgs
🎼Thomas Tallis (c.1505 – 1585)
🎵Lamentations of Jeremiah
📖https://t.co/PnsovXQIWB
🎨Horace Vernet
💝🤗💖😉✨ pic.twitter.com/SIBVfpRngM

— Lucia (@angelicadisogno) September 10, 2017

Wilkinson Returns as Director of Music at St. Michael’s

Matthew Wilkinson recently accepted the position as the Director of Music at St. Michael’s Church, Charleston. In a note to the congregation, the Rector, the Rev. Al Zadig wrote, It is my pleasure to announce the return of Matthew Wilkinson as our Director of Music. Many of you remember Matthew who served faithfully as our Director of Music from August, 2014, through December, 2019, leaving to pursue God’s call for Master and Doctorate degrees. His first Sunday with us will be September 3rd. Matthew, his wife, Melanie, and their daughter, Annika, will be available for you to meet after each worship service on September 3rd. Please help us welcome them back to St. Michael’s Church. There is much to know about the Wilkinson family since they have been gone; including their time living and traveling through Europe and most recently their experience with Christ Church, Plano.”

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/jzNQxhnVdf #faith #religion #parishministry #media #lowcountrylife pic.twitter.com/GkEebU379U

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) June 20, 2023

A national memorial commemorating the Emanuel Nine will break ground July 22 after years of fundraising and delays.

The project, flanking both sides of the church, will feature in part two large marble benches centered around a fountain inscribed with their names. Cynthia Graham Hurd. Susie Jackson. Ethel Lance. DePayne Middleton-Doctor. Clementa Pinckney. Tywanza Sanders. Daniel Simmons Sr. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton. Myra Thompson.

Working on the memorial has helped cement them — a group including beloved wives, husbands, parents, brothers, sisters, pastors, a librarian, a track coach — in history. It has sustained a reeling congregation, and the broader Charleston community, in processing what happened inside such sacred space.

The project has brought a common goal, uniting Emanuel in a mission to preserve and honor the past while building a new future.

Read it all.

A memorial commemorating the Emanuel Nine will break ground July 22, weeks after the tragedy's eighth anniversary. The project has sustained a reeling congregation, and the broader Charleston community, in processing what happened inside such sacred space. https://t.co/wmFeHpKMxP

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) June 16, 2023

Acts 2:42 NKJV And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. pic.twitter.com/TccKhl99FN

— Elly Ndjukuma (@EllyNdjukuma) October 14, 2022

Hurricane season in South Carolina officially begins Thursday and state officials are urging residents to prepare as soon as possible. According to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, South Carolina is one of the most vulnerable states to hurricanes and tropical storms all throughout the season, which lasts until Nov. 30.

Six coastal counties border the Atlantic Ocean. These counties have more than 200 miles of general coastline and another 21 inland counties may be directly affected by these storms. Densely populated coastal areas, especially during peak tourist seasons, coupled with the generally low coastal elevations significantly increase the state’s vulnerability.

South Carolina is expected to have a relatively normal hurricane season this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency predicts between 12 and 17 storms for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season.

Read it all.

A new hurricane season is upon South Carolina once again. Check out tips from the state’s 2023 hurricane guide on how to best prepare. https://t.co/Pbtit5gaPW

— Rock Hill Herald (@RHHerald) June 1, 2023

There is also downloadable option there. Those interested in suffering through the video may find the link there.

By the work of the Spirit
you create all minds afresh:
heal the sick,
comfort the afflicted,
and bring all people to salvation.

~ Father, send your #HolySpirit into the Church!#Vespers #EveningPrayer #Prayer #PrayeroftheChurch #ComeHolySpirit #Pentecost

Image: Ira Thomas pic.twitter.com/AO31oPPd3R

— PrayeroftheChurch (@Neddamred) May 28, 2023

From there:

Columbia, S.C. (May 24, 2023) – Today, in a unanimous order, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled on the pending petitions and motions before it regarding the remaining three parish properties still in dispute. Today’s order denied all such actions, returning to its earlier decision from August 17, 2022. Two will remain with the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina and one will be returned to the Episcopal Church in South Carolina.

In response to the August ruling, the Church of the Good Shepherd (Charleston) had filed a petition for rehearing, asking the Court to reconsider facts in the case that had resulted in the Court ruling that the Episcopal Church (TEC) maintained a trust interest in their property. That determination has now been affirmed by the Court and the parish will enter into settlement discussions with TEC to resolve the transfer of property and all other remaining issues.

The Episcopal Church on its part had also filed both petitions for rehearing and motions for relief from judgement regarding Old St. Andrews (Charleston) and Holy Cross (Stateburg). The August 17 ruling had affirmed Anglican parish control of those properties. Today’s decision affirmed that outcome for both those congregations. In today’s order, the Court said, “After careful consideration of both petitions for rehearing, the court is unable to discover that any material fault of principle of law has been either overlooked or disregarded, and hence, there is no basis for granting a rehearing.” The court on similar grounds denied the motion for relief of judgement as well.

The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina is grateful to see the final legal issues in these property disputes resolved and the rights of Old St. Andrews and Holy Cross affirmed. They join the other twenty-five parishes whose property rights were confirmed by the earlier rulings. To come to the conclusion of all litigation is a welcome blessing.

While grateful for these good gifts, we mourn the loss of property for Good Shepherd that this order dictates. Like the other seven congregations who received adverse rulings, Good Shepherd will continue on in faith.

The Bishop of The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, the Rt Revd Chip Edgar, said, “As we have seen with our other parishes whose properties were taken from them, I am confident that the Church of the Good Shepherd will recover from this blow and prosper in the new place to which the Lord will lead them. As we have with our other parishes, the Diocese stands ready to encourage and assist them.”

The Rector of Good Shepherd, the Rev. Will Klauber, assured his congregation today, “The Lord will provide for us a community. He will provide facilities and space for his ministry to continue. We rest assured that Jesus is still seated at the right hand of the Father, and his Spirit is still with us as we navigate these uncharted waters.”

This coming Sunday, we, as a Diocese, will celebrate Pentecost and the outpouring of God’s Spirit to build his Church. We remain confident that his work will continue apace through the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina and its 54 parishes and missions.

#SouthCarolina Supreme Court Final Order:

Two More #Anglican Parishes Have Property Rights Affirmed https://t.co/PUnhy9qykn #law #religion #parishministry #lowcountrylife #history pic.twitter.com/nctjOVwHqL

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) May 24, 2023

If you’re looking for affordable places to live in the U.S., South Carolina has two cities among the best, according to a new U.S. News & World Report ranking.

The recent annual ranking includes 25 of the best most affordable metros in the U.S. To determine the ranking, U.S. News “looked at the proportion of the median annual household income that goes toward the average cost to own or rent a home, including the cost of utilities and taxes, as well as parity, which compares the cost of goods and services across the country.”

The city of Hickory, N.C. snagged the top spot on the list, while Montgomery, AL came in at 25th, rounding out the list.

And while living in some South Carolina cities, like Charleston, can be quite an expensive proposition, other cities in the Palmetto State are far more doable, the analysis found.

Read it all.

These two South Carolina cities are not only great places to live in the U.S., they’re among the most affordable in regards to housing. https://t.co/Lex3KJXCuK

— The State Newspaper (@thestate) May 23, 2023

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Nothing remains of the hilltop home that once stood at the end of this gravel road in western North Carolina. The house burned to the ground months ago.

Children’s bikes and firewood piles litter the yards of a half-dozen ranch homes down the hill that are next in line to be erased from the landscape. The company that will soon own them plans to have these homes torched, too. It is only interested in what lies beneath.

A hint of that prize sits a few steps into the forest, where craggy outcrops stand in the shade of tall loblolly pines. Look closely and you’ll see the rocks are marked with sparkling pinstripes of pale green.

Those pinstripes are evidence of lithium, a lightweight element used to power electric vehicle batteries. And that green is gold to Piedmont Lithium, the company planning to tunnel 500 feet into the earth here to mine the lucrative mineral.

Lithium is expected to fuel America’s transition away from gasoline-burning automobiles. In the process, that harvest could generate $3.9 billion for this rural community in five years, according to Piedmont, which penned an agreement with EV giant Tesla in January.

Along a certain stretch — where North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia meet — lithium is quickly becoming king: It pushes up through the ground, oozes through recyclers’ shredding machines and will soon travel through the backwoods on aging rail lines. New mines — as many as three separate operations by 2030 — are only part of the story. Welcome to the Lithium Belt.

Read it all.

Lithium is driving today’s clean energy transition just as fossil fuels drove the industrial revolution. But what is the trade off to the environment in the Southeast?
Fascinating read from @ClareFieseler on a journey across the Lithium Belt. https://t.co/b6OKcqPB9j

— Glenn Smith (@glennsmith5) May 21, 2023

As more families across the country flock to the growing Lowcountry counties north of Charleston, Summerville Medical Center is preparing to meet the needs of an expanded population with a multi-million dollar expansion on its original campus.

This month, officials at the Summerville hospital announced it would officially start its over $60 million inpatient bed project in August. The project will add 56 new inpatient beds, a 40-percent increase to its existing 124 beds.

“As we work to meet the health needs of our community, it is vital that we add capacity and clinical programs,” said Jeff Taylor, the hospital’s CEO, in a recent press release.

Dorchester County’s population has exploded in recent years, with more than 18,000 residents moving to the county in the last two decades. Currently, over 166,000 people reside in the county. Projections put the number of residents at more than 200,000 by 2030, The Post and Courier previously reported. Many of those moving in are settling in the Summerville area.

Read it all.

As more families across the country flock to the growing Lowcountry counties north of Charleston, Summerville Medical Center is preparing to meet the needs of an expanded population with a multi-million dollar expansion on its original campus. https://t.co/H85PHnjmlU

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) April 26, 2023

There is also downloadable option there.

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” John 20 pic.twitter.com/kSisRpFqOH

— ICE (@ICEontario) April 16, 2023

Tests in medical school are trying for everyone but especially so for Melanie Wiley Gail as she struggles with sounds and smells her fellow students don’t seem to notice.

“Imagine taking the exam in a room full of skunks with rock music playing,” she likes to say.

It wasn’t until after her first year at the Medical University of South Carolina — where Gail is pursuing both her medical degree and a doctorate in neuroscience — that she was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. While she is open about it and serves as chair of the Autism Society of South Carolina, many in medicine have privately told her they are keeping their condition private because they fear the public exposure.

It is a stigma Gail would like to see changed.

Read it all.

Pursuing a medical degree and a doctorate at the same time is difficult enough. Then Melanie Wiley Gail was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, and she decided to become an advocate as well: https://t.co/1S7MqQrn7I

— Thomas Corwin (@AUG_SciMed) April 5, 2023

Saint James and First Baptist Hold Joint Palm Sunday Service

The congregation of Saint James Anglican, which leases property on the grounds of First Baptist of James Island, was invited to join in First Baptist’s service for Palm Sunday. Saint James’ Rector, Toby Larson, preached. Look for a story in the upcoming Jubilate Deo.

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina Enewsletter

Saint James and First Baptist Hold Joint Palm Sunday Servicehttps://t.co/V8NgK7Uaom [James Island, SC] pic.twitter.com/pvbhi8WAHx

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) April 4, 2023