Albino Alligator at Charleston's Aquarium

By Jonathon Kalik

A reptile, more likely seen in a scene of a Spielberg science fiction movie than seen in the Low country, has entered the South Carolina Aquarium. Still and silent, spellbound crowds of onlookers stand captive as the reptile gazes back into the eyes of its admirers. A rarity in nature, an Albino Alligator is now the center of the Aquarium’s Coastal Plain exhibit.

A phantom of the swamp, this alligator began its life with a severe disadvantage. There are only around 50 albino alligators identified throughout the world. The majority of them don't make it through their first 24 hours of life. The improbable experience of witnessing one first hand is astonishing. The South Carolina Aquarium has given the residents and visitors of Charleston a truly remarkable opportunity.

“Albinism is a genetic condition, where an animal or human lacks melanin, or color pigment in the eyes, skin, fur, or feathers” according to the South Carolina Aquarium’s website.

With a lack of melanin, the James Bond of skin protection, albino animals and humans are susceptible to the sun's ultraviolet rays. They are also at a complete disadvantage in regards to camouflage.

The scene is set: an eerie swamp complete with faux cypress trees and life-like mud banks give way to a sizable underwater tank. Inside, Blue Gill, Large Mouth Bass, and Catfish, are only second-class citizens to this much larger albino alligator.

Spectators look on in amazement. One patron says, “It looks so fake, but so real.” With its more then six foot white body below the water, and its piercing red eyes and snout above the water, it slowly maneuvers through its authentic looking habitat.

Kevin Mills, aquarium President and Chief Executive, states that Luna the Alligator would most likely not have survived in the wild, and that her new home highlights a “great success story.”

Luna came to the aquarium through an accredited Association of Zoos and Aquariums facility. According to Aquarium officials, Luna was born in Louisiana in an area infamous for albino alligator nests. She was born into the wild, but raised in captivity.

Differences between Luna and the additional alligators that call the South Carolina Aquarium home are stark, but in reality, they share everything except melanin. One out of every 100,000 Alligators born into the wild is considered albino.

Reasons why adult Albino Alligators are so rare stems from their needs of warmth, and camouflage. Cold-blooded reptiles, such as alligators, derive much of their body heat from the sun. With a lack melanin to offer skin protection, the sun becomes a detriment to the alligators, rather then a benefit.

Camouflage is an alligator’s best friend. Not only does it provide aid to the alligator in pursuing a daily meal, but also keeps it from becoming one as well. Albino alligators are more suited to camouflage in the snow, than the murky waters of the swamp.

The aquarium will hire a herpetologist, who is an expert with reptiles, to provide care for the specific problems facing Luna. The herpetologist will also train Luna to perform specific activities, in exchange for food, that will allow trainers to handle her up close.

From a business prospective the South Carolina Aquarium hopes that Luna, the albino alligator will boost attendance. Following the great success of the penguin exhibit last year, and the new theater playing Happy Feet 4-D Experience, the aquarium anticipates Luna to do very well, in captivity and at the ticket office.

Keep the Charm in Charleston

By Beckett Brennan

Known for its rich history, spectacular scenery and beautiful beaches, Charleston, S.C. is consistently among the top tourist destinations in the United States. A destination that offers a unique experience of charming culture and endless activities, Charleston is an ideal place to escape the reality of daily life.

Among many of the popular attractions Charleston offers, a walk down King Street is a shopaholics’ dream. Ranging from trendy boutiques to one-of-a-kind antique stores, Charleston shopping is anything but ordinary. Recently, King Street was named one of the “10 Best Shopping Districts in the U.S.A.” by Forbes Traveler magazine, finding itself amongst well-known shopping districts in New York and Miami.

The charm of Charleston and the shopping on King Street is the ability to find items and stores not found at your local mall. In recent years however, King Street has seen a shift from its unique boutiques, as a growing number of chain stores have taken up residence. Currently Charleston travelers experience a pleasant mixture of both privately owned and retail stores, but is Charleston moving from the exclusive to the expected?
With stores such as, Abercrombie and Fitch, The Gap, Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, and J.Crew dominating the square footage, the dynamics of the Charleston experience are slowly changing. Local boutiques are finding existence more difficult, losing profits to their well-known, bulk-producing, mass-marketing competitors. Is this what Charlestonians want? Retail stores seem to be a contradiction to what makes Charleston a one-of-a-kind destination.

With the closing of Saks Fifth Avenue, giving way to the epitome of derivative retail stores in the likes of Forever 21, King Street is on the verge of what could be called a very slippery slope. Although Saks Fifth Avenue, yes, is considered a chain store, it carried with it a sense of class, luxury, and desire, placed in carefully thought-out locations. The closing of Saks, will soon lead to the absence of meticulously wrapped, detailed shopping bags, giving way to the unsightly, unoriginal, plastic, neon-yellow bags seen at every local mall in America.

This is not to say that there is not a place for retail stores in the Charleston area, however; they do not belong amongst the beautiful architecture buildings, and the horse-drawn carriage, cobblestone streets of downtown Charleston and King Street. It is hard to imagine this city without its charm, and the infiltration of the chaotic, unorganized, atmosphere of Forever 21, threatens the allure and charisma of the King Street personality.

I fear that as exclusive, unique boutiques give way to the oversized chain stores, King Street shopping will soon encompass nothing more than your Middle American mall. Where what used to be an enjoyable experience of leisure shopping, southern charm and hospitality, is soon replaced by long lines and volume driven customer service. I fear that no longer will people appreciate the personality of this city, and the stories that each brick and building tell, but that King Street will become a means travel. A way of getting from point A to point B, or in this case, from Urban Outfitters to Forever 21.

I am not oblivious, or fail to see the impact these economic times have on small, privately owned businesses. I realize that local shop owners have experienced a majority of the profit loss, and find themselves struggling to afford the high rental prices of King Street. I do however suggest that we make an effort to keep the charm in the city we know and love, Charleston.

Wednesday is Ladies Night

By Ashley Taylor

Ladies—if you are interested in fabulous food, drink specials and entertainment, then you may be happy to hear that J. Paul’z Tapas, Sushi & Libations is the place to be on Wednesday nights!The idea of having a “Ladies’ Night” is to serve as a reward to working women after a long work day. Most businesses that participate have these events once a week and usually see the same crowd week after week. Word-of-mouth is an exceptional way to spread the word about “Ladies’ Night” in the sense that friends tend to be the best critics and usually have the power to persuade their close friends to partake in these activities.It seemed to me that most bars and restaurants in Charleston would devote one night a week to a “Ladies’ Night,” in which they would offer food and drink specials to ladies only. I was very surprised, after contacting many local bars and restaurants, that many businesses no longer have these weekly events. It was surprising to me because it seems that these events would be great for any business.
Fortunately, there is one business in Charleston that still believes in honoring working women once a week, and that business is J. Paul’z. J. Paul’z Tapas, Sushi & Libations is located in West Ashley off of Maybank Highway. It is just a short drive for those who live downtown, and it is definitely worth the drive.
The atmosphere inside of the brick building you see on the outside is very calming and reminds you of being in a posh, upscale restaurant in New York City. It is hard to believe that you are actually located in the parking lot of a Piggly Wiggly shopping center. Centering on a European theme, J. Paul’z is a place where you can go with your friends to relax and relieve stress. The ambiance is very soothing, almost making you feel as if you are entering a spa.
The food at J. Paul’z is wonderful—I highly recommend the truffled macaroni and cheese or the vegetable egg rolls. They offer a wide array of tapas, salads and entrees that appeal to a wide array of people. I have yet to hear anything negative about the food offered at J. Paul’z.
As far as drink specials are concerned, J. Paul’z offers $2 Michelob Ultra, #3 champagne drinks, $3 chardonnay or merlot, and $4 Smirnoff martinis. On certain occasions, J. Paul’z creates a drink menu with specialty drinks and each lady is able to choose three drinks on that menu for free! This does not take place often, but it is truly wonderful when it does.
After contacting Budd Hubert, bar manager for J. Paul’z, he gave me a better insight as to why women are choosing to come to J. Paul’z and why they are coming back week after week. Although J. Paul’z has placed advertisements on the most listened to radio stations in Charleston, it is their drinks that attract so many customers. “We are one of the very few bars in Charleston that has an infusion program,” said Hubert. He continued by explaining that J. Paul’z uses a wide variety of fruit in their cocktails and is able to infuse any fruit into various types of liquor. He also recommends a peach-flavored liquor that is made in-house and that has been very popular among guests.
In order to experience all of the wonderful things that J. Paul’z has to offer, you should bring friends and attend “Ladies’ Night” every Wednesday night. From now through July 28, the band Plane Jane will be providing musical entertainment for “Ladies’ Night.”

J. Paul’z Tapas, Sushi and Libations
1739 Maybank Highway
Charleston, SC 29412-2103

Cruise Line Service From Charleston

By Glenn McNeil
Thanks to cruise lines such as Carnival and Celebrity Mercury, year-round cruises are now available from Charleston, SC. With departures throughout Summer, passengers can depart as early as Jun 16, 2010 and return in time to spend summer in Charleston.
According to the South Carolina State Ports Authority's website, Carnival Fantasy now has five-, six- and seven-day cruises to the Bahamas and Key West, Fla. All totaled, 67 cruise ship calls, from various companies, are planned for 2010. And more are on the way.
In 2011 the number of calls will increase to approx 100. Included will be Carnival cruises to Bermuda on the Carnival Fantasy.
Edith M. Grainger, agent for the New Winds Travel Agency, said "passengers can take advantage of A-to-Z online travel services to book cruises." Grainger said several cruise lines currently operate from Charleston. Some companies like Carnival offer 5-night round-trip cruises from Charleston to the Bahamas for as little as $349 per person.
The year-round cruise service benefits not only potential passengers, but the local economy stands to benefit as well. On the SCSPA website, Jim Newsome, South Carolina State Ports Authority President and CEO noted, "Cruise business benefits Charleston because it provides a positive economic impact in the form of jobs, investment and visitor spending. We look forward to continuing our successful, long-standing relationship with Carnival. "
New Winds Travel Agency is a local company that has benefited from the cruises. Grainger said she noticed a "slight increase in business since the year-round cruise initiative."
With regard to the terminal, the South Carolina State Ports Authority is looking to dramatically enhance the cruise facility. The State Ports Authority also stated on their website they and the City of Charleston has hired a company to develop a plan for the new terminal. The enhanced terminal will offer access to a large cruise markets in the Carolinas. Georgia, Tennessee and other locations are also targeted markets of an enhanced terminal.
As for the site of the terminal, it is located in downtown Charleston with great accessibility from major city arteries, I-26 and Hwy 17. There's one note to keep in mind, however. Traffic increases when ships call. In last Friday's Post & Courier's Business Briefs passengers were advised of possible street closures. Closures included Concord street from north of Market Street to the intersection south of Hassell Street. The paper noted advised of closures/increased traffic from 11:00am until 3:30pm when the ships embarked again.

Charlestonian Cupcake Craze

By Meredith Murphy

Sugar: Located in the heart of Cannonborough at 59 Cannon Street is Sugar bake shop, a petite little store selling vintage-inspired baked goods with ample amounts of flavor. Sugar opened their doors in November of 2007, and despite the recession, their business has doubled since opening.
Owner of Sugar Bakeshop, Bill Bowick, explained that everything they make in the shop is made from scratch. Cupcakes, cookies, tarts, and cakes are made fresh in the morning and are never on display the next day. All of their cupcakes are made with organic flour and eggs gathered from a local farm. The bakers at Sugar truly believe that using organic staples in their baking positively affects the way the flavors come out.
Bowick’s favorite cupcake is the “1, 2, 3, 4” cupcake. This cupcake is their classic yellow cake base that consists of 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 4 eggs. It is topped off with vanilla crème icing and fresh sugared blueberries. Leah, one of the bakers at Sugar, found it very hard to select her favorite but ultimately decided that her all-time favorite cupcake is their lemon butter crème cupcake with a lemon-cured frosting. Sugar b Bakeshop’s top-selling cupcake is their vanilla butter crème cupcake- a simple yet delicious indulgence. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays Sugar sells cupcake specials. They rotate these bite-sized culinary masterpieces so that their customers will always have a new and unique experience upon entering their bakeshop. The first popular cupcake special is the Lady Baltimore cupcake. Inside this cupcake is a raisin and fig filling soaked in sherry liquor. Cake batter is then poured over the filling so that the soaked raisins and figs get sealed in the core of the cupcake as it bakes. Once out of the oven, the Lady Baltimore receives its final touches with a lemon meringue 7-minute frosting and finely chopped walnuts.
The brownie cupcake is another delicious special, baked with hints of coffee bean and thickly iced with dark chocolate mocha frosting dusted lightly with sea salt. Another unique special is their hummingbird cupcake made with a banana, pineapple, and pecan cake then coated with a sweet layer of butter crème frosting. Lastly, their classic special is their red velvet cupcake. It is baked in the most beautiful deep shade of red complemented with a mouthwatering crème cheese spread on top.
Bowick believes that the craze for cupcakes is mainly due to the fact that they are so portable and represent one perfect dessert serving. Additionally cupcakes give one the ability to decorate and have fun- people can make cupcakes into anything they want them to be. Bowick, for instance, enjoys decorating their cupcakes to have a particular organic and rustic edginess. Ultimately, cupcakes serve a dual purpose, for they are versatile treats and outlets for creative expression.

Cupcake: Located at 433 King Street, sits Cupcake, a cheerful looking bakeshop offering lots of yummy-sounding flavors like praline, rocky road, mocha chip, and much more.
Kristen, owner of Cupcake, got the idea to open the shop after a trip to New York City. There she visited famous cupcake bakeries such as Magnolias, Crumbs, and Billy’s Bakery. When she returned to Charleston, SC she was inspired to open up a cupcake store of her own. Now there are three Cupcake bakeries on the map, for there are two new locations, one in Mount Pleasant, SC and another in Columbia, SC. Business at Cupcake has been excellent, especially in the midst of summertime and Spoleto. When their shop on King Street first opened, locals all predicted that their business would go under, however quite the opposite seems to be true. The bells on top of their entry door ring joyously all day as waves of customers flourish in and out till closing at 10 PM. Cupcake’s most popular cupcake is their red velvet cupcake. In addition to the red velvet people seem to highly enjoy their lemon blueberry, peanut butter banana, and white chocolate raspberry cupcakes. Their cupcakes are baked with no preservatives and are 100% natural. Their cakes are baked every day and are topped off with their signature mound of icing.
John, a co-owner of the bakeshop, explained that they pride themselves on creating only the freshest cupcakes. He explained that it is easy to walk into our local Piggly Wiggly grocery store and walk out with a twelve-pack of birthday cake cupcakes for a low price. What people don’t always realize is that those cupcakes are packed with preservatives such as Crisco and lard, which is why one can keep them alive and edible in their kitchen for up to a week and a half.
When buying a box of cupcakes at Cupcake, you truly get your money’s worth. Although their cupcakes are individually priced slightly higher, customers are paying for top notch quality cupcakes that are baked with all natural butter, crème cheese, sugar, flour, etc. Unlike grocery store bought cupcakes, their cupcakes only last a day or two after purchase, but since they are so good people have no problem polishing them off before they reach their short expiration date.

Jestine’s Sweet Shop: Two years ago Jestine’s Sweet Shop opened their doors to customers to enjoy freshly baked goods of the south in the heart of the Market District. Due to their location at 54 ½ Wentworth Street, they particularly attract a variety of tourists who dine in their co-restaurant, Jestine’s Kitchen. When folks are all through eating their breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Jestine’s Kitchen, waiters often suggest they go to their sweet shop around the corner to satisfy their sweet tooth craving.
Unfortunately, Jestine’s Sweet Shop only offers one kind of cupcake, and that is their classic red velvet cupcake. Kesha, manager of Jestine’s Sweet Shop, said they used to sell a variety of cupcakes but only the red velvet cupcakes were the ones that sold. On the bright side, they do make up for their lack of cupcake variety with their selection of baked goods such as moose and coconut crème pies, blondies, birthday cakes, and magic bars.

Baked: This little bakeshop is an ode to simplicity in baking, which is why their name is simply titled ‘Baked’. Matt, the owner of Baked, wanted to open a bakery that celebrated American desserts beyond the average cupcake, hence why their slogan is “Forging new frontiers in baking since 2005”. Due to their slogan, some of their cupcakes and cakes have tiny toy reindeer placed on top of their delicious sweet icing.
Their location in Brooklyn, New York opened first, and then another Baked shop popped up at 160 East Bay Street. Ever since the owners of Baked opened their doors to the public they have been nationally recognized and featured on the Martha Stewart Show, the Today Show, the Food Network, and the Style Network.
Their cupcakes come in all sorts of interesting flavors. For example, they have perfected the grasshopper cupcake. This cupcake has a chocolate cake base with a mint ganache filling, then is layered and topped with a crème de menthe buttercrème and mini chocolate and mint sandwich cookies.
Another cupcake that the owners of Baked say “You gotta have!” is their malted Cupcake, for it is a fluffy malted flavored white cake layered with milk chocolate whipped ganache topped with malt balls.
Their popular cupcake with customers is their oopsy daisy cupcake, a chocolate layer cake filled with a peanut butter mousse covered with a peanut butter buttercrème.
The cupcake that has won many awards and has been featured in many notable publications such as ‘O' Magazine, Food and Wine, and Bon Appetit is their sweet & salty cupcake. It has stolen people’s hearts with its dark chocolate cake infused with a salty caramel, adorned with a caramel chocolate ganache and topped with fleur de sel. The list goes on and on- definitely worth your time to stop in and try a new flavor out.

Welcome to the Doll House

By Christine Heilman

Friday night The Charleston Art Institute’s Fashion and Retail Marketing students put on a completely student run fashion show. The “Welcome to The Dollhouse” theme was reflected throughout the entire production; from the dollhouse set to the bright playful clothes to the up-beat music, the youthful theme was very fun and appropriate for the young designers’ show. The theme, set design, and clothes were all student developed and created. The fashion show was a culmination of a 10-week course at the Art Institute and was the idea of the students after a brainstorming session at the beginning of the class. Tickets were a suggested $5 or more as a donation to the schools newly developed fashion club MODE.

The show also featured new doll-inspired looks by some very prominent local designers. Cavortress, MEW, and Mamie Ruth each featured designs themed around specific dolls. Cavortress showcased a “Barbie” themed ensemble sporting lots of girly pretty-in-pink looks. MEW went for a more edgy look by centering their collection on a “Voo-doo doll” design, which entailed a much darker palette of colors. Mamie Ruth’s doll inspired designs mirrored the look of Russian nesting dolls or “Matryoshka.” This assortment of clothes featured bright colors, detailed designs, and floral designs. Other local designers were featured with less specific themes later in the show. Finally, closing out the night the student designers premiered their “Paper-doll” themed styles. All of the students were challenged to produce paper dresses to comply with the theme, all of which didn’t look like paper at all. The fashionable class project was very unique and all of the designers and attendees seemed to be having fun. When asked what she thought about the show spectator Brittany Errico said, “I loved it, it was such a neat idea. I wish my assignments in school were more like this.” I’m sure most girls would agree!

The One Man Star Wars Triology

By Janae Tanti

You needn’t rent the Star Wars DVDS to be transported to a “time long ago, in a galaxy far, far away,” all you needed to do was head to the American Theater and watch the One Man Star Wars Trilogy, by Charles Ross.
A part of the Piccolo Fringe Festival, the One Man Star Wars Trilogy takes place on a black, barren stage, with no set, props, nor costumes. The audience cries with laughter as only Charles Ross acts out all three of the Star Wars films, playing every character as well as providing all of the sound effects.
Having been a Star Wars buff since the second grade, I had heard of Chris Ross’ show long before he came to Charleston. I had watched a few Youtube videos of his act, but I went to the American Theater skeptical, curious as to how this one man could tell the Star Wars trilogy in one hour, when it took George Lucas three plus movies to do so.
As I waited in line to be admitted inside of the theater’s doors, I evaluated my fellow theater goers. I expected to see the stereotypical Star Wars fan- middle aged with glasses, wearing a Darth Vader t-shirt or Princess Lea’s signature buns. I was surprised to be surrounded by women in pearls, men in pastel polo’s, and even children as young as seven years old.
The doors opened as the familiar Star Wars Theme, composed by John Williams, blared from the speakers overhead. Excitement buzzed in the air, almost as if we were about to enter the Millennium Falcon itself. One young boy, who later revealed to Ross that he was only nine years old, sat in the front row pretending to play a clarinet to the oh-so-familiar soundtrack.
The lights went out, the music went off, and the spotlight revealed the one man trilogy. Standing in a black jumpsuit, Ross began by singing, (if you could call it that), the Star Wars theme while miming the infamous yellow script that scrolls across the screen at the beginning of each film.
“A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…blah blah blah, etc, etc” and before we could blink Ross was running and tumbling across the stage, shooting at droids, dueling with lightsabers, saving the princess, and spraying the audience with his spit.
While at certain times it was a little unclear as to what exactly was going on onstage, or who Ross was trying to portray, there was not a moment during the sixty minute show that the audience, including myself, was not rolling with laughter. Ross flopped around his arms while portraying Jabba the Hut and zoomed across the stage as he flew the Millennium Falcon, but the laughter turned to hysterics when Ross deviated from the script and added his own comedic genius to the trilogy- warning brothers not to kiss their sisters and fathers not to turn to the Dark Side.Saturday night was the final showing of the One Man Star Wars Trilogy, but Ross will be back next Piccolo Festival with his new act, the OneMan Lord of the Rings.

Watch video clips and learn more about Charles Ross at

www.onemanstarwars.com

Our Beautiful Charleston

Thanks to Beckett Brennan for the photos.

Low Country Cuisine

By John Starzyk

Welcome to the College of Charleston’s Comm. 230 Summer Blog y’all! My name is John Starzyk and I’m a Communications Major sophomore at the college. Over the next few weeks, I’d like to tell you about Lowcountry Cuisine; the culture and where to get some great Lowcountry dishes for yourself! For starters, the Lowcountry refers to a coastal stretch of land that begins near the Savannah River in northern Georgia and pushes up the South Carolina coast to Pawley’s Island, (roughly eighty miles.) The history of this area is rich in Caribbean, African and Creole culture …especially the food! Our coastal estuaries here play a major part in the cooking since they are so abundant with shrimp, oysters, fish and crabs. In addition, our marshlands are ideal for cultivating rice. With colorful names like Frogmore Stew, Hoppin’ John, She-Crab Soup and Huguenot Torte, it is easy to see why people from all around the world come to get a taste of the Lowcountry. This region is also home to some very successful and well known chefs. Paula Dean, a Georgia native and television chef on the Food Network has been cooking up southern delicacies’ for nearly 30 years; her recipes are greatly attributed to the Lowcountry way of life as well. Please check back often to the College of Charleston’s Comm. 230 Summer Blog as I will take you on a culinary adventure of all the great Lowcounty food that Charleston has to offer!

Gulf Oil Spill May Affect East Coast

By Tyler Marshall

Scientists are now speaking of a possible threat of oil spreading to the east coast from the Gulf of Mexico. Researchers have recently told the AP that computer models show oil may have already reached the Caribbean stream called the “Loop Current.” The Loop Current is what moves water circularly around the Gulf of Mexico.
William Hogarth, dean of the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida, had some insight on the matter. He claimed that one computer model showed oil already in the Loop Current. Could it already be too late for BP to stop the spread of oil to to our eastern seaboard? Expert Stewart Farrell, director of the Coastal Research Center at Richard Stockton College, says it may be. Farrell explained that the Loop Current feeds out of the Gulf between Cuba and Florida, and into the Gulf Stream. How long does BP have until the oil reaches the Atlantic? The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) has been taking photographs of the Gulf since the disaster occurred. With satellite images showing massive surface area spreading of the oil, many scientists fear this hypothetical will soon be reality.
Farrell reminds us that the Gulf Stream reaches as far as the north Atlantic, near Ireland. Will Charleston soon see oil on its beautiful beaches? If it does, the ecosystem, as well as city life and economy, will be greatly affected. Oil in the Gulf Stream means that oil will flow up the coast all the way to Cape Hatteras, NC, where it most likely would start moving east into the Atlantic.

The Damage So Far

The well leaks as much as 800,000 gallons of crude oil a day. This staggering figure shows that approximately every 10 days of this leak is tantamount to one Exxon Valdez spill. Should BP be held responsible for all damages caused by the leak? The Obama administration has recently given BP an order to pay $69 million in damages. The company has until July 1 to settle this order with the White House. The money is to help pay for federal expenses as well as the Department of Defense and Coast Guard deployment with state support of the cleanup. The House of Representatives voted, in a 410-0 landslide, to allow more funding to the Coast Guard for the cleanup of the Gulf coast. The bill will now go in front of President Obama for the final stage of the legislative process. If the bill is passed, it will lift the $100 million spending cap that was formerly given to the Coast Guard for the cleanup effort. Will BP be held responsible for the additional cost?
BP has not only caused problems with our ecosystem, but with its shareholders and the rest of the economy, as well. Since the April 20 explosion of the Gulf well,the company's share price has fallen nearly 50 percent. This figure is equivalent to $90 billion in market value lost by shareholders. Could this ultimately have effects on life in Charleston? Our national economy will surely let us know soon. With fishermen, business owners, and property owners filing damage claims with BP almost every day, that time may come sooner than later. BP is required, underfederal law, to pay for many damages such as property damage and lost earnings. Is there any end to the damages that could be incurred? Could the oil have an effect on food prices in Charleston's hospitality-driven market? Only time will tell.

Locals Taking Action

An attorney representing Bell Legal Group in Georgetown, SC has filed a federal class-action law suite against BP, Halliburton, Cameron International, and Transocean for alleged damages to local tourism and hospitality business. “Hopefully, this gets BP's attention to do something before it gets here,” said Aron Jophlin, an attorney from the Bell Legal Group. When asked what he thought about this statement, a local restaurant manager said, “I hope more businesses take the same stance... we have already had many cancellations because people don't trust seafood anymore.”

Four Ex-Firefighters Take Legal Action

By Cydney Mavian

It’s been nearly three years since the Sofa Super Store fire happened, and yet the incident that claimed the lives of nine South Carolina firefighters is still being dealt with today.

On Tuesday it was announced that four ex-firefighters are suing the West Ashley Sofa Super Store, its owners and several furniture companies, on grounds of physical and emotional trauma caused by the June 18, 2007 blaze. South Carolina’s leading newspaper The Post and Courier covered the story in Tuesday’s publication.

The sofa store and associated businesses are being charged with general negligence, gross negligence and reckless conduct by former captains Kevin Storo, Patrick Sandford, Thomas Buelle and firefighter Jerry Winn, city records show. The lawsuits, which were filed in Charleston County, seek unspecified monetary damages for the injuries suffered by the ex-firefighters.

The Post and Courier reported that according to the former firefighters, the incident left them with serious and uncomfortable skin rashes on their arms and legs, in addition to the intense mental and emotional suffering they have experienced. City records state that the civil action is “arising from the severe, permanent, and debilitating injuries suffered” by the four plaintiffs “during and after, as direct and proximate result of” the 2007 Sofa Super Store blaze. The effects that the fire had on the men are detailed in the lawsuits, which allege that each walked away from the incident with post traumatic stress disorder, angst, and a number of other psychological troubles, which are being jointly referred to as a “nervous breakdown.”

City records show that all four men joined the Fire Department in the 1990s, and all left on disability retirements following the fire that killed nine of their fellow firemen.

Lawsuits, which asserted similar effects caused by the 2007 blaze, were filed earlier this year against the sofa store and associated businesses by four other South Carolina ex-firefighters. Those four former firefighters are Edward Clinton Jones, Gary Taylor, Matthew Roberts and Eric Croft. All of these men filed lawsuits on January 13, 2010 against Sofa Super Store Inc., which are claiming personal injury. All four cases are still pending.

According to Charleston County public records, Kevin Storo and Jerry Winn filed a lawsuit on June 1, 2010 against Sofa Super Store Inc. et al., which allege personal injury. Both Patrick Sandford and Thomas Buelle filed a lawsuit on the same day claiming personal injury against Acme Doors Inc. et al. Attorney Wilson W. Greene is representing all four men in their cases.

There are a total of 43 parties associated with each former firefighter’s lawsuit. 41 of those parties are defendants, and the majority of those 41 defendants are furniture-supplying companies.

There are seven factors listed in the civil court records as contributing to the plaintiffs’ injuries caused by the fire. The factors are being attributed to the West Ashley Sofa Super Store facility, the furniture manufacturers and suppliers, and the manufacturers and suppliers of the roofing and ceiling materials.

The Sofa Super Store facility is being blamed for its failure to install and/or properly maintain reasonable fire suppression systems, specifically the store’s lack of a sprinkler system. Additionally, the sofa store is being held responsible for modifications to its structure, which are thought to have allowed the fire to spread rapidly from one portion of the facility to another. The store’s failure to obtain requisite permits before undertaking multiple additions is also listed as a contributing factor to the plaintiffs’ injuries.

The furniture manufacturers and suppliers of the sofa store are being sued first of all for the manufacture, design, sale, and storage of unreasonably dangerous, and highly flammable furniture items to Sofa Super Store, Inc. These companies are also blamed for their failure to warn of the danger of storing significant quantities of highly flammable items in a facility lacking reasonable fire suppression systems.

The deaths of nine firefighters in the 2007 blaze were definitively accredited to the collapse of the sofa store’s roof, which caged them in with the flames and smoke. As a result, the roofing and ceiling materials are also listed as contributing to the injuries suffered by the four former firefighters.

According to the civil action case file located on the Internet, these roofing material companies are being blamed for the usage and installation of highly flammable, unreasonably dangerous roofing and ceiling materials and roofing component materials at the Sofa Super Store structure. The manufacturers and suppliers of the roofing and ceiling materials are also being sued for their failure to warn of the dangers of the flammability of these products and components.

The dates for these four court cases have yet to be determined. For more information about the lawsuits, visit charlestoncounty.org. The story was covered by The Post and Courier, and published in Tuesday’s newspaper.

State Funding Goes Down, Tuition Goes Up

by Katie LaMaster

As one would expect in a time of recession, tuition at the College of Charleston is increasing for the upcoming academic year. The Board of Trustees voted Monday on a tuition increase of $1,326 for undergraduates in 2010-2011.

Undergraduate tuition will be $10,314 for in-state students and $23,172 for out-of-state students. The addition to tuition costs amounts to a 14.75 percent increase for undergraduates who are South Carolina residents and a 6.07 percent for those from outside of the state.

Offsetting substantial state budget cuts was stated as the main reason for the increase. The past two years have seen a reduction in state support of $16.1 million. In 2010-2011, less than nine percent of the College’s operating budget will come from the state.

The school has tried to offset some of the losses through a variety of cost cutting measures. Measures include cutting non-essential programs, eliminating vacant faculty and staff positions, deferring certain technology replacements and consolidating campus multimedia and technology functions.

Another reason for the raise in tuition was the cost of maintaining the quality of the education provided at the College of Charleston. President George Benson said, “The College must have the ability to support academic and campus life initiatives” and that “without sufficient resources, the College cannot fully realize its potential, nor can it meet the needs of students.”

Although students are not happy to hear about a raise in tuition, some understand that it is necessary. Out-of-state student Tiffany Kingston thinks that the increase is understandable, but she is “disappointed that the bad economy is taking a toll on education.” Kingston said that she would have to take out larger student loans to pay for next year’s tuition.

In-state student Harrison Chapman also understands the Board’s decision. The rising senior pays his own tuition, and he hopes that the money will go towards better resources and larger budgets for teachers. Although the cost of tuition is rising by a much higher percent for in-state students Chapman is not complaining. He is willing to pay more because he enjoys meeting people from all over the country and world. “I like that we have a diverse student body. It makes us unique,” he said.

Both students feel that the increase in tuition is going to affect the number of applications the College will receive in the next year. They expect many in-state students to turn to less expensive schools, and for out-of-state students to look closer to home. The College hopes to avoid this by putting $3 million of the revenue from the tuition towards financial aid.

Tuition for The Graduate School of the College of Charleston was also raised. All graduate students, in-state and out-of-state, will see an increase of $1,460 in tuition costs for 2010-2011.

Few other South Carolina schools have yet to announce tuition increases. Coastal Carolina has increased in-state tuition by 4.92 percent and out-of-state tuition by 7.99 percent. Clemson has not announced their 2010-2011 tuition. Teresa Hopkins, Public Information Director for Business and Behavioral Science and Academic Affairs at Clemson, said that the decision would be made later in the summer and she had no ideas as to whether or not the tuition would increase. The University of South Carolina has also yet to announce the upcoming year’s tuition.

The tuition costs were voted on at the Board of Trustee’s meeting at the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia on June 7. The Office of Media Relations at the College was not eager to answer questions regarding the decision, however the Post and Courier reported that at least one trustee was against such a high increase for in-state students.

The College announced the new tuition costs in a media release posted to the school’s website Monday afternoon. All students were e-mailed a copy of an Op-Ed co-written by Chair of the Board of Trustees, Marie Land, and President, George Benson. The article was published in Tuesday’s Post and Courier.

Walking the Streets of Spoleto, Italy

By Katie LaMaster

Spoleto fans looking to experience some of the festival’s namesake town need only go as far as the Gibbes Museum of Art this summer. Interruptions, an exhibition by world-renowned photographer, JoAnn Verburg, documents the architecture and residents of Spoleto, Italy. The exhibition aims to connect the historic cities of Charleston and Spoleto through “an emphasis on the intersection of past and present” said Gibbes Executive Director Angela D. Mack in a media release.

Although the idea of past and present intersecting is relevant for both cities, the emphasis on the intersection is very subtle in Verburg’s photographs. Each reminder of present-day life among the historic architecture creates visually interesting photographs, but does not stand out as a focus of the exhibition. Scenes of winding streets and brick moldings are quietly interrupted by hints of modernity. A surveillance camera sits above an old window, cranes peek out from behind old buildings and wires span across narrow pathways. While these little aspects of present day life contrast with the architecture, the effect is subtle enough that I wouldn’t consider the emphasis of the exhibition to be the intersection of past and present.

Verburg even seems to contradict this intersection through her depiction of not only architecture, but also people. Rather than incorporate the faces of Spoleto’s residents in the scenes of the city’s historic architecture, Verburg has separated them. The small, intimate portraits serve as a nice contrast to the large, architectural prints, but take away from the idea of an intersection between past and present. One could argue that the people represent the present while the architecture represents the past, but where then is the intersection of the two if they are displayed in separate photographs?

Despite the confusion of the present interrupting, intersecting and separating from the past, Verburg’s photographs show off Spoleto’s architecture in a way that advertises the city to the viewer. Verburg plays with focus in each photograph, leaving much of the scene blurred and drawing attention to areas that are in-focus. The narrow passageways leading back behind slightly blurred buildings and off the edges of the photograph create a sense of mystery. Visitors will leave not only an admiration of the city, but with a desire to explore more of Spoleto’s historic center.

The exhibition is open now until August 22, 2010.

Gibbes Museum of Art

135 Meeting St.

Charleston, SC 29401