Monthly Columnists

The pandemic has upset our country’s norms, disrupted our daily lives. But it also brings great faith: We know this, too, shall pass, and it’s been a reminder that if we have our health and our loved ones — friends, family and community — then life is good. And if we are sick or in need, these same people are there to comfort and care for us. The outpouring of support we’ve seen during the pandemic has only strengthened our resolve to continue to keep the community connected.

THANKS FOR ARTS CENTER SUPPORT

You might have recently heard about plans for the acquisition and expansion of the facilities at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, as well as a collaborative arrangement with the University of South Carolina Beaufort to locate its new production design major at the arts center campus.

While the discussions are still in the early stages, there will be no changes to the arts center’s organization, mission or role; we will still focus on education, community outreach and staging performing arts productions in our current facility. The plans include the sale, improvement and development of the arts center’s 4.6-acre campus to broaden its use by USCB and the island arts community, as well as where the arts center will continue to operate.

According to the MacArthur Foundation, by 2050 the world’s oceans will contain more plastic than fish — based on sheer tonnage. And it’s not just in the ocean: Recent reports have found microplastics in our bodies and the air we breathe. How did we get here? 

Dear Reader,

Spring is here with its insistence on new life, renewal and hope. At Monthly, we are full of energy and embracing this gorgeous season.

Check out our “The Essential South” section for articles that explore the cultural traditions, food, entrepreneurs and more that make this part of the country special. Have you ever heard a Southern expression and weren’t sure what it meant? No worries, Barry Kaufman offers a guide to some of the basics of Southern slang. You’ll be fixin’ to try out some of the sayings in no time.

In these “modern” times, discerning the truth seems more challenging than ever. 

I analyzed why this appears to be the case and list the main facts that I believe contribute to this perception: 

Dear Reader,

“There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.”

While reading about love and thinking about Valentine’s Day, we happened upon this quote by 19th-century French author Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, who wrote under the pseudonym George Sand. At Monthly, we agree: Nothing compares to love — not money, intelligence, good looks or fame. 

I was in 10th grade when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Five years later, in 1968, I was in college when Dr. Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated within two months of each other. I saw firsthand the profound unrest sweeping America as we grappled with the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and societal upheaval. 

But as a nation we were able to maintain the beliefs and values expressed so eloquently in our Constitution and Pledge of Allegiance. There was a sense that we would, eventually, find a way to accept everyone and to peacefully coexist.  

Happy new decade! Over the past 35 years, we at Monthly have followed our mission to be the “Voice of the community.” We have grown to be the leading local media channel that inspires, informs and, most importantly, connects Lowcountry residents. 

As we welcome the new decade, we decided to turn a new page in our long history and make VOICE our new brand going forward. While the word “Monthly” denoted our publishing frequency, we feel “Voice” is more telling of who we are and what we aim to do: Convey all the stories worth telling by covering a wide spectrum of topics, and give our audience a true sense of place. Through our online and social presence, our newsletters, the print edition and other specialty publications, we are uniquely positioned to make a positive difference in our community by being dedicated to local journalism and the place we call home. 

Feeling drained these days is easy. Despite a robust economy, we subliminally know there are bigger challenges that need solving and that we need to find the true American spirit again to focus our energy on positive outcomes. To this end, we asked our Last Call contributors to give us their personal takes on optimism.

Dear Reader,

A look at the dedication that went into Monthly in 2019, by the numbers: 

18,480 HOURS OF WORK BY STAFF AND CONTRIBUTORS

  2,174 PAGES 

          1 COMMUNITY

There was a time when the California coast was full of sea life. 

In the 1950s, free-divers (divers not using oxygen tanks) collected generous amounts of huge lobsters off the state’s shores and routinely spear-fished big white sea bass in kelp forests. They also often caught less common blue water pelagic species such as deep Pacific wahoo, blue fin tunas larger than humans; broom-tail grouper weighing up to 207 pounds; hammerhead sharks; and black sea bass tipping the scales at more than 450 pounds. 

Dear Reader,

In between courses of turkey and pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving presents an annual opportunity for reflection. At Monthly, we’re profoundly grateful for many things: for the opportunity to live in such a beautiful destination, for our friends and family, and for having the chance to participate in our readers’ lives.

Despite the many culinary preparations that go along with Thanksgiving, the meal is the centerpiece — but it’s not the celebration. Whether the feast is transcendent or simple, Thanksgiving is defined by the act of coming together. It’s also an opportunity to extend the ritual of gratitude outside of ourselves. Bring everyone you can to the table or let yourself be brought to it. Give thanks for what you have and whom you love.