Don’t tread on the Gadsden flag

JUNE 1, 2012 — Look around in your town and it probably won’t take long to spy a bright yellow flag with a coiled rattlesnake in the middle and the words, “Don’t Tread on Me.”

This flag, named for Charleston patriot Christopher Gadsden, is a Revolutionary War symbol for national unity and perseverance. But that’s not why the 237-year-old flag is showing up in front yards all over. It’s being inappropriately hijacked by the tea party.

PeopleMatter’s story shows tech success can develop here

MAY 29, 2012 — Nate DaPore is a local boy made good locally. The Bishop England graduate has a great story to tell about his company, PeopleMatter, which makes software to help human resources professionals better manage hourly workers.

Energetic and engaging, DaPore has created a vibrant tech company that has gone through three rounds of funding by raising $28.2 million in venture capital. Formally launched in September 2010 at the beginning of the busy retail holiday season, PeopleMatter took off in January 2011 and hasn’t looked back since. Now with about 80 employees, most of whom are in its North Charleston headquarters, the company expects to be 200 strong by next year and move its main office to upper King Street near the Charleston School of Law.

How history can come alive

MAY 21, 2012 — Just mention ghosts, a nasty British colonel and alligators and you’ve got the attention of an elementary class of students.

That’s what happened last week as about three dozen students and parents from Charles Towne Montessori School toured historic Middleburg Plantation on the east branch of the Cooper River near Huger.

Grand media experiments start this week

APRIL 30, 2012 — So the grand experiment is to start today for our family: Living without cable television.

We’ve had Comcast and Knology over the years. Now we’ve got DirecTV. We like them all, except for two things — they’re expensive ($100-plus per month) and we don’t use them all that much. Our children watch some of the kids’ shows. My wife will get glued to one of the cable news channels every now and then. I like HGTV and the Food Network. And the Comedy Channel gets a thumbs up around here.

Get the name right of the guy for whom bridge is named

APRIL 16, 2012 — Imagine my surprise on a trip to local strawberry fields over the weekend when we spied a sign for the “Easu Jenkins Memorial Bridge” ” across Church Creek between Johns and Wadmalaw islands.

At first, I didn’t think I saw it right. “Easu Jenkins?,” I wondered. “Surely the Highway Department couldn’t have made that whopping of a mistake.”

Yes, it did. Boneheads.

Esau Jenkins (1910-1972) was a Johns Island native and local civil rights hero for his life’s work to improve economic, health and political conditions for residents of the Sea Islands of South Carolina.