As I hope all of you have noticed, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a month where people across the mental health community join together to let those with mental illness know that they are not alone! I have had episodic bouts of depression that were situational in nature when an adverse life event hit me, but overwhelmingly, my life has been quite a blessing! I have experienced mental illness firsthand with a family member, and thousands of times with my clients across South Carolina. As I am writing this, I just concluded a disability hearing with someone that suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and depression. He will not go out of the house except when absolutely necessary. For example, if he pulls up to a grocery store and there are too many cars in the parking lot, he will not go in.

I am proud that the Mike Kelly Law Group has advocated for those suffering with mental illness since its inception, and I currently serve on the Mental Illness Recovery Center Inc. Board (MIRCI). It is one of the most satisfying, rewarding, and necessary services that I can provide. I have written about MIRCI and its mission before, and surely will do so again.

Please be sympathetic to those affected by mental health problems and the stigma surrounding mental illness.

The Mike Kelly Law Group is growing, and we have another new team member that we would like to announce today – Christy Leigh Salinari. Her dad is a first generation American, after his parents immigrated from Italy. She was born and raised in Myrtle Beach, and attended Socastee High School, and then THE Coastal Carolina University. Christy received many awards at Coastal, both academically and athletically. She was engaged in numerous extracurricular activities, including serving on the CCU dance team.

After graduating from Coastal, Christy enrolled in the University of South Carolina School of Law, which has become extremely difficult to be accepted for admission. She has just completed her first year. Christy will be working for us as a law clerk in our Myrtle Beach office, after a brief time in Columbia for orientation to learn all the aspects of MKLG.

Christy loves to travel. So far in her young life, she has visited 26 different countries. She was voted most likely to make your day by her entering class at the law school. When not studying or working for us, Christy is the proud fur mom of three golden retrievers. One of them, Rainey, lives with her during her time in Columbia.

Welcome aboard Christy Leigh! We are so looking forward to your contributions to MKLG and helping our clients!

Rob will join our firm this coming Monday, May 2, 2022, to work as an attorney in our Myrtle Beach office. For starters, no one enjoys the beach more than Rob and his boss, Mike Kelly!

Rob was born and raised in Columbia. He is a product of Spring Valley High School, and a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Law. Along the way, he was in the hospitality business for about a decade. After clerking in law school, Rob passed the SC Bar and went to work for former Mike Kelly Law Group attorney, now judge, the Honorable Walton “Tad” McLeod. He served as Judge McLeod’s judicial clerk for a year, and then went to work for the Richland County Public Defender’s Office. He honed many skills at both previous stops that will be valuable in his career with MKLG, and we are SO excited to have him on our team!

Rob’s mother, who is a retired physician, lives in Murrells Inlet, SC. When Rob is not working, he enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, his pet dog Zoe, reading, exercising, and cooking! Since I have zero cooking skills, maybe he can make me a meal.

Welcome Aboard Rob!

Does it seem like more and more incidents are occurring with gun violence in our fair City? My KellyGram posts studiously avoid taking political stands, and I am not an opponent of gun rights, but this recent trend of gun violence is extremely disturbing, especially in our own backyard! My son Mac was just down the street from Columbiana Centre at the time of the incident this past Saturday, and he said that the police and first responders were on the scene in record numbers. My hat goes off to them! Mac and I had a conversation that there are two jobs that I would never want my sons to have, and that is being a police officer or a first responder, due to the violence they could encounter, as well as the physical and mental toll on their bodies. I do, however, applaud and thank those that selflessly hold these positions.

When consumers cannot safely go shopping on a Saturday afternoon before Easter, then there is certainly a problem, but I will leave it to the lawmakers and the governmental and law enforcement officials to do something about this. Soon!

In observance of Good Friday, our offices will be closed to allow those here at MKLG the opportunity to reflect on our faith, and the significance of it in our lives. Although Good Friday will always be remembered in the Christian faith as a dark day, Easter Sunday will be just around the corner, and a time of immense joy will be renewed in us!

Whether your faith is in Christ, in another religion, or no religion at all, this time of year is also a time to stop and observe the beauty that is around us. Things are turning green, flowers are blooming, and frankly, we all are truly fortunate to live in South Carolina, which in my biased opinion, is the most beautiful state in the Nation!

As you go about your daily lives this Spring and Summer, please stop to smell the roses, and enjoy all the beauty that surrounds all of us.

The Mike Kelly Law Group has several exciting announcements to unveil in the next 30 days, and the first of these is our new paralegal in our Columbia office – Colleen Ussery! We are beyond thrilled to get Colleen and her ten years of experience. She will be working for the Litigation and Employment teams here at MKLG.

Colleen is the proud mother of two daughters, Katie and Lizzy, ages six and eight, and her significant other is Alex, who is employed by the VC Summer Nuclear Station in Fairfield County. After growing up in Charleston and graduating from Northwood Academy, Colleen attended Charleston Southern University. She is going to bring a lot of energy and experience to our firm.

When she is not working or taking care of her daughters, a dog, a cat, and a hamster, Colleen loves being outdoors. She and her family are thrilled to have relocated to Irmo, South Carolina.

We cannot wait to see what Colleen can do to further the mission of service at MKLG! Again, Welcome to the family, Colleen!

Although America is full of WONDERFUL places to live and play, I choose to divide my time between Columbia, which is my hometown, and Myrtle Beach, which I have made my second home.

Turning the focus to the Columbia area for today, there is so much going on this week and weekend, including: A Taste of Lake Murray, which took place last night; the Tartan Day South 2022, which started last evening, and will continue for three more days; the Columbia Children’s Theatre Production of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, taking place on Saturday, the 29th at Saluda Shoals Park; the annual Festival of Gardens in the Historic University Hill Neighborhood on Saturday and Sunday; the 86th Running of The Carolina Cup, taking place in Camden on Saturday (where I will be in attendance); and then Sunday begins Master’s Week. Added to all of this is the Women’s and Men’s Final Four. I will not be able to get any sleep for participating in and keeping up with all these events! Plus, I have already been to two after-hours events this week that included the SC Philharmonic Tasting Notes, which was spectacular!

When people say to me in either of my hometowns, “there is nothing to do,” I just laugh, and laugh and laugh!!

Go Lady Gamecocks!

As he readily admits, Frank Martin was not able to appear in enough NCAA Tournaments to satisfy his superiors or a portion of his fan base. My admiration for Frank Martin has very little to do with basketball, but for his philosophy about his holistic approach to raising young men. Although he has had people come and go, most of his players would do almost anything for him, and they exhibited that on that fateful Monday, March 14th, when he was relieved of his duties by Athletic Director Ray Tanner. I’ve watched him interact with players on and off the court and he has always shown the utmost respect. His home in Northeast Columbia became like a team lounge, due to the hospitality that Frank, his wife Anya, and their family showed to his players.

A further reason to admire Martin is in how he quickly makes peace with difficult decisions and holds no animosity towards anyone. This past Monday night, I sat in my car for thirty minutes to listen to the interview on Sports Talk, because I currently do not have a working radio in my residence. During the interview, the radio station suspended commercials because Frank was that entertaining. Martin has no regrets, and the Martin family has added so much to not only the University of South Carolina, but the community at large the past 10 wonderful years! There is no doubt that Frank Martin is a survivor and will land on his feet. Still, he will be missed by many for his persona and his community involvement.

We look forward with anticipation to what job Lamont Paris can do as his successor. Go Gamecocks!!

The Friends of the School of Music is hosting a Musical Feast on April 14, 2022, at the Koger Center for the Arts, located adjacent to the University of South Carolina campus. This is a unique concept where performers from our highly rated School of Music perform various musical acts, including but not limited to, a Percussion Ensemble and the Palmetto Pans (steel drum band); Jazz combos and Carolina Alive; Students of Opera at USC performing arias, duets, and trios from famous operas; Friends of the School of Music scholarship recipients and then Undergraduate and Graduate String Ensembles. It is a night of fun, festivities, and libations, and all for a worthy cause – Scholarships for the University of South Carolina music students.

This is the 30th Anniversary of The Friends of the School of Music. Under the leadership of Dr. Tayloe Harding, who has been Dean for 17 years, it produces an unbelievable array of talent. I am frankly shocked at how many different musical degrees are offered at the University of South Carolina.

I am proud to serve on the Board of The Friends of the School of Music. I have learned much about the music program and events like Musical Feast during my time on the Board. I promise you, if you are looking for an enjoyable time, which also accomplishes a great purpose, then order tickets and see me there!

I became an environmental stalwart after getting involved in the Gills Creek Watershed Association seven years ago. I have never considered myself an environmentalist, but the Gills Creek Watershed Association taught me the error of my ways! Even though I rolled off the Board in November 2021, I am still a volunteer with Gills Creek Watershed Association, and always will be.

The Watershed consists of sections of Richland County, the City of Columbia, the City of Cayce, the City of Forest Acres, the Town of Arcadia Lakes, as well as Fort Jackson. I, along with approximately 120,000 other Midlands’s residents, call the Gills Creek Watershed home. We can all use Gills Creek for recreational purposes and sustenance fishing. Unfortunately, Gills Creek Watershed itself is among the largest impaired urban watersheds in South Carolina, with numerous water quality problems, including high bacteria, low dissolved oxygen, litter, and sedimentation, along with high flood risks.

The quality of life in the Watershed is in enhanced by the work of GCWA. I encourage you to consider supporting Gills Creek by participating in our major fundraiser, Wine for Water, that will take place on Thursday, March 24, 2022, at my friend Dupre Percival’s event venue, The Hall at Senate’s End, which is by another watershed, the Congaree River. We will have auction items, food from a variety of restaurants, wine tasting, and a whole lot of fun.

Below is information about the event. I hope you will consider sponsoring, attending, and/or contributing to Gills Creek.