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.

Mike Kelly Law Group is in need of an additional attorney for our Myrtle Beach location, ASAP! As everyone in South Carolina knows, our state is growing, and especially Horry County and the Grand Strand. We are extremely fortunate to have an office that is centrally located in revitalizing Downtown Myrtle Beach, and we are really looking forward to what is transpiring in our business neighborhood! We need to add an attorney to our growing practice at the beach, and minimal experience is required. We are looking for someone of great integrity, someone who is professional, a people person, and loves to get involved in community affairs. We look forward to coaching them up in the MKLG style of serving our clients! Personally, I cannot think of a better place for a young lawyer to enjoy living and working than the Grand Strand. I spend a significant portion of my time there, and I absolutely love all things related to the beach!

If you, or anyone you know, would like to discuss our new lawyer addition, please let us know!

While college football in South Carolina is a 24/7 – 365 days a year engagement for me and many, many others, the official football season has drawn to a close with Sunday night’s Super Bowl. I watched every minute of it, and it was one of the better games, featuring two outstanding quarterbacks. As a matter of fact, while Matt Stafford is a veteran, Joe Burrow is in just in his second year. He is one of the young guns that, along with the Bill’s Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, will be in the spotlight for many years to come.

Speaking of shows, I have seen comments all week long on social media, some liking the half-time extravaganza featuring Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige while others were very unhappy with it. I love my sports, particularly at the college level, and will get the football itch this summer while I am still closely following baseball, especially my beloved Atlanta Braves. I hope to witness quite a few more Super Bowls, and on top of that, I enjoy living my life, because it is certainly a blessed one.

Greetings!

We have a very close working relationship with our friends at the Beasley Allen Law Firm, a National Law Firm that handles a variety of cases including products liability claims such as NEC Baby Formula and Paraquat.

NEC Baby Formula – Premature babies that are fed cow’s milk-based Enfamil and Similac formulas and human milk fortifiers are at an increased risk of developing a debilitating and sometimes fatal intestinal condition called necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC.

Paraquat – Known by the brand name Gramoxone. Paraquat is one of the most widely used herbicides on the market. It’s also one of the most dangerous. Farmworkers, crop dusters, herbicide applicators, chemical mixers, tank fillers, and even people who live near farmland exposed to Paraquat are up to 2.5 more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who have not been exposed.

If you, your loved ones, or your friends have suffered adverse effects from either one of these products listed above, please contact the Mike Kelly Law Group. We will take the initial basic information and then associate Beasley Allen to assist in handling this claim. We are here for you to evaluate your situation.

The Mike Kelly Law Group is beyond thrilled to announce the addition of Janet Rhodes as a Partner at our Firm. I have known Janet for more than a few years. I have always thought that she would be a great fit in our Law Group, and she finally agreed!

Janet has been a practicing lawyer for thirteen plus years. She began her legal career as a Judicial Law Clerk for two SC Circuit Judges, and then worked in several law firms, practicing Employment Law. We are especially appreciative of the fact that Janet will bring her versatility to the firm and engage in several aspects of law. While her focus will be on Employment and related law, she will also be handling Social Security Disability claims and assisting Brad Hewett and the ligation team in both the Columbia and Myrtle Beach offices.

Before graduating law school, Janet went to college at Wofford, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She was on the track and field team, where she threw the javelin, and I can honestly say she is the only person I know who is an All-Conference in javelin. When she is not practicing law, Janet enjoys serving on the Board of Directors of our beloved Trustus Theatre, and hanging out with friends and family!

Please join me in welcoming Janet to the Mike Kelly Law Group family!!

The last several weeks in Columbia and Myrtle Beach have been very cold! We have had snow and/or ice on two occasions, and prospects for the next few days appear to be more of the same! I must confess as I get older, I am more averse to cold weather, and am looking forward to Springtime. My outdoor activities will resume, flowers will bloom, and the State of South Carolina will rise and shine with the warmer weather!

I especially worry about the homeless during these cold nights. I salute the various agencies around our two key cities of MKLG, Columbia and Myrtle Beach, for their efforts to keep those on the street warm, fed, and safe. I closely follow what happens at Transitions, which is right up the street from me, and I think they do an excellent job dealing with this critical situation.

Please remember these non-profit agencies during these times with your volunteerism, your treasure, and your prayers. I am looking forward to warming up soon!