I am still brimming with excitement from the Gamecocks men’s basketball victory over Kentucky on Tuesday night at Colonial Life Arena. Not wanting to be out too late—the game started at 9pm—I gave up my tickets to my eldest son, Patrick. As it turns out, I should have gone with him to the arena! According to Patrick, Colonial Life was rocking, and there is no doubt that the home crowd played a significant role in upsetting the Kentucky Wildcats. Likewise, I watched every play from home, and was so keyed up by the end of the game that I had difficulty falling asleep!

Gamecock head coach Frank Martin, like his counterpart Dawn Staley, is an outstanding leader who stresses teamwork over individual accomplishment, and he puts a premium on defense and intensity. Though the team does not have as much talent as last year, under the tutelage of their future hall-of-fame coach, the Gamecock players have an excellent team dynamic and are an inspiration to their fans, myself included, during this cold winter season. Go Cocks!

(And for the rest of you…Go Tigers!)

One of our service areas, Fairfield County, continues to suffer from the decisions of SCANA and Santee Cooper to terminate the construction of two nuclear reactors within the county. In my opinion, at least one of the facilities is necessary to accommodate South Carolina’s rapidly increasing electrical needs. But of more immediate concern is impact of the failed project on Fairfield County’s struggling economy.

Fairfield County and the two electrical companies had negotiated a deal where the county would receive a fee from the companies in lieu of property taxes on the nuclear sites. The deal was expected to bring substantial income to the Fairfield County government, which it planned to use in part to expand water and sewer access to rural areas of the county where, currently, the utilities are virtually non-existent. The build-out and development of the county would have created jobs and brought wealth to the community; instead, hundreds of residents are left looking for work due to the massive lay-offs following project’s halt. Meanwhile, rate-payers (myself included) have taken a bath in increased utility costs stemming from the expensive, albeit failed, construction. It would be an understatement to say that the mishandling of the project by SCANA and Santee Cooper is a shame—it was, and continues to be, a catastrophe for the citizens and leadership of Fairfield County.

Here’s hoping that Fairfield County and its citizens can find relief from this economic nightmare. My heart goes out to you, my friends!

It’s officially 2018, and the (not-so) sunny state of South Carolina rang in the New Year with freezing temperatures! Our clients in Myrtle Beach and the Pee Dee got a heavy dose of arctic weather on Wednesday with ice and snow, and even “Famously Hot” Columbia saw brief flurries. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that the older I get, the harsher the cold weather is on my body, and this year I feel it more than ever. So, as much as I love South Carolina, lately I would rather be on a sunny beach in the Caribbean!

This abnormally cold climate does not only cause us to reach for an extra jacket or two, though. The wintery precipitation and freezing temperatures create hazardous driving conditions that many South Carolinians are unused to. On Wednesday, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Florence experienced an astronomical spike in automobile accidents. There are warmer days to come, but until then, I urge you to stay wary of icy roadways and other drivers, and consider traveling with a fully charged phone and blankets in case of a roadside emergency. I wish safe passage to you all as we traverse this arctic episode, and offer my help to those who may need assistance along the way.

We’re here for the people of South Carolina.

Happy 2018!

Wow, can you believe it? The New Year is approaching rapidly! I look forward to what 2018 has in store—to conquering the hills and valleys that are invariably around the corner and, more importantly, to serving friends I’ve not yet met and making new memories with old ones.

It seems as though 2017 passed in the blink of an eye, but as we all prepare to welcome in the New Year, it is important to take the time to reflect on the challenges, triumphs, and priceless moments that 2017 presented. Understanding our past successes and mistakes will help each of us to make the most of the fresh start that 2018 will offer. It is a blessing to be here to celebrate the year to come, and I will strive to treat every day as a gift and an opportunity.

On behalf of the Mike Kelly Law Group, I am wishing you and yours the best year yet!

Cheers!

As I write this week’s KellyGram I cannot help but think about the way I used to feel about the holidays. I have to admit that time and wisdom have taken a toll on my inner “Grinch”, and what used to be my least favorite time of the year now sparks a sense of holiday spirt in me. Reflecting on the past, I liked and was used to a set routine; so the holidays just felt like an inconvenient disruption to me, especially the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. All of the social activities, holiday parties and family gatherings just seemed to get in the way of my work (which happens to be one of my favorite things to do), and my frustrations would only escalate as things slowed down so dramatically. That was then, though. Now, with all of my life experiences and lessons, I have come to terms with the holidays and have found myself getting more into the holiday spirit over the last few years. I now appreciate and enjoy almost everything about the holidays, especially the warmth and joy of spending time with loved ones.

My family, friends, and coworkers at the Mike Kelly Law Group can no longer say that Mike Kelly is a “Grinch” – this year I even put up a tree! Ultimately, I have come to learn that it is better to enjoy every minute of every day while I can, and this is especially true during the special times of the holidays.

It is with great sadness that I share the passing of Judge Ernest Finney last Sunday, December 3, 2017. He grew up in my neck of the woods of Smithfield Virginia, before moving to South Carolina at an early age. He became a lawyer, a legislator, a Circuit Court judge, a Supreme Court judge, and ultimately the Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. This was a remarkable accomplishment for someone who grew up humbly in the pre-civil rights era. He became a civil rights pioneer, being involved in many legal challenges to segregation and ‘whites only’ accommodations. He has a wonderful family, and is survived by his wife, Frances, his daughter Nikky, who is an accomplished poet and English professor, and two sons, both of whom are lawyers – Ernest “Chip” Finney III, who serves as the Solicitor for the Third Judicial Circuit, and Jerry, who I had the pleasure of working alongside many moons ago, and is now an accomplished attorney and CEO of his own firm.

In addition to his civil rights accomplishments, Chief Justice Finney is known for being a pioneer in the legal field. He served as a jurist with fairness, respect and kindness, and truly believed in his favorite verse, Micah 6:8 – “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” I was blessed to have known such an amazing man, and he will truly be missed.