News Briefs - August 27, 2020

Blackbaud appoints Moore as first diversity and inclusion executive

 

Daniel Island-based cloud software company Blackbaud named Michael Boulware Moore as its first diversity and inclusion officer.

 

Moore joined Blackbaud in early 2020 following his tenure as the founding president and CEO of the International African American Museum in Charleston. For the museum, Moore led the $125 million capital fundraising effort, hired a world-class staff and was responsible for managing the curation of the museum experience. 

 

Before serving as CEO of the museum, Moore spent over two decades as an accomplished marketing and advertising executive working with global brands, including Coca-Cola, Glory Foods and Kraft as well as several successful entrepreneurial ventures.

 

Moore is also an accomplished author and keynote speaker as well as a thought leader on a number of subjects including social justice and African American history.

 

“I have dedicated much of my life to social justice and telling the untold stories of our history and how it’s shaping our present,” said Moore.

 

Moore earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Syracuse University and holds his MBA from Duke University.

 

DI gator incidents reported

 

On Aug. 14, the Daniel Island Property Owners Association was notified about a juvenile alligator in a Daniel Island pond with a rope tied around its neck, as well as attempts being made to feed it. 

 

In addition to being illegal and cruel, it is also extremely dangerous for anyone to approach alligators who are predatory animals. The POA’s contracted alligator specialist, Ron Russell with Gator Getters, was immediately dispatched to inspect the alligator and relieve it of the constraints.

 

From his experience, Russell determined that the rope around the alligator’s neck was not accidental, reports the POA, but was placed there intentionally. He will be checking back on the alligator’s health and its risk to the public. The South Carolina Department of

Natural Resources was also contacted and an investigation for animal cruelty to an endangered species is ongoing.

 

A felony for harassing and cruelty to an endangered species on the federal level, persons engaged in such activities could also face a state fine upwards of $10,000.  

 

If you know anything about this incident, the POA has requested the public contact Chris Hamil at 843-696-4676 or Chris.Hamil@dicommunity.org.

 

In other gator news, the DI Edgefield Pool was closed Aug. 24 when an alligator was found taking an early morning swim in the pool. The animal was safely removed and was relocated to a location away from the pool. The pool remained closed for a period of time while testing of the water was conducted, but was expected to reopen once the testing was completed.

 

City of Charleston strengthens mask ordinance

 

The City Council of Charleston voted recently to further strengthen the city’s emergency ordinance requiring face coverings by removing the mandatory warning and instead imposing a $100 fine for a first offense.

 

During the warning period of enforcement, which began when council first passed the ordinance on June 25, city livability and tourism officers gave more than 200 warnings and wrote more than 20 citations for repeat offenses.

 

With that warning period now concluded, officers will be shifting more heavily toward enforcement via citations. 

 

The amended ordinance now in effect citywide imposes a $100 fine for a first offense, $200 for a second and $500 for a third.