This Friday ends with a wonderful new development from the city of Charleston — a new bicycle and pedestrian path in West Ashley! Now residents along Hwy 61 will be able to bike to school and work. To top it all off, because of the city’s planning efforts, no trees were cut down to create this new path. I’m sure members of Charleston Moves are thrilled about this one.

Personally, some of my best ideas come from my time on my bike… so, I challenge those residents to use their commute time to breath the fresh air and get inspired by the beautiful city that surrounds them.

Then, tell us about it.

What do you do?
I am the public relations associate at the South Carolina State Ports Authority, meaning I wear a lot of different hats (sometimes even a hard hat!), doing everything from writing to event planning and general community relations.

What are you liking right now?
I am liking all the attention on Charleston right now. We recently hosted the Democratic Presidential debate, and NBC and CBS just profiled the city on their nationwide morning shows.

What inspires you?
Knowing that your actions may make a difference in others’ lives is inspiring.

What’s the best thing about Charleston?
It’s truly hard to narrow it down to one best thing! The beaches, the people, the nightlife, the shopping – Charleston has everything someone could ever want.

What three things would you tell a friend to do/see in Charleston?
(1) swing and relax at the pier at Waterfront Park on a calm day (photo by Marvin Preston on left)
(2) visit during a festival, and there are many! Spoleto, Food + Wine, Wildlife – there is a festival for anyone’s interest!
(3) stroll down King Street and window shop – there are some great stores and boutiques

How did you land here in Charleston?
I was drawn to Charleston because I am born and raised a Carolina girl (from Lexington, SC)! It is a gorgeous city steeped in history but forward-moving enough for a young professional.

If you ran the region for a day, what would you do?
I would really focus on reforming public education in Charleston. The graduation rate for kids is way too low, and our region must have an educated, ready work force to remain competitive in a global market.

Finish this sentence….In 2015 Charleston will be_________?
Still deeply rooted in its identity and history, but more advanced and forward thinking. Look at all the industry that is cropping up in the area already. And Joe Riley will still be mayor, I would guess!

Warm up those vocal chords, drink lots of fluids and pop in your most inspiring tune… ’cause American Idol is coming to town!

This weekend is sure to be entertaining — at least for Paula, Randy and Simon, who are in town for American Idol auditions. I think it’s pretty cool that Charleston was one of seven cities chosen around the country for this popular singing competition. So, tell your friends, coworkers and neighbors to audition this Saturday. Who knows… perhaps Charleston will produce the nation’s next top singer.

For more information on the audition process, visit the American Idol/Charleston.

Thanks to the handy newsletter from our friends at Noisette, here’s a quick summary of local sustainability and green initiatives making headlines across the nation.

• Charleston Trident Homebuilders encourages its members to “go green” with the Earthcraft standard
• Oak Terrace Preserve, North Charleston’s newest green community, is featured on NBC News 2
• Half Moon Outfitter’s new facility is certified LEED Platinum

Great to see Charleston featured in such a great light. Tell us what inspires you, Charleston.

Has anyone ever heard of ’super trees’? I didn’t until recently. Apparently they are “trees that have been genetically engineered to grow faster, produce more wood on less land, thrive in unfamiliar climates and be processed more easily into wood or paper once they are cut down.”

The company behind this science is ArborGen, a biotechnology company in the Lowcountry that plans to grow super trees in local factories. They are hoping to improve the genetic makeup of trees grown for paper, wood or biofuels and conserve the world’s rainforests (which loses a 100,000 acres a day).

Yet another cool company in our area spearheading some leading-edge technology and engineering!

And, from what I understand, the idea is to have robots run these factories one day. Check out recent articles on the company at PopSci.com & Fortune.