S.C. Aquarium to help feed hungry

Giant octopus and starfish constructed from cans of food will grace the S.C. Aquarium's halls for the next month during a promotion call "A LowCANtry Holiday."

The sculptures, created by LS3P Associates from cans donated by Piggly Wiggly, will hang around for the holidays before heading to Crisis Ministries to feed the hungry. The donation will provide enough servings to sustain the soup kitchen for 22 days, according to aquarium officials.

The promotion, running through Dec. 28, also includes Saturday and Sunday "Waddle Wagon" shows at 1:30 p.m. in which staff members will tow one of the four Magellanic penguins in a reproduction of the aquarium's outreach vehicle. Plus, Scuba Santa returns for 3 p.m. daily dives in the Great Ocean Tank.

The aquarium also has decked its halls with South Carolina pine trees that will be replanted after the holidays. The attraction also expanded its sea turtle hospital tours for the season.

Visitors who bring a can to the aquarium get $2 off one adult admission.

For more information, visit scaquarium.org/holiday.

Couples only

South Carolina federal lawmakers continue to push for legislation that would allow business travelers to deduct expenses incurred by bringing their spouses along on work trips.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, both Republicans, recently organized a meeting in Washington to promote the deduction, which would amend the IRS tax code to a previous wording. The former spousal tax deduction ended in 1993.

Graham introduced a bill in the Senate, and Brown co-sponsored the companion House bill.

Proponents of the deduction say bringing more people to a destination compounds benefits to the area by pumping the spouse's dollars into the local economy and potentially prolonging the couple's visit. A business traveler who brings a spouse along on a work trip might choose to come early or stay late to enjoy the surroundings.

Dan Blumenstock, a local hotelier and president of the Greater Charleston Hotel and Motel Association, said his organization is rallying the tourism industry to back the national effort.

Both bills have been referred to committees.

Reach Allyson Bird at 937-5594 or abird@postandcourier.com.