The Bluffton Sun • August 19, 2025

The Bluffton Sun

New state forest planned

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

In a critical conservation victory, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has acquired the 2,737 acre Chelsea Plantation in eastern Jasper County, placing it under a conservation easement and positioning it to become South Carolina’s first new state forest in more than two decades.

“Developing Chelsea would have ushered in a new era of expansion in an already fast growing region. We weren’t willing to leave it to chance.”said Dale Threatt Taylor, executive director of TNC South Carolina.

In a community driven effort, local residents, faith groups and conservation partners rallied to halt proposed annexation and development. According to the Coastal Conservation League, grassroots efforts helped stop a developer’s plan to build more than 2,000 homes along Highway 462.

Located just 4 miles from Okatie and south of the Broad River, the property spans more than seven miles along Hazzard Creek, which drains into the Broad River and ultimately Port Royal Sound. It includes salt marshes, maritime forest corridors, and longleaf pine forests—eco-

systems vital for water filtration, wildlife habitat, and resilience to sea level rise.

TNC will place the land under a conservation easement, held by Open Land Trust, before transferring it to the South Carolina Forestry Commission to create a new state forest. The move is expected to finally make this area accessible for public use, though the timing awaits state approvals.

If approved, Chelsea State Forest would mark the first new state forest since the 2004 creation of the 12,000 acre Wee Tee State Forest. In 2023, TNC and partners added more than 6,000 acres to Wee Tee, but no entirely new forest has been designated since.

Governor Henry McMaster underscored the broader value of the project. “Protecting these landscapes from overdevelopment is more important than ever,” he said. “We are committed to preserving South Carolina’s natural resources so that we can all enjoy the forests, wildlife and outdoor recreation that define our way of life.”

Local impact includes safeguarding water quality and rural character, while also offering future outdoor recreation opportunities. Coastal Conservation League notes that public open access for activities

like hunting, fishing and hiking enhances regional quality of life.

For South Carolina, the Chelsea Plantation deal represents both environmental defense and forward-looking stewardship. It demonstrates how community advocacy, philanthropic funding, and public-private cooperation can avert development pressures and secure a sustainable future. Residents and policymakers now await the Forestry Commission’s next steps. Once operational, Chelsea State Forest would be a landmark addition to the Lowcountry—preserving habitat, protecting water resources, and offering new recreational access for generations to come.

nature.org/ © Holstein Appraisals

TSpenser Staub, M . D. to Beaufort Memorial Pulmonary Specialists

o further meet the need for pulmonary care in the Lowcountry, Beaufort Memorial has added board-certified and fellowship-trained pulmonologist Dr. Spenser Staub to its Pulmonary Specialists practice.

Dr. Staub joins the practice from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and will be diagnosing and treating patients with various pulmonary conditions, including COPD, asthma and other acute and chronic lung diseases, as well as managing care for patients admitted to the Beaufort Memorial Hospital intensive care unit (ICU).

Growing up in Charleston, many of Dr. Staub’s role models were physicians, which guided him to a career in the medical field. He has used his medical expertise in clinics around the globe, including in a medical command unit in the U.S. Army National Guard, where he has been a member since 2019.

During residency and fellowship training, Dr. Staub presented research at various national medical conferences and had several medical journal articles published. He was also recognized as an outstanding educator two years in a row by medical students at MUSC.

Fellowship

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Medical University of South Carolina

Residency

Internal Medicine

Medical University of South Carolina

Doctor of Medicine

Medical University of South Carolina

Bachelor of Science

Spanish Language and International Health

(Departmental Honors in Biochemistry)

Medical University of South Carolina

Dr. Staub joins board-certified pulmonologist Andrew Stevens, M.D., board-certified nurse practitioners Risa Linford, AGACNP and Shawna Nievierowski, FNP-BC, as well as board-certified pulmonologist John Krcmarik, M.D. at the practice.

By Justin Jarrett Contributor

High school sports preview

It’s the strangest time of the year to be a high school sports reporter, because there really isn’t much reporting to be done so much as speculating.

And speculating about high school sports is a nearly useless endeavor.

Unlike the pros, or even major college sports, where rosters are locked in months ahead of the season, many high school coaches are still recruiting key pieces of the puzzle from the hallways in hopes they can get them into game shape by midseason and make a run in region play.

Even preseason scrimmages and early-season matchups can be deceiving, as the best coaches will adjust their lineups and develop young talent early in the season and have their squads looking like a different team by region play.

But folks love speculation, especially when it comes to sports, so we’ll give you a smidge of the scuttlebutt we’re hearing as the fall high school sports season gets rolling. Just take it with a grain of salt, because none of this will mean anything once they start playing the games.

The word on the street is … May River’s girls golf team is poised to continue its dynastic run in Class 4A despite losing an all-timer to graduation. Back-to-back individual state champion Claire Green is off to Clemson — having won her swansong as a junior at the Jimmy Self Invitational earlier this month — and Robbin Zetrouer will be at St. Francis University this fall, but the next generation is ready to shine. Hailey Zhao took the girls title at the SCJGA’s Players Series event at Fort Jackson by a whopping five shots. Don’t sleep on the baby Sharks.

Hilton Head Christian Academy is still at the head of the class among SCISA football programs in the Lowco. The Eagles easily handled Beaufort Academy in a scrimmage last week, and BA met little resistance from John Paul II, so the transitive property tells us HHCA should continue its dominance over the Golden Warriors.

After flirting with the notion of transferring for his senior year, Tony O’Banner is back at Thomas Heyward Academy, but it’s unclear how the Rebels will use him on offense this season. THA had a tough time in a scrimmage against Calhoun Academy last week, but the offense was far more via-

facebook.com/hhcaeagles

ble with O’Banner under center. He might have to put up stupid numbers on offense for the Rebels to be successful, though, because the defense left something to be desired.

The vibes are immaculate around the Cross Schools football team with new coach Rico McCoy at the helm. A star linebacker for the Tennessee Volunteers from 2006-09, McCoy brings big energy to a program that is trying to turn the corner

in SCISA 8-man.

John Paul II’s volleyball team seems to have the goods. The Golden Warriors went 4-0 and didn’t drop a set at the IP Builders Preseason Tournament in Walterboro, as hitter Lily Termini, setter Miranda Moulton, and defensive specialist Rachael Brenneman led the charge for first-year coach Chase Vaigneur.

The area’s top cross country runners are ready for the season. May River’s Jackson Wright blazed to a time of 16:53 to win the Bobcat Scorcher 5K earlier this month, with John Paul II’s Blake Hubik and Matthew Yanachik on his heels, and several of the returners from Bluffton’s state championship girls team dotted the top 10.

That’s just a little taste of what’s to come this fall, and by the time my word’s grace these pages again, we’ll have something more succulent than speculation for you to sink your teeth into.

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and is the founder of Lowco Sports. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.

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THE BLUFFTON SUN Issue 16, August 19, 2025, is published twice monthly by Beaufort Media Group, LLC, 181 Bluffton Rd Suite F103-2 Bluffton, SC 29910. Periodicals Postage paid at Bluffton, SC and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE BLUFFTON SUN, PO Box 2056, Bluffton, SC 29910-2056.

State economy, tax cuts lead session recap

By Rep. Weston Newton Contributor

Although the legislative session has adjourned until January, our work for the people of South Carolina hasn’t stopped. From meeting with constituents, hosting and attending community events to preparing for the year ahead, we are busy advancing key issues including though ad hoc committees and making sure the laws we passed earlier this year are implemented and understood. We are delivering results and there is more to come.

South Carolina’s economy is booming. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, South Carolina’s GDP has grown from $207 to $350 billion over the past decade. This success didn’t happen by chance or purely geographic location, it is the result of wise choices and shared vision, a collaboration between forward-thinking elected officials, business leaders and communities committed to long-term, sustainable, prosperity. That vision is working, according to the Department of South Carolina Employment and Workforce, South Carolina recorded the second-fastest employment growth in the country from March 2024 to March 2025.

The Heartbeat Bill is saving lives. According to the SC Department of Public Health abortions declined 63% in SC from 2023 to 2024 – the first full year the law was in effect. Holly Gatling, Executive Director of SC Citizens for Life recently praised SC House and Senate leadership stating: “This encouraging report again demonstrates that legislation saves lives and elections have consequences.”

This summer, the US Supreme Court also handed down a major pro-life and pro-states’ rights victory in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, affirming South Carolina’s authority to remove Medicaid funding from abortion providers. These victories reflect the GOP Caucus’s continued commitment to protecting life and upholding South

Carolina’s values.

Over the course of the last several months I have reported on the actions taken under the Caucus’s 6 Pillars for Progress that are key to South Carolina’s success.

The first year of the 2025-2026 legislative session produced significant conservative wins that are now becoming law. We passed a responsible, balanced state budget that includes $1 billion in tax relief ($200 million in income tax cuts and $800 in property tax relief), raises teacher starting pay to $47,000, and invests in roads, bridges, broadband, storm recovery, and rural development.

We passed H 4216 putting South Carolina on a path toward eliminating the income tax and passed additional relief through H 3858 cutting property taxes for boat owners. To support small businesses, we passed H 3021 (Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act) and H 3430, addressing tort reform and raising liquor liability insurance costs. We also passed H 3309, the South Carolina Energy Security Act, to secure our power grid and prepare for future growth.

Regarding education, we expanded access to Education Scholarship Trust Funds (S62) invested in dual enrollment (H 3127) and workforce training (H3863), and ensured classrooms stay focused on student achievement by passing H 3927, removing DEI mandates from public schools.

We passed reforms to strengthen public health and protect property rights through S 2, H 3387, and H 3930.

Finally, as I previously reported on my Judiciary Committee’s work to improve

public safety, we strengthened penalties on fentanyl (S 156) cracked down on highspeed chases (H 3127) enacted a handsfree/distracted driving law (H 3276) and criminalized the unauthorized sharing of private images, including AI-generated deep fakes (H 3058).

But there is more to do. While significant progress on fixing our roads and bridges has been made over the last 7+/years -including the ground breaking this month of the widening and resurfacing of I-95 the first section of I-95 from the GA/SC state line north, with 5.5 million residents and 71,000 miles of state-owned roads, South Carolina’s infrastructure is struggling to keep up. The condition of our roads is of paramount concern to all of us not just in the fast-growing areas of the state.

I am pleased with the Speaker’s establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee not to fix potholes or widen roads but to build a foundation for long term growth, safety, and opportunity. The Committee, which will hold hearings across the state, is charged with exploring improvements to congestion, permitting, SCDOT’s structure, outdated tolling and fees systems- all without raising the gas tax. Our Delegation is working to make sure the Lowcountry is included in these discussions. It is an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of District 120 in the SC House. If I may be of service, please do not hesitate to call on me.

Weston Newton is the representative for District 120 in the State House of Representatives. WestonNewton@schouse.gov

WESTON NEWTON

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Bluffton Township Fire District earns international reaccreditation Bluffton Rotary volunteers restore

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

The Bluffton Township Fire District has earned reaccreditation as an Internationally Accredited Agency through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, placing it among a select group of fire departments recognized worldwide for meeting the highest professional standards.

The district first received accredited status in October 2020 and is now one of fewer than 10 municipal or county fire agencies in South Carolina to hold the distinction. Nationwide, just over 300 fire departments share the honor.

“This reaccreditation represents the dedication our team brings to the job every day,” interim Fire Chief Derek Church said. “It reflects our continued effort to improve, to grow and to deliver the best possible service to the community we’re honored to protect.”

The voluntary process involves a multi-year self-assessment in areas such as governance, training, risk reduction, and community engagement, followed by a week-long on-site review by a team of

peer fire service professionals.

Battalion Chief Rhett Livingston, the district’s accreditation manager, credited the entire department for the achievement. “This is a team success. Every member of our department played a part in meeting these standards and setting the path for ongoing improvement,” he said.

More information on the accreditation process is available at blufftonfd.com.

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

The Rotary Club of Bluffton restored oyster reefs along the May River on Aug. 16, continuing an annual project aimed at supporting the Lowcountry’s coastal ecosystem.

Volunteers, working with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, departed from the Alljoy Boat Dock at 8:30 a.m. to place wire structures filled with recycled oyster shells in designated reef areas. The shells serve as anchor points for new oysters to grow.

According to the club’s announcement, oysters filter algae and nutrients from the water, helping to prevent algal blooms. A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, and the calcium in their shells stores carbon absorbed from the atmosphere.

The Rotary Club of Bluffton was chartered in 1988 and is part of a network of more than 46,000 clubs worldwide engaged in community and environmental projects. Its motto is “Service Above Self.”

http://olli.zoom.uscb.edu/Open

(From left to right): BTFD Accreditation Manager –Battalion Chief Rhett Livingston, CFAI Commission Chairperson – Otto Huber, BTFD Interim Fire Chief –Derek Church, and CFAI Peer Evaluation Team Lead – Joey Heideman

Business briefs

Senior placement service opens Lowcountry office

Assisted Living Locators has opened a Lowcountry office to offer no-cost guidance on senior living and in-home care. The office is owned by Chief Care Officer Dr. Lucas Kavlie and Senior Living Advisor Bethany Harley.

Services include personalized assessments, placement support, financial guidance, emergency placement and ongoing follow-up. More information is available at assistedlivinglocators.com/lowcountry.

Johnson joins Bluffton church as youth leader

The New Bluffton Worship has named BJ Johnson as its new youth leader.

Brought up in Tallahassee, Fla., Johnson was adopted by his high school guidance counselor after being raised by his grandmother. He holds a bachelor’s degree in human services from Midland University in Nebraska, where he also played semi-pro baseball.

Johnson works as a behavioral interventionist at M.C. Riley Elementary School in Bluffton and coaches youth baseball. He has coached basketball and track and field, created character-building programs for students, and founded the Brother 2 Brother club for middle school boys at Fort Braden K-8 School.

“I’m excited to help the next generation grow in faith, character, and confidence,” Johnson said in a release.

More information is available at TheNewBlufftonWorship.com.

SR Restaurants acquires Nonna Rosa

SR Restaurants LLC has acquired Nonna Rosa, an Italian restaurant founded in 2016 and known for handmade pastas and family recipes.

Managing partner Craig Phinn said the company will retain the current staff and culinary team while making updates, including refreshed interiors, an expanded wine and spirits list, and seasonal menu offerings.

“Nonna Rosa represents much of what we value in a restaurant — tradition, flavor, and a genuine connection with the community,” Phinn said.

BJWSA plants recognized for compliance

All eight Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority wastewater facilities have received Peak Performance Awards from

the National Association of Clean Water Agencies for 2024 operational performance and permit compliance.

Six plants earned Platinum Peak status — Hardeeville, Laurel Bay, Palmetto Bluff, Palm Key, Point South and St. Helena — for five consecutive years of full compliance. Cherry Point earned Gold Peak status for a violation-free year, and Port Royal earned Silver Peak status with no more than five violations.

“This recognition is a testament to the hard work, professionalism and dedication of our talented workforce,” Wastewater Operations Manager Earl Sheppard said.

Collins Group Realty expands team

Collins Group Realty has added Amy Jones as a Realtor and Blaire Vaughn as client care coordinator.

Jones, a Hilton Head Island resident, brings more than 30 years of experience in education and customer service. Vaughn, a University of South Carolina graduate, has a background in hospitality and communications.

Physician joins Beaufort Memorial Bluffton practice

Dr. Kelsey Mijares has joined Beaufort Memorial Palmetto Medical Group in Bluffton as an internal medicine specialist. She manages chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity and thyroid disease, and completed her residency at Memorial Health in Savannah, Ga.

“I like to approach every patient as an individual, looking to understand their background, motivations and goals,” Mijares said.

Two ribbon cuttings held Aug. 8

The Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce held two ribbon cuttings Aug. 8. OsteoStrong Bluffton, at 8210 Pinellas Drive. The facility focuses on improving bone density, muscle strength, balance and overall health.

Parlor Doughnuts, at 201 Okatie Village Drive, Suite 1. The shop offers layered doughnuts, vegan and gluten-friendly products, artisanal breakfasts and specialty coffee.

To submit business news for consideration in future issues, email editor@ blufftonsun.com.

SEE THE ISLAND IN A WHOLE NEW WAY

August Garden Report

By Zach Deloach Contributor

Happy August, we hope everyone has been staying dry with the excessive rainfall that we have seen lately. Our lawns certainly love the abundance of water, but excessive amounts can cause some issues especially with the fluctuating temperature we have seen from the storms. This month we wanted to talk about what we can do to prevent any damage or set backs before the growing season wraps up in the next couple of months.

in Bermuda and St.

lawns. They will quickly chew down the blades of grass leaving areas and even entire lawns damaged or browned out. The first indicator of these gnawing insects is the moths that hatch them in your lawn. If you are seeing small white/ gray moths flying out of your grass as you walk through at dusk or dawn it is important to put down a preventative insecticide, as once the caterpillars hatch, they get to eating quickly. The good news is, once controlled in a timely manner recovery is somewhat manageable.

The

Boating Experience

The first thing to be aware of is our amount of rainfall. It is highly recommended to keep a rain gauge at the house so that you can monitor how much rainfall we do receive. When we are getting multiple inches of rain a week, it is recommended to adjust your irrigation system accordingly. Too much water can create fungus in the lawn this time of year, identified by discolored blades and circular patterns. It is important to give the lawn the chance to dry out in between heavy rain fall. We always say that the best way to water is deep and infrequent (2-3 times per week). Doing so will help promote a deep and healthy root system.

Heavy rainfall can also help identify imperfections in the lawn such as excessive runoff or heavy puddling/pooling. When water stands in an area for days at a time it can cause damage to the grass underneath, adding sand to level out these spots can provide a long-term solution and greatly improve drainage. In areas with heavy run-off or washout you may determine the need for drainage or retention. Seeing the larger picture of what is causing the damage allows you to make the corrections for a more sustainable landscape.

Aside from water damage we have also been seeing a higher activity of insect damage. The sod webworms/armyworms have been making their presence known

St. Augustine specifically deals with a plethora of issues this time of year between webworms, chinch bugs and gray leafspot fungus. It is always recommended to keep a close eye for yellowing, spots on grass blades, and brown straw like areas forming in the lawn. It is best to act preventatively with this grass type, as it does not recover well compared to zoysia or Bermuda.

Lastly, we want to discuss our plants and bushes. Now is getting close to the time where our spring/summer annuals are beginning to change colors and drop some leaves and our fall/winter annuals are beginning to produce growth and buds. We recommend providing nutrients to these plants to help supply healthy growth. We have seen a lot of activity from whiteflies this season especially on viburnums. Look for small white hopping insects on the underside of your leaves and around the bases of your plants. The white flies will leave behind a residue on your leaves leading to sooty mold that will eventually turn the plant black.

We hope that this information will help you be able to identify and treat issues at the source before becoming a larger problem. If you ever need a professional opinion or help with treatments, feel free to reach out.

Zach Deloach is the owner of Lawn Doctor of Beaufort County.

Augustine

By Dr. Jean Harris Contributor

Since the debut of Happy Gilmore 2 on July 25th, I have been thinking about all the golf movies I have seen over the years. I tend to like comedies more than dramatic movies, but I also enjoy the history and great scenery of the game.

Golf is one of the most popular games that people can play and enjoy. I think that is why we like to watch golf movies. We can relate to golf, especially the comedies. Also, most of us enjoy a good laugh.

Here are some of my favorite comedy golf movies that I think you would enjoy:

• Caddy Shack (1980) – My favorite golf movie. The story revolves around a caddie, vying for a golf scholarship, who becomes involved in a feud between Country Club founders and a rich guest. One of the best parts in the movie involves the greenskeeper who uses extreme measures against an elusive gopher. The actors Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Ted Knight and Bill Murray were some of the greatest comedians at that time.

Funny golf movies

• Tin Cup (1996) – Starring Kevin Costner, as Roy “Tin Cup” McAvoy, a down on his luck golf Pro, and Rene Russo as Molly, a clinical psychologist, and Cheech

Marin is the caddie. Molly helps Roy to get back into playing golf again and qualifies for the U.S Open. He is tied for the lead coming to the 18th hole and the final hole becomes an unforgettable moment that cements his place in golf history.

• Happy Gilmore – (1996) – Stars Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin and several other stars. Happy Gilmore was an aspiring ice hockey player with a short temper and minimal hockey skills. He takes up golf to pay a debt his grandmother owes. He discovers that he can play golf using his unorthodox hockey slapshot. The plot is hysterical with Happy playing Shooter in the Tour championship.

I you want to watch golf movies with great scenery and historical golf plots, I recommend some of the following:

• Dead Solid Perfect (1988)

• Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) most scenes filmed at Colleton River

• A Gentleman’s Game (2001)

• Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)

• Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)

• Seven Days in Utopia (2011)

• Tommy’s Honour (2016)

• The Phantom of the Open (2021) Most of the movies in this article can be found on streaming services for a nominal fee.

Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local golf courses. jean.golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; golfdoctorjean.com

• Happy Gilmore 2 – (2025) –Adam Sandler along with several actors from Happy Gilmore 1 return and features numerous cameos from the entertainment and golf world. Some of the entertainers include Bad Bunny, Eminem, Travis Kelce, and Sandler’s family. There were golf professionals from the past and present day. I enjoyed the scene with the professional golfers at the Champions Banquet, and Scotty Scheffler in jail. The plot is similar to Happy Gilmore 1 and it is pure, raunchy fun.

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Navigating change

By Alex Barry Contributor

Life’s only constant is change— and while that may sound poetic, it can wreak havoc on our mental health. Whether it’s back to school, a new job, a move, a shift in caregiving responsibilities, or even seasonal transitions

themselves, changes in daily routine can leave us feeling disoriented, anxious, or overwhelmed. Fortunately, there are practical strategies to help maintain mental well-being during these times of flux.

Establish “Anchors” in Your Day

When routines shift, it’s helpful to create new “anchors”—predictable moments that provide structure. This could be a morning walk, a consistent bedtime, or a daily check-in with a friend. Anchors offer stability and help regulate your body’s internal clock, which is closely tied to mood and cognitive function.

Prioritize Mindful Transitions

Instead of rushing from one task to the next, build in short pauses to reset. A few minutes of deep breathing, stretching, or journaling between activities can reduce stress and improve focus. These mindful transitions help your brain adapt to new rhythms and prevent burnout.

Use Visual Planning Tools

When your schedule feels chaotic, externalizing it can bring clarity. Use calendars, planners, or digital apps to map out your week. Seeing your commitments laid out visually, and later checked off, can reduce anxiety and help you allocate time for rest, movement, and connection.

Stay Connected

Social support is a powerful buffer against stress. Even if your routine changes limit in-person interaction, make time for virtual chats, phone calls, or group texts. Sharing your experiences and hearing others’ perspectives can normalize your feelings and foster resilience.

Support Your Body to Support Your Mind

Changes in routine often disrupt sleep, eating habits, and exercise—all of which affect mental health. Aim for balanced meals, regular movement, and consistent sleep hygiene. Even small adjustments, like drinking more water or stepping outside for sunlight, can boost mood and energy.

Practice Self-Compassion

It’s easy to feel frustrated when you’re not “handling change well.” But mental health thrives on kindness, not criticism. Remind yourself that adaptation takes time. Celebrate small wins, and most importantly speak to yourself as you would to a friend navigating uncertainty. Change may be inevitable, but instability doesn’t have to be. By creating structure, nurturing your body, and staying connected, you can protect your mental health and even grow through the transitions life throws your way.

Alex Barry, MA, LPC-A. is the acting Executive Director of Mental Health America of the Lowcountry, providing daily adult group mental health counseling programs in Bluffton and Beaufort for clients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD and more.

ALEX BARRY

Bluffton Financial Planning is a boutique wealth management firm committed to delivering quality advice to a fiduciary standard, personalized service, tax-efficient investment strategies and comprehensive financial planning.

Nick and Izaac are a unique team characterized by the quality of their education, their veteran backgrounds and their combined 24 years financial planning experience. They understand the shifting dynamics when preparing for retirement, transitioning to retirement and living in retirement.

Market volatility is here, Bluffton Financial Planning is providing value through quality advice and effective communication. Let’s have a conversation.

Smart calling, safe surfing

By Tamela Maxim Contributor

When reaching out to customer service you deserve help from a human, and you shouldn’t have to constantly worry about hackers and scammers. If you’ve just about lost your sanity with the maze of options, the dreaded hold-solong-they-hope-you’ll hang-up times, and want to make your online experiences safer, I have some tips for that.

Phone hacks for reaching the elusive human customer service agent:

Stay silent. Some systems will time out and send you straight to a human.

If staying silent didn’t work, try saying “representative,” or “real person,” repeatedly, or say random words like “barnacle,” or go all out and say complete nutty sentences, like: “I believe Blufftonians buy the best banana BandAids” or do your best mumbling. If the bot can’t understand you, he/she/it will hopefully hand you over hastily to a helpful human.

You can also try pressing various keys to see if that triggers a transfer. The 0 and # keys might just get you auto-transferred, so they’re worth a try. Many systems will automatically transfer to a real person if the fake person can’t figure out what you need.

If all else fails, you might want to take options (if offered) to switch to a live chat, or send an email, or hang up and wait for a call back when you move to the front of the queue.

The best times to call are usually Tuesdays and Wednesdays, mid-morning or mid-afternoon.

Once connected to a real, honest-to-goodness live agent, if you aren’t getting the help you need, you could mention you are thinking about signing up with their competitor. Retention teams are trained to take very good care of anyone who expresses that kind of disenchantment with their company.

Safer Surfing:

You already probably know most of these, but just in case you don’t or need a little encouragement to beef up your security, here are some suggestions.

Use strong, unique passwords and consider using a password manager to keep

them secure. I know we all hate keeping track of so many passwords. I wish I could type a password wrong, but almost get it right, and have the words “close enough” pop up.

And, I know it’s sad that we must be so cautious, but two-factor authentication really does help keep your accounts safer.

When you are opening your email, think before clicking. Don’t open attachments from unknown senders, hover over links to see what the actual URL (web address) is before you click, and use the dropdown arrow to see the email of the sender. If the email is supposedly from Staples, for example, but the sender’s email is rudolph@iamabadperson. ru, that’s your clue to block, delete, and report.

On your social media accounts, check your privacy settings and make sure you aren’t oversharing your personal details. Use anti-virus software and keep your system and apps updated.

Consider adding a VPN - virtual private network.

Clear browser cookies and tracking data on a regular basis.

Watch your bank statements and credit reports for suspicious activity.

A legitimate company will not ask you for your password, payment information, or social security number over text or email.

Don’t believe it if you get a text or email that says your account is locked. And finally, and most importantly, if anything you receive demands urgent action, don’t fall for it! That is the biggest con, and unfortunately, it works. If anyone is trying to scare you into doing something that doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

Well, I guess there’s one more final thing that we all know, but I’m going to remind you anyway – if it sounds too good to be true – IT IS.

If you need help understanding any of my tips, there are some fantastic computer professionals out there who can explain all the little details. You can also join the Hilton Head Computer Club for only $30 per year. www.hhicc.org

Tamela is a proofreader and book editor; she hosts paint parties for adults, art and drama camp for kids, and is the art teacher at May River Montessori. www. tamelamaxim.com www.artposseproductions.com

Can supplements help with neuropathy?

By Dr. Kenneth Horup Contributor

They can – but they’re not the whole story. If you’re living with peripheral neuropathy, you know just how tough symptoms can be. That burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness is more than just uncomfortable, it changes your daily life. Sometimes it makes simple things like walking or sleeping a challenge.

When new patients come to my office, I am often asked, “What kind of supplements are recommended?” or “Is there anything natural I could take to help my condition?” When you are dealing with pain, it’s common to first ask Mr. Google or Mr. ChatGPT; should I take supplements?

The good news is the answer is yes. There are supplements that may support nerve repair and reduce symptoms. The unfortunate truth is that supplements alone usually are not enough. Helping nerves usually takes more than vitamins. In very mild cases of neuropathy supplements can do the trick! In more severe cases of neuropathy supplements assist but need more help to reduce symptoms. Let’s walk through some supplements that may help patients suffering from neuropathy.

Before we dive in, I find it important to note that these are not official recommendations for every person. It is important to consult a doctor, nutritionist, or professional to ensure there’s no contraindication to other conditions or medications you may already be taking. I am going to provide generalized overviews of supplements that I have seen help patients struggling with neuropathy.

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)- this is arguably the most common supplement taken for peripheral neuropathy. ALA is an antioxidant that helps protect the nerves and improve the blood flow. Studies and patient stories suggest it can ease burning or tingling, especially in diabetic neuropathy.

Acetyl L-Carnitine - think of this as fuel for your nerves. It helps your cells like energy and may encourage nerve regrowth. It is often helpful for those who are dealing with nerve damage after chemotherapy.

Vitamin B complex (B1, B6, B12)these are also very common and are considered “nerve vitamins”. They have a correlation to nerves as a lack of B12 can cause neuropathy, but too much B6 can harm the nerves. That’s why it’s always important to get tested first to find the right mg for your body.

Curcumin (Turmeric) - this is natures anti-inflammatory. It may calm irritated nerves and reduce pain, especially when taken with black pepper to help your body absorb it.

Magnesium – leg/foot cramps are common symptoms of neuropathy. If you find your legs cramp at night or feel restless, magnesium may be beneficial.

I wish I could tell you a handful of supplements would fix everything but that’s not how healing the nerves works, nor is it recommended. Every person is different. Some people are on medications that affect absorption or should not be taken with supplements. Others have gastrointestinal issues or are already taking supplements and don’t know what’s helping or hurting. That’s why it’s never a “one-size-fitsall” approach. What works for one person may not work for another. Good supplements may help but great results come when we combine them with the proper therapies, habits, and support. Your nerves didn’t break down overnight and healing them takes time, but it is possible in many cases.

LawyerLisa.com/events

If you’re unsure where to start or wondering if what you’re taking is good for you, I recommend you make an appointment with a physician you trust who helps neuropathy. You do not have to go through this alone. With the right treatment program your nerves may be able to restore but remember, don’t wait because when there’s too much damage done, it may be too late.

Dr. Kenneth Horup, DC is a Chiropractic Physician at Discover Specific Chiropractic, Board Certified in Neuropathy.

DR. KENNETH HORUP

Advancements in breast lift surgery

By Dr. Mathew T. Epps Contributor

Bioabsorbable meshes such as GalaFLEX (poly4hydroxybutyrate, P4HB) and DuraSorb (polydioxanone, PDO) are used as “internal bras” during breast lift surgery to reinforce soft tissues, improve shape longevity, and enhance upper pole projection. These scaffolds are placed as a supportive sling—typically reinforcing the lower pole and inframammary fold—to offload gravitational forces from stretched skin and attenuated parenchyma while healing occurs.

Unlike permanent mesh devices used during hernia repair and bladder support, the P4HB mesh maintains strength for roughly 12–18 months as it integrates and stimulates collagen before being resorbed by the body, leaving firmer, loadbearing native tissue behind, whereas PDO mesh integrates early and resorbs over about 3–12 months while transferring load to newly formed collagenous support.

The improvement in upper pole projection is largely a biomechanical

effect of robust lower pole support. By preventing downward stretching of the lower pole, “bottoming out,” and stabilizing the breast’s footprint on the chest wall, the mesh helps the lifted breast mound retain a more compact and elevated shape—with sustained upper fullness—over time. Clinical series with GalaFLEX report nearly 90% maintenance of correction after one year with few device-related complications, highlighting the longevity and safety of mesh reinforcement.

In revision and augmentation-mastopexy, meshes are noted for improved implant pocket control, reduced malposition rates, and more stable projection, functioning as an internal support similar to an underwire bra. DuraSorb, in particular, is valued for shaping the parenchyma and supporting the pocket with low complication rates, especially in challenging re-operative cases. Ultimately, internal bras unify reconstructive and aesthetic goals. They restore deep tissue support in patients with thin tissue, larger breasts, or prior surgery, reliably extending mastopexy outcomes by reinforcing the lower pole and maintaining upper pole fullness as tissues heal and remodel.

Mathew T. Epps MD, MS, DABS is Triple Fellowship Trained Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon Specializing in Facial, Eyelid, and Breast Surgery. Visit Matheweppsmd.com or email at info@dreppsmd.com

DR. MATHEW T. EPPS

Arts & Entertainment Calendar

Nancy Huson: “Everyday Life on Hilton Head”

Exhibit: August 3rd–30th

3–5 p.m.

SOBA Gallery, 6 Church Street, Bluffton

Hilton Head-inspired landscapes and nature scenes in oil and pastel from local artist Nancy Huson. Information: sobagallery.com or (843) 757-6586.

Valerie Kramer: Icons and Tidal Pools

Exhibit: August 26th through September 26th

Art League Gallery, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Hilton Head

• Artist Reception: Wednesday, August 27th • 5–7 p.m.

• Gallery Talk: Tuesday, September 9th • 2:30 p.m.

Free exhibit open daily. Gallery is located inside the Arts Center. More information: artleaguehhi.org or (843) 681-5060.

Local History Presentation: In the Eye of the Storm

Wednesday, August 27th • 1 p.m.

Hilton Head Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island

Hear personal accounts of the 1893 Sea Island Hurricane, presented by Grace Cordial of the Beaufort District Collection. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Some content may be disturbing.

Information: beaufortcountylibrary. org or (843) 255-6525

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Stevie Wonder Musical Revue

Tuesday, August 26th • 7:30 p.m.

SoundWaves, Hilton Head Island

Dean St. Hilliare leads a celebration of Stevie Wonder’s music, joined by a live band and guest vocalists. Dinner options from Okan Bluffton available with dinner/concert tickets. Reserved and general seating available, plus concert-only tickets. Doors open at 6 p.m. Information and tickets: hhso.org or (843) 842-2055

Reggae Pon De River

Saturday, August 30th

63 Wharf Street, Bluffton Red Stripes Caribbean Cuisine presents a reggae concert featuring Dübplates, Box Full of Steel, and Groove Town Assault. Information: reggaeponderiver. com

USCB OLLI Fall Open Houses

Tuesday, September 2nd

• A Taste of OLLI: 1–2:30 p.m., Hilton Head Campus, 1 Sand Shark Drive

• Be Glazed and Amazed @ OLLI: 4–5:30 p.m., Bluffton Campus, 1 University Blvd Meet OLLI instructors, learn about fall programs, and tour the campus. Members bringing a friend who joins will both receive a gift. Refreshments provided. Information: uscb.edu/olli or (843) 208-8247

First Thursday Artisan Alley

Thursday, September 4th

4–7 p.m.

The Shops at Sea Pines Center, Hilton Head Island

Monthly open-air market featuring local artists, makers, food vendors, and a partner charity to raise awareness and donations.

Roots & Rivers Festival

Saturday, September 6th

2–8 p.m.

Oyster Factory Park, 63 Wharf Street, Bluffton

A celebration of Black culture, music, food and community. Over 30 vendors will be on site. Performances include Deas Guyz and youth dance troupes.

Tickets: $15. Information: rootsandriversfestival.com/

Beach Sweep

Friday, September 12th • 2 p.m.

Sea Pines Beach Club, Hilton Head Island

Join The Sea Pines Resort team in the largest one-day volunteer cleanup in South Carolina, held in conjunction with the International Coastal Cleanup. Volunteers will meet at the entrance to the beach in front of the Sea Pines Beach Club.

Information: (843) 842-1979

Harbour Town Fall Fest

Sunday, September 14th

11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island

Festivities include a Harbour Town Shops sidewalk sale, live music from Deas Guyz, children’s activities, nautical tours and boat rides, and a classic car display from the Carolina Dreamers Car Club.

• Sidewalk sale: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

• Car display: 12–4 p.m.

• Deas Guyz concert: 1–4 p.m.

• Children’s activities: 1–4 p.m.

Hilton Head Island Shrimp Festival Saturday, September 20th • 1–4 p.m.

Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island

A family-friendly event featuring all-you-can-eat shrimp prepared by local chefs, craft beer from more than a dozen breweries, live music, kids’ activities, and specialty vendors. Proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island.

Please note: Events are subject to change. For the most current details, contact event organizers directly.

To submit events for consideration in future listings, email editor@ blufftonsun.com.

Salmon with Caesar Salad

By Leslie Rohland Contributor

Caesar salad is a classic, sure— but top it with a golden-crusted salmon fillet and you’ve just turned a side dish into a showstopper. This salmon with Caesar salad is the kind of meal that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together quickly enough to be your new weeknight go-to. It’s fresh, flavorful, and hits that sweet spot between comfort food and clean eating.

The secret is in the crust: flaky salmon gets rolled in a savory blend of Parmesan and panko, then broiled until crispy on top and tender inside. It adds the perfect crunchy contrast to the cool, creamy Caesar and crisp romaine. A handful of croutons, thin-sliced red onion, and a generous Parmesan shower make for a salad that’s far from basic.

You can use your favorite storebought Caesar dressing or whip up your own if you’re feeling fancy. Either way, this dish is all about balance—rich and light, hearty yet refreshing. Perfect for impressing dinner guests or just treating yourself on a Tuesday.

Pair it with a glass of chilled white wine and call it a night.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup croutons of your choice

• 1 cup Caesar dressing of your choice

• ½ cup finely g rated Parmesan, plus more as needed

• ½ cup panko (mix with the par mesan as noted above)

• 4 (3 to 4-ounce) skinless salmon fillets

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large head romaine lettuce (about 1 pound), quartered through the center and chopped into bite-size pieces

• ½ small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

• Parmesan for garnish on salad

Steps:

Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees and arrange a rack 8 inches from the top broiler.

Step 2: Mix panko and parmesan in bowl. Set aside

Step 3: Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush, liberally coat the fillets all over with extra virgin olive oil. Then roll the salmon in the panko/Parmesan mix. Place on the baking sheet, top fillets with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan, and place under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the salmon is browned on the surface and cooked through. If it starts to smoke, move the pan to a lower rack to finish cooking.

Step 4: Remove the salmon from the oven and allow a few minutes to cool slightly.

Step 5: In a large bowl, add the lettuce, croutons and sliced onion. Drizzle in some of the dressing, and using tongs, toss to evenly coat the leaves. Divide across salad bowls and sprinkle with more Parmesan. Top each salad with a fillet and serve.

Leslie Rohland is the owner of The Cottage Café and Bakery, The Juice Hive and the Bluffton Pasta Shoppe. Leslie was named one of the South Carolina Chef Ambassadors for 2024.

24 – OCT 26 TICKETS

This Olivier and Tony award-winning musical tells the incredible true story of 7,000 air passengers stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, during 9/11, and the small community that welcomed them with open hearts. With soaring music, this joyous production celebrates the real-life friendships formed between spirited locals and global passengers, highlighting a powerful moment of hope, humanity, and unity.

LESLIE ROHLAND

Bluffton artist’s ‘Escape to Within’ art exhibit at Hilton Head library

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

Local artist Jeanine Potter will showcase her exhibition “Escape to Within” from Aug. 18th through Sept. 12th at the Hilton Head Branch of the Beaufort County Library, 11 Beach City Road. Potter, who lives in Bluffton, is recognized for her bold use of color, expressive brushwork and layered textures. Much of her work draws inspiration from the landscapes and seascapes of the Lowcountry, with the ocean and sky serving as recurring themes. She said her creative process often begins with time spent outdoors, observing the shifting colors and light unique to the coastal environment.

Her paintings have been displayed in galleries and collections across the United States and abroad, earning recognition from art enthusiasts and collectors for their energetic compositions and vibrant palette. The pieces in “Escape to Within” invite viewers to step into imagined spaces that blend realism with abstraction, encouraging personal interpretation.

The library exhibition will feature a selection of new and recent works. Visitors can view the show during regular library hours: Monday through

Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The branch is closed on Sundays. Admission is free, offering residents and visitors an accessible opportunity to experience local fine art in a public setting.

Library officials say the exhibit reflects the branch’s ongoing efforts to connect the community with area artists and to highlight the region’s cultural richness. Displaying art in the library also allows patrons who may not typically visit galleries to engage with original works.

An artist reception will be held during the exhibition’s run, though specific dates and times were not available at press time. Guests can meet Potter, discuss her work and creative process, and learn more about her artistic journey. For details about the reception, call 843-707-7534.

For general information about “Escape to Within,” contact the Hilton Head Branch Library at 843-255-6526. More about Potter’s art and portfolio can be found through her professional website and social media channels.

The exhibition offers an opportunity for residents and visitors to explore the textures, colors and emotions of the Lowcountry through the eyes of a local artist whose work has reached far beyond the region.

Move Your Mind 5K moves to oceanfront setting at Coligny Beach

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

Memory Matters’ annual Move Your Mind 5K Walk/Run will return Sept. 13 with a new backdrop — the oceanfront at The Beach House at Coligny, home to the Tiki Hut, recently named the thirdbest beach bar in the nation by USA Today.

The event, which begins at 9 a.m., combines a professionally timed 5K race with a community celebration aimed at raising awareness and funds for local programs supporting people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

“This isn’t your average race,” said Stacy Floyd, director of development for Memory Matters. “It’s an uplifting, feel-good morning for people of all ages — and the new beachfront venue brings even more energy and excitement to the experience.”

The course will wind along Hilton Head’s shoreline, offering participants ocean views and the sounds of live music. Runners and walkers of all levels are welcome, and medals will be awarded to top finishers.

Organizers say the event’s hallmark feature — Tribute Signs — will once again line the course. For a $250 donation, supporters can personalize a sign with the name, message and optional photo of someone affected by memory loss. Signs will be displayed along the route for participants and spectators to see.

The press release describes these signs as “one of the most heartwarming moments” of the day, noting that families often pause to walk in memory, honor or celebration of someone dear. Proceeds will benefit Memory Matters’ range of services for Lowcountry residents, including adult day respite care, early intervention classes, caregiver education and free memory screenings. The nonprofit, founded in 1997, serves individuals across Beaufort and Jasper counties.

According to the Alzheimer’s Associa-

tion, more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, a number projected to nearly double by 2050. In South Carolina alone, an estimated 95,000 residents are affected.

Event organizers say the 5K is both a fundraiser and a way to highlight resources available to families navigating dementia. Memory Matters’ programs provide education and practical support to both individuals with memory loss and their caregivers.

Participants can register individually or form teams, and fundraising pages are available for those who wish to increase their impact. Businesses and individuals can also sign up as event sponsors or volunteer to help on race day.

Registration includes race timing, refreshments and access to post-event activities at The Beach House. The beachfront setting will allow attendees to gather after the race, with the Tiki Hut providing a casual backdrop for conversation and connection.

Organizers hope the change in venue will attract both longtime supporters and new participants. The location at Coligny Beach offers high visibility and accessibility for locals and visitors alike.

Advance registration is encouraged, but walk-up registration will be available the morning of the event. Packet pickup details will be posted on the event website in early September.

The Move Your Mind 5K has been a fixture on the calendar for years, drawing runners, walkers, caregivers and advocates. Past events have raised tens of thousands of dollars for Memory Matters’ programs, helping the nonprofit provide services regardless of a client’s ability to pay.

Organizers say the day is designed to blend purpose with enjoyment — giving participants the chance to get moving, connect with others and support a cause that impacts many in the community.

To register, sponsor a Tribute Sign or learn more about the Move Your Mind 5K, visit runsignup.com/Race/SC/HiltonHeadIsland/MoveYourMind or call 843-842-6688.

ENTER TO WIN

A Stitch in Time

Created by Art Quilters of the Low Country

Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, support The Heritage Library, and enter to win a one of kind art piece.

A Stitch in Time is a visual timeline of history that starts with The Battle of Sullivan’s Island and moves through glimpses of the changing decades that are Hilton Head Island and Lowcountry history.

This unique piece showcases the artistry of the Art Quilters of the Low Country – Ron Hodge, Ro Morrissey, Peg Weschke and Jody Wigton.

Scan the QR Code to purchase a ticket and a chance to win “A Stitch in Time”. Tickets are $10 each or 3 for $25. Tickets can also be purchased at the Heritage Library or online at HeritageLib.org.

The Heritage Library Foundation proudly sponsors the raffle of this quilt. All proceeds from this raffle will be used for educational programming on local and regional history.

The perm is making a comeback

By Joy Ross Contributor

I am excited to say that after many years of trying to keep our hair pin straight, painstakingly in our climate, the perm has made a comeback. Yes, I said it, the perm. Big 80’s hair is in again as is the perm - but today’s version offers softer, easier-to-maintain waves.

Most everyone has a memory, albeit not always a great one, about a past perm.

Let me begin by saying that the memories should be just that, a memory. Today’s perms can create natural-looking, beachy waves that require minimal styling. Unlike the harsher chemical treatments of the past, current techniques are gentler and can be combined with color services when performed by a licensed professional.

Experts advise that the service should be done in a salon to ensure correct wrapping, rinsing and wave size. Pre-treatments may be needed to strengthen hair

that has been previously colored, and at-home care with professional-quality shampoo and conditioner is key to keeping hair healthy and shiny.

Post-perm TLC at home is of utmost importance. The care you take at home keeps your hair looking healthy and shiny even though the hair has been chemically treated, again for the people in the back: your hair is chemically treated. Using a proper shampoo and conditioner can help keep your hair looking its best.

The style is gaining popularity among both men and women. Alongside longer styles for men, perms allow for long, sexy, wavy hair. And they are popular among teenage boys who want the “broccoli” style — a popular look that uses a perm to add volume and texture.

With the right stylist, technique and aftercare, the modern perm can offer a healthy, low-maintenance and versatile option.

Joy Ross is the owner of Style It Salon. styleitsalon.com, 843-338-1530.

Education news

Five finalists named for Beaufort County Teacher of the Year

Five classroom teachers have been named as finalists for Beaufort County’s 2025-26 District Teacher of the Year.

The finalists are Allison Gallagher, science teacher at H.E. McCracken Middle School; Elizabeth Herring, dance teacher at Bluffton High School; Audrey Kaney, fifth-grade teacher at Red Cedar Elementary School; Alison Lopes, special education teacher at Hilton Head Island Early Childhood Center; and Amy Turner, fourth-grade teacher at Coosa Elementary School.

The announcement was made before an audience of educators at the district’s annual professional development conference, held this year at Bluffton High School.

“Each of our Teacher of the Year finalists represents the very best of what it means to be an educator — passionate, dedicated, and relentlessly committed to the success of every student,” Superintendent Dr. Frank Rodriguez said. “These five exceptional teachers inspire not only their classrooms but our entire district community. We are proud to celebrate their excellence and the profound impact they make every day.”

The District Teacher of the Year will be announced this fall.

Technical College of the Lowcountry earns Gold Award for veteran support

The Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL) has been awarded gold-level status by the South Carolina Military Academic Recognition Program, part of the S.C. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (SCDVA).

SCDVA representatives presented the award July 28 at TCL’s Military & Veterans Resource Center on the Beaufort Mather Campus. The recognition highlights colleges and universities that support service members, veterans, reservists, National Guard members and their families as they pursue academic and professional goals.

Currently, 19 percent of TCL’s student population is active military, veteran or military-affiliated.

“We are very proud of the team we have here and the work they’re doing to support our veterans,” TCL President Dr. Richard Gough said. “Veterans, their families and dependents, are a significant part of our college and our culture, so it’s important to us that we have these programs in place and that they know they are supported.”

To qualify for gold status, institutions must meet criteria such as offering a centralized location for veterans to meet or find assistance, information or career counseling. TCL began pursuing gold-level standards after earning silver designation in December 2023.

In the past year, TCL renovated and expanded its Military and Veterans Resource Center and implemented “Green Zone” training to help staff better assist military-affiliated students.

“By equipping our campus community with this knowledge, we create a network of informed allies,” said Topher Byrnes, TCL’s director of military and veterans programs.

More information on TCL’s military and veterans’ services is available at tcl. edu/military.

To submit educational news for consideration in future issues, email editor@ blufftonsun.com.

TRY SOMETHING NEW BRIDGE

HILTON HEAD BRIDGE CLUB, Fall Bridge Lessons

Bridge is a game you can enjoy for a lifetime! This Fall the Bridge Center is offering a wide variety of classes for both beginners and those who want to take their game to the next level.

BEGINNER BRIDGE LESSONS

Tuesday mornings from 10AM to Noon at the Bridge Center

Starting on September 9th, this series of 10 weekly lessons will teach the basics of bridge for beginners. You can attend the classes as they fit your schedule. If you are brand new to the game, you will gain the most if you are able to attend a majority of the classes. Topics include:

Sept. 9: Introduction and Taking Tricks

Sept. 23: Opening Bids, Hand Evaluation

Oct. 7: Major Suit Opening

Oct. 21: Minor Suit Opening

Nov. 4: Minor Suit Bidding

Nov. 18: Bridge Plus Game

Sept. 16: Choosing a contract

Sept. 30: No Trump Opening

Oct. 14: Major Suit Bidding

Oct. 28: No Class

Nov. 11: Putting it all together

Each lesson is $20. We will be using Audrey Grant’s textbook, Bridge Basics One. The class is being taught by Kristi Menees. Please register with Kristi at kristimenees@mac.com or 551-795-6329

BREAD & BUTTER CONVENTIONS: BASICS YOU SHOULDN’T PLAY WITHOUT!

Selected Wednesday mornings from 10AM to Noon at the Bridge Center

This class is for Bridge players who are ready to take their bidding skills to the next level. These conventions will help you communicate more effectively with your partner to describe your hand and find the right contract. Topics include:

Sept. 3: New Minor Forcing Sept. 17: Michaels Cue Bid Nov. 19: Help Suit Game Try Dec. 10: Negative Doubles Part 2

Sept. 10: Fourth Suit Forcing Nov. 12: Drury Dec. 3: Negative Doubles

Join teacher Peg Gibson to round out your convention card. Classes are $20 each.

2 OVER 1 GAME FORCE

Selected Wednesday mornings from 10AM to Noon at the Bridge Center

2 over 1 Game Force is a bidding system in which a response of a new suit at the two-level over an opening bid by partner, is forcing to game. It helps you find the right game fit and provides insight on whether or not to explore slam.

Sept. 24: When does 2/1 apply; advantages Oct. 8: Forcing 1NT responses; advantages Oct. 22: Rebids with and without interference

Oct. 1: When 2/1 is off Oct. 15: Responder’s bid Oct. 29: Finding Slam

Taught by Bev and Joe Meyers, lessons are $20 each. Registration is required at: jmeyers247@aol.com or 917-836-3459.

HEAD ISLAND BRIDGE CLUB, ACBL Sanctioned See our website www.bridgewebs.com/hiltonheadisland for a schedule of our Face to Face duplicate games. Located at : 95 Mathews Dr., Port Royal Shopping Center. For more info: 843-342-7529. Also see us on Facebook: Hilton Head Bridge Club

Left to right: Dr. Mellow Lee, Deputy Superintendent; Alison Lopes, Hilton Head Island Early Childhood Center; Audry Kaney, Red Cedar Elementary School; Amy Turner, Coosa Elementary School; Elizabeth Herring, Bluffton High School; Allison Gallagher, H.E. McCracken Middle School; and Dr. Frank Rodriguez, Superintendent

Dante’s password Inferno

By Tracy Winslow Contributor

TRACY WINSLOW

“What do you mean you can’t access it? Isn’t this your job?” is admittedly not the best way to speak to the woman at the Apple help desk. But I was three levels past breaking point trying to access my account.

I had discovered someone I trusted was using my information to spy on me. Thus began my frenetic journey of changing passwords for every account I have ever used.

MushroomsForDinner@5pm!

HA- genius! No one would guess this

because I hate mushrooms. (Also, who schedules mushrooms for 5 pm? Sociopaths, that’s who.) All hopped up on adrenaline and fungi, the new passwords came fast and furious: YummmChickenOfTheWoods!#1CantWait

SautéShitakeYaySlayBey

NotAFungiAmongi

No criminal mastermind could crack my codes. Unfortunately, neither can I when I try to cancel an old Apple account. I had neglected to write any of them down during what is now coined: Mushroom Melee 2025 Hmmm, is it PortobelloForThisFello? No.

EnokiIsNoJoki? Wrong again. Now I am trapped in a password holding cell: I have to wait 60 more minutes

to try again. Then 90. Then a month or some other arbitrary time. This is clearly above my pay grade so I click on the magical panacea - the “forgot password” button.

“You’ve come to the right place to reset a forgotten password,” Apple cheerfully informs me. Unbeknownst to me, I have opened a portal to Dante’s Password Inferno and have begun the Seven Trials of Password Hell.

Step One: Confirm account with phone number

“A message with instructions has been sent to all of the Apple devices where you are signed in.” Which is a sum total of none because I opened this account when Steve Jobs was a fetus.

Two weeks for Apple to send me a link to reset my password?!? Why can’t I just change it now? Is this link buried in a Cupertino warehouse? I guess I can burn the time on Candy Crush while I wait.

Fourteen days come and go, and no link is ever sent. Time to call iPhone HQ. Brad from Apple Support doesn’t believe I am capable of following the aforementioned directions, as if my brain is operating on an AOL dial-up.

“You silly, IT impaired ignoramus. You clearly know nothing about clicking a button which is why you had to involve us. Now hit exactly the same buttons as you did before but this time with me condescendingly telling you when to click on them.”

They should really change the button’s name to “Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Click Here.” Back into Dante’s Password Inferno’s Limbo circle I go, as I wait yet another two weeks for a reset link that never arrives. Meanwhile my credit card bill is still racking up monthly charges for apps my kids haven’t used since the Obama administration.

Next up: Shirley No-Apple-SupportFor-You is on Team #MushroomHater because she tries to walk me through the exact same steps that Condescending Brad and I had already tried. This is not a user error - but Apple’s issue. She chuckles at the insinuation that Apple be capable of committing a faux pas. I have now leveled up into the Anger circle.

Mandy the Manager is called in and wonders “what seems to be” my problem. SHE too has drunk the Forgot Password button Kool-Aid. “Miss Winslow, we need you to go through the Forgot Password to verify your identity to change the password.”

This is when I’m thrust into Dante’s Password Violence circle.

Blood is likely pouring from her eardrum as my volume increases. “I can give

you my email and respond to a link. I can respond to the number attached to the account. I can even tell you the number on my credit card that pays for all of the apps but you can’t help me get into my account?! IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO?”

Garbled, terse noises that sound like a screech owl being strangled are now flying out of my mouth. The dogs are hiding in the corner, refusing to make eye contact with me, in case they did something naughty that they forgot about. Even my WiFi is playing dead at this point.

After what can only be called speaking in tongues, Mandy finally confesses that Apple Support cannot actually get into my account, only IT can. And mere humans have zero access to them. Mandy the Manager’s hands are tied and I have reached a dead end. “Yeah, sometimes this happens. It just goes around and around in a loop. There’s nothing we can do about it. So weird, huh?”

Lady, this is not weird. This is a Greek tragedy in a hoodie, sitting in the corner of Starbucks, sipping a $9 oat milk latte. Her best offer: “I can *probably* unclick the monthly renewals for you?” She sounds so unconvincing. Welcome to Dante’s Circle of Fraud, Tracy! The place where your money disappears but at least we will send you a polite email about it. Maybe.

At this point, the only level left in Dante’s Password Inferno is Treachery. My hands are tied as Apple is the sole keeper of my photos, apps, and one video of an embarrassing karaoke decision made during a Veuve-infused evening.

So I remain locked out - a wandering soul in Dante’s Password purgatorywhere Tim Cook consumes shiitakes at 5pm. At this point I’m convinced my Apple ID ran off with the reset link and started a new life somewhere with better WiFi and zero security questions. “Girls, go play ABCmouse before you do your calculus homework. I just paid another $15 for it.”

Tracy Winslow is clearly an IT superhero, and is available for consultation and speaking engagements. When she is not using her inside voice with Apple’s “Genius staff”, she hangs out in the BEST YARN STORE in South - Low Country Shrimp and Knits - and teaches Spanish to college students who are using AI to cheat which is probably why Apple was too busy to send her the darn reset link. Check out shrimpandknits.com for the best yarn selection, classes, needle selection and more. Plus, we ship!

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By Annelore Harrell Contributor

I’m old.

How old, you may ask. Well, I’m so old, they won’t sell me life insurance. Forget guarantees. Of any sort. At my age, they are a “ha ha hee hee.”

Being “up in years,” I am allowed certain liberties. Like, to be lame and carry a cane. When the meniscus on my right knee got messed up, I hobbled from one place to another. I didn’t even know I had a meniscus. Talk about pain. Just got it working again and ripped the hamstring on the same leg. Go figure. There are walking sticks in place all around the house. Two in the car.

Being this old, I am more forgetful. I have always had trouble remembering names. I might recall that your first cousin twice removed is from Alaska, that you

Remembering

married three times -twice to the same woman and are allergic to onions, but I couldn’t remember your name if you hit me on the head with a stick.

The worst possible thing ever about being of this age has nothing to do with remembering. It is that I am no longer allowed a chilled, wave-the-bottle of Noilly Prat dry vermouth over the glass of a 5 PM cocktail hour vodka martini. Minus an olive, of course.

Somehow, an icy flute of non-alcoholic ginger beer doesn’t equate.

But, getting back to this remembering thing. Am I whining? Not really.

Well, maybe.

There is an advantage to being an old lady: that image in the mirror. Trust me, that is not the person inside, the one unseen by the reflection, the one who sees into the past and can remember all the good times. The bad ones too.

There was dancing. Oh, how we loved to dance.

On sultry summer nights over at Bailey’s Pavilion on the Okatie River, we danced the slow lazy shag Lowcountry style with those Ridgeland boys. Not to

forget, there was a bit of slow dancing, cheek to cheek, the Continental, the Dip. On Fridays, the jukebox played music from the Dorsey Brothers, Glenn Miller, Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington, and on Saturdays, we had a three-piece live band that made that old shack of a building shake.

When school began in the fall, and we left Bluffton for Savannah, there was a different sort of dancing. Then, we conquered the Conga and the Rumba and the Box Step at Ebba Olsen Thomson’s Dance Studio on Saturday nights while Ebba banged her cane on the floor in time to the music that Ms. Johnson played on her tinny upright piano.

We remember before Women’s Lib, which was both a blessing and a curse.

There was a modesty, a politeness, a courtesy in everyday life.

Barbershops might have Esquire magazines with photographs of pin-up girls wearing a daring two-piece bathing suit, but mothers taking their sons to have a haircut didn’t even presume to pick up a copy of “that” magazine.

As for being polite, saying, “yes ma’am,” and, “no sir,” showed respect.

Men gave up their seats on the bus, on the train and never sat while women stood. They opened doors for women, doffed their hat in greeting, offered an arm in assistance. It might have been centuries since men carried a sword, but they still walked on the curbside of the sidewalk, keeping their sword arm free to protect their female companion. And not just for old ladies like me.

I remember when we went out on dates. When you waited for the telephone to ring, hoping that your latest “crush” was going to call. You went out, but never on school nights, only on the weekends. And you double-dated with whoever had access to a car.

A recent survey showed there are only 1 percent of my age still kicking up their heels on this side of the grass. We should get together. And remember.

Annelore Harrell’s journey is a tapestry woven with fascinating experiences and extraordinary accomplishments. Even at 92, Annelore’s energy and zest for life continue to inspire.

ANNELORE HARRELL

By Abby Bird aka Alphadog Contributor

Back to school is a time when the family is focused on kids. But what happens to the family dog who has spent the summer playing with the kids and adults or traveling with the family? With the schedule changes, fun and attention is diminished, and with everything going on the family dog is often overlooked. Just when your dog was enjoying having the family home the daily routine gets changed. Since dogs are creatures of habit and routine, this can be upsetting. Dogs don’t really understand nor do they remember the same thing happened last year.

For newly acquired puppies, it is even more confusing when their playmates disappear each day. Because of this, puppies and dogs might begin acting out in ways that owners have never seen or haven’t seen in in a while. This may include anything from wanting more attention and being annoying to changing their potty habits to destructive behavior. They may start getting into things that they shouldn’t. Sometimes “My dog ate my homework” actually happens. Paper,

pillows, shoes, fabric of all kinds, rugs, woodwork, child toys and more might get chewed up or disappear. This is their way of showing you they are stressed and anxious with the changes.

The best advice is to get the dog ready for these changes before they happen. Leave the house more often on a regular basis. Tire them out before you leave for the day. Have a specific routine for when the kids come home from school each day. Get up even earlier and take the dog for a long walk then play with them before you leave. At least your dog will be tired when you leave and then be less destructive.

If your dog is destructive then crate or baby gate them in a small room when you leave. With both puppies and adult dogs, make sure to leave something engaging to chew on so they don’t think about the family being gone. If it is possible one to two days a week take them to a doggie daycare. Not only will they play and get tired but being away from the house gives them less time to focus on the family being gone. They are in play mode with dogs and not thinking about their humans. They will look forward to this, and being physically and psychologically more tired, will help make them much happier and

less anxious.

When the family gets home for the day ask them to be low key around the dog. Too much excitement increases their feelings of loss when you are gone. Put your stuff down before you say hello, and when you greet them do it calmly outside so there is no excitement inside. Take them out or on a walk then play with them to release some pent-up energy. If possible, go back to your daily training routine with them. That gives them one on one attention and reinforces your role.

Try to resume the same evening routine you would have at any other time. If you have family sports or other events in the evening, find out if your well-behaved dog can attend with you. Trying to be inclusive when the new school year begins can really help.

Just remember not to exclude them from your busy lives but find ways to include them in family activities. Walks, ball games, beach, yard play and more will make them feel the loss of time away from you less deeply.

Abby Bird is the owner of Alphadog Training Academy. AlphadogTrainingAcademy@gmail.com

Ask the Expert: Who should I choose as my trustee?

By Lisa Hostetler Brown Contributor

Expert Answer:

(Hint: It might not be Johnny!) Setting up an irrevocable trust is often a smart and effective way to protect your assets from longterm care costs, especially when pre-planning for Medicaid eligibility. However, this strategy works only if you choose the right trustee to manage the trust. Selecting the trustee is a crucial decision that requires careful thought and consideration because you’re entrusting someone with significant legal responsibility.

First, it’s important to understand that you cannot serve as the trustee of your own irrevocable trust. Doing so would mean you retain control over the assets, which defeats the purpose of the trust in

protecting those assets from Medicaid’s reach. Instead, someone else, who you choose, must take on the role of managing the trust’s assets and ensuring that they are used according to the terms you’ve established.

Ideally, your trustee should be someone trustworthy, responsible, and willing to follow professional legal guidance. This is often a close relative, like a financially savvy adult child or a family member with experience in managing money or business affairs—such as a CPA daughter or a reliable sibling. A trusted family friend with strong financial knowledge and integrity could also be a good choice.

On the other hand, avoid choosing someone who has a shaky track record or questionable judgment. If “Johnny” just got sober or is still figuring things out in life, he’s probably not the best fit to take on such a critical role. The trustee doesn’t need to be a financial expert or lawyer, but they must be honest, communicate well, and be willing to work closely with your elder law attorney to follow your overall estate plan.

To put it simply, the trustee’s job is to act responsibly and follow professional ad-

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vice, not to have all the answers immediately. A good trustee will collaborate with attorneys and financial advisors, ensure that distributions are made according to your wishes, and keep accurate records. This helps maintain the trust’s legal protection and prevents any unintended complications that could jeopardize your Medicaid eligibility or your family’s financial security.

It’s also helpful to understand how an irrevocable trust differs from a revocable trust. With a revocable trust, you retain control over the assets and can modify or revoke the trust at any time. This type of trust is great for probate avoidance and general estate planning, but it does not protect assets from Medicaid because you still legally own them. In contrast, an irrevocable trust removes ownership and control, which is why Medicaid cannot count those assets when determining eligibility. However, it also means you cannot change or dissolve the trust without the trustee’s cooperation and, sometimes, court approval.

Additionally, when planning for incapacity or emergencies, a Power of Attorney (POA) is another key tool.

Unlike a trustee, your POA agent manages your financial and legal matters only if you become unable to do so yourself. It’s important to designate someone trustworthy here, too, as they’ll have significant control over your finances and decisions. The POA can work in tandem with your trustee, helping manage assets not placed in the trust or handling other legal matters.

Ultimately, your trust and POA are only as strong as the people you choose to serve in those roles. Choosing the right trustee and agent can provide peace of mind and real protection for your assets and your future care needs. Take the time to pick someone responsible, reliable, and willing to honor your wishes — it’s one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your elder law planning.

For educational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Lisa Hostetler Brown is a Certified Elder Law Attorney certified by the National Elder Law Foundation. 10 Pinckney Colony Rd, Ste 400, Bluffton, SC 29909 | 843-757-5294 | HiltonHeadElderLaw.com

LISA HOSTETLER BROWN

By Danie Connolly Contributor

In a moment of weakness, I bought something on the Internet late at night. It’s going to propel Hamish, my Scottish Terrier, into the 22nd century. That may sound a bit ambitious and a tad sarcastic, but Hamish and I are ready for the next frontier.

A few days later a package arrived in the mail. It held a contraption that is supposed to teach dogs to communicate with their owners by pressing small push buttons corresponding to the request they ask.

I kind of wished they had mailed it in brown paper wrapping so that my hus-

Just Saying

band Bob (BBB) wouldn’t get started on the teasing instantly. Anywho…I opened it up like it was Hamish‘s first Christmas present.

Let’s just say he wasn’t as excited about it as I was, but he had to wait until BBB got back from buying 48 AA batteries to get it all started. After installing the batteries, you have to record sayings for each button. The first thing I recorded was “Do you want a treat?” “Are you hungry?”

I think I need to change that to “I want a treat” etc. so it sounds like it’s a request from Hamish. I sounded like a witch from Hansel and Gretel asking if they’d like a piece of candy…. very creepy. Each button is a different bright color which is interesting considering I read the dogs don’t recognize color.

A little background on Hamish. He’s the Jethro Clampett of Scottish Terriers – not that bright but good looking. Before covid, he won the AKC American bred male Scottish Terrier championship. He’d wink at the judges and Boom… blue ribbon! I never taught him that but at home it was a

different story.

He’d give you his paw reluctantly, but he drew the line on rolling over, sitting up on his back haunches, etc. Nope, none of that for him. I had big plans on him being the dog version of a gigolo, but apparently, I was too ambitious for that. Let’s just say that my plans on having him be my four-pawed Romeo with puppies galore left much to be desired after Covid quarantine.

Anyway, it was hard enough hearing the button commands above Bob’s laughter. When I said I was going to dedicate a button to finding his keys, tv remote, and eye glasses, it made a whole different perspective on helping Fido find whatever was on the button. I did mention that he, himself, had a button/bell for beer – not that I was ever compelled to race to the fridge and retrieve a Coors light.

Between BBB making fun of me and my hitting the “hungry” button 200 times to make a connection, I’d have to say I wasn’t seeing too much progress. Of course, Hamish may be smarter than I give him

BEAT THE SUMMER HEAT

credit for because after about 10 pounds of cheese and roast beef he still needed schooling.

I’m convinced I haven’t found the perfect connection besides food that would make a dog go “say what?” with the look of recognition. Once Hamish sat down on a button with his large butt requesting treats and I felt like Annie Sullivan teaching Helen Keller how to understand the word water.

Maybe I’ll go down to the local dog shelter and spend an hour or two teaching dogs there how to find car keys and eyeglasses, etc. Who wouldn’t want to adopt a sweet dog that could find the TV remote control?

As for my furry loyal best friend, he’s content to spend quality time with me on the floor playing with the pretty colored buttons. His tail seems to be wagging more, and I swear I saw him wink at me… just saying.

DANIE CONNOLLY

Why are we taught to conform, when the standouts lead the way?

By Wendy Kushel Contributor

From the moment we’re old enough to follow instructions, we’re taught to conform. Line up. Sit still. Blend in. In school, we’re rewarded for raising our hands at the right time, coloring inside the lines and following the same rules as everyone else. It’s no surprise that many children grow up believing that being like everyone else is not only expected—it’s correct.

But somewhere along the way, a strange thing happens. The very people we celebrate as leaders, founders, and changemakers—the names we read about in business magazines and hear on podcasts—are rarely the ones who followed the pack. They’re the ones who did it their way.

Take Jamie Kern Lima, who built IT Cosmetics by breaking the beauty mold. Or Jesse Cole, who turned baseball into a circus-like experience with the Savannah Bananas. And who could forget Barbara Corcoran, who launched a real estate empire not by conforming, but by embracing her quirks and outsmarting a system that didn’t expect much from her?

So if the trailblazers are the ones who stood out, why are we all taught from such a young age to fit in?

Part of the answer is comfort. For society to function smoothly, structure and predictability are necessary. But somewhere between order and innovation, conformity takes over—often at the expense of creativity. Most people go their whole lives trying not to ruffle feathers. They follow the dress code, use the template, stay in their lane. It’s easier. It feels safer. And truthfully, not everyone wants to be noticed.

But for those who do—for the dreamers, the disruptors, the future leaders— blending in is not enough. Following the crowd won’t make you memorable. And if you want to make a difference, “same as everyone else” simply won’t cut it.

While a handful of schools like Montessori or Steiner promote individuality, they’re the exception, not the rule. Our larger culture still leans heavily toward conformity.

Maybe one day, that will shift. Maybe more children will be taught not just how to fit in, but how to stand out. Until then, the leaders of tomorrow are the ones brave enough to break the habit of blending in—and bold enough to do it differently.

Wendy Kushel is the owner of Wendala’s LowCountry Sugar Scrub, LLC based in Bluffton, SC. Her background includes stand-up comedy, film, TV and a lot of sales and marketing. www. lowcountrysugarscrub.com

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Opportunities, issues highlight financial landscape of life with disabilities

By Channing Heiss Contributor

It’s no secret that financial issues affect everyone. Among the uninitiated, it is less well-known how they impact those of us who live with disabilities. Living these realities every day involves navigating a crowded, complicated, under-publicized, under-explained, and ever-changing environment of the known and unknown.

Money—how to find it, what you’re allowed to buy with it, how to earn it, how much of it you’re allowed to earn, how much of it employers do or don’t have to pay you; and the information jungle you have to hack your way through to find out about it. It is a topic and a necessity that needs illumination.

A discussion of income naturally leads to a discussion of employment. People capable of being trained for competitive employment may go to Vocational Rehabilitation or private agencies for help with gainful employment.

Lowcountry Jobs Now on the Hilton Head Island Bluffton Chamber of Commerce website features Diverse Abilities, a page for job applicants with disabilities. The Job Accommodation Network and SC Works also provide employment-related resources.

While getting a job can reduce some government financial assistance, the approach to such aid and the resulting rules have evolved to allow work while receiving benefits through programs connected to Medicaid and Social Security Disability Income.

The Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, Ticket to Work and programs such as trial work periods with uninterrupted benefits have created change, but there are still conversations in advocacy circles about being careful not to earn too much money. Even so, the trend toward increased competitive employment continues.

The South Carolina Employment First Act of 2022, in accordance with the national Employment First systems-change framework, promotes Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE).

Another major change that was announced last year is the end of subminimum wage, an exception in the Fair Labor Standards Act that allowed employers to pay employees with disabilities less than minimum wage.

Advocacy groups, including Able SC, Disability Rights South Carolina, and Walton Options for Independent Living applauded the change because it will raise wages and because they believe it will ultimately improve employment and competitiveness of people with disabilities. Some opposed the change based largely on concerns it would lead to the closing of sheltered workshops employing people with more severe disabilities.

To assist with managing and growing savings, South Carolina has established the Palmetto ABLE Savings Program and offers ABLE savings accounts and STABLE accounts, according to the Palmetto ABLE Savings Program website. The program features tax-free savings for disability related expenses and the ability to save without losing benefits.

In addition to the government resources, there are private foundation grants available to people with disabilities and listed on grant websites. There are also private and public funds available for cars and their accessibility modifications as well as for other assistive technology. BraunAbility sells wheelchair accessible vehicles and provides referral information on funding sources. Bank of America advertises its Accessible and Disability Vehicle access loan program with flexible financing. More locally, the assistive technology program at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Center for Disability Resources partners with other organizations to provide individuals access to assistive technology funding. For more information on disability resources, view the Resource Guide link on the disAbilities Coalition website, www.disabilitiescoalition.com.

Channing Heiss is a freelance writer and a member of the Beaufort County disAbilities Coalition.

Bluffton and Beaufort County outline political sign rules for election season

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

With campaign season starting, the Town of Bluffton and Beaufort County are reminding residents and candidates of the rules for placing political signs. Regulations differ between the town limits and unincorporated areas, and enforcement officers may remove signs placed improperly.

In Bluffton, political signs do not require a permit if they meet requirements in the Unified Development Ordinance. Signs must be on private property with the owner’s permission, unless placed in one of three public locations approved by the town manager: the landscaped corners at Highway 46 and May River Road, the median on Buckwalter Place Boulevard beyond the Publix entryway sign, and the northwest corner of May River Road and Buckwalter Parkway.

Signs in Bluffton may not go up earlier than 60 days before an election, must be removed within seven days afterward, and cannot exceed six square

feet in area or five feet in height. Signs for runoff candidates may remain until the final election.

In unincorporated Beaufort County, political signs require a $5 permit, which allows a candidate to post an unlimited number. Signs along major corridors must be at least 10 feet from the highway right-of-way and can be displayed at any time during an election year. All must be removed within 48 hours after an election.

Officials note that the only precise way to determine a public right-of-way is through a property survey, but a general rule is that property on the house side of a sidewalk, bike path, or three steps beyond a ditch or utility line is outside the right-of-way.

Improperly placed signs may be confiscated by town or county code enforcement. For retrieval, contact the Bluffton Police Department at 843-706-4550 or Beaufort County at 843-255-2066.

The Town of Bluffton offers an “Am I in Bluffton?” map on its website to help determine jurisdiction.

For more information, vit www.townofbluffton.sc.gov

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From a Chinquapin Tree to the Calibogue Sound

By Mr. David Peeples

Every time I look back to prohibition days, I realize how lucky I am to be alive. Gangsters such as “Scarface”, Al Capone, and his henchman had no compunctions about killing

anyone, even a barefooted boy, who got in their way. And it was my fate to get in the way of a whole outfit of those gun toting rats.

It all started late one October afternoon. I was in the woods near the Bluffton cemetery, comfortably perched in the top of my private chinquapin tree. Even the path that led to the tree, a half-hidden rut in an abandoned wagon road, long since grown up in bushes, was known only to me. Or so I thought, until I saw that big shiny Cadillac inching along through that

old wagon road.

There was only one man in the car. I figured he was crazy, nobody in his right mind would plow a beautiful brand-new automobile through thick bushes just for the fun of it.

He drove the car into the clearing right by my tree. It turned around and backed to the edge of a deep tidewater Cove that cut into the woods from the river half a mile away. Close behind the Cadillac another car appeared. Then another, and another, until finally there were 11 at the

edge of the Cove.

Hugging the tree like a trembling chameleon I realized I was trapped. The arrival of the first car had puzzled me but by the time the last one rolled in, I had no doubt. To reveal my presence was to risk my life in the hands of some of the most dangerous men in the world.

Like everybody else in Bluffton, I knew that Capones liquor haulers had been

PAUL TOLLEFSON

SOUND FROM PAGE 36A

using secret landings near the town for some time. Repeatedly law enforcement officers had tried to surprise and arrest them, but they were too well organized. The pattern was routine from North Carolina to Florida. A big shallow draft launch would rendezvous in the ocean beyond the 12-mile limit with a foreign vessel and take on a load of whiskey from Cuba or elsewhere. Then, under cover of darkness, it would proceed to a pre-arranged landing in a coastal Creek or Cove.

There the liquor would be transferred to automobiles equipped with secret built in compartments. It would be rushed to a big city for delivery to a hotel, a Speakeasy, or a private club. It was and exciting, dangerous, and fabulously profitable business.

From my lonely perch, I was witnessing something that only one boy in a million would be lucky enough to see. I was so scared I tried to hold my breath. Some of the men had removed their coats and I could see their snubnosed pistols in shoulder holsters. The boat arrived so quickly I neither saw nor heard it. There was a sudden flurry of activity. The discreet flashing of a light revealed a long gray launch without a top.

Every time the lights flashed, I caught a glimpse of men moving back and forth from the boat to the cars. I could see cases of whiskey on their shoulders. I could see them loading the cases in the secret compartments. While the men were busy loading the automobiles, I thought of easing out of the tree. I thought slipping away into the black woods and running for home would be my best and most sensible thing to do. My thin sweater was hardly adequate for the chilly night air. It was getting colder every minute. But my curiosity was stronger than my common sense. While I procrastinated, that cold air penetrated to my bones and set off a sneeze loud enough to wake up everyone in the cemetery.

Instantly a light flooded my tree. It picked me out in the top branches. The man with the light ran to the tree and spotlighted me. He ordered me to come down, right now! When I did a mess of men with automatics encircled me.

The man with the flashlight snapped out unprintable oaths. Two men grabbed my arms and rushed me to the boat. They shoved me into the stern, tied me up with a piece of rope and left me on the floor.

I could see nothing. But I could tell

that a desperate effort was being made to get the last few cases of whiskey into the cars. It wasn’t long before they began pulling off and as the last had gone, two men jumped into the boat and got it underway.

The boat moved slowly and cautiously until it reached the open river. There it turned and headed toward Calibogue Sound and began to pick up speed.

The vibration of the powerful engines bounced me around on the hard floor. It was difficult for me to concentrate on my prayers. It was halfhearted anyway and I had already decided what my fate was to be. When the boat got about halfway across the Calibogue Sound, those two underworld characters were going to drop me overboard right in the middle of a school of hungry sharks.

Suddenly the boat slowed. It seemed to be pulling into the shore. One of the men came to the stern, untied me, and jerked me to my feet

“Boy,” he said with a foreign accent. “Do you swim? “

I nodded

“Then swim!” he said, grabbing me by the seat of my pants and throwing me overboard.

I hit the water flat and started swimming. The boat turned back towards the channel and roared away. The water was shallow. I soon had my feet on solid ground. I floundered ashore and started running towards the trees along the bluff. I didn’t know exactly where I was, but I knew the general direction of Bluffton and home and I headed that way.

I didn’t stop running until I was inside of my front door!

(originally written by Andrew Peeples and printed in 1940s.)

Paul Tollefson is the Director of Tennis at the Hampton Hall Club in Bluffton. He found his love for the Lowcountry in early 2002 after graduating high school and unsure of what career path he was destined towards. After moving from Hilton Head to Bluffton he became enthralled with the history of the town and the people and cultures that called it home for many generations. He has found a passion in writing and enjoys being able to share the stories and pictures of long-time locals. He is the co-creator of the Facebook page “Bluffton Then and Now.”

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Further on up the road

By Kevin Fitzpatrick Contributor

The weather in Bluffton is, for the most part, one of the main attractions we had when we decided to move down. That said, there are some stretches where it really does give a very good insight into what it must feel like living on the surface of the sun.

Keeping that in mind, we have planned a major trip each summer to relieve some of the dripping sweat particles from our eyes. It is, for me, exactly the reverse of what, for decades, we did during the February break back in CT while we were teaching. We would always take advantage of my very good decision to buy into the Disney Vacation Club back in ‘96 and head off to their property in Vero Beach, Fl to escape the ice and snow that was particularly prevalent during that month.

There was a whole routine involved: We would pack up our summer wear and send it via FedEx ground so we would not have to deal with it on the plane. Additionally, we would also send a case of wine down ahead and as we were driving in from the airport we would call the hotel and have them put it all in the room so all we had to do was check in. When we returned home, the clothes would be packed up, dropped off at the front desk to be picked up and sent home the same way.

This is all by way of saying that when we make a trip, everything is planned to the smallest detail. This trip was no different. With Abbey THE dog having crossed the rainbow bridge back in January (you may have read about that in a prior piece),

we had the new found experience of not having to rush so we decided that this trip would last almost three weeks, that we would drive instead of dealing with the mess that is air travel currently, and would try to enjoy the actual travel as much as the destinations.

The planning included a decision to avoid going straight up I-95 by taking a more relaxed route I had read much about through NC, VA, MD, PA and ultimately NY into CT where we would spend some time as well as in RI. We decided, since we were in no rush, not on a clock, and with only one or two things fully locked in up north, we would plan the trip to spend no more than 5 hours per day driving in either direction.

We got lucky with the weather only hitting a small amount of rain on the first leg, the first day, so things were going really smoothly. We had also never stopped at a Buc-ee’s but continued to read about and hear people raving about it as a “must stop,” so we did.

We kept seeing signs for a Buc-ee’s on I-81 in Virginia, it was about 2 hours into the second day’s drive, so like about 67% of the people driving in that direction (or so it seemed), we followed the signs into the parking lot. Just for reference, I grew up in NYC, learned to drive there, have also driven in Boston, Chicago, LA, San Fran, Atlanta as well as to and from airports in each of those locals, in and out of concert venues, sports venues as well but even with that I was not prepared for the maelstrom that was Buc-ee’s parking lot. It was, necessarily, as large as a small town, and with cars and pedestrians coming from all directions. I was very fortunate and saw a spot opening on my first pass, so taking pictures of where we were, off we went inside. If, somehow, you could combine Grand Central Station in NYC at rush hour, with O’Hare airport in Chicago on the Wednes-

KEVIN FITZPATRICK

ROAD

FROM PAGE 38A

day before Thanksgiving and stir in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, you would still be a bit short of the crowds that day. Simply moving in a straight line was a chore, let alone trying to get some food. Now, the good news is that the cleanliness and quantity of the facilities was everything they say, no line for those even with the crowds, it was as if they somehow disappeared into those rooms only to reappear after finishing.

Well, after taking the necessary break, and grabbing something quickly we went back to the car (we found it quickly), and after MUCH maneuvering we were back on the road. We agreed that we were happy to have made the stop, but we also agreed that such would never happen again, and it also gave us pause to worry, at least a little, about what would happen locally

when the newest one is open for business in Hardeeville.

The remainder of the trip up was completely uneventful and while we had a fabulous time not being on the surface of the sun (the weather was perfect summer weather for the two weeks we were back north), it was also incredibly comforting to finish the last leg of the drive, unpack and breath deeply at the soft-landing home. Of course, I need to conclude with some appropriate lyrics…these from Karla Bonoff from her song “Home”

“And Home

Sings me of sweet things

My life there has its own wings

To fly over the mountains

Though I’m standing still”

Kevin Fitzpatrick is a retired teacher who, along with his wife Sue (also a retired teacher) is enjoying exploring life in the lowcountry and all it has to offer.

Bluffton Library hosts

“Canvas of Cultura!”

Hispanic Heritage art exhibit

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the opening of Canvas of Cultura!, a vibrant art exhibit debuting Monday, September 15, at 5:30 p.m. at the Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way. This free, family-friendly event offers an evening of cultural connection and creativity, featuring works that reflect the rich traditions and diverse stories of Hispanic heritage.

Guests will have the opportunity to meet some of the featured artists, enjoy an artist-guided tour, and hear the personal narratives that inspired their pieces. Light refreshments will be

served, courtesy of the Friends of the Bluffton Library.

If you can’t attend the opening, the exhibit will remain on display through October 15th during regular library hours, offering plenty of chances to explore this unique collection.

Whether you’re an art enthusiast or simply looking to experience the beauty of cultural storytelling, Canvas of Cultura! promises an inspiring celebration of art and heritage.

For more information, visit beaufortcountylibrary.org or call the Bluffton Branch Library at 843-255-6490.

By Rich Bernstein Contributor

Don’t fret the end of the 2025 “Majors” season — although the books are now officially closed for this year’s Masters, PGA, US Open and Open Championship, it only signals much more excitement lies ahead with the upcoming FedEx Cup, Ryder Cup and LPGA CME Group Tour Championship events. The blend of natural beauty of the various courses where these spine-tingling contests will be played and the emotional exhilaration of golf played at its highest levels, spring thoughts of love in the air — the love of golf, I mean. I love golf — there, I’ve said it unabashedly, and if you ask, I’ll shout it from the clubhouse rooftop — I love everything about golf! Just like Bubba, in the “Forrest Gump” film loves shrimp, “You can

Why we love golf

barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it…” I love golf.

We all have our own story about how we were first introduced to the game. It may have been a parent placing a golf club in our hands for the first time or nervously playing with some work colleagues in a company outing or simply knowing there had to be more to the game than rolling a brightly colored ball into a clown’s nose at your local miniature putt-putt course.

For me, it was a five-lesson junior clinic held by the Pro at our county golf course’s driving range, located in an expansive pit, which aptly served as an ice-skating rink during the winter months. I’m not really sure what it was about the game that took hold of me, but I was instantly captivated and clearly remember taking an illustrated golf instruction book out behind our house, wedging a tee in the rubber runners of our door mat and teeing up a whiffle ball to test my skills on the 6-hole course I designed in our much too small backyard.

The 18th at Pebble Beach may be considered one of the most beautiful and challenging holes in golf, but it can’t hold a candle to my tortuous par 3 fourth hole, which required a high soft fade to clear the roofline of our house and gently land on the green, defined as the large mulched area at the base of a spreading crabapple tree. You can imagine the disappointment of a stroke-anddistance penalty as a ball landing on the roof slowly trickled into the eagerly awaiting house gutter. No matter what our skill level, we all hit some shots that rank at the top of our personal, bestof-the-best category. In one of my favorite golf films, “Tin Cup,” driving range pro Roy McAvoy, played by Kevin Costner, philosophizes, “Yes, that’s why I love it. If you hit one good shot, that tuning fork rings in your loins, and you can’t wait to get back.” Well, Roy may have been overly demonstrative, but golf certainly does present a Wordle-on-steroids type challenge and achieving success to any degree can instantly make us infatuated with the game.

Whatever the magnetic attraction that first endeared us to the sport, we golfers love the game for a variety of reasons. For some it’s the beauty of the courses, for others the uncompromising, relentless challenge, and for some the congenial camaraderie of spending a day with friends — the list is truly endless. Our best round, our favorite golf trip, our special foursome, beating balls at the range, the funniest golf joke we ever heard, our favorite pro to follow on TV, The Majors, the Solheim Cup, a treasured golf book, the Ryder Cup, our best shot ever, the Presidents Cup, the nineteenth hole, our new driver, the bucket list course we got to play, our beloved putter, our shrinking handicap.

Even on those days when we love golf, but golf doesn’t love us back, let’s try to remember all the reasons we enjoy this wonderful game. After all, playing and loving the game of golf is a lifelong pursuit.

Rich Bernstein recently moved to Sun City - Hilton Head. Rich has been experiencing the joy, challenges and frustrations of golf since his selection as the 6th player on his 5-player high school golf team.

RICH BERNSTEIN

Online auction to benefit homeless pets

The Palmetto Animal League will host its 16th annual “Bid for PAL” Online Auction from Sept. 4 to Sept. 7, offering shoppers the chance to score local goods and experiences while supporting homeless animals.

The virtual event will open at 8 a.m. Sept. 4 and close at 8 p.m. Sept. 7. The auction features items donated by area businesses, including golf rounds at renowned clubs, restaurant certificates, getaways, clothing, jewelry, home décor and more.

“The Palmetto Animal League Adoption Center is a place where hearts find healing,” PAL President Amy Campanini said. “Abandoned, abused, and neglected pets find kindness and understanding within our walls. And they go on to build beautiful, lasting memories in a loving home where they belong.”

Proceeds from the auction help provide medical treatment, daily care and adoption services for pets in the organization’s no-kill shelter. PAL, based in Hardeeville, takes in animals from overcrowded shelters, owner surrenders and rescue

situations across the Lowcountry.

“For those who enjoy the thrill of the buy, this auction is a fun, competitive experience that’s all for the animals,” PAL Development Coordinator Stephanie Bashaw said. “Many people say they have fun bidding against others, not only hoping to win their favorite items but more importantly, to help save an animal’s life.”

The auction’s online catalog will feature new items added daily leading up to the opening date. Organizers say the event is an easy way for supporters to shop from home while contributing directly to the shelter’s mission.

PAL has hosted the online auction annually to help offset costs for veterinary care, food and housing for the hundreds of cats and dogs it shelters each year. The nonprofit also operates an adoption center and thrift store, and offers foster programs, volunteer opportunities and community outreach.

Bidders can browse the auction catalog and register to participate at PALauction. org.

Lowcountry author Kerry Peresta to release suspense novel

Hilton Head suspense author Kerry Peresta is set to release The Shaking, the fifth book in her Olivia Callahan Suspense series, in September 2025. The novel continues the story of private investigator Olivia Callahan, a character introduced in Peresta’s 2021 debut The Deadening. In The Shaking, Callahan faces her most dangerous case yet — a routine investigation that unravels into a conspiracy tied to her own past.

“The Shaking is a rollercoaster of suspense, weaving Olivia’s personal evolution with a complex, twist-filled mystery,” says author Kerry Peresta. “Fans of the series will see Olivia at her strongest yet, but the shadows of her past still loom large. I can’t wait for readers to dive into this thrilling new chapter in her life.”

Peresta, a Hilton Head resident and former advertising professional, has published four previous books in the series, along with the standalone thriller Back Before Dawn. Her latest work will be available in paperback and eBook at major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores.

A launch and signing event is scheduled for 1–3:30 p.m. Sept. 17th, 2025 at Barnes & Noble, Hilton Head Island.

For more information, visit kerryperesta.com.

Bluffton builds unity at International Friendship Potluck

By Emily Loader Contributor

To prepare for August’s International Friendship Day, Bluffton celebrated global unity at the fourth annual International Friendship Potluck on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Organized by Catholics for the Common Good, the event featured an array of international dishes and meaningful discussions about building community ties.

Sister Pamela Smith, SSCM, of the Diocese of Charleston’s Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, and priests from around the world continue to foster togetherness and peace. “Bringing together many cultures and denominations is the purpose for these events, but we can also foster unity daily on our own,” said Father Marreddy Allam from India.

Ferine Johannes, Co-director of Catholics for the Common Good, encouraged collaboration for local causes. She highlighted the Walk for Water fundraiser, inspired by Jon and Gretchen Nickel of Lowcountry Presbyterian, which raises funds to install water purifying devices in impoverished areas. Upcoming walks are scheduled for Port Royal on September 13 and Bluffton on September 20.

Susan Wheatley from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints introduced the free Family Tree app, promoting cultural appreciation by exploring personal an-

cestry. Sue Christiansen emphasized the use of JustServe. org for connecting volunteers with local service projects, including St. John’s Baptist Church’s upcoming Youth Learning Center. Pastor Gwendolyn Greene of St. John’s shared, “We come as friends and leave as family… learning about useful apps to help each other and tasting delicious dishes along the way.”

Formalized in March 2022, Catholics for the Common Good committed to causes of racial justice, environmental stewardship, and Catholic social teachings with inclusive, interfaith participation. Since then, Catholic, Presbyterian, AME, Latter-day Saints, Methodist, Baptist, and Jewish members have worked together.

The International Friendship Potluck began in 2022 when Ferine Johannes proposed gathering area faith communities for a shared meal. Sister Pam has since extended invitations to churches across Bluffton, resulting in an ever-growing, diverse turnout. Attendees have represented a range of cultural backgrounds, including Mexican, Indian, African American, Eastern European, Irish, Fijian, Danish, and Filipino heritages, each contributing cherished family recipes.

Victoria Brown, an adoptee who recently explored her ancestry through DNA testing, shared her personal connection to the event. “I’ve always felt mostly American with my multi-DNA,” she said. “I brought cornbread because it’s a Southern dish that represents gathering in a country that brings together people from across the planet.”

The event celebrates International Friendship Day with vibrant cultural attire, from saris and dashikis to Fijian Salwar Kameez and Mexican sombreros. Michael Johannes of Catholics for the Common Good shared a piñata and Mexican soda while inviting volunteers to support Freedom House, a local shelter. Their next major event, the Annual Giving, will be held October 3 at Hampton Lake.

“Bringing diverse people together to help others has built friendships and meaningful discussions on human connection in a disconnected world,” said Ferine Johannes. “It takes a village, and we are the village.”

Get up! Pick up your mat and walk

By Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson Contributor

Today, I invite you to walk with me to the pool of Bethesda found in John 5:1-9 where Jesus gave a command to the paralyzed man lying there: “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.”

He offers a powerful peek into God’s transformative power and a call to step out of our comfort zone and embrace a new life. It was a Jewish festival where Jesus was present at the pool known for its healing water, surrounded by the blind, lame, and paralyzed, who would wait for an Angel of the Lord to come and stir the water. The first person to enter the water after the stirring was healed from any sickness. Jesus took notice of an invalid lying there and learned that he had been in this condi-

tion for thirty-eight years. He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus says to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

We all know what it feels like to wait for someone, anyone, to help. Waiting for our prodigal daughter or son to return home.

Waiting for those funds to come in so you can keep the lights on. So many times, in our lives we find ourselves waiting, sometimes for something small, just enough to get us through another day.

Other times, as we all recently witnessed, the unbearable pain of waiting for your child to be found, swept away by a river that rose 26 feet in 45 minutes before the morning sunrise. Waiting... How long God must we wait?

The man at the pool of Bethesda had surely been waiting for a very long time. He was a symbol of helplessness and despair, a human life trapped by illness and circumstance. He had been waiting long before Jesus was even born and yet Jesus looked beyond his physical limitations and offered

him a profound and unexpected transformation.

“Get Up, Pick Up Your Mat and Walk.” This simple yet powerful command is more than just a physical act; it’s a call to transformation.

Get Up! The invalid is called to rise, to stand, to break the chains that bound him for 38 years, to be free from all that held him back in his past. It’s the emancipation from the grip of paralysis, both physical and spiritual.

Pick Up Your Mat! The mat he carried for decades was his sign, his symbol of weakness, dependence, yet now it becomes a testament to his healing.

Does anyone reading this have a testimony! If so, share it with others and stop hiding your mat, your past pain and shame, in the closet! Carry it with you so everyone can see and hear your living testimony and Walk!

Move forward, embrace life with purpose and direction knowing that you are a new creation, one that is healed, empowered, emancipated and free.

This story is not just about physical healing; it’s about spiritual healing and new beginnings. Our past does not define our future, and we need not be bound by it. Let’s

all get up, pick up our mats, those reminders and beliefs of our past that made us feel less worthy, less lovable, less fortunate, and walk into the newness of life that has been prepared for us.

Jesus never even touched him, no anointing oils, no reaching out His hand to lift him up, he simply says, you want to be better, show me what you’ve got! Show me what you can do with no help, no support, no family or friends by your side, especially those you’re still angry with because they weren’t there for you when you needed them most.

He’s saying, I don’t want anyone helping you because I want you to know for certain, without doubt, that if it not be for God! God’s not going to share the glory when you’re back up on your feet.

So, my friends, know that your transformation, physical or spiritual, is coming and when it does the waiting will be over and the rejoicing will begin, for you trusted in God’s unfailing love and it’s nobody but God that you’ll be giving thanks and praise too!

Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson, Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Pastoral Associate at Campbell Chapel A.M.E. in Bluffton, SC

1425 Okatie Hwy. (170) Hwy 170 between River’s End & Oldfield 843-379-1888 | www.palmsumc.org

NANNETTE PIERSON

Privacy, bloodline trusts & asset protection

By Mark Winn Contributor

Keeping your property “out of court” and “in your family” is the name of the game. Leaving your assets in a “spendthrift trust” for your loved ones, instead of outright can protect the funds you leave them from loss to creditors and divorce. You can protect them from (1) their inability to manage the assets, (2) their eventual disability, (3) predatory spouses in divorce proceedings who try to get 50% of their assets (which could include what were your assets), and (4) their creditors. Please note, they are not spendthrifts necessarily, but if we put a clause saying their right to the income or principal is

not subject to lawsuits, then your loved one’s right to the income or principal is not subject to most lawsuits. This kind of planning can provide you with peace of mind in knowing that what you leave your loved ones will not be carelessly squandered and will not go to predatory spouses or money hungry creditors. You can also guarantee that the money will stay in your family bloodline. Many of our clients what to do this. For instance, let us assume Frankie is a widower. He has one child, Florence, who is married to Frederick. Frederick is a struggling artist. Florence and Frederick have Frankie’s only grandchild, Ferdinand. Ferdinand loves to play soccer and video games. Florence is a medical doctor with a busy pediatric care practice. Frankie does not like Frederick, and believes Florence and Frederick will divorce someday. Frankie wants to leave everything he owns to Florence but . . . he wants to make sure (1) Frederick will not inherit it and (2) whatever is left will go to Ferdinand. If Frankie has a simple will that says Florence is to get every-

thing, Florence could easily lose the inherited family property in a variety of ways, namely:

(1) Poor money management,

(2) If Florence becomes disabled and Frederick is appointed guardian by the court and he squanders the money, or commingling of funds with Frederick,

(3) If Florence and Frederick divorce and the court rules Frederick is entitled to half of Florence’s assets (including the family property Frankie left to Florence),

(4) If Florence is sued for medical malpractice and the claimants recover some or all of Florence’s assets (including the family property Frankie left to Florence).

If, however, Frankie left his assets through a trust (to avoid probate) in a “spendthrift trust” (to protect the assets) for Florence’s benefit with Ferdinand as a remainder beneficiary (to make sure the assets stay in the bloodline), these assets would be protected. An advisor or financial trustee could make the assets grow and protect them from poor man-

agement or poor judgment. If Florence became disabled, Frederick would not be able to squander that money. If Florence and Frederick divorced, Frederick would not share in the assets Frankie left to Florence. They would be protected because they were left to Florence in a trust for her benefit with a clause that directs Florence’s creditors shall not be entitled to Florence’s trust finds. Also, if Florence were exposed for medical malpractice, the funds Frankie leaves to Florence will be protected.

Our society is litigious. Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Leaving assets “in trust” instead of outright can provide you with the peace of mind you deserve. It can protect your family and keep your family property in your bloodline.

Mark F. Winn, J.D., Master of Laws (LL.M.) in estate planning, is a local asset protection, estate and elder law planning attorney. mwinnesq.com

MARK WINN

By Collings Doughtie Contributor

Shark! Shark!

Shark! It always amazes me how that one little word freaks so many people out. So many times, when I am out fishing with folks and it’s 95º outside, I suggest a quick dip but oh no, their answer is always the same. “There is no way I am swimming in this place because there might be sharks.” Usually my answer is pretty simple, “have it your way” as I jump overboard and paddle around. It’s pure heaven on a hot day.

Sure, there are sharks, and especially during this part of the summer, lots of them. But if given the choice between a fat juicy leg and a six-inch fish, sharks will take the fish every single time.

In all my years here only once have I ever had a scary encounter with a shark and that was simply because I was young and dumb. I think I was around ten years old when it happened off the beach on Hilton Head. I didn’t have a boat, so I spent a lot of my free time fishing in lagoons and surf fishing. On that particular day it was low tide, the ocean was like a sheet of glass, and it was so hot the trees were chasing the dogs. I had used my cast net to catch some live shrimp and like an idiot, I used a piece of small rope and tied the bait bucket to one of the belt loops on my shorts so I wouldn’t have to come in to shore every time I wanted a new bait. Bad move.

Concentrating on fishing, a shark around six to eight feet long chomps down on my bait bucket and drags me through the water. At first, I didn’t know what was happening but when I saw that fin and commotion, I dropped my rod and struggled to untie the rope. Luckily, the belt loop ripped first, and the shark took off with my bucket. Needless to say, after that I never again took extra bait with me when I surf fished. Lesson learned.

Personally, I find sharks fascinating. I’ll bet that between May and October I handle hundreds of sharks and if you ever get a good look at my hands they look like they belong to a hundred-year-old man.

Usually when I am trying to take the hook out of a shark’s mouth, I grab it behind the head, lay it on the gunnel of the boat and sit on it so it isn’t squirming so

much. And because their skin is like 60 grit sand paper, the back of my upper leg looks like I sat on a belt sander. Inshore it’s mainly bonnet head sharks, black tip sharks, sand sharks and spinner sharks. Bonnet head sharks which many people mistake for a hammerhead shark because of the shape of their head, rarely gets over three feet long. But black tips and spinners reach weights

over 100 lbs. and when hooked, go absolutely nuts doing cartwheels and flips. Of all our local sharks, they are the most fun to catch.

Now for the big boys. The largest shark I have ever seen around here was a few years back in early spring. I was around 30 miles out doing some bottom fishing when this fin pops up not twenty feet from the boat. I was in a 25-foot boat and that shark was easily four feet longer than the boat. Much to the dismay of two inexperienced anglers I had onboard, I eased over next to the shark and its fin stood taller than the side of the boat! It was a basking shark and to this day it I have never encountered another one. Looking very much like a great white, basking sharks are actually plankton eaters with a massive mouth that opens like a cavern and filters out all the tiny plankton. It was awesome!

In Port Royal Sound and on our offshore artificial reefs I regularly see some true monsters. Just this year at the Tire Reef and Betsy Ross Reef there were some seriously giant hammerheads, bull sharks and tiger sharks. They come pretty much every year and one hammerhead was at least 12-14 feet long while one of four resident tiger sharks there had to be over 500 lbs. How do I know? On numerous occasions, they would come right up to the boat and devour precious live baits meant for cobia and king mackerel. Talk about up close and personal, it just doesn’t get any closer.

But even though these monsters can be a real nuisance, their size and sheer power almost makes sacrificing a bait or two worth it. One guy I was with insisted on trying to beat a big tiger we had hooked, and he fought that fish for over three hours and I chased it for over four miles before it snapped the line and was gone. Frankly, I really think it was toying with us the entire time.

So, there you go, sharks are here but then again, they were here long before we were. They deserve our respect, and they have no interest whatsoever to eat folks from Ohio or New Jersey especially since they are slathered with icky tasting suntan lotion. Maybe Michigan though.

Collins Doughtie is a 60-year resident of the Lowcountry, is a sportsman, graphic artist, and lover of nature.

By Nick Martin Contributor

The capital markets have become an increasingly complex space for investors, complexities that are heightened by the sheer number of ways one can invest.

Fortunately, necessity – often the mother of invention – can also be a conduit for simplification.

Enter direct indexing, an investment strategy that combines elements of earlier innovations – passive index tracking, active management, stock ownership, values-based investing and tax-loss harvesting – to give investors streamlined, tax-efficient and eminently personalizable access to the capital markets.

Direct indexing defined: As the name suggests, direct indexing is an opportunity to directly invest in the individual stocks that make up an index. Starting with a separately managed account, a professional money manager purchases a selection of stocks from a chosen index. Typically, the manager includes a representative number from each sector in an attempt to replicate the market exposure of the index on a smaller scale. For example, a manager will purchase and track not all 500 stocks in the S&P, but rather a subset of the benchmark.

Direct ownership is what distinguishes this approach from others like index-tracking funds, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds in which every investor owns the same thing. The hold-

Direct indexing

ings in a direct indexing strategy can be customized, allowing you to avoid stocks that don’t align with your values, goals or needs – and to increase your investment in those that do.

To accommodate this level of customization, most investment management firms require a minimum investment of $100,000 to $250,000 to create a direct indexing portfolio.

The ability to buy and sell the individual stocks using this strategy can also create the opportunity for tax-loss harvesting: selling low-performing stocks at a loss in order to help offset the capital gains on others that increase in value. Tax-loss harvesting is available under nearly all market conditions for direct indexing. That’s because even in years when your direct indexing strategy is up, some percentage of your stocks may experience losses.

“Sophisticated investors increasingly look for ways to customize their investment strategies,” said Tom Thornton, a senior vice president, whose Manager Research & Due Diligence team at Raymond James has analyzed and evaluated direct indexing managers for more than

15 years. “Direct indexing provides an opportunity for clients to tailor their portfolios to specific financial goals and personal needs.”

Financial scenarios: The high tax efficiency and customization offered by direct indexing make it useful for managing a variety of common financial scenarios, including:

Liquidity events: Proactive tax-loss harvesting can be useful ahead of substantial liquidity events, such as selling a home or business. Capital losses can be carried forward and used to offset gains from a sale, potentially reducing overall tax liability.

Assets in transition: Relocating a portfolio or transitioning assets typically carries a tax burden that tax-loss harvesting can address. An investor can sell certain positions all at once or slowly over time, and losses from sales in the original portfolio and the directly indexed account can reduce taxes on the gains from selling positions from the original portfolio.

Concentrated positions: Just as direct indexing can help an investor transition from one portfolio to another, it can also help an investor reduce a concentrated stock or sector position. If an investor

holds a significant number of shares in one company or stocks in one sector with a low cost basis, any losses in a direct indexing strategy can help offset some of the gains from selling the concentrated position.

Portfolio construction: A direct-indexing strategy can be used as a core allocation within a larger portfolio – US large-caps, for example – and any losses help to offset the gains of active managers focused on other areas of the market.

Gifting assets: Another advantage of owning individual stocks through direct indexing is the ability to gift highly appreciated stock shares to a charity or heir. This allows investors to avoid the tax burden that would result from a sale while gaining a significant tax deduction. At the same time, a charity or heir receives an asset that is greater in value than the cash that would have resulted from the investor selling the asset, saving some of the proceeds to pay capital gains taxes and donating the balance.

Given that direct indexing can serve a variety of purposes and involves precisely tailored tax management, a financial advisor may know whether you need to pull this arrow from your wealth management quiver – and where to aim.

Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax or legal advice. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.

Nick Martin is a financial planner and the founder of Bluffton Financial Planning. Bluffton Financial Planning is not a registered broker/dealer, and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.

NICK MARTIN

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