April 11 edition

BCounty’s been getting some pretty good media attention this month, and not just the usual appearance on Southern Living or USA TODAY’S “top 10” lists, which always mean more folks will be coming to visit.

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expenditure

Beaufort’s Debbie Barrett captured this gorgeous sunset Saturday evening from Whitehall Park. To submit a Lowcountry Life photo, you must be the photographer or have permission to submit the photo to be published in The Island News. Please submit high-resolution photos and include a description and/or names of the people in the picture and the name of the photographer. Email your photos to theislandnews@gmail.com.

VETERAN OF THE WEEK KEN TUCKER

Ken Tucker

From staff reports

A new South Carolina state law took effect August 18, 2023 requiring teens to take a boating course if they wish to go out on a boat on their own anywhere on state waterways.

The new requirement covers individuals currently 16 years old and younger. The new law states any type of watercraft, including personal watercraft, with a 10 horsepower engine or greater.

Beaufort’s Ken Tucker, 81, joined the United States Marine Corps in Tampa in 1962. After Boot Camp at Parris Island, he trained as an Aviation Electrician and then was assigned to MCAS Beaufort. He made deployments to Yuma, Ariz., and Guantanamo

The Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club and Beaufort Sail & Power Squadron, now known as America’s Boating Club of Beaufort, in conjunction with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), will host a free four-hour Safety Boating Class on Saturday, April 20. This course will be held at the Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club, 30 Yacht Club Drive, off Meridian Road on Lady’s Island. Those interested may select one of the two sessions being offered on this day. One will be from 8:30

ON THIS DATE

Cpl. Tyler P. Wallingford, an Aircraft Ordinance Technician with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) is shot and killed aboard MCAS Beaufort.

April 15

2019: More than 450 people pack Whale Branch Middle School to hear U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) speak as part of her 2020 campaign for president.

– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207 For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.

Bay, Cuba, servicing Marine Corps aircraft. After a Vietnam-era extension, he separated in 1966 and went to work at the Post Office in Tampa, Fla., for nearly 10 years and joined the Tampa Police Department for an additional 10 years. He moved to Beaufort in 2012. He is a member of the Masons and the Marine Corps League.

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April 16

2019: Frank Rodriguez, a 26-year veteran school administrator is selected by the Beaufort County Board of Education to be the district’s next superintendent, pending the negotiation of a contract.

April 17

2008: The first edition of the Lady’s Island News – now called The Island News – is published.

– Compiled by Mike McCombs

3-year-old boy struck by pickup truck, dies

Lavar Singleton Jr. was struck by a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck that was traveling east on Bay Pines Road near Laurel Bay Road. Singleton was heading north when he was hit by the moving vehicle, according to S.C. Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Lena Butler. He was taken to Beaufort Memorial Hospital and was then airlifted to the Medical University of South

and was not injured.

Trooper Nicholas Pye with the S.C. Highway Patrol said that the accident is under investigation and often it can take several weeks for charges, if any, to be made due to the extensive nature of investigating a fatal collision.

Delayna Earley formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She joined The Island News in 2022. She can be reached at delayna. theislandnews@gmail.com.

STOP THE VIOLENCE 5K

There were more than 90 runners registered for the inaugural Stop the Violence 5k hosted at Battery Creek High School by the Dolphins Marching Band Boosters on Saturday, April 6. The top finishers, from left, were Kristian Sanchez (first place), Raimund Roell (second place) and Austin Major Jr. (third place). Amber Hewitt/The Island News

During the opening ceremony before the start of the Stop Gun Violence 5k at Battery Creek High School, Captain Massey from the Port Royal Police Department talks about the need for firearm safety and education, especially with South Carolina passing the “Constitutional Carry” law. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

THE MOST ADVANCED CARE OPTIONS

We Keep You

Afor a disturbance call where shots were fired. As officers arrived on scene, another dispatch call was received for a theft in the Azalea Square subdivision that was determined to be related. Officers conducted their investigation and identified 34-year-old Lashara Green of Port Royal as the suspect in both incidents. Green was subsequently arrested and charged with Attempted Murder, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Violent Crime, Aggravated Breach of Peace, Petit Larceny, and Malicious Injury to Property. As of press time, she remains incarcerated in the Beaufort County Detention Center. If anyone has any information related to either case, they are asked to call the Port Royal Police Department at 843-986-2220 or file an anonymous online tip at https://www.portroyal.org/ 285 /Submit-a-Po

t Beaufort Memorial, our advanced orthopedics and spine care team is committed to helping you be your best and enjoy life without pain.

Whether neck or back pain is slowing you down or your activities are limited due to hip or knee pain, our board-certified specialists will personalize your care using sophisticated diagnostic and treatment options. Our advanced techniques and technologies, including Mako SmartRoboticsTM and VELYSTM robotic-assisted joint replacement, will improve function and relieve pain quickly. Many surgical patients even go home the same day.

Visit BeaufortMemorial.org/Ortho for help addressing your pain.

At Beaufort Memorial you’ll also find:

• Joint preservation therapies

• Numerous non-surgical treatment options

• A personalized approach to restoring mobility and joint function

• Pre-operative education classes that engage patients and caregivers in the healing process

• An Optimization Program that follows you through the process to ensure the best outcomes

• Outpatient and in-home rehab services to get you back to doing what you love faster .......................................... From

From staff reports

A reminder that the Beaufort County Library is continuing the long-standing tradition of hosting free tax-preparation assistance to Beaufort County citizens provided by Lowcountry Area VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

In collaboration with the Beaufort County Human Services Alliance, United Way of the Lowcountry, Inc., the Lowcountry Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to persons generally earning $63,398 annually or less, differently-abled persons, persons 60 and older, and limited English-speaking persons.

Volunteers with the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation program are providing tax preparation and e-filing service to local Beaufort County residents at the Bluffton and Hilton Head branch libraries.

For further details about scheduling appointments or for walk-in dates/times, please visit https://bit.ly/ 3J9xOa3

• Hilton Head Branch Library: For questions, contact 843-410-9516 or email 27059261@ aarpfoundation.org

• Bluffton Branch Library: For questions, contact 843-580-6321

To volunteer or obtain more information, contact Volunteer Program Coordinator at lowcountryvitacoalition@gmail.com or call 843837-2000

For details regarding tax help at the library, please visit the Library’s Tax Help page at https://bit.ly/3PW7vaX.

For more information regarding BCL programs and events, please contact Theresa Furbish, Programs and Events Librarian, at 843-2556442 or theresa.furbish@bcgov.net.

Republican women, Riverview students kick off Smalls’ birthday celebration

By Martha Thwaite Weeks

For The Island News

The 185th birthday of Robert Smalls Birthday was well celebrated April 5 2024, in Beaufort, as the event sponsored by Reverend Ken Hodges and the Beaufort Republican Women’s Club was a success.

presentation about the life and accomplishments of Smalls. Following the video, Reverend Hodges spoke about Harriet Tubman and the Combahee River Raid in which hundreds of enslaved people in South Carolina were freed.

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Beaufort, S.C.,

The party began at 11 a.m. in the lecture room of the Tabernacle Baptist Church at 901 Craven Street. Author Rebecca Dwight Bruff, the guest speaker, told guests that when she learned that no book had ever been written about Beaufort’s famous son, she researched the former slave Smalls and wrote her award-winning tribute, “Trouble The Water.” Under the direction of media instructor Lisa Clancy, students from the Riverview Charter School delighted attendees with their video

Donations were accepted for the Harriet Tubman Memorial Fund, proceeds of which will go to the statue of Tubman that will be placed the Robert Smalls bust in the garden of the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church. Riverview student Emma Mistic won the drawing for a flight with Beaufort Flight Training.

Beaufort Republican Women’s Club member Jean Sulc accompanied the singing of happy birthday on her cello, while cake and punch were served as the Riverview students mingled with other guests.

Rebecca Dwight Bruff, left, author of the book, “Troubled Water,” a biography of the life and times of Beaufort’s Robert Smalls, speaks during the celebration of Smalls’ 185th Birthday on Friday, April 5, at Tabernacle Baptist Church. The event was hosted by the Beaufort Republican Women’s Club. Also present was a group of students from Riverview Charter School, seated at right, who put together

video of Smalls’ experiences growing up an enslaved person in

becoming a Civil War hero and serving five terms in the U.S. Congress. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

Ten-year-old Jacory Jenkins has an in-depth conversation with Aunt Pearlie Sue (Anita Singleton Prather) about how famous she is at his school, Lady’s Island Elementary, during the Robert Smalls 185th Birthday Celebration held Friday, April 5, at the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

John Kamara, Michael B. Moore, and former Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen are unified in their belief that "Teamwork is Key to Success" at the Robert Smalls 185th Birthday Celebration on Friday, April 5, at the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Aunt Pearlie Sue (Anita Singleton Prather) and The Gullah Kinfolk entertain the crowd during the Robert Smalls 185th Birthday Celebration on Friday, April 5, at the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Chelsea South development hits speed bump

Town of Ridgeland council postpones annexation vote

By Scott Graber

The Island News

In the last days of March 2024, the Town of Ridgeland quietly dropped an item from its April 4 Town Council agenda. It would not be voting in the annexation of 3 000 acres of woodlands, wetlands and pine forests that had once been part of Chelsea Plantation.

Two-hundred ninety-one acres acres of this vast, maybe-to-be-annexed acreage is called “Chelsea South” and is scheduled tor 438 single-family dwellings along with 269 multi-family units and 384,000 square feet of mixed use commercial and warehousing.

Until its decision to cancel the annexation vote, there appeared to be almost unanimous agreement on Town Council on bringing the 3,000 acres into the Town. In previous votes, only Council Member Libby Malphrus was reluctant to approve the petition.

But public opinion, led by the grass roots organization “Keep Chelsea Rural” and the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, was largely opposed to this effort to extend Ridgeland’s town limits northward toward Bluffton.

“There was nobody in the Town who wanted this annexation to happen,” said Thayer Rivers, formerly a House Member who represented Jasper County in the General Assembly. Rivers, grandson of Captain Mike Rivers who was Mayor of Ridgeland when Jasper County was founded in 1912, spokeup against the annexation saying, “Vox Populi Vox Dei — the voice of the people is the voice of the Gods”

It appears the primary reason the Town shelved its vote on the annexation petition was Section 4-1-170 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. That text gives S.C. counties the authority to create multi-county business parks. And, in 2020

Jasper County did put two tracts into this new classification, one of which included a part of the 291 acres of Chelsea South. Once Jasper County put a part of this tract into the Multi-County Business Park classification, any tax revenue generated by the “park” is transmuted into “fee revenue” giving Jasper County control over the allocation of these revenues.

The fact that Town of Ridgeland will lose control over these tax revenues seems to be the reason that changed the minds of Town Council, at least in the short run. In this connection, The Island News reached out to the Town of Ridgeland for comment. Town Administrator Dennis Averkin responded by saying, in part, “As pertains to the Jasper County MultiCounty Industrial Park, there are many questions that remain unanswered with respect to ad valorem tax revenues in Chelsea South. You are certainly correct that Jasper County has addition-

al discretion. Given the uncertainty that surrounds this issue and the uncertainty as to what the County’s ultimate intentions may be, it is certainly my impression that the town council prefers to gather more information before additional steps are taken.”

The Island News also reached out to the developer, Michael Quinley, who said that the Chelsea Development Team had asked the Town of Ridgeland for more time “so we can consider all options. As we do so we will also be working to understand why Jasper County put some of the Chelsea Property into a multi- county development park and what the designation means for the property in the future. We have reached out to Jasper County officials to request a meeting and we are waiting to hear back.”

While Chelsea South’s development future may depend on the annexation tug of war between Jasper County and the Town of Ridge-

land, another entity may hold even more sway between what happens to the land. Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) was formed in the 1950s when it was discovered that many of the freshwater wells in the County were too salty to drink. Beaufort’s officials — believing the loss of fresh water could jeopardize the continued operation of Parris Island and the Marine Corps Air Station — went to the United States Navy for financial help.

In 1962, work was completed on an 18-mile canal which now brings water from the Savannah River to the Chelsea Treatment Plant that is just across Snake Road from the Chelsea South tract.

Several weeks ago The Island News learned (at a BJWSA presentation) that The Chelsea Treatment Plant has a 24-million-gallons-a-day capacity; and a second freshwater treatment facility near Purrysburg, S.C., has a 15-million-gallons-aday capacity — soon to be increased by another 30 million gallons a day.

It seems there is plenty of drinking water to slake the thirst of the exploding pop-

ulation of newly arrived, well-pensioned retirees in Beaufort and Jasper Counties.

But taking care of the sewage generated south of the Broad River is another matter.

Dean Moss, former General Manager at the Authority gave The Island News a tutorial that started off with the Cherry Point (sewage) treatment facility that is located about 5 miles from the Chelsea South project. Hooking up to that plant will eventually involve larger pipes and enhanced infrastructure.

At the moment, the “capacity” at Cherry Point, and the expanded capacity that is now in the works, is spoken-for by agreements with existing developers. This means that BJWSA will need to expand Cherry Point’s capacity beyond what it is now and what it has plans to build, all of which will cost the Authority many millions of dollars. There is another constraint.

In the past, BJWSA piped much of its treated wastewater effluent back to the various golf courses in the Bluffton/Okatie area where

it was sprayed on the long, well-barbered fairways. This still happens.

However, the bulk the Authority’s wastewater effluent is piped from Cherry Point to a place in Jasper County called “Great Swamp” where as much as 7 million gallons a day are sprayed. Recently, BJWSA realized that it would need more than this 7 million gallons of wastewater discharge and it applied to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for a permit allowing additional discharge into this wetland. This request was not granted – it is still pending – and Moss believes discussions are on-going about how much treated wastewater BJWSA will be allowed to off-load into “Great Swamp.” As a result, here is uncertainty on this issue, how it effects the Chlesea South development, and consequently, uncertainty about other yet-to-beplanned developments in Beaufort and Jasper County.

Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. He can be reached at cscottgraber@gmail.com.

The Town of Ridgeland hopes to annex the Chelsea South property in Jasper County, marked by the shaded yellow on this map. Submitted

The Town of Ridgeland hopes to annex the Chelsea South property in Jasper County, outlined in green on this map. Submitted

Enjoying the GOP Porch Party

Republican Bill Young of James Island, a candidate for U.S.

Smoothie Bowl shop opens up

Boujee Bowls on Harbor Island will host a grand opening on April 26

By Delayna Earley The Island News

Visitors to the Sea Islands are in for a new frozen treat. Boujee Bowls, owned by longtime visitor to the Lowcountry Sissy Fricks, is now open on Harbor Island.

The restaurant joints Barefoot Bubbas and Johnson Creek Tavern at 2137 Sea Island Parkway.

Boujee Bowls serves luxury smoothie bowls and smoothies.

All of the signature bowls are named aver very “boujee” luxury names in the fashion world, such as Cocoa Chanel, Blouis Vuitton and Versacahee.

They also serve “Boujee on the Go” which are smoothies that are more easily consumed on the go than a smoothie bowl.

Fricks, who also has restaurants in Powdersville, S.C., Anderson, S.C. and a food truck in Cibolo, Texas, decided she wanted to open the restaurant on Harbor Island because she has always

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loved the Lowcountry. She and her family lived in the Upstate where she drove a school bus until her

youngest child graduated from high school. At that point, she put all her focus into building Bou-

jee Bowls. She opened her first store on April 26, 2023, and has not looked back since.

“I’ve been vacationing at Harbor Island since I was 6-years-old and the Lowcountry is so special to me,” Fricks said. “This has always felt like home to me and from a very early age, living here has been my dream. When this location opened up, there was no way I was

letting it get away.”

While Boujee Bowls is currently in their soft open phase, they will be having a grand opening on April 26 and at that time their full menu will be available.

There will be live music and giveaways at the grand opening.

“I am so thankful to have the opportunity to serve the best islands in the southeast,” Fricks said.

Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna. theislandnews@gmail.com.

boat landings to be fixed or roads to be resurfaced or more deputies to deal with all these shootings we seem to hear a lot about?”

No, the good news of this expenditure is that the County Council WAS wise enough to listen to partners like the Open Land Trust, the Nature Conservancy, the S.C. Conservation Bank, and the Department of Defense and agree to chip in on the $35 million purchase of Gregorie Neck in northern Jasper County to protect it from development.

The Council is actually following the wishes of the voters who agreed to support the Green Space program in November 2022, becoming the first county in South Carolina to take advantage of this sales tax plan approved by the General Assembly two years ago.

When state Sen. Tom Davis approached the County Council and recommended the program, there was some speculation about how it all would work, imposing a new penny sales tax to buy land to keep it from being developed. Especially the provision that allowed the expenditure of taxes in another county.

To sweeten this first purchase, the Nature Conservancy, the Conservation Bank and Department of Defense agreed to throw in part of the money. The DoD saw the value in the acquisition because of its proximity, and need to protect from development encroachment, to the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort flight patterns.

The environmental groups saw the value in protecting the wetlands and the 13 miles of river front property within the Port Royal Sound watershed.

So the various players followed the procedures for using Green Space dollars. The six-member committee appointed by the County Council vetted the proposed purchase, found it worthy of meeting the program’s mission of preventing development and recommended the Council allocate $1 million of the Green Space revenues for the purchase of a perpetual conservation easement. The rest is history. The easement agreement calls for subdivision for no more than six homes and our Open Land Trust, itself the living example of successful land preservation, will manage that easement.

At last week’s celebration of the purchase out at the wooded site, Col. Mark Bortnem, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air

In other words, Davis and his legislative colleagues were ready to endorse the Green Space program because they realize the rapid development and growth taking place in South Carolina, particularly along the coast, was outpacing the governments’ abilities to provide services.

But there’s a nice mixture of projects thrown in for all of us, including $85 million for a ‘green belt’ program designed to buy more property to keep it from being developed... In other words, there’s probably something in there for everyone that lives here.”

Station Beaufort, had this to say:

"That noise you hear is the sound of freedom, and the silence you hear is the sound of conservation.” Wow.

Frustrated about traffic?

County, municipalities have plan to tackle it

BEAUFORT – Speaking of sales taxes, the County Council is trying to drum up public support for the upcoming 1 percent transportation sales tax to be on our ballot in November.

A series of four public hearings has been scheduled throughout the county in the next month to give citizens an opportunity to consider the projects and voice their opinions.

If last week’s first session, in Beaufort, was an indication, there’s interest but not “overwhelming” interest.

Designed to raise up to $1 625 billion (yes, BILLION) during a 15-year period (that’s 15 years, not

two, four, even 10 … but 15), the sales tax language was drafted by a citizens group, lead by Spanish Moss Trail guru and former Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) mastermind

Dean Moss of Port Royal (who, on vacation when the committee first met, was drafted as chairman of the committee.)

The ordinance outlining how the money will be spent is somewhat vague, giving the local municipal councils the option of fine-tuning the expenditure plans.

For example, the $75 million designated for Ribaut Road “improvements” no longer talks about “Reimagining” Ribaut Road, since a number of residents didn’t even want to consider that option.

(The plan for narrowing a portion of the road through the city’s residential neighborhood, plus three traffic circles, could pop back up if the City Council wants to pursue it. But that’s not likely.) Then there’s the “Lady’s Island Corridor Traffic Improvements,” which, equally vague, include another traffic study on how to fix the problems of too many vehicles.

Most sales dollars would go to fix south-of-the-Broad River problems, which is where the majority of rapid development is happening and where the majority of the county’s residents live.

But there’s a nice mixture of projects thrown in for all of us, including $85 million for a “green belt” program designed to buy more property to keep it from being developed. There’s money for infrastructure changes to deal with flooding caused by rising sea level and for a mass transportation system.

In other words, there’s probably something in there for everyone that lives here. A lot of folks don’t even want to think about the November election but it’s coming faster than we may like. There will be plenty of opportunity to learn about this sales tax proposal, stay tuned. Because you will get a chance to vote on it in November.

Beaufort Mayor Phil Cromer, left, and S.C. State Rep. Shannon Erickson (R-Dist. 124) share views on certain public issues facing residents of Beaufort during the “Porch Party” for GOP candidates running for office Friday, April 5, at 607 Bay Street. Erickson is running for reelection for the seat in the S.C. legislature she has held since 2007. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

1st Congressional District seat held by fellow Republican Nancy Macy, talks politics with some of the people attending the “Porch Party” for Republican candidates running for state, local and federal offices. Young, a former Marine, said he supports closing the Southern border with Mexico, stopping the “catch and release” of illegal immigrants and increasing transparency of governmental meetings. Bob Sofaly/ The Island News

Boujee Bowls can be found online at www.boujeebowls.com, on Instagram at @boujeebowlsofficial and on Facebook under Boujee Bowls.

Sissy Frisks poses for a picture in front of her new smoothie store, Boujee Bowls, on Harbor Island. Submitted by Sissy Frisks

Boujee Bowls are luxury smoothie bowls that are named after high-end fashion labels. Submitted by Sissy Frisks

From staff reports

After a long hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, Penn Center will once again be showcasing its 1862 Circle Gala Event on Friday April 26 and Saturday, April 27

The event, first established in 2003, recognizes leaders who embody the spirit of Penn Center and who serve as national advocates for the enduring history and culture of the Sea Islands. The inclusion of the year 1862 in the naming of the event celebrates the founding of Penn School, now Penn Center, Inc., in 1862

The Gala is the nonprofit’s major fundraiser spearheaded by the Board of Trustees of Penn Center. The black-tie affair welcomes more than 500 guests to witness the

induction of individuals and organizations into the prestigious 1862 Circle. The Board of Trustees of Penn Center and Executive Director, Robert L. Adams, Ph.D., has announced the following inductees: Famed Reconstruction historian and scholar, Eric Foner, Ph.D.; Social activist, renowned politician and minister, the late Jesse Louis Jackson; the late Freida Mitchell, Childcare Reform and social activist;

and the late Septima Clark, Mother of Civil Rights and Citizenship Schools. Each of these individuals were named as inductees for the 2020 1862 Circle, but the event was canceled due to COVID 19 Pandemic.

The 2024 recipients include: Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), politician and civil rights activist Jim Felder, former interim Penn Center Executive Director Bernie L. Wright, Civil Rights Movement photographer Cecil Williams, Mildred Jeanette, and in-memoriam early Penn School benefactor Hastings Gantt.

The thread that sews together this year’s pre-event and the Gala itself is the theme “Trumpeting Sea Island Sounds.” The pres-

tigious tow-evening event will feature music, fine dining, a silent auction, and inspiring honorees.

Pre-Gala Event

Gullah Meditations: Reimagined Gullah Spirituals for Voice and Piano

6 p.m., Friday, April 26

Penn Center, Frissell Community House/ 16 Penn Center Circle-West, St. Helena Island. No reserved seating – first come-first served. An evening of traditional spirituals re-imagined from Gullah Geechee culture. Born from the mixture of West African people enslaved on the coastal islands of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, centuries of isolation nurtured

and preserved the unique culture the developed there. While much is known of the Gullah Geechee language and traditions, including documented spirituals, only a few glimpses exist of how they were performed. With performances by musician and composer Adrianne Duncan and Grammy nominated opera singer Victor Ryan Robertson. This event, a Community Conversation and performance is free and open to the public. Presented by Culture & Community at the Penn Center National Historic Landmark District, a partnership between Penn Center and the University of Georgia supported by the Mellon Foundation. For more, visit penncenter.uga.edu.

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will be back open for use in a few months, said Queen, but a lot of that is dependent on the schedule of the contractor that they hire.

Beaufort County Council Member York Glover held a community meeting on Thursday, April 4, to discuss updates regarding the landing’s closure.

He read a letter from S.C. Sen. Chip Campsen, whose district includes Hunting Island and Fripp Island, about the closure issue. S.C. Representative Shannon Erickson spoke to the gathered crowd of concerned citizens, as well.

1862 Gala Event Historic Penn Center’s Annual 1862 Gala Trumpeting Sea Island Sounds 6 p.m. reception/7 p.m. dinner, Saturday, April 27 Hilton Beachfront Resort and Spa, 1

an award

recent

She also said that having all the agencies working with one another is the key piece that has fallen into place.

Roughly 120 members of the public attended the meeting at the St. Helena Branch of the Beaufort County Library. Campsen said that he had conversations with SCPRT Director Duane Parrish about the importance of the landing, as it is vital to many who live and work in the Lowcountry. Erickson said that what the temporary fix does is buys time to try and find a more permanent fix to the problem. “We’ve got engineers working to try and give us different scenarios to try and keep this from reoccurring,” Erickson said. Options that are being considered are moving the boat ramp to a different area of the landing to shorten the road, or adding a full seawall down the access road that would take the brunt of some of those waves, among other options. “Now that DHEC is on board and they see what is going on, I think we can take the permit that we have and amend it,” Erickson said. “So that way we don’t have to start from scratch.”

April 6, in Port Royal, a staff member assists a patron in placing her order at a food truck. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

The Jaycees Food Truck Festival held Saturday, April 6, in Port Royal, was a success, with many attendees enjoying a diverse selection of food provided by multiple food trucks. Amber Hewitt/The Island News The Rotary Club of the Lowcountry (RCL) was presented with

at the

District Conference held in Charleston. RCLwon 2023-24 Club of the Year for Largest Per Capita Giving for District 7770 for the CART Fund – the Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust is monies raised and donated to support Alzheimer’s research grants. This is the second win in a row for the Rotary Club of the Lowcountry. Pictured, from left, are CART Fund Executive Director Tiffany Ervin; Lowcountry Rotary Members Paula Bunton, Kerry Bunton, and Peggy Bartz; and CART Fund President Rod Funderburk. Submitted photo.

3 Beaufort County EMS personnel win awards

From staff reports

In March, the South Carolina Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Association held its annual South Carolina EMS Symposium at Kingston Plantation in Myrtle Beach, and three Beaufort County EMS personnel were honored with awards for Paramedic of the Year, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician of the Year, and Emergency Medical Technician of the Year – a feat rarely if ever accomplished by one South Carolina Emergency Medical Services agency. Heather “Nickie” Jarrell took home the award for 2023 South Carolina Paramedic of the Year; Jason Schroyer was named 2023 South Carolina Advanced Emergency Medical Technician of the Year; and Eddie “Catlin” Schroyer was named 2023 South Carolina Emergency Medical Technician of the Year. South Carolina EMS agencies and professionals are eligible to receive awards recognizing their professionalism, along with their efforts to go above and beyond to serve their community. All nominations are reviewed and vetted by a panel of professionals from outside the South Carolina area.

Beaufort Academy’s 2024 Pig Out

Eleanor Hurley and Steven Cox, both from Beaufort, enjoy a moment of singing, dancing, and fun with the band Fantasy, on Saturday, April 6, at Beaufort Academy’s 2024 Pig Out. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

NEWS BRIEFS

County Council to host forums on transportation tax referendum

Beaufort County Council will host several informational forums in April to answer questions regarding November's 2024 Transportation and Sales Use Tax referendum.

The remainder of the schedule is as follows:

Thursday, April 11 6 p.m.: Hilton Head Island Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road.

Thursday, April 18, 6 p.m.: Buckwalter Recreation Center, 905 Buckwalter Parkway.

Monday, April 29, 6 p.m.: St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road.

These informational meetings are intended to help the public understand what projects the sales and use tax money will fund if voters pass the referendum in November. Materials will be available for citizens to gain a greater understanding of sales tax in general as well a recap of past and current projects funded through transportation sales tax in Beaufort County. County Council members will be in attendance and guest speaker will be Jared Fralix, Assistant County Administrator for Infrastructure. The meetings are open to the public and no RSVP is required. For more information, please contact the Clerk to Council's Office at 843-255-2180

Auditor’s office to close Thursday

The Beaufort location of the County Auditor's Office will close at 3 p.m., Thursday, April 11, for staff training. The Bluffton office will remain open. The Beaufort office will resume regular hours Friday, April 12

A new communication system is being installed that will allow employees to assist the public more efficiently and effectively. For questions or more information, please contact the Beaufort County Auditor's Office at 843-255-2500

Sportfishing and Diving Club meeting

April 11

The Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club’s April meeting will be held Thursday, April 11 2024 at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing

located on Lady’s Island

of

The social begins at

and the meeting will start at 7 p.m. The topic will be Cobia. Local Captain Tommy Buskirk and Captain Scott Willard of Sea Island Adventures Fishing Charters (@ Seaislandadventures, www.seaislandadventure.com) will discuss inshore and offshore Cobia fishing. This will include baits of choice, techniques, anchoring, rods-reelslines – bottom and top rigs. Guests are welcome. Reservations are not needed. For additional information, contact Captain Frank Gibson at 843-522-2122 or email fgibson@islc.net.

County hosting shredding event

Saturday

The Beaufort County Public Works Department of Solid Waste and Recycling is holding a secure document shredding event for County residents Saturday, April 13. The event will be held from 9 a.m. until noon (or until truck containers are full) at 140 Shanklin Road, Beaufort. Individuals will be limited to disposing of no more than two boxes, containers or bags. Bank statements, tax documents, medical records, credit card receipts, and any other documents that contain personal information will be accepted. Any types or colors of paper, file folders or envelopes are acceptable. Staples or paper clips do not need to be removed. Binders, hard devices, folders, and non-paper items will not be accepted. Materials can be brought in two small boxes, containers or bags and will be emptied into roll carts for immediate shredding.

Residents will be limited to

two small boxes, containers or bags approximately 10 inches x 12 inches x 15 inches.

Only residential quantities will be accepted. No materials from commercial businesses will be accepted. No electronics will be collected at this event.

For more information, visit www. beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle or contact Solid Waste and Recycling at 843-255-2736

Beaufort TEA Party meeting April 15

Two Lowcountry candidates for office will be the guests at the next meeting of the Beaufort TEA Party set for Monday, April 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at AMVETS Post 70 at 1831 Ribaut Road in Port Royal. The guests are Republican Shelley Gay Yuhas (https://www. voteshelley.org/), a candidate for S.C. House District 121, a seat currently held by Democrat Michael Rivers; and Republican Catherine Templeton (https://templetonforcongress.com/), a candidate for the 1st Congressional District seat currently held by Republican Nancy Mace.

Candidates will have a brief introduction, with a question and answer session to follow. Visit the meeting’s Facebook event page at https://bit.ly/4agiYKx for more information.

Beaufort County holding election education forums

The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections is hosting five community forums to educate and inform the public on the upcoming election season.

Topics will include what's on the ballot, voter registration – how to register, confirming voting status, deadlines to register, polling locations including new voting sites, and how to become a poll worker.

The remaining forum schedule is as follows: Wednesday, April 17 6 to 8 p.m., Port Royal Town Hall, 700 Paris Avenue, Port Royal Thursday, April 25 6 to 8 p.m., Hilton Head Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island Tuesday, May 7 6 to 8 p.m., Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 367 Keans Neck Road, Seabrook

The forums are free and open to the public. No rsvp is required.

For more information visit Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration or call Jean Felix, Training and Outreach Coordinator at 843-255-6900

Indivisible Beaufort meeting April 27

Patrick Perryman, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort, will be the guest speaker when Indivisible Beaufort meets next at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 27 at the Beaufort Library Downtown at 311 Scott Street.

The topic of the meeting is Israel and Palestine. The group will explore the Biblical and historical contexts to better understand the complicated conflict between Israel and Palestine today.

Perryman has been in the ordained ministry since 1998, with a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is an accomplished theologian and teacher.

The event is free and open to the public.

City of Beaufort taking a survey

Take a quick survey to share your insights about downtown Beaufort Beaufort is looking for ideas on how to make the city better. The City of Beaufort’s Downtown Operations Department has been working with a committee to explore ways to increase the vitality of downtown.

The team has created a survey asking residents and visitors a number of questions to get a better sense of how often they visit downtown, what activities they engage in when you are downtown, how convenient are shopping hours, and more.

Those who visit https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/J7R8NB5 to fill out the survey will be automatically entered to win a prize.

Committee seeks feedback on stormwater manuals

The Southern Lowcountry Technical Sub Committee is seeking feedback on the jurisdictional Southern Lowcountry Stormwater Manuals. All stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments, suggestions and improvements.

Implementing jurisdictions are working on draft changes, and would like input on any additional proposed edits from residents, developers, engineers and other individuals with technical expertise. Comments on all manuals will be received beginning Monday, April 1 through Friday, May 31 Comments may be submitted to wstormwater@bcgov.net.

For more information on current manuals, plans and studies, go to https://bit.ly/3PNgb3r.

For questions and more information, contact Beaufort County Stormwater Department at 843-255-2813

PSC to hold hearings abour Dominion’s rate hike request

The Public Service Commission has scheduled customer public hearings in Docket No. 2024-34E, involving Dominion Energy’s application for authority to adjust and increase its retail electric rate schedules, tariffs, and terms and conditions.

This filing includes a request for an increase to retail electric rates, and the Company’s application can

From

HBF’s

staff reports Historic Beaufort Foundation’s (HBF) annual Lafayette Soiree is set for Saturday, May 11. This much-anticipated event brings together HBF members, partners, friends and sponsors to celebrate and support the preservation and protection of Beaufort’s historic and architectural legacy.

The event will feature a sampling of Lowcountry cuisine, perfectly curated libations, a silent auction, and live music with Loose Chain Band. This year’s Soiree will be held on the lawn of Mr. and Mrs. Drew Scallan on Bay Street overlooking the Beaufort River.

“Pam and I are delighted for the opportunity to host this year's Lafayette Soiree on Bay Street and under the oaks. The work that Historic Beaufort Foundation does to support and nurture our historic neighborhood and homes is very important to our wonderful historic town,” said Drew Scallan.

“We would like to thank this year's co-hosts, Matt and Katie Phifer and Scott and Katie Huebel, plus HBF, its dedicated staff, sponsors and volunteers for putting together this much anticipated annual event,” Scallan said.

This year kicks off the 200th anniversary of General Lafayette’s “Tour of the Nation” that spanned sites across the country between 1824 and 1825, including a stop in Beaufort in 1825. For more than 100 years, the John Mark Verdier House, ca. 1804, has been known as the Lafayette House and is an important part of downtown Beaufort’s historic and architectural charm.

In 2021, HBF completed the exterior renovation of the house. Proceeds from this year’s Lafayette Soiree will continue these important improvement efforts on the interior of the John Mark Verdier House.

“We are honored to be co-chairing this year’s Soirée along with Scott and Katie Huebel to raise funds to continue the restoration of the John Mark Verdier House. As lifelong Beaufortonians, we appreciate the rich history and historical value the Verdier House brings to downtown Beaufort,” Matt and Katie Phifer said.

The Lafayette Soirée is one of Beaufort’s most anticipated events. Tickets are available now (members, $150, non-members $175) and can be purchased online at HistoricBeaufort.org or by calling the HBF Office at 843-3793331. Tickets are non-refundable and the event is held rain or shine.

“The Lafayette Soiree is much more than a fundraiser, it’s truly a Lowcountry community gathering and a signature event for Historic Beaufort Foundation,” said Cynthia Jenkins, executive director of HBF. “Tickets typically sell out so we are hoping that anyone interested in joining us will sign up now. Our volunteers and hosts put so much into this event, it’s a wonderful work of art each year.”

Historic Beaufort Foundation (HBF) has played a significant role in the preservation and conservation of Beaufort County's historic resources for more than six decades. Proceeds from the Lafayette Soirée support the ongo-

ing preservation of Beaufort’s historic and architectural heritage. This year, proceeds are dedicated to the continued renovation and improvement of HBF’s flagship property – the John Mark Verdier House. Historic Beaufort Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit education foundation created to preserve, protect, and present sites and artifacts of historic, architectural, and cultural interest throughout Beaufort County, South Carolina. For more information on the entity's mission and history, please visit historicbeaufort.org and follow them on social media, including Facebook and Instagram.

Tech neck is a pain in more than just the neck

The typical average adult head weighs approximately 10-12 pounds. But did you know that bending it forward at a 45-degree angle to look at a cellphone or tablet can dramatically increase your chances to have "tech neck?"

"That's like having an 8-pound bowling ball as your head. Then you have 72 pounds at your elbow and 96 pounds on your shoulder," says Brian Langenhorst, industrial and ergonomics specialist at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse.

Tech neck is any form of chronic neck or shoulder pain, soreness, or stiffness caused by poor posture while using technology such as phones or computers. Looking down at electronic devices causes the neck muscles to strain and the shoulders to slump forward.

You might notice some musculoskeletal fatigue, or you may notice pressure on nerve supply, which then can have some referred pain, in your arms and hands. Over time, this position can deform your shoulder, chest and neck muscles and put pressure on your spine.

At work you may spend eight to 10 hours on a computer, staying in a static position for extremely long periods of time. Then you come home and spend a couple of more hours on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. That's extreme-

ly fatiguing to your neck and body. Tech neck also can cause issues beyond your neck and shoulders. Extra spinal pressure in your neck can lead to lower back pain, headaches and herniated disks (slipped or bulging disks). Altered neck muscles and poor posture also can strain jaw joints and muscles, creating temporomandibular joint pain. "Just think about kids and when they're home. They have their tablet, desktop, or phone at home for homework. Just look at their posture and see what their

posture looks like. Are they in a pretty good position? If they're not, they're probably in all sorts of kind of goofy postures," says Langenhorst. "They can probably get away with it while they're a little bit younger and invincible. But soon, even in their early 20s, muscle fatigue is going to kick in, and we're going to notice some more strain and sprain. Make sure they're doing some consistent stretching and movement that we build into our day."

One tip Langenhorst also recommends is placing pillows on your lap allowing your forearms to be support-

Five tips to reduce gas

On

lac-

If you’re concerned about your flatulence, consider these initial steps:

• Change your cooking approach – Gas-producing foods such as beans, onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and whole grains may be less if they’re steamed,

baked, or boiled. Soaking beans and legumes overnight also can help. Limiting or cutting our fried foods is another good measure to try, both for limiting gas and for overall health.

• Drink water, not soda – Beverages with carbonation are common culprits for gas and gas pains. Go slow when adding fiber – Adding too much fiber too fast can cause discomfort. Increase your intake of fiber-rich foods or fiber supplements, such as Citrucel or Metamucil, over the course of several weeks.

Use gas-reducing additives – Although they won’t stop all your gas, nonprescription products such as alpha-galactosidase (Beano) may reduce symptoms.

Limit artificial sweeteners – The sugar substitutes sorbitol and mannitol can produce gas.

If these steps don’t help, talk to your healthcare provider. Excess gas, particularly if coupled with weight loss, diarrhea, or abdominal pain, can be an indicator of serious health conditions.

Source: Mayo Clinic Press <MCPress@services.mayoclinic. com>

ed on those pillows. He also suggests trying to hold the phone at more of an upright, angled position. "It's not great, but it's better than not being supported," Langenhorst shares. "As we age, the disks of our spine become narrowed, we start to lose some of the cushiness that's there. That can generate a little bit more pressure on the nerve roots that come out of the level of the neck. As you get older, meaning 45 and older, those disk spaces become narrower. That can put pressure on your nerves within your neck. Some people could

On average, people spend three hours and 15 minutes on their phones each day. Individuals check their phones an average of 58 times each day. Almost half (46%) of Americans believe they spend an average of four to five hours on their smartphones each day. A 2020 study discovered that Americans will spend nearly nine years of their life using their phone.

notice a level of fatigue and discomfort, then generating into pain. Pain can then generate into disability."

Tips to improve tech neck

Other ways to improve your computer posture in-

clude:

Place your screen 2030 inches away from your eyes (about an arm's length).

Use a computer monitor or laptop stand to help elevate your screen to the right level (or stack some books).

Sit with your head, hips and spine stacked. Your eye height should be about 1/2 inch to 1½ inches higher than the screen because we have a 15-degree eye gaze.

When you’re looking straight ahead, your neck muscles and your back muscles and your upper shoulder muscles get a chance to relax. This prevents put-

ting uneven pressures on the nerve supply or the muscle groups.

Keep your wrists straight and your elbows bent at about 90-degree angles.

Keep your knees in line with your hips and your feet flat on the floor.

"The greatest challenge is we're not working or staying in a neutral or straight posture. I want to be able to have my head in an upright position, ears over shoulders, shoulders over hips," he says.

Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability with an annual prevalence rate exceeding 30%. Most episodes of acute neck pain will resolve with or without treatment, but nearly 50% of people will continue to experience some degree of pain or frequent occurrences.

Source: https://newsnetwork. mayoclinic.org/discussion/tech-neckis-a-pain-in-more-than-just-theneck/

How to ease the itch of mosquito bites care TALK ©

There are millions of mosquitoes swarming this summer, sucking blood, and leaving itchy, red bumps on the skin. They are a common summer nuisance. Although using insect repellent and other prevention tips can reduce your chances of being bit, really, getting at least one skeeter bite this summer is almost inevitable.

Mosquitoes are pesky parasites leaving bite marks that can be unbearable to itch. So, what's the best way to stop yourself from scratching?

"Mosquito saliva deposits in the skin from where the bite is, and it's causing a reaction to that saliva," says Dr. Summer Allen, a Mayo Clinic family physician.

Some of the tried-and-true home reme-

dies for treating mosquito bites work well. Calamine lotion, over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream and even a cold compress can ease the itch. It's going to sooth and kind of calm down that intense burning and inflammation that you're feeling in your skin. And, while it's not always easy, it's important to keep the itching to a minimum.

If you scratch it hard enough or depending on what you use to scratch your skin, you can cause a break in your skin. You can develop a bacterial infection.

"Time takes care of it and try to do your best not to scratch it if you can," says Dr. Allen.

Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network.

Parents — help your youngsters learn to swim

Swimming weather has arrived in the Lowcountry. What would hot days be without time spent frolicking at the beach or afternoons spent splashing in the pool? Fun in the water makes hot days more enjoyable and bearable, and few summertime activities do not involve water play in one aspect or another.

Although time spent in the water can be refreshing and entertaining, water does present certain hazards, particularly for those who do not know how to swim. Learning to swim, especially at a young age, is advisable and a great way to remain safe around the water.

The World Health Organization says drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death across the globe, accounting for seven percent of all injury-related deaths. Children, males, and individuals with increased access to water are most at risk of drowning. In

general, children under five years of age have the highest drowning mortality rates in the world.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents should consider swimming lessons for most children between the ages of one and four. New research has revealed that swimming instruction for children between the ages of one and four may decrease

drowning risk. However, parents should be advised that swimming lessons do not remove all risk Children still need constant supervision when in and around water. Additionally, learning CPR can be a life-saving measure. When enrolling children in swim lessons, parents should look for safety-certified instructors who have first aid and resuscitation

training and certification. Many programs offered are sponsored by the YMCA and other local sports programs. Private clubs may have their own instructors. Children between the ages of one and three typically do not have the motor coordination to swim effectively. These children can benefit from swim lessons that emphasize getting used to the water, safety and

learning some swimming readiness skills. Instruction may involve teaching children how to move their legs and arms and strengthen muscles used for swimming.

Children between the ages of four and five may be more developmentally ready for swimming. Such youngsters may move from water-safety lessons to actual swimming with or without support.

A study titled "Children's readiness for learning front crawl swimming" published in a recognized Science and Sport journal, showed that whether kids "started lessons at two, three or four years of age," they learned to swim well at "approximately the same mean age of five and a half years."

In addition to swimming lessons, parents and other adults can ensure water safety by taking the following precautionary measures:

Children should never be left unattended in the water. It takes mere

inches of water for a youngster to drown.

In the pool or another body of water, caregivers should be within touching distance of young swimmers to provide help if needed, even if the child is wearing a floatation device.

• Keep rescue equipment by the pool.

Remove toys from the pool when it's not in use. These toys can attract children who will go in after them.

A fence around the perimeter of the yard may be mandatory, but a fence around the pool itself is another safety barrier to consider. The fence should feature a self-latching gate. Even adults should be watched while swimming. It is always a safe idea to swim with a buddy, so that the other person can get help if something goes wrong.

Common household chemicals may increase risk of autism-spectrum, MS and ADD

The number of people diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism-spectrum and attention-deficit disorders has increased greatly over the past decade. This could be a result of greater recognition and diagnosis of the conditions, but experts suggest that environmental factors might be driving these increases.

According to a new (2023) study, some common chemicals found in personal-care and household products, damage specialized brain cells called oligodendrocytes that generate the [protective] myelin sheaths on nerve cells. The researchers suggest that exposure to these chemicals could lead to neurodevelopmental and neurological conditions, such as autism-spectrum conditions, attention deficit disorders and multiple sclerosis.

The study, from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, assessed the effect of a wide range of chemicals on isolated oligodendrocytes, organoid systems, and developing brains of mice. They found that two

groups—organophosphate flame retardants and quaternary ammonium compounds(QACs)— damaged or caused the death of oligodendrocytes, but did not affect other brain cells.

The research is published in Nature, and Neuroscience.

Two groups of common chemicals

Oligodendrocyte production begins during fetal development, with the majority of these cells being made during the first two years of life. Mature oligodendrocytes are responsible for manufacturing and maintaining the myelin sheaths that protect nerve cells and speed up the transmission of nerve impulses.

Chemicals from two groups had an adverse effect on oligodendrocytes. Organophosphate flame retardants, which are commonly found in electronics and furniture, inhibited the generation of oligodendrocytes from OPCs. Quaternary ammonium compounds which are in many personal-care products and disinfectants, killed the cells.

“Unfortunately, these products are widely in use (e.g. organophosphates for making of dyes, varnishes, textiles, resins, etc, and quaternary ammonium for disinfectants and personal care products).”

— Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani, professor of public health at New Mexico State University Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs; also referred to as quats) comprise hundreds of chemicals and mixtures. QACs serve many different functions, primarily as antimicrobials, surfactants, preservatives, antistatic and softening agents, and dispersants. They are often found in cleaning products, hand sanitizers, personal care products, many kinds of wipes (surface, baby, hand, and disinfecting wipes), and various pesticidal products. QACs are frequently incorporated into polymers and used in a variety of applications, including in personal care products. QACs are also bonded to surfaces as antimicrobial treatments, including textiles, biomedical instruments, and high-touch surfaces in public spaces. In other words,

Beaufort Memorial to offer breastfeeding support group

Although breastfeeding is a natural process, it can be challenging—especially in the early weeks.

In order to provide encourage to breastfeeding mothers, Beaufort Memorial is hosting a free breastfeeding support group on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month from 11:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. at the hospital’s LifeFit Wellness Center, 990 Ribaut Road, Beaufort. The first meeting is scheduled for April 18

Led by occupational therapist and certified lactation counselor Anna Burns, CBC, OT, participants will learn strategies for effective breastfeeding while balancing the demands of moth-

erhood. The support group will also provide an opportunity to learn from the successes and challenges of other mothers. The group is open to the public and free of charge, but due to the personal nature of this group, atten-

dance is limited to breastfeeding mothers and babies only. Registration is requested by visiting BeaufortMemorial.org/BabyU.

For questions or additional breastfeeding support, call 843-522-5900

• The prevalence of neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions has increased over the past decade.

• Although some of this increase may be due to better diagnosis, experts suggest that environmental factors could play a part.

• A new study has found that some common environmental chemicals damage vital brain cells called oligodendrocytes.

• The researchers suggest that this damage could help explain the rise in conditions such as autismspectrum and attention-deficit disorders (ADD), as well as multiple sclerosis (MS).

they are found everywhere in almost everything we currently use to clean or disinfect with.

Researchers found that children with the highest levels of BDCIPP flame retardant exposure, were 2–6 times more likely to have special educational needs or motor dysfunction than those with the lowest levels. They suggest this is strong evidence of a positive association between organophosphate flame retardant exposure and abnormal neurodevelopment. Multiple studies have suggest-

ed that alternative disinfectants, such as caprylic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, and other active ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide, and alcohol, should be used where possible to avoid excessive exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs).

Sources: Excerpted and adapted from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/ household-chemicals-may-increase-riskneurological-conditions-autism-ms; And https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC10210541/

Control your thoughts or they will control you

We all know the feeling of having something on our minds that we have a difficult time letting go of. Similar to an image or a catchy song that gets stuck in our head, commonly called an earworm, negative thoughts can be very difficult to remove and the more we replay them the more familiar they become. Rumination is a psychological term for rehashing thoughts over and over.

While it can simply mean being stuck in a mental cycle, that may not always be necessarily bad, the psychological term leans toward pessimistic thinking and feelings of what could have been. Some might worry incessantly about a conversation that embarrassed them, or having regret about a decision, and then live in misery over all the things they should have said or done.

The past is not the only area where rumination can try to distract us and cause depression. We can also worry excessively about what could happen in the future. To say the least, such thinking is not only very unpleasant and a joy thief, but it can generally become self-destructive if we do not learn how to control it.

One psychologist described it as a turntable where the stylus runs in the groove of the record. Psychological rumination causes these memory grooves to get deeper and deeper, so it becomes more difficult to escape from the rut. What’s more, if we submit to the temptation of ruminating, we may become more upset than we were originally because the issue now becomes magnified or even exaggerated in our minds. We’ve all heard the common saying, “It’s all in your head” which helps identify that much of our worries are from our inability to control our thoughts.

We know that anxiety, fear, and sadness can haunt the mind and influence how we live and who we are. In the realm of good and evil, the Bible talks about an evil spiritual enemy whose mission is to deceive and persuade us to listen to his

voice. He realizes the mind is the battlefield where he can attack those who are mentally and emotionally vulnerable to external influences. It’s no secret that if he is given access to our secret place of thoughts, he will prepare his ambush and release an assault of spiritual oppression upon us to distract and manipulate us into a destructive pattern of condemnation and pity. This is why we must build a fortress to guard our hearts and minds from his lies.

Of course, we all have memories we wish we could have a second chance to make better, along with perceptions and fears that desire to paralyze us with dread. But if we spend too much time dwelling on spilled milk that we cannot change, our most significant regret will be that we could have used this energy to empower and enhance our future. Can you see what the enemy is trying to do?

So, how can we develop a strategy to battle against these negative deceptions that are trying to steal, kill, and destroy? We can research and learn the reality of spiritual warfare and this will reveal what we are facing and help us develop an awareness of not only the tactics of the dark

side but the glories of God’s presence. If we can grow stronger in spiritual discernment and comprehend where these dark thoughts are coming from, we can rebuke Satan in the Name of Jesus and pray and ask God for His help. Revelation Chapter 12 gives us insight into this dangerous entity called the accuser of the brethren, as the buttons of our vulnerable emotional areas will continually be his target until

we learn how to resist him. Ignoring our accountability to control our thoughts and feelings will allow them to dictate our every idea and decision. We must decide if we are tired of being controlled. Emotions were never meant to lead us, we are created to be led by the voice of God, and it encourages us to know that we can overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony. It’s also very critical to

forgive ourselves. We can ask others to forgive us for our failures, but God does not condemn us and wants to heal and restore our souls. Today we have a wonderful opportunity to take all we have learned and become more determined to enjoy the abundant life Jesus Christ has provided as we accomplish God’s will.

RogeR Pinckney Xi

November 15, 1946April 3, 2024

Roger Pinckney XI, an esteemed author, sportsman, unapologetic conservationist, beloved friend, and father passed away peacefully on April 3 2024 He leaves behind an abundant and profound legacy of literature, and a lasting impact on those fortunate enough to know him.

Born in Beaufort, South Carolina, Pinckney stayed deeply rooted in the rich culture of the Lowcountry. He was the seventh son on this sacred Lowcountry ground, channeling his love for the region into his writing and storytelling, and acting as the unofficial ambassador for his beloved Daufuskie Island.

Pinckney grew up on the rivers and marsh islands of Beaufort County, SC. He graduated from the University of South Carolina and then earned his MFA through the Iowa Writers Workshop. A Volkswagen bus that was bound for a PhD program in Alaska broke down in MN, and there he stayed for more than two

decades; farming, loving, hunting, and writing. His love for the Lowcountry brought him back home where he resided on the wild and sparsely settled barrier island of Daufuskie for the last decades of his life. It is in this space that he championed island preservation while becoming recognized as one of the south’s most profound literary figures. His literary contributions spanned decades and touched the hearts of countless readers. He was the author of fifteen books of fiction and non-fiction including

“Blue Roots,” “Little Glory,” “Reefer Moon,” and “Washed in Blood,” and upwards of a thousand newspaper and magazine features. He was a regular contributor to Sporting Classic Magazine, Grays Sporting Journal, Orion, and Garden and Gun. A juke joint poet and raconteur, he created his stories with the rhythm of the tide — a rolled cigarette in one hand and a bourbon in the other.

Pinckney lived a rich and full life. He chased adventure on several continents, new experiences, women, and like all those things, the perfect hunt. Beyond his accomplishments as an author, Pinckney will be remembered for his warmth, humor, and hospitality. If he had access to bacon grease and a few humble ingredients, Pinckney could whip up a meal so fine you would want to smack somebody. Never a recipe, but like his craft, he had a style all his own that was something to behold. He had a gift for making everyone feel welcome, and his larger-than-life presence brightened the lives of those around him.

Roger Pinckney is predeceased

by his parents, Chloe Martin Pinckney and Roger Pinckney X, survived by his wife Amy Pinckney of Daufuskie Island, SC, his 7 children from birth and marriages- Chad Canton of Vergas MN, Susannah Dhamdhere (Aashish) of Seattle WA, Shelley Livingston (Mark) of Seattle WA, Laura Anton (Nick) of Helena MT, Roger Pinckney XII (Lydia) of Alexander, ND, Rhys (Halle) of Katy, TX and Rhett Evans of College Station, Texas. His 10 grandchildren- Casey Canton (20), Chloe Dhamdhere (17), Kiran Dhamdhere (14), Charlie Livingston (10) Roger (Lucky) Pinckney XIII (8), Wesley Livingston (7), Ella Anton (7), Elizabeth (Eliza) Pinckney (5), Marian Anton (4), and Levi Evans (1 month). His brother Martin Pinckney (Connie) of Naples FL, and sisters Eve White (Jack) of Pawcatuck, CT and Allison Pinckney (Robert) of Herndon VA, as well as nieces and nephews, a multitude of cousin connects and many lifelong friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Low Country Land Trust in Roger's memory.

Details of a memorial celebration for Roger Pinckney's life will be announced soon and will, of course, take place on Daufuskie Island. Roger's memory will live on through his words, through the preservation of wild and beautiful places, and the love he shared with those who knew him.

In honor of Roger Pinckney's memory, let us continue to cherish the beauty of the Lowcountry and celebrate the rich tapestry of stories that he so beautifully crafted. Grab one of his books and know that though he may have left this world, his literary legacy will forever inspire and enrich the lives of those who are fortunate enough to discover it.

BILLY HOLLAND

VOICES

Where have you gone Rand McNally?

When I was 19, with the assistance of my state’s Senator, I landed a summer job in Yellowstone National Park. My job title was “common laborer,” which turned out to mean “garbage man.”

Happy to have me out of the house, and pleased I’d be making $2 05/hour — twice the 1964 minimum wage — my parents paid $175 for an 11-year-old Chevrolet so I could drive from Indiana to Wyoming for the job. The car was an oil burner. “Fill ’er up with oil and check the gas,” I’d say to station attendants (remember those?).

I was to report to the park on June 1, which meant tight connections, since my last final exam at DePauw University, in Greencastle, Ind., was May 29. I finished at 3 p.m. and drove off. For navigation, I had a fold-up map of Indiana in my glove compartment, and

DONALD WRIGHT

when I crossed a state line, I’d stop at the first gas station — the car likely needed oil, anyway — and pick up one of the free state maps they provided. Thus, I made it to Madison, Wis., the first night, where I found a university dormitory with a couch I could sleep on. Then, it was pretty much due west. I spent the second night in a $5 motel on the Missouri River in South Dakota; ducked down through the Badlands (which were indeed bad); drove across the Rockies in Wyoming until I reached Yellowstone around midnight; followed signs to the appropriate

park office; pulled into its parking lot; and slept in the back seat of my car, awakening the next morning to sign in for my job.

Today, for one thing, I marvel at my lack of anxiety over this long-ago, threeday, 1,500-mile, cross-country odyssey in a car that was unsafe to drive faster than 55 mph and had no radio (though a friend lent me his transistor model so I could listen to the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day). I had no motel reservations, no phone, and not much money.

Nowadays, I’m anxious when I drive off to find a new restaurant on Lady’s Island. (Will Woods Memorial Bridge be closed? Is it before or after Publix? Should we have gotten a reservation? Will they have a decent IPA on tap?)

For another thing, I see the difference in how we get places. My son, Ben, is a professional musician. Last

week, his band had a gig in Shelby, N.C. — the musician Earl Scruggs’s hometown, not incidentally — and I drove there to attend and then bring Ben back to Beaufort for a visit. There was a time when I would have asked, “Where is Shelby? What’s the best route to get there? Once in Shelby, how do I find where you’ll be playing?” I would have gotten out my Road Atlas, figured out roads to take, and, once on the edge of the town, stopped and asked for directions to my destination.

Today it’s all different. Ben said, “You can get the theater’s address on Google,” and that was that. I found it; tapped “Maps” on my smartphone; typed in the address; hit “Directions;” saw that Shelby is 264 miles from my driveway; and learned that the best way to get there from here is to head toward Spartanburg and then up

state highways, a route I could drive in four hours and six minutes. Once in the car, Bluetooth connected me to the dashboard screen, showing me the roads to take, with a nice woman’s voice warning me, repeatedly, when turns were approaching. (I remember a Garmin device a while back, which used the voice of a woman who sounded like that junior-high teacher who was always catching you misbehaving. If you didn’t turn where the Garmin woman instructed, she would exhale audibly and say, “Re-Calculating!” in a tone that brought shame upon you. The Google Maps woman is less authoritative and more forgiving.)

With all this navigation for dummies, however, something has been lost. I have less of a sense these days of where I am, which way I’m facing, which way’s north (though I think I

still know which way’s up). When I was in Yellowstone, I knew intrinsically how to get to Old Faithful when a pretty girl wanted a ride there, where the garbage dump was in relation to my housing, and the best way to run when a grizzly bear approached.

Nowadays, I wonder if I’d ask the bear to hold off so I could get out my phone. And I wonder how Columbus felt as he sailed away from the Canary Islands, hoping he was heading for “The Indies.” If only he’d had a smartphone and Google Maps, he might have sailed down around South America and really changed history!

Donald R. Wright is a Distinguished Teaching Professor of History, Emeritus, at SUNY-Cortland. In 2005-06 he held the Mark Clark Chair of History at The Citadel. He is author of books on African, AfricanAmerican, and Atlantic histories. Don and his wife Doris live in Beaufort.

SC Senate speeding to do the utilities’ bidding

This past February, the South Carolina House had its first public hearing on House Bill 5118, dubbed the S.C. Energy Security Act, which had been introduced only 12 day earlier. The bill called for the Legislature to authorize the construction of a large natural gas plant to address the energy needs of the state.

At that hearing, the chair of the subcommittee said that the committee and staff had worked for 18 months on the legislation.

“We have tried to be very diligent in bringing all the stakeholders to the table.”

That simply wasn’t true. No organizations representing ratepayer interests were asked to the table.

Buried in that massive bill was the explanation as to why no consumer-oriented groups had been asked to weigh in on the drafting of H.5118

The utilities, and their legislative supporters, didn’t want them to know what all was in the bill.

H.5118 is anti-consumer regulatory reform masquerading as solving an energy security problem.

The purpose of the bill, ac-

cording to the utilities and their legislative supporters, was for the Legislature to authorize the building of needed new energy generation. Many legislators have succumbed to that top-line message and given a pass to what else is in the bill.

However, whether a gas plant is built or not, the long-term negative impact of H.5118 will be putting the Public Service Commission and the regulatory process under the heavy influence of the private utilities.

The bill would essentially fire all the current commissioners and replace those seven with only three commissioners. This would allow for higher pay to incentivize experienced utility-friendly candidates to seek those commissioner

positions. Those candidates would surely be approved by the Legislature.

Cutting the number of commissioners by about 60% will also have the negative impact of throwing diversity on the commission out the window — diversity that benefits consumers.

The bill also fires the state consumer advocate from representing consumers in the regulatory process.

Finally, the bill again gives the Office of Regulatory Staff responsibility for being concerned about the financial health of the utilities, reversing a change made after the failed nuclear project that has and will continue to cost ratepayers billions. The result of this change can only benefit the utilities.

If H.5118 passes as is, residential and business consumers in the future will pay higher energy utility bills, much higher than they would have if H.5118 had not passed.

Since 2002, I and the South Carolina Small Business Chamber have been representing the interests of the small businesses in 14 cases before the Public Service Commission. In 10 of these, we

fought against rate increases for small businesses.

The current and fair regulatory process has enabled us to successfully cut proposed rate hikes on small businesses by up to 50% or more. That’s because the independent-minded commissioners listened to the facts and understood that they should be concerned about consumers as well as utilities.

All of that goes out the window with H.5118

Our ability to successfully represent small business ratepayers in future proceedings will be greatly reduced.

If H.5118 passes as is, consumers will suffer. But we didn’t get to make that case in the House.

We didn’t get to make that case at last week’s Senate subcommittee hearing on H.5118 either. No organization representing consumers was permitted to speak. But for 1¾ hours we heard a lot from the utilities and a provider of solar energy. That subcommittee sent H.5118 to the full Judiciary Committee without considering any amendments.

The House took 18 months and 12 days to write, amend and pass H.5118. The Senate has only taken three days to receive H.5118 and move it to the Judiciary Committee.

The utility game plan of pushing the message of energy security and their strong influence on the Legislature has worked.

If energy security was really what H.5118 was about, the bill could have greenlighted the gas plant and left all the bad regulatory reform out.

Authorizing Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper to jointly build new generation facilities is not the problem. In fact, Duke Energy Carolinas should be included and encouraged to share the risks and benefits of any new generation facility.

But the utilities also demanded more control over the regulatory process and, so far, the Legislature is giving it to them.

Ratepayers will simply have to pay the price.

FRANK

Replacing underwear with swim suits

It is Saturday, early, and it is brisk. This morning I have my coffee — Starbucks Medium Roast — and the Wall Street Journal. This morning, the WSJ gives us a piece by Peter Funt that recounts his father’s television show, “Candid Camera.”

I know that many of those who read this column are too young to remember the practical jokes that were televised on “Candid Camera” in the 1960s.

One of these (sometimes elaborate) jokes that I remember involved a person who was, apparently, having trouble trying to parallel park his Buick. That person, an actor, asks a passing pedestrian to help him park by signaling (with his hands) when he should stop backing-up.

The stranger agrees — not knowing the scene has been staged — and the “driver” proceeds to crash-into the parked vehicles, both front and back, notwithstanding the frantic waving and screaming by the good Samaritan who agreed to help.

I must confess I found this funny and — when I went to college — found that I had landed in a perfect test bed for this kind of humor. I found myself at a rigid, regulation-bound military college where one’s conduct was severely circumscribed by rules.

As the Co-Founder of the Community Coalition Action Network (CCAN) of St. Helena Island, I feel it necessary to respond to the letter published in your March 28-April 3, 2024 issue by Inez Miller entitled: “Respect St. Helena’s Cultural Protection Overlay." I'm not responding to the supposed “author” of the letter, Miller, a St. Helena Island native and longtime Penn Center volunteer. Rather this response is directly to the group of puppet masters, who've been purposefully using the black and brown faces and voices of our St. Helena Island community for their own agenda. The group I'm referring to — the

If one violated those rules there were penalties that often involved walking “tours” with one’s M1-Garand rifle while others were walking with young women along Charleston’s High Battery. Notwithstanding these penalties, there was a yearning for laughter that sometimes compelled us to break the rules. A favorite “joke” centered on inspections and the fact that passing room inspection on Saturday morning meant getting leave on Saturday afternoon. This joke also involved shaving cream then sold inside a canister of compressed air. It involved tossing that canister, pierced by a nail moments before delivery, into the inspection-ready room of an upperclassman.

If the piercing and the delivery part of this prank were done properly, the “shaving cream bomb” would coat every exposed surface of the immaculately prepared room with several

actual author of Miller's letter — is the S.C. Coastal Conservation League.

Over the past three years, we've all witnessed a deliberate and calculated disinformation campaign by the CCL and its local agents during which they've preyed on our community’s most vulnerable citizens and used them as pawns. They don’t care about our community. They care

centimeters of menthol- scented shaving cream. If delivered in the early morning hours just prior to inspection — while the room’s occupant was still sleeping — the shaving cream was almost impossible to remove.

Another, just before inspections prank, involved the “spit shine” that was required on one’s shoes. This shoe shine required a hot, water-soaked rag and the circular application of small amounts of polish using the index and its neighboring finger. After hours of work one usually got a patent leather-like finish.

And so, at meals, bald-headed plebes were sometimes tasked with crawling under the long mess tables and applying just one small blob of mayonnaise on the shoes of an unknowing upperclassman. A mirror-like, inspection-ready shine could be instantly destroyed by the application of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.

I would like to think that these sapper-like missions required stealth and steadiness; and some of these cadets would soon be crawling through semi-submerged rice patties in the Republic of Vietnam. I would like to think this was cadet-inspired practice in the use of explosives. I would like to think that the targets of this rough justice were

about lining their own pockets, one fundraiser at a time, on the backs of our people. They intentionally withhold information from us to create anger and fear, and then use that fear in whatever method fits their agenda.

In fact, I've sat with the “authors” of many of the anti-Pine Island golf community development letters like Miller's, broken bread with their families, and listened closely. Every single person has told me, not only have they not been given the facts of the proposed development in our community, but they've been forced into standing up in public, signing their names to letters, and placing signs on their lawns by a group people claiming to

But if the truth be told, we were just looking for a reason to laugh at our precisely-programmed lives and, maybe, tell the cadre what we really thought about the life lessons learned by the long, patient application of black shoe polish.”

self-important prigs, cadets who were unusually tough, jerks who needed to be taken down a notch or two.

But if the truth be told, we were just looking for a reason to laugh at our precisely-programmed lives and, maybe, tell the cadre what we really thought about the life lessons learned by the long, patient application of black shoe polish.

The Journal’s piece goes on to say “there seems to be a dearth of quality pranks these days.”

“Last April two highly reputable outlets offered suggestions so lame that they, themselves, were a joke. NBC’s ‘Today’ presented ’23 hilarious April Fools pranks to pull on family and friends.’ Among them; ‘Swap out the contents of their underwear drawer for bathing suits for an early

“protect” them. I urge the St. Helena Island community to beware: CCL has done this before. They're doing the same thing now. And they'll do it again. It's our responsibility not to allow this to continue.

CCAN was founded in 2023 to oppose this type of behavior, and to allow for actual community collaboration built on fact-based decisions for our future. We don’t hide behind comprehensive plans; we read them. We disagree with the statement that “our future is already laid out in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan,” because that plan provides nothing for the future of our island. But perhaps that's the CCL’s plan for us.

morning prank that’ll get all the laughs.’ Good Housekeeping’s 20 best April’s Fools Pranks’ included; ‘Buy fake poop and place it literally anywhere; on the toilet, in the car — seriously, you can’t go wrong.’”

I don’t want to say — in this time of Trump — we have completely lost our sense of the absurd. I don’t want to say that our obsession with accountability, being correct, or steering clear of anything remotely risky has erased our sense of humor. But if this generation’s notion of humor has deteriorated to “fake poop” and replacing underwear with swim suits, that, my friends, is reason for concern.

Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. He can be reached at cscottgraber@gmail.com.

In its book, “A Wholly Admirable Thing,” the S.C. Coastal Conservation League describes its planning and execution of a decades-long defense of nature on the S.C. coast. In their words, “We developed a vision for the future, but at the same time we were opportunistic. And we were shamelessly manipulative in capitalizing on those opportunities.” Does that sound like an organization advocating for the St. Helena community to develop a vision for its future on its own terms? They go on, “We concluded that communities do not adopt or discard narratives easily or quickly. Instead … we found it was more effective to reframe conservation efforts so they are

consistent with long-standing narratives.

Every time you see a “No Gates, No Golf” sign, remember who it actually comes from — an organization that shamelessly reframes facts to accomplish its own agenda. We don’t find that admirable … we find it disgusting. And so should you! At CCAN, we agree that “problems can and should be addressed on our own terms.” But we advocate for our community to do so free from the paternalistic puppet strings of the Coastal Conservation League.

Roy R. Brown is the Co-Founder of the Community Coalition Action Network (CCAN) of St. Helena Island.

Perhaps the 2024 election will bring us closer

America’s traditional momand-apple-pie values appear to be in better shape than many talking heads and pundits decry, according to a big new national poll.

That’s good – particularly in times of too much news about fissures for democracy, including former President Donald Trump’s criminal tribulations, current President Joe Biden’s and Trump’s ages, a do-nothing Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court’s continuing ethical gaffes. This new Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll of 1 282 people shows most Americans still agree on core national values.

“There’s a lot more convergence [about issues] than you might imagine,” University of Chicago political science professor Michael Alobertus told the AP.

When asked about the importance of certain bedrock American principles, freedoms and rights, an overwhelming majority of Americans responded these were extremely important or im-

portant to our national identity: The right of equal protection under law: 91%; The right to vote: 91%; Freedom of speech: 90%; The right to privacy: 88%; Freedom of religion: 84%; and The freedom to assemble peaceably, 83%

But in our polarized political environment where mass shootings are an almost daily occurrence, it wasn’t surprising how only 54% of those polled said they found the right to keep and bear arms to be important.

“The results, which included perspectives on a number of different freedoms and rights, have only small variances between

Republicans and Democrats except on the right to bear arms, which Republicans are more likely to see as core to the nation’s identity,” said a story about the poll. “The overall findings are striking because they come at a time of extreme partisanship when political agreements seem rare and concerns are heightened over the potential for violence during a volatile presidential election year.”

Other findings: Three in four Americans believe a democratically-elected government is extremely or very important, while about 80% believe the same about Americans having a chance to get good jobs and realize the American dream.

As you might expect, the poll didn’t have only good news. More Americans – about half –said they thought the country’s democracy was functioning poorly, compared to the third who thought it was functioning well. Also, younger Americans were not as likely to have as rosy of a view of traditional American values as older Americans.

Impact in South Carolina

These attitudes of supporting American democracy, particularly after the turmoil during and after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, may be impacting South Carolina.

Hundreds of candidates filed for Statehouse, local government, Congress and other offices in the last half of March. In June, some 526 candidates will meet in primaries across the state. Even more will face opponents from other parties in November.

In Charleston County, for example, 16 women candidates filed, spurred on in large part by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision. During a multi-candidate press conference this week, Charleston Democrats seemed more energized than in years. “We are the ones working for the people,” said Democratic state Rep. Spencer Wetmore of Folly Beach. “We are the ones that make progress. Unfortunately, the Republicans have lost touch with the people of South Carolina.”

At the Statehouse, all 170 legislative seats are up for grabs. The 124-seat House, where Republicans hold a 2-1 majority over Democrats, is sure to remain in Republican control. But the Senate, where Republicans enjoy a similar majority, may be more in play as Democrats would have to flip just eight seats to gain control.

The Senate's only independent, Mia McLeod of Columbia, decided not to run for reelection. But four other “sister senators” who won a national award for courage in trying to stall a six-week abortion ban, are running. The three Republican women – Sandy Senn of Charleston, Katrina Shealy of Lexington County and Penny Gufstason of Camden – face tough primary challengers.

There will be lots of good back and forth during the election season. But if everybody is pulling for America and our shared bedrock principles, we’ll be O.K.

SCOTT GRABER

ROY BROWN

Judge not, lest ye be found incompetent

Ithink it is probably safe to say that Judge Aileen Cannon is in way over her head. Of course she isn’t about to recuse herself, based upon her actions up until now.

Despite being rebuked, and subsequently overruled, by a higher court with two of the three judges being staunch conservatives, she continues to overtly display her favoritism for defendant Donald J. Trump.

However, she may be pulled up short once again by none other than Jack Smith. It appears he has reached his saturation point with her ridiculous demand for questions to the jurors. This, by the way, for a trial for which she is dragging her feet on setting a date.

It is the flagrant way in which these Trumpian people of authority flaunt their prejudice that is so reprehensible. Folks, this is our judicial system, an arena where bias on the part of the judge has no place. Yet Cannon seems to have forgotten this or perhaps she simply doesn’t give a damn.

So who is Aileen Cannon?

In seeking a little background on this woman, I found she was born in

Cali, Colombia, in 1981 She grew up in Miami and attended a private school in the city, and later graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2007

Cannon, a member of the conservative Federalist Society, had relatively little experience as a lawyer when nominated by Trump and confirmed in November 2020 by the Senate, which was then controlled by Republicans. One has to wonder when reading this brief bio how she feels about Trump’s assessment of Latin American migrants as “animals who have poisoned the blood of America.” However, that question could also be posed to the likes of Ted Cruz and others of Hispanic heritage who put aside their pride in order to remain in his good graces. I have yet to hear a reasonable explanation for this, but I digress as I am often wont to do.

Cannon’s appointment to the federal bench came only 12 years after she was first admitted to practice law, the minimum experience the American Bar Association requires nominees should have. Was it her youth, perhaps accompanied by naivete, that drew the attention of those of The Federalist Society to recommend her position?

We know this group has been working over the past several decades to stack all areas of the judicial system with ultra conservative judges.

Whatever brought her to this historically significant placement in history, we know that she is the Florida district judge assigned to oversee Donald Trump’s classified documents case. Furthermore, she was appointed to the federal bench by the former president three years ago, and gave him a favorable ruling at an earlier hearing last year. And currently, she is in the position of having Jack Smith nipping at her heels.

Before we get into the essence of Smith’s latest communication with Judge Cannon, let’s take a look at what Trump’s former Attorney General had to say about her.

In calling the law “pretty

clear,” William Barr said Cannon’s ruling to accede to the request from Trump’s lawyers was “deeply flawed” because it removed the ability of FBI and justice department investigators to review the documents in question, at least until the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down her decision in December.

Of course, Barr will certainly never be in the running for any “integrity award” in my opinion. We need only look at some of his actions during the time he served in the former President’s Cabinet to see “flawed” reach its pinnacle.

So, flawed seems to be a working term in the judicial system’s lexicon for the latest breaking news declared that “Special Counsel Jack Smith takes off the gloves and goes after MAGA Judge Aileen Cannon, ripping into her ‘fundamentally flawed’ understanding of the case as well as orders (from Trump lawyers) that have no basis in law or fact.” Smith continued (in court filings) that Cannon doesn’t appear to understand the classified documents case.

Last month, Cannon made the highly unusual request that attorneys prepare two versions of

Tips for Daily Prayer

possible jury instructions, including the aforementioned one which would assume that Trump had total authority to take any documents he wanted from the White House. "Both scenarios rest on an unstated and fundamentally flawed legal premise — namely, that the Presidential Records Act and in particular its distinction between ‘personal’ and ‘Presidential’ records, determines whether a former President is ‘authorized,’ under the Espionage Act, to possess highly classified documents and store them in an unsecure facility," wrote Smith's team. Smith and his team criticized Cannon's absurd request for them to prepare jury instructions that take into consideration Trump's false claim that he had the authority to take the classified documents. They have said that they will seek assistance from an appeals court if Cannon reifies Trump's baseless claims. (Tribal.com)

But while she is the assigned jurist, Judge Cannon, will have broad authority to control almost every aspect of this case, including which evidence is admissible, the ability to slow down or speed up proceedings, and even the

Praying with Scripture

Encountering God in the Bible

God touches our hearts through Scripture.

As we spend time with Jesus in daily prayer, we talk with him as a friend, and we allow him to quietly speak to us. Prayerfully reading Scripture is a great way to deepen our time with the Lord. As we read the Bible, we encounter the living God, and he speaks to us through his Word.

The Gospels are a great place to start.

Rather than starting with Genesis, it is often best to start with one of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. The Gospels are unique because they contain what God did and said when he walked on earth among us. In the Gospels, we encounter Jesus as a person, and his words and actions touch our hearts.

Start with one small part or story.

When praying with Scripture, quality is often more important than quantity. For example, instead of reading all of chapter 10 of the Gospel of Mark, you might focus on the story of Jesus healing the blind man, Bartimaeus, in verses 46-52. You can read the passage slowly, perhaps several times, allowing its meaning to sink in rather than rushing to another passage.

Put yourself into the scene.

It helps to imagine yourself in the scene, seeing and hearing what is happening. You might picture yourself as part of the crowd walking past Bartimaeus. You see him as he sits begging on the side of the road. You hear his voice ring out over the noise of the crowd, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” You feel the excited trembling in his body as you guide him to meet Jesus. You share the crowd’s astonishment as you see that he has been healed; he can now see!

legal viability of the justice department’s case. This is a pretty hefty assignment for someone 42 years of age who has the bare minimum of experience required for a judgeship. One might even go so far as to suggest that this lack of experience alone is enough to disqualify her from presiding over something this crucial.

History will be the ultimate judge of this conundrum.

At the time of this writing, Judge Cannon denied Trump’s request to dismiss, out of hand, the charges regarded the stolen documents. As many legal scholars were quick to point out, however, while this appeared the be a setback for the former President, that is a misconception. Instead it leaves the door wide open for several possibilities, all leading to an innocent verdict. That Trump himself praised the judge that same day would seem to underscore this contention.

Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”

Reflect on what touches your heart.

As we read, there will often be something that touches us personally. When this happens, we can consider quietly what Jesus is trying to say to us and how it connects to our lives. For example, you might have been greatly moved by the heartfelt urgency with which Bartimaeus cried out for mercy. As you quietly reflect upon why that may have moved you, God helps you realize that there is an aspect of your life where you are struggling with brokenness, and you desperately need the mercy and healing of Jesus, too.

Talk to Jesus about the insights he has given you.

As we find the Lord touching our heart and mind in Scripture, we can talk to him about it. Continuing the previous example, you could begin to ask Jesus for forgiveness. With new insight, you might talk to him about your own need for healing. The plea of Bartimaeus might become a heartfelt prayer of your own: “Teacher, I wish to see!” In simple ways like this, even a small passage of Scripture can help you have a beautiful prayer experience with the Lord.

CAROL LUCAS

Who cares about public notices?

You have the right to know what’s happening in your community.

Public notices – information local governments are obligated to provide citizens – are required to be published in local newspapers to provide a public record that’s accessible to everyone.

Public notices keep you informed about your government. But, in some states legislators are trying to keep public notices from appearing in local newspapers. This severely impacts government transparency and, in turn, limits the public’s right to hold them accountable for their actions.

Let your state legislators know that you value being able to access notices in your newspaper and that they are worth the investment.

‘Winner’ Dawn Staley weathers the storm

awn Staley wept.

DAs the confetti fell around her and the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrated their third national championship under Staley, she couldn’t choke back the tears that represented a release, a relief, after completing the unlikely task of a perfect season. Staley pushed all the right buttons in the finale, which was the most-watched women’s basketball game on record with an audience of more than 18 million viewers, letting defensive whiz Raven Johnson run the uncontainable Caitlin Clark ragged while Kamilla Cardoso dominated inside and freshman Tessa Johnson stole the spotlight.

It was the expected outcome from a coach who has separated herself from her contemporaries on and off the court, but we already knew what kind of coach Dawn Staley was, and she reminded us what kind of person she is this weekend, as well.

When a trolling “reporter” from one of the two sports media outlets I refuse to consume or mention by name tried to bait Staley into joining the trans panic, she didn’t fall for it.

“If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports, or vice versa, you should be able to play,” Staley responded. “So now the barnstorm of people are going to flood my timeline and be a distraction to me on one of the biggest days of our game, and I’m OK with that. I really am.”

The storm came, all right, and it brought the usual array of straw men and absurd hypotheticals that follow this issue around the internet in a trail of ignorance and bigotry. The clown reporter got his 15 minutes of fame, and the faux outrage flooded Elon Musk’s Husk of Twitter.

Beaufort High’s Kylie Rast, right, easily advances to second base against Hilton Head Island High School on Thursday, April 4, at Beaufort High. Rast also pitched for the Eagles giving up only one run and striking out 18, helping the Eagles to blank the Seahawks, 8-0. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

Rast racking up K’s for Eagles

By Justin Jarrett LowcoSports.com

The no-see-ums are notoriously bad at Beaufort High School this time of year, and even the consistent breeze of opposing hitters swinging and missing — again and again — can’t keep them at bay.

Getting rid of those gnawing gnats is about the only thing Kylie Rast doesn’t do on the diamond.

Rast continued her sensational senior season with two more impressive efforts in the circle last week, compiling 29 strikeouts while allowing only two hits and no earned runs in complete games against Hilton Head Island and T.L. Hanna, the latter in a losing effort.

The North Greenville signee struck out 18 in Thursday’s 8-0 win over Hilton Head Island High, keeping a young Seahawks squad on edge — she hit three batters and walked

two — and allowing just one hit in her fourth shutout of the season. The 18 strikeouts matched her total in a nine-inning effort against Battery Creek earlier this season, and she punched out 11 more batters in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to T.L. Hanna — the 11th time she has posted double-digit strikeouts in 13 starts this year.

The Eagles’ defense let them down against the Yellow Jackets, as five errors led to three unearned runs. It’s a recurring theme with a young team growing into roles — only seven of Rast’s 34 runs allowed have been earned — but if they can put it all together on defense, the Eagles know a star pitcher can carry a softball team to a state title. And they have one. Going into Tuesday’s region matchup with struggling North Charleston, Rast has a whopping 164 strikeouts (and only 19 walks) across

77 innings. That swing-and-miss potential is a factor that should help the Eagles neutralize threats and limit big innings in the postseason.

Beaufort will likely have to hit more, or find other ways to produce runs, in order to advance deep into the playoffs, but with Rast on the mound, sometimes one run is enough.

Beaufort (8-4 4-0) will be tested over the final week of the regular season, traveling to James Island on April 18 and hosting Oceanside Collegiate a day later in a pair of tough non-region matchups ahead of key Region 8-3A games against Hanahan to close out the slate.

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet and the

years. He has a passion for sports

United Way’s Women United offers scholarships

From staff reports United Way of the Lowcountry's Women United is offering scholarships for non-traditional female students pursuing higher education at the Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL) or the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB).

These scholarships, ranging from $1 000 to $3 000 aim to empower women of all ages who are balancing work, family and their educational goals.

“We are committed to supporting the incredible women in our community who are dedicated to their personal and professional growth,” Women United Scholarship Committee Co-Chair Gloria Duryea said in a news release. “These scholarships are a way to remove some of the financial barriers they may face in achieving their dreams of a college degree.”

The Women United scholarship program is designed for women of all ages who are ready to take the next step in their education. Whether a single mom returning to school, a career changer, or someone looking to enhance their current skills, this scholarship can help women in the Lowcountry achieve their goals.

To be eligible for a scholarship, female students must reside or work in Beaufort or Jasper County, have a minimum GPA of 3 0, and have made some contributions to their community through volunteerism. Previous recipients are encouraged to re-apply. To learn more about the scholarship criteria and access the online application, please visit www.uwlowcountry.org/wuscholar.

The application deadline for the 2024-2025 school year is May 31 2024

EDUCATION BRIEFS

TCL hosting open house events

The Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL) will hold two open house events this April in which students can register and enroll in person. Those open house events will take place in: Beaufort: 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, April 11, Building 12, Beaufort Mather Campus, 921 Ribaut Road. Bluffton: 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, April 18, New River Campus, 100 Community College Drive. The events mark the opening of the Summer and Fall 2024 registration period. Those interested in learning more about the college or TCL’s more than 60 career pathways and transfer programs are invited to attend.

Beaufort’s Sapanchuk makes Troy’s Chancellor's List

Dmytro Sapanchuk of Beaufort has been named to the Chancellor's List at Troy (Ala.) University for Term 3 of the 2023-2024 academic year. The Chancellor's List honors full-time undergraduate students who are registered for at least 12 semester hours and who earn a grade point average of 4 0

Term 3 includes students at TROY's campuses in Dothan, Phenix City and Montgomery, Ala., along with students outside of Alabama and online.

– From staff reports

USCB’s Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era hosting symposium

Event will focus on 1st South Carolina Volunteers of African Descent

From staff reports

The Institute for the Study of the Reconstruction Era at USC Beaufort is hosting its second annual public history symposium. The two-day event, which is free and open to the public, will take place April 19 and 20 at USCB’s Center for the Arts on the Beaufort Campus.

Scholars, students, and historians will present and share the inspirational stories that illuminate the legacy of the 1st South Carolina regiment of soldiers of African descent whose contributions and impact during the Civil War paved

the way for thousands of other Black men to take up arms to secure freedom for themselves, their families, their communities, and the nation. Many of these men, spent significant time throughout Beaufort County, worked and lived in the city of Beaufort after the war, and are buried in the Beaufort National Cemetery. There will be interactive learning opportunities both days including presentations by students who will share highlights and profiles of individual 1st S.C. soldiers based on their research and examinations of

military muster rolls. Guest presenters will illuminate other USCT regiments and connections with soldiers from Georgia and Florida.

In addition, the contributions of women like Charlotte Forten and Laura Towne during the Port Royal Experiment will be explored. Descendants of soldiers, (including local community members), will take part in a panel discussion to share personal stories about their ancestors and illuminate their legacies.

All participants are asked to register for the event using this www. eventcreate.com/e/1stscvolunteers. For more information, please visit https:// www.uscb.edu/isre.

JPII student-athletes team up with St. Francis 2nd Graders to read

From staff reports

The Servant Leadership Council at John Paul II Catholic School visited the students at St. Francis Catholic School with the support of the 2nd & 7 organization's Role Model Reading Program. Dedicated to instilling a love for reading, 2nd & 7 not only furnishes free books to children but also coordinates with positive role models, while encouraging our student-athletes to pay it forward and give back to their community.

"The younger kids absolutely loved it and I think the JPII kids were just as happy when they left," said JPII parent Sara Boyden. "We cannot wait to plan another reading visit again."

The JPII Servant Leadership Council is a new club at JPII deeply rooted in the “Play Like A Champion Today” program initiated at the University of Notre Dame. This innovative initiative is tailored for student-athletes, providing a platform to integrate faith into their athletic endeavors while fostering a commitment to servant leadership. The Servant Leadership Council sees sports as a powerful vehicle for spiritual growth and character development. Through regular meetings, prayer sessions, community service, and reflections, the club aims to create an environment where athletes can strengthen their faith while navigating the challenges of competitive sports.

Beaufort’s Tolbert a winner at Lander’s Got Talent

From staff reports Beaufort’s Braxton Tolbert was a winner in a recent talent show at Lander University in Greenwood.

business major from Anderson, and Tolbert, a junior marketing management major, as winners of the April 3 event. It was Groves’ second time at Lander’s Got Talent, but the first for Tolbert. He said he and Groves have been singing together for about a year now, and Groves convinced him to do the show this year.

It wasn’t Tolbert’s first time performing – he had done that as a chorus mem -

ber before. But he said it was his first time performing in front of a bunch of people he knows, so he was a bit nervous ahead of the start of the show.

“It’s a little different,” he said before the performance. “I feel like once the music starts playing, my nerves will calm down and I’ll just get in the groove of things, but when those curtains open, I’m going to be shocked.”

Many members of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers lived and died in Beaufort. Submitted photo

Beaufort’s Braxton Tolbert, left, and Isaiah Groves are the judges’ favorites during a talent competition held on Lander University’s campus on April 3. Photo courtesy of Lindsey Hodges.

John Paul II Catholic School student-athletes visited the students at St. Francis Catholic School and read to 2nd Graders. Submitted photos.

Creek snaps skid with win over Wildcats

Battery Creek softball saw its losing streak hit six games with a pair of losses to Woodland in non-region games last week, but the Dolphins bounced back with a 5-3 home win over West Ashley on Monday.

After throwing their best punch at region leaders Beaufort and Hanahan and losing heartbreakers in the finales of both series, the Dolphins were overmatched in 9-3 and 12-1 losses to the Wolverines, but they rebounded with a strong effort Monday against the Wildcats.

Stella Schubert had one of her better outings of the season, going the distance while allowing three runs on nine hits. She struck out only one batter, but the Dolphins played error-free defense behind her, and Brooke Crosby went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, driving in the go-ahead run

Jarrett from page B1 LowcoSports.com

And then, it was gone. Replaced by adulation for a Hall of Famer who just wins, baby. Three Olympic gold medals as a player with Team USA and another as the coach, and now a trio of national titles with the Gamecocks. Unlike LSU coach Kim Mulkey, who seems to welcome controversy and distraction and egg it on, Staley calmly swatted it away when it was brought before her on the biggest of stages. She did not stutter.

“If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports, or vice versa, you should be able to play.”

Staley has undoubtedly spent far more time pondering the ramifications of the dilemma than most of us — perhaps more than anyone. She is a women’s hoops legend and an advocate for and active participant in the present growth of the game, so she can put herself in each role in this drama and try it on for size. She can easily envision a world in which someone who looked like her might be shunned from playing the game she loves. She’s a Black woman in American, after all. And she’s not OK with that. She’s really not.

It wasn’t all that long ago that the idea of women playing basketball was

Classic from page B1

a single to cap a threerun fifth

again

appalling to many (and perhaps still is to a smaller faction), and as recently as the 1960s, teams from what is now the Southeastern Conference were still declining invitations to the national championship tournament at the behest of segregationists. The modern-day equivalent took to Twitter — their preferred platform these days, it would seem — to spew their bigotry and display their lack of understanding and empathy for the human condition. They barked about Lia Thomas, the transgender woman who won a national championship as a swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, and the only example they can point to in which this issue has actually, well, become an issue.

Among the more than 500 000 athletes who compete in the NCAA each year, a whopping total of 34 openly trans athletes have competed in the entire history of collegiate sports, according to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio. The NCAA adopted a policy in 2022 allowing each individual sport to determine its rules regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes, mimicking the policies at the national and international levels of sport, and requiring trans athletes to document their testosterone levels at proscribed points before and throughout the season.

Nonetheless, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) approved a policy banning transgender athletes assigned male at birth from competing in women’s sports. It was approved unanimously by the league’s Council of Presidents.

This is largely a solution in search of a problem, and an overreaction to an issue that the vast majority will look back on and shake our heads in wonderment that people ever thought like that (and that some still do).

When considering this issue, I’m reminded of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, who concluded he would rather not attempt to define what constitutes “hard-core pornography” but he knew it when he saw it.

In most cases, trans athletes can be allowed to compete, within the rules, and no one will even notice. In the rare instances it becomes a competitive imbalance, we will know it when we see it, and adjust from there.

I’m with Staley. If you want to play ball, you should play ball, and my kids can play for her anytime, anywhere, any sport. She’s a winner.

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet

with

inning. The teams meet

Wednesday before Battery Creek travels to Colleton County on Thursday.

Battery Creek starting pitcher Stella Schubert fires the ball during the top of the second inning against the Woodland Wolverines on Monday, April 2, at Battery Creek Softball Park. The Wolverines went on to win the game, 9-3. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

USC Beaufort hosting senior exhibition ‘Escape Velocity’

From staff reports USC Beaufort is hosting "Escape Velocity," a captivating senior exhibition that presents capstone works of nine graduating Studio Art majors. The showcase, held at the Sea Islands Center Gallery at 1106 Carteret Street, is a testament to the diverse talents of USCB's emerging artists.

The term “escape velocity” refers to the maximum speed a body needs to gain to escape a gravitational field of a larger object. It reflects a graduating artist's experience, as these students gather momentum to go forth, each in their own unique trajectory, each reaching for the stars.

Melissa King presents her own take on pin-up illustration. Working in digital media, she raises a question: what kind of beauty is allowed to be playful and flirtatious?

Nadia McKinney captures the allure of celebrities with her grayscale portraits. Strong compositional approach and textural studies explore the vibrant world of pop-culture and what it means to be an icon. Eli Smith merges the kinetic energy of comic books with Christian motifs. He offers a deep dive into Art History by associating superheroes with Raphael’s School of Athens and super-villains with early Gothic depictions of Hell. Trang Dao invites us into her cultural narrative through detailed drawings and printworks, each piece a thread in the fabric of her heritage.

• Anna Szalc revives the spirit of Norman Rockwell, her illustrations reflecting the quaint charm and simple truths of

Season’s last performance

American life. Mason Martin ensnares the imagination with his horror survival video game, a journey through darkness and creepy Mannequins with only flashlight in your hand.

• Benjamin Kelehear pushes the envelope with digital art, challenging perceptions and engaging the viewer with innovative concepts and executions. His sculptural work also lights up. So cool.

• Beaufort’s own fashion icon Tatiana Tatum (Zalapskaia) makes art for “children with grey hair” - deeply emotional paintings and ceramic sculpture, that nurture the inner child.

• Logan Gaymon delves into the miniature worlds of small creatures like mice and roaches, through prints and

Tatiana Tatum’s Healing Piece. Submitted.

sculptures that highlight the beauty and intrigue of the oft-overlooked. “Everyone sometimes feel small, so this is someone many people can relate to. The exhibition is open for

viewing Monday through Friday through April 26. The artists’ reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Friday, April 26 offers an opportunity to engage with the artists, savor light refreshments, and dive deep into the stories behind the art. The artist talks, starting at 6:30 pm, promise insights into the creative journeys that have culminated in this showcase.

"Escape Velocity" celebrates the innovative spirit and diverse talents of USCB's Studio Art majors, marking the beginning of their journey into the broader art world. This event is free and open to all, embodying the essence of discovery, imagination, and the transformative power of art.

For all questions, contact Sea Islands Center Gallery at seaislandscentergallery@uscb.edu or professor Joanna Angell at angelle@ uscb.edu.

Alison Shearer,

violins;

Kra’lik

right are cellist Ani Aznavoorian and Joan Derhovespian on viola as they play Arthur Foote’s “A Night Piece for Flute and Strings.” Not shown is double bassist Marguerite Cox who joined them onstage later for Ernst Von Dohna’nyi’s “Serenade for String Trio.” Also on stage later for the sold out performance was Andrew Armstrong on piano for the last performance of the 2024 USCB Chamber Music season on Sunday, April 7, at USCB’s Center for the Arts. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

BAA announces featured artists for May, June

From staff reports

The Beaufort Art Association has announced its featured artists for May and June – Frank Gorman and Gary Korosi.

Their show, called “Edges,” will run from Monday, April 29 through Sunday, June 30, at the Gallery of the Beaufort Art Association at 913 Bay Street in Downtown Beaufort.

Edges, the outside limits, a border, a place farthest away from the center. We spend our lives in various stages of daylight and darkness; sunrise, sunset, twilight, afterglow, the golden hour, nocturnes — those edges of the day and night all bring life to art. Edges can be soft or precise. Something “edgy” may be strong or fearless. The edges of our lives provide a unique background, defining our personalities, preferences, and individual world views.

Whether it is an oil painting to remember a meaningful event, or a charcuterie board on a table to bring people together, both artists have philosophical edges to remind us that life need

not be tedious and boring, but rather, interesting, and exciting; that all of life can have purpose, beauty, and celebration.

Frank Gorman, a retired architect, has transitioned from international planning and design to putting local vistas on canvas. He now paints impressionistic landscapes, interesting wildlife, and cityscape nocturnes to interpret God’s marvelous creation in the Lowcountry. He is also current President of the Beaufort Art Association.

Gary Korosi, a retired aerospace engineer, has transitioned from the skies to the workshop. His passion now lies in crafting vibrant and natural wood cutting boards. With meticulous attention to detail,

he combines the precision of engineering with the artistry of woodworking. Each board is a canvas of rich hues and intricate patterns. His creations are practical while evoking beauty in the everyday act of slicing and serving. Join the artists for an opening night reception at BAA Gallery from 5 to 8 p.m., Friday, May 3, at the Gallery of the Beaufort Art Association.

From staff reports

The South Carolina Academy of Authors (SCAA), in partnership with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, will hold its biennial induction weekend in Beaufort on Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5

The SCAA selects new inductees whose works have been judged culturally important. Each inductee, whether living or deceased, has added to South Carolina’s literary legacy by earning notable scholarly attention or achieving historical prominence.

Including this year’s induction, the SCAA, founded in 1986, will have officially inducted more than 100 authors into its South Carolina Literary Hall of Fame. This year’s honorees are poet Marcus Amaker, fiction writer and poet William P. Baldwin, archivist and historian Harlan Greene, and fiction writer Ann Head (1915-1968).

The 2024 SCAA induction weekend is funded in part by a grant from South Carolina Humanities, a not-for-profit organization inspiring, engaging, and enriching South Carolinians with programs on literature, history, culture, and heritage. Marcus Amaker served as the first Poet Laureate of Charleston from 2016 to 2022. In 2019, he was honored with a Governor’s Arts award in South Carolina and was named the artist-in-residence of the Gaillard Center, a world-renowned performance and education venue. His 10th book is “Hold What Makes You Whole,” from Free Verse Press. (Due to commitments to his debut opera, Amaker is unable to attend in person, but his poetry will be read on his behalf throughout the weekend's events.)

Lowcountry native William P. Baldwin is being recognized for his work in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. His best-known novel, “The Hard to Catch Mercy,” was awarded the Lillian Smith Book Award.

center, plays the flute while Karl Stobbe, far left, and Abige’l

work their

at far

WHAT’S HAPPENING

ARTS

23rd annual Art Market at Historic Honey Horn

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, April 27 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, April 28, Grounds of Historic Honey Horn at the Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. Plenty of free, convenient parking.

Cost is $5; free to children

12 and younger. Tickets available onsite and online at https:// bit.ly/43QQbtG. This juried fine art and craft show features over 100 artists from across the region, who will be showcasing their diverse talents in ceramics, painting, jewelry, phonography, metal, fiber, glass, and much more. In between browsing the artists' booth, event goers can enjoy live music, lunch and snacks from a variety of popular food trucks. Picnic tables will be set up in the Honey Horn Pavilion and throughout the grounds. Gordon's Hop Stop will be offering craft beer, wine and other adult beverages. For more information, contact the Museum at 843-689-6767.

CALENDAR

9th annual Ole Fashioned Oyster Roast

11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 13, The Gullah Museum, Hilton Head Island. General admission ticket is $10. Ole Fashioned Oyster Roast is $50. There will be artisans, entertainment, and food vendors for non-seafood eaters. Please visit www.gullahmuseumhhi. org to purchase tickets and for more information. Tickets can also be purchased at the event. (Originally scheduled for March 9, this event was postponed due to threat of inclement weather.)

Karaoke with Melissa

8 p.m. to midnight, Tuesdays, Highway 21 Bar, 3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Karaoke with Melissa

7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Trivia with Tom – Fat Patties

7:30 p.m., Every Wednesday, Fat Patties, 831 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Free. Team trivia event, win house cash prizes! For more information, visit https://rb.gy/o9nhwe.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with either Parker or Eric.

Trivia with Tom – Bricks On Boundary

7 p.m., Every Thursday, Bricks on Boundary, 1422 Boundary St, Beaufort. Free. Team trivia event, win house cash and Beer Bucket prizes! For more information, visit https:// rb.gy/o9nhwe.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

7 p.m., Thursdays, Amvets Post 70, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free. Public is welcome. Enjoy Karaoke. Dinner will be available.

Bluffton Night Bazaar — a Lowcountry Made Market

5 to 8 p.m., first Thursday of each month, Burnt Church Distillery, 120 Bluffton Road. A highly curated selection of accessories, clothing, home goods, custom gifts and more by local artists and makers.

TECHconnect

5:30 to 7:30 p.m., 3rd Thursday of each month, Beaufort Digital Corridor, 500 Carteret Street, Suite D, Beaufort. Free. The BDC's signature happy hour “meetup” networking event for tech professionals. Connect with like-minded people, fellow entrepreneurs, start-ups and VCs over local food and cold beverages. Call 843-470-3506 or visit https://rb.gy/e7t2h for more information.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9 p.m., Fridays, Highway 21 Bar, 3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Lt. Dan.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9:30 p.m., Fridays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Parker. Karaoke with Melissa 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Fridays, R Bar & Grill, 70 Pennington Dr, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa. Highway 21 Flea Market

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday, Highway 21 Drive-In. Sellers, vendors, handmade items, unique products and yard sale items. For information, email lowcountryfleamarket@gmail.com. Port Royal Farmers Market 9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, year round, Naval Heritage Park, 1615 Ribaut Road,

&

Port

Free.

will read to young children, who are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animals.

Karaoke with Melissa

8 p.m. to 12 a.m., 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, Peaceful Henry’s Cigar Bar, 181 Bluffton Rd, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

DANCE

The Beaufort Shag Club

6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, AmVets Club, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free lessons for members from 6 to 6:30 p.m. We also host a dance the second Saturday of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. Lessons will run September through May only. Visit our FaceBook page (beaufortshagclub) for current events.

GARAGE/YARD SALES

Coosaw Point Community Yard Sale

8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 13, Coosaw Point Boulevard. Hosted by Coosaw Point Property Homeowners, there are 16 residences expected to participate in the sale. Something for everyone. The public is invited. A welcome table will be near the entrance manned with volunteers who will provide a map highlighting location of sale residences.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Rooted Beaufort Yoga classes

5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Thursdays, Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal; 9 to 10:15 a.m., Whitehall Park or Pigeon Point Park. Rooted Beaufort is a collective of local Yoga teachers who host outdoor yoga classes and donation-based events with proceeds being donated locally on a rotating basis.

BEMER Q&A

10 a.m., Fridays via Zoom. Already own a BEMER? Love it but have questions about your specific situation or curious about what else your unit can do? Join your BEMER Specialist – Human + Equine, Elizabeth Bergmann, to ask questions about usage, components, BEMER gear, what’s new or anything else about our leading-edge circulation therapy and longevity enhancing medical device. These sessions are designed to support those who have their own unit but anyone interested is welcome. Free. Call 410-212-1468 to get the Zoom link.

HISTORY

Beaufort History Museum at the Arsenal

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, 713 Craven St, Beaufort. General Admission for Adults $8, Seniors $7, Active Duty Military and College Students with ID $5. Children/Teens younger than 18 Free. Explore and experience more than 500 years of Beaufort History with knowledgeable docent guided tours.

The Historic Port Royal Museum

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or upon request, Thursdays through Sundays, The Historic Port Royal Museum, 1634 Paris Ave. The museum features the turn-of-the-century businesses and industries of Port Royal: Shrimping, crabbing, oystering, the railroad, the school and the mercantile. Great gifts featuring local artists are available. For more information. visit www.portroyalhistory.org, email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com or call 843-524-4333.

Tour Historic Fort Fremont Dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday, The Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land’s End Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. The History Center is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Visitors can learn about the fort’s history during the Spanish-American War through interpretive signs,

and Diving Club 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 11, Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club, Meridian Road, Lady’s Island. Social begins at 6:30 p.m.; meeting will start at 7 p.m. The topic will be Cobia. Local Captain Tommy Buskirk and Captain Scott Willard of Sea Island Adventures Fishing Charters (@Seaislandadventures, www.seaislandadventure.com) will discuss inshore and offshore Cobia fishing. This will include baits of choice, techniques, anchoring, rods-reels-lines – bottom and top rigs. Guests are welcome. Reservations are not needed. For additional information, contact Captain Frank Gibson at 843-522-2122 or email fgibson@islc.net.

Beaufort TEA Party

5:30 p.m., Monday, April 15, AMVETS Post 70, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Guests are Republican Shelley Gay Yuhas (https:// www.voteshelley.org/), a candidate for S.C. House District 121, and Republican Catherine Templeton (https://templetonforcongress. com/), a candidate for the 1st Congressional District seat currently held by Republican Nancy Mace. Candidates will have a brief introduction, with a question and answer session to follow. Visit the meeting’s Facebook event page at https://bit.ly/4agiYKx for more information.

Beaufort County election education forum

6 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, Port Royal Town Hall, 700 Paris Avenue, Port Royal. The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections is hosting community forums to educate and inform the public on the upcoming election season. Topics will include what's on the ballot, voter registration – how to register, confirming voting status, deadlines to register, polling locations including new voting sites, and how to become a poll worker. The forums are free and open to the public. No rsvp is required. For more information visit Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration or call Jean Felix, Training and Outreach Coordinator at 843-255-6900.

American Association of University Women

6 p.m., Tuesday, April 23, First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 410 Church Street, Beaufort. Guest speaker will be Jeannine McConnell, talking about Women in Technology, followed by the monthly AAUW meeting. For more information, email jherbertaauw@gmail.com.

Beaufort County election education forum

6 p.m., Thursday, April 25, Hilton Head Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island. The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections is hosting community forums to educate and inform the public on the upcoming election season. Topics will include what's on the ballot, voter registration – how to register, confirming voting status, deadlines to register, polling locations including new voting sites, and how to become a poll worker. The forums are free and open to the public. No rsvp is required. For more information visit Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration or call Jean Felix, Training and Outreach Coordinator at 843-255-6900.

Indivisible Beaufort

11 a.m., Saturday, April 27, Beaufort Library Downtown, 311 Scott Street. Patrick Perryman, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort, will be the guest speaker. The topic of the meeting is Israel and Palestine. The group will explore the Biblical and historical contexts to better understand the complicated conflict between Israel and Palestine today. The event is free and open to the public.

Beaufort County election education forum

6 p.m., Tuesday, May 7, Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 367 Keans Neck Road, Seabrook. The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections is hosting community forums to educate and inform the public on the upcoming election season. Topics will include what's on the ballot, voter registration – how to register, confirming voting status, deadlines to register, polling locations including new voting sites, and how to become a poll worker. The forums are free and open to the public. No rsvp is required. For more information visit Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration or call Jean Felix, Training and Outreach Coordinator at 843-255-6900.

Zonta Club of Beaufort 6 p.m., 4th Tuesday of each month, Smokehouse, Port Royal.

Beaufort Rotary Club Noon, Wednesdays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Catered buffet lunch, followed by a guest speaker. Prospective members welcome. For further information and upcoming speakers, please visit website www.beaufortrotaryclub.org.

the program. For further information and upcoming speakers, please visit our website at www.lowcountryrotary. org or contact our President, Bob Bible at reconmc@aol.com or 843-252-8535. MUSIC

Beaufort Drum Circle

6:30 p.m.,

This is the first article in a series of three articles in The Island News on veterans’ benefits that will cover VA career and employment assistance.

Next week’s article will specifically cover VA transition assistance; finding a Job through the Department of Labor; finding VA careers and support; printing your VA civil service preference letter; getting free classes for a year (thru LinkedIn); requesting a decision review or managing a legacy appeal; and checking your claim, decision review, or appeal status. The final article will cover other sources of help and benefits.

Get career and employment assistance

According to the VA’s “Careers and Employment” webpage, found at https://bit.ly/43YEa5K, the VA offers the help veterans need to build their careers and find the opportunities that are right for them.

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VRE Chapter 31) tracks

If you are a veteran or service member with a service-connected disability that impacts your ability to work, the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VRE) program (formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) may be able to help. The VA offers 5 support-and-services tracks to help you get an education or training, find and keep a job, start a business, return to your former job, and live as independently as possible. Explore the different tracks — and find out how to apply for benefits and services.

Learn more at the VA “VR&E Support and Service Tracks’ webpage https://bit.ly/43PoOAa and in The Island News article dated October 6 2021 titled, “What are

Veterans and Military Service Member’s VR&E Benefits?” found at https://bit.ly/43r9wAJ.

Eligibility

If a veteran has a service-connected disability that limits his or her ability to work or prevents them from working, they can find out if they are eligible for vocational rehab at the VA’s “Eligibility for VR&E webpage https://bit. ly/3JbFWqo. Your local County Service Officer (VSO) or local Veterans Service Organization VSO can help you understand your VA benefits and how to apply for those benefits.

How to apply

Get step-by-step instructions on how to apply online, by mail, in-person, or with the help of a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, or attorney for vocational rehab benefits at the VA’s “How to Apply for VR&E” webpage, https://bit. ly/4aH3wHX. VSO services are free and claims agents and attorneys are not normally needed, and they do charge for their services.

Apply online for VR&E with VA Form 28-1900

Start your application on-line for vocational rehab benefits now by following the instructions at the VA’s “Apply for VR&E with VA Form 28-1900” webpage https://bit.ly/4aNt060. The VA’s online Veteran Readiness and

Employment (VR&E) orientation can help veterans decide if this program can assist them in finding good employment or living independently. The VA encourages veterans to go through the orientation before they fill out the application.

Educational and Career Counseling (Chapter 36)

Personalized Career Planning and Guidance (PCPG), or VA Chapter 36, offers free educational and career guidance, planning, and resources to veterans and their dependents who are eligible for a VA education benefit. Find out how to apply for this program if you are leaving active service soon or have been discharged within the past year. Learn more about Chapter 36 at the VA’s website titled Education and Career Counseling (VA Chapter 36) at https://bit.ly/3TPJi7A.

Get support for your veteran-owned small business

According to the VA website

“Get Support for Your Veteran Owned Small Business,” if you have a veteran-owned small business, you may qualify for advantages when bidding on government contracts — along with access to other resources and support — through the Veteran Small Business Certification program (VetCert). VetCert is run by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Registering through SBA will allow you to work with us (all businesses who work with VA must be registered). Learn more about VetCert on the SBA website “Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert)), website https:// veterans.certify.sba.gov.

To be eligible for certification by the SBA the small business must

have at least 51% veteran ownership, be registered as a small business with SAM.gov (see https:// sam.gov/content/home), and be a small business according to SBA’s size standards (see https://bit. ly/4aie9AB).

Employment benefits for dependent family members

As the dependent family member of a service member or veteran with a service-connected disability, you can find out if you are eligible and how to apply to get educational and career counseling benefits through Personalized Career Planning and Guidance (Chapter 36).

Dependent family members may be eligible for VA Educational and Career Counseling if they meet both of these requirements:

1. They are the dependent of a veteran; and 2. They are eligible for certain VA education benefits. These VA education benefits include The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD, Chapter 30), The Montogomery GI Bill Selected reserve (MIGB-SR, Chapter 1606). Learn more about these education benefits at:

The VA “Post-9/11 GI Bill” webpage https://bit.ly/3vKav3r.

• The VA “Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty” webpage https://bit.ly/3PTIltN. The VA “Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve” webpage https://bit.ly/3vISW3O.

Use a Veterans Service Officers (VSOs)

Veterans should use a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer

to help them understand their state and federal (VA, SBA, etc.) benefits and help them apply for those benefits. A VSO is trained by the VA, the South Carolina (or another state’s) Department of Veteran Affairs, and a Veterans Service Organization like the American Legion, VFW, DAV, AMVETS, and other Veterans Service Organizations. Veterans can find S.C. County VSOs at https://bit. ly/3qbLVSL and can find Georgia VSOs at https://bit.ly/44KMVA7 Veterans can also search for VA-accredited representatives (VSOs, Attorneys, and Claims Agents) nationwide at the VA Accreditation Search webpage https://bit.ly/3QnCk5M, and they can search for VA-accredited VSOs at VA Regional Offices at https://bit.ly/3TahNn1

Beaufort County VSOs

The Beaufort County Veterans Affairs Office has three VSOs working to help veterans and it is located at 100 Clear Water Way, Beaufort, S.C. 29906 843-2556880, https://bit.ly/3ryd5qS, (Dr.

Caroline P. Fermin is the new Director). The Beaufort Disabled America Veterans (DAV) Chapter, Chapter Service Officer is Michael Vergantino, 843-301-2543, and mlv1030@gmail.com. Continued

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot

Parris Island, South Carolina, 12 April 2024

Recruit Training Regiment

• Commanding Officer, Colonel C. B. McArthur

1st Recruit Training Battalion

• Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel K. R. Sile

Commander of Troops, Captain D. R. Lastra

Company “C”, 1st Recruit Training Battalion

Drill Masters

PLATOON 1008

Senior Drill Instructor

GySgt P. M. Thompson

PFC Alpuche, M. C.

PFC Arteaga Jr, L. E.

PFC Belcher, B. S. *

PFC Boots, C. R.

PFC Bower, J. B. *

Pvt Chery, W.

Pvt Cornett, M. W.

PFC Elliott, G. D.

Pvt Flores, P. S.

Pvt Gray, J. D.

Pvt Hansma, J. C.

Pvt Johnson, A. L.

Pvt Johnson, D. K.

PFC Jones, D. W.

PFC Kanu Jr, A.

Pvt Lester, J. C.

Pvt Lightbourne, C. J

PFC Mckinney, J. D.

PFC Mejiatavarez, C. G.

Pvt Moorehead, C. T.

PFC Munford, N. I.

Pvt Opalewski, D. B.

Pvt Pastrana, N.

Pvt Paul, M. C.

Pvt Perezgeraldo, J. M.

Pvt Perezgomez, D.

Pvt Perezmatos, O. E.

Pvt Ramosheredia, C. J.

Pvt Rodriguezarmenta, H. Y.

PFC Sharief Jr, L. A.

Pvt St Ores, M. A.

Pvt Swinger, X. D.

Pvt Upchurch, J. A.

PFC Wall, K. A.

Pvt Winburn, A. C.

• Parade Adjutant, Captain W. L. Anthony

• Commanding Officer, Captain D. R. Lastra

• Gunnery Sergeant E. B. Owrey, Staff Sergeant I. D. ColonDominguez

PLATOON 1009

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt D.D. Buczkowski

Pvt Afanlon, K. G.

Pvt Barrios, A.

Pvt Batista, J.

Pvt Behmer, D. E.

Pvt Chimal, V. M.

PFC Cortes, N. R.

PFC Garmon, J. H.

Pvt Gatewood, L. M.

Pvt Gutierrez, D. J.

Pvt Haniah, B. N.

PFC Her, E. S.

Pvt Hill, J. N.

Pvt Jeanbapstiste, S.

Pvt Kemp, V. P.

PFC Kyle, C. G. *

Pvt Lacroix, M. H.

PFC Ladero, J. A.

Pvt Mack, M. M.

PFC Manser, M. W.

Pvt Marcinek, A. T.

Pvt Mason, T. M.

PFC Mcmillian, S. D.

Pvt Montufarmartinez, J. A.

Pvt Pachecanopadron, A. M.

Pvt Powers, E. D.

Pvt Pratt, E. M.

Pvt Rodriguez, B. H.

PFC Sanchez, J. A.

Pvt Scavella, L. P.

Pvt Smith, M. C.

PFC Stoner, E. E.

PFC Swaney, C. H. *

Pvt Tindle, J. C.

PFC Towery, L. M.

Pvt West Jr, N. N.

Pvt Wiegand, J. D.

Pvt Williams III, T.

PLATOON 1010

Senior Drill Instructor SSgt R. D. Cochran

Pvt Abreuflores, J.

Pvt Agostoaguayo, K.

PFC Aldrich, C. A.

PFC Barcinski, N. C.

PFC Beam, D. D.

PFC Beilman, R. V. *

PFC Binyard III, S. J.

PFC Buscher, K. J. *

Pvt Coughenour, C. R.

PFC Ducheny, T. C.

Pvt Escobedo, C. O.

PFC Evola, S. B.

PFC Hart, K. A.

PFC Herrera, K. J.

PFC Huff, J. L.

Pvt Husted, M. K.

PFC Lucas, B. P.

Pvt Milbury, D. A.

PFC Onol, I. F.

PFC Perez, N. I.

Pvt Perkins, R. T.

Pvt Phillip, J. D.

Pvt Powell, T. T.

Pvt Rajevich, S. J.

Pvt Richards, D. D.

Pvt Riveracortes, E. J.

Pvt Rooney, D. J.

PFC Serrano, E.

PFC Shreiner, C. O.

Pvt Simmons, D. K.

Pvt Sortie, M. R.

Pvt Stafford, N. R.

Pvt Teitel, R. J.

Pvt Unal, O.

PFC Vasilakopoulos, P.

PFC White II, J. M.

Pvt Woods, R. P.

PLATOON 1012

Senior Drill Instructor SSgt D. V. Garcia

Pvt Abrego, J. L.

Pvt Ariaban, C. J.

Pvt Barr, M. A.

Pvt Braithwaite, C. H.

Pvt Evans Jr, N. M.

Pvt Frederick, E. J.

Pvt Gilmore, C. M.

Pvt Goodwin, J. D.

Pvt Gramajo, K M.

Pvt Hernandezcamarillo, B.

PFC Hewitt, J. E.

Pvt Howard, R. E.

Pvt Jean, I. U.

PFC Ketant, J. B.

PFC Kim, J.

Pvt Kwar, S D.

Pvt Luna, D.

PFC Maldonadoestrada, K. A.

Pvt Mastrogiacomo, A. J.

PFC Mcnutt III, R. C.

PFC Medina, J. E.

Pvt Mendezalvizures, J. M.

PFC Poremba, C. A.

PFC Price, G. S.

PFC Price, N. J.

PFC Prince, E.

Pvt Rodriguez, J. R.

Pvt Rodriguezvillar, A. J.

Pvt Rusinko, M. H.

Pvt Samatulski, T. T.

PFC Schamel, M. A.*

Pvt Schlotthauer, O. S.

Pvt Sepulvedarosado, L. R.

PFC Serranopadin, K. J.

PFC Smith, A. T.

PFC Trotter, T. J. *

Pvt White, J. J.

PLATOON 1013

Senior Drill Instructor SSgt C. M. Attard

PFC Alcivarmartinez, G. A.

Pvt Alijonov, A.

Pvt Amesse, K. K.

PFC Arellanoortega, T.

Pvt Black, E. C.

Pvt Boite, I.

LCpl Carreiro, J. W. *

PFC Dejesus, I. A.

PFC Falker, J. M.

Pvt Fredericks, K. A.

Pvt Fuentes, J. J.

PFC Furcalveloz, J. *

PFC Graham, A. A.*

Pvt Hasty, S. W.

PFC Hayes, R. W.

Pvt Hein, J. J.

PFC Irving, T. J.

Pvt Lojanoguerrero, G.

PFC Lunainga, B. P.

Pvt Martin, R. A.

PFC Martinez, J. E.

PFC Matula, J. E.

PFC Miles, J. *

Pvt Mooney, A. A.

Pvt Mosley, A. S.

Pvt Nazario, E. N.

Pvt Nickels, B. A.

Pvt Parker, J. D.

PFC Perezsantiago, J. E.

Pvt Plummer, R. A.

Pvt Posadas, D. R.

PFC Roy, Z. M.

Pvt Schwanke, M. C.

PFC Shearer, W. T.

Pvt Stinson, J. A.

PFC Swaby, T. A.

Pvt Towler, G. A.

Pvt Urgilezserpa, R. E.

PFC Waddell, E. L.

*Denotes Meritorious Promotion

By Skylar Laird SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA — Two De-

partment of Juvenile Justice corrections officers were charged this week with giving vape pens to detained teenagers.

Both employees, who worked at DJJ’s long-term lockup off Broad River Road, have since been fired, according to a statement Thursday, April 4

Between December and January, 34-year-old Lottie Cash repeatedly snuck vapes through security to give to the children at the facility, who paid her for them. Ebonie Howard, 37, took vapes home to charge, then brought them back for teens to use, hiding them from security checkpoints, according to their arrest warrants.

Both former employees are charged with misconduct in office and furnishing contraband to juveniles. Cash turned herself into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on Wednesday, and Howard did the same Thursday.

The charges follow an arrest earlier this month, in which an employee at the Midlands Evaluation Center was accused of assaulting a youth. He was charged with third-degree assault and battery, as well as misconduct in office, the department said in a news release at the time. Another employee was arrested in December on charges of selling contraband to teenage detainees.

The agency has been struggling to hire and retain workers in recent years, amid significant problems at the department. As of March 22, DJJ was trying to hire 145 officers at the Broad River Road complex, about one-third of the 427 officers needed to be fully staffed, a spokesperson said at the time.

By Jessica Holdman SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA — As South Carolina utilities Dominion Energy and Santee Cooper weigh a new natural gas power plant, their customers are still paying for a pair of nuclear reactors that were never built.

Dominion Energy’s roughly 800 000 customers in South Carolina still have about 15 more years to pay on the abandoned project.

For homes powered by Dominion, the utility provider for South Carolinians from the Lowcountry through the Midlands, the boondoggle accounts for 5 6% of their monthly electricity bill. That amounts to just over $8 a month for the average residential customer, according to documents from the state utilities watchdog.

The fee, which isn’t shown on monthly bills, pays off $2 3 billion worth of debt for the abandoned expansion of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Fairfield County.

Santee Cooper’s share of the debt was $3 6 billion. About 5% of its customers’ power bills goes toward paying that off, according to estimates reported in 2020 when rates were frozen as part of a legal settlement. Santee Cooper did not respond to messages by phone or email from the S.C. Daily Gazette.

That fee for the stateowned utility’s 2 million customers — including those in Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties served directly and those served by power cooperatives that buy power from Santee Cooper’s plants — will continue through at least 2032

The debt’s origins go back 17 years. Santee Cooper and Dominion’s predecessor, South Carolina Electric & Gas, asked state lawmakers to pass the now-notorious Base Load Review Act. The legislation blessed plans to build two first-of-their-kind nuclear reactors alongside a unit in Fairfield County and allowed power companies to bill customers for the project upfront.

Construction started four years later, in early 2013 But the project was riddled with delays, cost overruns and fraud.

The utilities abandoned the plant’s expansion in 2017, but not before spending $9 billion.

It was the failed nuclear project that brought Virginia-headquartered Dominion Energy to South Carolina after SCANA, SCE&G’s parent company, spiraled into bankruptcy. Dominion Energy bought what was the only Fortune 500 company based in South Carolina.

As part of that buyout deal — approved by utili-

ty regulators at the end of 2018 — Dominion Energy agreed to knock down what customers would ultimately owe, or roughly $22 less per month than what customers had been paying.

Rate freeze expiring

At the same time, a set of lawsuits by power customers and company shareholders made their way through the court system.

Settlements refunded customers a tiny portion of what they paid into the project.

In Dominion’s case, $121 million total was split between 1 1 million former and current customers over two rounds of refunds, with amounts varying based on how much they’d been billed for the failed project. Some checks were as little as a few cents.

A separate case settled by the utilities in 2020 awarded $520 million to customers of Santee Cooper — with a big chunk going to the lawyers — which also agreed to freeze its rates through the end of 2024

But there was a catch.

In April 2025, that bill is going to come due.

Central Electric Power Cooperative, which buys power from Santee Cooper and other sources to supply the 19 power cooperatives around the state, said the number came in “a lot higher than anybody thought it would,” bringing the combined costs for the nuclear plant and associated rate freeze to about $4 4 billion.

Cole Price, Central’s senior vice president, said talks continue with the state-owned utility over a final number.

“We have serious questions about those dollar amounts” and what qualifies, he told the S.C. Daily Gazette.

Meanwhile, unable to raise rates, Santee Cooper’s overall debt also has ballooned to $7 2 billion, according to the latest report from Wall Street credit agencies. That includes portions of the abandoned nuclear project. The utility has refinanced, drawing out some of those debt payments through at least 2056

More power Now, Santee Cooper seeks to partner with Dominion on a possible 2 000-megawatt natural gas plant on the site of a former coal-fired power

Santee Cooper could petition the court to allow it to recuperate certain costs related to natural disasters and other unforeseen calamities. Between mine fires and storms and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that caused gas prices to surge, the Moncks Corner-based utility plans to ask the judge to approve an estimated $680 million.

plant along the Edisto River in Colleton County to serve the state’s ever-growing population and manufacturing base. That will mean taking on more debt.

The total price for the plant, as well as the associated power line and pipeline upgrades, is unknown.

Similar plants built in recent years have come with a $2 billion price tag. Legislation paving the way for the Canadys plant is making its way through the Statehouse, drawing criticism from environmental and consumer groups.

For those representing power customers, the concern is less about the gas plant and more about the rolling back of regulatory guardrails the Legislature put in place in the wake of the VC Summer debacle to protect consumers from again getting stuck with the bill.

A Senate panel began holding hearings on the bill last week. The House passed its version, sponsored by Speaker Murrell Smith, last week.

Jessica Holdman writes about the economy, workforce and higher education. Before joining the S.C. Daily Gazette, she was a business reporter for The Post and Courier.

S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

SC House: Let candidates use campaign donations for childcare

By Abraham Kenmore SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA —

Candidates

for elected office in South Carolina could use campaign donations to cover childcare expenses under legislation passed Tuesday in the House over the opposition of the hardline Freedom Caucus.

Proponents of the bill argued it could enable more people to run for office. It’s part of a national movement trying to get more parents, especially mothers and other caregivers, into politics by making it easier for candidates to pay for childcare while they campaign or serve in elected office. Thirty-one other states already allow it, with Indiana being the latest to adopt it.

Opponents, led by the Freedom Caucus, countered it amounts to using political donations for personal expenses, opening up the possibility for corruption.

Unlike most bills, this one did not pass along party lines. The 53-45 vote was unusually close in a chamber with a supermajority of Republicans. About two dozen Republicans joined Democrats in support.

The bill allows campaign money to be used only for immediate family members who are either children or have a disability requiring full-time care while a candidate is campaigning or — once elected — while they’re carrying out public duties. Candidates can’t pay a family member to keep their children.

For example, a parent on city council could use campaign funds for childcare during a weekly council meeting but not for regular after-school care during their day job.

Federal candidates have been able to use campaign funds on care since 2018, and in February 2023, the

SC House Ethics Committee ruled House members could as well. The law would extend the ability to all elected offices in the state.

“I was briefly thinking through how far we can expand this, even just the costs for childcare,” said Rep. Adam Morgan, R-Taylors, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, suggesting the money could be used for a gaming system, medical care or other expenditures.

Morgan, who’s running for Congress, argued that candidates should be responsible for their household expenses. “Let’s stick to campaign contributions being used for your campaign,” he said. “Let’s make sure we have a system that’s as strong as possible.”

He tried unsuccessfully to undo the House Ethics Committee ruling and strike the option for legislators.

A bipartisan group of representatives leaned into the sparring match with the Freedom Caucus.

House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, argued that the expenditures on childcare will be publicly reported for donors to see, like any other campaign expense. Using the money inappropriately would open candidates to penalties.

“Let’s stop pretending this body is looking out for the little people, because we are not the little people,” he said. “This is about people wanting to do better, wanting to run for office, but can’t do so because they don’t have someone who can watch their child.”

One amendment offered by House Judiciary Chairman Weston Newton, a co-sponsor, was adopted. It would prevent full-time elected

officials, such as sheriffs, from using campaign funds to cover care during their normal work hours.

“It just seems to be more for the elected elite,” said Rep. April Cromer, R-Anderson, a Freedom Caucus member in questioning Newton about the bill.

“I think it’s quite the contrary,” said Newton, R-Bluffton. “This allows for an even playing field for those that might want to run for office.”

Abraham Kenmore is a reporter

3 female judges vying for seat on SC’s high court

By Jessica Holdman SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA — South Carolina lawmakers could make moves to diversify the state Supreme Court. Or it could become the only allmale, all-white high court in the nation through at least 2028, the next time an opening is expected.

Three female judges — including two women of color — are among six candidates vying to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Justice Don Beatty, the only Black justice on the state’s high court. The other three candidates are white men.

The high court hopefuls include two state Appeals Court judges — Blake Hewitt of Conway and Letitia Verdin of Greenville — three Circuit Court judges — Deadra Jefferson of Charleston; Keith Kelly, a former state House member from Spartanburg County; and Jocelyn Newman of Columbia — and Administrative Law Court Chief Judge Ralph King “Tripp” Anderson of Columbia.

The six applied by Monday’s deadline to the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, the Legislature’s judicial screening panel.

Beatty, also a former legislator from Spartanburg, is retiring when his term ends this summer, after he turns 72, the state’s mandatory retirement age for judges.

Last month, the Legislature unanimously elected John Kittredge as the next chief justice.

Who lawmakers opt to replace him will shape the look of the court for some time.

A seat isn’t likely to come available for more than four years, when Kittredge ages out. (State law requires judges to retire from full-time work by Dec. 31 of the year they turn 72.)

Meanwhile, South Carolina’s judiciary has been under intense scrutiny over the last two years as fights over abortion politicized a judicial selection process historically based on personal relationships and geography.

South Carolina is one of only two states where the Legislature elects nearly all judges. Virginia is the other. South Carolina already has the only all-male Supreme Court in the nation. Eighteen states have no judge of color on their Supreme Court, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.

From two to zero

For six years, South Carolina had two women on the bench: former Chief Justice Jean Toal, who retired in 2015, and Justice Kaye Hearn, elected in 2009

When the U.S. Supreme Court overthrew Roe v. Wade in June 2022, it left the state court to decide the legality of the state’s abor-

The

tion laws. After the ruling, a law legislators passed in 2021 that banned abortions once an ultrasound detects cardiac activity temporarily took affect before abortion providers sued to block it.

In a 3-2 decision in early January 2023, the state Supreme Court tossed out that first “fetal heartbeat” law as violating the state constitution’s guarantee from unreasonable invasions of privacy. The majority opinion was written by Hearn, the only woman on the court. It was her last opinion before she retired — she turned 72 in 2022 — and it was blasted by GOP lawmakers as judicial activism.

In the race to replace her, two female judges ultimately dropped out before the Legislature elected Justice Gary Hill, the male judge who had the votes.

Then in August, the allmale court upheld a new version of the law that bans abortions around six weeks into pregnancy, which GOP legislators tweaked to address concerns raised by one justice in a separate opinion eight months earlier. Considered the swing vote, Justice John Few agreed with Hearn’s conclusion but not her reasoning. In the second, 4-1 ruling, only Beatty still found the law unconstitutional.

The candidates

The Legislature is set to vote in June on who will fill the vacancy created by his departure. A public hearing for the six candidates will be May 9. The screening panel will forward up to the three names for a vote by a joint General Assembly for a job that pays a $213 300 salary.

Among the female candidates, Jefferson has been on the bench for 28 years. Lawmakers elected her to Family Court in 1996 and then Circuit Court in Charleston in 2001. What she lacks is time on the state Appeals Court that the majority of justices boast. Only Anderson has served longer. He was first elected to the Administrative Law Court in 1994, a year after the Legislature created the independent agency to hear disputes about state agencies’ decisions. He has unsuccessfully sought a seat on the state Supreme Court multiple times since 2015

Verdin has been a judge since 2008. Lawmakers elected her first to Family Court in the Upstate, then Circuit Court and finally to the state Appeals Court just last year.

Hewitt has sat on the Appeals Court longer — since 2019 — while having the least judicial experience of all the candidates. Even his election to his current position was contentious. Black lawmakers walked out of the chamber after the Legislature passed over a Black woman who had been on the bench 20 years to select Hewitt, a white attorney who had never been a judge.

Kelly, a former Republican legislator, has been a Circuit Court judge for 11 years. He served two terms in the state House before Rep. Bill Chumley, also of Woodruff, ousted him in the 2010 primary.

And Newman, the daughter of Circuit Judge Clifton Newman, has spent eight years as a Circuit Court judge in Columbia. Among the decisions she’s weighed in on during her career is South Carolina’s use of a firing squad or electric chair in death penalty executions. Newman sided with four death row inmates suing over the options. The case is now pending before the state Supreme Court.

Jessica Holdman writes about the economy, workforce and higher education. Before joining the S.C. Daily Gazette, she was a business reporter for The Post and Courier.

S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest statefocused nonprofit news organization.

By Skylar Laird SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA — Running away, skipping school or generally being hard to manage can all land a child in a juvenile detention center for up to 90 days, a practice senators worry can cause children long-lasting emotional harm.

South Carolina is the only state that detains children for so-called status offenses, or crimes that only apply to youth under 18, Department of Juvenile Justice Director Eden Hendrick recently told senators. “We are the outliers,” Hendrick said. “We are the ones who do not follow the best practices, do not follow the research, do not follow what everyone else does and has proven to produce better outcomes for youth, and we lose federal money because of it.”

A bill advanced recently by the Senate Judiciary Committee would not allow the state to detain a child charged with a single status offense. Senators took up the bill this week on the floor but never got to a vote, meaning it will miss a legislative deadline and is unlikely to become law this year.

However, the debate highlighted concerns about the state locking up children for minor offenses in already overcrowded, deteriorating facilities.

But that creates another problem: The agency doesn’t have the resources for status offenders to be kept separate from children accused of violent crimes, she said. “We have status offenders in the same buildings, in the same classes, in the same gyms as youth charged with very, very, very serious crimes,” Hendrick said.

Children detained

Between July 2020 and June 2021, 6% of the children detained at DJJ facilities were there for a status offense, according to the latest department data available.

The bill would eliminate the 24hour holding and 90-day detention periods. Even if a child is guilty of cutting class, for example, they shouldn’t be locked up in a detention facility for something so minor, senators said.

It would also reduce how long juveniles can be detained for violating a court order. The max would be two days instead of three.

“The idea of sending a 13-yearold who’s just run away from school a couple times to DJJ — that scares the hell out of me, because that’s going to scare the hell out of him,” said Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield.

Staying in a juvenile jail for up to 90 days can have much longer emotional effects on children, not to mention putting them behind on schoolwork, said Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, who sponsored the bill.

“By the time they get back, they’re behind, and they’re never

Under existing law, children accused of a status offense can spend up to 24 hours in a juvenile jail. If they violate a court order, that goes up to 72 hours. But if a judge orders the child evaluated by a professional, that could extend their stay in a detention center or evaluation center for up to 45 days. Juveniles found guilty by a judge of the status offense can be locked up for up to three months. Status offenders make up only a small portion of the children in DJJ’s facilities, Hendrick told senators.

going to get caught back up,” said the Orangeburg Democrat.

Reducing the number of youth in DJJ’s facilities would also help relieve overcrowding, even if only slightly, Hendrick said.

The Columbia detention center regularly has far more than the 72 children that are supposed to be maximum capacity. The monthly average reached as high as 134 last May, according to numbers the agency gave the House budget-writing committee. How many of those were status offenders is unclear.

“Every less kid that we have in our system is helpful,” Hendrick said. “It doesn’t directly pinpoint some of the issues, but it is a good start, and it will help.”

Children accused of status offenses would still be subject to evaluations in the department’s facilities under the bill. In the 2021 fiscal year, around 30% of the department’s requests for evaluations were for status offenders, according to department data. Most of those were children who violated a court order for a status offense.

The evaluations typically take about a day, but scheduling hun-

dreds of evaluations each year can be difficult because the department has a limited number of mental health professionals, Hutto said.

Because of staff shortages, lowering the amount of time the department can keep children before evaluating them may not be feasible, Hutto said. But he encouraged the department to try to keep children for the shortest amount of time possible so they can get back home.

“I would urge DJJ to find ways to more efficiently do these evaluations and get these young people back,” Hutto said.

Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville, questioned whether the state should be locking up children at all, regardless of what crime they’re accused of committing.

“There should not be a prison for children,” Malloy said during committee hearings. Senators voted down an amendment he proposed on the floor Wednesday evening that would have created sweeping changes in the state’s juvenile justice system,

going far beyond locking up status offenders.

Funding for

preventative programs

The state regularly loses out on about $110,000 of federal money annually, since the state doesn’t comply with federal law on not locking up children, University of South Carolina researcher Aleksandra Chauhan told senators.

“It’s pretty embarrassing, I would say, to be consistently out of compliance,” Chauhan said. For an agency with more than $150 million at its disposal, an extra $100,000 is a drop in the

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