July 2 edition

JULY 2-JULY 8, 2026

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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY

Beaufort County set to celebrate America's birthday Fireworks, family fun, patriotic traditions return for Independence Day

Spectators enjoy fireworks during the Port Royal Fourth of July Celebration at Sands Beach on Thursday, July. 4, 2024, in Port Royal. Delayna Earley/File/The Island News

LOWCOUNTRY LOWDOWN

By Delayna Earley The Island News From downtown Beaufort to the Sands in Port Royal and west to Yemassee, northern Beaufort County residents will have several ways to celebrate Independence Day as the country marks the

250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This year's Fourth of July falls on a Saturday, giving families a full day of patriotic events, community traditions, fireworks and reminders of the Lowcountry's deep connection to the military, the water and American history.

The holiday will begin early in downtown Beaufort with HELP of Beaufort's annual Firecracker 5K. The race begins at 8 a.m. Saturday at the corner of Bay

and Newcastle streets before taking runners through Beaufort's historic downtown and across the Woods Memorial Bridge on a certified 5K course. Proceeds from the annual race benefit HELP of Beaufort, a nonprofit organization that provides emergency financial assistance and other essential services to residents facing financial hardship.

Because of the race, the Woods Me-

SEE BIRTHDAY PAGE A4

Intersection of culture and change

LOLITA HUCKABY

Appeals Board votes to save three landmark oaks

H

BEAUFORT ooray for the City of Beaufort Board of Zoning Appeals!!

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of this country and our right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” it seems increasingly rare for citizens to have an opportunity to applaud decisions being made by governmental regulatory boards.

Sure, the Beaufort County Council’s ongoing battle with developers of Pine Island for the past three years has drawn concerned citizens to multiple meetings, waving banners and voicing their concerns about growth in this rural part of the county. And sure, those citizens have left council chambers, applauding and cheering, as the county officials in, vote after vote, rejected the plans.

But we have to remember, despite those repeated rejections, the prospect of a gated, golf-course community on Pine Island still flickers in court filings and behind closed doors. The landowners, aka the

SEE LOWDOWN PAGE A7

The Cope Building on the campus of Penn Center on St. Helena Island. Scott Graber/The Island News

Moving Penn Center forward while keeping its spirit alive proves a struggle

I

t is Friday morning and it is early — 5 a.m. Susan and I have been sitting on our deck drinking coffee and eating brownies — brownies re-gifted by our friend Lynn Strange, who just had a hip replacement and has been inundated with cookies, blueberry muffins and brownies.

We’re reflecting on the future and the past.

SCOTT GRABER

Last night, Susan and I drove out to St. Helena Island and met with 75 largely unhappy residents at the Faith Memorial Church on Martin Luther

SEE PENN PAGE A3

Martin Luther King Jr. stayed in Gantt Cottage when using Penn Center as a retreat during the Civil Rights Movement. Scott Graber/The Island News

NEWS

EDUCATION

HEALTH

INSIDE

Ridgeland man gets eight years for killing pedestrian.

Beaufort County Council unanimously approves school district's budget.

Understanding immunotherapy for breast cancer cases.

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LOWCOUNTRY LIFE & NEWS On the night of Thursday, June 25, 2026, John Miller’s Queen of the Night cactus put on a show for five people. They sat around waiting for the blooms to open, talking and having a good time.

The blooms started opening at about 9:45 p.m., and were fully open by midnight, when tired people took pictures and went home happy for witnessing this event.

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VETERAN OF THE WEEK American Legion Beaufort Post 207 brings you Larry Propes, 82, who joined the Air Force ROTC at UNC Chapel Hill in 1962. Upon graduation and commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant, USAF Reserve in 1966, he attended Navigator School at Mather AFB, Calif. He was assigned to the Military Airlift Command at Charleston AFB where he served for four years, flying in C-124 Globemaster and C-141 Starlift-

OBITUARY

Patsy Hunt Snipes

August 2, 1943 – June 16, 2026 Beaufort, S.C.

Patsy Jean Hunt Snipes, 82, passed away on June 16, 2026, after a journey with Alzheimer’s disease and complications from a recent fall.

Patsy was born in Garner, N.C., to Ruthie Wollard Hunt and Joseph B. Hunt. She carried her North Carolina roots with her throughout her life, bringing warmth, humor, and a welcoming spirit wherever she lived.

Patsy was married to John Philip Snipes Sr., and together they raised two sons, John Philip Snipes Jr. and Shane Snipes.

She was proud of her sons and encouraged them to spread their wings, try new things, and become fully themselves. She had a way of making the people she loved feel supported, seen, and celebrated.

After retiring, Patsy moved to Beaufort in 2007, where she spent many happy years near family. She enjoyed being close to her sister Louise and her husband Floyd, along with nieces,

er cargo planes. He deployed to Frankfort, Germany for six months and made many flights to and from Vietnam including repatriating wounded and KIA. In 1971 he separated to attend Law School at the University of South Carolina in Columbia using the G.I. Bill. He then began nine years as the General Counsel for the S.C. Department of Mental Health. In 1976, he joined the U.S. Army National Guard

Jere Russo

LARRY PROPES

as a Judge Advocate General officer and helped prepare National Guard personnel for service during Desert Shield/ Larry Propes Storm.

In 1982, while still with the Guard, he began 12 years as the Deputy Director of the S.C. Court Administration. In 1993 he retired from the

JereRusso@ gmail.com

National Guard as a Lt. Colonel with 22 years of service. In 1994, he began 20 years as the Clerk of the U.S. District Court of South Carolina. In 2020, he and his wife Yvonne moved from Columbia to Beaufort.

– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207.

For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.

nephews, cousins, neighbors, and Unitarian friends who became part of her everyday life in the Lowcountry. Her Patsy Hunt home was a place Snipes of kitchen-table conversations, family visits, holidays, and simple kindness.

Patsy loved dancing, especially shag, cha-cha, and the soul music that could still get her feet moving. She loved mystery novels, Tweety Bird, flowers, day lilies, bulbs sprouting in pots around her house, and chocolate.

She liked to joke, “I ain’t an alcoholic, but I’m a chocoholic.”

She also had sayings her family will always remember: “Always kicking and ticking,” or “You’re on my gratitude list.” These phrases captured Patsy’s humor, spirit, and determination. She was a woman with spark, even in ordinary moments.

Patsy had a generous heart and was quick to offer a compliment. She made people feel welcome and important. Even as Alzheimer’s changed her life,

July 4

2021: The Town of Port Royal’s July 4 fireworks celebration is plagued by technical difficulties causing it to start almost two hours late and last only a few minutes. Eventually, the town would host a “do-over” on September 3.

July 5 1882: The “Dibble Plan” created one large Lowcountry District (the “Black Seventh”) to diminish the number of African American voters in other districts.

July 6 1868: After the first election under the S.C. Constitution of 1868, African Americans make up a majority of state legislators, the only state where this occurred. No other state elected as many African Americans to local, state and national offices as South Carolina during

her sweetness remained. She continued to greet loved ones with familiar questions, warm comments, and loving phrases that made each visit feel special.

One of the joys of her later years was opening her home not only to family and friends, but also to a beloved pet. When her son Shane and his husband Mark brought home their puppy Bailey in December 2020, Patsy welcomed him too, helping give him a happy start in life. That was Patsy’s way — if she had room, she shared it.

Patsy spent her final years at NHC in Bluffton, where her family was grateful for the time they had with her. Her final chapter was difficult, but her life was full of music, flowers, humor, family, and love.

Patsy was preceded in death by her husband, John Philip Snipes Sr.; her parents, Ruthie Wollard Hunt and Joseph Hunt; and her sisters, Louise and Phyllis.

She is survived by her sons, John P. Snipes, Jr. and Shane Snipes; her brother, Clifton Hunt; and extended family and

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OBITUARIES

The Island News publishes obituaries, including a photo, free of charge. Please contact theislandnews@gmail.com for more information.

friends in North Carolina and South Carolina who loved her dearly.

A celebration of Patsy’s life will be held on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2026, at 3 p.m., at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Beaufort.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, South Carolina Chapter, in honor of Patsy and all families affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Patsy will be remembered for her kindness, her humor, her love of dancing, her flowers, her chocolate, and the way she made people feel loved. And as she would say, “See ya later, alligator,” then “After while, crocodile.”

Tribute: https://tribute-to-patsy-snipes-h0xwko7.gamma.site.

the Reconstruction Era.

July 7 2020: After being deluged with 8 inches of rain during the day, Hunting Island State Park closes. The park received 12.75 inches of rain over two days. It would be more than two weeks before it reopened.

July 8 1890: The U.S. Naval base at Port Royal Sound was officially established. It would become an important staging ground for U.S. naval operations in the Caribbean and Latin America, and helped guard the port during the Spanish-American War. Through numerous changes of name and function, the base is still in operation today, as Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.

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DISCLAIMER All content of The Island News, including articles, photos, editorial content, letters, art and advertisements, are copyrighted by The Island News and Island News Publishing, LLC, 2026, all rights reserved. The Island News encourages reader submissions via email to theislandnews@gmail.com. All content submitted is considered approved for publication by the owner unless otherwise stated. The Island News is designed to inform and entertain readers and all efforts for accuracy are made.

Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Island News, its publisher or editors. The Island News reserves the right to refuse to sell advertising space, or to publish information, for any business or activity the newspaper deems inappropriate for the publication.

NEWS

Ridgeland man gets 8 years for killing pedestrian

Staff reports A Ridgeland man who struck and killed a pedestrian while driving away from the scene of a raucous party at a Shell Point residence has been sent to prison in connection with the woman’s death.

On Thursday, June 25, a Beaufort County General Sessions Court jury found Clinton Lee Anthony Brown, 41, guilty of hit and run involving death after striking and killing Redeidre Holmes with his truck. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, three years’ probation

Penn

from page A1 King Jr. Drive, once known as the Land’s End Road.

I went as a journalist -- I do have press credentials from The Island News -- but it was actually more of a homecoming for the both of us.

At one time, from 1973 until 1976, I worked at Penn Center as a lawyer who tried to unscramble convoluted land titles and otherwise address the “heirs property” pathogen that afflicted an estimated one-third of all Black-owned real estate in the South.

About the same time, Susan taught math at the all-Black middle school just across the marsh from my office.

When we walked into the Sunday School room at Faith Memorial Church that night, I realized that we knew these people. Well, it would be more accurate to say that once, 40 years ago, we knew most of these people.

We were greeted with hugs and comments like, “it’s so good to see you back. … What took you so long?”

But this crowd was unhappy, concerned about the future of this 161-year-old institution and its dedication to the promotion of Gullah history.

They were concerned, about various changes happening their community, none less troubling than the mass shooting of three local individuals in October 2025 at Willie’s Bar and Grill, right down MLK Drive from the Penn Campus.

But their concern, that night, was directed at their beloved Penn Center, in particular the annual Heritage Days Festival, a three-day event which will celebrate its 42nd anniversary on the second weekend in November.

With general concerns about spending practices at the center, a major sticking point was the Saturday

and a $10,000 fine.

“Redeidre Holmes lost her life because of a series of reckless choices by this defendant,” said Jared Shedd of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, who prosecuted the case.

“Had Mr. Brown summoned helped immediately, Ms. Holmes might still be with us. We are grateful the jury carefully considered the evidence and delivered justice.”

On Aug. 22, 2020, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and S.C. Highway Patrol officers were called to Cleveland Drive in Shell Point after receiving a report of a vehicle

striking a pedestrian.

Earlier in the evening, the Sheriff’s Office was called after a fight involving Brown broke out during a party at the home of his girlfriend, on Cleveland Drive. Holmes walked away from the party when the fight began. Several minutes later, Brown sped away in a burgundy Dodge Ram pickup truck, while officers were on the scene.

Brown struck Holmes shortly thereafter, at about 8:25 p.m.

Holmes was knocked nearly 40 feet forward into a shallow ditch parallel to the street.

The passenger-side head-

EDITOR’S NOTE Although this piece was written in the “first person,” it is a collaboration between Scott Graber and Lolita Huckaby -- in this instance Huckaby providing style and prosewith the author taking advantage of her institutional knowledge of St. Helena Island and Beaufort County.

festival parade, which for the past two years has been restricted to just one lane of U.S. 21. (Traditionally, the parade closed the road, taking up both lanes.)

Per agreement with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the S.C. Department of Transportation, which wanted to completely prohibit any closure of U.S. 21 -the only road leading on and off the sea islands including Dataw, Fripp and Hunting Island -- the parade for the past two years is allowed to use part of the state highway, but only that one lane.

This is not new information. The New York Times wrote about the route change in 2025 with a headline that said “For a distinctive Black culture, a rerouted parade feels like erasure.”

But the concerns are still there.

Gardenia Simmons-White, age 93, was one of the first speakers at the community meeting. The St. Helena native reminded those present she was educated at Penn Center school before going north to work in New York City for 40 years.

But as a former member of the Heritage Days Festival Committee, she considered changes to the parade, “hurtful.” Hurtful because the present committee working with the Penn Center administration had suggested, in a letter, while her dedication was appreciated, it might be time for her to resign.

Simmons-White was followed by Ernestine Atkins, 80, who had been chairman of the Heritage Days Festival, prefaced her remarks about changes to the Festival with memories about her childhood picking cotton and raising cucumbers and sweet potatoes on

the sea island.

The thrust of the remarks were directed at Penn Center’s Board of Trustees, a group of 11 board-selected individuals who include locals such as Port Royal Town Councilman Daryl Owens and Dr. Vashti Washington-Kimbrough, who serves as chairwoman of the Beaufort-Jasper Comprehensive Health board of directors.

But the elders are concerned about the number of board members who don’t live in the area such as Board Chairman David Yoakley Mitchell, a native of Rome, Ga., who also serves as Executive Director of the Atlanta Preservation Center and took over the board leadership in January.

The critics are concerned the majority of the board has no appreciation of what Penn Center is and was and why it is essential to celebrate its legacy. They feel their efforts to express concerns about the changes to the board are not being heard.

Responding to these concerns, Lolita Huckaby and I sat down with Penn Center’s current Executive Director Robert Adams, who was hired by the board in 2023 to replace interim director Bernie Wright.

The former interim Chief Operating Officer at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta was hired by the nonprofit board to not just continue the Penn legacy, but build its financial base.

Our mission that morning was to discuss some of those community concerns and the future of this historic landmark.

Our conversation was partially promoted by the recent

light and hood of Brown’s truck were damaged. He exited his vehicle a short distance from the spot where the collision took place but drove away without rendering aid to Holmes.

Brown told investigators he knew he hit something – a mailbox, perhaps – and called his stepfather to accompany him back to the scene. The men found Holmes facedown in the ditch, about 45 minutes after she had been struck.

Beaufort City Fire and Beaufort County EMS arrived to find Holmes uncon-

scious and in cardiac arrest.

The emergency responders administered CPR and transported her to Beaufort Memorial Hospital. However, she was pronounced dead upon arrival. A forensic pathologist from the Medical University of South Carolina determined Holmes died of blunt force trauma to the head, neck and torso.

Highway Patrol’s MAIT collision-investigation team determined Brown was driving 23 to 28 mph, exceeding the posted speed limit of 20 mph. He also was driving without a license.

Shedd called 16 witnesses during two days of testimony at the Beaufort County Courthouse, including a toxicologist from the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division, and officers from the S.C. Highway Patrol, Port Royal Police Department and Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

The jury could not reach a verdict on a separate charge of driving under the influence resulting in death.

Circuit Court Judge Carmen T. Mullen handed down the sentence.

Shedd has worked for the Solicitor’s Office since 2019.

news that the International African American Museum in Charleston which opened to great fanfare in 2023, is temporarily furloughing employees because of funding issues, a problem that has plagued Penn Center for much of its history.

When we raised the subject of the Heritage Days parade, and the concerns of those who had been involved with the organization for years, Adams reminded us he met Sheriff P.J. Tanner multiple times trying to work out a compromise route.

He acknowledged that some critics consider that a compromise was a capitulation.

Adams does not apologize for what he worked out but expressed disappointment that some see this as defeat.

The former “military brat” stressed he was well aware criticism comes with this job.

“But I love a challenge, … and I believe in doing the right thing,” he said.

Board Chairman Mitchell, who joined us for the discussion, was less circumspect and suggested a focus, instead, on the Board’s obligations to maintain the 50-acre campus.

For example, he noted he’s often asked about the future of the former Gullah House motel and Bella Luna restaurant buildings situated on Sea Island Parkway, now vacant buildings which are owned by the Center.

Under Adams administration, a survey of property assets has been compiled and the future of those buildings, like other properties, are part of a developing large-range plan.

“We’ve got a lot of issues we’ve asked Dr. Adams to tackle,” Mitchell stressed.

In addition to those realities, he said the board and Adams have to focus on finding a meaningful purpose in a world that had profoundly changed since Penn Center’s founding by northern missionaries as a school for freed slaves in

1862.

Mitchell talked about the fact that Penn Center started out as a primary educational facility then made a course correction into trades.

Between 1963 and 67, the campus was used as a retreat for Martin Luther King Jr. and planning platform for his famous March on Washington.

He stressed Penn Center has a history of changing course when a change was required. As an example, the center’s collaboration with the Peace Corps in the 1960’s as a training center and more recently with the U.S. National Park Service as part of Beaufort County’s Reconstruction Era National Park, illustrate the efforts to preserve and present the Gullah Geechee culture.

He noted molding a mission that recognizes change is occurring, with Penn Center representatives working with county planners in the 1990s on the idea of a cultural overlay district to protect the rural St. Helena Island.

Penn Center staged workshops that helped document the five-acre tomato farms, praise houses, cemeteries and cultural assets that made St. Helena distinctive and worthy of a planning designation where these assets would be protected.

When the possibility of the development of neighboring Pine Island as a gated, golf-course community entered the county conversation, Penn Center’s interests in protecting the culture were represented by Adams at meeting after meeting.

Indeed, Penn Center joined the Coastal Conservation League and Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition to intervene in the lawsuit supporting Beaufort County as its zoning for the island is being challenged in federal court.

Adams, you can tell, likes to talk about the various new projects being undertaken at the center.

Students from several colleges have participated in

the Penn Scholar Research residency where they learn the challenges of preserving building.

The list of collaborations is impressive. A partnership with the University of Georgia’s Wilson Center for Humanities and the Arts is being funded by the Mellon Foundation.

A program to focus on farming has been funded by a partnership with the Nina Simone Project.

Adams has also been working with the county Economic Development Corporation to develop a Geechee Cultural Center and entrepreneurial market, which has already received a $1 million grant from the state for purchase of property.

His staff, in addition to running a museum and guided walking tours of the campus, have also organized a summer music concert series, community sings, a summer youth camp and workshops on issues such as the importance of wills.

While Adams and his board of trustees work to steer the Penn Center future into a national and international example of unique cultures dealing with change, it seems the loyalty and devotion of those who kept the Penn Center spirit alive over the years, has to be recognized as part of that direction.

Lolita Huckaby contributed to this report.

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

Lolita Huckaby Watson is a community volunteer and newspaper columnist. In her former role as a reporter with The Beaufort Gazette, The Savannah Morning News, Bluffton Today and Beaufort Today, she prided herself in trying to stay neutral and unbiased. As a columnist, these are her opinions. Her goal is to be factual but opinionated, based on her own observations. Feel free to contact her at bftbay@gmail.com.

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NEWS

Georgia felony charges filed against Beaufort County communications manager

Laura Fanelli remains jailed in Georgia as Beaufort County places her on unpaid administrative leave pending investigation

By Delayna Earley The Island News Beaufort County Communications Manager Laura Fanelli is facing two felony charges in Georgia after being arrested June 22 on a fugitive warrant, according to court and jail records.

According to Beaufort County Detention Center records, Fanelli was arrested by the Beaufort Police Department at approximately 3:55 p.m. June 22, 2026, on a fugitive from justice warrant issued from Georgia. She was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center, where she remained until June 27.

Records from the Newton County Sheriff's Office in Georgia show

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morial Bridge will be closed to both vehicle traffic and marine navigation, including tugs and tugs with tows, from 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. Saturday, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Motorists traveling between Beaufort and Port Royal during that time should plan alternate routes or allow additional travel time.

During and following the Firecracker 5K, the downtown celebration continues with the Community Freedom Fest at the Waterfront park, hosted by the City of Beaufort.

Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy a funfilled morning of patriotic celebration featuring family-friendly activities, games, a kids DJ and community organizations.

The festivities kick off at 9 a.m., with the Kids & Family Parade. Participants are encouraged to decorate their bikes, wagons, strollers, and more in red, white,

Laura Fanelli Fanelli was booked into the Newton County Detention Center at approximately 12:19 p.m. June 27.

As of Tuesday morning, June 30, she remained in custody. Jail records did not list a bond as of Tuesday morning.

Court records filed in Newton County Superior Court show the State of Georgia initiated an unindicted felony case against Fanelli on June 29. She is charged with one count of felony theft by deception and one count of computer theft. Both charges stem from an alleged offense date of April 1.

The court records indicate felony warrants were received by the Superior Court on June 29. The case has been assigned to Judge W. Kendall Wynne Jr. and remains pending. Because the case has not yet been presented to a grand jury, it is currently listed as unindicted.

Beaufort County Public Information Officer Hannah Nichols confirmed Tuesday that, effective Monday, June 22, Fanelli was placed on administrative leave without pay pending the results of an investigation.

Nichols said the county's employment action is administrative and noted that individuals charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Fanelli joined Beaufort County in September 2020 after previously serving as communications manager for Newton County, Georgia.

As Beaufort County's communications manager, she oversees the county's public information office, serves as the county's primary

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO -- SATURDAY, JULY 4 HELP of Beaufort Firecracker 5K • When: Saturday, July 4 • Time: 8 a.m.

• Where: Begins at Bay and Newcastle streets in downtown Beaufort Woods Memorial Bridge Closure • Closed to vehicle and marine traffic from 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. for the Firecracker 5K. Community Freedom Fest • When: Saturday, July 4 • Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Where: Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, downtown Beaufort • Kids & Family Parade, family-friendly activities, games, a kids DJ Port Royal Fourth of July Celebration • Where: The Sands • Noon: DJ Kev on the Beach and select vendors • 3 p.m.: Food vendors open • 8 p.m.: U.S. Marine Corps Band • Dusk: Fireworks Yemassee Independence Day Celebration • Where: Veterans Memorial Park and Train Station • Time: 7 to 9 p.m.

• Community parade, music, food and fireworks at 9 p.m.

Salute From the Shore • Military flyover expected over the Beaufort coastline around 1:30 p.m.

Hilton Head Shelter Cove HarbourFest • Free shuttle service operates from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. from HHI Community Church to Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina.

and blue and join the parade as it travels from 500 Carteret Street to Waterfront Park. To participate, regis-

ter at https://form.jotform. com/261475583021152.

For many families, the day will end in Port Royal, where

spokesperson and manages communications with residents, elected officials, county departments and news organizations.

Just weeks after joining Beaufort County, Fanelli was placed on paid administrative leave after thousands of tweets from an account attributed to her surfaced publicly. The posts, many of which predated her county employment, included profanity and commentary on politics, race, religion and the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting public criticism and an internal investigation.

County officials ultimately concluded the posts did not violate county policy because they were made before Fanelli's employment with Beaufort County. She returned to work following the investigation and remained the county's communications manager.

The Island News submitted multiple requests to the Beaufort Police Department seeking the incident report, arrest warrant and

the town's annual Fourth of July celebration at The Sands remains one of the area's most popular Independence Day traditions.

Festivities will begin at noon with DJ Kev on the Beach and select vendors, followed by additional food vendors opening at 3 p.m.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, families can enjoy children's activities, live entertainment and a performance by the U.S. Marine Corps Band at 8 p.m. before fireworks light up the Beaufort River at dusk.

Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and bring chairs or blankets. Parking is expected to fill quickly, and traffic entering and leaving Port Royal will likely be heavy before and after the fireworks display.

Farther west, the Town of Yemassee will host its own Independence Day celebration from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park and the Train Station.

The event will feature music, food, family activities, guest speakers, a community parade and a fireworks display beginning at 9 p.m.

The parade welcomes

additional information regarding Fanelli's June 22 arrest, including the circumstances surrounding the fugitive warrant. Those requests had not been acknowledged as of Tuesday morning.

Requests for comment were also submitted to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Neither agency had responded as of Tuesday morning.

The publicly available court records identify the charges against Fanelli but do not describe the facts investigators allege support them. The Island News has requested copies of the warrants and related court documents and will update this story as additional information becomes available.

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.

walkers, wagons, bicycles, tricycles, scooters and golf carts, giving families an opportunity to participate in the celebration. Trucks and passenger vehicles will not be permitted in the parade.

Residents spending the holiday at Hunting Island, Fripp Island or other area beaches may also be able to catch the annual Salute From the Shore military flyover. The annual tribute is expected to pass the Beaufort coastline around 1 p.m., featuring military aircraft flying the length of South Carolina's coast to honor active-duty service members, veterans and their families.

Those traveling to Hilton Head Island for Shelter Cove HarbourFest should also plan ahead. Fireworks at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina will begin after dark, weather permitting. A free shuttle will operate continuously from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., from HHI Community Church, 860 William Hilton Parkway, to Shelter Cove Harbour. Organizers are also encouraging attendees to bike or walk when possible and reminding pedestrians and cyclists traveling

from Palmetto Dunes to use the pedestrian underpass beneath U.S. 278.

As families prepare for the holiday weekend, local officials are encouraging residents and visitors to celebrate safely by staying hydrated, using sunscreen, supervising children around fireworks and allowing extra travel time as thousands of people are expected to attend celebrations throughout the county.

Organizers are encouraging residents to arrive early for events, prepare for warm weather and expect increased traffic throughout the day, especially around the Firecracker 5K, Port Royal's evening fireworks and other popular holiday celebrations. Most events are free and open to the public.

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.

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF APPLICATION Notice is hereby given that DVVY Group LLC dba Cafe al Dente intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license and/or permit that will allow the sale and on-premises consumption of beer, wine, and/or liquor at is 303 Parkside Commons, Building D, Space 3 in New Riverside, Bluffton SC, 29910. To object to the issuance of this license and/ or permit, you must submit Form ABL-20, postmarked no later than July 23, 2026. Submit protests online at MyDORWAY.dor.sc.gov, or email ABL@dor.sc.gov.

NOTICE OF APPLICATION To all persons claiming an interest in: 2009-18'-MCKEE CRAFT-MKCV8211E809 JOSEPH BRUNN will apply to SCDNR for title on watercraft/outboard motor. If you have any claim to the watercraft/ outboard motor, contact SCDNR at (803) 734-3699. Upon thirty days after the date of the last advertisement if no claim of interest is made and the watercraft/outboard motor has not been reported stolen, SCR shall issue clear title.

Case No: 20251022950823 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF BEAUFORT IN THE PROBATE COURT FOURTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT CASE NO 2026-ES-07- 00487 IN RE: ESTATE OF FRED JONES MARY FRANCES HARRIS A/K/A MAE HARRIS, Petitioner vs.

Mary Frances Harris A/K/A Mae Harris And The Heirs At Law Of Fred Jones, if living; and if not living, then the heirs or devisees of all such persons named above; and all persons unknown having or claiming to have any right, title, interest in or lien upon the real property described in the Complaint herein, being designated collectively as JOHN DOE and MARY ROE; including all persons who may be deceased, minors, in the Armed Forces of the United States, Non-Compos Mentis, and who may be under any other disability, who might have or claim to have any right, title, estate, interest in or lien upon the real property described in the Complaint herein.

SUMMONS TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Petition in this action to determine the heirs-at-law of Fred Jones, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your Answer to the Petition on the Petitioner’s undersigned Attorney at Heritage Law Firm, PC, 1011 Bay Street, Suite 2B, Beaufort, South Carolina, 29902, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof, exclusive of the day of such service. If you fail to answer the Petition within the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Petition.

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JULY 2-JULY 8, 2026

PLACE YOUR LEGAL NOTICE HERE Please contact ads. theislandnews@gmail.com for more information on placing your legal notice in The Island News.

NOTICE TO UNKNOWN RESPONDENTS, MINORS, PERSONS IN THE ARMED FORCES INSANE PERSONS UNDER ANY DISABILITY: TO THE RESPONDENTS NAMED ABOVE: And to any thereof that may be residents or non-residents of South Carolina, and to the natural, general, testamentary or other guardian or committee thereof, and to the person with whom they reside or whom they may be employed, if any there be, and to all other Respondents who whereabouts cannot be ascertained. TAKE NOTICE, that the Summons, Petition, Order Appointing Guardian ad Litem, Order of Publication, and Notice to Respondents Including Persons Unknown, Minors, Incompetents, and Disability were filed in the Office of the Probate Court of Beaufort County, South Carolina on May 5, 2026, and on June 2, 2026, Jodie A. Borger, Esquire, was appointed Guardian ad Litem, her appointment to become absolute thirty (30) days after the service of the Summons.

NOTICE OF HEARING TO DETERMINE HEIRS-AT-LAW OF FRED JONES: TO THE RESPONDENTS ABOVENAMED: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 10:30 am at Beaufort County Probate Court, Beaufort County Courthouse, 100 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, South Carolina, for the purpose of determining the Heirs-at-Law of the Estate of Fred Jones. This action was commenced by the Petitioner on April 28, 2026 at the Beaufort County Probate Court to have the Probate Court declare that Mary Frances Harris A/K/A Mae Harris is the sole Heir-at-Law of Fred Jones upon his death on May 29, 2000. Any objections to the Petitioner’s right to commence this action, as the current owner of real property that was owned by Fred Jones at the time of his death, or to Petitioner’s prayer for relief declaring the aforementioned person to have been the sole Heir-at-Law of Fred Jones must be filed with the Beaufort County Probate Court on or before Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 10:30 am, or advanced in person at the scheduled hearing.

HERITAGE LAW FIRM, PC Cherese T. Handy, Esq. S.C. Bar #103184 1011 Bay Street, Suite 2B Beaufort, South Carolina 29902 (843) 894-6998 Phone (843) 962-5100 Fax chandy@heritage-firm.com ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER Beaufort, South Carolina June 9, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES All persons having claims against the following estates, MUST file their claims on FORM #371 ES with the Probate court of Beaufort County, the address of which is 102 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902, within eight (8) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice to Creditors or within one (1) year from date of death, whichever is earlier (SCPC 62-3-801, et seq.), or such persons shall be forever barred at to their claims. All claims are required to be presented in written statements on the prescribed form (FORM #371 ES) indicating the name and address of the claimant, the basis of the claim, the amount claimed, the date when the claim will become due, the nature of any uncertainty as to the claim, and a description of any security as to the claim.

DECEDENT

PERSONAL PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE

PUB. DATE PUB. DATE

PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE

PUB. DATE

JosephLeeFrank Anastasia Gary Joines 05/17/2025 Date of Death: 10/14/2025 2025ES0700899 Case Number: 2026ES0700643

Elisa O’Connor Daniel Joines 16 William Pope Drive, Ste.Suite 202 222 C/O 222 West Coleman Blvd.., Bluffton, SC 29909 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

08/21/2025 06/18/2026

Frederick Ray Liles Harold Francis Hawkins Jr. Date of Death: 07/05/2025 4/9/2026 Case Number: 2025ES0700943 2026ES0700650

Melaine S.Hawkins Smith Timothy POPinckney Box 1107 Colony Road, Suite 400 C/O 10 Beaufort,SCSC29909 29901 Bluffton,

08/28/2025 06/25/2026

Jerry Joseph Dittle Evelyn M Kalmbach Date of Death: Death:03/01/2025 4/9/2026 2025ES0700903 Case Number: 2026ES0700560

Lori R. Cullen Gordon Kalmbach C/O P.O. 16 William Pope Drive, Ste. 202 BOX 3435 29909 Bluffton, SC 29910

08/21/2025 06/18/2026

Alan JoelJohn Michaelson; AKACharles Alan J. Michaelson Charles McOuat AKA J. McOuat Date of Death: 06/29/2025 4/29/2026 Case Number: 2025ES0700944 2026ES0700652

Catherine Grubell Robert McOuat C/O P.O. 16 William Pope Dr., Ste. 202 Box 5098 Bluffton, SC 29909 Hilton Head Island, SC 29938

08/28/2025 06/25/2026

Marguerite AnnePartridge Ford Jr Richard James 07/01/2025 Date of Death: 6/4/2026 2025ES0700906 Case Number: 2026ES0700632

08/21/2025 06/18/2026

John Edward Miracle;Pizarro AKA John E. Miracle Marisol Hernandez Date of Death: 04/05/2025 2/2/2026 Case Number: 2025ES0700932 2026ES0700646

Geraldine G. Miracle Linda R. Tsien PO Church Box 5098 C/O 115 Street Hilton HeadSCIsland, Charleston, 29401SC 29938

08/28/2025 06/25/2026

Anna Maria Wilhelmina La Haije Dorothy Ridgeway Rucker 07/21/2025 Date of Death: 3/9/2026 2025ES0700892 Case Number: 2026ES0700637

MichaelHRalph Ford Ronald Partridge C/O PO Box Michelle Lynn5098 Green Hilton Island, SC 29938 C/O P.O.Head BOX 2358 Beaufort, SC 29901 Helma Franisca Linda R Akins Cap 17 Brams Point Rd. C/O P.O. BOX 22230 29926 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925

08/21/2025 06/18/2026

Raymond Carl Pettersen Terri L. Rodney-Brown Date of Death: 06/09/2025 12/29/2025 Case Number: 2025ES0700929 2026ES0700655

08/28/2025 06/25/2026

Rita MarieSmith O’Brien Herman Jr 07/25/2025 Date of Death: 2/18/2026 2025ES0700913 Case Number: 2026ES0700451

John M. O’Brien, Jr. Jaqueline Jones Smith PO Drawer C/O P.O. DRAWER1107 1107 Beaufort SC 29901 Beaufort,

08/21/2025 06/18/2026

CynthiaM.K.Rodney-Brown Hutcheson Coleen Christina Lesher C/O JolleyR.Law Group, P.O. Box 22230 C/O 10 Head Hospital Center Commons, Ste. 400 Hilton Island, SC 29925 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 Jennifer Smart Edward Harry1727 Tobergte C/O P.O. BOX C/O PO BoxSC7906 Beaufort, 29901 Hilton Head Island, SC 29938 David Sutcliffe Louise C/O P.O.Brunson BOX 2358 C/O PO Drawer 1107 Beaufort, SC 29901 Beaufort, SC 29901 Thomas E. Cope, Jr. LisaBirdsong Brien Way, Apt. B-201 63 C/O POHead Drawer 1107 SC 29926 Hilton Island, Beaufort, SC 29901 Robert Scott Cushing ClaraP.O. Marie C/O BOXEmerson 21668 C/O POHead Box 3435 Hilton Island, SC 29925 Bluffton, SC 29910 Ralph Rainer Dammel Daniel 641 HillGene FarmFitzgerald Lane 27187 Chippendale Ter. Springfield, PA 19064 Salisbury, MD 21801 Lisa Gefen Sicilian William Myers3435 Hoffer, II C/O P.O. BOX C/O 2015 Boundary Bluffton, SC 29910 St., #227 Beaufort, SC 29902 Susanne Hart Melissa L. Davis Center, 1 Corpus Christi Place #112 C/O 112 Executive C/O POHead Drawer 1107 SC 29928 Hilton Island, Beaufort, SC 29901 Alexander M. Heinrich Matthew J. Lieser C/O P.O. BOX 5925 C/O 112Head Executive Hilton Island,Center SC 29938 1 Corpus Christi Place, #112 Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 Ronald E. Crider C/O 1533 Fording Island Road, Suite 294 JaneseHead W. Davis Hilton Island, SC 29926 180 Pearl Davis Road Springfield, John Forbes GA 31329 C/O P.O. DRAWER 1107 R. Willis Post Beaufort, SC 29901 C/O 17 Professional Village Beaufort, SC 29907 James F. Holland C/O PO Box 7906 Hilton Head Island, SC 29938

09/04/2025

Deborah F. Kopp C/O PO Drawer 1023 Beaufort, SC 29901

09/04/2025

Marilyn Kolbe Olsen June Marie Stevenson 05/30/2025 Date of Death: 10/4/2025 2025ES0700733 Case Number: 2026ES0700302 Robert A.Stewart Parham, Ronald Sr Jr. 07/09/2025 Date of Death: 3/1/2026 Case Number: 2026ES0700633 2025ES0700912 WilliamCasler M. Roberson, Dennis Tool Jr. 05/20/2025 Date of Death: 3/25/2026 2025ES0700645 Case Number: 2026ES0700626 AndrewDawn Gerard Laura CarrSchiavone, III Date of Death: 2/18/2026 06/09/2025 2025ES0700751 Case Number: 2026ES0700647 RonaldAlan GeneCooke Tune David 06/30/2025 Date of Death: 5/11/2025 2025ES0700914 Case Number: 2026ES0700255 Melva Yvette Jean Shelton Amya Fields Wheeler 07/16/2025 Date of Death: 1/18/2026 2025ES0700893 Case Number: 2026ES0700662 Charles Fain WilliamsAKA Dorothy Jackson Graham Dorothy A. Graham 07/23/2025 Date of Death: 1/6/2026 2025ES0700889 Case Number: 2026ES0700649 DonaldHoward SimeonGrove Zuidema; AKA Donald S. Zuidema Eileen 04/29/2025 Date of Death: 5/14/2026 2025ES0700904 Case Number: 2026ES0700658 Patricia Francis Thomas RichardCrocco Hahn 07/29/2025 Date of Death: 3/22/2026 2025ES0700931 Case Number: 2026ES0700659 Charles Oliver Golson III Date of Death: 09/28/2024 Case Number: 2024ES0701357 Gladys Kline Legare Date of Death: 04/27/2025 Case Number: 2025ES0700933

DECEDENT DECEDENT

James Simmons Patricia Ann Wilson Date of Death: 9/4/2025 Date Death: 2025ES0701082 07/12/2025 Case of Number: Case Number: 2025ES0700916 Connie L. Olsen 08/21/2025 Lynn Marie Stratton 06/18/2026 Sandra P. Boggess 112 Executive Mary Grey Boatwright C/O P.O. BOX 2358 Center Date of Death: 5/22/2026 1 Corpus Christi Place, #112 Date Death: 2026ES0700692 08/04/2025 Beaufort, SC 29901 Case of Number: Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 Case Number: 2025ES0700963 V. Alex Dorobantu 08/21/2025 Marilyn Stewart 06/18/2026 Nancy H. Cope 1110 Pick Francis Brien; AKA Francis C. Brien 14C/OBligen LanePocket Plantation Dr. Ste. A Date ofCharles Death: 2/22/2026 Beaufort, SC 29902 Date Death: 2026ES0700613 07/11/2025 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 Case of Number: Case Number: 2025ES0700946 Lacey Michelle Godec 08/21/2025 Susan Wise Walker 06/18/2026 Robert Markus Corille Cushing PO Drawer 1023 Plantation Drive Arthur Emerson C/O 1110-A Pick Pocket Date ofAndrew Death: 7/10/2025 29901 Date Death: 2026ES0700693 07/27/2025 Beaufort, SC 29902 Case of Number: Case Number: 2025ES0700956 MelissaWilliam M. Schiavone 08/21/2025 Patrick Carr 06/25/2026 Barbara Maria Dammel C/O 1917 PO Drawer 1107 Ervin Fitzgerald Lovejoy Street Date ofGene Death: 5/17/2026 29901 Date Death: 2026ES0700675 12/24/2024 Beaufort, SC 29902 Case of Number: Case Number: 2025ES0700948 Rodney A.KaySchaake 08/21/2025 Deborah Cooke 06/25/2026 Sheila B. Gefen PO Box Robin C/O P.O. BOX22230 313 Date ofRaines Death:Hoffer 5/4/2026 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925 Date Death: 2026ES0700671 04/27/2025 Bluffton, SC 29910 Case of Number: Case Number: 2025ES0700964 Teresa Lynn Anthony 08/21/2025 Tymaine Fields 06/25/2026 Frank L. Hart PO Box Stanley M. Lawson C/O P.O. Box 7906 1538 Date of Death: 5/6/2026 Hilton Head SC 29938 Date Death: 2026ES0700585 06/21/2025 Beaufort, SC Island, 29901-2478 Case of Number: Case Number: 2025ES0700961 Laura AnnGraham Richardson 08/21/2025 Elizabeth 06/25/2026 Frank A. Heinrich, Jr. 2662 Broad Street Joe Lieser 42 Marsh Drive DateWilliam of Death: 1/20/2026 29902 Date Death: 2026ES0700686 07/12/2025 Beaufort, SC 29907 Case of Number: Case Number: 2025ES0700857 Marianne Zuidema 08/21/2025 Kay K. Carver 06/25/2026 Nancy Jean O’Mara C/O Adrienne 3404 Salterbeck 760 Way Street, Ste. 204 Date of Death: 5/31/2026 Mt. Pleasant, 29466 Larry Cecil Millender The Villages, FLSC32163 Case Number: 2026ES0700691 Date of Death: 02/19/2025 John F.S.Crocco 08/28/2025 Case Number: 2025ES0700974 Carrie Hahn 06/25/2026 Thomas J. Rudasics PO Box C/O P.O. 118 Box 22230 Date of Death: 3/19/2026 Southport, 06890SC 29925 Suzanne Rekate2026ES0700690 Post Hilton HeadCTIsland, Case Number: Date of Death: 07/21/2025 Heather R. Galvin, 08/28/2025 Probate Judge, Beaufort Nancy L. Golson Case Number: 2025ES0700962 County, SC C/O 16 William Pope Dr., Ste. 202 Bluffton, SC 29909 Kelly Lynn Sullivan Date of Death: 07/21/2025 Charisse Parker 08/28/2025 Case Number: 2025ES0700954 C/O PO Box 2478 Beaufort, SC 29901-2478 James Franklin Willard Date of Death: 07/02/2025 Case Number: 2025ES0700957

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NEWS

SLED: 2022 investigation involving Rep. Michael Rivers remains active

FOIA response reveals state agency has not completed firearm investigation more than four years after alleged incident

By Delayna Earley The Island News A South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigation involving State Rep. Michael Rivers remains active more than four years after the alleged incident, according to a response to a Freedom of Information Act request obtained by The Island News.

The response, dated June 25, came after The Island News requested records related to the 2022 investigation, including the complete investigative file and any records reflecting the disposition of the matter.

In denying the request, SLED Deputy General Counsel Paul Ahearn said the agency could not provide records documenting the

outcome of the case because no such records currently exist.

"Be advised that SLED does not possess a 'complete investigative file and any records reflecting the disposition of the matter' at this time since this case remains active and ongoing," Ahearn wrote.

"Therefore, SLED cannot produce something that does not yet exist and your request is denied."

Ahearn added that The Island News may check with the agency periodically regarding the status of the investigation and that SLED will provide responsive, non-exempt public records "at the appropriate time."

The investigation stems from a Sept. 14, 2022, incident on Seaside Road on St. Helena Island, where the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office responded to what deputies described as a disturbance involving a property dispute. According to the incident report, Clifford Huff and Sandra Mack-Huff told deputies Rivers became angry during an argument over land ownership, retrieved a handgun

from his vehicle, cocked it and pointed it at Huff. Both told deputies they wished to pursue criminal charges.

Deputies classified the case as aggravated assault and identified Rivers as the suspect before transferring the investigation to SLED because Rivers was serving as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. The report also shows investigators conducted follow-up interviews, attempted to contact Rivers by telephone, preserved phone records related to the investigation and ultimately referred the case to SLED for further investigation.

Although Ahearn's response does not explain why the investigation remains open, it confirms no final disposition has been reached.

The status of the 2022 investigation has taken on renewed significance following a second allegation involving Rivers earlier this month.

On June 10, SLED Public Information Officer Renée Wunderlich

confirmed the agency had opened a separate investigation after the Colleton County Sheriff's Office requested SLED investigate allegations that Rivers pointed a handgun at Oliver Francis, the uncle of Democratic House District 121 nominee Shannon DeLoach.

According to records obtained

by The Island News, Francis alleged Rivers pointed a handgun at him during a confrontation outside the Green Pond Community Center while the location was serving as a polling place during the June 9 Democratic primary election. The Colleton County Sheriff's Office classified the incident as aggravated assault before referring the investigation to SLED because it involved a sitting state legislator.

The similarities between the two investigations are notable.

Both stem from allegations that Rivers pointed a handgun during a dispute, both were initially investigated as aggravated assault cases by local law enforcement agencies, and both were ultimate-

ly referred to SLED because Rivers was serving as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.

No charges have been announced in either investigation.

The June 25 FOIA response marks the first confirmation received by The Island News that the 2022 investigation remains active. While the newspaper had previously obtained the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office incident report documenting the referral to SLED, the agency had not publicly confirmed the status of its investigation until responding to the FOIA request.

The Island News will continue monitoring both investigations and will request additional records as they become available.

Habitat will be installing handicap accessible ramps for qualifying residents aged 50 plus in the Bluffton area. To be considered for a ramp, residents should call Habitat’s Bluffton administrative office at 843-681-5864 for an application.

“We are incredibly proud that AARP selected us for this investment to help make our community more livable for residents of all ages,” said Brenda Dooley, Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry’s CEO. “AARP is a national

from the National Procurement Institute (NPI).

“After 29 years of public service in procurement, I am incredibly proud of the Procurement Services Department staff for their dedication, professionalism, and hard Beaufort County work in earning this prestigious Procurement recognition,” Beaufort County ProDepartment receives curement Director Dave Thomas said in a media release. “Being award Beaufort County has been honored by the National Procureawarded the 2026 Achievement of ment Institute with the 2026 Excellence in Procurement Award Achievement of Excellence in Pro-

curement Award is a testament to their commitment to excellence and outstanding service.”

The award, designed to recognize organizational excellence in public procurement, is earned by those organizations that demonstrate excellence by obtaining a high score based on criteria designed to measure innovation, professionalism, productivity, e-procurement, and leadership attributes of the procurement organization.

– Staff reports

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.

NEWS BRIEFS Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry receives AARP Community Challenge grant

Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry has been selected to receive a 2026 AARP Community Challenge grant, one of 750 out of 5,100 applicants from across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

With this quick-action grant,

leader in supporting communities to become more livable, and we are honored they recognize the value and impact this project will bring to our area.”

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to Beaufort Memorial Pulmonary Specialists Beaufort Memorial has added

Brooke Cox, PA-C, a board-

certified physician assistant, to its Pulmonary Specialists

Investment and Insurance Products:

practice in Beaufort, expanding access to specialized lung care for Lowcountry residents.

She treats patients with a range of pulmonary conditions, and has a particular clinical interest in complex diseases such as interstitial lung disease.

A Virginia native, Cox holds a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Emory

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& Henry University and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She developed an early interest in healthcare through her own experiences growing up, which inspired her to pursue a career in medicine.

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Katie C. Phifer, CFP®, CDFA®, RICP® Financial Advisor, Senior Vice President – Investment Officer

providers offering comprehensive respiratory care, with expertise in diagnosing and managing a wide range of lung conditions and

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Correspondence: 400 Merchant St. Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 689-6700

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At the practice she joins a dedicated team of board-certified

delivering advanced critical care services to patients in both outpatient settings and the Beaufort Memorial Intensive Care Unit.

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Cox joins board-certified nurse practitioner Risa Linford and board-certified physicians The use of CDFA® designation does not permit Wells Fargo Advisors or its Financial Advisors to provide legal advice, nor is it meant to imply that the firm or its associates are acting as experts in this field.

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Drs. Spenser Staub, Andrew Stevens and John P. Krcmarik at the practice.

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JULY 2-JULY 8,, 2026

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NEWS

Jared Madison meets community

Experience the joy of worship with St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Sunday Services 9:00 AM | 11:00 AM *Nursery & Children’s Sunday School at 11:00 AM

Wednesday’s Service

Hope & Healing Service at 12:00 PM

FOR MORE DETAILS: VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR LIKE US ON FACEBOOK www.stmarksportroyal.org www.facebook.com/stmarksportroyal

Beaufort City Council candidate Jared Madison speaks with community members at Shell Ring AleWorks on Thursday, June 26, 2026, during the Voter Registration Night & Meet the Candidate event. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

1004 11th Street Port Royal, SC

Hower wins Republican primary runoff for County Council District 5

Growth, development, infrastructure dominated campaign

By Delayna Earley The Island News Joshua Hower won the Republican primary runoff for Beaufort County Council's District 5 seat Tuesday, defeating Mary Jeans Otto and securing a place on the November general election ballot.

Hower received roughly 61% of the vote, compared to approximately 39%, for Otto.

A total of 1,250 ballots were cast in the runoff election.

With the victory, Hower becomes the Republican nominee for the open District 5 seat and will face Democrat Lynn Gerson in the Nov. 3 general election.

The runoff was required after neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the June 9 Republican primary. Hower led that contest with 822 votes, or 40.5%, while Otto received 677 votes, or 33.4%.

Joe Maiorano finished third with 529 votes, forcing a second round of voting.

The District 5 seat is open following the decision by longtime County Councilman Joseph Passiment not to seek reelection.

The district includes portions of the greater Okatie area, including communities east of Fording Island Road and S.C. 170. Growth, traffic congestion, development, infrastructure and government transparency emerged as dominant issues throughout the campaign.

Hower, an Okatie resident and president of the Malind Bluff Homeowners Association, campaigned on responsible growth, infrastructure planning, government transparency and fiscal accountability. During the primary campaign, he argued the county must invest in infrastructure ahead of future development rather than reacting after growth

has already occurred.

Following his victory, Hower thanked supporters and said the outcome reflected voters' desire for engaged leadership.

"Last night you sent a clear message: you want leadership that shows up, listens, and fights for the Lowcountry we love," Hower wrote in a statement posted to social media. "I am humbled and honored by your trust, and I will carry it with me every single day."

Hower thanked volunteers and supporters across the district and said he intends to continue campaigning for the general election in the same manner that carried him through the primary and runoff.

"November is the next step, and I intend to earn every vote between now and then, the same way we've done it from the beginning," Hower wrote. "One conversation at a time."

Otto, a real estate broker and former tax researcher, centered her campaign on slowing development, improving infrastructure and protecting wetlands and rural character. She advocated for a temporary moratorium on new development until roads and other infrastructure can catch up with growth.

The race also drew countywide attention because of the involvement of a SuperPAC, the first known effort of its kind in a Beaufort County Council election cycle. The committee spent money on digital and print advertising supporting five County Council candidates while also funding advertisements opposing several of their opponents. In the District 5 race, some of those advertisements targeted Otto.

Hower publicly distanced himself from the PAC during the campaign, saying he did not support the effort, did not know who was behind it and had not sought its backing.

While the PAC backed five County Council candi-

dates during the election cycle, Hower was the only candidate supported by the committee to advance to the November ballot.

Otto said Tuesday night she was grateful for the support she received during her first run for public office despite the outcome.

"I'm just so grateful for everyone that showed up to vote for me. I'm actually grateful for everyone that showed up to vote," Otto said. "We didn't win, and hopefully going forward everyone will keep the county in mind and do what's in the best interest of the county."

Otto said she viewed the campaign as a positive experience and encouraged others to consider running for office.

"I had a really good time doing this," she said.

"Through the bad and the good, it was just a really good time. I met a bunch of people that were just fantastic that I would have never met before. A lot of people came out and supported me.

It really was a lot of fun."

Otto also pointed to the broader County Council election results, noting that most candidates who were not supported by the PAC were successful.

"One loss is no big deal.

Four losses would have been a big deal," she said.

Otto remained critical of the PAC's involvement, saying anonymous political spending raises concerns about transparency.

"We just got to keep that money out of here because they're up to no good," Otto said. "If this was a super PAC that wanted wetlands protected, that would be something you would advertise. When you're hiding, what are you hiding?"

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.

NEWS BRIEFS Lions Club Pancake Breakfast set for July 18

a.m., Saturday, July 18, at Sea Island Presbyterian Church at 81 Lady's Island Drive in Beaufort.

The menu includes pancakes, waffles, biscuits and The Beaufort Lions Club gravy, scrambled eggs, sauPancake Breakfast Fundrais- sage, coffee, tea, and juice. er is being held from 8 to 11 To order tickets online

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JULY 2-JULY 8, 2026

or make a donation, visit https://beaufort-lions-club. square.site/.

For more information, email beaufortlionsclub@ gmail.com, or follow the Beaufort Lions Club on Facebook/instagram/Nextdoor.

– Staff reports

Join Us for Sunday Morning Worship at 8:30 & 10:30 81 Lady’s Island Drive Pastor Steve Keeler (843) 525-0696 seaislandpresbyterian.org

NEWS

Retired Navy admiral, Charleston attorney advance in SC’s 1st District runoff

In 2 narrow races, Jenny Costa Honeycutt, Nancy Lacore won their parties’ nominations to replace Nancy Mace

By Skyler Laird SCDailyGazette.com ACOLUMBIA — In the state’s most competitive congressional race, a former chief of the Navy Reserve and a Charleston County councilwoman will face off for the coastal 1st District in November.

In Tuesday’s runoff election, Jenny Costa Honeycutt, an attorney, clinched the Republican nomination over state Rep. Mark Smith. Honeycutt took 54% of the vote, while Smith earned roughly 46 percent.

She will face Democrat Nancy Lacore, a Navy veteran, who fended off Charleston attorney Mac Deford in a tight race. Lacore garnered 52% of the vote, with Deford getting 47 percent.

Their wins mean the 1st District will continue to be represented by a woman.

The primary election two weeks ago narrowed a crowded field, which included 10 Republicans and seven Democrats vying to replace U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace.

Rather than seek a fourth term

in Congress, Mace ran for governor. She lost that bid June 9, when she finished fifth among five remaining candidates.

In a state where most elections are determined in the primaries, the 1st District could draw national attention for the November mid-terms.

The district that spans the lower part of South Carolina’s coastline — including all of Beaufort and Berkeley counties and most of Charleston County — is the only congressional seat among the seven in South Carolina with a recent history of switching parties.

Democrat Joe Cunningham flipped the seat in 2018 for the first time in nearly 40 years. (Republicans had held the seat since voters elected then-state Sen. Thomas Hartnett in 1980 to replace Democrat Mendel Davis.)

In 2020, Mace defeated Cunningham by just over 1 percentage point, before cruising to re-election wins after legislators redrew the district to more heavily favor Republicans.

Mace won a second term in 2022 by nearly 14 percentage points against Democrat Annie Andrews. And in 2024, Mace won by nearly 17 points.

But a recent analysis from the nonpartisan Cook Political Report showed the area shifting from sol-

idly Republican to likely Republican in the November general election.

That’s still several positions removed from what the think tank considers a true tossup, but “the GOP can’t take the race for granted,” as analyst Erin Covey wrote.

Covey pointed to Lacore’s strong fundraising for the primary as the reason for the shift.

Lacore raised more than $1.6 million, far more than either of the Republicans candidates who reached the runoff. She spent about $1.3 million of that during the primary, but the fundraising suggests she could give her competitor a run for her money, Covey wrote.

Lacore, a retired vice admiral who spent 35 years in the Navy, moved to South Carolina last October after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed her from her leadership role several months prior. She officially retired from the Navy last December.

She previously told the Daily Gazette she was given no reason why she was fired, though The Associated Press reported the move was part of a larger pattern targeting perceived critics of President Donald Trump.

As chief of the Navy Reserve, an appointed position, Lacore oversaw about 59,000 sailors. She began her career as a Navy pilot

but joined the part-time reserve to raise her six children and work as a defense contractor.

She also spent the last decade overseeing nonprofit Valor Run, which organized races to honor women killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“This campaign has always been about earning support across the Lowcountry and proving that voters are ready for a new kind of leadership,” Lacore said in a statement. “We’re building a broad coalition focused on lowering costs, protecting our freedoms, and delivering results for South Carolina families.”

“Independent observers are recognizing what we’re seeing on the ground every day: this race is competitive, and voters are ready for change,” Lacore continued.

She will face Honeycutt, a lifelong South Carolina resident. As a law student at the University of South Carolina, Honeycutt worked as a clerk for then-Gov. Mark Sanford, who was briefly one of her opponents in the race for the 1st District but dropped out a month after announcing his bid.

Honeycutt runs a James Island law firm, where she specializes in representing construction companies, including resolving contract and payment disputes, as well as navigating government

regulations. The mother of three has been on Charleston County Council since 2018.

Her campaign also focused on affordability, with promises to cut government spending and reduce the national debt. She previously told the Daily Gazette she saw herself as non-polarizing, saying she wasn’t like politicians who “chase headlines instead of fixing real problems.”

Honeycutt triumphed over Smith, who replaced Mace in the state House in 2020.

Democrats’ runoff ballot featured two military veterans. Lacore defeated Deford, a Coast Guard veteran who has worked as an attorney for the towns of Mount Pleasant and Hilton Head Island.

Deford also lost a bid for the 1st District two years ago, when he fell 3 percentage points behind Michael Moore.

Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues.

Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and Courier’s Columbia bureau.

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

Concierge Care option at Beaufort Memorial expands Primary Care Services

Special to The Island News A new Beaufort Memorial option for customized primary care has landed in the Lowcountry.

Beaufort Memorial is expanding their primary care options with the addition of Beaufort Memorial Concierge Care, a membership-based model designed to foster personalized service and an expanded level of access for its patients.

“As our region continues to grow and change, Beaufort Memorial is committed to adapting to meet the healthcare needs of

the Lowcountry,” Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell Baxley said in a media release.

Dr. James “Concierge Care Frost gives us another way to deliver primary care in Beaufort and Jasper counties for patients who might be looking for a more direct, personalized healthcare experience.”

Board-certified family medicine physician Dr. James Frost is joining Beaufort Memorial

Concierge Care. He founded Signature Health and Wellness in Hardeeville more than 20 years ago, and in July 2026, his practice transitioned into the Beaufort Memorial network of care.

This fall, Beaufort Memorial will further expand its Concierge Care program with the addition of another experienced physician and a location on Hilton Head Island.

Concierge Care is a membership-based model that allows patients to receive customized care for their lifestyle. Benefits of this

healthcare model include: • Availability of same-day or next-day appointments when needed; • Flexible scheduling and extended visit times due to smaller patient panels; • Direct, 24/7 access to communication with your provider via phone, text or email; • Streamlined coordination of specialty care; and • Personalized healthcare navigation.

The biggest difference between the concierge model and tradi-

tional primary care is the membership fee and the increased level of access.

The annual membership fee for Concierge Care covers access to care; all services – including routine wellness visits, lab work, imaging or specialty care – will still be billed through insurance.

To enroll in Beaufort Memorial Concierge Care or to learn more about the program, call 843-8155211 or visit BeaufortMemorial. org/ConciergeCare.

ena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road • Wednesday, September 16 -Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Drive • Wednesday, November 18 -Burton Wells Recreation Center, I Middleton Recreation Drive • Wednesday, December 2 -- Hilton Head Island Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road This seminar specifically addresses things veterans and their

families can do today to ensure their personal effects are in order. The seminar also discusses Veterans Affairs benefits that surviving spouses may be entitled to receive.

RSVPs are required for space and resource purposes. Please contact Crystal at 843-255-6880 to reserve your seat. For questions and more information please contact Beaufort County Veterans Affairs at 843-255-6880.

Sen. Scott accepting U.S. service academy nomination applications

mies: the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (the U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require a congressional nomination).

Students who are interested in applying for a nomination should apply by 11:59 p.m., Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/49Aoaeh.

– Staff reports

for Mariners Walk, a 123-unit apartment complex in front of the Preserve on Ribaut Road less than a mile north of town hall.

Because the project plans for Mariners Walk and other apartment complexes submitted for the administrative permitting process prior to the updating of the town’s new, more restrictive tree protections, those acres were allowed to be stripped.

As we reflect on the upcoming anniversary of this country, it’s an interesting flight of fancy to consider what this corner of the Lowcountry was like 250 years. It for damn sure had more trees.

about the proposal which had been in the work for more than a year, the council voted to allocate $42 million of the county’s Green Space program funds for the acquisition.

The agreement allows the Nature Conservancy to buy the property and turn it over to the State Forestry Commission which would manage the land along the New River as a state forest, accessible to the public.

The acquisition was the latest purchase through the county’s Green Space program which is funded by a penny sales tax supported by voters in 2022.

The special tax generated a cap of $100 million between May 2023 and May 2025. Essentials such as food items, medical supplies and gasoline were exempt.

NEWS BRIEFS Beaufort County Veterans Affairs offering Life Planning seminars

Beaufort County Veterans Affairs is hosting a series of Life Planning seminars for veterans and their families. The seminars will be offered at 10 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., and will be held at the following dates and locations: • Wednesday, July 15 -- St. Hel-

Lowdown from page A1

developers, are definitely pursuing their rights.

And the county elected officials, who have been long on criticism lately while short on praise, drew applause earlier this month when they passed revisions to the 2018 plastic bag ban by restricting all plastic bags. But even that vote was divided, with four members claiming it was “government over-reach,” a phrase we hear bandied about increasingly as campaign fodder.

But one small -- some might say significant -- example could be a decision by the board of appeals last week which sided with the city’s Community Development staff who said no to a developer who wanted to remove three landmark oak trees on a marsh front property.

The developer argued that the lot wasn’t large enough to build a single-family home, with garage, without removing three “landmark” oak trees protected by the city.

The issue was important enough

Several oak trees were the victims of Dominion Energy’s tree trimming around power lines in the past couple weeks in the Pigeon Point neighborhood of Beaufort. Lolita Huckaby/The Island News for a dozen of the neighbors in the Overlook at Battery Creek to show up for the board meeting, urging the board to uphold city standards.

With very little deliberation, the zoning board voted 3-1 in agreement with the staff and there was general applause as the meeting adjourned.

The neighborhood is one of many popping up around Beaufort and Port Royal in the past decade, providing housing for those moving to the Lowcountry for its charm and environmental beauty. Two

decades ago, this area was heavily wooded acreage with a few scattered mobile homes on the marshes of Battery Creek.

While both the city of Beaufort and Port Royal have tightened their regulations protecting trees, huge swarths of land are still being cleared to make way for new residences, the latest trend being apartment complexes.

Look no further than the former forest that buffered the Preserve apartments on Ribaut Road. Just last month, the area was clear-cut

The Office of U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) is accepting U.S. service academy nomination applications for the class of 2031.

Sen. Scott is able to nominate a limited number of students in South Carolina for attendance at the following U.S. service acade-

County Green Space Program still working to slow development BEAUFORT -- Keeping with the topic of saving trees, Beaufort County Council did its share to do the same two weeks ago when they approved a purchase arrangement with the Nature Conservancy to save 5,000 acres of woodlands and swamps adjacent to Palmetto Bluff.

After considerable discussion and a delay of two weeks to give Palmetto Bluff residents to learn more

Lolita Huckaby Watson is a community volunteer and newspaper columnist. In her former role as a reporter with The Beaufort Gazette, The Savannah Morning News, Bluffton Today and Beaufort Today, she prided herself in trying to stay neutral and unbiased.

As a columnist, these are her opinions. The Rowland, N.C. native’s goal is to be factual but opinionated, based on her own observations.

Feel free to contact her at bftbay@gmail.com.

JULY 2-JULY 8,, 2026

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EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY

County Council approves BCSD’s 26-27 budget Staff reports On Monday night, June 22, 2026, Beaufort County Council unanimously approved the Beaufort County School District’s (BCSD) Fiscal Year 2026–2027 General Fund budget, totaling $395.3 million.

The Board of Education approved the budget prior to submission to County Council.

The budget aligns resources with the BCSD’s strategic priorities identified through stakeholder engagement: Staff Com-

pensation, Academic Programs, Operational Services, and Safe Learning Environment.

With strong emphasis on employee compensation, 83% of all new funding is dedicated to salary increases in order to recruit and retain high-quality staff across the district. As part of the approved budget, BCSD will increase the starting teacher base salary by $2,500, raising it from $60,087 to $62,587. When combined with the $1,500 locality supplement, first-year teachers will earn a total

starting compensation of $64,087 — positioning the district among the highest-paying in South Carolina.

All BCSD teachers will receive a $2,500 increase, in addition to a state-mandated step increase, and the teacher salary schedule will be expanded to a maximum step of 31. These changes are designed to strengthen BCSD’s ability to attract high-quality teachers and retain experienced educators who support student achievement.

Classified, administrative, and

professional employees will receive a 3% cost-of-living increase, along with annual step increases where applicable. Similar to the teacher schedule, these pay structures will also expand to a maximum step of 31, providing additional advancement opportunities over time.

"This budget is a direct investment in the people and programs that make a difference for students every day," BCSD Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in the media release. "By increasing

teacher and staff compensation, expanding services for students, and maintaining safe learning environments, we are strengthening our ability to attract and retain exceptional employees while ensuring every student has the support they need to succeed. We are also proud to do so without increasing the tax burden on Beaufort County residents, demonstrating our commitment to both educational excellence and responsible fiscal stewardship."

BCSD announces new principals for two schools

Staff reports Two administrators have been selected as Beaufort County School District (BCSD) school principals for the upcoming school year, according to a media release.

Kyctrell Swinton-Atkins, current assistant principal at Beaufort High School (BHS), replaces Chavon Browne at Lady’s Island Middle School. Browne has accepted the position of Deputy Superintendent for Colleton County.

Swinton-Atkins has had an educational career spanning nearly 20 years, 16 of which at the Beaufort

County School District where she also served in assistant principal roles at Whale Branch and Hilton Head Island Kyctrell Middle schools.

SwintonPrior to this, she Atkins was an English teacher at H.E. McCracken Middle School and at May River and Battery Creek high schools.

Named assistant principal of the year for 2022-23, Swinton-Atkins holds both a doctorate in curricu-

lum and instruction and a master’s degree in education administration from Capella University, as well as Aimee an additional masWhitesell ter’s degree in literacy and learning in the content areas from Walden University, and a bachelor’s degree in English education from South Carolina State University.

Aimee Whitesell, current assistant principal at Battery Creek High School (BCHS), replaces Rog-

er Ward at H.E. McCracken Middle School, Ward has been promoted to BCSD Executive Director.

Whitesell, whose educational career has spanned longer than a dozen years, brings prior experience in high school leadership positions having also served as an assistant principal at May River High School.

Her educational career began as a high school science teacher in North Carolina and Louisiana, in addition to serving in this role at BCHS. Named BCSD teacher of the year for 2021-22, Whitesell holds a mas-

ter’s degree in educational leadership from American College of Education and a bachelor’s degree in natural science and biology education from Missouri Western State University.

“Every exceptional district has strong school leaders, and I’m excited to see these superb educators be successful in their new roles,” Rodriguez said. “They’re experienced, they understand the importance of creating a district and school culture of moving academic achievement and ensuring our students succeed.”

Two Father's Day Gifts

Two sweet arrivals made their first appearance at the Beaufort Memorial Collins Birthing Center on Father's Day. Baby boy Alonzo, born 6 pounds, 6 ounces, arrived to mom Shaniya Riddles of Estill, while baby boy Ledger joined parents Lauren and Shannon Bussell of Beaufort, weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces. Birthing Center nurse Donna Mixon, LPN, crocheted the fishing hats and fish teethers. Photos by Charlotte Berkeley Photography

Mercer Brugler is the Chair of USC Beaufort's Department of Natural Sciences and a Professor of Marine Biology. Photo courtesy of USC Beaufort

DragonBoat Beaufort Race Day

New coral species named for USC Beaufort professor

University of South Carolina Beaufort USC Beaufort professor Mercer R. Brugler has received exciting news from the scientific community: a newly discovered species of deep-sea black coral has been named in his honor.

The species, Leiopathes brugleri, was recently described by scientists from the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History and international collaborators.

The scientists discovered it during work to better understand the biodiversity of the deep Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.

Brugler is Chair of USCB's Department of Natural Sciences and Professor of Marine Biology.

The new species was found on the continental

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JULY 2-JULY 8, 2026

Teams and spectators flooded the waterfront in Port Royal for the 2026 DragonBoat Beaufort Races on Saturday, June 27, 2026. Below, Port Royal Mayor Kevin Phillips dots the eyes, awakening the dragon to start the 2026 DragonBoat Beaufort Races on Saturday, June 27, 2026 in Port Royal. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Leiopathes brugleri slope and mound habitats from Texas to Florida and in the Azores between the depths of 244 and 488 meters. The coral forms impressive tree-like colonies (can exceed two meters in width and height) that provide habitat for a wide variety of marine life and can live for at least 4,265 years, making them valuable indi-

cators of ocean health.

The living tissue is primarily white, but can also be red to orange in color. The discovery was published in the journal Coral Reefs on June 15, 2026.

Brugler's research has focused on the evolution and conservation of black corals for more than two decades.

VOICES Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of The Island News.

Happy July 4th, dear readers

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s we move toward July 4 and the celebration of our country, there is so much to be recognized about where we were, where we are, and where we appear to be going. You, dear reader, will be deluged with television programs, written treatises, and personal interaction with friends as to what this date means and how it should be celebrated.

You will attend cook-outs, family gatherings, and perhaps live shows that focus on our 250th birthday. And for those adventuresome ones (myself excluded because I wear hearing aids) without dogs, your day’s end will include fireworks.

Fast forward. I have chosen to address an historical event that occurred more than 80 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address.

Yes, I am all about celebrating our independence from England. However, when I think of that time period and the fact that we found ourselves then,

CAROL LUCAS

much as we are today, my concerns overtake my joy of celebration, not that I won't indulge in the usual picnic fare.

Let me begin with a little bit of history, my own. I grew up in Pennsylvania during the 40s. We were emerging from World War II and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While my parents never spoke about their fear, I have to think they had every bit of the concern about what the world was coming to as I have today.

My dad was a history buff, so a trip to Gettysburg was a must. I can recall grousing, as only a 10-yearold can, about my Dad’s stopping to read so many of the tombstones. My take

was that it was just another cemetery, nothing special.

It was only when I studied American history in greater depth that I learned how limited a 10-year-old can be in her world view.

What brought me to the computer to write about Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address? The news was on my TV, commonplace for me as I admit a bit of addiction to the world news. For no apparent reason, I thought of the fact that in 6th Grade, we were required to memorize this now-famous speech

by President Lincoln.

Perhaps I had been ruminating about this man, given the whole reflecting pool debacle. I cannot say for sure what induced this thought, but there I was saying, “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived, and so dedicated can long endure.”

Believe me, folks, I just typed that without looking at the speech itself. Furthermore, consider that I can’t remember what I had for lunch, and it’s almost three

o’clock in the afternoon as I sit here.

I have my 6th Grade teacher, Miss Grace Shaffer, to thank for this.

“Now we are engaged in a great civil war.”

Today the fighting is mostly verbal although when we consider the lives lost on Jan. 6, as well as those lost due to all that ICE has perpetrated, the aspects of fighting and killing certainly come into play.

The division of our people is clear cut, perhaps the worst since the 1860s. This should sadden everyone.

“Testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated …”

Our country was conceived by men willing to put their lives on the line for democracy. Think back to the Revolutionary War, and all that entailed. Where would we be now if the British had won that war?

Consider George Washington, John Addams, Thomas Jefferson, the founding fathers and a real brain trust when one con-

siders all with which they were confronted. “… can long endure.”

Have we reached the end of our period of grace? Do we have what is needed to endure the onslaught of what this administration puts forth daily? Are we willing to do everything possible to turn this country around or are we content to devolve into an autocracy or even a dictatorship?

These are questions I can't answer, but let me conclude with an excerpt from Lincoln’s summary.

“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom —

and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Consider those American military folk who have given “the last full measure.”

From World War I through the present.

This much I do know: I will fight in every way I can, which is probably limited to my writing. I love my country, and I believe we, when united in purpose, can work to bring it back to a place of respect, indeed glory. At my age, to believe otherwise is inviting a path of depression which I refuse to travel.

Happy July 4th, dear readers. Sorry there are no digressions in this one, but the subject requires staying on point at all costs!

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.”

Maybe runoffs aren’t such a bad thing T hree years back came a column touting the merits of rankedchoice voting, a strategy used worldwide to settle elections more quickly – and to avoid costly new runoff elections.

Also known as instant runoff voting, voters in several states simply go to the polls on election day like regular and pick their top candidate. But then they rank any other choices in the race. In the first count if no candidate gets a majority in a multi-candidate race, the bottom candidate is dropped and his or her votes are assigned in voters’ rank order to other candidates. Thanks to computer wizardry, the process continues until one candidate gets a majority.

It sounds more complicated than it is. But what it does is save a whole lot

ANDY BRACK

of money because election officials don’t have to spend millions to reopen polls for an actual runoff election – most of which have low participation here anyway – and voters don’t have to slog back to the polls.

Ranked-choice voting also encourages third parties in general elections because it allows voters to stick with their top preferred alternative, say a Democrat or Republican, as a main choice. But if that candidate gets dropped in the tallying process, then

the voter’s second choice – a Green or Alliance or Libertarian – would pick up extra votes in the second or later round of the process, which would increase the chances of third-party candidates winning. The strategy also would lead to more kinds of ideological voices among those elected.

With all of this being said, what happened during South Carolina’s recent primary runoffs may give pause to some. Why? Because if the electorate had not had two extra weeks to examine the two candidates in each runoff and get more information, the results might have been far different.

Take the Republican gubernatorial race, for example. In the June 9 primary, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette came in top among five candidates with 28.9% of the

vote. Attorney General Alan Wilson came in second with 26.1%. If South Carolina’s voting rules allowed the top vote-getter to be the winner or if a ranked-choice process was at work, Evette might now be the nominee.

But since our process demanded a June 23 runoff, voters had extra time to narrow their focus on the pros and cons of both candidates. And what they seem to have discovered was that Evette and Wilson were dramatically different kinds of people – even though their policy differences weren’t that stark.

Evette, you might remember, got lots of press when she attacked S.C. State University students in May who protested a sweetheart deal for her to serve as graduation speaker. She called them a “woke mob” for exercising their free speech

rights – a snippet that she knew would be the red meat to inflame some conservative voters.

Meanwhile Wilson, who never has seen an anti-Democratic lawsuit that he didn’t like, carried on with a solid, respectful standard campaign without lots of drama and tension. He seemed to be a regular, decent standard-bearer in contrast to other recent hopefuls like U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who voters remembered cursing at law enforcement, and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman who saw corruption everywhere in a state where fellow Republicans have run things for 20 years.

So when the choices narrowed for the runoff, Evette’s campaign went into uber-attack mode with nasty ads and inaccurate charges about Wilson’s record. Voters essentially saw

someone who seemed just plain mean, compared to the genial Wilson – who can still fire off a zinger when necessary.

The runoff, in other words, allowed Republican voters to see the true character of the two remaining candidates. And when voters went to the polls June 23, they sent Evette packing in what may be the most lopsided primary runoff in state history.

Wilson won by a 37-point margin with more than twice the votes that Evette snared. Final tally: Wilson, 218,569; Evette, 100,277.

Lesson learned: Runoffs are expensive and a pain, but might not be so bad.

Andy Brack is editor and publisher of the Charleston City Paper and Statehouse Report. Have a comment?

Send it to feedback@statehousereport. com.

How a divided nation celebrates the Fourth

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s we near celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, it takes little effort to find people who will say the country is divided “more than ever” or “worse than I’ve ever seen.”

The latter may be true for some, but the former is highly debatable considering we literally had a civil war that threatened to interrupt the greatest experiment with democracy the world has known. (I know, that’s hyperbolic too, but I feel better about the odds of it withstanding scrutiny).

I asked myself, “Did they even celebrate the Fourth during the Civil War?” What I found was encouraging.

Politico published an essay in 2021 by historian Edward Widmer on the first celebration after the beginning of the war. He writes of Washington, D.C.: “Then, as now, many Americans measured the success of Independence Day by how much noise they could make, a tradition that had grown robust in the nation’s capital,” a city wary

TERRY MANNING

of being invaded by marauders from which it would struggle to defend itself.

He contrasts Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Davis was not much of a public speaker and saw little reason to challenge himself to deliver any kind of holiday oratory to the Confederate states.

Lincoln, on the other hand, understood that the right message in the right moment might help ease some of the tensions between the warring factions.

Widmer wrote of Lincoln’s address to a special session of Congress: “[He] worked for weeks on a carefully written message that restated the country’s highest truths, the way a Fourth of July oration should. He argued that the

war was ‘essentially a people’s contest,’ and reminded Americans that democracy required a fundamental trust in others to work. If ‘discontented individuals’ attacked the government every time they lost an election, with false ‘sophisms,’ and other ways of ‘drugging the public mind,’ it would put an end to democracy everywhere.”

Lincoln directly addressed the rationale of state’s rights that was given for the war: “This relative matter of national power and State rights, as a principle, is no other than the principle of generality and locality.

Whatever concerns the whole should be confided to the whole -- to the General Government -- while whatever concerns only the State should be left exclusively to the State. This is all there is of original principle about it.”

The new president’s message was literally applauded by lawmakers who had come with low expectations of their new president.

Newspapers of the day state

that spirits were raised across the city.

More than a century and a half later, I am still amazed at Lincoln’s prescience. I don’t need Heather Cox Richardson to connect the dots between Lincoln’s warning of the dangers to democracy when people turn from the ballot box to ammo box when they lose to our current lives post-January 6th.

And the balance between the rights of states and the authority of the government is still being tested by those trying to bend states to their un-American, anti-democratic efforts to make America into a Christofascist nation.

But I digress.

The purpose of my looking into the circumstances of marking the Fourth of

July in a time of divisiveness remains to encourage.

The right message in the right moment still can be an opportunity to rally our patriotic spirits.

I fear our current president lacks the ability to do that, but a predecessor shared some inspiring words recently.

At the opening of his presidential center, President Barack Obama said, “It is worth remembering just how radical the whole idea of self-government really was back in 1776. To that point, human history was a tale of conquest and caste and rigid hierarchies, a world where the strong dominated the weak, where power and wealth and status flowed through lineage and the many were ruled by the few.”

He added, “In forming our union, the founders fell terribly short of the Declaration [of Independence]’s promise, leaving slavery intact, allowing states to restrict the franchise to white men who owned property, but in drafting a constitution and a bill of rights, they did have the foresight, the genius to provide us with a framework that allows each generation to make our union more perfect.”

And that is what I am going to focus on this weekend. The things that we have in common. The ongoing struggle to be — and do — better.

Terry E. Manning is a Clemson graduate and worked for 20 years as a journalist. He can be reached at teemanning@gmail.com.

See Into The Future . . . . . . read Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Homes, Cuisine

Discover What You’re Going To Do Next More coverage and content at LowcountryWeekly.com

JULY 2-JULY 8,, 2026

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VOICES Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of The Island News.

O

n July 4, 2026, we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America.

That date is also the 200th anniversary of the deaths of two founding fathers: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson died earlier on that day. John Adams, not knowing this fact in those pre-telegraph and all subsequent electronic communication days, said as his final words, “Jefferson still lives.”

This story and many more are found in the 2024 book “Confronting the Presidents” by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. As part of my personal 250th celebration, I am reading this history that contains vignettes illuminating presidential actions and character.

I am midway through the 19th century, and I am reminded of a French phrase, translated as, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Democracy is messy.

It may have been even messier in the early days of the Republic than it is now as everyone was making it up as they went along. The bedrock was there: the Declaration of Independence that enumerated rights and

I

During the first presidential administration, Thomas Jefferson served as Secretary of State. John Adams was President Washington’s vice president. Washington, Adams, and Alexander Hamilton headed up the Federalist party, which supported a stronger national government, while Jefferson was a chief Democratic-Republican, which favored stronger state governments.

From the very beginning, the press criticized the president, even the almost sacred hero, George Washington. Once John Adams became president, attacks by the press -- and there were multiple newspapers in every major city and town – became vicious.

Some of these assaults were planted by Thomas Jefferson. This reached a head when the relationship with France soured to the point of hostility, and enormous pressure was put on Adams to declare war.

He refused to do so because he believed the country was not strong enough to fight a major power.

To counter his bad reviews, Adams engineered the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798

that limited the freedom of the press, making “false, scandalous, and malicious writing about the president illegal.” Indeed, editor James Callender, who had been paid by Thomas Jefferson to smear Adams, was sent to prison under the Acts.

In the election of 1800, the vote was “marred by rumor and mudslinging.

Newspapers said Adams demanded to be called “His Highness.” Others wrote that Thomas Jefferson was an enemy of the Constitution.” Of the four candidates, the sitting president, John Adams, finished third.

Thomas Jefferson tied with Aaron Burr in the Electoral College. In the House of Representatives tiebreaker, Thomas Jefferson was elected president on the 35th vote. Apparently, legislative gridlock is nothing new.

John Adams did not attend Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration, which was the first time power transferred from one political party to the other. Jefferson had not invited Adams to the event.

The Alien and Sedition Acts expired on that day, March 4, 1801.

It would seem these former friends might be forev-

er enemies, but on January 1, 1812, John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson in the hopes of renewing their relationship. Between that date and April 1826, they wrote each other hundreds of letters, proving that, as one later president stated, the “better angels of their natures” could overcome political and even personal animosity. These giants of the founding generation worked together, drank together during Continental Congress happy hours, risked “their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor” together, then fought bitterly through the press, sometimes with lies and innuendos. In the end, despite their differences in opinion, they were united in their principles and love for this great country.

In this era of bad feelings and division, we should emulate their example.

Happy birthday, America!

Louise Mathews retired from a career in community colleges and before that, theater. A 13-year come-here in Beaufort, she has been a dingbatter in North Carolina and an upstater from New York.

DOUGLAS PUGH

too dizzy to stand.

Those big steel slides -so hot in the sun they burn your bum -- are gone. Teeter-totters worth their salt have vanished. No longer can a heavier kid suspend a lighter classmate on the up end of the teeter-totter plank until he or she yells “Give,” or apologizes for some slight.

Or jumps off, twisting their ankle and bruising their ego.

The big metal jungle gyms are gone as well.

What happened?

In 1981, a committee composed, I suppose, of engineers, insurance adjust-

ers, and PTA mothers -- not a playground user among them -- developed playground safety standards.

Standards that have diminished playgrounds.

Now, homogenized structures of multi-colored plastics -- none too high, none too large -- serve as playground equipment proxies where the big swings used to be, swings that carried you to the sky and when you jumped, let you fly.

Oh, some good has come of it: from 2001 to 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported an average of 13 playground deaths per year in the United States, 10 fewer than in 1980.

But consider this: In 2021, 2,590 children died as a result of firearms in this country, up from 1,311 in 2011 -- an increase of 1,279 -a lot more than 10. Firearms are now the leading cause of childhood death in the

United States. (CNN, March 2023; New England Journal of Medicine, May 19, 2022) There is a fundamental difference between these two risks: risks on a playground are assumed, the risks of firearms are imposed.

So much for the integrity of our risk-avoidance efforts on behalf of our children.

Being an elementary school principal carries aspects of life’s most pleasant endeavors. But that occupation presents challenges. If you walk into an elementary school and pause, you feel the weight of the obligations.

Obligations to teach young people the academic skills they need, but also teach them to walk away into a world of greater self-determination, where risks await they have not previously encountered.

The city of Toronto, Canada, recently banned tobogganing at 45 of its sledding

hills. The city determined it was too risky.

Trying to close toboggan runs in Canada worked about as well as an earlier attempt to ban street hockey -- it didn’t. With Canadians, these efforts were not just wrong; they were embarrassing!

And if those efforts had been successful, they would have hurt kids.

According to recommendations by the Canadian Pediatric Society, unstructured outdoor play -- in particular risky play -- is essential to the physical, mental, and social development of children.

“We have to reconsider how we view risk and understand that risk is a part of life and that it’s part of our children’s lives,” said Dr. Suzanne Beno, a pediatric emergency medicine physician. “There’s a very positive benefit to allowing children to recognize risk, experience risk, and learn to

manage it.”

Proposed new Canadian recommendations provide that children should be kept “As safe as necessary, but not as safe as possible.”

Children are born with the instinct ot take risks while playing, and learning to negotiate risk is crucial to their survival. But if children never go through that process, fear can turn into a phobia.

Paradoxically, our fear of children being harmed may result in more fearful children. (The Atlantic, April, 2014) If you decide to head back to a playground, pick one that requires you to take risks, one where it’s prudent to pack a few BandAids.

Doug Pugh is a retired judge from northern Michigan. He and his wife winter on Fripp Island and are pleased to be there … when they are. He can be reached at pughda@gmail.com.

What was that strange feeling?

ou know, sometimes I forget how accustomed I’ve become to instantaneous, constant information. I use my phone mostly for research. Hardly anyone calls me, and I can block out whatever I don’t like or want.

My phone is more like a tool for me and I love having all that info at my fingertips, literally. My guilty fear is that I’m participating in the harming of earth’s nature and sometimes feel “the phone” makes me lazy as well as hypocritical. But I’m pretty well committed to it, just like the vast majority of people in the world.

(Even homeless people make sure they have a cell phone handy).

The price I fear we all pay for this “convenience” tool is an innate weariness tinged with some slight de-

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difficult. Presidents made decisions that the Congress and the courts sometimes fought and occasionally overruled.

From 1829 until 1837, Americans referred to the president as “King Andrew” because of the way Jackson LOUISE MATHEWS governed. Probably no one actually held a “No Kings” the Constitution that derally then as Andrew Jackfined how the people would son had shot a man dead in determine their governance a duel and had hung belwere in place. Everything ligerents he had captured else was new and uncharted. in war.

How should a new govI found the relationship ernment pay an enormous between John Adams and war debt? What decisions Thomas Jefferson particubelonged to the states and larly poignant and fitting to which to the government the current times. Although of “these United States?”

Thomas Jefferson was What should the president the primary author of the do about Muslim North Af- Declaration of Indepenrican pirates that snatched dence, John Adams chaired Americans and Europeans the drafting committee off ships and sold them into and served as an editor. slavery? Should the courts Both signed the document, have authority over the Adams as a representative president and Congress in from Massachusetts and constitutional interpretaJefferson as a delegate from tions?

Virginia.

From the very beginning, Both served their new finding answers to issues nation as diplomats, Adams that arose daily was mudprimarily in the Netherdled. Freedom of expression lands and Great Britain meant that there always and Jefferson in France. were and always would be Neither participated in the multiple opinions on any Constitutional Convention, possible solution. Reaching because they were at their a simple majority was often diplomatic posts.

The way playgrounds used to be

f, like me, you squandered some learning opportunities in your youth and now seek a road to rectification, consider returning to a playground. I’ve scouted out a few candidates, not by name or location but by type.

There are large playgrounds that feel like the parking lots they were originally designed to be, and there are medium-sized playgrounds.

But my favorites are the small playgrounds, large enough for a compact softball diamond but otherwise an expanse bordered by mature trees, with stretches of green and areas of dirt that turn to mud when it rains.

Changes have come to all three types. They have been profound.

The big metal twirl-awhirls are gone. No longer can you create centrifugal forces capable of throwing you to the dirt, crumpled,

Y

Founding Frenemies

JULY 2-JULY 8, 2026

TIM WOOD

pression because so much of what we scroll through is “depression forming” data.

We’re shaking our heads instead of nodding our heads; maybe even placing our heads in our hands. But we pay the devil in order to dance with it; I’m referring to what is spewing mostly out of Washington D.C., for far too long.

(Sigh …)

But lo and behold, what did I wake up to find all over my phone feeds on the morning of June 19th? …

First off, the history

of Juneteenth with the announcement of slavery’s emancipation: Just think about how all the slaves in Texas must have felt on June 19, 1865.

Then, all the hilarious memes regarding the recent, new and improved swamp that Trump first drained and then created anew: what a perfect metaphor for the man himself.

Then, on to the dignified and uplifting reports from the Obama’s new presidential cultural center in north Chicago; the cohesive speeches and reactions which were all in themselves about strengthening our democracy and the importance of empathy.

Then finally turning to the aftermath of New York City’s grand party with a real parade celebrating the Knicks’ win with all of the “we are united” speeches

and joyful celebrations; all that, without a single, horrendous event, while the city hosted millions of celebrants: It is possible!

Joyfulness: This was the strange, long missed feeling that came over me while reading about all the good stuff spattered all over the place for a change; and on a relaxing, righteous Federal holiday to boot!

I knew, of course, it would be short-lived; no doubts; but here’s what came to mind: When this present administration comes to

an end, and it will come to an end, I look forward to feeling joyful once again on a daily basis. It may not be the joy of celebrating one’s team winning a championship but it will be joyful reading about the restoration of our precious democracy and, hopefully, reinstating all the nation’s guardrails and rules of law that have been recklessly damaged; perhaps even making them stronger.

This scenario, this vision, will take a lot of work, time and expense, but I believe

we will rebuild our federal government better and stronger than ever and participating in that huge endeavor will bring me the joyfulness I remember well and have missed so much.

Tim and Kristy Wood moved to Beaufort in 1974. He worked as a carpenter in both restoration and new home construction, as well as operating a shop specializing in custom woodwork, Wood on Wood Specs.

He is semi-retired, involved with fine woodworking and formerly sat on the City of Beaufort Zoning Board of Appeals.

See Into The Future . . . . . . read Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Homes, Cuisine

Discover What You’re Going To Do Next More coverage and content at LowcountryWeekly.com

VOICES Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of The Island News.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Do we secretly want a king?

the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now Act, To all the millions of or INSULIN Act, which people who have turned out will ensure people with across the country to particcommercial insurance, ipate in "No Kings" rallies the uninsured, and the against Donald Trump, under-insured have access sorry, you are too late. We to affordable insulin. All have King Donald and he is people with diabetes who already presiding over his need insulin should be able new kingdom, Washington, -- Terry Gibson, Beaufort to afford it.

D.C., now known as Mar-aIn partnership with the Lago on the Potomac.

Diabetes Patient AdvocaIn support of the cy Coalition, I urge Sen. To name a few examples of this transformation: The INSULIN Act Graham and Sen. Scott to East Wing of the White support and cosponsor S. As someone living with House has been demolished type 1 diabetes, I rely on 4189, the INSULIN Act. to be rebuilt as a ballroom insulin to manage my blood -- Addy Tayler, Beaufort (temporarily paused for sugar. It’s not optional for further review), the White me. Insulin allows me to be House Rose Garden was Iran war another a mom, wife, CPA, runner, paved over with concrete and active member of my Trump failure and covered with tables and community.

According to Moody’s chairs (bet it's hot in the More than 40 million Analytics, higher prices summer), and a proposed people in the United States for gas, diesel, and jet fuel Triumphal Arch to rival the have diabetes. A person since the start of the Iran Eiffel Tower, probably to be with Type 1 diabetes must war have cost U.S. housebuilt with taxpayer money take insulin for life, and holds an estimated $510 (there's an endless supply many people with Type 2 each. That is money coming of that). diabetes also need insulin Now, there is a "new to manage blood sugar and directly out of Americans’ pockets. scandal" that involves the prevent serious complicaThe proposed settlement Lincoln Memorial Reflecttions. with Iran would add another ing Pool on the Washington No one should have to Mall. (From David Farration, delay, or skip insulin major cost: $300 billion for enthold at Slate magazine) because they can’t afford it. reconstruction, or roughly $2,440 per U.S. household.

Filthy, to quote Trump.

Rationing insulin can lead As taxpayers, Americans Turns out that the redone to serious long-term compool, instead of the intendplications and make it more would again be paying the ed color, "American Flag difficult to manage diabetes bill.

The military cost of the Blue," is actually turning going forward. war is estimated at approxgreen with algae. What Congress has already would you expect with a no acted to cap insulin costs at imately $35 billion, which bid contract for a company $35 per month for Medicare equals another $285 more who has never worked on beneficiaries with diabetes. per household.

Taken together, these a reflecting pool. That's That was important progexpenses already exceed Donald. Always in a hurry ress, but it did not help evand no time to go through eryone. People with private $3,200 per household, before accounting for the burdensome regulations. insurance and people who broader effects of inflation.

Besides, who cares? It only are uninsured can still face (Donald Trump: "I love cost a few million dollars. unaffordable costs for the There is also talk of erect- same lifesaving medication. inflation!") They also do not reflect the immeasurable That is why Congress ing gold statues of Trump costs borne by families who should support S. 4189, around the city. Large banners hang from some federal office buildings with Trump's picture on them. If people get tired of seeing the old (age 80) Trump, there is always AI to make him look young again.

Maybe we have all secretly wanted a king after all.

All this talk of democracy can be positively boring.

have lost loved ones or seen them injured in the conflict.

What have we gained?

The answer appears to be less than nothing. The Strait of Hormuz may be reopened, but likely under Iranian control. Iran still holds its enriched uranium, with no meaningful guarantee that it will be relinquished. The International Atomic Energy Agency has indicated that Iran is more likely to develop nuclear weapons today than it was a year ago.

Iran is also expected to maintain its ballistic missile program and its capacity to threaten neighboring countries. Its new leadership appears more hard-line and emboldened than the previous regime, and the conflict has demonstrated Iran’s ability to disrupt global energy markets by closing the Strait of Hormuz.

In summary, the Iran war has imposed enormous financial and human costs while delivering no clear gains. The American people are now left to pay for the Trump administration's epic failure. That has really been the story of Trump's life, others paying for his mistakes.

device which allows the user to blithely demean and dismiss the genuine concerns of those her fellow Americans who disagree with the actions of Mr. Trump and his administration.

The underlying and absurd implication of "TDS" is that, because Mr. Trump never does anything of substance to which a reasonable person could object, those who object are, for some unknown reason, crazy and out to "get him."

This is nonsense.

Some of us experience another form of TDS. It might be called Trump despondency syndrome. We see, day after day, his and his administration's lying and their desecration of American norms and institutions. Most importantly, we also see that, through the denigration of the press and of the rule of law, Mr. Trump has successfully convinced his followers -many of them our principled and patriotic fellow Americans -- that none of this is happening.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor should consist of fewer than 275 words and be emailed with a name and contact information to TheIslandNews@gmail.com.

million of projects partially financed by Bonds not exceeding $450 million, not exceeding a maturation of 9 years. The interest paid on a 9 year, 3%, $450 million Municipal Bond is approximately $64 million. Assuming that number is correct: Does the sales tax pay for $716 million of projects and $64 million of interest? Or does the sales tax pay for $780 million of projects and an additional $64 million of interest?

2. The projects listed total $780 million. Where does the $330 million ($780M-$450M) come from?

Please enumerate sources and amounts.

3. What construction inflation rate was used in the calculation of project costs?

4. What reserve/contingency percentage is built -- Jeanie Brown, Beaufort into the calculation of project costs?

5. What is the percentage Questions about of the sales taxes paid by visitors? (Note: I have heard -- Peter Birschbach, Port the Sales Tax Ray Warco of the Hilton Royal Referendum Head-Bluffton Chamber Dear Mr. Michael Moore, of Commerce comment Trump Beaufort County Adminisat a meeting that this is trator: As Beaufort County derangement 40%; I have heard others Council works through the on County Council use a syndrome? upcoming Sales Tax Refhigher number. We need to In a recent column, the erendum, below are some have a definitive number, writer lamented that she technical questions for you and verify the data/methoddoes not understand the and your staff. ology behind it.)

"TDS (Trump derangement -- Steven Baer, former syndrome) bunch." That's Sales tax questions member of Beaufort County because they don't exist.

1. The Sales Tax Referendum includes $780 TDS is simply a rhetorical Council, retired

JULY 2-JULY 8,, 2026

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SPORTS AND HEALTH

Beaufort sailors shine at Lowcountry Regatta

Local competitors claim multiple class victories

By Delayna Earley and Bob Sofaly The Island News The 59th annual Lowcountry Regatta wrapped up Sunday at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club, where nearly 50 boats took to the Beaufort River for a weekend of competitive racing, steady winds and sweltering summer temperatures.

While participation was slightly lower than in some previous years, organizers said the two-day event delivered nearly ideal sailing conditions for competitors from across the Southeast.

"I think everything went very well," said Paul Kowalski, general manager of the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club. "It was hot, but there was great wind, great breeze for everybody."

An afternoon thunderstorm on Saturday brought racing to an early end about 45 minutes sooner than planned, but sailors were still able to complete enough races for each fleet. Sunday's schedule went uninterrupted, with every course completing at least four races, allowing competitors to discard their lowest finish under standard regatta scoring.

Local sailors turned in a strong performance on their home waters, led by 13-year-old Maxwell Whitmore of the Beaufort Yacht and

Shane McCarthy, center right, from the Savannah Yacht Club, heals over to keep an even keel while Beaufort’s Logan Penn, far right, stays out of his way during the first day of the Lowcountry Regatta on Saturday, June 27, 2026, in the Beaufort River near the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club. Bob Sofaly/The Island News Sailing Club, who won the O'Pen Skiff division for sailors ages 13 and older. Fellow club members Bette Coppage captured the Optimist Red, White and Blue fleet, while Lachlan Duer earned first place in the Sunfish Under-15 division.

Whitmore's victory comes just weeks before he and fellow Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club sailor Warren Egon, 11, travel to Sardinia, Italy, to compete in the 2026 O'Pen Skiff Worlds as members of Team

USA. In recent weeks, the local sailing community has rallied behind the pair through fundraising efforts to help offset the cost of competing in the international championship.

Volunteer Ellen Fabian said about 48 sailors registered for this year's regatta. Attendance was somewhat lighter than in years past, in part because the Lowcountry Regatta is not sanctioned by the South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association, leading some youth sailors

to compete elsewhere. She also said many competitors wait until the last minute to decide whether to attend based on the weather forecast.

"All we knew for sure is it was going to be very hot," Fabian said.

Despite the heat, Fabian said the weather proved nearly perfect for smaller boats.

"The wind was a steady nine knots with gusts up to 17 knots," she said. "There were no whitecaps to deal with and boats didn't roll over."

Kowalski said the timing of the regatta, held just before the Fourth of July holiday, also affects participation each year as many sailing families begin summer vacations around the same time. Club officials are considering moving next year's event to a different weekend.

Competitors raced in nine classes during the two-day regatta. Michael Reddaway of Florida Yacht Club won the Highlander class, while Christopher and Lindsey Stang of Charleston claimed the Melges 15 division. Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club sailors Whitmore, Coppage and Duer each earned victories in their respective fleets.

Other winners included Curt Oberle and Johnny Corday of James Island Yacht Club in the SIOD class, Steve Honour of Boca Ciega Yacht Club in Gulfport, Florida, in the adult Sunfish division, Payton Brown of South Carolina Yacht Club in the Under-18 Sunfish fleet and David Loring of James Island Yacht Club in the Y-Flyer class.

The Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club's next major sailing event will be the Pluff Mud Regatta, a junior regatta scheduled for September.

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.

Understanding immunotherapy for breast cancer

By Dr. Eric Turner Beaufort Memorial Oncology Specialists If you or someone you love recently received a breast cancer diagnosis, you’re probably concerned and researching all the possible treatment options. The good news is that physicians and scientists have been researching new treatments long before you received your diagnosis, including immunotherapy for breast cancer.

In recent years, we’ve been learning more about cancer as well as cancer treatments. We’re gaining a better understanding of how cancers act in the body, and newer immunotherapy treatments have allowed us to train the body to attack cancers in ways that traditional forms of treatments can’t.

Understanding immunotherapy Immunotherapy works by training your body’s immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells the same way it does viruses, bacteria and other foreign invaders.

Breast cancer cells, like all cancer cells, are mutated versions of

healthy cells. Because the cells started out healthy, your immune system doesn’t always recognize them as harmful and attack them.

As cancer cells grow, they may form proteins on their surface, undergo genetic changes or have other alterations that make it even harder for your immune system to find them.

The types of immunotherapy for breast cancer currently in use teach the immune system to identify some of the cellular changes that occur as breast cancer cells grow. In many cases, they can help breast cancer patients whose cancers haven’t responded to traditional breast cancer treatments.

Sometimes, they’re used in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery.

Below are some of the Food and Drug Administration-approved immunotherapies for breast cancer: • Immune checkpoint inhibitorsteach your immune system to identify proteins that breast cancer cells create as they grow. Healthy immune cells called T cells have

proteins of their own that identify and can attach to harmful proteins on breast cancer cells. When this happens, the immune system gets a signal not to attack the cancer cell. Immune checkpoint inhibitors keep the T cells from attaching to the harmful cells, allowing the immune system to fight cancer.

• Targeted therapies for breast cancer train the immune system to recognize proteins and other targets on cancer cells, allowing the immune system to either attack them, stop them from growing or stop them from spreading.

Monoclonal antibodies, which got a lot of attention as a treatment for COVID-19, is a form of targeted therapy used to treat many types of cancer, including breast cancer.

CAR T-cell therap is another form of immunotherapy approved only to treat certain blood cancers, but it is being researched as a treatment for breast cancer. In CAR T-cell therapy, T cells are collected from your body and sent to a laboratory to be modified in ways that make them better at identifying and destroying cancer cells.

The cells are injected back into your body to fight cancer.

Types of breast cancers treated with immunotherapy Because many immunotherapies are so new, doctors are often selective about who benefits and when they should be used. In most cases, they are used for more advanced cancers.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been found to be effective on triple-negative breast cancers.

Monoclonal antibodies may be successful for treating women with HER2-positive breast cancer. But we really approach immunotherapy on a case-by-case basis.

Immunotherapies aren’t always better than traditional treatments, such as chemotherapy, but they can be used in combination with those treatments to improve a patient’s outlook.

Because immunotherapies can affect the immune system, the side effects can be significant. Side effects will also vary based on the type of medication used. Some

common side effects include appetite loss, difficulty breathing, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea and rash. Immunotherapies can also impact organs, such as the liver and kidneys.

Despite these potential side effects, immunotherapies could significantly improve care for some breast cancer patients. At Beaufort Memorial, we participate in clinical trials that allow patients access to treatments, including immunotherapies, still in the research phase.

Immunotherapies offer a lot of potential benefit, but there are still many unknowns. If they give someone with breast cancer hope at a better outcome, we want them to be available as long as they’re appropriate for that patient.

Eric Turner, M.D., is a board-certified, fellowship-trained medical oncologist who sees patients at Beaufort Memorial Oncology Specialists and the Keyserling Cancer Center in Beaufort.

There, he treats patients using modalities such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

ER vs. Express Care: Where do I go?

Special to The Island News When an unexpected illness or injury happens, it’s normal to have questions.

Often, the first question on our minds is, “Should I go to the emergency room, or should I go to an express/urgent care facility?”

The right answer isn’t just about convenience; it can impact how quickly you receive care, the cost of your visit and, of course, your health outcome.

With three Express Care locations throughout the Lowcountry – in Port Royal, Okatie and Bluffton – and an emergency room in Beaufort staffed with compassionate, skilled physicians and clinical staff, Beaufort Memorial offers options for immediate care.

Understanding which of these options is right for your health needs can help direct you where to go when you need it most.

“When you’re not feeling well or someone you love is injured or sick, it can be hard to know where to go,” said Beaufort Memorial Assistant Chief Nursing Officer Ashley Hildreth, MSN, RN, CEN, SANE. “Knowing the difference between emergency care and Express Care helps patients get the right care, at the right place, as efficiently as possible.”

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JULY 2-JULY 8, 2026

What’s the difference between the ER and Express Care?

The main difference between the ER and Express Care is the severity of your condition.

• ER – Designed for life- or limb-threatening conditions that require immediate, advanced medical care • Express Care (Urgent Care) – Ideal for minor illness and injuries that, while still require prompt attention, are not life-threatening When to go to the ER The Beaufort Memorial Pratt Emergency Center is open 24/7 and equipped to handle critical conditions where every second counts.

You should go to the ER or call 911 if you are experiencing: Life-Threatening Symptoms • Chest pain or pressure • Difficulty breathing • Signs of stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech, sudden balance issues) • Sudden loss of vision or blurred vision • Changes in mental state or confusion Serious Injuries or Conditions • Head trauma • Neck or spine injuries

• Severe or uncontrolled bleeding • Sudden, severe pain • Any conditions that could result in permanent disability or death if untreated “If symptoms are sudden, severe or could be life-threatening, the emergency room is the safest place to be,” said Hildreth. “Chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms, serious injuries or uncontrolled bleeding should never wait. Every second counts; call 911 or go to the ER.” When to Choose Express Care Beaufort Memorial Express Care clinics are a convenient option when you need same-day care, but your condition isn’t an emergency.

These clinics take walk-ins and are open seven days a week.

Common Conditions Treated at Express Care • Fever, colds, sore throat or earaches • Sprains, strains or minor fractures • Minor cuts, lacerations or contusions • Mild infections or flu-like symptoms • Routine physicals (work, sports or school)

Express Care clinics also offer on-site X-rays and lab services, making them a strong option when your primary care provider isn’t available.

The future of immediate care Technology and innovative models of care delivery offer even more options for patients seeking immediate care.

BMH Care Anywhere offers patients the opportunity to schedule a virtual telehealth visit with their healthcare provider. This platform allows patients to schedule virtual visits for: • Well care • Medication checks and refills • Chronic disease management (diabetes, high blood pressure, COPD, etc.)

• Follow-up care • Sick visits Benefits of telehealth include: • Evening and weekend care — If your provider’s office is closed and you don’t need to visit an urgent care clinic, you can still receive care through video visits.

• Healthcare wherever you are — Telehealth visits ensure you can see your health care provider even if you’re traveling or quarantining.

• Lower cost — At BMH Care

Anywhere, visits only cost $67.

• Saves you time — Care appointments are around 10 minutes each from the comfort of wherever you are, saving you drive and wait time.

Opening in 2027, the Beaufort Memorial Emergency & Urgent Care on Hilton Head Island will offer both ER and urgent care services under the same roof.

One of the first models of its kind in the state, this combination facility developed in partnership with Intuitive Health will take the guesswork out of immediate care for patients, offering both levels of service and billing them appropriately for the care they receive.

This two-in-one model will be replicated throughout the Lowcountry, offering convenient, cost-effective care.

Construction on the Hilton Head Island facility began in November 2025.

When it comes to your health, timing and location matter. Beaufort Memorial offers multiple options so you can get the right care at the right time. By understanding when to go to the ER and when Express Care is a better option, you and your loved ones can get the care you need, exactly when you need it.

LOCAL MILITARY

Beaufort Marine attends Carolina Country Music Fest

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Catherine Walls, of Beaufort, S.C., and executive officer, left, and Sgt. Clayton R. Baker, a native of Atlanta and the Marketing and Communication (MAC) chief for Recruiting Station Columbia, engage with the community Friday, June 5, 2026, at the Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Marines with RS Columbia and the 6th Marine Corps District Enhanced Marketing Vehicle (EMV) team, attend CCMF in effort to Enhance Area Canvassing (EAC) at the event to engage with country music fanatics from all across the nation. Cpl. Yovanik Calderon/USMC

6th Marine Corps District holds change of command

By Lance Cpl. Eliel Romero 6th Marine Corps District MCRD PARRIS ISLAND – A change of command ceremony was held Wednesday, June 24, 2026, to transfer 6th Marine Corps Recruiting District command authorities from Col. Scott E. Stephan to Col. Marcus D. Gillett at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. Stephan, a native of Mobile, Ala., commissioned in 2000 after graduating from The Citadel. He was assigned to 3d Battalion, 2d Marines, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. Stephan served as commander of Recruiting Station Louisville, 4th Marine Corps District, and 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines before taking command of 6th Marine Corps District in June 2024.

“I’m proud of what we have

accomplished together but I’m really excited about where things are going, particularly because you have Marcus," said Stephan.

Gillett, a native of Texas, graduated from Texas A&M University and commissioned in 2005. He was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion-1, 7th Engineer Support battalion, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 9th Engineer Support battalion, The Citadel and United States NATO Military Delegation.

Gillett served as commander of 9th Engineer Support battalion and Recruiting Station Fort Lauderdale, 6th Marine Corps District, and before taking command of 6th Marine Corps District in June 2024.

"I’m truly excited to be here. I’m excited to fight with you and as importantly it’s really fun to fight when you’re winning, I’m excited to win with you," said Gillett.

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Scott E. Stephan (left), outgoing commanding officer, presents the unit colors to Col. Marcus D. Gillett (right), incoming commanding officer of 6th Marine Corps District, during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., on June 24, 2026. 6MCD held the change of command ceremony to formally transfer command from Col. Scott E. Stephan to Col. Marcus D. Gillet, symbolizing the shift in leadership, authority, and responsibility for the district. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Eliel Romero)

Every eligible veteran needs to enroll in VA Healthcare (Part 4) T

he first article in this series was this writer’s testament to the high quality of VA Healthcare based on my last 22 years as a patient and advisor at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System (RHJVAHCS).

The second article announced that the RHJVAHCS: • Set a record with zero findings and zero recommendations in the 2025 VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report; • Was again awarded a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); • Intensive Care Unit received the 2025 Gold Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses; • Is the only S.C. hospital rated “Better” for both Heart Failure and Pneumonia care; • Is one of the fastest-growing VA healthcare systems; • Is a major teaching, research, and healthcare center; and • Has the number one ranked Fisher House based on veterans’ families served occupancy rates, and veterans saving an estimated $5.65 million dollars in lodging, travel, food, and other costs.

The third article: • Helped to dispel the myth that only veterans who were injured in service or have service-connected disabilities are eligible for VA healthcare; • Helped to dispel the myth that already having insurance disqualifies veterans from enrolling in VA healthcare; and • Explained more reasons why veterans should enroll in VA healthcare.

This article will cover more reasons for veterans to enroll in VA Health Care.

Better health outcomes

LARRY DANDRIDGE

services, care, tests, or medications.

(See https://bit.ly/4eMD9U9).

Whether or not you will need to pay copays — and how much you will pay — depends on which of our eight priority groups the VA assigns you to when you enroll in VA health care. The VA assigns veterans with service-connected disabilities the highest priority. The VA assigns the lowest priority to veterans who earn a higher income and who do not have any service-connected disabilities that make them eligible for VA disability compensation.

The VA has proven to be the best care in America for veterans.

Veterans who receive VA health care have better health outcomes than non-enrolled veterans. See https://bit. ly/4vF7yee and https://bit.ly/4gLGiSafest, most innovative, WE. age-friendly health systems The RHJVAHCS was recogVA Hospitals outperform nonnized in 2025 as one of South VA hospitals Carolina’s safest hospitals. In 2024, VA hospitals have dramatically it was ranked nationally as a Top outperformed non-VA hospitals in Age-Friendly Health System. In 2023, overall quality ratings. Just look at it was ranked among Becker’s Top 34 the five-star rated RHJVAHCS and Innovative Health Programs Nationits clinics in Beaufort; Savannah, wide and was included on Becker’s Ga.; Hinesville, Ga.; Brunswick, Ga.; “2023 Great Community Hospitals Charleston; North Charleston; Goose List.” See https://bit.ly/4vCrA92 and Creek; Mt. Pleasant; and Myrtle https://bit.ly/4vGNKak. Beach. See https://bit.ly/4g7Xu8J Readers have learned in this series and https://bit.ly/4vBLwcp. of articles and dozens of my previous articles that VA Health Care is the Higher patient satisfaction best healthcare in the world, and the VA hospitals have dramatically RHJVAHCS has been in the top outperformed non-VA hospitals 10 percent of all public and private in patient satisfaction ratings. The hospitals for quality of care, customer Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care satisfaction, infection prevention, System (RHJVAHCS) was recently and hundreds of other metrics for ranked the top hospital in South Car- close to two decades. olina for patient experience and care.

VA health care has no catastrophic See https://bit.ly/4eTZvmN. cap; it can be used even if you have private health insurance, Medicare, More affordable Tricare for Life, or other healthcare VA health care is often more afcoverage. VA healthcare, in general, fordable than non-VA health care for has better healthcare outcomes veterans. A veteran is generally exthan other healthcare for veterans, empt from copays for all care if they provides transportation to and from have a service-connected disability healthcare appointments, pays rating of 50% or higher. This places veterans travel costs to and from them in Priority Group 1, meaning healthcare in many cases, has Fisher they owe no copays for any medical Houses providing free lodging, trans-

port, meals, and more at more than 100 VA hospitals, and surrounds the veteran with a Primary Care Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT Team) that includes a Primary Care Provider (Physician, PA, or NP), registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse or junior RN, a pharmacist, a social worker, and an administrative assistant).

Important things to remember RHJVAHCS team members are proactive in educating veterans and their family members on such important things as: • Vets themselves. Many VA employees and care providers are veterans themselves, thus they are walking the walk of VA healthcare with the patient.

• VA social workers are experts in VA Healthcare. VA Social Workers are experts in every facet of VA healthcare and services. Veterans should go to their social worker if they have a question about any benefit, service, or sector of VA healthcare.

This is why veterans are frequently reminded to write down the position, name, and contact phone number of their VA PACT team members, especially their social worker. There are VA social workers in every department of the RHJVAHCS. Find the social worker leader at your local VA Medical Center in the “Directory of Social Workers” at https://www. socialwork.va.gov/Social_Work_ Leaders.asp.

• VA elderly veterans benefits are especially generous. Elderly veterans receive all the benefits younger veterans get, plus dozens more. See the VA webpage “Elderly Veterans” at https://bit.ly/4v740Av. There are more than 50 pages of elderly veterans' benefits, which VA Social Workers are experts in.

• VA patient advocates solve problems. According to the VA web-

EDITOR’S NOTE

This article is the fourth in a series of four.

page “Patient Advocates” at https:// bit.ly/4vBivNM, patient advocates are specially trained to help you resolve issues with your care. If you have experienced any problems that you have not been able to resolve by talking with your care team, please reach out to one of the patient advocates. Connect with the Patient Advocate Supervisor at 843-7896066; North Charleston and Goose Creek CBOCs at 843-789-6066; VA Charleston Healthcare at 843-7896066; Savannah-Hinesville-Beaufort and Brunswick at 912-920-0214, Ext. 412205; Myrtle Beach at 843-7896066; and VA Charleston Healthcare at 843-789-6066. Alternatively, you may contact the advocates through email at vhachapatientadvocates@ va.gov.

Don’t wait — enroll in VA health care today with the help of a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO), or by calling 1-877-222-8387, visiting any VA Medical Center or Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, applying by mail, or applying online at https://bit.ly/4eyj4SC. Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel.

He is a past VA-accredited VSO, a Patient Adviser at Charleston and Durham VA Hospitals, a Fisher House Charleston/Friends of Fisher House Charleston Goodwill Ambassador, and the Veterans Benefits Adviser for his local Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Chapter and Cary, N.C., VFW Post 7383. Larry is also the author of the award-winning “Blades of Thunder (Book One)” and a contributing freelance writer with The Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.

JULY 2-JULY 8,, 2026

A13

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THURSDAY’S CARTOON

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THEME: BEVERAGES ACROSS 1. Every which way 5. *Whole milk has about 8 grams of this per cup 8. Sound rebound 12. Not yet final, in law 13. Tibetan teacher 14. Twig of willow tree 15. Bad wishes 16. Like certain tradition 17. Separated 18. *Fermented tea 20. Trampled 21. Hermey and Buddy, e.g.

22. Pronoun 23. *Bee's favorite beverage 26. Like blabbermouth 30. Freud's concern 31. Becoming 34. Uncontrolled swerve 35. Type of heron 37. Unidentified John 38. Pocket change 39. Ding follower 40. Kenya's neighbor 42. "Five down" fighter pilot 43. Cuddle, romantically speaking 45. Eras 47. Film director's cry

48. Opinion 50. ____ Bora 52. *Blended fruit beverage 55. *Most-consumed beverage 56. Abbreviation, abbr.

57. Miniature whirlpool 59. The Brady Bunch, e.g.

60. Hanukkah gift 61. Came by horse 62. "For ____ the Bell Tolls" 63. Schiller's famous poem, e.g.

64. One-armed bandit DOWN 1. "Wheel of Fortune" purchase 2. *Most popular choice for official state beverage 3. Nobel Peace Prize capital 4. It's meant to be 5. Travesty 6. Wet nurses 7. Samoan money 8. *Caffeinated "shot" 9. Bye, in Palermo 10. *Group of bovine milk producers 11. Table scrap 13. Mona Lisa's home 14. Presidential promises, e.g.

19. Detonation

22. *Plant-based "milk" choice 23. Must-haves 24. Encourage (2 words) 25. Cornua, sing.

26. Late country singer-songwriter Campbell 27. Relating to ilium 28. *Popular party beverage 29. Affirmatives 32. Competitive advantage 33. New Zealand's bygone bird 36. *Milk+carbonated water+syrup 38. Head of a body part, anatomically speaking 40. Preceding month 41. Send back to mother country 44. Road-crossing helper 46. Not these or those 48. Implant 49. Like duchess or count 50. Johann Sebastian of music fame 51. Sgt. Snorkel's dog 52. Palm starch 53. Object of worship 54. Starchy tuber 55. "Amazing!"

58. Thus far

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KLAUS is a handsome black adult cat with one of the kindest hearts you’ll ever meet. He’s known for his gentle nature and his surprising love of kittens.

Meet AMARIS, a strikingly beautiful brown tabby who is as curious as she is sweet. She explores the world with wide, wondering eyes and a gentle spirit. She's ready to bring charm into your home!

Meet MS. MARVEL! She is our favorite super hero. This sweet 6-year-old girl came to us with five beautiful puppies, and now she is finally ready to step down from her motherly duties.

Meet CANTALOUPE, a precious orange tabby with the cutest little face and an even sweeter personality!

She's still settling in, but already loves attention and can't wait to find a forever home.

PAM is a lovely 1-year-old brown tabby who recently finished raising her kittens and is now ready for a peaceful life of her own. She’s a calm, quiet girl with a slim build.

CHINA is a 10-yearold brown terrier mix with a heart full of love and a wonderfully gentle soul. Easygoing and laid-back, she's perfect for a calm, peaceful home.

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JULY 2-JULY 8,, 2026

A15

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Truth Matters

Around the World Truth Is Universal

There are truths that apply to everyone.

For many centuries, people looked around them and assumed that the Earth was flat. Of course, we now know that it is round. The round shape of Earth is an example of a universal truth, one that applies to people of all cultures and backgrounds. Even if some continue to believe that the world is flat, this doesn’t change the reality that the Earth is actually round.

We don’t create truth; we discover it.

When we discovered that the Earth is round, we didn’t create its shape. We simply observed the Earth as it truly is. When we write out the multiplication table, we are discovering mathematical principles that have always existed. We are able to discover laws of science and mathematics which exist independently of our personal preferences, feelings, or experiences.

Science and math explore universal truths.

Science and mathematics are based on the central premise that it is possible to discover universal truths about nature and the world around us. For example, since chemical reactions are consistent from place to place, we can design car engines that work anywhere in the world. Likewise, “3 x 3 = 9” is a mathematical reality that holds true in every country and culture.

We can seek truth together with mutual respect.

When we recognize that universal truth exists, we have a shared position by which we can seek truth together. When two people disagree on a scientific matter, for example, they can discuss the evidence on each side. In a respectful way, they can work to arrive together at a better understanding of the truth.

Moral and religious truths are universal truths.

We can discover truths which apply to everyone in the areas of faith and morality, too. For example, if humans have a moral obligation to treat one another as persons rather than objects to be used, this is a truth that transcends cultural differences. It is a truth we discover, but do not create. Similarly, if God exists (or does not), this is a reality that applies to believers and non-believers alike.

We can seek such truths in respectful discussion.

If two people disagree on the question of God’s existence, but they recognize that this is a reality greater than their own opinions or preferences, then they have a foundation for a respectful discussion. There is no reason to attack one another on a personal level. Instead, they can present the reasons for their positions in a friendly manner, seeking to arrive together at a fuller understanding of the truth.

Next Week Truth Is Timeless

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