NEWS: U.S. House makes moves to prevent seismic testing, offshore drilling. PAGE A2
JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2019 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
School board approves November bond referendum The Beaufort County Board of Education voted Tuesday, June 18, to hold a county-wide bond referendum in November aimed at improving school safety, renovating inadequate facilities and adding classroom space to address enrollment growth. The Nov. 5 referendum will ask county residents to vote on two separate questions: The first question will seek voter approval for $290 million in safety and security upgrades at all district schools; technology infrastructure upgrades at schools district-wide; classroom additions at River Ridge Academy and May River High; a replacement building for Robert Smalls International Academy; and renovations at three schools (Beaufort Elementary, Hilton Head Island Middle and Battery Creek High).
Improved safety and more space on list of needs
The second question will ask voters to consider an additional $54 million in Career and Technology Education expansions at Battery Creek and May River high schools; design work for renovations at Hilton Head Island High; improvements to athletic facilities at district middle and high schools; and playground improvements at early childhood centers, elementary and PreK-8 schools. The second question will go into effect only if the first question is approved. All of the projects were included in a comprehensive list of $629 million in facilities needs identified earlier this year by an independent committee of county residents. Members of the Community Project Review Committee worked more than 900 hours – visiting 26 schools in Beaufort and other districts
and receiving presentations from outside experts – before producing the district-wide projects list that was sent to Interim Superintendent Herb Berg. CPRC members also received presentations from a safety and security consulting firm, a demographer, four architectural consultants, the Town of Bluffton, a playground equipment vendor, a furniture vendor and district staff. Berg went to the Board of Education on May 7 and recommended a November referendum that would fund a portion of the CPRC’s overall $629 million projects list. Berg said growing school districts generally need to approve a bond referendum every four to five years to accommodate increasing enrollment and preserve existing facilities. Beaufort County’s last successful bond
QUESTION 1: A total of $290,555,000 to: • Acquire, install and construct school safety and security improvements districtwide. • Acquire, install and construct technology infrastructure and related equipment district-wide. • Construct and equip a replacement school for Robert Smalls International Academy (includes demolishing the existing facility). • Construct and equip additions at May River High and River Ridge Academy. • Construct and equip renovations at Beaufort Elementary. • Construct and equip renovations and additions at Battery Creek High and Hilton Head Island Middle, including demolition where necessary. QUESTION 2 (only if Question 1 is approved by voters): A total of $54,055,000 to: • Construct, renovate, expand and equip space for Career and Technology Education programs at Battery Creek High and May River High. • Design renovations for Hilton Head High. • Construct and equip athletic improvements at Beaufort Middle, Whale Branch Middle, River Ridge Academy, Bluffton Middle and H. E. McCracken Middle. • Construct and equip athletic improvements at high schools district-wide. • Construct, equip and improve playgrounds at early childhood centers, elementary schools and PreK-8 schools district-wide.
referendum was 11 years ago, and county voters rejected bond referendums in 2016 and 2018. On Tuesday night, Board
members made adjustments to Berg’s May 7 recommendations before voting to proceed with a referendum on Nov. 5.
PADDLEPOWER
Pat Cookson, center, is dressed in all white, keeps the beat for her crew Parrish Paddlers from St. Helena Episcopal Church during the annual Dragon Boat Races on Saturday at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Photos by Bob Sofaly. An enthusiastic crowd descended on Waterfront Park on Saturday to watch 30 teams from all over the Southeast race 42-foot dragonboats on the Beaufort River. Dozens of communities, businesses, civic organizations, and clubs participated in the 7th annual Dragon-
boat Race Day, hosted by DragonBoat Beaufort. The popular event raises funds to support the organization’s mission: Through the physical competition of dragonboat racing and the strength of camaraderie, DragonBoat Beaufort aims to provide cancer survivors with a total sense of
wellness. Additionally, DragonBoat Beaufort’s outreach program supports individual cancer patients who live, work or are treated in Beaufort County with needs they cannot afford or for which they lack coverage. Visit www.yourislandnews.com for more photos and results.
Left: Paddlers and supporters do a little impromptu line dancing between heats of the annual Dragon Boat Races on Saturday at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
SCDNR courtesy boat inspections set for Independence Day holiday For the July 4 holiday, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) Law Enforcement Division will be holding courtesy boat inspections at public boat landings across the state. SCDNR officers will perform
a quick, but thorough, inspection of your boat to make sure you have the required safety equipment and proper boat and motor registration for your watercraft before you launch. Those who are not in compliance with safety regulations
FIRE RESCUE
or registration requirements will not be ticketed during the complimentary inspections. Instead, they will be given an opportunity to correct the problem before they launch their boat. SCDNR officers will also be
available to answer questions and give boaters tips on how to stay safe on the water. Courtesy boat inspection sites in Beaufort County include Lemon Island Landing (Edgar Glenn) on the Chechessee River (July 6, 10 a.m.-noon)
SWING TIME
and Battery Creek Landing (Parris Island) on Battery Creek (July 7, 10 a.m.-noon). To report boating violations, such as reckless operation or an intoxicated boat operator, call the SCDNR toll-free, 24hour hotline at 1-800-922-5431.
INSIDE
Family of 5 displaced, pets rescued in Shell Point fire.
Annual tennis event makes a SPLASH! at Dataw.
PAGE A2
PAGE B1
Lowcountry Life A2 Death Notices A2 News A2-3 Business A3 Health A4 Voices A5
Legal Notices Sports Food What To Do Around Town Classifieds
A5 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5
Cost estimates for referendum projects were developed by a private-sector firm contracted by the school district.
Lucas joins editorial staff The Island News and Lowcountry Weekly are proud to announce the addition of Mindy Lucas to the editorial staff. Lucas has more than a decade of experience in print journalism, having most recently worked for The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette and The State newspaper in Columbia. While at The Island Packet, Lucas covered arts and entertainment and public safety. While at The State, she worked Mindy as a general Lucas assignments reporter, covering a range of areas including K-12 education, public safety, buses and downtown development, and arts and entertainment. She also worked as a web producer as part of the paper’s digital team. “I’m excited to be joining the staff of two papers that have such a strong and loyal readership,” Lucas said. “Locally-produced journalism is more important than ever in an age when news coverage is becoming more and more homogenized or controlled by media companies not based in the community. Beaufort deserves coverage befitting its rich history and culture. I’m looking forward to covering the news and stories that are of interest to and directly impact my community.” Lucas holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of South Carolina. She lives with her husband, David, in Beaufort.