Hilton Head teens sweep record-breaking River Swim
By Mike McCombs The Island News
In another record-setting year for the YMCA’s Beaufort River Swim, youth was served, once again, as a pair of 14 year olds from Hilton Head Island took home the Men’s and Women’s championships.
The Men’s and Overall champion was Jack Shave, who finished his first 3 2-mile Beaufort River Swim with a time of 52:56, while Piper Lucas took the Women’s Championship.
A rising freshman at Hilton Head Island High School and a
member of Hilton Head Aquatics, Shave has only been tackling open water swims for about two months.
“It was fun, it was good,” Shave said. “I haven’t had a lot of experience [with open water].
This was his second 5K race, the first coming a month ago in Ft. Myers, Fla. Shave said the biggest challenge in open water swims so far has been keeping track of where
he is. “The waves, the current, where to go,” he said. “You have to look where to go.” Shave wasn’t sure he’d won, at first, because his biggest worry had been going off course.
“I didn’t know I was in first. I knew I was in front of a lot of people, …” he said. “I had to keep looking behind me to be
SEE SWIM PAGE A8
Jenkins stepping down
HBF Executive Director retiring after 14 years; Sundrla to take reins
By Delayna Earley The Island News
Historic Beaufort Foundation
Executive Director Cynthia Jenkins is stepping down from the position after holding it for nearly 15 years.
The Historic Beaufort Foundation (HBF) has been a defining voice for preservation of historic buildings in the City of Beaufort.
Jenkins, 73, told members that she would be retiring from the position on June 7 in an email that was sent on Thursday, May 29
Lise Sundrla, who worked with Jenkins for the past five years, has been named as the new Executive Director of the HBF effective June 7 according to a release sent out by the HBF Board.
“I am honored to follow in the footsteps of such an incredible preservationist as Cynthia Jenkins,” Sundrla said in the release.
“She has set the bar high.”
When asked about her time at the HBF, Jenkins said that her most proud accomplishment during her tenure as director was how they “were not just able to rescue the Verdier House but be good stewards of it for 50 years.”
“I am also very proud that we were able to continually add to the knowledge of what good preservation is, using that house as an example,” said Jenkins.
While she was proud of the HBF’s contributions to the Verdier
SEE DIRECTOR PAGE A4
Music Festival of the Lowcountry returns
Staff reports After a successful debut last year, the Music Festival of the Lowcountry returns to Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park from 1 to 10 p.m., Saturday, June 7, featuring headliners such as country music artist Tony Jackson and Who’s Bad – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience.
The event is free, though you can reserve tickets at www.musicfestivalofthelowcountry.com.
The 2024 event brought almost 6,000 visitors to downtown Beau-
fort. The event was the brainchild of local real estate expert Jamie Peart of J.P.
Signature Group – Keller Williams. The primary objective was to provide a platform for local and regional bands to showcase their artistic prowess. Inclusivity across various music genres was a key consideration -- attendees can anticipate a diverse musical lineup encompass-
ing country, jazz, pop, classic rock, steel drums, and more!
“I want to create a space where local musicians of all genres can play and be heard. Where our local community can enjoy music and life in our historic town,” Peart said.
Peart joined forces with Brittany Underwood, a marketing specialist and graphic designer, to make this event sparkle. On top of the music, the event serves up a feast of tasty
SEE MUSIC PAGE A5
NEWS
Community Foundation of the Lowcountry and Women in Philanthropy honor nonprofits making a difference across Beaufort County and beyond.
PAGES A5 & A7
EDUCATION
Celebrating the Class of 2025: Graduates across the Lowcountry turn their tassels.
PAGES A12–13
Country music singer Tony Jackson entertains the crowd during the first annual Music Festival of the Lowcountry on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Cynthia Jenkins
Lise Sundrla
Hilton Head Aquatics swimmer Jack Shave, 14, the overall male first-place winner, receives his trophy from Beaufort
Mayor Phil Cromer after the 19th annual YMCA Beaufort River Swim & Run on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Beaufort Downtown Marina. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Jack Shave Piper Lucas
LOWCOUNTRY LIFE & NEWS
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VETERAN OF THE WEEK PRESTINE ALEXANDER
American Legion Beaufort Post 207 brings you Prestine Alexander, 72, who graduated in 1971 from the first integrated class at Beaufort High School. She joined the U.S. Air Force in 1977 and attended Basic Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. She first specialized in administration serving at Grissom AFB in Ind.
Prestine Alexander
She then transferred to Keesler AFB in Mississippi, and while there cross trained as a Command and Control Specialist. She took this specialty to the
U.S. Navy Base at Keflavik, Iceland, keeping track of U.S. and foreign assets operating in the far north Atlantic. Returning to duty in the States, she was assigned for four years to Wurtsmith AFB in Michigan. Her follow-on duty was for four years at Misawa Air Base in Japan. Her final tour was at Nellis AFB in Nevada, from which she retired in 1997 as a Master
Sergeant. She then worked for 10 years as a paralegal for an attorney and then a judge. She returned to Beaufort County in 2015. She is a member of the Disabled American Veterans.
– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207 For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.
June 6
2000: Clarence “C.J.” Cummings, Jr. is born to Clarence Cummings, Sr., and Savasha Jenkins Cummings. Cummings holds numerous Youth and Junior weightlifting national and world records and competed in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo (held in 2021).
2020: The famous Red Piano Too Art Gallery on St. Helena Island closes its doors for the final time. The Gullah Geechee Visitors Center and LyBensons Gallery & Studio now occupy the building.
June 7
2020: Around 200 people take part in a march supporting Our Peaceful Protesters and Black Lives Matter from Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park to Beaufort City Hall. The group had been protesting against and marching in protest of the killing of
PAL PETS OF THE WEEK
Cat of the Week
Sheka is a king-size guy looking for a king bed in a calm, loving home. At nearly 20 pounds, he takes life at a snail's pace. No crazy kitten energy here! This 8-year-old appreciates the quieter things in life like bird watching from a cozy window seat. If you've been looking for a cat with a little something extra, Sheka is extra-large, extra sweet, and extra friendly. He is neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped.
Dog of the Week
This 3-month-old beauty has
George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, by the police in Minneapolis, Minn.
June 11
1562: Huguenot Jean Ribault leaves Charlesfort, and the 26 men occupying it on Parris Island in the Port Royal Sound, to return to France. The fort was occupied for less than a year.
– Compiled by Mike McCombs
home. If you have been thinking about adopting a puppy, please consider this lovely lady. Cute as a button, with an adorable personality and impeccable manners, Agatha is ready to live life in a loving home like yours. She is up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, and scheduled to be spayed.
For more information on Sheka, Agatha and any of our other pets, call PAL at 843-645-1725 or email Info@ PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.
– Compiled by Lindsay Perry
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Donations gratefully accepted at www.yourislandnews.com or The Island News, PO Box 550, Beaufort, SC 29901
Allen Lassiter of Lady’s Island snapped this photo of storm clouds crossing Battery Creek and headed toward Port Royal. To submit a Lowcountry Life photo, you must be the photographer
have permission to submit the photo to be published in The Island News. Please submit high-resolution photos and
description and/or names of the people in the picture and the name of the
Garden Oaks shooting sparks police, city action
Last week’s shooting was 3rd in 6 months
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
For the third time in six months, the Garden Oaks Apartment complex was rocked by a violent shooting that resulted in two men being treated for gunshot injuries.
The apartment complex, located at 2000 Salem Road, only recently celebrated its official opening.
Beaufort Police officers responded to a report of shots fired at 6:25 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a man outside with a gunshot wound.
charging a firearm into a vehicle; breach of peace, aggravated in nature; pointing and presenting a firearm at another person; discharging firearms within the city limits; and possession with intent to distribute.
Miller was still confined at the Beaufort County Detention Center, as of Tuesday afternoon, June 3
A press release sent out by the City of Beaufort on Tuesday addresses the recent spike in criminal activity at the Garden Oaks Apartment complex.
Officers rendered aid to the man until EMS arrived at the scene and transported the man to Beaufort Memorial Hospital.
A second man had fled the scene in a vehicle but was quickly tracked down by police when the vehicle came to a stop when the driver, who has sustained three gunshot wounds, was unable to drive any farther.
Officers also administered aid to that man, as well, until EMS was able to transport him to Beaufort Memorial Hospital.
The two parties likely exchanged gunfire in an isolated event, according to the Beaufort Police Department.
Gasnel O’Bryan Miller, 35, was arrested on Saturday, May 31 and has been charged with dis-
The Beaufort Police Department along with city leadership and property management have worked together to enhance the law enforcement presence through targeted enforcement efforts and stronger coordination with management, according to the release.
A Police Substation has been established in an apartment onsite to help increase police visibility and responsiveness, while more than 60 extra patrols and foot patrols have been added.
Nine Writs of Eviction have been filed by management including one for a suspect that was tied to the shooting on Wednesday. Additionally, a community meeting is scheduled for the residents in hopes of engaging the residents and promoting safety.
“We cannot allow violent crime to erode the quality of life in our community. We must take every reasonable measure to deter it proactively and ensure maximum accountability when it occurs.”
SCOTT MARSHALL Beaufort City Manager, on addressing community safety.
The release also stated that the violent crimes don’t appear to be stemming from residents, but instead from people who are visiting the tenants or trespassing on the property.
City Council is anticipated to discuss the possibility of introducing a new nuisance abatement ordinance during its Work Session meeting on June 10
The ordinance would help to define, prohibit and establish clear procedures for the abatement of public nuisances and allow for more effective enforcement and accountability procedures, according to the release.
“We cannot allow violent crime to erode the quality of life in our
community,” said Beaufort City Manager Scott Marshall. “We must take every reasonable measure to deter it proactively and ensure maximum accountability when it occurs.”
In December, police responded to the death of 62-year-old Huey Marshall, and found him with his throat slit.
Bryan Antwan Thomas, 35, is facing charges for murder in connection with Marshall’s death. He was also charged with meth trafficking, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and violation of probation terms.
In February, Derrick Lamonte Singleton Jr. was charged with murder, criminal conspiracy, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and discharging a firearm into a vehicle in the shooting death of 26-year-old Tahir A. Bailey.
Anyone with information about Wednesday’s shooting incident is asked to contact Lt. Mendicino at 843-322-7911
To remain anonymous, tips can be reported to Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County by the P3 Tips app, online at www.TIPSBFT.com or by calling 1-844-TIPSBFT (1844-847-7238) and giving the reference case #25B18445
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.
Staff reports
The Beaufort Police Department has announced an upgraded Community Camera Registry Program, hoping to use technology and community partnerships to strengthen public safety. This enhanced voluntary program invites residents and business owners to register their private security cameras with Beaufort PD. While we will not have direct access to live or recorded footage, the registry enables officers to quickly identify potential video near crime scenes and reach out for assistance. What’s new Streamlined registration; Improved mapping capabilities; and Integration with Safe Living Beaufort Crime Reduction Tools. How it works Voluntary participation – Residents, businesses register their cameras. Privacy-focused – No live feed or direct access; only location awareness. Safer communities –Helps officers respond quickly, solve cases more efficiently. The program aligns with Beaufort PD’s commitment to transparency, crime prevention, and community engagement. Participation is voluntary. Register at https://bit.ly/45Dzuor.
A
t Beaufort Memorial, our advanced orthopedics and spine care team is committed to helping you be your best and enjoy life without pain.
Whether neck or back pain is slowing you down or your activities are limited due to hip or knee pain, our board-certified specialists will personalize your care using sophisticated diagnostic and treatment options. Our advanced techniques and technologies, including Mako SmartRoboticsTM and VELYSTM robotic-assisted joint replacement, will improve function and relieve pain quickly. Many surgical patients even go home the same day.
Visit BeaufortMemorial.org/Ortho for help addressing your pain.
At Beaufort Memorial you’ll also find:
• Joint preservation therapies
• Numerous non-surgical treatment options
• A personalized approach to restoring mobility and joint function
• Pre-operative education classes that engage patients and caregivers in the healing process
• An Optimization Program that follows you through the process to ensure the best outcomes
• Outpatient and in-home rehab services to get you back to doing what you love faster
4th annual Black Moses Freedom Festival returns to Beaufort
Staff reports
The spirit of freedom, heritage, and healing rises again as the fourth annual Black Moses Freedom Festival (BMFF) returns to South Carolina’s Lowcountry from Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 8, 2025 at the Penn Center on St. Helena Island.
The immersive three-day cultural celebration, rooted in the revolutionary legacy of Harriet Tubman, invites communities to gather in remembrance, resistance, and renewal through dynamic experiences, workshops, and ancestral honoring.
This year’s theme is “We Got US!” This theme weaves together healing, history, and heritage with interactive workshops, powerful storytelling, music, and sacred ritual led by the In-
digenous and the Gullah Geechee.
Attendees can engage in a full weekend of curated experiences that include:
Friday, June 6
8 a.m. – Freedom Walk Tour
3:30 p.m. – Festival Starts Libation Ceremony 4:30 p.m. – Screening of “Seeking” by Luana
Graves 5-9 p.m. – Walking Stick Workshop, Mental Wellness Session, and Open Mic Jam with The Bloom 101 All day: Minty Market –Featuring local vendors and food trucks
Saturday, June 7
Sunrise Tours: Harriet’s Heritage Kayaking on
Combahee
8 a.m. Freedom Walk: BCBCC to Harriet Monument
9 a.m. – Bus Tour to the Combahee River All-day: Minty Market & Interactive Workshops including:
1:30 p.m. – Center For Heirs Property Preservation Presentation
2:30 p.m. – Genealogy with Michelle Canty Stinson
3:30 p.m. – Herbal Remedy Workshop with Aja Embry
4:30 p.m. – Mental Health and Wellness Workshop
5:30 p.m. – Indigo and Herbal Remedies Workshops
6-8 p.m. – Dinner & Dialogue with Dr. Michael
Porter and Chef Shekira Levins
8-10 p.m. – Conscious Hip Hop Party with No Tapp
Sunday, June 8
10 a.m. – Begin the day with African Yoga, Sound Bowl Healing, and Tai Chi Brunch & Tea and a full afternoon of film screenings and the Sankofa Healing Expe rience
Festivalgoers can em brace nature and community by choosing overnight lodg ing in dorm-style accom modations or eco-friendly camping options for tents and RVs. For full schedule, pricing, and lodging info, visit www.blackmosesfreedomfestival.com.
Commercial shrimp season opens
S.C. Department of Natural Resources
South Carolina's commercial shrimp trawling season opened in all legal state waters at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 2, 2025.
"Although we did have a cold snap in late January, white shrimp numbers across South Carolina's estuaries have generally been near the long-term average this winter and spring," South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) biologist Jeff Brunson said.
In an average year, shrimp season opens in full by late spring,
typically after the opening of eight smaller provisional areas in the state’s outer waters. This year those provisional areas opened on April 24, allowing shrimpers to begin harvesting some larger white shrimp from farther offshore while still protecting most of the spawning population closer to shore.
SCDNR officials set the opening date for shrimp season each year based on the conditions of the shrimp themselves. Aboard both commercial and agency vessels, biologists sample and study white shrimp frequently in late spring. One of the things they’re looking
for is evidence that a majority of female white shrimp have already spawned at least once.
Opening the season too soon –and allowing trawlers to catch too many females that have not had an opportunity to spawn – could reduce the size of the fall white shrimp crop, which are the offspring of the spring white shrimp.
South Carolina's commercial shrimp calendar has historically had three peak periods. In the spring, shrimpers typically capitalize on the influx of roe white shrimp, large, early-season shrimp that generally fetch higher prices.
The summer months are defined by a peak in brown shrimp, which are similar to white shrimp in size and taste. In the fall and into winter, shrimpers bring in a second crop of white shrimp; the offspring of the spring roe shrimp. Because white shrimp are a short-lived species that are sensitive to cold water temperatures and unusually wet or dry summers, their numbers can fluctuate dramatically from year to year. However, they’re also prolific spawners – which means that the populations can quickly rebound even after a poor year or season.
Piper & The Hard Times play Street Music
Director from page A1
House, she said that there are historical buildings and areas in the Historical District that she wishes they could have saved.
Jenkins said that she wishes that they had been able to save more of the African-American owned buildings and businesses in the district, particularly post-Reconstruction buildings.
“I just think that, you know, Beaufort was the first of the southern cities to include their African-American neighborhood in their National
Register nomination,” Jenkins said.
“I mean, the very first, as far as we can document, and yet we let it flitter away with demolitions and dilapidated buildings and that kind of thing.”
In the past 20 years, close to 20 buildings have been lost, according to Jenkins.
“And, you know in a National Historic Landmark District, that’s a lot,” said Jenkins. “And I’m afraid that the edges of the district and the Northwest Quadrant where it once really showed its post-Civil War and very early 20th century evolution as an African-American town or community, it’s losing that.” Jenkins said that the heart of the
31, 2025, performance at Port Royal’s Street Music on Paris Avenue. Linda Beattie/The Island News
African-American business district was Port Republic and West Street, and it is gone with nothing left to show what happened during the 20th century.
“That’s a whole hundred years of architectural history and evolution,” Jenkins said. “Cultural values lost.”
The last few years of Jenkins’ time as executive director were spent in unsuccessful legal battles to try and block a hotel, parking garage and apartments from being built by developer 303 Associates in the historic district.
The courts sided with the City of Beaufort and 303 Associates in the proceedings, stating that the proj-
ects were legal. Jenkins said she was disappointed in the court system for ruling in support of the developers.
“I think that Beaufort’s a very, very special place.” Jenkins said.
“And those people that understand that, I hope, will do everything they can to keep it special and not let it be overwhelmed by inappropriate out-of-scale buildings that don’t need to be in that particular location.”
She said that she does not think that big buildings are bad, but she does not believe that big buildings belong in Beaufort’s Historical District.
Jenkins plans to spend her time
in her retirement slowing down a little bit and spending time with her husband and dog.
She said she has some writing that she wants to do and just catching up on life and getting organized, which has been hard with how busy she has been.
“There’s a lot of books I’ve got stacked up I want to read that I haven’t got to read the last four or five years,” Jenkins said.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as
The Spring 2025 edition of Port Royal’s Street Music on Paris Avenue continued Saturday, May 31, 2025, as Piper & The Hard Times entertained the crowd. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Seventeen-month-old Mateo Marroquin-Cadien of Beaufort scores better than a front-row seat as members of Piper & The Hard Times take to the street during their Saturday, May
Shrimp are South Carolina's most valuable saltwater fishery. K. Dirr/ SCDNR
CFL gives grants to 11 Lowcountry groups
Staff reports
In its second Impact Grant cycle of Fiscal Year 2025, the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry (CFL) awarded $618 427 53 to 11 local organizations, including several in northern Beaufort County.
These competitive grants, distributed twice per fiscal year, are available to organizations serving people who live or work in Beaufort County. In this cycle, Impact Grants were awarded for projects and programs related to health, human services, education, entrepreneurship, self-sufficiency, and food insecurity.
The recipients of the spring 2025 Community Foundation of the Lowcountry Impact Grants are: Beaufort Memorial Hospital Endowment Foundation – $100 000 for developing a dedicated Crisis Stabilization Unit to serve individuals experiencing acute mental health crises. BlacQuity – $55 000 for a year-long, cohort-based business training program that offers practical education, mentorship, and access to startup resources for Black entrepreneurs.
• Bluffton Self Help –$55,000 to purchase a refrigerated box truck for the expansion of its Mobile Market and Fresh Xpress programs.
• Deep Well Project (in partnership with Bluffton Self Help) – $100,000 to support the creation of a new, shared service center on Hilton Head Island.
• HELP of Beaufort – $25,920 to launch a new transportation assistance initiative aimed at helping low-income residents living north of the Broad River maintain employment opportunities south of the Broad.
Love House Learning Academy –$20 000 to launch a comprehensive
abuse prevention and awareness program targeting youth and families in Beaufort County.
• Lowcountry Legal Volunteers –$65,000 for funding to launch a Wills and Heirs Property Program that will provide free legal services to help families secure generational landownership through estate planning and legal education.
Memory Matters – $36 000 to expand its Bluffton-based dementia support programs, increasing respite day programming to three days per week and adding a fourth day for the early intervention class.
• Sandalwood Community Food Pantry – $100 000 to support facility costs for its new “Resilient Pantry” on Hilton Head Island.
The Sandbox Children’s Museum –$11 507 53 for funds to fully implement a hands-on, interactive STEM exhibit for children ages 7 to 12
Volunteers in Medicine HHI – $50,000 to enhance the diagnostic capabilities of its Eye Clinic by acquiring two pieces of state-of-the-art equipment.
Community Foundation of the Lowcountry is pleased to offer a co-funding opportunity for generous people interested in supporting projects above that were not fully funded through the current grant cycle. To learn more about these giving opportunities, visit the Community Foundation’s Grants Catalog at https://bit.ly/43s5RFq.
For Fiscal Year 2025 (July 1 2024-June 30 2025), Community Foundation of the Lowcountry awarded a total of 19 Impact Grants for more than $993,000
If you need more information, please contact Debbie Cahoon at dcahoon@cf-lowcountry.org or call 843-681-9100
Music from page A1
valofthelowcountry.com for more information about all of the event’s artists. About the headliners Jackson, is often referred to as “Traditional Country Music’s favorite artist.”
According to his web site, “He’s served our country as
a Marine and enjoyed a successful career in the banking industry, but with one listen to Tony Jackson’s new album, ‘I’ve Got Songs to Sing,’ it is obvious country music is his true calling. With a distinctive voice that embodies country’s best traditions yet teems with an infectious energy that propels the genre into the future, Jackson is an old country soul in the body of a rising superstar.” (https://www.tonyjacksonmusic.com/about)
Who’s Bad started paying homage to Michael Jackson in 2003
According to Who’s Bad’s web site, its “performance is an unrivaled celebration of pop music’s one true King. Their power-packed performance of Michael Jackson’s expansive catalog has united and ignited crowds on almost every continent, and can only be described as a jaw-dropping, musical mustsee. As the longest-running Michael Jackson tribute, and the only one to predate his untimely passing, Who’s Bad is the World's No. 1 Michael Jackson Tribute.” (https:// www.whosbadmusic.com)
By Delayna Earley The Island News
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting death of a teenager who was killed on Saturday, June 1, during a gathering in Seabrook.
Jayquan Young, 18, of Seabrook was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound at the scene at around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday on Seabrook Center Road. He was identified by the Beau-
The protests continue Seabrook man shot, killed over weekend
fort County Coroner’s Office on Monday, June 2
According to police, Young was outside of a community center where many other people were also present.
Deputies responded just before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday to an area between two properties on Seabrook Center Road off Trask Parkway (U.S. 21) south of Huspa Creek.
Several people from the
gathering directed police to the gunshot victim who did not appear to be breathing and had a pool of blood under his head, according to the incident report from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
One witness told police that before the gunshot was heard, he had seen Young and another man “playing with a gun” while standing outside of the building.
He stated that he told the
men to put the gun away because there were children and families at the center, after which Young was reported to have put the gun in his pocket.
No arrests have been made in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, but there has been at least one person of interest identified.
The other man who was mentioned in the witness’ account was found by police
and is considered a suspect.
Deputies interviewed him and seized his cellphone.
Master Sgt. Bob Herlong with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said that Young’s death is actively being investigated, but police have not labeled the death as a homicide at this time.
Anyone with information on the incident is encouraged to call the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
non-emergency line at 843-524-2777 and anonymous tips can be submitted through the Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County website, the P3 Tips app or by calling 844-847-7238
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
& JAMES KELLY SCOTT, 3757 S ATLANTIC AVE DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, FL 32118, 0.0147723220820258,0 .0147723220820258, U1307-W12B, U1507W16B, 4401/1956, $4,038.95, $450, $239.39, $4,728.34; ROBERT RAYMOND PRICE & BRENDA DENICE PRICE, 20 HANNAH LN GREENUP, KY 41144-9361, 0.0073861610410129, U2209W46E, 4401/1997, $9,438.40, $450, $239.39, $10,127.79; ALEXANDER CAMERON & SHIRLEE ANN CAMERON, 102 COPPER BROOK LN POOLER, GA 31322, 0.0073861610410129, U1104W4E, 4401/2001, $2,243.35, $450, $239.39, $2,932.74; DENNIS AL PATANICZEK & GLENN THOMAS PARKER, 4222 SAINT CHARLES DR SARASOTA, FL 34243-4224, 0.0073861610410129, U1502-W34E, 4401/1955, $2,243.35, $450, $239.39, $2,932.74; BRANDI HEATH FAIRCLOTH & MARK ANTHONY FAIRCLOTH, 157 SANDEFUR RD KATHLEEN, GA 31047, 0.0073861610410129,
Meg Kirkman of Perth, Australia took time out from her Beaufort visit to join with local protesters in front of Beaufort City Hall at the intersection of Ribaut Road and Boundary Street on Monday, June 2, 2025. Asa Aarons Smith/The Island News
Once again, several dozen protesters rallied in front of Beaufort City Hall at the intersection of Ribaut Road and Boundary Street on Monday, June 2, 2025, to voice their displeasure with the Trump Administration. Asa Aarons Smith/The Island News
Staff reports
Women in Philanthropy gives $148,700 to local organizations
Women in Philanthropy (WIP), a charitable giving circle of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry (CFL), awarded $148 700 in grants to six deserving Beaufort County nonprofits at its Annual Grant Awards Luncheon on May 20 at Country Club of Hilton Head.
The theme of WIP’s 2025 grant cycle is “Building Pathways to Long-Term Self-Sufficiency.”
The luncheon featured inspiring and emotional presentations by 2024 WIP grant recipients, as well as the announcement of the 2025 grantees. WIP, who has more than 180 members, has granted approximately $1 3 million to local organizations since its inception in 2003
The 2025 WIP Grant Recipients are:
Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry – $30 000: To fund Childcare Programs, including scholarships for 30 to 40 families using after-school and summer camp programs for their children
at multiple program sites throughout Beaufort County.
Bluffton Self Help – $22,000: To fund local family emergency needs identified through the “Case Management & Resource Coordination Program.”
The Children’s Center –
$30 000: To fund an infant and toddler childcare program offering services at a sliding scale for working families through their “Family Livelihood Depends on Childcare” program. This is one of only two centers on Hilton Head Island providing care for infants and toddlers.
Deep Well Project (Circles Program) – $20,000: To fund the third cohort of the “Circles Program” that helps low-income
families move from poverty level existence to financial stability. Graduation from the program occurs when a family’s annual household income rises to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Lowcountry Gullah Foundation – $21 700: To fund the “Historic Gullah Land Preservation Program” preserving Historic Gullah Lands via short-term emergency financial assistance for delinquent county taxes, and long-term educational partnerships with local families to establish a solid financial base for the future.
Lowcountry Legal Volunteers (LLV) – $25 000 (Dr. Juliann Bluitt Foster Memorial Fund Award): Funds will be used for the “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Program”
which offers free legal services to underserved populations, with a focus on issues such as domestic violence, child support, and housing instability. By addressing these critical legal needs, LLV strives to remove barriers to financial self-sufficiency and stability.
About Women in Philanthropy For more than 20 years, Women in Philanthropy has been supporting nonprofit organizations throughout Beaufort County, strengthening communities, and celebrating the value of giving back to benefit those in need. If you would like more information about joining Women in Philanthropy, contact Lisa Hodge at 843681-9100
The Original Gullah Festival
16-year-old runaway located safe
A reported 16-year-old runaway from St. Helena Island was located safe and unharmed around noon, Thursday, May 29
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office had been notified Thursday, May 28, 2025, that 16-year-old Talana Chaplin had left from her home in Saint Helena around 12 a.m., Monday, May 26, 2025, and had yet to return.
Lane closures scheduled on Russell Bell Bridge for water line repairs
Lane closures will take place on the Russell Bell Bridge in Port Royal through Friday, June 6, as a contractor for the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA) conducts water line inspections and repairs. The work is scheduled to occur nightly between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. to minimize daytime traffic disruptions.
Drivers should anticipate delays and are urged to use caution while traveling through the area during the scheduled maintenance period.
June LIBPA meeting
Developer Elvio Tropeano will be the featured speaker when the Lady’s Island Business & Professional Association meets at 8 a.m., Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Beaufort Realtors’ Association Headquarters at 22 Kemmerlin Lane, Lady’s Island.
Stop by for coffee and conversation concerning the community.
Poll workers needed; training available
The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County will be holding 10 new poll worker training classes.
All of the classes will be held at the main office, located at 15 John Galt Road, Beaufort, S.C. 29906. The classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the following dates: Wednesday, June 18; Wednesday, July 16; Saturday, July 26; Wednesday, Aug. 20; and Wednesday, Sept. 17
To sign up for a class, visit https://beaufortsc.easypollworker. com/home.
United Way of the Lowcountry offers additional free tax prep days
United Way of the Lowcountry's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is offering additional free tax preparation days to help qualifying residents of Beaufort and Jasper counties file their federal and state tax returns accurately and efficiently. The program – a collaboration between the IRS, Beaufort County Human Services Alliance, and United Way of the Lowcountry (UWLC) – is designed to assist low-income individuals and fami-
lies, non-English speaking taxpayers, people with disabilities, and seniors with their tax filing needs.
In Bluffton, the service is available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays, July 28; and September 29, at the Bluffton Public Library at 120 Palmetto Drive.
In Beaufort, the service is available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays, June 23 and August 25 at the United Way of the Lowcountry Beaufort Office at 1277 Ribaut Road. Limited spots are available, and in-person appointments are required. Visit www.uwlowcountry. org/VITA to reserve your spot, check for eligibility requirements and to find a list of necessary documents to bring.
Public Works building currently closed
The Beaufort County Public Works Administration building, located at 120 Shanklin Road, is currently closed for emergency renovations. The closure is expected to last up to six weeks.
During this time, County Public Works staff will remain available to assist the public.
No other County Public Works facilities are affected by this closure, and all other operations continue as normal. For questions and more information, please call 843-255-2800
– Staff reports
Port Royal Police Chief Jeff Myers interacts with Sailor, a black Labrador Retriever, while her owner Melissa Lane and trainer Rebecca Bass encourage them on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 during the Therapy Dog visit at the Port Royal Police Department training room. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Lisa Graham of Lady’s Island interacts with Captain, a Golden Mountain Doodle, and owner Abby Grimm on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 during the Therapy Dog visit at the Port Royal Police Department training room. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Woody’s Wood Smoked BBQ prepared a fresh batch of red rice during The Original Gullah Festival on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Opening The Original Gullah Festival "Drum Call" -- Spiritual Vibrations on the main stage at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Swim from page A1
sure I was going the right way. It was pretty hard to see a lot of the buoys. That was probably my biggest worry.”
Lucas, also a rising freshman at Hilton Head Island High School and a member of Hilton Head Aquatics, finished in a time of 53:14
Unlike Shave, she had a pretty good idea she was winning.
“I knew it was a possibility,” she said. “I left with one of the first groups, so I could look forward and realize there were no other girls in front of me. And I saw one other person in front of me, [who] was Jack, and I tried to stick with him a little bit.”
Lucas, who said she’s been a distance swimmer “my whole life,” agreed with Shave that awareness
of where you are in the water is the biggest difference in swimming in the pool and swimming in open water.
“You need to be a lot more aware of where you are and where the buoys are,” she said. “It’s really easy to get lost. So you have to be aware of where you are.”
Wardle Family YMCA Aquatics Director Perri Flaherty said the event had a record 225-plus swimmers, more than the 171 from last year.
“Probably 50 more than we had last year,” Flaherty said. “I’m so proud of everybody that helped. We have a wonderful committee.”
Flaherty’s biggest thrill was that, once again, everyone completed the races safely.
“I think everybody had a great time and everybody came in safe,” she said. “… two years in a row, now.”
The annual event raises money for the Y’s Learn To Swim pro-
gram, particularly for those who need scholarship assistance so that their kids can learn how to swim. Last year, the Lowcountry YMCA gave out $39 000 in scholarship assistance to more than 350 people. And the number of people who need it isn’t going down.
“With the economy the way it is, we have more and more people that need scholarships,” Flaherty said.
Next year’s event will be the 20th annual Beaufort River Swim, and Flaherty sights are set on more giveaways, more community involvement and the big 2-5-0 – more than 250 participants in the race.
Complete results for the 1-mile swim, the 3 2 mile swim and the relay, along with age group results, as well, can be found at https://bit. ly/45E765H.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
Hilton Head Aquatics swimmer Piper Lucas, 14, the overall female firstplace winner, receives her trophy from Beaufort Mayor Phil Cromer after the 19th annual YMCA Beaufort River Swim & Run on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at the Beaufort Downtown Marina. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Shaun Donahue dives into the water at the start of the 19th Annual YMCA Beaufort River Swim & Run on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Amber Hewitt/ The Island News
Hilton Head Aquatics swimmer Jack Shave, 14, swims his way to the finish line, winning first place overall at the 19th
Annual YMCA Beaufort River Swim & Run on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Leah Burkett and Kalin Morrison, both from North Charleston, are excited to begin the 19th annual YMCA Beaufort River Swim & Run on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
A record-breaking 225-plus participants head down the dock in Port Royal, ready to begin the 19th Annual YMCA Beaufort River Swim & Run on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Hilton Head Aquatics swimmer Piper Lucas, 14, dives into the water at the start of the 19th Annual YMCA Beaufort River Swim & Run on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Lucas would go on to be the overall female first-place winner.
Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Do you have a moment to take God’s call?
Our Creator is always waiting and willing to bring us back into right standing with Him. Jesus said in Matthew Chapter 18 that He leaves the 99 to find the lost one and brings them back into the fold. How does He do this? He brings conviction into their conscience, they see where they have strayed away from His truth, and they repent and are sorrowful for their disobedience.
“Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be erased, so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” Acts 3:19. Why does He do it? Because He loves you more than anything in the world. Today, if you have accepted what Christ accomplished on the cross and received Him as your Lord and Savior, rescuing you from your sins is exactly what He has done for you. For others who have thought about God throughout your lives, but have never really surrendered your will to Him, this is also a divine appointment with Him. His message? He desires that you trust Him with your mind, heart, and soul. He longs to save you and give you eternal life.
I John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” “Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
The gospel is not complicated. It’s basically saying
that trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus is the only way we can be transformed into a new creation and become a child of God. This is a quote from Jesus, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” John 14:6
Jesus is the Son of God which came down from heaven, gave His body and shed His blood to offer salvation and redemption to all who will embrace Him. Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? Does He live in your heart as your Master and King? Do you love God with everything you are and everything you will ever be?
I Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Our part of this covenant relationship is that we freely give ourselves to Him, not for what He can do or give, but we love, obey, and worship Him for who He is.
God has amazing plans for you! If you feel the Holy Spirit is convicting you to ask Jesus Christ into your heart today, to save you and fill you with His presence, or to repent and rededicate your life back to Him, listen to these passages which declare the truth of His mercy and compassion for you.
“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God,” John 3:3
“And the God of all grace who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you,” I Peter 5:10. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him,” John 3:36
“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life,” 1 John 5:11-12
There is no greater love than God’s love for us, and there is not a more important decision in this world than to accept Christ as our Savior and Lord. Have you considered the consequences of ignoring His gift of salvation?
We are reminded, our spirit will live forever in one of two places. Romans 10:910 describes how we can know, love, and serve God and receive His miracle of eternal life. “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Faith is established in the heart and is accompanied by a profession of the mouth. This is your invitation, come to Him now.
William Holland Jr. is an ordained minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.
WILLIAM HOLLAND JR.
ART
Budding Artist After-School
Art Club
4 to 5 p.m., or 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., Mondays/Wednesdays or Tuesday/ Thursdays, Happy Art Studio, 10
Sam’s Point Way, Beaufort. Ages 8 to 13. Painting, drawing, clay or crafts. Visit www.happyartstudio.net.
CALENDAR
Karaoke with Melissa
7:30 p.m. to midnight, Mondays, Tomfoolery, 3436 17 Market, Habersham, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.
Karaoke with Ali
9 p.m. to midnight, Tuesdays, Luther’s Rare and Well Done, 910 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort. With DJ Ali.
Karaoke with Melissa
7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
9:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with either Parker or Eric.
Trivia with Tom – Bricks On Boundary
7 p.m., Every Thursday, Bricks on Boundary, 1422 Boundary St, Beaufort. Free. Team trivia event, win house cash and Beer Bucket prizes! For more information, visit https://rb.gy/o9nhwe.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
7 p.m., Thursdays, Amvets Post 70, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free. Public is welcome. Enjoy Karaoke. Dinner will be available.
Karaoke at Willie’s
8 p.m., Thursdays, Willie's Bar and Grill, 7 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Saint Helena Island. Come and showcase your singing talents or just enjoy the performances. For more information, visit www.GullahLove.com.
Bluffton Night Bazaar — a Lowcountry Made Market
5 to 8 p.m., first Thursday of each month, Burnt Church Distillery, 120 Bluffton Road. A highly curated selection of accessories, clothing, home goods, custom gifts and more by local artists and makers.
Habersham Farmers Market
3 to 6 p.m., Fridays, Habersham Marketplace. Vendor roster includes B&E Farm, Cottonwood Soap, Flower Power Treats, Hardee Greens, Megs Sweet Treats, Vitamin Bee, Lady’s Island Oyster Company, Pet Wants.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
9 p.m., Fridays, Highway 21 Bar, 3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Lt. Dan.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
9:30 p.m., Fridays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Parker. Karaoke with Melissa
7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Fridays, R Bar & Grill, 70 Pennington Drive, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.
Port Royal Farmers Market
9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, year round, Naval Heritage Park, 1615 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Rain or shine. You will find fresh, local, seasonal produce, shrimp, oysters, poultry, beef, pork, eggs, bread and cheese, as well as plants, ferns, ca-
WHAT’S HAPPENING
mellias, azaleas, citrus trees and beautiful, fresh cut flower bouquets. There are prepared food vendors serving barbecue, dumplings, she crab soup, crab cakes, paella, coffee, baked goods, bagels and breakfast sandwiches. No pets allowed. For more information, visit www.portroyalfarmersmarket.com, visit @portroyalfarmersmarket on Facebook or call 843-295-0058.
Slip and Splash Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays, Battery Creek Pool, 1 Blue Dolphin Drive, Beaufort, and Bluffton Pool, 55 Pritchard Street, Bluffton. $5 per person. Stay busy for hours climbing on our inflatable challenge track.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew 7 p.m., Saturdays, The Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd., Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with Lt. Dan. Come early at 6 p.m. for Steak Night.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew 9:30 p.m., Saturdays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with Eric.
Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud 9 a.m. to noon, 1st Saturday each month, Port Royal Farmer’s Market, Corner of Ribaut Road & Pinckney Blvd, Port Royal. Free. DAYLO Students and other volunteers will read to young children, who are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animals.
Karaoke with Melissa 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, Peaceful Henry’s Cigar Bar, 181 Bluffton Road, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.
CLASS REUNION
Beaufort High School Class of 1975 Oct. 17 through Oct. 19, 2025, Beaufort. 50th Class Reunion Celebration. Request that graduates of this class contact the class Community Outreach Representative Barbara Gardner Hunter at 347497-9326 or email gardnerbarbara991@gmail.com to provide current contact information.
DANCE
Lowcountry Shaggers
6 to 9 p.m., Mondays, Holiday Inn, 2225 Boundary Street. Shag lessons with Tommy & Sheri O’Brien and others. Occasional ballroom and once-a-monh line dancing. Biginner, intermediate and advanced lessons. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com of email lowcountryshaggers@aol.com.
The Beaufort Shag Club
6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, AmVets Club, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free lessons for members from 6 to 6:30 p.m. We also host a dance the second Saturday of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. Lessons will run September through May only. Visit our FaceBook page (beaufortshagclub) for current events.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Rooted Beaufort Yoga classes
5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Thursdays, Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal; 9 to 10:15 a.m., Whitehall Park or Pigeon Point Park. Rooted Beaufort is a collective of local Yoga teachers who host outdoor yoga classes and donation-based events with proceeds being donated locally on a rotating basis.
BEMER Circulation Therapy 10 to 11 a.m., Fridays via Zoom. Already own a BEMER? Never heard of it but curious? Join to ask any ques-
tions about this leading-edge German technology that enhances blood flow 30% in 8 minutes. Sessions are designed to support those who have their own unit but everyone is welcome. Brought to you by BEMER Specialist -- Human & Equine, Elizabeth Bergmann. Text 410-212-1468 to get the Zoom link. Free.
HISTORY
Beaufort History Museum at the Arsenal
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, 713 Craven St, Beaufort. General Admission for Adults $8, Seniors $7, Active Duty Military and College Students with ID $5. Children/Teens younger than 18 Free. Explore and experience more than 500 years of Beaufort History with knowledgeable docent guided tours.
The Historic Port Royal Museum 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or upon request, Thursdays through Sundays, The Historic Port Royal Museum, 1634 Paris Ave. The museum features the turn-of-the-century businesses and industries of Port Royal: Shrimping, crabbing, oystering, the railroad, the school and the mercantile. Great gifts featuring local artists are available. For more information. visit www.portroyalhistory.org, email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail. com or call 843-524-4333.
Tour Historic Fort Fremont Dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday, The Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land’s End Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. The History Center is open Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m., Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Visitors can learn about the fort’s history during the Spanish-American War through interpretive signs, self-guided walking tours with a smart phone, exhibits in the history center, and docent-led tours. For more information visit www. fortfremont.org or contact Passive Parks Manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@bcgov.net.
LIBRARY ACTIVITIES
The Art of Morse Code & Semaphore in Beaufort
2:30 p.m., Friday, June 6, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. Join Ranger Katharine from Reconstruction Era National Historical Park to learn the history of Morse Code and the Beaufort Signal Station in this family friendly event. Participants can work on activity books along the way and practice semaphore signaling and Morse Code with telegraph devices.
Hurricane Preparedness Workshop
2 p.m., Friday, June 20, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Major Adam Zsamar will discuss household/personal preparations and planning, evacuation routes, reentry procedures and where to get additional information.
“Hidden Gems” Book Club
3 p.m., third Monday of each month, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island. Free. So many books, so little time. St. Helena staff have uncovered some great titles to get you started on your “hidden gem” journey. Join us for lively discussions and coffee or tea. No registration required.
Postpartum Support Group
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. Join us fr a postpartum and parenting support circle, a weekly gathering for parents and caregivers navigating the postpartum journey. Led by full-spectrum holistic doula Tameka Walker, the circle provides a warm supportive environment where families can connect, share and learn together. Registration is requested but not required. Call 843-255-6487 for more information.
“Lego” With Lego
4:30 to 5:30 p.m., every Tuesday, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. Ages 5 and up. No registration required. Come see our new and improved Lego Club. Choose one of our new Lego kits and get going. Call 843-255-6540 for more information.
Career Navigator
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., every Tuesday, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Free one-on-one resume writing and job application assistance with a Career Navigator from Palmetto Goodwill. No appointments necessary. For more information call 843-255-6458.
Mahjong Basics 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. Join us to learn the basics of this fun tile game. Intructor Donna Misuraca will teach participants the structure and rules of the game and guide you through how to play. All game materials will be provided. Call 843-2556540 for more information.
Mahjong Club 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fridays, Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street. All levels of players are welcome. Feel free to bring your own mahjong sets. Plan to meet every week. For more information, call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843-255-6458.
MEETINGS LIBPA
8 a.m., Tuesday, June 10, Beaufort Realtors’ Association Headquarters, 22 Kemmerlin Lane, Lady’s Island. Developer Elvio Tropeano will be the featured speaker. Stop by for coffee and conversation concerning the community.
PFLAG Savannah – Beaufort Peer Group
6:30 p.m., first Tuesday of every month, Fellowship Hall, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort (UUFB), 178 Sams Point Road, Beaufort. Free. The group will be moderated by Rick Hamilton and Kay Carr. The provides advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, family, peers, and allies in the Lowcountry. The peer group provides a safe and strictly confidential environment for LGBTQ+ individuals, their families, friends, and allies to discuss the challenges faced in coming out or being out in neighborhoods, the workplace, school, or church. The organization offers resources for counseling, educating, and advocating to achieve an equitable, inclusive community where every LGBTQ+ person is safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved. Minors under the age of 18 are required to come with an adult parent, guardian, or mentor. Additional information about peer groups, membership, donations, and volunteering is on the website www.PFLAGSavannah.org and on Facebook.
Beaufort Chapter of America’s Boating Club
6 p.m., 2nd Tuesday of most months, at various Beaufort/Port Royal venues. Regular meetings begin with a Social, followed by Dinner and often include an exciting Guest Speaker from the Lowcountry. For Meeting Information or Educational Opportunities, please contact Paul Gorsuch, Administrative Officer at admino@beaufortboatingclub.com . Boat ownership is not required, however a passion for safe responsible boating is mandatory.
Zonta Club of Beaufort
6 p.m., 4th Tuesday of each month, Smokehouse, Port Royal.
Rotary Club of Sea Island lunch meeting
12:15 p.m., 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Social gathering every 3rd Tuesday at 5:30 pm, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information, visit www.seaislandrotary.org.
Rotary Club of Sea Island social gathering 5:30 p.m., 3rd Tuesday of each month, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information, visit www.seaislandrotary.org.
Beaufort Rotary Club Noon, Wednesdays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Catered buffet lunch, followed by a guest speaker. Prospective members welcome. For further information and upcoming speakers, please visit website www.beaufortrotaryclub.org.
The Beaufort Trailblazers – A Volunteer Group 8 a.m., first Thursday each month, University Bikes, Beaufort. Anyone interested in supporting or building off-road/dirt/wilderness mountain biking/jogging/walking trails near is encouraged to attend. For more information, call 843-575-0021 or email universitybicycles@hotmail.com.
Bridge Club
10 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843255-6458 for more information.
Baby Time 10 a.m. Thursdays through May 15, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. Join us for stimulating stories, activities, and more. Designed for babies, 0-18 months.
Emotions Anonymous International local group meeting 4 p.m, Thursdays, via Zoom. Emotions Anonymous International, (EAI), is a nonprofit program designed to help people with emotional difficulties. It has a chapter in the Lowcountry and members want others who feel the need to know they are welcome to participate. There is no charge to participate. They are based on the 12 steps and 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and follow a specific format designed to provide the support and tools for navigating life’s painful difficulties. All are welcome. Anyone interested in participating may contact the group via email at EALowcountry@gmail.com or call or text Laurie at 252- 917-7082. For more information on EAI visit www.emotionsanonymous.org.
Rotary Club of the Lowcountry 7:30 a.m., Fridays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady's Is-
land Dr., Ladys' Island. Catered breakfast from local chef. Speakers weekly. Occasional social events replace Friday mornings, but will be announced on our website, www.rotaryclubofthelowcountrybeaufort.org.
MUSIC
Music Festival of the Lowcountry 1 to 10 p.m., Saturday, June 7, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Featuring headliners Tony Jackson (country) and Who’s Bad – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience. Free.
Distant Sounds 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8, Another Slice Pizza, Harbor Island. Something for everyone, from the 60s to the 10s. David Ayres on guitar & vocals, Richard Knieriem on drums & vocals, Eric Roberts on bass, Paul Butare on guitar & vocals.
Live entertainment 7 to 11 p.m., Wednesdays, Luther’s Rare and Well Done, 910 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort.
Chris Jones 7 to 11 p.m., Thursdays, Luther’s Rare and Well Done, 910 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort.
Habersham Third Fridays Music on Market 5 to 8 p.m., third Friday of the month, Habersham Marketplace.
Live entertainment 9 p.m. to midnight, Fridays & Saturdays, Luther’s Rare and Well Done, 910 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort.
OUTDOORS/NATURE
Free boating inspections
Get a free vessel safety check by local members of the America's Boating Club of Beaufort. If
.
Beaufort Tree Walk Lady’s Island Garden Club invites you to take a meandering walk through the Historic “Old Point” and enjoy some unique and noteworthy trees. The “Walk” takes about an hour, is a
over a mile starting at the corner of Craven & Carteret streets in Morrall Park and concluding in Waterfront Park. Booklets with map and information about each tree are available free at the Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street.
Tours of Hunting Island Every Tuesday, Hunting Island State Park, 2555 Sea Island Pkwy. Free, park entry fees apply. Sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For more information call the Hunting Island Nature Center at 843-838-7437.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Wild Bees photography exhibit Through Sunday, August 17, Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Island. A photography exhibit by Paula Sharp and Ross Eatman. A public opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 15 at Coastal Discovery Museum. Sharp and Eatman will conduct a tour of the exhibition before the reception at 4 p.m.
SEWING/QUILTING
American Needlepoint Guild Meeting
10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1st Tuesday each month. The Hilton Head Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild welcomes anyone, beginner or experienced stitcher, who is interested in needlepoint to join us for stitching, learning and fellowship. For more information, please contact us at hiltonheadislandchapter@ needlepoint.org.
Embroidery Guild of America Meeting
Second Tuesday of every month, Palmetto Electric Community Room, Hardeeville. The Lowcountry Chapter of the Embroidery Guild of America welcomes anyone, beginner or experienced stitcher, who is interested in any type of embroidery including needlepoint, cross-stitch, surface and beaded embroidery, hardanger, bargello, sashiko, etc., to join us for stitching, learning and fellowship. For more information, please contact us at lowcountrychapter@egacarolinas.org.
SPORTS/GAMES
ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Carteret Street. Events will be held weekly. Contact Director and Club Manager Susan DeFoe at 843-5972541 for location.
Bridge Club 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843-2556458 for more information.
Beaufort Masters Swim Team 6 to 7 a.m., Monday through Friday, Wardle Family Port Royal YMCA. Coached practices. Ages 18 & older, all skill & speed levels, no prior swim team experience needed. Visit lowcountryswimming.com for more information.
Virginia (ginny)
rose Jenkins
May 12, 1951 – May 28, 2025
Beaufort, s.C.
Virginia (Ginny) Rose Jenkins, died peacefully at the age of 74 on May 28 2025, in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Ginny was born in Baltimore, Md., to the late George and Mary Emily (Butt) Aberle. Ginny was the oldest of five children, and attended Catholic schools for her entire education, including Loyola University Maryland. She married Dennis, her husband of 52 years, who is also from Baltimore, and soon after they moved to New Orleans. After a few years, they moved to Chicago, where they welcomed their two daughters, Julie and Katie. They all moved to Boston (Charlestown) in 1983 where she and Dennis lived for 34 years. Ginny and Dennis retired to Beaufort together in 2015
Ginny was an accountant throughout her career, working across multiple sectors, including large property development firms, and finishing her career at the Institute for Contemporary Art in Boston.
She and Dennis together were avid supporters of local and up-and-coming artists throughout the United States, collecting and showing off their work in their home. We will all remember her unique artistic style.
Ginny was active in every community where she lived. In Boston, she volunteered with the Charlestown Historical Society, the Friends of City Square Park, and the Artist Group of Charlestown. She served as the treasurer of the Society of Arts + Crafts. In Beaufort, Ginny volunteered with the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) and HELP of Beaufort, organizing endless donated
OBITUARIES
linens, and was a member of the Friends of the Beaufort Library and the Historic Beaufort Foundation. She and Dennis enjoyed attending movies and lectures at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and traveling to art shows throughout the south. We are grateful that she left us with so many of her special knitted blankets and artistic needlepoint pillows and crafts. Her grandchildren will miss spending summers at the cottage in New Hampshire with her.
Ginny is survived by her husband Dennis (“Jenks”), her daughters Julie (New York City) and Katie (Boston), her son-in-law Mason, her grandchildren Emerson and Eliza, and her four brothers and their families. Ginny's wishes were to be cremated. A small celebration of her life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations to HELP of Beaufort would be greatly appreciated. Please send any photos and memories to Julie at juliejenkins100@ outlook.com; her family would love to hear from you.
Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family.
PatriCk Loyd MatLoCk
Patrick Loyd Matlock, 73 died Monday, March 3. A Rite of Christian Burial service will take place at St. Helena Anglican Church at 10 a.m., Friday, June 6. A reception will follow the service in the Parish Hall. Please keep Pat's family and friends in your prayers.
Mary MCChesney teneyCk
Mary McChesney TenEyck passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 10, at her son John’s home in Taylor, Texas, three weeks short of her 98th birthday. She is preceded by
her parents Donald and Marian McChesney, her brother John Downer Pennock, killed in action at the Battle of the Bulge in 1944, her husband of 53 years, Hendrix TenEyck; and Milissa Marian, daughter of son Rick in 1978 (19 days).
Mary was born and raised in Syracuse, N.Y., but lived on and off in Beaufort, S.C., during her life. The McChesney’s purchased a large plot of land on Battery Creek in 1936 now known as Cottage Farm. When her father was stationed in Orlando during World War II, she lived in Beaufort and was crowned Miss Beaufort while attending Beaufort High School. She also attended Chatham Hall School in Virginia and Vassar College in New York. She worked as the Personnel Manager at the family business, Hall & McChesney in Syracuse, N.Y., for 26 years.
The TenEyck family moved from Syracuse to Beaufort in 1979, and she helped run the family businesses -- Battery Creek Catering, the Dutch Treat Restaurant on Lady’s Island (now Q’s Chicken Shack) -- and built the Gadsby Tavern in downtown Beaufort (now Q on Bay) and the development of Jericho Woods on Battery Creek Road. Sweetgrass.
Mary was a very dedicated volunteer to many organizations throughout her life including being on the
boards of The Child and Family Service, Junior League of Syracuse, American Red Cross, Huntington Family Center and Oakwood Cemeteries
She was a volunteer for The Family Caregiver for Hospice in Central N.Y., Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, a member of the Beaufort Open Land Trust, Jail Ministries, the Portfolio Club of Syracuse and the Clover Club of Beaufort. She was a member of the St. Mark's Church in Port Royal, S.C.. and Grace Episcopal Church in Cortland, N.Y., as well as St. Helena’s Church in Beaufort.
She is survived by her four children, Laura Nichols in Warrenton, Va.; John in Taylor, Texas, with his wife Rhonda, Peter in Beaufort, S.C., with his wife Dana and Hendrix, Jr. in Peconic, N.Y., as well as 14 grandchildren and 23 greatgrandchildren.
Her favorite saying at the end of every meal blessing was, “Bless all those who sit within our circle out of sight.”
OBITUARIES
7:30 p.m. Good Friday, Apr. 18 @ noon
Vigil, Apr. 19 @ 7:30 p.m.
Vigil, Apr. 19 @ 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 20 @ 9 & 11 a.m. 1104 11th St., Port Royal stmarksportroyal.org
Apr. 20 @ 9 & 11 a.m. 1104 11th St., Port Royal stmarksportroyal.org
Mary McChesney TenEyck
Patrick Loyd Matlock
JOHN PAUL II GRADUATION
Graduates across the Lowcountry turn their tassels
Abigail Reynolds and La’niya Ramsey review the program the program as the Battery Creek Commencement Ceremony begins on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Battery Creek High School. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Chef Lighter stops to snap a selfie with graduates Aijah Gadson and Laron Webb just before the Battery Creek Commencement Ceremony begins on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Battery Creek High School. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
A group of students take a moment to say a prayer together just before the Bridges Prep Commencement Ceremony begins on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Bridges Preparatory School. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Miley Johnson and Tyler Dickerson sign a yearbook while waiting for the Bridges Prep Commencement Ceremony to begin on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Bridges Preparatory School. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
The John Paul II Catholic School Class of 2025 poses in front of the school. The Class of 2025 departs JPII with more than $8 million in scholarship money awarded. Photo courtesy of John Paul II Catholic School
The Beaufort High School Class of 2025 proudly enters the field for their Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at Eagles Field. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
The Beaufort High School Class of 2025 listens attentively as names are called to the stage to receive their high school diploma. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
TCL honors nursing and physical therapist assistant graduates
Staff reports
The Technical College of the Lowcountry recently recognized 22 associate degree nursing (ADN) graduates and eight associate degree physical therapist assistant (PTA) graduates during its May 8 pinning ceremonies held at the Beaufort Mather Campus in Beaufort.
During the morning pinning ceremony for nursing students, graduates received their pins and lamps, a nod to Florence Nightingale who carried a lamp to light her path as she cared for the sick and dying soldiers during the Crimean War. TCL’s two-year ADN program prepares graduates to practice as registered nurses.
Students experience on-campus learning using high-tech simulation
Technical College of the Lowcountry’s May 2025 Associate Degree in Nursing graduates, from left, Asiyih Pellegrino, Abria Thompson, Brittany Cushman, Latriciana Brown, Katherine Reynolds, Nyshika Staley, Kaitlin Biggins, Ana Laboy, Kourtlyn Taylor, Allsion Brown, Darnelle Hazard, Sindoda Lawyer, Savannah Sampson, Karen Cuellar, Alicia Schiller, Dominique Karczewski, Dominique Padilla, Bryson Santiago, Carmela Ramirez, Taylor Adams, Ellisette Sinor and Precious Johnson. Photo courtesy of TCL
equipment and receive additional hands-on practice at clinical sites throughout Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton and Colleton counties. During the afternoon
pinning ceremony for physical therapist assistant students, graduates received their pins and were recognized for their hard work completing the
69 credit-hour program, which includes general education, science and PTA courses taught on site and in a variety of off-campus laboratory and clinical sites
throughout the Lowcountry. This rigorous coursework qualifies students to apply to take the National Physical Therapy Examination for Physical Therapist
Assistants (NPTE) exam. Upon passing the exam and graduating, students can become licensed to go to work in the Lowcountry or beyond.
3 JPII students picked for Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Workshop
Staff reports
Three John Paul II Catholic School students — Marie Sophia Alvarez, Alexandra Crocker, and Leonardo Iskandar — have been selected to attend the annual Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) Community Leadership Workshop, the school announced in a media release.
These rising leaders will join a select group of high school sophomores from across the region for a transformative weekend of leader-
ship development and community engagement. Held each summer in locations across the nation, HOBY Leadership Workshops are designed to empower young people to recognize their leadership potential and use their talents to make a positive impact. Participants are nominated based on their academic standing, commitment to service, and demonstrated leadership within their school and community.
EDUCATION BRIEFS
TCL president named CEO of the Year
Richard Gough, president of the Technical College of the Lowcountry, was awarded the CEO of the year award by the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners (SCATCC).
SCATCC recently announced its 2025 award winners which included a total of four individuals from technical colleges across the state. The CEO Award is given to a technical college or CEO who has shown “tremendous services of and contributions made,” according to SCATCC.
Gough has served as TCL’s president for 11 years. Award recipients will be recognized in person at a joint meeting of the SCATCC, the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education and the Technical College Presidents Council on Sept. 23, in Columbia.
EOC seeks feedback for accountability system
The South Carolina Education Oversight Committee, working with the Department of Education, is committed to reviewing the
Founded in 1958 by actor and philanthropist Hugh O’Brian, HOBY has become one of the nation’s foremost youth leadership programs, inspiring more than 500 000 students to live lives dedicated to leadership, service, and innovation. At the workshop, the students will:
• Participate in interactive seminars and team-building activities led by business professionals, community leaders, and educators; Engage in discussions about current global and local issues, ethics, and social responsibility;
design and use of the South Carolina school report card and the state accountability system. The EOC wants to make sure that it hears from a broad range of constituents as part of this process.
The EOC worked with the Center for Assessment to create a short survey that allows the public to tell it what works and what needs improvement.
The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Responses are completely anonymous – the EOC only uses them for internal review and decision making and high-level reports. It does not collect any names or emails as part of this process.
The survey is currently open and will close by the end of day on June 30. For any questions or access issues please, contact Tenell Felder at ftenell@eoc.sc.gov, who will forward your concern to the appropriate party.
The survey can be found at https://bit. ly/4k3MQyN.
Trotta graduates from Texas
Natalie Trotta, of Okatie, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin in spring 2025. Trotta was one of more than 9 000 students who received an undergraduate, master's or doctoral degree.
• Develop critical thinking and communication skills through collaborative problem-solving; Learn how to identify and nurture their personal leadership styles; and Be challenged to complete 100 hours of community ser-
UT Austin celebrated its 142nd graduating class during Commencement ceremonies on May 10. Taylor Sheridan, the creative force behind television blockbusters such as "Yellowstone" and "Landman," was the featured Commencement speaker.
Beaufort’s Vaigneur graduates from Young Harris
Beaufort’s Chase Vaigneur of Beaufort graduated from Young Harris College on Saturday as the Class of 2025 walked the stage, culminating years of education. Close to 200 students on graduated at Saturday's ceremony on Young Harris College campus in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. "I want to welcome everyone to Commencement, a time to celebrate and recognize the hard work of all these graduates," said John Wells, Young Harris College president. "And I congratulate all of you, both the students, the parents, and faculty that have taken part in this historic point in their journey."
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master's degree-granting institution located Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist
vice in the year following the workshop as part of HOBY’s commitment to service leadership.
“HOBY gives students the tools and confidence they need to lead with purpose,” JPII guidance counselor Mary Beth Kubera said in the release. “We are incredibly proud of these students and excited to see the ways they will continue to grow as servant-leaders within our school and beyond.”
Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies.
St. Helena’s Alessandro named to Cumberlands’ President's List
In recognition of academic performance, the Office of Academic Affairs at University of the Cumberlands has announced that Jessica Alessandro of St Helena Island has been named to the President's List for the Spring 2025 semester.
To be eligible for the President's List, students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours (a full course load), maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 4.0 for the semester, receive an "A" grade in UC Engage, and be in good academic standing. University of the Cumberlands is one of the largest and most affordable private universities in Kentucky. Located in Williamsburg, Ky., Cumberlands is an institution of regional distinction offering quality undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and online degree programs. Learn more at ucumberlands.edu.
– Staff reports
Salutatorian Giana Scholten addresses the Whale Branch Early College High School Class of 2025 during the Commencement Ceremony on Monday, June 2, 2025. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Trystin Roberts helps classmate Trinity Williams fix her graduation cap just before the 2025 Commencement Ceremony at Whale Branch Early College High School on Monday, June 2, 2025. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Technical College of the Lowcountry’s May 2025 Associate Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant graduates, from left, Ijheri Jefferson, Abbey Slingluff, Hannah Perryman, Chris Bockelman, Zach Goudeau, Kate Jenkins, Colleen White and Marina Rodriguez. Photo courtesy of TCL
Richard Gough
VOICES
Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of The Island
National carnage, chaos need to stop
The national chaos and carnage caused by the last four months of the Trump administration is almost beyond belief.
Mainstay American values — truth, justice, exceptionalism and fairness — are shivering as greed, retribution, cheating, lying and corruption gnaw at the foundations of two of our branches of government — the legislative and judicial.
Republican members of Congress excel at being sideline lemmings – do-nothings who seem to thrive on rubber-stamping whatever the executive branch wants.
Pitiful Democrats can’t seem to get any act together to cobble together moderate coalitions to stop the madness.
Across America, anxiety grows for many, worried they may lose Medicaid and Medicare or see Social Security benefits wither. And as tens of thousands lose federal jobs, important research stalls to thwart diseases, protect special places, educate, innovate and help
ANDY BRACK
the country grow. Look at the see-saw financial markets. Analysts can’t get a clear read on what’s going to happen next. One day, President Donald Trump threatens more tariffs, sending the market down and gutting retirement savings of millions. The next, there’s a rally after a policy pull-back, which has led to a new term -- TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) tariffs. It seems the perma-angry administration sometimes wakes to intentionally say something outrageous – just to manipulate the market.
Look at the courts, where hundreds of lawsuits have been filed
to thwart the president’s assault on the rule of law. By one count, the administration saw more than 325 lawsuits filed against it in its first 100 days. Across the country, federal judges have been in overdrive, often pausing lawsuits related to questionable immigration practices, unlawful restrictions on monies approved by Congress, gutting of agencies and more.
One particular suit filed on behalf of the Sustainability Institute in North Charleston is worth noting. In it, the nonprofit complained it was unlawful for the administration to cut off an $11 million affordable housing grant that Congress funded. In a ruling against Trump’s Justice Department, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel of Charleston appeared flummoxed at the audacity of the administration, finding that it did not follow the law in freezing a bunch of grants.
He noted Deputy EPA Administrator Travis Voyles was unable to produce a single document to
back up his sworn claim that he’d reviewed each of the grants individually before canceling them, as required by law.
“I was, frankly, embarrassed for the government to read Mr. Voyles’ affidavit,” Gergel said from the bench. “I’ve just never seen anything submitted to me like that. It was, frankly, sort of an insult to the Court.”
Gergel also said that during his 15 years on the bench, the case surprised him: “I’m used to the government speaking to me straight, to answer my questions honestly. Fifteen years on the bench, I’ve never had an experience where I thought the government did not do that.”
David Brooks, the conservative-turned-moderate columnist for The New York Times, this week wrote about his outrage over what he called the moral rot at the center of Trumpism, with its transactional, retributive zeal chewing at the values that millions died for.
“Trumpism can be seen as a
Ogiant attempt to amputate the highest aspirations of the human spirit and to reduce us to our most primitive, atavistic tendencies,” he wrote, outraged that Trump would send a Monday message on social media that said, “Happy Memorial Day to all, including the scum that spent the last four years trying to destroy our country.”
First of all, you don’t wish anyone a “happy” memorial holiday as it is a day to respect the sacrifices of members of the armed forces who died for the country.
Second, as Brooks explained, “The use of the word ‘scum’ in that context is called dehumanization. It is a short step from dehumanization to all sorts of horrors. Somebody should remind Trump that you don’t love your country if you hate half its members.” Indeed.
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of the Charleston City Paper and Statehouse Report. Have a comment? Send it to feedback@ statehousereport.com.
Mitchell wore his uniform to a protest
n February 10 and again on February 17, Beaufort City Councilman Mitch Mitchell stood outside City Hall protesting and speaking to the press while wearing his U.S. Air Force uniform.
Many people with military experience immediately understand why this matters. Others may reasonably ask, “Who cares?”
To be clear, the issue is not that Mitchell spoke out. He is free to share his opinions, both as a private citizen and as a local elected official. The problem is that he did so while wearing his military uniform. That is a clear violation of official Department of Defense policy. According to DoD In-
struction 1334 01, service uniforms may not be worn during or in connection with political activities. This includes protests, rallies, or public statements intended to influence policy. The rule exists to preserve the military’s strict nonpartisan identity and applies to both active and retired members, regardless of political affiliation. Mitchell’s actions plainly
and it’s a big deal
violate this long-standing and well-understood policy.
The military uniform is not a personal costume. It does not belong to the individual. It represents service to the country as a whole, not to one political side. Wearing it to promote a political message, no matter how passionate or sincere, is simply not permitted.
This is not just a military matter. Beaufort’s city council is officially nonpartisan. Council members are elected to represent the entire community, not to act as political activists.
When an elected official uses both their public role and their military identity to support a partisan
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
You don’t get to hijack the word
You don't get to Hijack the word
For your bone spur
Draft dodger
Humpty Dumpty
His coward fat boys
And all his foreign Donor friends
Patriot
Was my best friend's Twin brother
Nineteen years old Killed in Viet Nam
Patriot
Was my father in the Second World War Shot down in a Foreign land
Patriot
Was my great, great Grandfather In the Civil War Defending the family farm
Patriots
Were my ancestors
From more than two Centuries past
Surviving in this Primitive land
Cemeteries full
You don't get to Hijack the word – Carol Conner
County abandons
Hilton Head congestion relief
On May 27 at 6 p.m. (with a caucus at 4 p.m.) in the Hilton Head Library, County Council [was to] vote on a plan to try to appease the State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) in order to retain [its] promised $120 million in Corridor funds. Its resolution proposes several things: It spends all our 2018 Tax Referendum funding on two new eastbound bridges and connections, including Pinckney Island connections, ending at roughly Windmill Harbor (WH), as well as retention and improvement of the Windmill Harbor traffic signal with mast arms. These will cost $311 6 million and are to be completed by Dec. 31 2031, over 13 years after our 2018 Referendum. This at least solves the Mackay span safety concerns, and kills the mega-bridge, but it is a bait
message, they cross a line. Mitchell may have acted out of personal conviction, but that does not make the action acceptable. Ethical standards apply to everyone in public office. Following the rules is not optional. Shouldn’t the citizens of Beaufort expect better from their representatives?
At the March 11 city council meeting, I raised this concern during the public comment period. In response, Councilman Mitchell said he would wear his uniform whenever he pleased and confirmed that he wore it intentionally to make a statement. He also recorded video of my remarks using his phone from the dais, despite the
fact that council meetings are already recorded in full through official audio and video channels. This felt less like documentation and more like intimidation.
But the content of his message is not the issue here. The rules are not dependent on whether someone feels strongly about a subject. They exist to protect the integrity of our public institutions and to prevent the appearance that the military is taking political sides. No one is questioning Councilman Mitchell’s military service. His commitment to the country is not in dispute. What is in question is whether public officials can ignore long-standing laws and
and switch from what we were led to believe included congestion relief for the Hilton Head work force and residents. If they had stuck to their promises, and only repaired or replaced the aging span, at least $70 million would have been available for that much needed congestion relief work and could have addressed the congestion issues caused by [three or four] clogged traffic lights and failed merge problems. But there is more: The proposed resolution binds County taxpayers to cover any overage over the $311 6 million. Also, county taxpayers must reimburse the SIB’s funding (could be up to $120 million) if all components of the project do not complete by Dec. 31 2031 Looking ahead 6½ years, that seems highly risky.
There is still more: I now detect that the 2018 Corridor promises that were broken will be packaged as sweeteners into a proposed 2026 Tax Referendum. The theory seems to be that the County needs the Hilton Head vote for their 2026 Referendum, and that Hilton Head citizens will not remember the bait and switch, and terrible back-room planning that systematically cut citizens out of the Corridor process after their money was collected.
The thing I have a hard time understanding is the complete failure of most of Hilton Head Town Council to assert itself to assure that Hilton Head got a detailed and quantitative master plan for the Corridor, a fair share of the funds we contributed, and the respectful treatment of a large number of citizens who worked hard for solutions. It seems that the Mayor and Town Staff were more interested in appeasing County Council than solving our problems.
– Steven Baer, Beaufort County Council, retired
Communication and civility
I agree with a reader's letter (May 22 edition) from a Mr. Jim Beck disagreeing with a previous reader's view on the rights of transgender people. What I find sad and disturbing is that he can't just express a differing personal view on the issue. He feels compelled to then attack and insult the other reader calling him "a true delusional liberal." Today, we face many difficult decisions with conflicting viewpoints. To come to any final agreement requires respectful listening and some compromise.
ethical guidelines when it suits them. If we allow that, we invite others to do the same. The uniform could be used to support any political cause, from any direction. That would not just confuse the public, it would erode trust in both the military and in local government. Mitchell is entitled to his opinions. But is he entitled to break important, long standing rules and then shrug off responsibility of breaking them?
Patrick Canning is a retired estimating engineer from Pennsylvania currently residing in Beaufort. When not attending city meeting, he is offering his time and effort through volunteering in the local community.
When you insult the other person the conversation and hope of finding middle ground ends. In fact, you move farther apart.
Insulting or attacking the other person rather than a logical refutation of their position indicates either a lack of a well reasoned argument or a lack of intelligence and wisdom.
This is the primary debate technique used by our current "leader" and "trickling down" like toxic sludge through our society. In conversations, people state their political and social positions as facts. They don't start the conversation with "I think" or I believe." One makes stating an opposing view a rebuttal and a confrontation. The other opens the door to discussion.
– Tom Downs, Cat Island re: Veterans’
benefits
Mr. McCombs, I want to give thanks and congratulate you on publishing Larry Dandridge's articles on the benefits available to veterans. This service is much needed in order to educate the many thousands of non-informed veterans who desperately need the help.
– Joe Rossi, 100%
PATRICK CANNING
VOICES
Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of The
There is a better way to spend those hours
It is Wednesday, wet, overcast but pleasantly cool. This morning I have my coffee and a sense of expectation. My sense of expectation, actually excitement, comes from a book titled “The Mighty Red,” published by Louise Erdrich in September 2024. I started this novel a week ago and, in the beginning, it was slow going. The novel is centered in North Dakota — an area of the country that I do not know. It involves farmers who raise sugar beets — an enterprise of which I have no knowledge. And the principal character, Kismet, is a teenager. Generally speaking, I find teenagers awkward, ill-formed, few worth close examination. I remember my own teenage years — my own deficiencies — and I wince at the thought of the person I presented in those unhappy days.
WSCOTT GRABER
Kismet comes from a family that lives on the margins — a mother (Crystal) who hauls sugar beets to a plant that then reduces them to sugar; a father (Martin) who is often absent and who is initially portrayed as irresponsible. I also had trouble putting a face on Kismet. Normally. I like my novels set down in places that I know — Oxford, Umbria, Abidjan. I like an unassuming hero who is usually a man. I like it when that ordinary man is given a task involving a long journey and takes up that task reluctantly. My protagonist
knows he is unsuited for this dangerous journey but a long dormant sense of duty compels him to rise up and rise out of his safe, predictable, slightly-boring life.
I found this fictional template when I was 17 in “Trustee From the Toolroom.”
Normally I would have abandoned Mighty Red early on thinking, “You know what. My time is too valuable to wander around the beet fields of North Dakota trying to understand the mind of a teenager.”
But for reasons I cannot explain, I hung on and eventually got to know Kismet, Crystal, Gary and many others who inhabit this bleak North Dakota landscape.
I use “bleak” intentionally. This part of North Dakota is given over to the growing of sugar beets. According to the novel it is also given over to pesticides, herbi-
cides, fungicides, weed killers and fertilizers. The farmers who do this cultivation absorb these chemicals and, apparently, exude that bug and weed-killing scent when making love to their wives.
According to the novel, these chemicals also destroy the soil. There is a scene in a bar when the farmers try to pour water into dirt they have taken from their fields. They discover that water does not penetrate their degraded dirt.
Into this semi-lethal landscape, we also get a football team — young men who are wandering warily into manhood — and a wedding wherein Kismet is seen leaving her own on-theropes family for a wealthier, beet-growing family. We also get a book club where the farm wives willingly discuss this bleakness, forgetting they have a book to review.
‘Marco, I Hardly
ho is the real Marco Rubio? That is a question that has been asked more than once since the young Floridian became senator and began his climb up the spiral staircase of politics, with its many twists and turns.
The son of poor Cuban immigrants, Rubio pledged to usher in a “new American century” — a tweak to the “morning in America” slogan of his political idol, Ronald Reagan — with a message that was conservative but optimistic.
According to some, Rubio was not just a telegenic young overachiever but much more. To hear the senator tell it, he was the key to renewing Republican political thinking.
The year was 2016. When he announced his presidential candidacy, Rubio said some people were urging him to hold off, but he simply could not.
“I believe our very identity as an exceptional nation is at stake, and I can make a difference as president,” Rubio said, portraying himself as a young and fresh new face for the Republican Party.
That was in April, two months before Donald Trump entered
the race.
I think it’s fair to say that when Trump entered the 2016 presidential race, the rule of the day became “no holds barred.”
This was very apparent in the debates that ensued, particularly the interaction between candidates Trump and Rubio.
When researching these exchanges, I found no lack of examples, most of which were personal jabs. Both engaged in what can only be called pettiness, and as I read, I was reminded of kids in a sandbox.
Topics like “bladder issues”, make-up (yes, Trump actually called attention to Rubio’s, saying it looked like it had been applied with a trowel), misspelled words in texts; con-artist. The list went on and on; believe it or not, Wikipedia actually has a list of names Trump has created to denigrate others. But I digress.
Perhaps the most famous
volley occurred when Trump began using the name “Little Marco.” Rubio responded with this: “He’s always calling me Little Marco. And I’ll admit he’s taller than me. He’s like [6-foot-2], which is why I don’t understand why his hands are the size of someone who is 5-2. Have you seen his hands? They’re like this (demonstration of size). And you know what they say about men with small hands? You can’t trust them.”
And so this all begs the question, “How did such animosity dissipate?”
Neither individual seems to be of the inclination to let bygones be bygones. Why would Trump choose Rubio for Secretary of State and, shortly thereafter, (because of one of his many self-inflicted poor choices) that of national security advisor? And why would Rubio be so inclined to let himself be recruited by a MAGA administration, hardly the ilk of Ronald Reagan?
To answer the last question, one need only look at a rerun of the disgraceful meeting in the Oval Office when the Ukrainian President was berated by Trump, Vance, et al. You might remember that the Secretary of State sat there looking pained, not
And somewhere — maybe 100 pages into the novel — I realized I was in the midst of a well-imagined, wonderfully-written saga that was in the same league as “Splendor In The Grass” and “Angle of Repose.”
Furthermore, I realized that I cared about Kismet, Crystal and the rest of these God forsaken folks (and their teenaged children) who were, in every sense, making their own journeys. And so my evening routine has been interrupted.
Most nights, my wife and I fix a meal; then we carry that microwaved meal up to a television in our bedroom. Here, with a ceiling fan pushing around marginally-cooled air, we begin searching Netflix, YouTube and Prime for a movie.
Every night I click my way through a line of algorithm-selected movies hoping to discover something meaningful. And almost every night I am disap-
pointed by the sameness of the plot, the sameness of the people who inhabit the formulaic movies that neatly remove a couple of hours from our allotted number. But I’m here to tell you there is a better way to spend those hours if you read.
Of course you must work your way through the first 100 pages when the author is “clearing her throat.” You must engage your imagination picturing these damaged folk surrounded by great piles of beets and an odor that overwhelms the most liberal application of Paco Rabanne. You must slip away from your current reality and willingly journey into a foreign landscape.
Sometimes, not always, you will be renewed.
Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. He can be reached at cscottgraber@gmail.com.
Knew Ye’
saying a word. His body language alone said it all because he knew the implications of what was happening. Yet he didn't say a word.
Rubio’s position of high trust in Trump’s current administration would have been very difficult to foresee almost a decade ago, when he was representing the last gasps of the badly compromised GOP establishment against the ultimately successful challenge of Trump’s insurgent candidacy. My idle speculation is that Rubio's position on all that is happening in the present administration is pretty simple. By working ever so judiciously, and not creating any waves, Marco is going to build his credibility as a statesman. Yes, he will bend a knee as is required by all the minions, but he will “speak softly” and carry the big stick of experience into 2028 Sadly, to accomplish this, he must become a Trump “team player.” That said, more and more Republicans are coming to see Trumpism for what it is: “three cubed.” In other words, crude, cruel, and crass.
When I began to write this piece, the song title “Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye” came to mind.
This was an Irish song popular in the music hall era. The tragic aspect of the piece centered on a young man’s return home, his arms and legs having been blown off fighting for the British Army.
While I have attempted to make the connection of this title to that profound change in Rubio, I also suggest you consider the “war” being fought in America at this time. It would seem that, little by little, we are losing the appendages of the body of democracy.
As I am often wont to do, I turn to Shakespeare for the last word. It is Hamlet’s soliloquy to which I hope Marco Rubio will relate at some point.
To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing, end them?
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.”
CAROL LUCAS
Dressing out for General Quarters
Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Seaman Michael Gonzales II, from Bluffton, S.C., dresses out in a firefighting ensemble during a general quarters drill on the mess decks of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123) in the South China Sea, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. Higbee, assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations on a scheduled deployment, demonstrating the U.S. Navy’s unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter K. McHaddad/U.S. Navy
Veteran and survivor VA burial, memorial, other benefits
This article is the first in a series of four articles that will cover VA benefits designed to aid veterans and their families in planning for the veteran's death and the benefits available to the veteran’s survivors. Specifically, this article will summarize the following fifteen benefits available to veterans and their families and provide the references they should read before the veteran's or survivor's death.
The following 15 broad categories of benefits are available to veterans and their families:
1 Pre-need eligibility for National Cemetery burial or memorialization;
2 Memorial or burial flags;
3 Government headstones or markers;
4 Cemetery medallions;
5 Presidential Memorial certificates;
6 Burial benefits and burial automatic payments;
7 Dependency and indemnity compensation;
8 Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program;
9 Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship;
10 Survivors pension;
11 Special monthly pension benefits;
12 The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs;
13 Home loans;
14 Veterans' month of death benefits;
15 VA life insurance.
Veterans and their families should learn all they can about their hard-earned federal and state benefits before they need them, apply for them, and use them. Reading the information in the Planning Your Legacy (VA Survivors and Burial Benefits) Kit, the 20 paragraphs below, and the referenced web pages will prepare you to understand your benefits better. Reading this information will also help you know why you should use a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to apply for federal and state benefits.
1 Planning Your Legacy (VA Survivors and Burial Benefits) Kit, VA Pamphlet 27-18-1, February 2024 P96888, https://bit. ly/4mDj7yB.
2 Find out how to apply in
advance for an eligibility determination regarding your eligibility for burial in a VA National Cemetery on the VA web page “Preneed Eligibility for Burial in a VA Cemetery” at https://bit.ly/3KoGeul.
3 Find the eligibility requirements for burial in a VA national cemetery at the VA web page “Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery” at https://bit.ly/3mhoBop.
4 Find eligibility information for burial in a VA National Cemetery for the following specific groups at https:// bit.ly/3mhoBop: U.S. Citizens who served in the Armed Forces of any government allied with the USA during a war. Members of Reserve components or Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (National Guard and Reserve). Commissioned Officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Commissioned Officers of the Public Health Service. World War II Merchant Mariners. Philippine Armed Forces Veterans. Hmong Individuals (For more information, visit the NCA Hmong Facts page) at https:// bit.ly/43GE4zY for more details.
5 Learn about specific groups who are not eligible for burial in a VA National Cemetery (Certain family members, People drafted but never entered military service, Veterans with a particular character of discharge, Veterans found guilty of a capital crime, Veterans convicted of certain sex offenses, and veterans convicted of subversive activities) at
https://bit.ly/3mhoBop.
6 Find out what happens at a military funeral for a veteran or service member at “Military Funeral Honors and the Committal Service” at https://bit. ly/41uGor0
7 Find out how to make burial plans for a veteran, spouse, or dependent family member at “Schedule a Burial for a Veteran or Family Member” at https://bit. ly/3KRhRpg.
8 Find the answers to 13 FAQs (see below) about veterans' burial benefits at “National Cemetery Administration FAQ” at https://bit.ly/3ZbvXdj.
13 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1 Does the VA pay for cremation or burial expenses?
2 What are my burial benefits?
3 What can I do now to prepare for burial in a national cemetery?
4 I do not have my military discharge, how can I get a copy?
5 Am I eligible for a burial flag and how do I get one?
6 What is a Presidential Memorial Certificate?
7 How can I order a headstone, marker, or medallion for placement in a private cemetery?
8 Is my mother, who is not a Veteran, entitled to a Government marker in a private cemetery?
9 Can I be buried at Arlington National Cemetery?
10 How can I find out the status of a headstone order?
11 What do I do if the headstone inscription is incorrect?
12 What is the proper way to clean a government headstone or marker?
13 Can VA provide burial at sea?
9 Find out about Veterans' headstones, markers, medallions, plaques, and urns at the VA web page at https://bit.ly/4dLU4W3
10 Find answers to
“Veterans and their families should learn all they can about their hard-earned federal and state benefits before they need them, apply for them, and use them.”
LARRY DANDRIDGE, on preparing for veterans’ benefits.
specific questions about government headstones and markers at the VA webpage titled “Government Headstones and Markers FAQs” at https://bit.ly/43M9Ag1
11 Learn about the burial benefits available to a Veteran buried in a private cemetery at https://bit. ly/45yjZhB.
12 Learn how to get Veterans burial allowances (sometimes called “veterans death benefits”) to help cover burial, funeral, and transportation costs at “Veterans Burial Allowance and Transportation Benefits” at https://bit.ly/3dKZkyx.
13 Learn how to request a copy of a veteran’s military service records (DD214, other separation documents, military personnel records, military medical records, awards, qualificationslicenses-certificates, etc.) at the VA web page titled “Request your military service records (including DD214)” at https://bit.ly/41ydmaU and the National Archives “Request Military Service Records” at https://bit. ly/41ydmaU and https:// bit.ly/3ZbMSMM.
14 Learn about bereavement counseling for surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member or veteran at “Bereavement Counseling” https://bit. ly/3Aa2UtK.
15 Learn about VA Vet Centers at “Vet Centers (Readjustment Counseling at https://bit.ly/4jq6bJn.
16 Find a VA Cemetery at the VA’s “Find VA Locations” locator at https://bit. ly/3ZbMVbq. This site lists each cemetery's locations, phone numbers, directions, and burial status (open, closed, memorial wall, etc.).
17 Learn about the Veterans Legacy Program (VLP) at the NCA “VLP” at https:// bit.ly/4kJfbdD.
18 Find the eligibility requirements for burial and inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery at https://bit. ly/3Fzk8XD and the VA webpage titled “Can I be Buried in Arlington National Cemetery?” at https://bit.ly/40okPay. The VA cannot determine eligibility for burial in Arlington National Cemetery because the U.S. Army maintains this cemetery. Work with your funeral home director to contact Arlington National Cemetery at 877-9078585 for their eligibility information.
19 Find out what happens at a military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery at the Arlington National Cemetery “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) web page at https://bit.ly/3Fzk5uV.
20 Download the 2025 “Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents, and Survivors Handbook which includes information from A to Z on veterans’ benefits and services and key phone numbers at https:// bit.ly/3SstPdn.
Continued next week.
Larry
LARRY DANDRIDGE
PLATOON 3032
Senior Drill Instructor
SSgt E. Iniguez
Pvt Abarcabibiano, Brian
PFC Almond, Chandler I.
PFC Amaker, Malik O.
Pvt Bailey, Hunter J.
Pvt Barcenascastellon, Oscar M.
Pvt Beck, David C.
Pvt Bell, Shawn M.
Pvt Boykin, Dylan C.
Pvt Catalanescamilla, Miguel
PFC Chleuh, Abdourahamane
Pvt Cisneros, Jacob D.
Pvt Cook, Myles A.
Pvt Cooke, Kevin J.
Pvt Davis, Jason M.
PFC Geese, Dylan C.
PFC Gutierrez, Edward A.
Pvt Griffitts, Brandon E.
Pvt Gwyn, Priest T.
PFC Hayes, Zachary E.
Pvt Holder, Conor P.
PFC Hernandezgutierrez, Pedro
PFC Hutchinson, Connor R.
PFC Long, Michael D.
PFC Lopezsantos, David
PFC Martinezcobon, Deybyn E.
PFC Mazariego, Noel A.
Pvt Mcmullen, Javion D.
Pvt Mcneil, Marquez
Pvt Mejia, Emmanuel L.
Pvt Monaco, Nicholas E.
Pvt Morrissette, Karseme F.
PFC Moss, Braydon A.
PFC Napolesguia, Jonathan I.
Pvt Navarretehernandez, AngelY.
Pvt Noble, Elijah
PFC Oramadejesus, Carlos R.
Pvt Pearson, Christopher J.
Pvt Perezromero, Osvaldo D.
Pvt Ramosurquiza, Hector W.
Pvt Rook, Cameron R.
Pvt Schulz Jr, Mark A.
Pvt Sermons, Hayden T.
PFC Smith, Danique C.
Pvt Smith, Spencer D.
PFC Stanback, Elijah D.
Pvt Tinocosalgado, Luis A.
Pvt Velazquez, Sebastian
Pvt Wilson Jr, Dwayne
LOCAL MILITARY
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, 6 June 2025
PLATOON 3033
Senior Drill Instructor
SSgt M. H. Maas
PFC Aleman, Adyn C.
Pvt Alston, Devonte X.
Pvt Bales, Blake T.
Pvt Beaulac, Hunter H.
Pvt Berg, Tyler A.
PFC Billon, Kevin
PFC Boykin, Isaac W.
Pvt Breban, Andres S.
PFC Burgess Iv, Robert H.
PFC Castilloherrera, Fernando D.
Pvt Courtenay, Christian N.
PFC Decker, Davis W.
Pvt Diaz, Tony H.
PFC Dishman, Robert M.
PFC Ditroia, Titus C.
*PFC Espanhololiveira, Arthur
Pvt Fillmore Jr, Brandon A.
Pvt Fralick, David M.
PFC Gonzalez, Javier
PFC Goode, Duane J.
Pvt Handley, Tristan V.
Pvt Hurtado, Anthony M.
PFC Kim, Sunwoo
*PFC Little, Matthew C.
Pvt Lopez, Madden M.
PFC Macri Iii, Peter J.
Pvt Martin, Ethan A.
Pvt Morell, Nery A.
PFC Nunes, Bryan C.
Pvt Ortizhernandez, Ryan A.
Pvt Palmer, Jeshaun J.
PFC Patton, Zachary B.
PFC Persaud, Angel
Pvt Pokharel, Gauranga
PFC Price, Storm A.
*PFC Robinson, Laemadon A.
Pvt Shutt, Lucas R.
PFC Sieber, Chase J.
Pvt Slater, Cody A.
Pvt Spring, Jonathan A.
Pvt Stacks, Brayden C.
Pvt Stafford, Xavier J.
Pvt Thomas, Aveyn M.
PFC Tibbetts, Kaiden H.
Pvt Tookes, Hiram E.
Pvt Vogel, Nicholas J.
PFC Williams Ii, Anthony R.
PLATOON 3034
Senior Drill Instructor
SSgt J. Taykowski
Pvt Abraham, Woodney H.
Pvt Adams, Joshua L.
PFC Alphonse, Damien A.
Pvt Beldenscharr, Conner A.
*PFC Bornhorst, Gabriel M.
Pvt Caberte, Lance B.
Pvt Castro, Evan E.
PFC Chaj, Cristian D.
PFC Cole, Talon T.
Pvt Cortez, Omar
Pvt Cretty, Austin J.
Pvt Crewell, Brandon P.
Pvt Cummings, Samuel J.
Pvt Davis II, William R.
Pvt Felix, Andres A.
Pvt Gayle Jr, Ryan A.
Pvt Gonzalez, Adrian J.
PFC Hackler, Dillon M.
Pvt Harmon, Henry L.
PFC Harrington Jr, Travis M.
Pvt Hauxwell, Booth K.
Pvt Hernandezcamejo, Pascual
Pvt Hughes, Jack D.
Pvt Hughes, Tyler L.
Pvt Jackson, Noah N.
Pvt Kammerer, Conner J.
PFC Kephart, Anthony D.
Pvt Khong, Justin
PFC King, Kristian T.
*PFC Langner, Alexander J.
PFC Malo, Elijah S.
Pvt Mason, Benjamin O.
Pvt Ngo, David N.
PFC Orr, John M.
PFC Ownby Jr, Randall L.
Pvt Payer, Hayden R.
Pvt Perezmojica, Allen M.
Pvt Platt, Dominick S.
Pvt Reek, Ryder P.
Pvt Rivera, Aaron M.
Pvt Riveracardona, Jean C.
PFC Rogers, Jacob T.
*PFC Rosariorosado, Jaden
Pvt Sanchez, Leonardo R.
Pvt Shirley, Benjamin B.
Pvt Silva, John M.
Pvt Starr, Trevon W.
PFC Swartz, Chance E.
PFC Then, Michael D.
Pvt Tropeano, Jacob M.
PLATOON 3036
Senior Drill Instructor
Sgt C. D. Caballero
Pvt Adams Iii, Clinton
Pvt Almodovarvelez, Hamilton O.
Pvt Basford, Colin J.
Pvt Burgosrestituyo, Denzel P.
Pvt Camacho, Norance I.
PFC Cameron Jr, Ernest C.
Pvt Carpenter, Kamryn R.
Pvt Couch, Jaden S.
Pvt Dodd, Drake A.
Pvt Elias, Assael A.
PFC Figueroa Jr, Ednardo
Pvt Firmin, Joseph A.
Pvt Gibbons, Gunnar M.
Pvt Glisson, Nathaniel S.
PFC Grandinetti Jr, Peter M.
Pvt Hamilton, Zachary L.
Pvt Heyliger, Jake V.
Pvt Holmes, Dallas Q.
PFC Johnpaul, Michel
Pvt Jones, Jesse M.
PFC Keegan, Shaman O.
Pvt Lazabara, Nicholas E.
PFC Marsh, Eric S.
Pvt Mccormick Jr, John M.
Pvt Moon, Blayne E.
Pvt Murray, Andrew T.
PFC Normand, Benjamin P.
PFC Parent, Easton D.
Pvt Parker, William A.
Pvt Perez, Montana R.
Pvt Rainey, Raheim P.
Pvt Roblescasillas, Nathanel T.
Pvt Rodriguez, Joshua M.
PFC Rowe, Braden C.
Pvt Royal, Antonio M.
Pvt Ruder, James C.
Pvt Saams, Stephen G.
PFC Sanchezpaizano, Jairo J.
Pvt Scott, Dylan M.
Pvt Smith, Gavin C.
Pvt Socia, Bret A.
PFC Spivacke, Hunter G.
Pvt Stanton, Lucas J.
Pvt Stripling, Dylon N.
Pvt Tanner, Jesse L.
Pvt Taylor, Israel A.
Pvt Treadaway, Huston M.
Pvt Westfall, Aarron C.
Pvt Wilson Jr, Allen J.
Pvt Zutah, Isaac A.
PLATOON 3037
Senior Drill Instructor
SSgt M. Reed
Pvt Abney Jr, Chad D.
*PFC Alvarezbarrientos, Luis G.
*PFC Andrus, Austin J.
Pvt Arnold, Lucas S.
PFC Babini, Xavier S.
Pvt Bell Jr, William L.
Pvt Beniteztorres, Cornelio
Pvt Botello, Luis A.
Pvt Brown, Collin D.
PFC Brown, Dominick C.
PFC Brown, Nizaiah D.
Pvt Campos, Evan A.
PFC Chavezcruz, Derek L.
Pvt Cunningham, Connor S.
Pvt Fontenot, Aaron J.
Pvt Garciachirino, Steven
Pvt Gibbens, Kevin T.
PFC Gonzalez, Brandon F.
Pvt Gonzalezcadena, Daniel F.
Pvt Henry, Ken C.
Pvt Hitt, Rylee C.
Pvt Hobbs, Kyle J.
Pvt Hornyak, Evan J.
Pvt Lawrence, Andrew R.
PFC Lojachalco, Justin A.
Pvt Martino, Kristofer A.
PFC Mcauliffe, John C.
Pvt Monson, Justinalbert B.
PFC Nantabutr, Dinan
Pvt Nelson, Nathan J.
PFC Perezobispo, Bryan E.
Pvt Pollardmiller, Anthony M.
Pvt Prather, Andre A.
Pvt Rodas, Adrian I.
Pvt Rodriguez, Allen C.
Pvt Rosilloobando, Luis C.
Pvt Saldivar, Cristian A.
Pvt Sankoh, Alimamy D.
PFC Schlotterbeck, Nicholas A.
Pvt Semedodias, Adelmo
Pvt Solano, Edgar D.
Pvt Stevens, Daevon M.
*PFC Suarezramirez, Michael
Pvt Tamayo, Frank
PFC Vericella Ii, Aaron D.
PFC Wallace, Alexzander C.
Pvt White Iii, Cecil R.
PFC Wolf, Camden J.
Recruit Training Regiment • Commanding Officer, Colonel C. B. McArthur 3rd Recruit Training Battalion • Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel B. L. Tye Commander of Troops, Captain R. J. Fountain • Parade Adjutant, Captain J. D. Roth Company “M”, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion • Captain R. J. Fountain Drill Masters • Gunnery Sergeant J. J. Merriweather, Gunnery Sergeant D. L. Goodman Jr. Living & Growing the Jesus Way Sunday Morning Worship at 8:30 & 10:30 81 Lady’s Island Drive Pastor Steve Keeler • (843) 525-0696 seaislandpresbyterian.org
PLATOON 3038
Senior Drill Instructor
SSgt K. Levy
Pvt Abduvoseev, Parviz
Pvt Adams, William F.
Pvt Alveriozavala, Leniel
*PFC Balcha, Mohamed N.
Pvt Bartlett, Batista O.
Pvt Batrez, Samuel A.
Pvt Bowman Jr, Daryl E.
Pvt Burton, Aaron D.
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Pvt Chamberlain, Tyler C.
Pvt Chhetri, Pawan K.
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PFC Clancy, Michael S.
Pvt Coleman, Malachi P.
Pvt Collazoperez, Josiah
Pvt Collins, Tyquez E.
Pvt Davis, Joseph I.
Pvt Deener Jr, Michael A.
Pvt Deken, Isaac D.
Pvt Dies Jr, Dustin J.
*PFC Ellerbrock, Mitchell C.
Pvt Evans, Michael J.
Pvt Feliciano, Matthew
Pvt Ferrebee, Gary L.
Pvt Gleason, Samuel C.
Pvt Griffith, Luke D.
Pvt Hoyoslemos, Jacobo
Pvt Jacksoncopney Jr, Terrence J.
Pvt Johnson, Seth M.
Pvt Karampasis, Antonis I.
*PFC Lara, Andrew M.
Pvt Leal, Jamey T.
PFC Mason, Christian A.
Pvt Montillamedina, Ramses E.
PFC Moralalbino, Joseph J.
Pvt Newbold, Osborne N.
PFC Nicolae, Ryan L.
PFC Patton, David E.
Pvt Pautienus Iv, Robert M.
Pvt Rollins, Zachary S.
Pvt Russelburg Iii, Richard L.
Pvt Segundoperez, James
Pvt Shehane, Eli D.
Pvt Umholtz, Jonathan M.
Pvt Usher, Carter J.
PFC Villalobosvilchez, Haykel J.
Pvt Xu, Jay
Pvt Zelaya, Anthony A.
*Denotes Meritorious Promotions
SERVICE DIRECTORY
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Criminal Defense & Civil Litigation
16 Professional Village Circle, Lady's Island Office: 843-986-9449 • Fax: 843-986-9450 chris@bftsclaw.com • www.geierlaw.com
AUDIOLOGY & HEARING
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Licensed Audiologist
38 Professional Village West, Lady's Island monica@beauforthearing.com www.beauforthearing.com | 843-521-3007
Hear the Beauty that Surrounds You
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Does One
Imagine Joe, a man raised without any faith background.
He began to read the Gospels out of curiosity, after a friend gave him a copy of the Bible. As he read about Jesus, Joe was surprised to find himself captivated. He started to explore the reasons for faith, and he slowly became convinced that Jesus truly is God, just as he claimed to be. Joe realizes that his life can no longer remain the same; he wants to follow Jesus and be a faith-filled Christian.
Joe visits different churches and tries them out.
He really liked the music in one church, the friendly atmosphere in another, and the dynamic preaching of various pastors. But one thing is very troubling to Joe. Each church claims to get its teaching straight from the Bible, yet he finds that the churches disagree on many important matters of faith and morals. He knows that, just like in math or science, two conflicting teachings cannot both be true. How can he be certain that a particular church is faithfully teaching all that Jesus intended, without error or omission?
Has Joe been going about this the wrong way?
As he prays about all of this, Joe realizes that he had been seeking a church that fit his own preferences and tastes, as if he were looking for a new gym or country club. Shouldn’t his decision be based on something more than his musical preferences, or his appreciation of a particular preacher? Shouldn’t his decision be based on truth, and on what Jesus desires for his life, even if it does not line up with his own initial expectations or personal tastes?
Church Today Message 1 of 8
Joe decides to search for the Church that Jesus started. In his reading of the Acts of the Apostles, Joe saw a beautiful family of faith begun by Jesus and built upon the apostles. Reflecting on this, Joe concludes, “If Jesus gave us a Church, and it is still around today, then that’s the Church that I want to belong to. I want to be part of that family of faith. I want to receive all of the gifts that Jesus intended me to have on my journey with him to heaven.”
Joe continues his search in an unexpected place.
He knows that the Catholic Church has been around longer than the other churches in town. But he has heard so many bad things about the Catholic Church over its long history, and the recent scandals make it the last church he would ever want to join. As Joe thinks back upon the New Testament, however, he remembers that the twelve apostles struggled with sin and brokenness, and the early Church was full of saints and sinners. Reluctantly, he decides to give the Catholic Church a quick look, so that he can cross it off his list.
What would Joe find?
Joe is fictional, but many people have been on a faith journey like his. As they distinguish truth from misconception, countless people have been surprised to discover that the Catholic Church has the same characteristics as the Church in the Acts of the Apostles, but with centuries of growth and development. In this message series, we will explore some of these aspects that a person like Joe might discover about the Catholic faith.
