For Accuracy, Transparency, and Leadership
Vote WRIGHT for Beaufort County Auditor JUNE 12TH
JUNE 7 - 13, 2018 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
S.C. heads to the polls for June 12 primary
There are several ways to vote in the primary In Person Voting. The first method is to vote in person on Tuesday, June 12. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You will need to bring an ID (such as a driver's license) to present before you are cleared to vote. Absentee Voting. Qualified voters can vote absentee in person or by mail. Photo ID is required to vote absentee in person. Photo ID is not required to vote absentee by mail. You must be able
to meet one of the 16 reasons to vote absentee including being out of town on election day or over the age of 65. To vote absentee in person, visit the Bluffton or Beaufort County Election Offices, complete an application, and cast your vote. You may vote absentee in person up until 5 p.m. on the day before the election. Absentee Voting by Mail. To get your application online, you must be able to print your application or save
your application for printing later. You must complete and sign the application and return it to your county voter registration office. You should return the application as soon as possible but no later than 5 p.m. on the Friday before the elections. You may return the application by mail, email, fax, or personal delivery. FOR POLLING LOCATIONS BY PRECINCT, SEE PAGE A5
2018 CANDIDATE PROFILES
GOVERNOR What’s At Stake: The winners of Tuesday’s primaries (or the subsequent run-offs June 26) will face off in the general election in November. Democratic Primary Contenders Phil Noble Jr. Age: 67 Education: Birmingham Southern College (B.S.); Cambridge University; University of Stockholm Experience: Business and technology consultant; founder of three statewide non-profit initiatives – The Palmetto Project, One Laptop Per Child South Carolina, and World Class Scholars; past president of S.C. New Democrats Email: info@philnoble2018.com Website: philnoble2018.com Top Priorities: I believe that we need big change and real reform – right now. We have a system of plantation politics and our legislature and state government have become infected by the disease of corruption – it’s contagious and spreading. It’s a disease that has kept us from having the things that all South Carolinians deserve: Great schools for our kids; honest utility rates; safe roads; good jobs that provide security for our families. James Smith Jr. Age: 50 Education: USC Columbia (B.A., J.D.) Experience: South Carolina House of Representatives, District 72, 1997-Present; United States
SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE The Beaufort County Board of Education remained deadlocked this week in its search for an interim superintendent. The board has met twice since Dr. Jeff Moss’ resignation but has not yet reached a consensus. The group interviewed seven candidates for interim superintendent on Tuesday, May 29, but did not make a decision, and a special executive session on Saturday, June 2, also failed to produce a consensus. Board members did vote unanimously May 29 to hire an attorney to engage in discussions on behalf of the board if and when the members reach an agreement on an interim superintendent. The board’s next scheduled meeting is Thursday, June 7, at which board chairman Earl Campbell previously said he plans to announce the five members of a committee charged with selecting a search firm to conduct the full search for a permanent superintendent. Moss resigned Tuesday, May 15, and his last day with the district will be July 31, at which time he will be paid an amount equal to his 2017-18 salary of $220,000, plus other benefits including his contractually earned annuity of $44,000 and payments for benefits and unused leave days.
TICKLING THE IVORIES Dueling Pianos returns to the stage on June 15 at The Shed in Port Royal. PAGE B1
Army Reserve, January 1996-August 1998; South Carolina Army National Guard, 1998-present; Active duty OEF Afghanistan, February 2007May 2008 Email: James@JamesSmith.com Website: jamessmith.com Top Priorities: 1. Expanding access to affordable healthcare. Over 194,000 South Carolinians are being denied access to health care simply because they live in the Palmetto State. By not accepting Medicaid expansion, our leaders are sending our tax dollars to other states while many South Carolinians are using emergency rooms for their own healthcare needs. We need to expand coverage to increase access to high-quality, affordable healthcare and keep our hard-earned tax money and good-paying healthcare jobs at home. 2. Education. I will be an Education Governor who will prioritize recruiting and retaining great teachers, keeping our children safe, pursuing bold reforms, and advancing modernization and innovation in the classroom so that all students are prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century. I will work to ensure that teacher salaries meet or exceed the Southeastern regional average. 3. Workforce development and jobs. South Carolina workers should be trained and equipped to meet the job opportunities of the future, and our economic and educational interests should be aligned to connect those workers with good paying
jobs. I will expand partnerships with businesses to train workers for available jobs; create special programs to match veterans with employment opportunities and training; and require schools to offer more technology courses, boost teacher pay, and address the stifling costs of higher education. I will also pursue economic development opportunities in emerging fields like solar and renewable energy and expand internet access in rural communities. Marguerite Willis Age: 68 Education: University of Michigan; Stetson University College of Law Experience: Partner, Nexsen Pruet, LLC; Executive Committee Member, SC Chamber of Commerce; Founder, Eastern Carolina Community Foundation; Former President, SC Women Lawyers Association; Former Trustee, Columbia College; Former Governor, Florida Bar; House of Delegates Member, SC Bar; President, Litigation Counsel of America; Fellow, American Bar Association; Former President, Women’s Bar of DC; Co-Founder, Pee Dee River Coalition Email: marguerite@willisgov.com Website: willisgov.com Top Priorities: 1. The governor’s number one job is economic development. I will continue to attract big businesses, but also support small businesses,
SEE CANDIDATES, PAGE A5
Indivisible Beaufort to host elections analyst Who votes, who doesn’t and why will be the subject of the next Indivisible Beaufort meeting. The public is invited to attend the meeting which will take place at the Beaufort Library on Scott Street, starting at 11:00 am. Jody Arthur, a 20-year veteran with Procter & Gamble specializing in global sales and markets and data analytics will be the guest speaker, focusing her remarks on the efforts needed to change voter turnout results in Beaufort County. Looking at historic trends, only 11 percent of the county’s registered voters turned out for the April vote on the school district’s bond referendum. During the 2016 presidential election, the county turnout was greater, at 71 percent compared to 68 percent statewide. The county has approximately 112,000 registered voters. Indivisible Beaufort SC is a non-partisan group of local residents who believe this nation embodies rights and respect for all. The group is working to ensure those rights and freedoms remain available to everyone.
It’s official – hurricane season is back in session Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, and Gov. Henry McMaster marked the start with a visit to Beaufort County to discuss hurricane preparedness. A number of resources are available to help coastal residents prepare in the event the Lowcountry is hit for a third consecutive year. The S.C. Hurricane Guide is available for download at scemd.org, and the S.C. Emergency Management Division also has a new smartphone app that can help create a hurricane plan and gives details on evacuation routes. Over the last two years, Beaufort County has seen the effects from two hurricanes. As a result of those storms, there have been lessons learned to include a more efficient re-entry process once an evacuation order is lifted. The Beaufort County Emergency Management Division has devised a tier-system plan allowing certain individuals back into the county at different times, prior to the general public. To read how the tier-system will work, go to https://www. bcso.net/re-entry-pass-system. The public may not return to Beaufort County until an evacuation order has been lifted. Here are some key tips to keep in mind during hurricane season: 1. Make sure to have a destination preplanned if an evacuation is ordered.
Gov. Henry McMaster, left, listens while Kim Stenson of the S.C. Emergency Management Division holds up a copy of his department’s 2018 Hurricane Guide during an emergency preparedness meeting Thursday, May 31, at the Beaufort County Law Enforcement Center. Photo by Bob Sofaly.
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Let someone with whom you aren’t traveling know where you are going and how to reach you. Take pictures of property before the storm. Make an inventory of valuable items. Withdraw cash. Electricity can go out at any time for a long amount of time, making it impossible to use credit and debit cards. Keep the car fueled in case an evacu-
ation order is given. 6. Finally and most importantly, make sure to seek information about evacuations, weather updates, and when to return from reliable sources. Those sources include the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Beaufort County Emergency Management Division and/ or local law enforcement and first responders.
INSIDE
LUNCH BUNCH KC Mike’s Smokin’ serves up savory meals sure to satisfy anyone's meat craving. PAGE B3
Lowcountry Life A2 Health A3 News A4 From The Front A5 Voices A6-7 Commnity B1
Schools B2 Lunch Bunch B3 B4 Sports Events B5 Directory B6 Classifieds B7