September 8 edition

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PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID BLUFFTON, SC PERMIT NO. 37

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SEPTEMBER 8 - 14, 2016

WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM

COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY

Sea level rises cause concern in Beaufort, Port Royal By Kat Walsh

Rising sea levels and storm surges threaten Beaufort and Port Royal with more flooding, more shoreline erosion and more drowning of coastal wetlands. Those concerns led to the formation of a group called the Beau-

fort and Port Royal Sea Level Rise Task Force, which is in the process of creating recommendations on how to deal with these important issues. “It all started two years ago with a small group of interested and knowledgeable people in my living

room,” said Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling. The group is addressing sea level rise and storm surge, two troubling phenomena that are both affecting the area. In Beaufort and Port Royal, for instance, the sea level has risen 6 inches since 1965.

Some of the first impacts of the sea level rising is more nuisance flooding, and a mixing of salt water with freshwater. This problem is compounded by storm surge, which is the rise in water above the normal tide that occurs when winds from a storm

Penn Center celebrates Labor Day

push water towards the shore. Timing matters: If a storm occurs during high tide, a community will experience much more storm surge and flooding. That in turn leads to impacts on property, See LEVELS, page A9

Naval hospital welcomes new commander

Capt. Jeffrey Korsnes is the new commanding officer of Naval Hospital Beaufort.

The Penn Center’s Labor Day celebration on St. Helena Island included a friendly 5-mile just-for-fun bike ride, guest speakers and songs, culminatingwith traditional fried whiting, barbecued chicken, cole slaw, baked beans, ribs and pulled pork. Here, Marlena Smalls, left, and family members sing traditional Gullah songs. From left are Smalls, Gladys Jenkins, Marilyn Weatherspoon, Kitty Green and Mahogany Amiger. Photo by Bob Sofaly.

Beaufort County escapes worst of Hermine By Sally Mahan

Tropical Storm Hermine could have been much worse, but luckily Beaufort County escaped largely unscathed except for some flooding, a lot of debris, some downed trees and power outages. Just because Hermine didn’t cause extensive damage, however, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reminds residents and businesses to always be prepared for hurricanes.

September is National Preparedness Month and as tropical storm activity increases, FEMA encourages residents in the Southeast to make disaster preparedness a priority. “September is also the peak of hurricane season, so preparing now is even more See STORM, page A9 For more photos and more information on damages wrought by Tropical Storm Hermine in Beaufort County, please see page B1.

TIDE CHART Wondering when is the best time to hit the water? Check out new weekly tide chart. PAGE A4

CYAN-AOOO

MAGENTA-OAOO

YELLOW-OOAO

A tree was split during Tropical Storm Hermine on Sept. 2. Photo courtesy of the Beaufort Fire Department.

GET CRACKING Have a nutty time at the annual Boiled Peanut Festival this weekend in Bluffton. PAGE B4

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INSIDE Lowcountry Life A2 In Other News A3 Business A4-5 Health A6 Obituaries A8 From The Front A9

Community B1-2 Schools B3 Sports B6-7 B9 Events Directory B10 Classifieds B11

Naval Hospital Beaufort held a change of command ceremony Sept. 1, welcoming Capt. Jeffrey Korsnes as the new commanding officer and bidding farewell to Capt. Anne M. Lear, who retired after 26 years of naval service. “It has been an honor to serve as the commanding officer of Naval Support Facility and Naval Hospital Beaufort,” said Lear. “The staff is forward-thinking, always looking for ways to increase customer satisfaction and provide top quality care to our beneficiaries. “Additionally, the Lowcountry is one of the most military-friendly communities I’ve encountered. I will greatly miss the community events and many friendships I’ve developed during my stay.” During her three-year tenure as the hospital’s commanding officer, Lear has overseen many improvements and achievements, including the opening of DoD/VA Dermatology and Physical Therapy Clinic’s in partnership with the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center; successful completion of inspections by both the Navy Medical Inspector General (IG) and the Joint ComSee COMMANDER, page A9


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