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(44197, 4, '2020-04-29 10:19:40', '2020-04-29 14:19:40', '<strong>By Scott Graber</strong>\r\n\r\nMany years ago — perhaps 1980 — Roy Gray knocked on the door one morning saying, “You need a deck.”\r\n\r\n“Yes,” I sleepily replied, “One day my wife and I intend to add-on some kind of wooden extension off the dining room.”\r\n\r\n“That day is today,” he said.\r\n\r\nAnd before the sun set on that Saturday, Roy and I had poured footings and were well on our way to a 20-by-27-foot platform, canopied by a grove of huge magnolia trees.\r\n\r\nIt is Saturday, 40 years later, and I’m sitting on that deck in Port Royal. It is wooden, light colored 2x4s revealing recent repairs. There are also four Adirondack chairs and two planters with intensely green holly ferns. All of which have been silent witness to thousands of conversations.\r\n\r\nSome of these conversations were painful, many were celebratory, almost all of them alcohol assisted. But painfully or painlessly, this deck took us from our enclosed, climate-controlled, white-painted rooms and projected our small family into the humid, febrile, parasite-rich Lowcountry out of doors.\r\n\r\nThis morning that deck is empty, conversation-free, a Southeasterly breeze providing the only soundtrack. As I sit with my Eight O’clock (French Roast) coffee, my memory takes me back to fundraisers (Governor Hodges); birthdays (vocals provided by the incomparable Jan Spencer); and dance parties that came with trophies for cutest couple, best hair and best breath.\r\n\r\nWhen my wife and I got to town in the 1970s, there was an older generation still living — mostly on the Point. They had seen the Depression and World War II and had come back and founded banks, law firms and businesses. And these older folks mixed easily with a younger cohort made up of Marine Corps pilots, young doctors and newly minted lawyers.\r\n\r\nWillie Scheper would tell stories about his bank; Leroy Keyserling would talk about financing the first shrimp boats to operate out of Beaufort. The young pilots, not to be outdone, would talk about flying through flack just above Hanoi.\r\n\r\nThis was a time before reliable television in Beaufort — we got a weak signal from Savannah. It was a time when there were just a couple of restaurants, bars or places to congregate. It was a time when long, night-time conversations were considered first-rate entertainment.\r\n\r\nBut what sticks in my mind about this particular deck were the small, one-on-one conversations with excited friends who had just won office; or devastated friends who had just lost a father; or a son tentatively handing me his report card.\r\n\r\nI also remember late nights when my wife and I were just home from parties and reluctant to go to bed. We would sit in the darkness and recount the conversations, evaluate the Beef Wellington, mimic the voices of those who would be having a very rough morning after a long night of vodka and cranberry juice.\r\n\r\nOur deck, now empty, is also testimony to the fact that we are a gregarious people who need constant contact with other people. We are a species that loves storytelling. mimicry, pantomime and give and take with an edge to it. Yes, we love to listen — at least for a while. But we love to perform when its our turn.\r\n\r\nI miss this congregating, this storytelling, this face-to-face connection that I have always taken for granted. I also miss the fact that I can’t hug anyone anymore. Although I was an Army brat I grew up “southern” — I grew up hugging my cousins, grandparents and my kinfolk. (As far as they were concerned a handshake was an insult.)\r\n\r\n<i>Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. Email Scott at cscottgraber@gmail.com.</i>', 'A lot of life has happened on our deck', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'a-lot-of-life-has-happened-on-our-deck', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:19:40', '2020-04-29 14:19:40', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44197', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44199, 4, '2020-04-29 10:21:22', '2020-04-29 14:21:22', '<strong>By Lee Scott</strong>\r\n\r\nMy friend Cindy called the other day and asked “Lee, do you have any berets or scrunchies?”\r\n\r\nShe knows I have a good supply of both, but I am used to seeing clips in her hair.\r\n\r\nWhen I questioned her about it, she said, “Oh, it’s not for me. It’s for my husband.”\r\n\r\nAh, yes! Hair has been growing for all of us since the salons have closed. No one is getting a haircut nowadays, except when a spouse allows their better half to clip it.\r\n\r\nBut we do know what a disaster that could turn out to be.\r\n\r\nLooking around now, the men’s hairdos are reminiscent of the 1960s.\r\n\r\nThe other problem with beauty salons being closed has to do with hair dyes. There is a joke on the internet that reads “88 percent of the blondes on the Earth have disappeared over the past month.”\r\n\r\nBut it is not just the blonde issue. For some women, it has been a real shock since they have not seen their true hair color for years. Suddenly, white and gray are very prevalent hair colors.\r\n\r\nNow I realize hair salons are closed and losing money every day, but I do not think they will have a problem getting appointments when they open. There is an overwhelming demand for haircuts.\r\n\r\nBut they may find a shortage of the professional hair coloring supplies.\r\n\r\nMy daughter, who has a professional “hair enhancement” (as she calls it) once a month suddenly looks like a member of a Gothic band. Her kids think she looks hip, but Andrew her hairdresser has warned her NOT to use any drug store bottled hair dye for the fear of making it worse.\r\n\r\nAnd speaking of “Hip,” my own spouse needs a Scrunchi of his own. His hair has always grown quickly, and John on Bay Street always does a good job.\r\n\r\nFortunately, the last time he went in, John gave him a nice short cut, so it has taken longer to grow out. Now the Hubby said he is considering a ponytail so he can embarrass his kids.\r\n\r\nOf course, it is not just the hair on the top of men’s heads. It seems like a good deal of them have just stopped shaving completely.\r\n\r\nFor those men who can work at home and do not have to go to their office, the incentive to shave in the morning is gone. The popular GQ look of two months ago is now a Grizzly Adams look.\r\n\r\nAs for me, I am not having a problem. My hair is growing out and when everyone else was looking for hand sanitizers, I was in the hair product aisle of my drug store. Now I am part of the 12 percent of blondes that are still on the Earth.\r\n\r\n<i>Lee Scott, a writer and recent retiree, shares her everyday observations about life after career. A former commercial banker responsible for helping her clients to reach their business objectives, Scott now translates those analytical skills to her writings. She lives on St. Helena Island and enjoys boating, traveling and reading.</i>', 'Déjà vu – The hippies are back again', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'deja-vu-the-hippies-are-back-again', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:21:22', '2020-04-29 14:21:22', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44199', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44201, 4, '2020-04-29 10:23:29', '2020-04-29 14:23:29', '<b>By Justin Jarrett</b>\r\n\r\n<b>LowcoSports.com</b>\r\n\r\nThe decision that went from unthinkable to inevitable over the course of the past month became official last week — there will be no more high school sports in South Carolina this school year.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nThe S.C. High School League (SCHSL) Executive Committee voted unanimously to cancel the remainder of the spring sports season on April 22, shortly after Gov. Henry McMaster and S.C. Department of Education Superintendent Molly Spearman announced schools will remain closed through the end of the school year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The S.C. Independent Schools Association (SCISA) followed with an announcement that it will also cancel the remainder of the season.\r\n\r\n“In line with what we’ve done in the past, no school in session means no sports,” SCHSL Commissioner Jerome Singleton said prior to the Executive Committee’s vote on ending the spring season.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“We held out hope as long as we possibly could,” SCHSL Executive Committee President Ozzie Ahl said. “It’s definitely not a decision this committee wanted to deal with. Our hearts go out to the students and coaches.”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nLooking ahead to the fall season, the committee then voted unanimously to allow the SCHSL to open the season on or after June 1, when social distancing restrictions are relaxed, and to rescind the “dead week” around July 4 to allow fall teams to make up for lost practice time this spring.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nDuring a separate press conference, McMaster and Spearman indicated they will create a task force aimed at reopening schools in August.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>', 'Remainder of spring high school sports season canceled', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'remainder-of-spring-high-school-sports-season-canceled', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:23:29', '2020-04-29 14:23:29', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44201', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44204, 4, '2020-04-29 10:25:32', '2020-04-29 14:25:32', '<b>Beaufort County man arrested on child pornography charges</b>\r\n\r\nSouth Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Shawn Anthony Lambe, 54, of Beaufort on three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor.\r\n\r\nInternet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Beaufort County Sheriff\'s Office made the arrest. Investigators with the Attorney General\'s Office, also a member of the state\'s ICAC Task Force, assisted with the investigation.\r\n\r\nInvestigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to Lambe. Investigators state Lambe possessed multiple files of child pornography.\r\n\r\nLambe was arrested on April 20. He is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.\r\n\r\nThis case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General\'s Office.\r\n\r\n<b>MCRD Parris Island holding live-fire training</b>\r\n\r\nMarine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island will be conducting extended live-fire training Thursday, April 30 from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. The marsh and waterways in the range impact area to include Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek, and Edding Creek will be closed to boater traffic.\r\n\r\nFor questions regarding firing times and waterway closures please contact the Weapons and Field Training Battalion Range Control at 843-228-3170.\r\n\r\n<b>House Freedom Caucus aligned PAC endorses Landing</b>\r\n\r\nHouse Freedom Fund, the political action committee aligned with the conservative, pro-Donald Trump House Freedom Caucus, has endorsed Kathy Landing in the race for South Carolina’s First Congressional District, a seat currently held by Democrat Joe Cunningham.\r\n\r\nHouse Freedom Fund supports candidates who will “fight to defend the Constitution and advance policies that promote liberty, safety, and prosperity for all Americans.”\r\n\r\n“I am grateful that the House Freedom Fund appreciates that I am the principled, conservative leader needed in Congress today,” Landing said in a release. “They understand, as I hope our Lowcountry neighbors do, that in order to break up the Washington swamp and achieve real results for the district and country – we must elect the person with the life experiences, education, and business experience best qualified to do so.”\r\n\r\n<b>BJWSA imposed, lifted boil advisory for Dataw Island area</b>\r\n\r\nFor the better part of two days last week, the Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (S.C. DHEC) advised the residents of<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>Dataw Island to boil water used for drinking or cooking.\r\n\r\nThe precautionary advisory to boil water used for drinking or cooking was issued Thursday, April 23 due to low pressure. Late Friday afternoon, BJWSA announced that the latest water sample analyses indicated the water was free from bacteria and safe for human consumption, and the boil advisory was lifted.\r\n\r\nBJWSA suggested customers flush their system – running bathtub and sink faucets for 10 minutes or until the water was clear – and apologized for any inconvenience this incident may have caused.\r\n\r\n<b>Hopeful Horizons support line remains open during pandemic</b>\r\n\r\nHopeful Horizons is working to spread the message that its services are still available for victims of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization’s hotline or crisis line will now be called a Support Line, conveying the message that services are available for any abuse victim at any time.\r\n\r\n“We hear survivors say they didn’t call because they thought someone else’s crisis was more important,” Kristin Dubrowski, Chief Executive Officer, said. “Now, more than ever, we want those who need our help to know that we are here for them 24/7. We don’t want anyone to wonder if their situation is serious enough to call a crisis hotline. All calls are important to us and we want to help you.”\r\n\r\nThe support line, 800-868-2632, continues to operate 24/7 during the pandemic. This free and confidential line is for support, obtaining more information and connecting with resources. Anyone who wishes to start receiving Hopeful Horizons’ services – and anyone who is not sure what to do – is welcome to call. Services for child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault can be accessed through the support line.\r\n\r\nHopeful Horizons is a children\'s advocacy, domestic violence and rape crisis center that works to create safer communities by changing the culture of violence and offering a path to healing. The organization serves Beaufort, Allendale, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties. For more information on the mission and vision of Hopeful Horizons, visit www.hopefulhorizons.org.\r\n\r\n<b>SC receives annual tobacco settlement payment</b>\r\n\r\nSouth Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Wednesday, April 22 that the state secured $75,250,164.97 in its share of the annual tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) payment.\r\n\r\nIn 1998, the Attorney General’s Office joined 45 other States, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories in settling claims with the then-four major U.S. cigarette manufacturers. The MSA is the largest financial recovery in legal history.\r\n\r\n\\Since the MSA was signed in November 1998, about 50 other tobacco companies have signed onto the MSA and are also bound by its terms. The settlement imposes major restrictions on the industry’s advertising and marketing, and it provides states with annual payments in perpetuity to help reimburse the states for healthcare costs and harm caused by tobacco use.\r\n\r\nSouth Carolina’s payment primarily goes to the S.C. Department of Health and Human Services for the Medicaid program.\r\n\r\nThe Attorney General is tasked with enforcing the tobacco statutes that were enacted pursuant to the MSA and works with the attorneys general across the country to actively and successfully enforce the provisions of the MSA.\r\n\r\nSince 1998, South Carolina has received a total of $1,664,216,330.05 in its share of tobacco MSA payments.\r\n\r\n<b>Greater Bluffton Republican Club meeting postponed</b>\r\n\r\nBecause of COVID-19, the Greater Bluffton Republican Club’s May meeting has been postponed until<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>Wednesday, June 3, tentatively.\r\n\r\nThe guest speaker will be Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls, CPA.\r\n\r\nThe meeting will be held at Local Pie Bluffton at 15 State of Mind St. in Bluffton. Walls will give an update on Beaufort County\'s fiscal health.\r\n\r\nThe social hour begins at 5 p.m. and the meeting starts promptly at 5:45 p.m. in The Upstairs Room. The public is welcome.', 'News Briefs', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'news-briefs-149', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:25:32', '2020-04-29 14:25:32', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44204', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44206, 4, '2020-04-29 10:26:41', '2020-04-29 14:26:41', 'The statewide closure has prompted school districts across the state to adjust their criteria for fourth-quarter grading of students.\r\n\r\nBeaufort County School District Superintendent Frank Rodriguez consulted extensively with district teachers and principals in developing revised grading criteria to assess student performance for the fourth quarter. A brief summary of those grade-specific criteria follows.\r\n\r\n<b>PreK-Kindergarten</b>\r\n\r\nPreK-Kindergarten students will receive progress reports at the end of the school year that summarize what they are doing well and where they need to improve. These progress reports will take into account work the students did prior to the statewide school shutdown as well as work they did at home after the shutdown.\r\n\r\nWork done after schools were closed will be graded for student engagement only, although teachers will be able to use their end-of-the-year progress reports to help students better understand the material.\r\n\r\n<b>Grades 1-5</b>\r\n\r\nGrades for at-home learning for grades 1-5 will measure student engagement based on completion of assignments (online or work packets), participation in online classes or phone calls with teachers. Students will receive numeric engagement grades in three categories: Meets Expectations (100), Approaches Expectations (85) and Does Not Meet Expectations (70).\r\n\r\nMany students who perform well under normal circumstances may find it difficult to learn without in-person access to their teachers.\r\n\r\nLearning at home during the shutdown has been an additional struggle for students whose families aren’t capable of supporting their academic work. Teachers will take such extenuating circumstances into consideration with their grading.\r\n\r\nWhile parents should do their best to help students complete their assignments, in some cases it may not be possible to complete all work. Students will receive credit if they attempt to do the work, and teachers will assign grades based on their assessments of students’ engagement. Teachers may ask students to revise and improve their at-home assignments.\r\n\r\n<b>Middle and High&nbsp;School Students</b>\r\n\r\nThe South Carolina Department of Education has directed that rather than receiving separate grades for the third and fourth quarters, students in grades 6-12 will receive a single second semester grade combining work completed before the school shutdown with student engagement at home while schools were closed. At-home learning grades will measure student engagement based on completion of assignments (online or work packets), participation in online classes or phone calls with teachers.\r\n\r\nMiddle and high school students will receive numeric engagement grades in four categories: Meets Expectations (100), Approaches Expectations (85), Does Not Meet Expectations (70) and Work Not Submitted (50).\r\n\r\nMany students who perform well under normal circumstances find it difficult to learn without in-person access to their teachers. Learning at home during the shutdown has been an additional struggle for students whose families aren’t capable of supporting their academic work. Teachers will take such extenuating circumstances into consideration with their grading.\r\n\r\nWhile parents should do their best to help students complete their assignments, in some cases it may not be possible to complete all work. Students will receive credit if they attempt to do the work, and teachers will assign grades based on their assessments of students’ engagement. Teachers may ask students to revise and improve their at-home assignments.\r\n\r\n<b>Seniors</b>\r\n\r\nThe South Carolina Department of Education has directed that high school seniors will need to have all work completed by May 15, and teachers will ensure that senior curricula have been completed by that deadline. The school district is considering possible ways to celebrate graduation if schools remain closed and social distancing requirements remain in place.\r\n\r\n<b>AP</b><b>, IB, Dual Credit, and Quarter Classes (Block Schedules)</b>\r\n\r\nStudents taking Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Dual Credit courses will be graded using traditional methods because these courses carry potential college credit. Students should talk with their teachers for specifics on grading and course expectations during the shutdown.\r\n\r\nSchools on block schedules have several classes that started right at the closure. Teachers of these courses introduced new content and will grade students as they normally would so there are enough assignments to justify a grade. Economics and Government is typically a senior-level class. Because seniors now must complete all work by May 15, that course’s curriculum has been adjusted so students can complete the content.', 'Schools revise grading criteria for 4th quarter', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'schools-revise-grading-criteria-for-4th-quarter', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:26:41', '2020-04-29 14:26:41', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44206', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44208, 4, '2020-04-29 10:30:15', '2020-04-29 14:30:15', '<strong>By Laura Kaponer</strong>\r\n\r\nBorderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a tricky beast. According to the DSM-5 – the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the U.S. – there are nine symptoms that contribute to this disorder.\r\n\r\nAt this time, only four of the specified symptoms are required to receive an official BPD diagnosis.\r\n\r\nCountless symptom variations are possible. Each person with BPD may present in their own unique way. The exact symptoms an individual experiences may morph throughout the recovery process.\r\n\r\nThis is why BPD is such a hard condition to recognize and diagnose. Often those with BPD are mislabeled bipolar, PTSD, or another personality disorder. It’s entirely possible these could be co-occurring conditions. The root of the problem is the depth of misunderstanding about BPD within the community of professionals attempting to treat it.\r\n\r\nEach symptom presents a unique set of challenges. Based on my first-hand experiences, I believe the symptom of distorted reality and unstable self-image has the potential to cause the most harm.\r\n\r\nThere can be this belief of friendships, romance, and belonging that don’t really exist. A person with BPD may not understand their behaviors are alienating and offensive. That person may truly feel their interactions with others are positive and appropriate. Often, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.\r\n\r\nOne subset of this particular symptom is the inability to recognize social cues. What may be completely obvious to some can fly entirely under the radar for an individual with BPD. Someone may feel intimidated to directly address these negative behaviors. This is especially true if disproportionate anger is a co-occurring symptom.\r\n\r\nMore often than not, the behaviors of an individual with BPD can be distressing to those around them. Someone may choose to remove themselves from the situation entirely in an effort to avoid a possible ugly confrontation.\r\n\r\nThis is the perpetual cycle someone with BPD endures. I personally struggle with causing disharmonious environments. I am almost never aware that I am doing it. Those around me would rather not confront my behavior based on my inconsistent reactions. I can be receptive to constructive feedback or I can become volatile.\r\n\r\nAs my level of unawareness perpetuates, so do my negative behaviors. Sometimes I am not included in certain activities. Sometimes I am asked to stop participating in certain activities. Sometimes people walk out of my life entirely. I am left completely clueless as to why these things happened.\r\n\r\nI feel blindsided because of my inability to recognize the countless signs telling me my behaviors are not acceptable. I honestly believed that what I was doing was fine. The majority of the time I think what I am doing is pretty positive. Even with the best intentions, my actions may not be well received.\r\n\r\nThis profound ignorance is a well versed downfall of those with BPD.\r\n\r\nIf a person with BPD sees, hears, and smells something, then how can it be untrue? Third-party perspective.\r\n\r\nPeople, for the most part, are social creatures. I would like to believe people with BPD don’t take great joy in their alienating behaviors. I would like to believe with a higher level of self-awareness great strides in recovery are possible.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, some things may never change. Therapy, medication, coping skills, support systems, and the inherent desire to do better can’t offset disjointed neuropathways. A lamp with faulty wiring just won’t light up the way it’s intended or expected to.\r\n\r\nAn individual with BPD needs to reach a level of acceptance to recognize their own limitations. Different doesn’t have to equate to less than. More often than not, different is just different.\r\n\r\n<i>Laura Kaponer is a mental health advocate and blogger, as well as a volunteer with the local chapter of NAMI. You can find her on social media by searching #Laurakaponeris1in5.</i>', 'Different doesn’t have to equate to less than', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'different-doesnt-have-to-equate-to-less-than', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:30:15', '2020-04-29 14:30:15', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44208', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44210, 4, '2020-04-29 10:30:47', '2020-04-29 14:30:47', 'Beaufort Memorial is preparing to resume some elective outpatient surgeries in its Surgery Center while deploying strict environmental, screening and testing protocols to protect patients and staff. The Beaufort Memorial Surgery Center is located on the hospital campus in a stand-alone facility.\r\n\r\nThe move comes weeks after the hospital discontinued elective procedures following Governor McMaster’s request that hospitals cancel cases to preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) for an anticipated surge in COVID-19 cases. Earlier this week state officials announced that the “peak” had passed as the numbers of cases began to level out in mid-April and hospitals’ capacities statewide began to increase.\r\n\r\n“We’re going to move slowly and judiciously to schedule cases in our outpatient surgery center,” said BMH President and CEO Russell Baxley. “We have put into place several processes to ensure staff and patient safety and, while the measures may seem overly conservative, we believe they are in the best interests of everyone involved.”\r\n\r\nThose measures include temperature pre-screening for every staff member before entering the building; COVID-19 testing of every patient three days prior to surgery; self-isolation for three days before surgery; completed patient temperature logs due on the day of surgery; and prohibiting visitors from entering the building.\r\n\r\nPatients will receive detailed instructions for self-isolating and completing the temperature log. They also will be given an appointment for their COVID-19 test.\r\n\r\nAnyone who experiences a temperature greater than 99.5 degrees or symptoms of respiratory illness during self-isolation will be instructed to call their provider and visit one of two Express Care clinics for evaluation to determine if their surgery will proceed or be rescheduled for a later date.\r\n\r\nAny patient who tests positive for COVID-19 will be treated and provided instructions for self-isolation for 14 days.\r\n\r\n“Our number one priority is the safety of our patients and staff,” Baxley said. “We believe that a slow and steady approach to this process is the best course, and it is one we will continue as we evaluate resuming services and surgeries in the hospital on a go forward basis.”', 'Beaufort Memorial will resume some elective surgeries', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-memorial-will-resume-some-elective-surgeries', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:30:47', '2020-04-29 14:30:47', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44210', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44212, 4, '2020-04-29 10:31:19', '2020-04-29 14:31:19', '<b>Monday, May 4</b> – Beaufort County’s Community Services Committee, 2 p.m., watch on The County Channel or the county’s Facebook page\r\n\r\n<b>Monday, May 4</b> – Beaufort County Council’s Natural Resources Committee, 3:30 p.m., watch on The County Channel or the county’s Facebook page\r\n\r\n<b>Monday, May 4</b> – Beaufort County’s Planning Commission, 6 p.m., watch on The County Channel or the county’s Facebook page', 'Public Meetings  april 30–may 6', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'public-meetings-april-30-may-6', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:31:19', '2020-04-29 14:31:19', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44212', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44214, 4, '2020-04-29 10:32:14', '2020-04-29 14:32:14', 'Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has completed a third ground of COVID-19 grantmaking and distributed $34,250 in grants to two organizations located in Hampton and Colleton Counties. Both organizations are providing relief to local residents who are experiencing negative impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.\r\n\r\nThe Community Foundation’s Community COVID-19 Response Fund was established in mid-March. In the first round of grants, 11 nonprofits received grants totaling $198,050. The second round of grants awarded more than $90,000 to six nonprofits. All the organizations are located in the Community Foundation’s four-county service area of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties.\r\n\r\nThe community has donated more than $240,000 to the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund, according to Kerrigan. The Community Foundation has added an additional $200,000 to the fund.\r\n\r\nA special COVID-19 grants advisory committee, comprised of community leaders from Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties, was established to review the grant applications.\r\n\r\nThe following organizations have received grants in this third round of applications:\r\n\r\n<b>Love Abound CDC (The Joseph Storehouse) </b>– for food pantry expenses and emergency housing relief for Hampton County residents who have increased needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.\r\n\r\n<b>CCEDC Two, Inc. (Colleton Commercial Kitchen)</b> – for food to expand their services to reach an underserved segment of the Colleton County population which faces increased food insecurity caused by the coronavirus.\r\n\r\nThe fund is still accepting donations. If you’d like to make a tax-exempt donation to the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund, you can do so by visiting the Community Foundation’s home page at www.cf-lowcountry.org or by going to the fund’s donation landing page at https://cflowcountry.civicore.com/covid.', 'Community Foundation completes third round of grants', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'community-foundation-completes-third-round-of-grants', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:32:14', '2020-04-29 14:32:14', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44214', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44216, 4, '2020-04-29 10:32:56', '2020-04-29 14:32:56', 'In light of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic, the Beaufort Garden Club has canceled its Garden A Day event which was to take place June 1 to July 5.\r\n\r\n“This was a very hard decision to make, but we believed it was the right thing to do in light of the uncertainties still remaining with the virus,” Pat Keown, Chair of Garden A Day 2020, said. “We just didn’t want either our volunteers or garden visitors to take any chances with their health.\r\n\r\n“We will be back next year, again the first week of June, and we look forward to seeing everyone then. Be safe.”\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort Garden Club, the second-oldest garden club in South Carolina, has been holding its Garden A Day event every year since 1984. The event draws large crowds from South Carolina, surrounding states and even from as far as Canada.', 'Beaufort Garden Club cancels  Garden A Day event', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-garden-club-cancels-garden-a-day-event', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:32:56', '2020-04-29 14:32:56', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44216', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44218, 4, '2020-04-29 10:34:23', '2020-04-29 14:34:23', 'Fraser Construction has started construction on the new Beaufort County EMS Station located on Shanklin Road. According to Beaufort County EMS, the 3,715 square foot building is the first to be built specifically for Beaufort County Medical Services. With the relocation of an ambulance to the Shanklin Road site, there will be increased coverage to the area and lowered response time.\r\n\r\nThe station will house two apparatus bays for first response vehicles as well as five sleeping quarters and a kitchen for personnel. Architect Court Atkins Group took great care in the design of the EMS station. With farmhouse style shutters and handsome sconces for lighting, the station has been designed with the Lowcountry landscape in mind.\r\n\r\n“While the Corona Virus has required us to make changes to our daily routine, we are right on schedule with this project,” Joe Fraser, President of Fraser Construction, said.\r\n\r\nThe projected completion date is in late October 2020.', 'ew Beaufort County EMS station under way ', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'ew-beaufort-county-ems-station-under-way', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:34:23', '2020-04-29 14:34:23', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44218', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44220, 4, '2020-04-29 10:35:39', '2020-04-29 14:35:39', 'U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) is looking to partner with folks across South Carolina to highlight good news amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic.\r\n\r\nThe Senator believes there are countless stories across South Carolina of individuals making sacrifices and finding ways to help neighbors in need.\r\n\r\nScott would like to showcase and thank everyday heroes such as nurses, doctors, first responders, law enforcement officials, grocery store employees, truck drivers, and sanitation workers.\r\n\r\nScott is looking for stories of individuals and small businesses going above and beyond to help South Carolinians.\r\n\r\nSouth Carolinians with good news to share can email <b>goodnews@scott.senate.gov</b> to share their stories.', 'Senator Scott asks South Carolinians to share good news', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'senator-scott-asks-south-carolinians-to-share-good-news', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:35:39', '2020-04-29 14:35:39', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44220', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44222, 4, '2020-04-29 10:42:21', '2020-04-29 14:42:21', '<strong>Photo by Bob Sofaly</strong><i>\r\n\r\n</i>In their continuing effort to open Hunting Island State Park by the end of the month, officals this week are erecting nearly two miles of sand fencing to try and keep the newly renourished sand dunes in place. The dunes will be protected by the traditional fencing installed by Beaufort’s Patterson Construction. A spokesman for Patterson on Thursday, April 23 said that with no weather-related issues they can install 2,000 feet of fence a day.&nbsp;', 'Protecting the Dunes', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'protecting-the-dunes', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:42:21', '2020-04-29 14:42:21', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44222', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44226, 4, '2020-04-29 10:46:07', '2020-04-29 14:46:07', '<strong>By Mike McCombs</strong>\r\n\r\nThe world is a strange place right now. It’s a weird time to be alive.\r\n\r\nLife during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is simply something most people never envisioned.\r\n\r\nIsolated for the most part from friends and family, social distancing, not being able to spend time around other people can be difficult. And it’s easy to feel down, especially with the depressing stories that are all around.\r\n\r\nBut the good stories are there, too. And locally, there are some good things are happening.\r\n\r\nOne obvious example, already I’ve written about in The Island News, is Cathryn Miller’s effort to raise money for out-of-work food and beverage workers through Facebook auctions.\r\n\r\nShe’s been doing her thing for just more than five weeks now and has raised close to $25,000.\r\n\r\nA couple hundred dollars at a time, she, and the people who have joined her effort, have made some people’s lives better, even if only slightly, and let them know their neighbors care about them.\r\n\r\nBut on Monday, April 20, that nearly all came crashing down on what turned out to be a bizarre day.\r\n\r\n“I was out delivering auction items and went to the post office to mail some gift cards that had been won,” Miller said. “While I was there, the postal worker told me I had a certified letter, so I signed for it, got back in my vehicle drove to the next drop off location. While I was waiting for the auction winner to come pick up their items I opened the letter.\r\n\r\n“That’s when I read it.”\r\n\r\nThe letter was from the Office of the Honorable Mark Hammond, Secretary of State for the state of South Carolina. In the letter, Hammond’s general counsel Shannon Wiley informed Miller that she was operating an illegal raffle and was being fined $500.\r\n\r\nIt wasn’t particularly Miller’s auctions that had run afoul of Hammond’s office, but she actually had held several raffles in lieu of auctions, selling numbers 1-45 for drawings for the auction prize with the money going directly to the out-of-work food and beverage worker who was to benefit.\r\n\r\nWhether Miller or any of the participants knew it or not, this was a no-no.\r\n\r\nTo fight it meant paying $150 and facing a seriously uphill battle. And meanwhile, suddenly, with numerous silent auctions in progress, her entire charitable operation was halted.\r\n\r\nNot to mention, this was a citation that could remain on Miller’s record, affecting her ability to get certain jobs.\r\n\r\nIt’s fair to say Miller was devastated.\r\n\r\n“Once I read the letter, I was shattered and very very upset and I just didn’t think I had the energy to fight it,” Miller said. “I’m tired.”\r\n\r\nAt 11:30 a.m., she shared the letter with her followers, turned her phone off and disappeared from the world for a couple hours.\r\n\r\nAnd that’s when the magic happened.\r\n\r\nMiller’s Facebook group, now more than 3,200 strong was angry, motivated and determined.\r\n\r\nGroup member Lisa Fisher contacted attorney Luke Paulick, who offered to help Miller for free.\r\n\r\nFrank Lesesne, who owns the Anchorage 1770 Inn, reached out to State Representative Shannon Erickson, who in turn reached out to Miller.\r\n\r\nAnd numerous members of the group, determined to encourage and help Miller fight the fine and citation, began to send her money via the same online cash apps they had been using to help unemployed servers and bartenders.\r\n\r\nMany others attempted to contact Miller, asking what they could do to help and if she knew what she was going to do.\r\n\r\n“All this happened in the couple hours I had my phone turned off,” said Miller, who returned to the group, now considering fighting the citation.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, group member Donnie Polk passed the news along to TV stations. But more importantly, he told his friend Victor Webster about Miller’s plight. Webster joined the Facebook group at about 4 p.m.\r\n\r\nOwner of Charleston’s Sweetgrass Vodka, Webster initially told Miller to fight the citation and fine and that he’d help. But then he said not to do anything, yet. He might be able to take care of this.\r\n\r\nWebster had a wild-card. He knew S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson. And he put in a call.\r\n\r\nAnd at 6:19 p.m., after a really rough seven hours for Miller, Webster posted this:\r\n\r\n“Great news!! Alan Wilson (SC Attorney General) just called me. He talked to Mark Hammond (SC Secretary of State) and Mark is going to waive the fee. Cathryn, send me your phone number. Hammond wants to contact you. Alan told me to tell you that he thanks you so much for helping our citizens in need!!!”\r\n\r\nMiller was shocked.\r\n\r\n“I just want to say that my friend Victor Webster is a true hero for helping out Cathryn Miller in her time of need,” Polk posted.\r\n\r\nShannon Wiley, from Hammond’s office, reached out to Miller, clarifying that as long as the money went straight to the person in need with no middle man, Miller’s Facebook group wouldn’t have to even register as a charity. She sent her an email the next morning, confirming as much.\r\n\r\n“Obviously, I learned a very valuable lesson on some South Carolina laws,” Miller said, “but the biggest takeaway from that day would have to be the community support and how people I have never even met rallied around to help and basically performed a miracle. Little did I know when I started this group that I would be the one ending up needing help.\r\n\r\n“That was something I have never experienced before. … I never asked for help. In the couple of hours I turned my phone off, they all got together and the outcome was just incredible.”\r\n\r\nThe experience has only increased Miller’s love for her adopted town.\r\n\r\n“My husband and I had always planned to retire back in Australia,” she said, “but the more we spend time in this community, the more we are not going anywhere.”\r\n\r\n<i>Mike McCombs is the editor-in-chief of The Island News.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>In the interest of full disclosure, McCombs is also a member of the Facebook page Lowcountry “Giving” For Out-of-Work Hospitality and Entertainment Staff.</i>', 'No way this good deed was going to be punished', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'no-way-this-good-deed-was-going-to-be-punished', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:46:07', '2020-04-29 14:46:07', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44226', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44228, 4, '2020-04-29 10:50:14', '2020-04-29 14:50:14', '<h2><b>Burton Fire District assisting in birthday celebrations</b></h2>\r\n<b>By Bob Sofaly</b>\r\n\r\nKids forced to socially distance and stay at home are having a difficult enough time. But it’s magnified even more when they can’t get together with friends when birthdays roll around.\r\n\r\nBut neighbors in Shell Point have solved that problem with birthday parades. Neighbors get together in cars, in golf carts, even on motorcycles, and parade passed the home of the person having a birthday.<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RES4111.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-44230\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/RES4111-1024x696.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"440\" height=\"299\"></a>\r\n\r\nThere’s also a fire truck, courtesy of the Burton Fire District.\r\n\r\nRecently, Sydni Hendricks told her mother, Mendy, the only thing she wanted for her birthday was for her stepdad, Clark Hovland, to be home.\r\n\r\nHovland, a private contractor working in the Middle East, turned down a job just so he could give her what she wanted.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'When you can’t have a party, have a parade', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'when-you-cant-have-a-party-have-a-parade', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:50:14', '2020-04-29 14:50:14', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44228', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(44232, 4, '2020-04-29 10:52:56', '2020-04-29 14:52:56', '<h2><b>Longtime Beaufort County Coroner set to retire</b></h2>\r\n<b>By Mindy Lucas</b>\r\n\r\nFor 12 years, Beaufort County Coroner J. Edward Allen, or “Ed” to most who know him, has stood watch over the deceased – longer, if you consider the 33 years he served as the county’s Director of Emergency Medical Services during which he also served as deputy county coroner for much of that time.\r\n\r\nFrom those who have perished suddenly or unexpectedly, to those who have died from violence or at the hands of someone they knew, Allen has presided over their cases, having once said that coroners served as the voice for the dead.\r\n\r\nBut ironically, as he will also tell you, the role of coroner is as much about the living as it is about the dead.\r\n\r\n“You try and approach every call first, respecting the decedent, but also having compassion for the survivors,” Allen said recently from his office in Port Royal.\r\n\r\nIt’s a role that requires a high level of commitment and mental fortitude, and, as Allen said last week, it’s a role he’s ready to step down from.\r\n\r\n“My wife, my three children and my six grandchildren have said, ‘Poppy, it’s time to come home,’” he said smiling.\r\n\r\nAllen, 71, plans to officially retire at the end of this year.\r\n\r\nIn the meantime, Allen’s contributions – from creating the county’s first emergency medical services department to expanding the coroner’s office – won’t soon be forgotten in Beaufort County.\r\n\r\n<b>Serving the community</b>\r\n\r\nBorn and raised in Beaufort, Allen attended Robert Smalls High School before leaving home in 1967 to attend Xavier University of Louisiana, in New Orleans. He was a pharmacy major before transferring to the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, in Cincinnati, Ohio.\r\n\r\nAfter he returned home in 1972, he worked as a pharmacy technician and became director of transportation for Beaufort-Jasper Comprehensive Health Service’s ambulance service. He went on to become certified as an emergency medical technician, an EMT instructor and as a paramedic.\r\n\r\nIn 1972, Beaufort Technical College, as the Technical College of the Lowcountry was known then, launched a basic emergency medical technician pilot program. After completing the program, Allen became certified as an instructor for the same program and taught at the technical college for several years.\r\n\r\nAfter funeral homes left the ambulance service in 1974, Allen was hired to serve as director of the county’s first emergency medical services (EMS) department, becoming the first black EMS director in<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Allen was charged with setting up the department and hiring all of its personnel.\r\n\r\nEven though EMS is a separate department from the coroner’s office, Allen became a deputy coroner in 1980, providing then coroner Curt Copeland with additional support.\r\n\r\n“At that time, the coroner’s office was really a one-person operation,” he said, remembering when the office purchased its first van to transport bodies.\r\n\r\n“This was the first time the county had a functioning coroner’s office,” he said.\r\n\r\n<b>Building a department</b>\r\n\r\nFor years the coroner’s office was housed in a cramped former FEMA trailer in Burton.\r\n\r\nThere was no morgue – bodies were stored at Beaufort Memorial Hospital or Hilton Head Hospital – and hardly any office space for the office’s growing staff or records.\r\n\r\nThat all changed in 2014, after the coroner’s office moved into the former Department of Disabilities and Special Needs building on Old Shell Road in Port Royal.\r\n\r\nThe 6,300-square-foot completely renovated building now houses a morgue, office space for its four-person staff and team of transporters and various other county offices such as the victims assistance.\r\n\r\nAs Allen will tell you, the role of the coroner is to determine the cause of any death not obviously due to natural causes. But what many may not realize is the coroner’s office is also responsible for performing independent investigations into traumatic deaths, deaths that occur outside of hospitals and deaths that occur “suddenly or unexpectedly.”\r\n\r\nThe coroner’s office also routinely sends off toxicology reports to an independent lab it works with. Reports can take as much as eight weeks to get back, but thanks to the popularity of forensics or criminal investigation TV shows, people often think Allen and his staff should have everything wrapped up in thirty minutes or less.\r\n\r\n“In reality it doesn’t work like that,” he said.\r\n\r\nThe biggest challenge the department has faced in recent years has been a growing Beaufort County, which also has a larger population of older residents.\r\n\r\nWhen Allen became coroner in 2008, the coroner’s office responded to 896 deaths. By contrast, the office responded to 1,447 deaths, just last year. Based on the numbers through the end of March, Allen said he expects that number to exceed 2019’s numbers.\r\n\r\nExpanding services and adding staff and resources to accommodate the county’s growth can be largely attributed to Allen, Chief Deputy Coroner David Ott said.\r\n\r\n“This place has changed big time since he’s been the coroner,” said Ott, who has worked with Allen for 12 years. Coroners from across South Carolina have come to see how the office is set up.\r\n\r\n“We have one of the most prized coroner’s offices in the state,” he said.\r\n\r\nA former Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office investigator, Ott will be running for Allen’s vacated seat this fall, with Allen’s endorsement.\r\n\r\nOf Allen, Ott says his boss has been “a very good leader and teacher to the entire staff.”\r\n\r\n“It’s been a wonderful time to serve by his side,” he said.\r\n\r\nObtaining space for a morgue was one of Allen’s goals which he accomplished when moving to the new facility. Finding ground for a pauper’s cemetery is another though that effort is still in the works. To date, the county has 58 unclaimed bodies.\r\n\r\nAsked what the hardest part of the job is, Allen will tell you without hesitation it is dealing with the bodies of children. For that the soft spoken Allen had no words.\r\n\r\nAnd sometimes the deceased is someone he or his staff knows.\r\n\r\n“Beaufort County is still small in nature,” he said. “So many of the people we call upon we know either personally or we know someone in the family.”\r\n\r\nOne memory that stands out above all others is the call he received after Hurricane Matthew in 2016.\r\n\r\nA number of bodies had floated up out of caskets or grave sites from a nearby cemetery on a swollen Chowan Creek. Allen rode out by air boat with Beaufort Water Search and Rescue to help identify the bodies and, in some cases, take custody of those that could not be immediately identified.\r\n\r\n“We had caskets that floated from St. Helena Island to Hilton Head,” he said. “So it wasn’t just in one portion of the county.”\r\n\r\nThe first casket he came to contained someone he had known, Allen said. All together they would recover 26 bodies during that time.\r\n\r\nTo get through tough times like the flooding incident, they frequently check in on each other or will sometimes call each other after someone has responded to a call.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“We’re like a family here,” he said.\r\n\r\nAnd it also doesn’t hurt that his wife, Andrea, is a retired mental health professional.\r\n\r\nFamily is something that’s particularly important to him, said longtime colleague, Janet Horton, who described Allen as “a great boss.”\r\n\r\nAn administrative deputy coroner, Horton said Allen asks about hers every day.\r\n\r\n“He’s definitely a community person,” she added. “He cares about people.”\r\n\r\nIt’s a job that comes with a high degree of commitment, but for the soon-to-be retired Allen it’s something he says has been rewarding.\r\n\r\n“I can honestly say I’ve never had a day that I did not want to come to work. …,” he said. “This is something you have to be dedicated to.”', 'Allen moving on', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'allen-moving-on', '', '', '2020-04-29 10:52:56', '2020-04-29 14:52:56', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44232', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44235, 4, '2020-04-29 13:53:37', '2020-04-29 17:53:37', '<strong>By Tom Davis</strong>\r\n\r\nA little over one week ago, Gov. Henry McMaster created an advisory group called accelerateSC to consider and recommend economic revitalization plans for South Carolina in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI was appointed to serve on the group\'s board, and we held our first meeting last Thursday; additional meetings have been and will be held every day this week. There\'s a very strong sense of urgency and a bias toward action.\r\n\r\nIn my 17 years of service in state government, first in the executive branch as a governor\'s chief of staff and then in the legislative branch as a state senator, this is by far the most consequential task I\'ve been charged with, and the most complex.\r\n\r\nMy approach in such things has always been to state the problem and propose solutions, and then to debate them with others -- the \"Socratic method\" instilled by my law school professors. This approach always works if I keep an open mind.\r\n\r\nOver the past several weeks, I\'ve done this with my constituents via several hundred emails back and forth and in as many telephone calls, and that\'s made me a more effective member of accelerateSC than I otherwise would have been.&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWith this Covid-19 assignment, I also constantly review the data and the opinions of a wide range of public health experts; however, since those opinions and the data sets relied upon vary, sometimes widely, the task of deciding the best approach for South Carolina remains.\r\n\r\nIt is a privilege to represent the people of Beaufort and Jasper counties in the State Senate and to speak on their behalf as the advisory group considers and recommends a \"reopening\" approach to Gov. McMaster.&nbsp; I am determined to get this right, and I am confident we will.&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tom Davis is the State Senator for District 46, which includes portions of Beaufort and Jasper counties.</em>', 'When and how to “reopen” South Carolina', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'when-and-how-to-reopen-south-carolina', '', '', '2020-04-29 13:56:34', '2020-04-29 17:56:34', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44235', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44238, 4, '2020-04-29 14:23:42', '2020-04-29 18:23:42', '', 'Screen Shot 2020-04-29 at 2.22.46 PM', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'screen-shot-2020-04-29-at-2-22-46-pm', '', '', '2020-04-29 14:23:42', '2020-04-29 18:23:42', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2020-04-29-at-2.22.46-PM.png', 0, 'attachment', 'image/png', 0),
(44239, 4, '2020-04-30 15:03:01', '2020-04-30 19:03:01', '<strong>By Mindy Lucas</strong>\r\n\r\nThe Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing scuba diver last seen diving off Hilton Head Island in Port Royal Sound, officials say.\r\n\r\nThe missing man was identified as Alan Devier, 49, of North Charleston, according to a news release issued Sunday, May 3, by the United States Coast Guard.\r\n\r\nFirst responders and volunteers with a number of agencies searched more than 7,589 square miles but were unable to locate Devier, who was first reported missing on Tuesday, April 28.\r\n\r\n“Working alongside state and local agencies as well as numerous volunteers, we have searched aggressively since Tuesday evening,” said&nbsp;Capt. John Reed, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston.\r\n\r\n“Despite that effort, we have been unable to locate Alan. It is with a heavy heart that I have suspended our active search for him. The Devier family remains in my thoughts and prayers,” he said.\r\n\r\nDevier and another diver were reported missing in another incident in mid-March, said Lt. j.g. Phillip Vanderweit, with U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston.\r\n\r\nThe two divers had been known to hunt for fossils and shark teeth in Port Royal Sound before, according to local reports.\r\n\r\nIn that incident, the two divers were reported missing off the coast of Hilton Head Island on Thursday, March 12, but were found alive on Friday, March 13.\r\n\r\nIn this most recent incident, the Coast Guard received notification that Devier was missing on Tuesday, April 28, after a call to the agency was made from Beaufort County Dispatch requesting a helicopter to assist in the search.\r\n\r\nDevier began diving around 3 to 3:30 p.m. and was the only person in the water while another individual waited in a boat, Vanderweit said. He was reported missing later that day, around 6 p.m., about three miles off shore near the entrance of Port Royal Sound.\r\n\r\n“We immediately launched our resources including small crafts and helicopters,” Vanderweit said.\r\n\r\nThe Coast Guard also deployed the Coast Guard Cutter Pompano, an 87-foot patrol boat based at Tybee Island to assist in the search. The search continued through the week before it was suspended on Sunday.\r\n\r\nWhile Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston served as the lead agency in the search, other agencies that assisted in the search included: the Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Coast Guard Station Tybee Island, Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Tybee Island, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Coast Guard Cutter Pompano, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Beaufort County Marine Rescue Squadron, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Fripp Island Fire and Rescue and Parris Island Fire and Emergency Services.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-30-at-2.50.27-PM-e1588273331563.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-large wp-image-44240\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-30-at-2.50.27-PM-1024x754.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"751\"></a>', 'Search for missing scuba diver in Port Royal Sound suspended', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'search-for-missing-scuba-diver-second-incident-involving-diver', '', '', '2020-05-04 18:36:44', '2020-05-04 22:36:44', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44239', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44266, 4, '2020-05-05 13:44:19', '2020-05-05 17:44:19', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort Water Festival Board of Directors released a letter the community on Tuesday announcing there would be no Beaufort Water Festival this summer as a result of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus outbreak.\r\n\r\nThe event was originally scheduled for July 17 through 26, 2020. Instead of this year, the 65<sup>th</sup> annual event will take place in July 2021.\r\n\r\nHere’s a copy of the board’s letter to the community:\r\n\r\nTo Beaufort and the Lowcountry Community,\r\n\r\nOur Water Festival crew has spent many months planning the 65th Annual Beaufort Water Festival for July 2020. Paramount to our planning has been the current status of COVID-19 and the health precautions needed to maintain a safe environment.\r\n\r\nOur organization has three driving factors: the community, partnerships, and volunteers. The relationships among these elements are what makes the Annual Beaufort Water Festival a leading, time-honored tradition throughout the southeast.\r\n\r\nConsidering the recommendations from the Center of Disease Control, health care professionals, and ultimately, the safety and health of us all, we feel it is necessary to postpone the 65th Annual Beaufort Water Festival and all associated sports and water &amp; air events until July 2021. This decision was not made easily and is driven by the utmost concern for our community, partners, and dedicated staff of volunteers.\r\n\r\nWe thank you for your understanding and we are confident that if we all work together and support each other, our community will return to normalcy stronger than ever.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\nThe Annual Beaufort Water Festival Board of Directors', 'Beaufort Water Festival canceled for 2020', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-water-festival-canceled-for-2020', '', '', '2020-05-05 13:50:03', '2020-05-05 17:50:03', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44266', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44245, 4, '2020-04-30 17:13:15', '2020-04-30 21:13:15', '<strong>By Mindy Lucas</strong>\r\n\r\nA man who was arrested in connection with an attack on a woman in North Charleston, has been identified as the&nbsp;alleged shooter of a 72-year-old woman out jogging in a Beaufort neighborhood on April 22, police say.\r\n\r\nIsaiah Clayton Perdue, 23, of North Charleston, was arrested on April 23, the day after the Beaufort shooting, according to a statement issued by the Beaufort Police Department.\r\n\r\nIn that incident, Perdue allegedly attacked and seriously injured a woman with a machete before fleeing from a North Charleston motel.&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort woman, who has not been identified, was jogging on&nbsp;Lafayette Street, in the Pigeon Point neighborhood the day before the North Charleston incident, when she was shot.\r\n\r\nAccording to witnesses, the suspect drove up, stopped in front of the victim, got out on the driver’s side of the car, and then fired a number of shots at her with a handgun.\r\n\r\nInvestigators were able to obtain an image of the suspect\'s vehicle from surveillance footage, a 2010 Nissan Versa spotted fleeing the scene. They were also able to obtain a partial number from the car\'s S.C. license tag.\r\n\r\nUsing a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division database, investigators narrowed the search to Perdue.&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBeaufort investigators, with the assistance of the North Charleston Police Department and the Charleston field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, executed a search warrant on Perdue’s North Charleston apartment and 2010 Nissan Versa, which had the same damage as seen in the Beaufort surveillance footage, the release stated.\r\n\r\nIn addition, investigators recovered evidence from the vehicle that established Perdue’s presence in Beaufort the day of the shooting. They also recovered a firearm of the same caliber used in the shooting and ammunition matching the same brand and caliber used in the shooting, the release stated.\r\n\r\nNo charges had been made as of Monday, May 4 in connection with the Beaufort incident, but warrants for possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and attempted murder have been obtained for Perdue in connection to the shooting.\r\n\r\nPerdue is being held at a detention center in Charleston. He has declined to speak with investigators.&nbsp;Currently, there are no known connections between Perdue and the victim, the release said.\r\n\r\nThe victim was struck at least once in the shooting, an earlier statement issued by the department said. She was taken to Beaufort Memorial Hospital at the time of the incident, where she was stabilized before being flown to the Medical University of South Carolina.\r\n\r\nWhile the suspect has been identified, police say the incident remains under investigation.\r\n\r\nAnyone with information about this case or the suspect is encouraged to call Investigator Josh Dowling, at (843) 322-7950, department’s Anonymous Tip Line (843) 322-7938.\r\n\r\n<em>Image provided by the Beaufort Police Department</em>', 'Suspect arrested in North Charleston identified as alleged shooter of Beaufort woman', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-police-continue-to-look-for-suspect-involved-in-shooting-of-72-year-old-woman', '', '', '2020-05-04 18:31:27', '2020-05-04 22:31:27', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44245', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44250, 4, '2020-05-01 17:21:26', '2020-05-01 21:21:26', '<h2><b>Governor to allow outdoor dining, short-term rental reservations from ‘hotspots’; ends self-quarantine for tourists from ‘hotspots’</b></h2>\r\n<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nGovernor Henry McMaster on Friday announced that the statewide “Work-or-Home” order will be lifted and returned to voluntary status on Monday, May 4. The governor also announced that beginning on May 4, restaurants throughout South Carolina may provide outdoor customer dining service in addition to existing take out, curbside, and delivery services.\r\n\r\nThe governor also announced that he has lifted <a href=\"https://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=26955768&amp;msgid=223577&amp;act=XGND&amp;c=1561287&amp;destination=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernor.sc.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FDocuments%2FExecutive-Orders%2F2020-04-03%2520FILED%2520Executive%2520Order%2520No.%25202020-19%2520-%2520Lodging%2520%2526%2520Travel%2520Restrictions%2520for%2520Individuals%2520from%2520High-Risk%2520Areas.pdf&amp;cf=22330&amp;v=d550e00739eb3eaa4324eeba6fbffdd8dcc186042d7c2f8fac9dcaa2383c221e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Executive Order 2020-19</a> because CDC guidance identifying “hotspots” throughout the country, which constituted the basis upon which short-term rental companies were to deny reservations, has since lapsed and was not renewed. The governor has also lifted <a href=\"https://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=26955768&amp;msgid=223577&amp;act=XGND&amp;c=1561287&amp;destination=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernor.sc.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FDocuments%2FExecutive-Orders%2F2020-03-27%2520FILED%2520Executive%2520Order%2520No.%25202020-14%2520-%2520Self-Quarantine%2520for%2520Individuals%2520from%2520High-Risk%2520Areas.pdf&amp;cf=22330&amp;v=0239c5c40061000ac138fed102bb0c8737b21912328db149debd1e90a2e1140e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Executive Order 2020-14</a>, which required individuals entering the state from the same “hotspots” to self-quarantine for two weeks.\r\n\r\nGovernor McMaster and state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell strongly urged anyone considered to be “at-risk” based on CDC guidance to limit exposure to others and for all South Carolinians to continue prioritizing their travels between home and work, when possible. Anybody who is sick or is showing symptoms of COVID-19 should immediately contact a healthcare provider and self-quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.\r\n\r\n“Our goal from the onset of this deadly pandemic has been to protect South Carolinians, but as we all know, the state’s economic health is a major component of the state’s public health,” McMaster said. “South Carolinians, now more than ever, should be vigilant in protecting themselves, their loved ones, and their communities by practicing social distancing and continuing to follow the advice and recommendations from our public health experts.”\r\n\r\n“This virus will continue to spread and still presents a very real and serious threat to our people, but I believe in South Carolinians and their ability to act wisely and safely,” the governor continued. “We are a strong, resilient, and compassionate people who care for one another and will act in the best interest of our state as a whole.”\r\n\r\nThe governor’s announcement follows a week of meetings of <a href=\"https://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=26955768&amp;msgid=223577&amp;act=XGND&amp;c=1561287&amp;destination=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernor.sc.gov%2Fexecutive-branch%2Facceleratesc&amp;cf=22330&amp;v=ff638f65630697cc7c699afec5e0d72bbafe02ce2d546f7f3428faba8d9f6ac4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AccelerateSC</a> – a group created by the governor to develop a coordinated economic revitalization plan which includes healthcare professionals, representatives from large and small businesses, local government officials, and education professionals. &nbsp;\r\n\r\nBased on advice and recommendations from DHEC and the South Carolina Restaurant &amp; Lodging Association, Governor McMaster has established the following guidelines for restaurants to follow if they choose to open for outdoor seating.\r\n\r\nExisting approved outdoor seating areas:\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; Tables are to be spaced a minimum of 8 feet from each other (measured from all edges of the table);\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; Limit table groups to 8 individuals;\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; Eliminate gatherings in the building when entering or exiting outdoor seating area;\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; Maintain strict social/physical distancing guidelines;\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; Tables, chairs, and seats should be sanitized after every customer\r\n\r\nIf open areas and/or temporary tents are utilized by existing, permitted restaurants, all sides of the tent must be open and the following conditions are required:\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; Tables are to be spaced a minimum of 8 feet from each other (measured from all edges of the table);\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; Table groups are to be limited to 8 individuals;\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; State approved fire extinguisher within 75 feet of tent area;\r\n\r\n·&nbsp; Minimum of 7-foot-6 inch head room (ceiling height)\r\n\r\n6 new coronavirus cases in Beaufort County; 12 more deaths across state\r\n\r\nThe South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Friday announced 160 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, and 12 additional deaths were reported to DHEC.\r\n\r\nThis brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 6,258 and those who have died to 256.\r\n\r\nThere were six new cases reported in Beaufort County, bringing the total to 269.', 'McMaster begins to open state, ends ‘work-or-home’', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'mcmaster-begins-to-open-state-ends-work-or-home', '', '', '2020-05-01 17:21:56', '2020-05-01 21:21:56', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44250', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44424, 4, '2020-05-19 11:24:16', '2020-05-19 15:24:16', '<strong>By Mike McCombs\r\nPhotos by Bob Sofaly</strong>\r\n\r\nMany Beaufort County high school seniors and their parents are unhappy there will be no traditional outdoor graduation ceremonies this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. And some of them came together in Beaufort’s Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park on Saturday to voice their displeasure, peacefully of course.\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort County School District has allowed for each school to plan and hold virtual indoor ceremonies. The individual ceremonies are being filmed by the school district with the intent of putting them on social media.\r\n\r\nAll this because the district deems outdoor ceremonies in football stadiums to be unsafe.\r\n\r\nJamie and Liz Bodie, parents of a May River High School senior, started a Facebook group, “Beaufort County Class of 2020 needs a proper graduation,” which now has more than 900 members.\r\n\r\nOne of those members, Beaufort High School’s Heather Butler, was responsible for Saturday’s protest.\r\n\r\n“I saw the emails (in the group) that people said they got and that nothing was changing,” Butler said. “And I thought what about a peaceful protest about this … the schools, this is what they want to see from us. The reason they’re not wanting to (hold a graduation) is they probably don’t think we can social distance. What is we did a public demonstration of that. We can socially distance, We can be respectful. And we won’t disturb anyone while we make our point. And if you put it in the news, they can’t really ignore that.”\r\n\r\nAn asthma sufferer, Butler was actually worried specifically about the virtual graduations being held inside. So she put her idea on the page to see who would support it. When it was clear it could happen, she started planning.\r\n\r\nRoughly 20 to 25 members of the Class of 2020 and 20 to 25 of the parents showed up for the socially distanced walk around the Waterfront Park. There were also students and parents present for support.\r\n\r\n“I was very happy,” Butler said of the turnout. “A few May River, a few Beaufort High. Then a group of May River and Hilton Head people came. Then Battery Creek’s class president showed up.”<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RES4285.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-44426\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RES4285-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"798\" height=\"532\"></a>\r\n\r\nThere was to be a school board meeting on Tuesday, May 19. Butler was hopeful the board would talk about it and might change their mind about graduation.\r\n\r\nAs of Monday, Butler had heard nothing from the Beaufort County School District. Superintendent Frank Rodriguez did release a statement, however.\r\n\r\n“The Class of 2020 has had to make a lot of sacrifices, and our high schools are working very hard to celebrate their achievements safely. We believe the graduation movies we’re producing and the drive-through celebrations we’re planning will be rewarding and fun for our seniors and their families.”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nButler said she understands the risks.\r\n\r\n“I understand there is a virus out there,” she said. “I completely understand it. I know people are dying.”\r\n\r\nBut she said we also live in a county where cases are down and deaths are fewer. And she pointed out 66 other districts in the state –<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>the vast majority – are having some sort of “proper” graduation.\r\n\r\n“If we can do it properly without any risk to anybody … I still encourage wearing masks if they’re inside, around other people and to stay socially distant … yes, there may be bigger things out there, but some of those things you can’t change. If there’s something you want to change, you might as well go ahead and try, in the safest way possible, which is why we showed up the way we did,” said Butler, who will study Biology at Clemson University in the fall.\r\n\r\n“It’s not just about graduation. It’s also about having our voices heard by a board and superintendent that say they\'re for us. But for the last 12 years, it hasn’t felt like that.”\r\n\r\n<em>Above: Graduating Seniors from Beaufort and May River high schools make their feelings known as they hold signs protesting the decision to hold “virtual commencement ceremonies” offered to them. The seniors and their parents, along with other supporters, marched Saturday through the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></em>', 'Students protest peacefully for graduation', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'students-protest-peacefully-for-graduation', '', '', '2020-05-19 11:24:16', '2020-05-19 15:24:16', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44424', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44274, 4, '2020-05-06 08:35:50', '2020-05-06 12:35:50', '<strong>By Scott Graber</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s Saturday, in the time of Covid, and I’m in the middle of the Beaufort River. I began this swim — with several friends — in Port Royal and now we’re 50 yards from Beaufort Memorial Hospital. In thirty minutes we ought to be staggering up the boat ramp in Downtown Beaufort.\r\n\r\nIn an ’open water’ swim one’s mind wanders.\r\n\r\n“Will I make it?” is the first question many ponder as they jump into the opaque, gray-green water.\r\n\r\n“Will my heart seize-up?” is another topic for those of us advanced in years.\r\n\r\n“Wasn’t a Great White recently tagged just off Charleston Harbor?” is yet another thought that invades the mind.\r\n\r\nBut this morning my mind settles on the small bobble-headed swimmer awarded to those who do well in this 3-mile race.\r\n\r\n“But wait just a minute! This is not the official race — Beaufort’s Open Water Swim won’t happen until June 6. There won’t be any ‘bobble-heads’ awarded today. Nor any commemorative t-shirt or complimentary tote bag.”\r\n\r\nSome of you might know that I have a small assemblage of ‘bobble-heads.’ You know this because I have them lined-up and lighted in a way that makes it impossible to not see them as one enters our living room. These ‘bobble-heads’ are living testament to my self-absorption; a non-stop craving for praise; a galloping end-stage narcissism.\r\n\r\nI started swimming as a boy at Ocean Drive Beach (a/k/a North Myrtle Beach) but got serious as a teenager in Texas. There, as part of the Fort Sam Houston Swim Team, I became competitive, chlorinated, convinced that exercise taken in the company of young, Speedo-wearing girls was as close to Nirvana, or Bora Bora, as I was going to get.\r\n\r\nLater, when I got to Beaufort, I had the good fortune to swim for Dick Fetters on the Beaufort Masters team.\r\n\r\nIn the last five years I’ve done my laps with Donna Altman and John Harris. These three-times-a-week (2,000 yards or so) workouts have become essential to my sense of well-being and to my physical health in general.\r\n\r\nWhen the pandemic hit town, the swimming pools at Beaufort High and Battery Creek closed down. Then the YMCA in Port Royal shuttered its pool. This sent me out to Hunting Island. Although swimming laps in the ocean is difficult, and keeping track of one’s yardage almost impossible, the beach was beautiful and largely deserted.\r\n\r\nBut then South Carolina closed Hunting Island and that left the “Sands Beach.” Then, alas, Port Royal’s Town Council closed down their little piece of water.\r\n\r\nI am aware that these are extraordinary times and social distancing is the strategy that has been employed to contain and defeat the virus. But for many hip- and knee-replaced, brittle-boned boomers getting regular, robust exercise is — was — part of our lives.\r\n\r\nAnd as the Governor’s lock-down continued, many of those Lipitor, Lovastatin and Motrin-gulping grandparents wondered how to slow the atrophy, calcification, stenosis.\r\n\r\nDean Moss — widely credited as the principal architect of the Spanish Moss Trail — went to the Beaufort County Administrator early on asking that she keep the path open to the public. He said there would be signs saying that one must maintain a 6-foot setback. He said this last, best venue for serious exercise would not be abused.\r\n\r\nDean, and his wife Wendy Zara, ride their bicycles the full length of the Spanish Moss Trail several times each week. Don and Donna Altman do an early morning, several-miles-long hike that includes parts of the trail every day.\r\n\r\nAnd as I ride my fat-tired bike along the trail, I see mothers pushing baby strollers, fathers running with their young sons, and muscular, spandex-wearing bikers zipping down the pathway.\r\n\r\nImportantly, County Council has just allocated $160,000 of tax accommodation money for the purpose designing and permitting for the intersection that will happen where the trail crosses Ribaut Road in Port Royal.\r\n\r\nThis intersection — enthusiastically endorsed by the Town of Port Royal — may bring a new cohort of bikers and runners right down to the Sands Beach within a year’s time.\r\n\r\nDean Moss has been less successful extending the Trail into downtown Beaufort. He wanted an off-the-highway-pathway paralleling Bay Street.\r\n\r\nBut this pandemic has introduced the Trail to a whole new battalion of bikers, and walkers, and runners who will get themselves, one way or the other, to the trail head.\r\n\r\n<i>Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. Email Scott at cscottgraber@gmail.com.</i>', 'One way or another, locals will find way to the trail head', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'one-way-or-another-locals-will-find-way-to-the-trail-head', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:35:50', '2020-05-06 12:35:50', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44274', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44276, 4, '2020-05-06 08:36:43', '2020-05-06 12:36:43', 'Krystal Cerrillo of Beaufort graduated from Troy University during Term 3 of the 2019/2020 academic year.\r\n\r\nCerrillo graduated with the Master of Public Administration degree while attending Troy Online.\r\n\r\nTerm 3 includes students at TROY\'s campuses in Dothan, Phenix City and Montgomery, Ala., along with teaching sites outside of Alabama and online. Troy University is a public, historic, international university with 22,500 students', 'Beaufort’s Cerrillo graduates from Troy', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beauforts-cerrillo-graduates-from-troy', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:36:43', '2020-05-06 12:36:43', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44276', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44279, 4, '2020-05-06 08:39:16', '2020-05-06 12:39:16', 'Bluffton High School is listed among South Carolina’s Top 10 high schools in 2020 rankings released last week by U.S. News and World Report magazine. Three of the district’s high schools are ranked in South Carolina’s Top 25, and all six are ranked in the state’s top half.\r\n\r\nU.S. News compiles its annual rankings based on student test scores, on-time graduation rates and how well schools prepare students for college (college Advanced Placement courses).\r\n\r\n“Our teachers and students put so much effort into our academic programs, and it’s wonderful for them to see their hard work rewarded,” said Bluffton High Principal Denise Donica.\r\n\r\nOut of 245 high schools across South Carolina, U.S. News ranked Bluffton High No. 8, Hilton Head Island High No. 20, May River High No. 24, Beaufort High No. 40 and Battery Creek High No. 56.\r\n\r\nWhale Branch Early College High was ranked No. 96 despite the fact that its students take college-level courses – and earn two-year college degrees – through a partnership with the Technical College of the Lowcountry rather than through the Advanced Placement classes that represent 40 percent of the U.S. News ranking metrics.\r\n<h2><strong>Top 10 South Carolina High Schools for 2020, a</strong><strong>s ranked by U.S. News</strong></h2>\r\n<h2>School &nbsp;(county)</h2>\r\nAcademic Magnet High (Charleston)\r\n\r\nCharleston School for the Arts (Charleston)\r\n\r\nWando High (Charleston)\r\n\r\nPalmetto Scholars Academy (Charleston)\r\n\r\nSpring Hill High (Lexington/Richland District 5)\r\n\r\nDreher High (Richland District 1)\r\n\r\nFort Mill High (York District 4)\r\n\r\nBluffton High (Beaufort)\r\n\r\nSt. James High (Georgetown)\r\n\r\nNation Ford High (York District 4)', 'US News: All Beaufort County high schools in top half of SC schools', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'us-news-all-beaufort-county-high-schools-in-top-half-of-sc-schools', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:39:16', '2020-05-06 12:39:16', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44279', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44281, 4, '2020-05-06 08:43:10', '2020-05-06 12:43:10', '<strong>By David Taub</strong>\r\n\r\nUnless you have been living in a cave, you know all about COVID-19, a highly infectious and mortally dangerous coronavirus ravaging our republic.\r\n\r\nBut, there is another highly infectious virus rushing through our country at present. It is the highly contagious virus of stupidity, aka DUMB-20.\r\n\r\nIt is easy to identify those who have become infected. We see them on TV parading together in front of state capitols, hospitals, and our front-line heroes of care-givers.\r\n\r\nEasily identifiable symptom of the insidious DUMB-20 virus is that it encourages those who are infected to generously share their infection with others.\r\n\r\nAnother indication is that it causes the infected person to ignore and violate the federal government’s own recommendations for avoiding COVID-19.\r\n\r\nDUMB-20 causes the infected person to burst out in a screaming revolutionary rage demanding the incarceration of America’s most respected health experts.\r\n\r\nThe other epidemiologic dynamic of DUMB-20 is that it is a slow developing infection, with mild clinical symptoms, until after a few weeks, bang, they go down hard.\r\n\r\nSince we have no known clinical tests for identifying those infected with DUMB-20, it will sadly be a long time before we can ascertain DUMB-20’s mortality rate.\r\n\r\nDUMB-20 has recently mutated, and some who appear to be infected with the newer strain (DUMB-20a) are suggesting outrageously wrong remedies for combating COVID-19, such as drinking poison.\r\n\r\nI have been studying DUMB-20, but I missed this “a” mutation until just recently. Kill me now, or kill me later?\r\n\r\nIt is not a happy time for us, with more than 62,000 deaths after only three months, adding 2,000 or so more losses every day.\r\n\r\nWe all seek the return of “normality” as quickly as it is safe to do so, absent an effective vaccine. Physical distance and isolation have clearly reduced the spread of COVID-19, saving uncounted lives and serious illness.\r\n\r\nIn contradistinction, these life-saving government guidelines also appear to promulgate the rapid spread of DUMB-20. It seems to be a zero-sum infectious agent: the more folks avoid COVID-19 by staying out of the public domain, the more folks become infected with DUMB-20 as they flood the public domain.\r\n\r\nTo what end? “Give us Liberty or Give us Death,” they scream. I’d be damned careful of what you wish for!\r\n\r\nThere is no magic elixir to make COVID-19 disappear; this will occur only when effective vaccines are developed and provided to all the denizens of spaceship Earth.\r\n\r\nIn the meantime, what is the best method for mitigating all the misery, illness and death, and our economic maladies characterized by the highest unemployment since the Great Depression? The answer to that is a complicated puzzle, even for the greatest minds of our time.\r\n\r\nI have previously written about “leadership,” and how we require it today more than ever, most certainly at the highest levels of government and with insight and empathy most poignant.\r\n\r\nSadly, this commodity seems to be in short supply, much as we are in short supply of nasal swabs.\r\n\r\nI also have written about why “unity” is a key element in combating the ravages of COVID-19. Regrettably, this too is in short supply.\r\n\r\nWhere are all those damned factories that are supposed to be making these desperately needed commodities?\r\n\r\nAt the highest level of our Federal government, hands are washed frequently, but not to disinfect but to abdicate responsibility and leadership.\r\n\r\nFortunately, this needed but rare supply of leadership seems to be in ample supply in most of our courageous state Governors. Governors who mandate that “wrestling” or tattoo parlors are an essential business are NOT on that list.\r\n\r\nImagine what we could accomplish if there was plenty of the rarest commodity, united leadership, at ALL levels of government.\r\n\r\nOur cherished Constitution protects and guarantees the rights of fools to behave foolishly. But, it doesn’t protect them from being infected with DUMB-20.\r\n\r\nUntil all the powers that be are singing from the same song sheet, both viruses, COVID-19 and DUMB-20 will continue their rapacious invasions of our republic with all its attendant destruction.\r\n\r\nI think that the vicious DUMB-20 virus and its “a” variant, may actually have already invaded the sacred realm of Washington, D.C. Some of the most obvious symptoms seem to be present there already.\r\n\r\nLet us pray this is not so. But if it IS true, pray it suffers a quick and ignominious demise.\r\n\r\n<i>\r\nDavid M. Taub was Mayor of Beaufort from 1990 through 1999, and served as a Beaufort County Magistrate Judge from 2010 to 2015.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>He may be contacted at david.m.taub42@gmail.com.</i>', 'The insidious, infectious effects of the DUMB-20 virus', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'the-insidious-infectious-effects-of-the-dumb-20-virus', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:44:01', '2020-05-06 12:44:01', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44281', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44284, 4, '2020-05-06 08:45:41', '2020-05-06 12:45:41', 'As recreational boaters return to our waterways, The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Port Royal Sound Flotilla 10-1 would like to remind all boaters to always practice safe boating.\r\n\r\nEspecially important is the filing of a \"Float Plan\" prior to your water journey. A Float Plan is the paper plan that could save your life in an emergency. In essence, it\'s a \"water foot print\" that can be followed by anyone who is searching for you.\r\n\r\nWhat should be included in your float plan? A float plan includes a description of your boat, who is on board, a description of the safety equipment you are carrying, where you expect to be, and when you are expected to be there.\r\n\r\nLeave it with a reliable person who can be depended upon to notify the Coast Guard, or other rescue agency should you not return or check-in as planned. A float plan is not just for large vessels but equally important for owners of kayaks, canoes, and paddlecrafts. Your safety is our primary mission.\r\n\r\nFollow the latest safety regulations, request free vessel safety checks and check all your safety equipment before casting off. Let someone know where you are going on your next water journey and always wear your life jacket.', 'Coast guard reminds boaters to practice boating safety with a Float Plan', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'coast-guard-reminds-boaters-to-practice-boating-safety-with-a-float-plan', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:45:41', '2020-05-06 12:45:41', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44284', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44286, 4, '2020-05-06 08:46:40', '2020-05-06 12:46:40', '<b>Tax return prep available for<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>those qualified</b>\r\n\r\nBecause of the coronavirus pandemic, the IRS has extended the tax filing deadline to Wednesday, July 15.\r\n\r\nDue to current social distancing guidelines in place related to the pandemic, the IRS has approved a 100 percent secure virtual process that allows trained Lowcountry VITA volunteers to offer free tax preparation services directly to clients in the safety of their home.\r\n\r\nIn collaboration with the Beaufort County Human Services Alliance, United Way of the Lowcountry, Inc., free tax preparation to those who qualify, remains available through a combination of a secure teleconferencing web portal and by telephone.\r\n\r\nThe Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to persons generally earning $54,000 annually or less, differently-abled persons, persons 60 and older, and limited English-speaking persons.\r\n\r\nTo volunteer or obtain more information, visit www.vitalowcountry.org or call 843-321-9071.\r\n\r\n<b>Marines conducting<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>live-fire training</b>\r\n\r\nMarine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island will be conducting extended live-fire training from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m. May 13-14.\r\n\r\nThe marsh and waterways in the range impact area to include Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek, and Edding Creek will be closed to boater traffic. For questions regarding firing times and waterway closures, please contact the Weapons and Field Training Battalion Range Control at 843-228-3170.\r\n\r\n<b>McMaster announces appointments to Election Commission</b>\r\n\r\nGovernor Henry McMaster announced two appointments to the State Election Commission on Thursday, April 30. The appointments fill two vacant seats on the five member commission.\r\n\r\nMrs. Linda McCall will fill Seat 3, which was previously occupied by Mr. Harold Faust, who died earlier this year. She will complete Mr. Faust’s term ending on Sept. 15. Mrs. McCall, 63, is retired and most recently worked in the office of Congressman Mick Mulvaney from 2011-2017.\r\n\r\nMs. JoAnne Day will fill Seat 1, which was previously occupied by Mrs. Amanda Loveday, who resigned late last year. She will complete Mrs. Loveday’s term ending on Sept. 15, 2022. Ms. Day, 74, is retired and most recently worked for the IBM Corporation as a managing consultant from 1998 to 2009.\r\n\r\n<b>County electronics recycling event rescheduled</b>\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort County Solid Waste and Recycling Department’s free electronics recycling event originally scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at the Beaufort and Bluffton Public Works sites, has been rescheduled for Saturday, June 20, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. A reminder release will be sent closer to the new date.\r\n\r\nFor more information, contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Section visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle or 843-255-2736.', 'News Briefs', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'news-briefs-150', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:46:40', '2020-05-06 12:46:40', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44286', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(44288, 4, '2020-05-06 08:47:14', '2020-05-06 12:47:14', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nSince South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster’s mandate on March 23, the Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry’s facility has been closed to member use to focus solely on new community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.\r\n\r\nThese needs included operating a grab-and-go community meal program and Emergency Personnel Kids Camp.\r\n\r\nNow, Bank of America Merrill, a long-time YMCA supporter, is assisting the Y in providing these basic needs by generously providing a $10,000 grant to help with a portion of the operating costs of these programs at this unprecedented time.\r\n\r\nThese included providing childcare for medical professionals and first responders so they need not worry if their children are in a safe place, as they care for our Beaufort-area neighbors affected by the Coronavirus.\r\n\r\nIn addition, to providing this Emergency Personnel Kids Camp, the Y is also operating a grab-and-go community meal program for local students age 18 and younger in conjunction with the Beaufort Count School District.\r\n\r\n“We truly appreciate the Bank of America Charitable Foundation and Merrill for their donation to the Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry,” YMCA Executive Branch Director Kaylin Garst said. “With their support, we were able to quickly respond to these immediate needs in our local community, even in the midst of this pandemic. These programs not only strengthen our community when we need it most, but they shine a light on the critical work the Y does when we receive support from terrific partners like Bank of America Merrill.”\r\n\r\n“As we collectively navigate this health and humanitarian crisis, we recognize that the private sector can play a pivotal role to help communities in need like Beaufort,”Mark Munn, Charleston/Hilton Head Market President for Bank of America, said. “The Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry is the perfect partner for these efforts because of their work to provide relief directly to the community through needed meals and child care for front-line personnel.”\r\n\r\nThe Grab-And-Go Meal Program, open to the entire community, is located in the parking lot of the Y. Anyone age 18 and younger can receive a full breakfast and lunch, including juice and milk, fom 9 a.m. to noon Monday to Friday.\r\n\r\nSince the beginning of this service, The Y has provided more than 2,000 meals to the community. Additionally, to ensure that these children have access to books, the Y provides them with free books daily, (all age-appropriate books) to keep.\r\n\r\nThe Emergency Personnel Kids Camp is available for children ages 4 to 12 years old and takes place from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Wardle Family YMCA in Port Royal. Extended hours are offered in order to meet the needs of these first responders as they work shifts of more than 10 hours per day. All program participants receive three healthy meals per day during the program.\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry serves approximately 12,000 individuals annually through programs and services provided in Beaufort and Jasper counties. Learn more at beaufort-jasperymca.org.', 'Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry receives $10,000 grant', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-jasper-ymca-of-the-lowcountry-receives-10000-grant', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:47:14', '2020-05-06 12:47:14', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44288', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44290, 4, '2020-05-06 08:48:32', '2020-05-06 12:48:32', '<b>By Justin Jarrett</b>\r\n\r\n<b>LowcoSports.com</b>\r\n\r\nBattery Creek didn’t have to look far to find its new football coach, as the Dolphins announced Friday that former Beaufort High assistant Terrance Ashe will take the reins next season.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nAshe came to the Lowco in 2019 to serve as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Beaufort High. His coaching career stretches back to 2012 and includes a six-year stint at River Bluff High School from 2013-18, during which he served in a variety of roles, including junior varsity head coach (2014), quarterbacks coach (2015), and offensive coordinator (2015-17). He also was the head track coach at Holy Spirit Prep in 2013 and head softball coach at River Bluff from 2015-18.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“When we look for coaches, we look for someone who is going to not just coach a team, but build a program,” Battery Creek AD Sarah Hayes said. “Coach Ashe is the right person because he has the leadership qualities to do just that. He has the drive and determination to take the Battery Creek football program to the next level.”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nThe Dolphins were close to turning the corner under Walter Wilson, who guided them to a 4-6 mark and a playoff spot in his first season in 2017 but couldn’t sustain the success. Battery Creek has not finished .500 since going 6-6 under Jim Shuman in 2012, which was also the last time the Dolphins won a playoff game.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nWith that said, the Dolphins’ nine wins over the past three seasons are their most in a three-year span since winning 11 from 2013-15.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nAshe said he recognizes the challenge ahead of him and is grateful for the opportunity to put his stamp on the program.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“The vision that our principal, Mr. Chad Cox, and our AD, Coach Sarah Hayes, have established for Battery Creek is one of excellence,” Ashe said. “I am excited and proud to be a Dolphin. Greatness is upon Creek Nation, and the Creek will rise!”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nAshe is a South Carolina native and was a football and baseball standout at Cheraw High School, where he graduated in 2005 before attending Clemson. He walked on to the football team and later earned a scholarship and contributed to the Tigers’ ACC division title in 2009. He is working to complete his master’s in sport management and will join the Social Studies department at Battery Creek.', 'Battery Creek hires Ashe as head football coach', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'battery-creek-hires-ashe-as-head-football-coach', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:48:32', '2020-05-06 12:48:32', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44290', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44423, 4, '2020-05-18 10:45:10', '2020-05-18 14:45:10', '', 'Screen Shot 2020-05-18 at 10.43.33 AM', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'screen-shot-2020-05-18-at-10-43-33-am', '', '', '2020-05-18 10:45:10', '2020-05-18 14:45:10', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2020-05-18-at-10.43.33-AM.png', 0, 'attachment', 'image/png', 0),
(44294, 4, '2020-05-06 08:50:45', '2020-05-06 12:50:45', 'Help is on the way for the often-flooded Mossy Oaks neighborhood now that all federal and state permits have been secured.\r\n\r\nNeal Pugliese, chairman of the multi-jurisdictional Mossy Oaks Drainage Task Force, said the permits – from the Army Corps of Engineers, South Carolina Department of Health &amp; Environmental Control, Ocean &amp; Coastal Resource Management, and South Carolina Department of Transportation – were received in almost record time. “We boiled it down to eight months. The permitting process would normally take years,” he told City Council during its April 28 Work Session.\r\n\r\nPugliese commended the coordination and cooperation among the agencies for expediting the permits. He also thanked U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham, State Sen. Tom Davis and State Rep. Shannon Erickson for their help during the permitting process.\r\n\r\nBids are due back in early May for the next phases of the project, he said.\r\n\r\nIn 2017, the task force was formed to address the issue of repeated flooding in the Mossy Oaks neighborhood. The area, comprising approximately 550 acres and several hundred homes, flooded following heavy rains, high tides, and storm surges. An engineering study identified factors such as inefficient drainage structures and poor drainage patterns. Other complicating issues included homes built on slabs, along with ditches overgrown with vegetation.\r\n\r\nThe City obtained two grants totaling $1.5 million to help fund the project.\r\n\r\nThe engineering study, completed in the summer of 2018, divided the project area into Basin 1 (north side of neighborhood) and Basin 2 (south side) where water collected repeatedly due to misaligned drainage pipe elevations, Pugliese said. Roughly 30 areas where drainage is poor have been identified and all locations will be improved, he said.\r\n\r\nIn 2019, workers cleared out and graded the Jane Way Ditch in Basin 1, which was overgrown with vegetation and used for dumping. Currently, flap gates have been ordered for the Spanish Moss Trail where it abuts Battery Creek.\r\n\r\n“These will prevent water surging into the neighborhood during severe weather events,” Pugliese said.\r\n\r\nOther fixes on the way include increasing the pipe size and elevation in the vicinity of the duck pond in Basin 1 and installation of a larger pipe at the correct elevation at First Blvd. and Jane Way.\r\n\r\nWhile no area in the Lowcountry is safe from hurricanes that occur at high tide, the Mossy Oaks improvements will significantly improve drainage for average or above average storm events, Pugliese said.\r\n\r\nThe Mossy Oaks area falls within multiple jurisdictions so it would have been easy for the City Council to point the finger elsewhere for action and funding, but they did not, Pugliese said.\r\n\r\n“Many thanks to the City Council for having the courage to take this on,” Pugliese said at the meeting. “The Council could have kicked this can down the road by saying ‘not my problem.’ City Council did not do that, which is why we’re in the position that we’re in, getting ready to start construction on this project while delivering relief to a most deserving community.”\r\n\r\nPugliese noted that unidentified people were still dumping trash in the existing drainage ditches. “It is imperative that everyone understand that drainage ditches are for stormwater … period,” he said. The City’s codes enforcement staff and police will be checking for illegal dumping, he said.', 'Permits in hand, next phase of Mossy Oaks project nears', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'permits-in-hand-next-phase-of-mossy-oaks-project-nears', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:50:45', '2020-05-06 12:50:45', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44294', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44298, 4, '2020-05-06 08:53:50', '2020-05-06 12:53:50', '<strong>Photo by Bob Sofaly</strong><i>\r\n\r\n</i>The Henry Robinson Boardwalk and The Sands Beach re-opened to the public at noon on Tuesday, April 24 in Port Royal. Not too soon for Shelby King, left, and fishing partner Doug Boeres. The two were all smiles as they made their way down the boardwalk to get in a little fishing.', 'Back to the Beach', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'back-to-the-beach', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:53:50', '2020-05-06 12:53:50', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44298', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44304, 4, '2020-05-06 08:55:35', '2020-05-06 12:55:35', '<b>By Mindy Lucas</b>\r\n\r\nThe Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing scuba diver last seen diving off Hilton Head Island in Port Royal Sound, officials say.\r\n\r\nThe missing man was identified as Alan Devier, 49, of North Charleston, according to a news release issued Sunday, May 3, by the United States Coast Guard.\r\n\r\nFirst responders and volunteers with a number of agencies searched more than 7,589 square miles but were unable to locate Devier, who was first reported missing on Tuesday, April 28.\r\n\r\n“Working alongside state and local agencies as well as numerous volunteers, we have searched aggressively since Tuesday evening,” Capt. John Reed, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston, said.\r\n\r\n“Despite that effort, we have been unable to locate Alan. It is with a heavy heart that I have suspended our active search for him. The Devier family remains in my thoughts and prayers,”\r\nhe said.\r\n\r\nDevier and another diver were reported missing in another incident in mid-March, said Lt. j.g. Phillip Vanderweit, with U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston.\r\n\r\nThe two divers had been known to hunt for fossils and sharks’ teeth in Port Royal Sound before, according to local reports.\r\n\r\nIn that incident, the two divers were reported missing off the coast of Hilton Head Island on Thursday, March 12, but were found alive on Friday, March 13.\r\n\r\nIn this most recent incident, the Coast Guard received notification that Devier was missing on Tuesday, April 28, after a call to the agency was made from Beaufort County Dispatch requesting a helicopter to assist in the search.\r\n\r\nDevier began diving around 3 to 3:30 p.m. and was the only person in the water while another individual waited in a boat, Vanderweit said. He was reported missing later that day, around 6 p.m., about three miles off shore near the entrance of Port Royal Sound.\r\n\r\n“We immediately launched our resources including small crafts and helicopters,” Vanderweit said.\r\n\r\nThe Coast Guard also deployed the Coast Guard Cutter Pompano, an 87-foot patrol boat based at Tybee Island to assist in the search. The search continued through the week before it was suspended on Sunday.\r\n\r\nWhile Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston served as the lead agency in the search, other agencies that assisted in the search included: the Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Coast Guard Station Tybee Island, Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Tybee Island, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Coast Guard Cutter Pompano, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Beaufort County Marine Rescue Squadron, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Fripp Island Fire and Rescue and Parris Island Fire and Emergency Services.', 'Search suspended for missing diver in Port Royal Sound', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'search-suspended-for-missing-diver-in-port-royal-sound', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:55:35', '2020-05-06 12:55:35', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44304', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44306, 4, '2020-05-06 08:57:50', '2020-05-06 12:57:50', '<h2><b>COVID-19 crisis will affect protection efforts</b></h2>\r\n<b>By the S.C. Department<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>of Natural Resources</b>\r\n\r\nThe sea turtle season began locally in Beaufort County on Monday, May 4 when the Friends of Hunting Island Turtle Conservation Team found its first loggerhead turtle nest.\r\n\r\nFor now, beach searches are being done only by day leaders. Volunteer training and volunteer searches will be announced in the near future on the Friends of Hunting Island web page.\r\n\r\nSouth Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) biologists reported the start of sea turtle nesting statewide with a nest laid April 30-May 1 on Lighthouse Island.\r\n\r\nLocated within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, the site of South Carolina’s densest sea turtle nesting, the loggerhead nest was discovered by U.S. Fish and Wildlife sea turtle technician Billy Shaw Friday morning.\r\n\r\nSouth Carolina’s official sea turtle nesting season runs from May 1 to Oct. 31 each year, so this year’s season begins right on time after an early start in 2019. Nesting in South Carolina typically starts soon after Georgia’s first nesting report, which occurred on Saturday, April 25.\r\n\r\n“Staff and volunteers are very excited to celebrate the official opening of sea turtle season,” Michelle Pate, SCDNR sea turtle biologist, said in a release. “This year has been an especially difficult one for all of us globally, and we welcome the seasonal return of these ancient creatures back to South Carolina\'s nesting beaches.” Pate added that she expects a productive season, though not reaching the level of nesting seen in 2019.\r\n\r\nIn 2019, South Carolina celebrated a record-breaking season in which sea turtles laid the greatest number of nests ever recorded in a season. Volunteers and biologists counted 8,802 nests in South Carolina, which represented a 37 percent increase over the previous record set in 2016.\r\n\r\nLast season also followed an unusually low year in 2018, in which only 2,767 nests were counted due to cyclical nesting patterns. Because nesting exacts a high energy toll on the large reptiles, female sea turtles do not come ashore to lay eggs every year. This pattern results in nesting fluctuations from year to year, but as a whole, sea turtle nest numbers across the Southeast have trended up over the past decade. This makes biologists across the region optimistic that these threatened reptiles are beginning to recover after several decades of conservation efforts.\r\n\r\nThe ongoing COVID-19 global health crisis is expected to reshape sea turtle nest protection efforts this year. Typically, more than 1,300 volunteers from 30 different nest protection programs spend the summer months patrolling South Carolina’s beaches each morning for crawls, the telltale tracks left by a female sea turtle as it trundles ashore.\r\n\r\nVolunteers and biologists meticulously identify, count, and protect these nests throughout the season until they hatch, after which time nests are inventoried to collect additional data. Due to current guidelines meant to safeguard employee and community safety, the volunteer network has been restricted until beaches across the state fully reopen and state employees are permitted to fully return to the field.\r\n\r\nFour sea turtle species nest on South Carolina beaches: loggerheads, greens, Kemp’s ridleys, and leatherbacks. Loggerhead nests comprise the vast majority of the state’s total number each year, but 2019 saw 20 green sea turtle nests and one Kemp’s ridley nest (only the fourth in the state’s history). All four sea turtle species are classified as endangered or threatened and are protected under the Endangered Species Act, in addition to local and state ordinances.\r\n\r\nSea turtle clutches average 120 eggs and hatch after approximately 60 days. Nesting females may remain in South Carolina waters and continue to nest every two weeks, laying up to six nests per season. Throughout this stressful time, the turtles also abstain from eating.\r\n\r\nSouth Carolina beachgoers can help the state’s sea turtles by keeping beaches clean, turning beachfront lights out to avoid disorienting turtles, and giving all sea turtles and nests a wide and respectful berth when encountered on the beach.\r\n<h4>Sea Turtle Nesting Season Reminders</h4>\r\nReport all sick/injured/dead sea turtles and nest disturbances to the SCDNR at 1-800-922-5431 so that staff/volunteers can respond as soon as possible.\r\n\r\nRespect boating laws and boat cautiously, especially in small tidal creeks where sea turtles like to feed. Boat strikes have emerged as the leading cause of death for sea turtles in South Carolina.\r\n\r\nKeep artificial lights off the beach at night during nesting season – this includes beachfront property lights and flash photography, which can disorient nesting mothers and hatchlings.\r\n\r\nAlways respect sea turtles by observing them from a distance on the beach. Individuals that violate federal law by harming or interfering with sea turtles or their nests can be subject to civil penalties of up to $25,000 and up to a year’s imprisonment.\r\n\r\nKeep beaches and oceans clean by avoiding single-use plastics. Plastic bags and balloons are among the most common trash items found on South Carolina beaches and can cause injury or death when sea turtles mistake them for food.\r\n\r\nPromote and support programs for continued conservation of sea turtles in South Carolina', 'SC sea turtle nesting season has begun at Hunting Island', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'sc-sea-turtle-nesting-season-has-begun-at-hunting-island', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:57:50', '2020-05-06 12:57:50', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44306', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44309, 4, '2020-05-06 08:59:25', '2020-05-06 12:59:25', '<b>Monday, May 11</b> – Beaufort County Council Executive Committee (Virtual Meeting), 5 p.m., County Council Regular Session, 6 p.m., watch on The County Channel, the county’s Facebook page or at www.beaufortcountysc.gov\r\n\r\n<b>Tuesday, May 12</b> – Beaufort City Council work session, 5 p.m., regular meeting, 7 p.m., watch via Zoom or on the city’s Facebook page\r\n\r\n<b>Wednesday, May 13</b> – Beaufort’s Historic District Review Board Meeting, 2-5 p.m., watch via Zoom or on the city’s Facebook page', 'Public Meetings May 7–13', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'public-meetings-may-7-13', '', '', '2020-05-06 08:59:25', '2020-05-06 12:59:25', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44309', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44311, 4, '2020-05-06 09:00:16', '2020-05-06 13:00:16', 'A 58-year-old woman was killed in an alligator attack on Kiawah Island in Charleston on Friday, May 1. The woman has been identified as Cynthia Covert of Johns Island, according to the (Charleston) Post and Courier.\r\n\r\nThe death is the third such fatality involving an alligator attack in South Carolina since the state started keeping records in 1976, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, including a 2018 fatality of a 45-year-old woman who was killed in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island.\r\n\r\n<i>– Mindy Lucas</i>', 'Charleston woman killed in alligator attack', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'charleston-woman-killed-in-alligator-attack', '', '', '2020-05-06 09:00:16', '2020-05-06 13:00:16', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44311', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44313, 4, '2020-05-06 09:02:28', '2020-05-06 13:02:28', 'The Burton Fire District responded to three motor vehicle collisions Friday, May 1, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., two of which occurred back to back in the same location.\r\n\r\nThe first wreck was reported at 11:30 a.m. in the location of Daisy Fresh Coin Laundry at 3510 Trask Parkway.\r\n\r\nFirefighters arrived on scene to a two-vehicle collision which resulted in minor injuries; however, traffic was delayed for more than an hour while emergency crews assisted the injured and cleared roadway hazards.\r\n\r\nThe second wreck was reported on the Broad River Bridge at 12:50 p.m. Firefighters arrived on scene and treated a driver of an SUV who was struck by an object that blew off a flatbed trailer and came through the vehicle’s windshield causing potentially serious injuries.\r\n\r\nWhile Burton firefighters were assisting the injured SUV driver, another vehicle collision was reported at 1:20 p.m., also on the Broad River Bridge. This two-vehicle collision resulted in minor injuries.\r\n\r\nTraffic on the Broad River Bridge was delayed for more than an hour while emergency crews assisted the injured occupants of both wrecks and cleared roadway hazards.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<i>Above: The driver of this SUV suffered potentially serious injuries when an object came through the windshield on the Broad River Bridge. Photo by Burton Fire District.</i>', 'Burton Fire responds to 3 collisions May 1', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'burton-fire-responds-to-3-collisions-may-1', '', '', '2020-05-06 09:02:28', '2020-05-06 13:02:28', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44313', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44316, 4, '2020-05-06 09:09:23', '2020-05-06 13:09:23', '<b>By Mike McCombs\r\nPhotos by Bob Sofaly</b>\r\n\r\nIn mid-April, when a group of deadly storms cut a swath across South Carolina, killing nine and wreaking havoc in Hampton and Colleton counties along the way, Port Royal’s Benjamin McHone had a front row seat to the preview.\r\n\r\nIn Mississippi.\r\n\r\nA part-time firefighter on Fripp Island, McHone is also a storm chaser.\r\n\r\n“About a week out, you can get a relatively accurate forecast using models, so we were forecasting a significant severe weather outbreak – the Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina path,” McHone said. “We knew prominent daytime tornadoes would be in Mississippi, and our target, my target was Tupelo. But we ended up making it down south where the F4 tornado was.”\r\n\r\nMcHone encountered the storm where the damage path was 2¼ miles across, reportedly the third widest in U.S. history.\r\n<h4><b>Starting young</b></h4>\r\nMcHone, 24, grew up in Boston and moved to the Middle East with his mother, an English teacher and principal in Abu Dhabi. He moved back to Beaufort at 17 with his former girlfriend.\r\n\r\nIt was here that McHone got serious about storm chasing.\r\n\r\n“When I was a kid, I was always interested in science,” he said. “I watched storm chasers on Discovery, I watched YouTube videos.”\r\n\r\nMcHone joined the City of Beaufort Fire Department, employment with a fair amount of downtime, as well.\r\n\r\n“I found myself with the time to study severe weather and the forecasting aspect of it,” McHone said.\r\n\r\nIn 2017, he took first trip out west, basing out of Oklahoma City. He traveled wherever the severe weather was and helped out around there.\r\n\r\n“Some people are forecasters, some are damage surveyors,” McHone said. “I’d like to think of myself as a beginner jack-of-all-trades. I’m learning every single day.”\r\n<h4><b>An abstract job</b></h4>\r\n<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RES4943.jpg\"><img class=\" wp-image-44320 alignright\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RES4943-1024x657.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"779\" height=\"500\"></a>Much like in his job as a firefighter, McHone finds himself doing the opposite of everyone else when the danger is highest. In this case, he’s running toward the storm.\r\n\r\nWhat he does when he gets there isn’t always set in stone, though. Part of his job is simply to be a watchdog.\r\n\r\n“When we go out into the field, we come up on a state trooper, if there’s a tornado, we’re going to let him know where it is,” McHone said. “If there’s public hanging around, we’re going to let them know to get inside. We make social media posts so that we can reach a significantly higher number of people.”\r\n\r\nMcHone will also be in touch with the National Weather Service.\r\n\r\n“We give them information on what’s happening on the ground, things they can’t confirm with radar.”\r\n\r\nIf McHone chases with other people, he is usually designated as the medical car. A trained EMT, McHone carries a lot of medical equipment with him.\r\n\r\n“If we come up on tornado damage or anybody that’s hurt, obviously, at that point, the chase is completely done,” McHone said. “We’re going to give up on the tornado and assist with the damage and search and rescue.”\r\n<h4><b>Partners in crime</b></h4>\r\nMcHone’s company is called Tornado Warned. It consists of McHone and his father Michael McHone.\r\n\r\nWhen Benjamin is certain they’re going somewhere, he informs Michael McHone, who makes the drive down from Cape Cod.\r\n\r\nMcHone often partners with a group called Tornado Intercept, which has four to five members. He met. the owner, Stephen Jones in 2017 at a gas station in Kansas. Jones is also from the Beaufort area.\r\n\r\nLastly, McHone also hooks up with Tim Walsh of the Bluffton Township Fire District. McHone and Jones first worked together last year near Okemah, Okla.\r\n\r\nWalsh is intently working on “nowcasting” (radar imagery, surface observations, satellite data, assisting with navagation). He was with McHone for the recent Mississippi tornado.\r\n\r\nMcHone, whose company can be found on Facebook under the name tornadowarned, said he would like to expand his company further, beyond just himself and his father, and hopefully, he would like to make it out west, maybe the Oklahoma area.\r\n\r\nHe would, however, also like his organization to move into a nonprofit disaster response role, to accompany chasing tornadoes, blizzards, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.\r\n\r\n“If it’s a natural disaster, we would be there to assist with food, water, clothing, necessities,” he said.\r\n<h4><b>The nitty gritty</b></h4>\r\nMcHone and crew want to be as close as they can get to the storm, within a mile preferably. There they will focus on getting any footage or data they collect, particularly on how the tornado starts, to the National Weather Service, the NOAA, any organization that is science oriented.\r\n\r\n“Everyone is looking more in depth into tornado genesis because it’s not well understood,” McHone said.\r\n\r\nAnd here is where the money comes from – brokering out the footage to news channels.\r\n\r\n“Most people find a broker, one that specializes in weather, and upload the footage, see if networks want it,” McHone said. “Then they can license out the video to multiple news sources at one time.”\r\n<h4><b>Rubber on the road</b></h4>\r\nWhen people find out he’s a storm chaser, for many of them, their only frame of reference is the movie “Twister.”\r\n\r\nMcHone points out, though, that there’s at least one point where “Twister” fails badly.\r\n\r\n“One thing that Twister doesn’t portray as well, a lot of times before they get tornadoes, they’re just sitting in a field. And tornadoes just happen to form where they’re sitting at.\r\n\r\n“But a lot of times, even if you’re in the right area, you’re going to have to drive 100 miles to go and catch up to something,” McHone said.\r\n\r\nMcHone, who just bought a new used 2007 Chevy Suburban to take the place of his old Ford F-250 diesel crew cab, firmly believes the most dangerous part about storm chasing is the driving.\r\n\r\n“I just bought this vehicle a month and a half ago, and I already put more than 10,000 miles on it,” said McHone, who may have to total out his vehicle for hail damage.\r\n\r\nHail is the wild card weather event most people don’t think about.\r\n\r\n“You’re dealing with serious hail, hail sizes of a baseball and greater,” McHone said. “There is also the potential there you’ll have to finish a chase with no windshield or missing side windows.”\r\n\r\nAnd don’t forget, the tornado is still a factor.\r\n\r\n“After you get over driving for 30 hours, driving around all over the place, which is incredibly stressful, the tornado can change direction, and now you’re worried about your positioning.”\r\n<h4><b>How it feels</b></h4>\r\nMcHone admits that this can be a dangerous job. He also admits on some level, the people that do this enjoy the danger. It’s why they come back.\r\n\r\nHe said it’s like 10 minutes of pure adrenaline when a large tornado is heading toward you.\r\n\r\n“It’s audible,” McHone said. “You can hear and feel it completely sucking trees out of the ground. (You’re) feeling the air. Maybe those that were with me, the only way that we can describe the feeling as death.”\r\n\r\n<i>Above: One of five Go-Pro cameras attached to Benjamin McHone’s Chevrolet Suburban in which he chases storms. Main photo: Storm chaser Benjamin McHone of Port Royal said he will be leaving soon to go to the midwest and chase more tornadoes. Photos by Bob Sofaly.</i>', 'Fripp Island firefighter McHone works as a storm chaser', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'fripp-island-firefighter-mchone-works-as-a-storm-chaser', '', '', '2020-05-06 09:09:23', '2020-05-06 13:09:23', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44316', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44323, 4, '2020-05-06 09:13:24', '2020-05-06 13:13:24', '<b>By Mindy Lucas</b>\r\n\r\nSeveral headstones in an historic Jewish cemetery in downtown Beaufort have been defaced with graffiti, police reports show.\r\n\r\nThe graffiti, discovered at the Beth Israel Cemetery on Bladen Street, was reported to the Beaufort Police Department on Monday, April 27, according to a report released by the department.\r\n\r\nAn officer with the department responding to a call about the vandalism found the name “Jesus” and a heart symbol etched on the backs of at least seven headstones. The markings were found on six headstones belonging to one family, and a seventh headstone belonging to a second family.\r\n\r\nAccording to the individual who made the call to the police, the cemetery had been cleaned two weeks before the incident and the marks were not there then, the person told the officer. The caller had gone to the cemetery to check on lawn work when the graffiti was discovered.\r\n\r\n“We are saddened by this incident in our cemetery, or on any sacred property,” President of the Beth Israel Synagogue Barbara Mark said in an email. Mark went on to thank the Beaufort community for its support and said the thoughts are appreciated.\r\n\r\nThe one-block cemetery was purchased by the congregation in 1908, Mark said.\r\n\r\nThe cost to repair all seven of the damaged headstones could cost upward of $2,000 or more, the caller told the officer.\r\n\r\nA permanent marker found behind a nearby bird bath has been submitted for fingerprint testing, the report stated.', 'Beth Israel Cemetery in downtown Beaufort desecrated with graffiti', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beth-israel-cemetery-in-downtown-beaufort-desecrated-with-graffiti', '', '', '2020-05-06 09:13:24', '2020-05-06 13:13:24', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44323', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44327, 4, '2020-05-06 09:20:04', '2020-05-06 13:20:04', '<b>By Mike McCombs</b>\r\n\r\n<strong>Photo by Bob Sofaly</strong>\r\n\r\nMonday was the first day restaurants in South Carolina were allowed to open to outside dining after more than a month of curbside and take-out only and several spots around Beaufort took advantage.\r\n\r\nThe deck was busy at Panini’s on the Waterfront during lunchtime.\r\n\r\n“We’re fortunate to have as many seats as we do outside. We were ready for it,” Panini’s owner Paul Thompson. “People were well-behaved with no issues, and the staff was fully up on all the safety precautions. It was a good pace. Nobody got out of control.”\r\n\r\nNext door at Hemingway’s Bistro, owner Kanani Robinson, with Thompson’s help, was still making sandwiches plates early into the evening while the patio was as full as it could legally be.\r\n\r\n“It was mostly all locals who are ready to come back out,” Robinson said after her supply of sandwiches had finally been exhausted. “The way I look at it, if they’re not too scared to come out, I’ll be here for them.”\r\n\r\nHemingway’s wouldn’t normally serve food outside of the lunch hour, but the popular hangout didn’t stay open to serve take-out and Robinson decided it was time after being closed for 47 days.\r\n\r\nRobinson said the bar got a much-needed face lift.\r\n\r\n“It was much-needed,” she said. “In 25 years, this place had never been closed longer than a week.”\r\n\r\nMcMaster’s guidelines for outdoor dining included:\r\n\r\ntables, chairs, and seats should be cleaned/sanitized after every customer;\r\n\r\nspace tables a minimum of 8 feet apart (measured from all edges of the table);\r\n\r\nlimit table groups to eight individuals;\r\n\r\neliminate gatherings in the building when entering or exiting outdoor seating area;\r\n\r\nmaintain strict social/physical distancing guidelines;\r\n\r\nopen areas and temporary tents must have all sides of the tent open;\r\n\r\nthere must be a state approved fire extinguisher within 75 feet of any tent area;\r\n\r\nthere must be a minimum 7-foot, 6-inch headroom (ceiling height) in any tent area.\r\n\r\nThe Governor’s full list of guidelines for outdoor dining can be found at governor.sc.gov.\r\n\r\n“It’s going to be interesting over the next couple of weeks,” Thompson said. “We’re very fortunate, we’re going to come out of this OK, we were prepared for it.\r\n\r\n“But there’s going to be a lot of struggle, a lot of hurt. Not just restaurants. We’re going to lose too many businesses.”\r\n<h4>Who is open?</h4>\r\nA good way to find out what Beaufort-area restaurants are offering outdoor dining, as well as their hours and menus offered, is to visit the Facebook group Beaufort SC AREA Curbside, To-Go &amp; Delivery.\r\n\r\n<i>Above: Restaurants opened their outdoor seating for lunch Monday in Beaufort. Here, the Maddox family of Beaufort enjoys a day out of quarantine to have lunch at Panini’s. The response from all seated was, “We love it.”&nbsp;</i>', 'Outdoor dining again an option', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'outdoor-dining-again-an-option', '', '', '2020-05-06 09:20:04', '2020-05-06 13:20:04', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44327', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44332, 4, '2020-05-06 09:23:32', '2020-05-06 13:23:32', '<strong>By Mike McCombs</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Photo by Bob Sofaly</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s unclear if the re-opening of Hunting Island State Park on Friday, May 1 was a rousing success, but it’s clear it was popular.\r\n\r\nLong lines of people waiting to get in the park, despite reduced hours, marked the Beaufort County jewel’s first weekend open since all South Carolina State Parks were closed March 28.\r\n\r\nAccording to Park Manager J.W. Weatherford, the reduced hours are a result of a smaller workforce than usual at the park. Weatherford said those numbers should improve shortly and things will get back to normal.\r\n\r\nWeatherford also said to expect changes in the traffic pattern within the park. This is because of a lot of standing water as a result or recent heavy rains.\r\n\r\nPark rangers took advantage of a park without visitors or campers and got a lot done during the shutdown.\r\n\r\nRangers cut up downed trees, pruned dangerous trees and ground up stumps left from the past two hurricanes.\r\n\r\nThen, staff went through all of the beach accesses and roped them off, showing people how to get on the beach, while also protecting the sand dunes.\r\n\r\nSand fencing was installed to protect the re-nourished sand dunes and keep sea turtles and their babies from going over the back side of the dunes, as well.', 'Crowds flock to newly re-opened Hunting Island Beach', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'crowds-flock-to-newly-re-opened-hunting-island-beach', '', '', '2020-05-06 09:23:32', '2020-05-06 13:23:32', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44332', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44335, 4, '2020-05-06 09:25:45', '2020-05-06 13:25:45', 'Jan Cheslak took a photo of her grandson, Ryland, giving a “COVID-19-style” kiss to his great grandmother Gigi through her window at Sprenger Assisted Living in Port Royal.', 'Lowcountry Life', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'lowcountry-life-117', '', '', '2020-05-06 09:25:45', '2020-05-06 13:25:45', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44335', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44345, 4, '2020-05-09 10:27:56', '2020-05-09 14:27:56', '', 'DrBlok 0409_web', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'drblok-0409_web-2', '', '', '2020-05-09 10:27:56', '2020-05-09 14:27:56', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/DrBlok-0409_web-1.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(44346, 4, '2020-05-11 10:49:37', '2020-05-11 14:49:37', '<strong>By Mindy Lucas</strong>\r\n\r\nThe body of missing scuba diver, Alan Devier, 49, of North Charleston, has been found.\r\n\r\nDevier\'s body was discovered on Bay Point Island between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Sunday when a call came in to 911, according to David Lucas, regional public information coordinator for S.C. Department of Natural Resources.\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort County Coroner’s Office had confirmed the body’s identity and notified Devier’s family, Lucas said on Monday.\r\n\r\nKnown to hunt for fossils and sharks teeth in Port Royal Sound, Devier was last seen diving about three miles offshore near the entrance of Port Royal Sound on Tuesday, April 28, <a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/search-suspended-for-missing-diver-in-port-royal-sound/\">officials said earlier</a>.\r\n\r\nThe United States Coast Guard suspended its search on Sunday, May 3, after searching more than 7,589 square miles. Multiple agencies across several states assisted in the search but were unable to locate Devier.\r\n\r\nBoaters in the area spotted the body on Sunday in an area of Bay Point Island that is difficult to access, Lucas said. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, S.C. Department of Natural Resources and Beaufort County Marine Rescue Squadron assisted in the recovery.\r\n\r\nAn autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, Lucas said.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Body of missing scuba diver found', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'body-of-missing-scuba-diver-last-seen-off-hilton-head-island-found', '', '', '2020-05-11 13:16:52', '2020-05-11 17:16:52', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44346', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44355, 4, '2020-05-13 13:53:20', '2020-05-13 17:53:20', '<strong>By Lee Scott</strong>\r\n\r\nA&nbsp;few months ago, my husband and I had a casual dinner party with three other couples. It was one of those easy gatherings where we greeted one another with hugs and kisses.\r\n\r\nEach couple brought a course, like an appetizer, salad, or dessert. We supplied the hamburgers, potato salad, a vegetable tray, and of course, plenty of beer and wine.\r\n\r\nWe had a wonderful time roaming around from one conversation to another, from the porch to the kitchen.\r\n\r\nAfterward, when everyone was leaving, there were more kisses and hugs and promises to get together again soon.\r\n\r\nBut now that party seems like a lifetime ago since none of us have been entertaining. That was when we were so used to seeing each other, we just took it for granted.\r\n\r\nWhen I asked my girlfriends about the things they have missed during this quarantine besides the dinner parties, each had a different reply.\r\n\r\nOne said she missed just having lunch with the girls; one said, going shopping downtown; and another friend said she missed going to her Yoga classes at the gym.\r\n\r\nThere were other things like getting a pedicure, going to church and getting a haircut that were high on the lists too. Those day-to-day activities that all of us had been doing, have now take on a special significance\r\n\r\nSo, I started to envision my next dinner party once things begin to get back to “normal.” The invitation will read something like:\r\n\r\n“Let’s get together (and apart) at the SCOTTS. Please bring your own chairs, food and alcohol. We will supply hand sanitizers and plastic dinnerware, cups, napkins, and utensils. The backyard will be marked off, so each couple is 6 feet apart. A garbage can will be available at the top of the driveway to dispose of all the plastic and paper products. There will be one uncorked bottle of wine with the couple’s name on it. Please be careful if you decide to share your bottle. Beer will be in the cooler.\r\n\r\nPlease – NO HUGGING AND KISSING, except between couples. As usual, air kisses will be acceptable and encouraged. In the event of rain, this outdoor gathering will be postponed until the next sunny day.”\r\n\r\nWhen I told my friends about the post pandemic dinner party, they all agreed it was a great idea. But they worried that after a few hours of eating and drinking, it will just seem so natural to say good night with a hug and kiss. My thought is that maybe the alcohol in us might act as its own disinfectant so we will not have to worry.\r\n\r\nBut whatever happens, there will still be plenty of hand sanitizers available as they leave.\r\n\r\n<i>Lee Scott, a writer and recent retiree, shares her everyday observations about life after career. A former commercial banker responsible for helping her clients to reach their business objectives, Scott now translates those analytical skills to her writings. She lives on St. Helena Island and enjoys boating, traveling and reading.</i>', 'The post-pandemic dinner party', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'the-post-pandemic-dinner-party', '', '', '2020-05-13 13:53:20', '2020-05-13 17:53:20', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44355', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(44357, 4, '2020-05-13 13:57:56', '2020-05-13 17:57:56', '<strong>By David Taub</strong>\r\n\r\n“We the People, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”\r\n\r\nThese magnificent words, the Preamble to our hallowed Constitution, set forth the role of “government” in our republic.\r\n\r\nDuring previous perilous crises that have befallen our nation since its birth, our government stepped up and provided capable, competent and dynamic leadership. Our nation’s citizens looked to its government to conquer evil villains, humans and diseases. And thus, we survived them all, and we became better off thanks to government.\r\n\r\nThere can be no question about the essential role our government must play for our “general welfare,” our Liberty, and our Union. In spite of Reagan’s declaration to the contrary, Government is not the problem; rather the problem is a lack of good government. And because of that, our faith and confidence in government today has reached a depressingly low point.\r\n\r\nIn the midst of the great existential challenge from COVID-19, our Federal government has abdicated its central and essential role; it has chosen not to govern.\r\n\r\nPOTUS told the nation that we are “on our own,” and that he, the leader of government, bears “no responsibility, at all.”\r\n\r\nHow can this be?\r\n\r\nThe government “sets the rules” but now refuses to accept responsibility for the consequences that derive from the rules it created. This is a fundamental violation of the most important oath taken by our leaders, as they must before taking the helm of elected leadership. Each and every one of them seals this sacred oath by swearing, “…so help me God.”\r\n\r\nIt seems to me to be a bad career move to violate an oath to God. Ask Moses about that.\r\n\r\nSadly, the staggering reality of the past three months provides proof positive that our government has failed us. Almost without pause, POTUS continues to ignore scientific and medical evidence to the detriment of more than 75,000 unnecessary deaths already, with more dying each day. We lead the entire world in this pathetic metric.\r\n\r\nPOTUS adds to this tragedy by endorsing opening the economy – against the recommendations of his administration’s experts – which will without doubt add vastly to the death rolls. If POTUS had only heeded the early warnings from his own intelligence community and others, and then followed the scientific/medical advice, it is likely that the nation would not have been forced into extreme lock-down responses that have impacted the economy so drastically.\r\n\r\nNow we face the worst of all possibilities: staggering deaths with more than 2,000 added each day, unimaginable, increasing levels of unemployment, and an unavoidable recession that may well approach or even exceed the economic and personal losses experienced during the Great Depression.\r\n\r\nIn his rejection of governance, POTUS opines that a free people can govern themselves or even better, that “the market” will sort it all out. The “market place” never solved such crises, nor should the country’s leaders really expect it to.\r\n\r\nThere is no precedent or need for a nongovernmental approach to this global crisis. If our elected national leaders wish to abdicate their responsibility to govern, then they should just step down. How have we come to this deep dark and uncertain place?\r\n\r\nCurrently, our federal government’s inept attempt to address this challenge paints a canvas of chaos and dysfunction. The White House does follow one of its medical dictates, to wash hands frequently. Unfortunately, this process has not been to encourage or enhance disinfection. Rather, the current administration has washed its own metaphorical hands by pronouncing to the state governments that “You are on your own. Good luck.”\r\n\r\nWasn’t that what Pontius Pilate said, that he was “washing his hands” since he wanted no responsibility?\r\n\r\nThis abysmal failure of our current government to provide competent leadership has resulted in the greatest division of our republic since the Civil War. Lincoln said, “A House divided cannot stand,” and we are already on our knees.\r\n\r\nFortunately, most of our State governors have picked up the banner of leadership POTUS threw down on the battlefield of the war on the coronavirus enemy. And with a few extraordinary exceptions (I did not anticipate that any governor might think getting a tattoo was worth a human life, but what the hell do I know?), our governors have shown that government can and will provide the bold leadership needed to survive this calamity. God bless the leadership these governors have shown. Amen!\r\n\r\n<i>David M. Taub was Mayor of Beaufort from 1990 through 1999, and served as a Beaufort County Magistrate Judge from 2010 to 2015.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>He may be contacted at david.m.taub42@gmail.com.</i>', 'We the People …', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'we-the-people', '', '', '2020-05-13 13:57:56', '2020-05-13 17:57:56', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44357', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44359, 4, '2020-05-13 14:02:27', '2020-05-13 18:02:27', '<strong>By Scott Graber</strong>\r\n\r\nIt is Sunday, May 3, and I’m in our “gray room.” This room comes with gray-painted walls and floor-to-ceiling bookcases that are painted that same color.\r\n\r\nThere is also a gray sofa, an upright piano and fireplace. A decorator (or realtor) would call it “intimate” – Susan and I say ‘cozy.’\r\n\r\nToday’s Beaufort Gazette talks of newly opened beaches; the promise of baseball; and relaxing the “lockdown” rules that have governed our lives and our consciousness these last six weeks. But what I’m interested in is what happens next. Are we really going to be different after this microbe moves on?\r\n\r\nThere is nothing in today’s Gazette on this topic. Nothing specific.\r\n\r\nBut several days ago Lance Morrow, writing in the Wall Street Journal, wrote about an earthquake in Portugal — in 1755 — that killed 50,000 people. The earthquake was followed by fire and a tsunami that killed more Portuguese people.\r\n\r\nMorrow wrote, “The ground that people stood on — the ground of religious and philosophical belief — became treacherous, latent with danger, unbelief, apocalypse. It was only 34 years between the Lisbon earthquake and the French Revolution.”\r\n\r\nMorrow suggests that the overthrow of the French monarchy — the killing of God-appointed kings — was attributable to the Lisbon earthquake and its aftermath. He suggests that the notion that kings were endorsed by God, legitimized by the Catholic Church, took a fatal hit in 1755.\r\n\r\nMaking this kind of (not so obvious) connection is a great way to start a column. Pointing out that the Turks, for example, left bags of coffee behind after their siege of Vienna in 1683; and that the caffeinated drink quickly spread across Europe and displaced beer; and that the caffeine-fueled Enlightenment was a direct consequence of these left-behind beans is a marvelous way to get one’s attention.\r\n\r\nBut Lance Morrow moves his piece into deeper water.\r\n\r\n“Theologians used to draw a distinction between natural evil and moral evil. Natural evil means earthquakes, floods, cancer and other such afflictions for which human beings cannot reasonable be blamed. Moral evil was the kind that is, one way or the other, man’s fault. Moral evil would be Auschwitz, or Pol Pot’s killing fields, to cite extreme examples.”\r\n\r\nMorrow goes on to say that “failure to contain the virus, however, carried the matter over into the category of evils — torts of policy and management — for which humans may be held accountable.”\r\n\r\nIn other words, somebody, somewhere in China let the virus loose; somebody didn’t put it back; and somebody didn’t sound an alarm. This wasn’t a forgivable mistake. It was — as we lawyers sometimes say — “actionable.”\r\n\r\nAll of which brings me back to a conversation I had many years ago with a Congolese friend, Herve’ Miabilangana, as we were drinking NGok (beer) in Brazzaville.\r\n\r\n“Herve” I began, “How to you explain Mobutu Sese Seko; or Bokassa; or even somebody like Robert Mugabe? How do those men do the monstrous killings that they do?\r\n\r\n“There is,” he said with some obvious wariness, “a thing called ‘evil’ — some say Satan. But whether or not you personalize evil, it gets inside and infects the person. And it has infected Mobutu.”\r\n\r\nAs I write these lines I realize I have recounted this conversation in another, earlier column. So if these words look familiar, don’t be surprised.\r\n\r\nBut here, in the Western World, we have largely departed the concept of evil as a sentient, free-roaming creature putting very bad choices, or releasing bad viruses into our individual lives.\r\n\r\n“Still there remains a residual temptation to see the coronavirus as inscrutable pushback, as a ferocious reality check. Is the pandemic some sort of cosmic rebuke? If so, a rebuke by whom and of what?” Morrow continues.\r\n\r\nThere is, in the law books, a dusty defense called, “unavoidable accident.”\r\n\r\n“The burden is upon the Plaintiff to show that the injuries he complains of were not the result of an unavoidable accident. The mere fact that an accident happened, standing alone, does not permit you to assume that someone had to have caused it.” (South Carolina Requests to Charge, 23-19)\r\n\r\n“Unavoidable accident” is not seen much these days. One may throw it into one’s pleadings, but a jury rarely comes back saying the car wreck just couldn’t be helped.\r\n\r\nBut whether one believes this pandemic is cosmic in origin, or was inevitable and unavoidable, the American landscape is now rich with targets of those seeking accountability for the misery, the pain and the anxiety.\r\n\r\n<i>Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. Email Scott at cscottgraber@gmail.com.</i>', 'Seeking remedy for the misery', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'seeking-remedy-for-the-misery', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:02:27', '2020-05-13 18:02:27', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44359', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44361, 4, '2020-05-13 14:04:31', '2020-05-13 18:04:31', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nWith South Carolina schools shut down for the remainder of the academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, district high schools are planning a creative approach to graduation ceremonies that include commemorative videos as well as drive-through celebrations for students and\r\ntheir families.\r\n\r\n“With the numbers of COVID-19 infections projected to increase during the coming weeks, our goal is to celebrate the Class of 2020’s accomplishments as safely as possible for everyone concerned,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in a release. “Our students haven’t been able to experience a number of exciting things normally associated with senior celebrations, so we want to create something memorable and fun.”\r\n\r\nDistrict high schools will schedule specific times for graduating seniors to bring two guests apiece to their schools. Small groups of 10 socially distanced students will then be video-recorded as they hear their names and walk across their school’s stage in caps and gowns. Each student’s two guests will be able to watch while socially distancing in\r\nthe auditorium.\r\n\r\nEveryone entering the school will be required to wear a mask, although students may remove their masks prior to crossing the stage. In addition, nurses will check the temperatures of all students and guests, and no one with a temperature higher than 100 degrees will be allowed to participate.\r\n\r\nSpeeches from principals, senior class valedictorians, salutatorians and Superintendent Rodriguez will be recorded in advance, and video of all graduates walking across their school’s stage will be edited into a complete movie that will be posted to the district’s YouTube channel on the day of each school’s previously scheduled graduation ceremonies.\r\n\r\nIn addition to its commemorative graduation movie, each high school will schedule a celebratory “drive-through celebration” where families can accompany graduates to their school’s campuses and be cheered by school staff and community dignitaries.\r\n\r\nEach high school will contact its graduating seniors and their families with details on its video-recording schedules and drive-through graduation celebrations. The district’s six high school graduation movie premieres and drive-through celebrations are set for:\r\n\r\n<b>June 1</b>\r\n\r\nBattery Creek High School\r\n\r\n<b>June 2</b>\r\n\r\nBeaufort High School\r\n\r\n<b>June 3</b>\r\n\r\nMay River High School\r\n\r\n<b>June 4</b>\r\n\r\nWhale Branch Early College High School\r\n\r\n<b>June 5</b>\r\n\r\nHilton Head Island<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nHigh School\r\n\r\n<b>June 6</b>\r\n\r\nBluffton High School\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Graduation ceremonies will combine videos and celebrations', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'graduation-ceremonies-will-combine-videos-and-celebrations', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:04:31', '2020-05-13 18:04:31', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44361', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44363, 4, '2020-05-13 14:05:10', '2020-05-13 18:05:10', 'Purchases made using Beaufort County School District credit cards were properly authorized and documented, according to an outside audit performed by a Georgia-based firm hired by the Board of Education.\r\n\r\nThe report from Mauldin &amp; Jenkins of Savannah was the second outside credit card audit in two years to find that district procedures had been properly followed. The district makes most of its purchases of goods and services electronically – everything from classroom supplies to school furniture to monthly utility bills – using “purchase cards” provided by Bank of America.\r\n\r\nAfter examining 2,664 purchases between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, Mauldin &amp; Jenkins found no unauthorized purchases and determined that district procurement procedures had been followed.\r\n\r\nThe Mauldin &amp; Jenkins report, which was presented to the Beaufort County Board of Education Tuesday, May 5, echoed findings from a 2018 audit by a Virginia CPA firm. After that firm, Reed &amp; Associates, sampled 262 transactions from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017, Board members commissioned a second audit aimed at reviewing a larger sample of transactions.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the 2018 and 2020 Board-ordered audits, internal controls for P-cards are reviewed in the district’s annual independent audits required by the state.\r\n\r\nIn the 2018 and 2020 audits as well as district administration’s independent annual audits and procurement audits, there has never been a significant problem found with internal controls concerning P-card purchases.\r\n\r\nDistrict P-cards are subject to fraudulent use just as family credit cards are, and of more than 27,000 charges made during the 2018-19 fiscal year, individuals who were not district employees illegally made purchases 30 times using district P-card numbers. Each of those 30 cases was monitored and investigated, and in each case, Bank of America reimbursed the full cost of the illegal charge. The credit cards involved were replaced by Bank of America.\r\n\r\nCash rebates are also an important benefit for the Beaufort County School District, which received more than $1.9 million in P-card cash rebates from Bank of America over the past five years. Rebate funds become part of the district’s operating budget.', 'Second P-card audit: All authorizations, documentation appropriate', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'second-p-card-audit-all-authorizations-documentation-appropriate', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:05:10', '2020-05-13 18:05:10', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44363', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44365, 4, '2020-05-13 14:05:56', '2020-05-13 18:05:56', 'Ninety-six Beaufort County eighth-graders were honored Thursday, May 7 for being named Junior Scholars by the South Carolina Department of Education.\r\n\r\nThe students were recognized during a Facebook Live ceremony after the annual Junior Scholars Banquet was canceled due to the state-ordered shutdown of all schools and school-related events.\r\n\r\n“We didn’t want the COVID-19 school shutdown to keep us from recognizing these 96 students who are being recognized by the state of South Carolina for demonstrating outstanding academic potential,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said. “We’re challenging them to reach that potential and to keep pushing themselves to succeed.”\r\n\r\nThe Junior Scholars Program was developed by the S.C. Department of Education to identify eighth-graders with exceptional academic talent and to develop strategies for inclusion into special programs. The program includes a process for screening, identifying and recognizing students with high scholastic achievement and intellectual ability.\r\n\r\nEligible students include those who score 550 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the PSAT/NMSQT or those who scored 530 or higher on the Mathematics portion of the PSAT/NMSQT, those who participated in Duke University\'s Talent Identification Program (TIP) during their seventh-grade years.\r\n\r\nStudents who qualify as Junior Scholars receive an award of merit from the S.C. Department of Education as well as information regarding summer academic experiences sponsored by South Carolina colleges and universities. They can use that special recognition to bolster their applications to colleges and universities.\r\n\r\nBeaufort County School District Junior Scholar honorees (listed by school):\r\n\r\n<b>Beaufort Middle School</b> – T\'Erre Adderley, Ella Glover, Ryan Lin, Essence McKnight, Adelaide Rogers, Elizabeth Sherbert, Langston Simmons, Connie Marie Taylor and Zoe Way.\r\n\r\n<b>Bluff</b><b>ton Middle School </b>– Brodie Lanese, Maxwell Larkby, Ella Price, Thaddaeus Rios, Dylan Sampson, Destiny Skinner, Olivia Williams, Thabile Douglas, Hunter Darlak, Anthony Bynum, Jacob Brophy and Isaac Anaya.\r\n\r\n<b>H.E. McCracken Middle School</b> – Caleb Allinder, Anna Andreoletti, Joshua Angulo Lopez, Elizabeth Barry, Noah Berkley, Sarah Butler, Simon Cali, Trey Collins, Luke Constantineau, William Corn, Blaine Cottingham, Mia Doty, Elena Ford, Ava Gerschutz, Mallory Gilmore, Aiden Harvey, Emily Henderson, Garren Keckley, Ciera Kiefer, Laura Lopez Reyna, Ana Maldonado, Tyler McMahan, Kirtus Miller, Zarek Miller, Katie Misner, Michael Patino, Ellory Pruitt, Alexys Sambroak, Paul Smith, Haylie Star and Carlie Woods.\r\n\r\n<b>Hilton Head Island Middle School </b>– Mary Cahillane, Alexandra Coley, Lucas Fernandez, Matthew Garino, Benjamin Gutierrez, Jayro Hernandez, Nikhil Krishna, Thompson May, Susana Mogil, Fred Mouzon, Gray Rezzetano, Bryan Ruiz, Landon Schwartz, Zachary Starnes and Luke Stevens.\r\n\r\n<b>Lady\'s Island Middle School</b> – Abigail Baron, Jordan Dilon, Noah Henry, William Keyserling, Tucker Mickel, Jack Nicka, Parth Patel and Nathan Tran.\r\n\r\n<b>River Ridge Academy</b> – Hailey Aipperspach, Miller Hendricks, Alexander Lamb, Thiowa Maldonado, Ryan Mooney, Liliana Namdar, Sean Nguyen, Jacob Nix, Grant Pagatpatan, Jason Putnam, Michael Sands, Joshua Smith and Nathaniel Sorto.\r\n\r\n<b>Robert Smalls International Academy</b> – Jaeli Maxey and Lin Widrick.\r\n\r\n<b>Riverview Charter School </b>– Aiden Hovest, Juan Lopez, Creed Smith, Alexander Thomas, Daniel Trask and James Willis.', '96 BCSD students recognized as SC Junior Scholars', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', '96-bcsd-students-recognized-as-sc-junior-scholars', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:05:56', '2020-05-13 18:05:56', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44365', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44367, 4, '2020-05-13 14:12:46', '2020-05-13 18:12:46', 'Schools had to get creative this year in surprising their 2020-2021 Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year due to physical distancing measures currently in place.\r\n\r\nEarlier this month, principals and school staff visited teachers and support staff at home from 6 feet, hosted surprise Zoom meetings, and staged reveals during packet pick-up to make the special announcements.\r\n\r\n“The dedication and professionalism of our teachers and support staff has never been more important than in these extraordinary days,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez. Said. “This week we’re honoring our newly selected teachers and the support staff of the year, but we’re also honoring all of our district’s teachers and support staff. They earn our respect and gratitude each and every day.”\r\n\r\nTeachers of the Year are selected by their peers according to criteria established by the schools, the South Carolina Department of Education and the district’s Teacher Forum. Teachers honored will be eligible for District Teacher of the Year honors next fall.\r\n\r\nSupport staff honorees are selected by school staff and can include social workers, school nurses, bookkeepers, office managers, teacher assistants, school secretaries and technology and data specialists. Staff honored will be eligible for District Support Staff Person of the Year.\r\n<h4>The 2020-2021 Beaufort County Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Screen-Shot-2020-05-13-at-2.11.22-PM.png\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-44369 alignleft\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Screen-Shot-2020-05-13-at-2.11.22-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"607\" height=\"701\"></a></h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4></h4>', 'Schools get creative in announcing teachers, support staff of the year', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'schools-get-creative-in-announcing-teachers-support-staff-of-the-year', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:12:46', '2020-05-13 18:12:46', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44367', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44371, 4, '2020-05-13 14:17:16', '2020-05-13 18:17:16', '<b>By Bob Sofaly</b>\r\n\r\nIn an effort to keep in personal contact with their students, teachers at St. Peter’s Catholic School on Lady’s Island decided to have a “reverse drive-by” Saturday morning on school grounds.<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RES4238.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-44373\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RES4238-1024x675.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"313\"></a>\r\n\r\nTeachers, assistants and school administrators lined both sides of the road and waved to their students, who crept by waving their own banners from cars and pick-up trucks.\r\n\r\nOne teacher said the children have been doing a marvelous job with online learning but it all lacked the emotional bonding between teacher and students. So they decided to have drive by.\r\n\r\n“This is all new to us. But it might be the new normal for them,” she said. “This way we get to see each and tell them we love and miss them.”\r\n\r\nIf the smiles and squeals from the children was any indication, the reverse drive-by was a huge success.\r\n\r\n\r\n<em>Above: Students from St. Peter’s Catholic School carry signs and wave to their teachers during a reverse drive-by Saturday on school grounds. Students and teachers have been holding classes on line.</em>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Right: Hendrix and Sarah Schoolfeld wave to their teachers from the back of their dad’s pick-up truck during the reverse drive by Saturday at St. Peter’s Catholic School.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Photos by Bob Sofaly</em>', 'Teachers at St. Peter’s ‘drive-by’ for their kids', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'teachers-at-st-peters-drive-by-for-their-kids', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:17:16', '2020-05-13 18:17:16', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44371', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44375, 4, '2020-05-13 14:19:21', '2020-05-13 18:19:21', '<b>LowcoSports.com</b>\r\n\r\nDawson Coleman has been a constant presence in the Beaufort Academy athletics department since he was an eighth-grader. Now he is taking his versatile skill set to the South Carolina Gamecocks.\r\n\r\nBA announced Saturday that Coleman has accepted a preferred walk-on offer to join the Gamecocks’ football team as a tight end/wide receiver.\r\n\r\nColeman is best-known in the Lowcountry for his contributions on the basketball court, but he has been a three-sport star at BA, receiving all-region honors in football, basketball, and soccer and helping the Eagles claim state championships in football (2018) and soccer (2017, 2018).\r\n\r\n“We know he is going to have a great collegiate career at USC and will forever be our Eagle,” BA athletics director Nick Field said.\r\n\r\nColeman leaves BA as the program’s all-time leader for all-purpose yards and points, having passed for 2,212 yards and 32 TDs and added 1,354 rushing yards and 16 scores on the ground. But his contributions didn’t always show up on the stat sheet, according to BA coach Mark Clifford, who has raved about his quarterback’s football IQ and decision-making ability since taking over the program in 2018.\r\n\r\n“Dawson was one of my favorite quarterbacks that I have ever coached in my career,” Clifford said. “He could run, throw, and read defenses as good as any.”\r\n\r\nClifford recalls one time in particular when a fan approached the coach after the game to credit him for a good play call that led to a touchdown, and the veteran coach had to confess his young quarterback made the call.\r\n\r\n“That happened often,” Clifford said. “He is a kid that you could put complete trust and confidence in, and above all, he is a leader on and off the field. There is no doubt in my mind that he will succeed at Carolina and in life. I am honored to have been his coach.”\r\n\r\nColeman’s other coaches at BA echoed those sentiments. He only played one season for current boys basketball coach Bobby Smith, but he made quite an impression.\r\n\r\n“Dawson had a great work ethic and could lead by example,” Smith said. “Dawson was a winner and would not accept losing, and if the game became tight, he increased his effort and desire to win. Dawson will compete and he is the type of player that every coach dreams about, he was not only talented but showed great leadership skills. It was a great honor to coach Dawson, and I wish him the very best.”\r\n\r\nColeman admits he didn’t envision himself playing big-time college football, but Clifford did, and the pupil trusted his mentor’s vision.\r\n\r\n“Two years ago I talked to coach Clifford on the phone, and he said I had the chance to be a Division I football player,” Coleman recalls. “I thought he was crazy. Fast forward to now and it turns out he was right. I’m very thankful for all of my coaches throughout my life that have made me the athlete that I am today. I am looking forward to what the future holds for me.”\r\n\r\n<i>Above: Quarterback Dawson Coleman and Coach Mark Clifford pose after Beaufort Academy won the 2018 SCISA 8-man football championship.</i>', 'BA’s Coleman to join Gamecocks football team', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'bas-coleman-to-join-gamecocks-football-team', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:19:21', '2020-05-13 18:19:21', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44375', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44378, 4, '2020-05-13 14:20:37', '2020-05-13 18:20:37', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nAchy knees or hips slowing you down? You’re not alone. It’s estimated that more than 30 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, the most common type of joint problem in older adults. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, and a loss of ability.\r\n\r\n“Many people start noticing joint pain in their 40s, but it’s not necessarily enough to slow them down,” Beaufort Memorial Physical Therapist and Orthopaedic Care Coordinator Andrea Sadler said. “But by the time they reach their 50s and 60s, the pain is often bad enough to seek medical attention.”\r\n\r\nIf joint pain is keeping you from doing the things you enjoy, join Sadler for a free online joint pain class where she discusses common causes of joint pain, how early diagnosis can solve pain issues, effective non-surgical treatments for joint pain and the latest minimally invasive surgical procedures.\r\n\r\nAfter watching the video, get more answers by signing up for an upcoming live Q&amp;A video forum with Sadler and one of the hospital’s board-certified orthopaedic specialists. The next live Q&amp;A session will be hosted through Zoom at 1 p.m. Monday, May 18 with Dr. Vandit Sardana.\r\n\r\nThe seminar and Q&amp;A sessions are free, but registration is required for the Q&amp;A.\r\n\r\nTo view the video and make a reservation for the live Q&amp;A, visit BeaufortMemorial.org/JointPainClass.', 'Beaufort Memorial offers free online joint pain seminar', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-memorial-offers-free-online-joint-pain-seminar', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:20:37', '2020-05-13 18:20:37', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44378', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44381, 4, '2020-05-13 14:21:35', '2020-05-13 18:21:35', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nIn recognition of Women’s Health Month, Beaufort Memorial is offering the opportunity to purchase screening mammograms for $99 through MDsave now through May 31.\r\n\r\nMammograms are available in both Beaufort and Bluffton and can be purchased online at BeaufortMemorial.org/SaveOnMammos. Patients who purchase the $99 mammogram by the end of this month will be able to schedule their screening appointments any time within six months of purchase.\r\n\r\n“During the Covid-19 crisis, many things in our lives have been put on hold, including routine medical appointments,” said Jackie Brown, clinical manager of the Breast Health Center at Beaufort Memorial. “Women’s Health Month is a good reminder that it’s more important than ever to care for ourselves.”\r\n\r\nMDsave is an online healthcare marketplace designed for patients who have no health insurance or high-deductible health plans. Through MDsave patients can receive discounts on a wide range of medical services, including lab work, imaging tests, physical therapy, primary care visits and a variety of same-day surgeries – and avoid complicated hospital billing. Rather than receive separate invoices from the hospital and physicians, the services are bundled into one bill and paid directly to MD Save.\r\n\r\nPatients who wish to purchase a $99 screening mammogram should:\r\n\r\nVisit BeaufortMemorial.org/SaveOnMammos and select a service and preferred location now through May 31.\r\n\r\nPay online with a major credit card, debit card, FSA or HAS card and receive a service voucher.\r\n\r\nCall 843-522-5015 to schedule an appointment any time in the next six months.\r\n\r\nPresent the voucher at the time of the appointment.\r\n\r\nThe Breast Health Center has implemented enhanced safety and social distancing measures including employee and patient screenings for COVID-19, additional spacing in waiting areas, and staff use of protective masks, gloves, and eyewear. Patients are encouraged to wear a mask to their appointment, as well.\r\n\r\n“Our main concern is keeping our patients safe and healthy,” said Brown.', 'Beaufort Memorial to offer $99 mammograms through May 31', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-memorial-to-offer-99-mammograms-through-may-31-2', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:21:35', '2020-05-13 18:21:35', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44381', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44384, 4, '2020-05-13 14:23:55', '2020-05-13 18:23:55', '<b>Special to The Island News</b>\r\n\r\nWe are facing a new normal. Social distancing. Pandemics. Flattening the curve. Shelter in place. These terms are now part of our vocabulary.\r\n\r\nCOVID-19 has created this sense of vulnerability and anxiety in our everyday lives. But as we are learning to adapt and regaining control, another concept needs to be added to the mix – Advance Directive.\r\n\r\n“An advance directive is a document that puts you in control of your healthcare decisions, even when you are not able to speak for yourself,” Jennifer Massey, a licensed social worker at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, said. “Now, more than ever, completing an advance directive ensures your wishes about end of life are at the center of your treatment decisions.”\r\n\r\n<b>Why now?</b>\r\n\r\nRecently, hospitals have had to put strict visitor restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With these restrictions, patients are coming into the hospital alone.\r\n\r\nIn addition, some patients may require days or weeks on mechanical ventilation. It can be unclear who should be making healthcare decisions for those patients who are very ill or unable to communicate clearly.\r\n\r\nProviders are left to track down next of kin based on the state laws about healthcare surrogates, not necessarily working with the person that knows the patient’s wishes best.\r\n\r\n“Families may be left to make decisions based on reports from doctors and a few video phone calls,” said Massey, who also serves as Manager of Patient Continuum of Care Services for Beaufort Memorial’s Palliative Care Program. “This can be even more difficult if the family is burdened with trying to guess what their loved one would want in this situation.”\r\n\r\n<b>What can I do?</b>\r\n\r\nAdd “creating an advance directive” to the list of the projects you want to get done during your time in quarantine. This will allow you to reflect on what quality of life means to you and empower you to make decisions about your healthcare, removing the burden from your family.\r\n\r\nIt also enables you to pick the person you feel will best support your decisions, not necessarily your oldest child or spouse, but the person that will make the tough choices based on the wishes you have communicated.\r\n\r\nSouth Carolina has several options for writing down your decisions about end of life care. The easiest is the South Carolina Healthcare Power of Attorney, (a copy of the free form is available at BeaufortMemorial.org/PowerOfAttorney). The form has instructions on completion and needs to be witnessed by two people that are not part of family or medical team. While there is a place to notarize this form, this is optional.\r\n\r\n“Take your time and read over the form and consider what is being asked,” Massey said. “Talk with your doctor if you have questions about what any of it means or how it would relate to your current health condition.”\r\n\r\n<b>What next?</b>\r\n\r\nComplete the form, initialing by the appropriate line and signing at the end of the document. After you complete the document, share it.\r\n\r\n“This is not a document to hide away in a safe deposit box,” Massey said. “This is a document you want to make sure you share. Share it with your family so they know how best to support you should your health start to decline. Tell them about the decisions you have made and why. Share it with your primary care physician. Share it with your hospital. Take it to any medical appointment to ensure your goals for care are at the center of the treatment you are receiving.”\r\n\r\nBut don’t think this is a one and done kind of form, she advises.\r\n\r\n“With major life changes, your wishes and values will change. A divorce, diagnosis with a serious illness, death of a chosen agent or loved one or your own health decline can make you rethink the way you view aggressive therapies.”\r\n\r\nLook at the document again and again. Create a new one if you need to. Just remember to share the changes with everyone, so they are working with the latest information.\r\n\r\n“While COVID-19 has created this sense of vulnerability and anxiety in our everyday lives, by completing your healthcare power of attorney, you can regain some control,” said Massey. “Empower yourself and your family so they may act confidently on your behalf if the need should ever arise.”', 'Advance Care Planning in the face of COVID-19', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'advance-care-planning-in-the-face-of-covid-19', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:23:55', '2020-05-13 18:23:55', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44384', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44387, 4, '2020-05-13 14:24:50', '2020-05-13 18:24:50', '<b>Parris Island holding live-fire training</b>\r\n\r\nMarine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island will be conducting extended live-fire training from 6 a.m. May 18 to 2 a.m. May 22. The marsh and waterways in the range impact area to include Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek, and Edding Creek will be closed to boat traffic.\r\n\r\nFor questions regarding firing times and waterway closures please contact the Weapons and Field Training Battalion Range Control at 843-228-3170.\r\n\r\n<b>Paige Point Boat Landing floating dock closed</b>\r\n\r\nThe floating dock at Paige Point Boat Landing in the Sheldon area is closed until further notice. The boat landing, however, remains open. Please contact the Beaufort County Public Works Department at 843-255-2800 for further information.\r\n\r\n<b>Beaufort County free electronics recycling event</b>\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort County Solid Waste and Recycling Department’s free electronics recycling event originally scheduled for Saturday, May 16 at the Beaufort and Bluffton Public Works sites, will now be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 20.\r\n\r\nFor more information, contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Section at www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle or call 843-255-2736.', 'News Briefs', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'news-briefs-151', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:24:50', '2020-05-13 18:24:50', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44387', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44390, 4, '2020-05-13 14:28:07', '2020-05-13 18:28:07', '<b>By Fred Gaskin</b>\r\n\r\nNot surprisingly, I regularly receive calls from investors that have been battered by recent events. They’ve witnessed their life savings suffer meaningful declines, and their confidence in the market is shaken. A few have liquidated part, or all, of their investment portfolios. These emotions and reactions are not surprising, and inevitably the conversation shifts to them asking, ‘What should we do with our cash?’ While risk tolerances, investment objectives and time horizons vary, I believe history provides some interesting lessons for investors.\r\n\r\nWhile holding cash feels good over the short term, particularly in these volatile times, it’s not a successful long-term strategy. Consider the fact that if you wait to put your savings to work in stocks and other investments until the “perfect” moment — or even until a time you think will be better than today — history suggests your plan is likely to backfire, resulting in less wealth over time.\r\n\r\nTo see how waiting to invest can cost you, evaluate the fortunes of four hypothetical investors, based on data from the Schwab Center for Financial Research.\r\n\r\nEach received $2,000 at the beginning of every year for 20 years through 2018 — but as you’ll see, each made drastically different decisions about how to invest those sums.\r\n\r\n<b>The Perfect Timer.</b> This highly skilled — or very lucky — investor was able to place his $2,000 into the S&amp;P 500 every year at the lowest monthly closing price, thus ensuring the highest possible returns over time.\r\n\r\n<b>The Immediate Investor. </b>Each year, this investor kept it simple and invested her $2,000 in the market on the first day of each year.\r\n\r\n<b>The Terrible Timer.</b> This investor, prone to terribly bad luck, consistently “bought high” by investing her $2,000 each year at the market\'s peak.\r\n\r\n<b>The Hesitator. </b>This investor ended up never investing at all. Instead, he left his money in cash investments (using Treasury bills as a proxy) every year. He always felt that lower stock prices — and, therefore, better opportunities to invest his money — were just around the corner.\r\n\r\nThe result? Investing immediately pays off. While the Perfect Timer did best over the course of time, accumulating $175,859 over the 20-year period, the Immediate Investor who put her money to work early and steadily did almost as well. In the same time, the Immediate Investor accumulated $163,126 or just $12,733 less than the Perfect Timer. Even the Terrible Timer came out in good shape, ending up with $141,954.\r\n\r\nThe worst performer by far: The Hesitator, who by failing to ever invest his money wound up with just $64,651—a substantially smaller amount than all of the others.\r\n\r\nThe experiences of these four investors offer some important lessons about investing:\r\n\r\nThe best time to start investing is right now. Don’t get caught up in what the financial markets are doing today or what pundits predict will happen next week. The Immediate Investor’s results demonstrate how smart it can be to invest as soon as you possibly can, while the Hesitator’s poor results show the dangers of dilly dallying.\r\n\r\nEven the worst market timing beats doing nothing at all. Over the long term it\'s almost always better to invest in stocks — even at the worst time each year — than to hesitate and not invest at all. Even with her exceptionally poor timing, the Terrible Timer earned more than 50 percent more than what she would have if she’d avoided the market entirely.\r\n\r\nDon’t worry about trying to time the market. Ultimately, the benefits of timing the market perfectly aren’t all that great. Over the 20 years, The Perfect Timer amassed only around $13,000 more than the Immediate Investor who put her cash to work right away. Trying to time the market perfectly is a Herculean task that even most professional investors can’t do successfully over time. Ask yourself: Would you rather stare at stock charts all day or spend your free time with family and friends?\r\n\r\nDollar cost averaging is a great compromise. If you don\'t have the opportunity, or stomach, to invest a lump sum all at once, consider investing smaller amounts more frequently. Dollar cost averaging helps prevent procrastination by helping you stick to an investment schedule. And by ensuring you put relatively small sums of money to work on a regular and consistent basis, dollar cost averaging helps you buy more of your investments when prices are low, and less when prices are high.\r\n\r\nThe lessons outlined above are very important, but most investors still need guidance. By committing to a plan, investors can remove much of the emotion from the investment process with a clearly defined objective (Getting Invested!), and importantly, get better invested for the long term. As we’ve mentioned in earlier articles, timing the market’s ups and downs is nearly impossible – instead, focus on staying diversified, know your risk tolerance, and stick to your plan during tough times. For long-term investors, which are most of us, the strategy should be time in the market rather than timing the market.\r\n\r\n<i>Fred Gaskin is the branch leader at the Charles Schwab Independent Branch in Bluffton. He has over 35 years of experience helping clients achieve their financial goals. Some content provided here has been compiled from previously published articles authored by various parties at Schwab.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>Information presented is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as personalized investment advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, Charles Schwab recommends consultation with a qualified professional.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>The Schwab Center for Financial Research is a division of Charles Schwab &amp; Co., Inc.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>Diversification strategies and periodic investment plans (dollar-cost-averaging) do not assure a profit and do not protect against loss in declining markets.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>Past performance is no indication of future results.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>This analysis shows the outcomes for four hypothetical investors who invested $2,000 a year for 20 years. The Perfect Timer invested each year at the market trough. The Immediate Investor invested immediately on the first day of each year. The Terrible Timer invested each year at the market peak. The Hesitator never implemented the plan and stayed in T-bills. The Perfect Timer &amp; the Terrible Timer invested their yearly $2,000 investments in T-bills while waiting to invest in stocks. Stocks are represented by the S&amp;P500® Index with all dividends invested. Indices are unmanaged, do not incur fees or expenses, and cannot be invested in directly. Average results remained relatively unchanged when the study is extended to 12-month periods that begin with a month other than January. In the case of the 12-month period that goes from February to January, the Immediate Investor invested immediately on the first day of February each 12-month period for 20 years. Ibbotson US 30-Day Treasury Bills is an unweighted index which measures the performance of one-month maturity US Treasury Bills. S&amp;P500® Index is a market-capitalization weighted index that consists of 500 widely traded stocks chosen for market size, liquidity, and industry group representation.</i>', 'Investing in Difficult Times: Getting  (re)started can be hard, but it isn’t difficult.', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'investing-in-difficult-times-getting-restarted-can-be-hard-but-it-isnt-difficult', '', '', '2021-03-30 15:01:47', '2021-03-30 19:01:47', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44390', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44392, 4, '2020-05-13 14:29:07', '2020-05-13 18:29:07', 'A new private foundation and pending 501c(3) nonprofit in the Lowcountry called The Celebration Projects aims to provide deserving children in need with a birthday party.\r\n\r\nThe nonprofit is seeking children who are currently or have been experiencing any adversity.\r\n\r\nFrom physical disabilities, learning disabilities, children with Austism, or those experiencing financial hardship, The Celebration Projects is accepting nominations and applications on its website, www.thecelebrationprojects.org.\r\n\r\n“There are many organizations that are thankfully providing children and their family with basic needs,” founder Libby O’Regan said in a release. “Our goal is to bring pure joy to children through the simple act of a birthday party.”\r\n\r\nO’Regan believes having a birthday party promotes self-confidence, self-worth, and creates the chance to bridge socio-economic gaps, foster inclusion, reduce bullying, connect individuals, and create a lifetime of memories.\r\n\r\n“We believe the simple act of a birthday party has the power to change the course of a young person’s life,” O’Regan said.\r\n\r\nWhen an applicant is accepted, there is no cost for the family or any of the attendees for the party. The recipient of the party will work with the organizers to dream up their party.\r\n\r\nThe Celebration Projects team will work with the child to visualize a theme, such as a train theme, superhero theme, or mermaid party. The party will include a location, activities, entertainment, food, drink, cake, decorations, and favors for up to 30 people. The party will even include gifts.\r\n\r\nThe organization will rely on the financial contributions of generous donors and the support of dozens of businesses in the community.\r\n\r\nMany businesses and individuals have already pledged their support to donate their services and products when they are able. A ticketed fundraiser to include an auction is being planned for next May.\r\n\r\nTo learn more about how you can partner, donate, or nominate, please visit www.thecelebrationprojects.org or reach out to Libby O’Regan at libby@thecelebrationprojects.org.', 'Group launched to provide birthday parties to kids in need', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'group-launched-to-provide-birthday-parties-to-kids-in-need', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:29:07', '2020-05-13 18:29:07', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44392', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(44394, 4, '2020-05-13 14:30:00', '2020-05-13 18:30:00', '<b>By Mike McCombs</b>\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort River Swim+5K Run scheduled for Saturday, June 6, in downtown Beaufort has been postponed.\r\n\r\nAccording to Betsy Hinderliter, the director of marketing and development for the Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry, organizers are hopeful to move the event to a Fall 2020 date.\r\n\r\n“As soon as we get a date set, I will let everyone know,” Hinderliter said in an email release. “Thank you and stay healthy!”\r\n\r\nNew this year is the addition of a 5K Run which will follow the 3.2-mile competitive open-water race and the 1-mile Fun Swim. The 5K Run, presented by Beaufort Memorial Hospital, means there will be multiple options for participants: Swim, swim and run, run, or team up for a relay.\r\n\r\nIn the 2019 event, 147 swimmers entered in the 3.2-mile race and a record-high 28 participated in the fun swim. The YMCA raised more than $15,000 for the YMCA Learn to Swim Program.\r\n\r\nThe YMCA Learn to Swim Program provides financial assistance for children, families, and individuals in the community to take swimming lessons and be safe around the water.\r\n\r\nCohen Bruner, 16, and his 14-year-old sister Skyler, both from Hilton Head Island, won the men’s and women’s events, respectively.', 'Beaufort River Swim+5K postponed', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-river-swim5k-postponed', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:30:00', '2020-05-13 18:30:00', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44394', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44397, 4, '2020-05-13 14:30:42', '2020-05-13 18:30:42', '<b>May 14</b> –City of Beaufort’s Design Review Board, 2 p.m., watch via Zoom or on the city’s Facebook page\r\n\r\n<b>May 14</b> – Beaufort County Council Finance Committee Budget Work Session, 2-4 p.m., watch on The County Channel, the county’s Facebook page or at www.beaufortcountysc.gov.\r\n\r\n<b>May 18</b> – Beaufort County Council Communications and Transparency, 1 p.m., watch on The County Channel, the county’s Facebook page or at www.beaufortcountysc.gov.\r\n\r\n<b>May 18</b> – Beaufort County Council Finance Committee,\r\n2 p.m., watch on The County Channel, the county’s Facebook page or at www.beaufortcountysc.gov.\r\n\r\n<b>May 18</b> – Beaufort County Public Facilities Committee, 3:30 p.m., watch on The County Channel, the county’s Facebook page or at www.beaufortcountysc.gov.\r\n\r\n<b>May 18</b> – Beaufort – Port Royal Metropolitan Planning Commission, 5 p.m., watch via Zoom or on the city’s Facebook page\r\n\r\n<b>May 19</b> – Beaufort County Board of Education Board Meeting, 6 p.m., watch on The County Channel, the county’s Facebook page or at www.beaufortcountysc.gov.', 'Public Meetings May 14–20', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'public-meetings-may-14-20', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:30:42', '2020-05-13 18:30:42', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44397', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44399, 4, '2020-05-13 14:31:59', '2020-05-13 18:31:59', '<b>Help of Beaufort Fundraiser</b>\r\n\r\n9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 23, Help of Beaufort, 1810 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Full rack of ribs and whole chicken, $35. Smoked by Sea Eagle Market. Order and pay online at www.helpofbeaufot.org, stop at Help of Beaufort or call 843-524-1223 to order.\r\n\r\n<b>Greater Bluffton Republican<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>Club meeting</b>\r\n\r\n5:45 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, Local Pie Bluffton at 15 State of Mind St., Bluffton. The guest speaker will be Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls, CPA, who will give an update on Beaufort County\'s fiscal health. The social hour begins at 5 p.m. in The Upstairs Room. The public is welcome.\r\n\r\n<b>Beaufort County electronics<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>recycling event</b>\r\n\r\n9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, June 20, Beaufort and Bluffton Public Works sites. The Beaufort County Solid Waste and Recycling Department’s free electronics recycling event originally scheduled for May 16. For more information, visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle or call 843-255-2736.', 'What’s  Happening', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'whats-happening-14', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:31:59', '2020-05-13 18:31:59', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44399', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44401, 4, '2020-05-13 14:32:33', '2020-05-13 18:32:33', 'Beaufort-Jasper Water &amp; Sewer Authority (BJWSA) is implementing an irrigation program to alleviate usage during peak hours and ensure public safety.\r\n\r\nThis move comes as the tourist and growing season puts higher demands on water supply during peak hours. These high demands can result in reduced water pressure in the distribution system and low levels in water storage tanks, both of which adversely affect the performances of fire hydrants and other fire suppression facilities.\r\n\r\nCustomers with even-numbered addresses are asked to irrigate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from midnight to 2 a.m. or from 9 a.m. to noon. Those with odd-numbered addresses are asked to irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.\r\n\r\nMondays are reserved as “no irrigation days” to accommodate for the very high water demands that are typically experienced specifically on Mondays.\r\n\r\nThe guidelines were developed in cooperation with Clemson Extension Service in order to ensure that lawns are being watered at appropriate times for health and growth.\r\n\r\nDeputy General Manager for Operations and Technical Services Patrick Burke said in a release, “We worked with the Clemson Extension to develop a plan that would strike a balance between the irrigating needs of our local landscapes and the operational needs of our water system. As a result, we’d like to encourage these new irrigation usage times, which allows our water storage tanks to fill and also smooths out peak daily water usage demands that put significant strains on the water system.”\r\n\r\nFor more information, visit https://bjwsa.org/water-use/ or call 843-987-9200.', 'BJWSA asks customers to stagger irrigation usage', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'bjwsa-asks-customers-to-stagger-irrigation-usage', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:32:33', '2020-05-13 18:32:33', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44401', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44403, 4, '2020-05-13 14:36:02', '2020-05-13 18:36:02', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nSouth Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest on May 7 of Perry Oswald Scoon-Dillard of Beaufort on three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor.\r\n\r\nBeaufort County Sheriff\'s Office investigators received a lead from the S.C. Attorney General\'s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) initiative of child pornography being uploaded to the internet from computers and/or electronic devices at 107 Joppa Road in Shell Point. Further investigation substantiated the lead and revealed that the child pornography had been uploaded by the sole occupant of the residence, the 36-year-old Scoon-Dillard.\r\n\r\nBased on the information, Sheriff\'s Office investigators obtained a warrant from a Beaufort County magistrate to search the Joppa Road residence to locate and seize the computers and/or electronic devices used to upload the child pornography. Investigators also obtained warrants from the magistrate for the arrest of Perry Scoon-Dillard for three counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor 3rd Degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.\r\n\r\nOn Thursday, May 7, Sheriff\'s Office investigators served the search warrant at 107 Joppa Road. Scoon-Dillard was at the residence at the time and was taken into custody. Investigators searched the residence and seized computers and other electronic devices.\r\n\r\nPerry Scoon-Dillard was transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center and incarcerated. He has since been released on bond.\r\n\r\nIn-depth forensic examinations of the seized computers and other electronic devices will be performed by the S.C. Attorney General\'s Office, which, pending the results of analyses, could lead to additional criminal charges.\r\n\r\nAnyone who has information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Sergeant Jennifer Snider at 843-255-3421 or Crimestoppers of the Lowcountry at 843-554-1111, if wishing to remain anonymous and for possible reward.\r\n\r\nThe S.C. Attorney General\'s Office will prosecute Scoon-Dillard for all criminal charges stemming from this ICAC investigation. Attorney General Wilson stresses all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.', 'Man arrested on child pornography charges', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'man-arrested-on-child-pornography-charges', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:36:02', '2020-05-13 18:36:02', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44403', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44406, 4, '2020-05-13 14:37:38', '2020-05-13 18:37:38', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nThe coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, forcing Americans to limit social contact and avoid huge gatherings, continues to claim casualties, both real and symbolic.\r\n\r\nBeaufort has suffered another.\r\n\r\nThe Edward Wallace Camp No. 21 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Beaufort (SUVCWB) announced Monday, May 11 in a letter the decision to cancel the 2020 Memorial Day events in Beaufort.\r\n\r\nThese events include the Memorial Day Parade and the Memorial Day Ceremony at Beaufort National Cemetery.\r\n\r\n“While we know this is disappointing, we hope you can understand the steps we’re taking to help keep our members and attendees safe,” Rev. Elijah Washington, Edward Wallace Camp No. 21 Commander, said in an email. “We look forward to hosting the 2021 Memorial Day events next year.”', 'Memorial Day events canceled', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'memorial-day-events-canceled', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:37:38', '2020-05-13 18:37:38', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44406', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44408, 4, '2020-05-13 14:43:20', '2020-05-13 18:43:20', '<h2><b>Nurses at Beaufort Memorial Hospital talk about being on the frontlines of COVID-19</b></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>By Mindy Lucas</b>\r\n\r\nER nurse Lauren Singer remembers the first time she saw a coronavirus patient at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.\r\n\r\nIt was early March and, as Singer recalled by phone recently, the first cases had already hit the United States.\r\n\r\n“That’s when things really started happening behind the scenes,” she said, as she remembers when the hospital began ramping up its emergency planning.\r\n\r\nMembers of the hospital’s emergency management team were meeting two to three times a day. Staff were taking stock of ventilators and PPE, or personal protection equipment. Visitors had been limited to one per patient, but that would soon change as hospitals everywhere would eventually go on lockdown, barring any visitors for patients.\r\n\r\nThen one day, there she was. Singer’s first COVID-19 patient.\r\n\r\nShe may not have been the first for the hospital, but she was certainly Singer’s first.\r\n\r\n“I vividly remember looking at this patient and thinking something isn’t right,” she said. “I couldn’t put my hand on what it was.”\r\n\r\nThe patient had come in for another emergency, but her vital signs just weren’t adding up, Singer said. She was also “walking and talking” and for the most part seemed fine.\r\n\r\n“I would say my little alarm went off,” she said.\r\n\r\nAs Singer would soon learn, the patient had COVID-19.\r\n\r\n“I think that was the turning point for everyone,” she said, explaining that’s when she and ER staff realized that some patients could, in fact, look mostly fine or be “walking and talking” and still have the virus.\r\n\r\n“That’s what was scary about it,” Singer said.\r\n\r\nAs she went on to explain, a patient could have suffered a fall or dizzy spell and not really know why. Medical staff would then find his or her oxygen levels to be dangerously low.\r\n\r\nOr a patient may have a cough and downplay its significance.\r\n\r\n“So we may say, that sounds like a unique cough. How long have you had that,” she said.\r\n\r\nSometimes patients didn’t know or even realize they had the virus.\r\n\r\nTo make matters worse, COVID-19 began popping up around the southeast at a time when the region’s allergy season was only just getting started.\r\n\r\nSo Singer and the rest of the ER team had to “dig deep,” she said.\r\n\r\nThey learned not only to ask the usual questions, such as have you traveled lately or have you been exposed to someone who recently tested positive for COVID-19, but to pay attention to other symptoms and a patient’s all-important vital signs as well.\r\n\r\n“You work as a team and you provide the care that’s seamless,” she said. “But to me, it’s not the ones who present with all kinds of the classic symptoms that’s scary. … It’s the ones who you have to think out of the box to figure out what’s wrong.”\r\n\r\nThen there are the patients who are ill from the moment they come in, or who are sick and quickly worsen, both Singer and ICU nurse Candy Chappell said.<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Candy1.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-44411\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Candy1-1024x789.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"406\"></a>\r\n\r\nPatients like David Jackson who would be admitted first to the hospital, then to its intensive care unit where he would spend 11 days on a ventilator.\r\n\r\n“When patients got to us they were pretty bad,” Chappell said, adding that many of the COVID-19 patients had similar symptoms: high fevers, respiratory issues with high oxygen requirements.\r\n\r\n“We’ve all seen a lot of respiratory illnesses obviously, but you would see chest X-rays and you would say it looks typical for COVID-19,” she said. And a lot of patients would need to be intubated.\r\n\r\n“And they needed to be intubated immediately,” she said.\r\n\r\nThat is when a tube is inserted into the patient’s throat and windpipe using general anesthesia. This is to make it easier to get air into the lungs. A ventilator then pumps in air with extra oxygen.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nAs one of the first patients to test positive and then be released from the hospital, David Jackson’s recovery was no small victory for the hospital, and one that would be celebrated with medical staff lining the halls and clapping for him as he was wheeled out.\r\n\r\nBut the road to recovery for patients like Jackson and the impact the virus has had on their families is difficult nonetheless, Chappell said.\r\n\r\nWhen Jackson’s wife was informed she would not be allowed in with her husband, that’s when the gravity of the situation really hit them, Chappell said.\r\n\r\n“That was the moment for me when I thought, ‘Oh my God. This is going to be terrible,’” she said. “I can’t imagine what I would do if that was my family and I couldn’t see them.”\r\n\r\nTo help ease her burden, Chappell brought her own phone in to Jackson’s room so his wife could FaceTime with him.\r\n\r\n“It was very emotional watching them talk to each other,” she said.\r\n\r\nThe hospital eventually purchased and brought in iPads for patients to communicate with family members, but until then, Chappell allowed the couple to use her phone to check in. She’d also show Jackson’s wife his monitor to show her how well he was doing.\r\n\r\nAt some point, she told Chappell, ‘I think I can get some sleep tonight.’\r\n\r\nTragically, not all patients admitted to the ICU with the coronavirus make it.\r\n\r\n“We want them all to do well and be successful and come off the ventilator,” Chappell said.\r\n\r\nWhen they don’t, it is extremely difficult for family members who can’t be there with them, or hold their hand she said.\r\n\r\n“Having them pass away and not be with their family, I think that’s the hardest part for us,” she said. “But it’s hardest on the families.”\r\n<h4><b>Reluctant heroes</b></h4>\r\nWhen the virus first hit Beaufort County, there was almost a feeling of, “Can this really be happening?” Chappell said.\r\n\r\n“Just like everybody else we thought, ‘Surely it’s not going to come to Beaufort and bam, it was here,” she said.\r\n\r\nNaturally, the medical staff was a little leery as many worried about taking the virus home to their families, she said. One only had to turn on the TV to see evidence of its devastation in places like New York or Italy, Chappell said.\r\n\r\n“But we learned different things (to protect ourselves) as we went along,” she said, explaining that first staff would change out of scrubs before leaving work. Then later, they would change at home, stripping down in garages or exterior buildings, before going in to shower.\r\n\r\n“But there was never any of thought that we were not going to take care of patients,” said Chappell, who hasn’t seen her own mother, 83, in over a month.\r\n\r\nAs many nurses including Chappell and Singer will tell you, they go into the profession out of a desire to care for others, even though the days can be long and sometimes emotionally or physically exhausting.\r\n\r\nBoth Singer and Chappell typically work 12-hour shifts, three times a week but can sometimes work an extra shift if needed. But both nurses also said it’s the medical staff and their own teams that make the difference.\r\n\r\n“We have a very supportive group here,” Chappell said. “We all have a vested interest in these folks and when we don’t have a success, we talk about it and help each other through it.”\r\n\r\nSinger echoed Chappell’s comments.\r\n\r\n“We’ve gone through a lot together here,” she said, adding that when they’ve lost a patient, no matter what it’s from, it can be hard.\r\n\r\n“We might close the doors to the trauma room, and just debrief,” she said. “And if you need a minute, there is a lot of respect where we work.”\r\n\r\nWords like “hero” or “brave” are sometimes used to describe nurses, doctors, first responders and others on the front lines of the pandemic, but both Singer and Chappell were reluctant to call themselves heroes.\r\n\r\n“I don’t feel like a hero,” Chappell said. “I feel like I’m doing my job, and I’m helping the community and doing what I need to do to help people, which is what I’m supposed to be doing.”\r\n\r\n<i>\r\nNurses Lauren Singer (top) and Candy Chappell at work at Beaufort Memorial Hosptial. Photos by Mindy Lucas.</i>\r\n<h2><b>&nbsp;</b></h2>', '‘Doing what I need to do to help people’', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'doing-what-i-need-to-do-to-help-people', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:46:57', '2020-05-13 18:46:57', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44408', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44415, 4, '2020-05-13 14:51:39', '2020-05-13 18:51:39', '<h2><b>Dine-in eating returns; McMaster to open close contact services, gyms, pools</b></h2>\r\n<b>By Mike McCombs</b>\r\n\r\n<strong>Photo by Bob Sofaly</strong>\r\n\r\nThough Governor Henry McMaster is opening South Carolina back up at a steady pace – dine-in service at restaurants returned Monday and close contact service providers, fitness and exercise centers, commercial gyms, and public or commercial pools will be able to open in a limited capacity on Monday, May 18 – Beaufort County’s State of Emergency will go on for at least another month, though you may not notice&nbsp;at all.\r\n\r\nBeaufort County Council voted Monday night to extend the county’s state of public health emergency until June 11. The declaration would have expired May 16.\r\n\r\nUnder the state of emergency, County Administrator Ashley Jacobs was given the power to enact an emergency operations plan and make certain unilateral decisions about county operations in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.\r\n\r\nAccording to Beaufort County spokesperson Liz Farrell, all this extension does is ensure that should a development require swift response, Jacobs will be able to act. Farrell said it should not affect the average citizen or their ability to go about their day-to-day lives.\r\n\r\nCurrently, the majority of county departments, facilities and buildings are closed and county business is being conducted remotely or by telephone and email.\r\n<h4><b>Additional businesses to<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>re-open Monday, May 18</b></h4>\r\nClose contact service providers, fitness and exercise centers, commercial gyms, and public or commercial pools will be able to open in a limited capacity on Monday, May 18.\r\n\r\nClose contact service providers include the following businesses: Barber shops, hair salons, waxing salons, threading salons, nail salons and spas, body-art facilities and tattoo services, tanning salons, massage-therapy establishments and massage services.\r\n\r\nCommercial gyms will include group exercise facilities such as yoga studios, barre classes, and others.\r\n\r\n“With our increased capacity for testing the people of our state, it is time to responsibly and gradually get these small businesses back up and running,” McMaster said. “We have an opportunity to set an example for the rest of the world by reinvigorating our economy while staying safe, but we can only do that if South Carolinians continue to follow the advice and recommendations of our public health experts.”\r\n\r\nThe governor’s announcement comes following nearly three weeks of accelerateSC meetings, in part, for the purpose of developing guidelines for operations that each of these businesses are expected to follow, if and when they choose to open.\r\n<h4><b>Municipal Court to resume sessions Thursday, May 14</b></h4>\r\nThe City of Beaufort Municipal Court will resume court sessions beginning Thursday, May 14, with new social distancing and health guidelines to help minimize risk to court participants.\r\n\r\nCourthouse administrative offices are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.\r\n\r\nDefendants are encouraged to contact the court before their court date for information regarding reductions in fines or diversionary programs; call 843-525-7036. Defendants are also encouraged to email proof of compliance to courtcontacts@cityofbeaufort.org.\r\n\r\n– What to expect when appearing on your trial date?\r\n\r\nA check-in station will be set up outside the Courthouse near the disability-accessible entry. The docket will be checked to ensure you are on it and your temperature may be taken.\r\n\r\n– Other guidelines: Face masks are required to enter the courtroom; Social distancing guidelines will be in force; One defendant will appear in court at a time; City staff will wear gloves and face masks; If paperwork is required after court, it will be emailed or mailed to you.\r\n\r\nIf you are ill, please contact the court team at 843-525-7036.\r\n<h4><b>SCDMV returns to<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>normal schedule</b></h4>\r\nStarting Wednesday, May 13, the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) will have returned to operating five days a week at all but two branch office locations. Customers must continue to schedule appointments through the agency’s website at SCDMVonline.com to maintain social distancing inside branch offices.\r\n\r\nSocial distancing requirements will remain in effect at all SCDMV Branch Office locations. Customers must continue to adhere to 6 feet of physical separation between themselves and others while waiting to enter a SCDMV Branch Office.\r\n\r\nBranch Office lobbies will not be available as waiting areas, and the SCDMV will ensure proper distancing by serving customers using every other counter. Sneeze guards are in place for the protection of both customers and employees. Frequent sanitization will also be a priority of our employees to prevent the spread of germs.\r\n\r\nNon-commercial road tests remain suspended but the SCDMV is assessing several options to resume this service to license drivers. In the interim, a customer in need of a non-commercial road test may contact a licensed driving school in South Carolina to determine if the driving school is offering road tests.\r\n\r\nThe SCDMV will continue to offer motorcycle licensing road tests and will also continue to offer a limited number of Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) skills tests at select locations. Customers are encouraged to check the SCDMV website at SCDMVonline.com to see if they can complete their transactions online before attempting to make appointments.\r\n<h4><b>SC reports 147 new<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>cases of coronavirus</b></h4>\r\nThe S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Tuesday announced 147 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 9 additional deaths, bringing the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 7,927 and those who have died to 355.\r\n\r\nThere were two news Beaufort County cases bringing the total to 282 with 12 deaths in the county.\r\n\r\n<i>Clockwise from left, Jack Duncan, Sophia and Scarlett Mercier and Lucy Duncan, take a break from their coloring books to mug for the camera Monday at Fish Camp on 11th Street in Port Royal. The popular seafood restaurant opened its doors Monday for dining in per South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster’s orders regarding social distancing. Seated in the background are the children’s parents and grandparents, Mickey and Judy McAllister, Jennifer Duncan and Denise and Mark Mercier, who gathered for a late Mother’s Day celebration. Photo by Bob Sofaly.</i>', 'County extends state of emergency', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'county-extends-state-of-emergency', '', '', '2020-05-13 15:36:08', '2020-05-13 19:36:08', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44415', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44418, 4, '2020-05-13 14:54:19', '2020-05-13 18:54:19', 'Beaufort residents Steve Rosenberg (right), retired chair of the Music Department at the College of Charleston and Vic Varner (left), music director, First Presbyterian Church, presented an “open air” concert for Steve’s neighbors in Midtown Square, Beaufort, on Monday, May 4. Steve performed with several recorders, accompanied by Vic on a classical guitar. Midtown Square residents listened from their porches with appropriate social distancing. The program finale, which included a community sing-along, was a special rendition of “Love Potion No. 9.” Photo by Jim Weiskopf.', 'Lowcountry Life', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'lowcountry-life-118', '', '', '2020-05-13 14:54:19', '2020-05-13 18:54:19', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44418', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44509, 4, '2020-05-27 12:45:28', '2020-05-27 16:45:28', '<strong>6 from Beaufort<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>among SC Corps of Cadets Class of 2020</strong>\r\n\r\nSix Beaufort area students were among the nearly 600 members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets who accepted diplomas during The Citadel\'s virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9.\r\n\r\nIn addition to graduating, about 30 percent of the class accepted commissions as U.S. military officers in all branches of service.\r\n\r\nThe ceremony included 590 cadets from 33 states, including 26 veterans and four active-duty students. Approximately 210 cadets are earning commissions in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces to become new officers.\r\n\r\nLocal graduates include:\r\n\r\nThomas Henderson – Business Administration, BSBA\r\n\r\nDavid Lentz – Chemistry, BS\r\n\r\nAlec Melville – Sport Management, BS\r\n\r\nCharles Kent – Political Science, BA\r\n\r\nJohn Inglis – Criminal Justice, BA\r\n\r\nJakob Marsh – History, BA\r\n\r\n<strong>8 from Beaufort in The Citadel Graduate College Class of 2020</strong>\r\n\r\nEight Beaufort area students were among the nearly 400 graduate and evening undergraduate students from The Citadel Graduate College (CGC) that accepted degrees during The Citadel\'s virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9.\r\n\r\nIncluded in the ceremony were 307 Master\'s Degree students and 92 college transfer students (Undergraduate/evening or online).\r\n\r\nBeaufort graduates include:\r\n\r\nNicole Marie Bossak – Educational Leadership School Administration MED\r\n\r\nArthur Bradley Brown – Sport Management MA\r\n\r\nRyan Michael Butler – Business Administration MBA\r\n\r\nMary Catherine Carmody – Business Administration MBA\r\n\r\nKimberly Islas – Educational Leadership School Administration MED\r\n\r\nMarjorie Corley Isley – Educational Leadership School Administration MED\r\n\r\nVictoria Shea Smith – International Politics and Military Affairs MA\r\n\r\nMarvette Maria Washington – Educational Leadership School Administration MED\r\n\r\n<strong>Aivaz named to<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>Ole Miss Spring<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>Honor Roll</strong>\r\n\r\nBeaufort’s Madison Lynn Aivaz was recently named to the University of Mississippi\'s Spring 2020 Honor Roll lists. Aivaz was named to the Chancellor\'s Honor Roll, which is reserved for students who earn a semester GPA of 3.75-4.00.\r\n\r\nBeaufort pair honored at Tallahassee CC\r\n\r\nBeaufort’s Joshua Alexander was named to Tallahassee Community College’s Spring 2020 President\'s List, while Donovan Dwight, of Beaufort, was among the 1,300 students named to the Spring 2020 Dean\'s List.\r\n\r\nFunke named to Georgia College Dean\'s List\r\n\r\nOkatie’s Katherine Funke completed courses with exemplary marks and made the Dean\'s List for the Spring 2020 semester at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Ga.\r\n\r\nGeorgia College, the state\'s designated public liberal arts university, combines the educational experience expected at esteemed private liberal arts colleges with the affordability of public higher education.', 'EDUCATION BRIEFS', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'education-briefs-7', '', '', '2020-05-27 12:45:28', '2020-05-27 16:45:28', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44509', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44429, 4, '2020-05-19 11:31:43', '2020-05-19 15:31:43', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nBeaufort Academy announced on its Facebook page on Monday, May 18 that the school will give its 22 graduating seniors “a live in-person outdoor ceremony that they have long envisioned” on at 10 a.m. June 13 at the Beaufort Academy football field.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nBeaufort County public schools are not currently planning to hold live, outdoor graduation ceremonies for their graduates.\r\n\r\n“In the safest manner possible, BA graduates will be able to walk across the stage and have the chance to celebrate their high school achievements in front of their closest family members. In efforts to follow proper protocol, a limited number of tickets will be given out to keep our guest list small. You must have a ticket to attend the event,” the statement reads. “The outdoor ceremony will be streamed through Facebook Live to allow extended family members, friends, and fellow BA students to view the ceremony online.”\r\n\r\nThe release states guidelines from the governor, DHEC and the Centers for Disease Control will be followed. Among those guidelines:\r\n\r\n• All in attendance will have their temperature taken. Guests with a fever will not be admitted.\r\n• Individuals who have a temperature, or are sick must remain home.\r\n• Each graduate will receive (6) guest tickets.\r\n• Ticketed guests will sit in pre-marked areas to allow for 6-feet social distancing.\r\n• Guests are required to remain in the marked areas for the entire ceremony.\r\n• Guests in attendance are advised to bring and wear a face covering.\r\n• Restrooms will not be available for use.\r\n• Graduates will be seated at least six feet apart across a stage on the football field.\r\n• No handshaking or hugging will take place.\r\n• Microphones will be thoroughly sanitized after each speaker.\r\n• Graduates and guests must refrain from gathering in groups throughout our campus including the football field and parking lot, before and after the ceremony.\r\n• Chairs will be properly disinfected before and after use.', 'Beaufort Academy to hold live, outdoor graduation June 13', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-academy-to-hold-live-outdoor-graduation-june-13', '', '', '2020-05-19 11:31:43', '2020-05-19 15:31:43', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44429', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44433, 4, '2020-05-20 08:25:11', '2020-05-20 12:25:11', '', 'Screen Shot 2020-05-20 at 8.23.48 AM', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'screen-shot-2020-05-20-at-8-23-48-am', '', '', '2020-05-20 08:25:11', '2020-05-20 12:25:11', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2020-05-20-at-8.23.48-AM.png', 0, 'attachment', 'image/png', 0),
(44434, 4, '2020-05-20 11:18:22', '2020-05-20 15:18:22', '<strong>By Lee Scott</strong>\r\n\r\nThere it was in The Island News!\r\n\r\nAn ad for one of the stores on Bay Street – Bay Street Treasures.\r\n\r\nFinally, they are open So, I got on the phone and started to call other stores downtown. Sure enough, stores were opening with “social distancing” in place.\r\n\r\nThat is when I decided it was time to get my Christmas shopping done early. Maybe there would be a Black Friday sale.\r\n\r\nWith five married kids and 12 grandchildren, my husband and I have many gifts to buy during the year, although his gifts are mostly cash. I suggested that maybe this year we could be more creative. After all, we have six months.\r\n\r\nI pulled out his Santa hat and my Reindeer ears and we started at one end of Bay Street. Each store that was opened provided measures for social distancing along with hand sanitizers. Most of the owners had masks on and had signs up asking the customers to wear a mask too.\r\n\r\nNo problem. After all, I am in that “senior” category!\r\n\r\nAs I was filling my bags, I realized that many of the stores had sale signs up as an enticement. Not only did I benefit from buying gifts early, but I was able to take advantage of the pre-Christmas sales.\r\n\r\nOh, that is right, they were post “Pandemic Closing” sales. We both bought things for ourselves too. It was easy shopping since the stores are not crowded. We found ourselves browsing and we were being incredibly careful not to pick up every little thing we saw.\r\n\r\nWhen I went into Lulu Burgess for Christmas wrapping paper, I realized that I was not going to find any traditional wrapping paper. There were not any Christmas cards either. What did I expect?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>It is May.\r\n\r\nBut that was okay, because there were enough gift items to pick up and besides, we have two grandsons graduating from 5th grade that needed cards.\r\n\r\nAnother thing I loved was The Emporium store which was selling locally made face masks. I bought eight, some of which I sent to relatives and a couple to keep for ourselves.\r\n\r\nMy spouse liked the madras one, and I got a colorful pink and blue striped. We have both been complimented. But I am going to have to go back, because you need to have a clean mask each day and I like the variety.\r\n\r\nLastly, I must clarify, that Bay Street Treasures told me they would prefer that I call before I come. Like me, they must be careful. But that is fine. After all, we are all in this together, neighbors taking care of neighbors.\r\n\r\nSo have a very Merry Christmas. Oh, never mind.\r\n\r\n<i>Lee Scott, a writer and recent retiree, shares her everyday observations about life after career. A former commercial banker responsible for helping her clients to reach their business objectives, Scott now translates those analytical skills to her writings. She lives on St. Helena Island and enjoys boating, traveling and reading.</i>', 'Christmas shopping comes to Bay Street in May', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'christmas-shopping-comes-to-bay-street-in-may', '', '', '2020-05-20 11:21:46', '2020-05-20 15:21:46', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44434', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44436, 4, '2020-05-20 11:21:11', '2020-05-20 15:21:11', '<strong>By David Taub</strong>\r\n\r\nOver the last two millennia, the peoples of spaceship Earth have been tutored about the fundamental value of the Truth (capital “T”) to the success of the human experiment.\r\n\r\nMoses received the Ten Commandments from the Lord of Hosts atop Mount Sinai, and the eighth one sets forth: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,” meaning that God condemns lying.\r\n\r\nTruth-telling is a covenant between God and Mankind, and the most obvious way to fulfill God’s eighth commandment is not to lie — NOT to intentionally deceive another by speaking falsehoods.\r\n\r\nIn the New Testament, John 8:32 (King James version), it is written: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”\r\n\r\nIn his famous book, Walden (1854), Henry David Thoreau advised the American republic, “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”\r\n\r\nAnd no less a modern icon of American values than Superman (George Reeves, B&amp;W TV, 1950s), championed “Truth, Justice and the American Way.”\r\n\r\nSo, we have come to understand from the very highest authorities, that the Truth is demanded of us as a civilized society, and falsehood is to be shunned and damned as evil.\r\n\r\nToo many of our citizens have become infected with that insidious novel virus I have labeled DUMB-20a (aka virus of stupidity).\r\n\r\nThose infected parade around state capitols, bearing weapons that belong only on a battlefield; but since POTUS has declared “war” on COVID-19, they apparently have concluded that such stupidness is okay.\r\n\r\nThese rebellious, self-styled patriots scream for “liberty” and “freedom,” demanding to be emancipated from the “deep state,” i.e., our medical and science gurus.\r\n\r\n“Let my people go.”\r\n\r\n“Give me Liberty or Give me Death.”\r\n\r\nSadly, many of them most likely will regret what they ask for.\r\n\r\nAs deaths surpass a stunning 85,000 of our kinsmen, let’s reflect on some “Truths” recently handed to us, from the highest political “authority” in the realm.\r\n\r\n<b>Falsehood 1:</b> On Jan. 22, referring to COVID-19, POTUS said “We have it totally under control. … It’s going to be just fine.”\r\n\r\n<b>Truth 1:</b> Fewer than 100 days later, the USA had the largest number, by far, of COVID-19 infections and deaths of any country in the World. We still do!\r\n\r\n<b>Falsehood 2: </b>On Feb. 24, POTUS said “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA …” and a day later “You may ask about coronavirus, which is very well under control in our country. We have very few people with it, and the people that have it are … getting better. They’re all getting better … As far as what we’re doing with the new virus, I think that we’re doing a great job.”\r\n\r\n<b>Truth 2:</b> Barely a month later, New York State alone had more than 300,000 infections.\r\n\r\n<b>Falsehood 3: </b>On Feb. 28, POTUS said “It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”\r\n\r\n<b>Truth 3:</b> By May 14, more than 1.4 million American were confirmed as infected (an underestimation since 2 percent of the population has been tested) and at least 87,000 deaths (also an underestimation), which is increasing by 2,000 or more each day.\r\n\r\n<b>Falsehood 4: </b>On March 6, POTUS boasted that “Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. They’re here. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful.”\r\n\r\n<b>Truth 4: </b>On May 1, Congress’s own physician announced he did NOT have sufficient tests for every member of the Senate (n=100).\r\n\r\n<b>Falsehood 5: </b>On March 12, POTUS declared, “It’s going to go away … The United States, because of what I did and what the administration did with China, we have 32 deaths at this point ...”\r\n\r\n<b>Truth 5: </b>On April 26, a sad hallmark was reached: 58,671 deaths from COVID-19, more than the 52,220 courageous American service men and women killed in the years-long Vietnam War.\r\n\r\n<b>Truth 6: </b>Here’s another Truth. “Time and Tide wait for no Man.” You might well add this corollary, “… nor for COVID-19 or POTUS.”\r\n\r\nIt is up to you, good citizens, to distinguish truth from falsehood; you possess the individual power to discriminate Truth from un-Truth (in Texas, we just call it lying).\r\n\r\nIf the citizens of our democracy do not have faith and confidence in our government leaders to tell the Truth, then we will have lost all that our core values once stood for.\r\n\r\nMore than precious lives are lost when our collective faith in our government continues to erode. How shall we redeem that most precious of gifts, TRUTH? Would it not be a leader who tells us the Truth, instead of one who possesses a habitual and pathological dedication to Falsehood?\r\n\r\n<i>David M. Taub was Mayor of Beaufort from 1990 through 1999, and served as a Beaufort County Magistrate Judge from 2010 to 2015.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>He may be contacted at david.m.taub42@gmail.com.</i>', 'Truth, justice, and the American way', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'truth-justice-and-the-american-way', '', '', '2020-05-20 11:21:11', '2020-05-20 15:21:11', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44436', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44439, 4, '2020-05-20 11:40:27', '2020-05-20 15:40:27', '<strong>By Scott Graber</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s Tuesday and I’m in my small, tastefully furnished office on Carteret Street. This morning I’ve got the “house blend” from Parker’s ($1.62) and a copy of the New York Times.\r\n\r\nThe Times tells us that business owners want protection, a shield of sorts, from “lawsuits related to reopening the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.”\r\n\r\n“Government officials are beginning the slow process of lifting restrictions on economic activity in states and local areas across the country. But lobbyists say retailers, manufacturers, eateries and other businesses will struggle to start back if lawmakers do not place temporary limits on legal liability….”\r\n\r\nThe coronavirus crisis has confirmed that we are a compassionate and generous species. One needs only to watch the news at 6 to see the grim-faced, exhausted nurses in order to visualize selflessness and sacrifice.\r\n\r\nHowever, there is another side to our national character called accountability. And accountability comes in different sizes, and shapes, and has its own enforcement apparatus. That apparatus usually involves lawyers and lawsuits.\r\n\r\nIt is important to understand that the South Carolina General Assembly is the entity that controls who can sue in its Circuit Courts.\r\n\r\nIt is also important to know there are U.S. District Courts, a separate system of accountability, but most “premises liability” lawsuits are filed in South Carolina’s Circuit Courts. And South Carolina’s Common Law (court-made precedent) defines the duties a business owner owes to “invitees” and to employees.\r\n\r\nWhile the State courts continually revisit and refine that duty, the General Assembly makes the rules on what documents can be introduced into evidence; what questions can be asked of a witness; what instructions (charges) will be given to the jury.\r\n\r\nAnd right at the moment there are discussions under way among our legislators about placing limitations on those persons who file suit against small businesses in the aftermath of the pandemic.\r\n\r\nPresumably these discussions begin with a determination of whether plaintiffs — customers and employees — will actually sue business owners who stayed open during the lock-down or those businesses that open before a vaccine arrives.\r\n\r\nAlthough it is relatively easy to file a lawsuit in South Carolina, proving negligence is not always easy. In this case a customer who got the virus would have to point to a person, or a premises, and say, “I got my virus in this place, from him or from them.”\r\n\r\nSince the virus is pretty much everywhere, it may be hard to point to a specific person, a specific place, and find an expert — an epidemiologist — who can confirm that connection.\r\n\r\nBut after pondering the likelihood of lawsuits for maybe 30 seconds, I’m willing to bet that any legislator who owns a big screen television — and who has watched personal injury lawyers advertise — knows the answer to this first question is, “Yes there will be lawsuits.”\r\n\r\nA second question is what “best practices” must a restaurant or retail owner follow in order to get the State’s protection from lawsuits. What must a business do to make sure that its employees are reasonably safe and do not spread the virus to customers while we wait for a vaccine?\r\n\r\nThe first thought that comes to mind is requiring testing of the sales clerks and wait staff; distancing; and using masks where feasible.\r\n\r\nThis testing, followed up by continual antiseptic scrubbing, would not be a fail-safe solution, but it might be enough to give our Legislature license to extend lawsuit protection to small businesses across South Carolina.\r\n\r\nOne wonders if the General Assembly capable of making a decision on this soon, in special session, before the dam breaks and the public reclaims their preferred tables and their favorite bar stools.\r\n\r\nAnd, of course, one wonders if the State of South Carolina is capable of this kind of large-scale testing?\r\n\r\nThe State Newspaper says South Carolina intends to test 220,000 people. The State says nursing home residents, correctional facilities and homeless shelters are first in line.\r\n\r\nInterestingly, restaurant and retail employees don’t seem to have a place in that line.\r\n\r\nPorch, patio and reconfigured indoor dining seem to be under way. It does not appear that some business owners are willing to wait for our Legislature to act. Or believe it will act.\r\n\r\nPerhaps the United States Congress, led by Mitch McConnell, will provide protection in a forthcoming relief package.\r\n\r\nBut many local business folk seem to have made their own risk assessment and are going to take their chances.\r\n\r\n<i>Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. Email Scott at cscottgraber@gmail.com.</i>', 'Congress or the state may act but many won’t wait', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'congress-or-the-state-may-act-but-many-wont-wait', '', '', '2020-05-20 11:40:27', '2020-05-20 15:40:27', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44439', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(44441, 4, '2020-05-20 11:47:04', '2020-05-20 15:47:04', '<b>By Donald Wright</b>\r\n\r\nOn Sunday, Mother’s Day, I drove to the house we’re having renovated to rake leaves, which seem to fall year-round in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.\r\n\r\nWhen I got there, I realized there was a person inside, sanding the walls. We had been pressing the builder to finish, now six months along, and this person had apparently been sent to prepare for the next day’s painting.\r\n\r\nAfter I’d raked for a while, the guy emerged from the front door, covered in white dust from the sanding and went to the hose to wash off. He was about 5-foot-6, stocky, Hispanic. We exchanged pleasantries.\r\n\r\n“Sure is hot, isn’t it?” I said.\r\n\r\n“Yes. Sure is.”\r\n\r\n“Working on Sunday, eh?”\r\n\r\n“Yes. Most Sundays. Seven days a week, I work.”\r\n\r\nHe turned the hose on his head and washed the dust and grit from his face, as I returned to the raking.\r\n\r\nThen, after a minute, he asked, “It is a special day, no?”\r\n\r\n“Yeah,” I said. “It’s Mother’s Day.”\r\n\r\n“You know,” he said. “I have not seen my mother in 15 years.”\r\n\r\n“Fifteen years,” I said in surprise. “Where is she?”\r\n\r\n“In Mexico.”\r\n\r\n“Where in Mexico?”\r\n\r\n“Vera Cruz.”\r\n\r\n“I know where that is,” I said, not wanting to ask why it had been so long since he’d seen his mother.\r\n\r\nI sensed he was in the country illegally and knew that one trip to Vera Cruz might mean he would never return to the United States and a job offering decent money, part of which he could send home to his mother.\r\n\r\n“Aw,” he continued. “My mother, she worked always to keep the family. My dad, we never knew him. My mother worked every day; even when she was eight months pregnant (holding out his hands to indicate a round belly), she worked. Then she came home and cooked and took care of us.”\r\n\r\n“It’s nice that you can help take care of her now,” I said.\r\n\r\n“I do,” he said. “I send money to her every week. I did just this Friday.”\r\n\r\n“That’s good,” I said.\r\n\r\nThen, after a pause, I felt like talking.\r\n\r\n“My parents died a while back,” I said to him, “but my mom also was special. My dad always seemed too busy when I was a kid, but my mom had time — we played, talked, went on hikes. I’ve never stopped appreciating her. None of us ever helped her around the house. She had a job, but none of the rest of us ever cooked.”\r\n\r\nA pause ensued.\r\n\r\nThen he said, “You know, I really miss my mom.”\r\n\r\nI thought I saw moisture forming in his eyes.\r\n\r\n“Yeah, I know,” I said. “So do I.”\r\n\r\nMy vision was getting blurry, too.\r\n\r\n“It’s tough,” he said. Then he shrugged and walked back inside the house. I raked a little more, filled a bag with leaves, hauled it to the curb, packed up, and drove back to our rental.\r\n\r\nOn the drive, I wondered if any subject besides mothers could bring two guys, who don’t know one another’s names, come from different cultures, and are probably 40 years apart in age, to talk so personally and share stories.\r\n\r\nMaybe not, I thought.\r\n\r\n<i>Donald Wright has been a Beaufort resident since 2014. Retired, he has authored several books.</i>', 'A Mother’s Day moment between men', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'a-mothers-day-moment-between-men', '', '', '2020-05-20 11:47:04', '2020-05-20 15:47:04', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44441', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44443, 4, '2020-05-20 11:48:06', '2020-05-20 15:48:06', 'USCB Center for the Arts invites all visual artists 18 and older living in Beaufort County to be part of an incredible art show this fall entitled “Art Speaks.” This exhibit is part of a special kick-off event at the Center called, “The Show Must Go On”.\r\n\r\n“Art Speaks” will be a special juried exhibit showcasing new works of art created during the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to highlight and celebrate creative responses to the pandemic through any 2D, 3D or photography art medium (no giclees, craft kits, videos or performance art).\r\n\r\nHow has this time affected you and your art? Were you inspired to express your emotions through your art? The theme does not have to be COVID related, only created between Feb. 1 and July 30.\r\n\r\nImages should be submitted to bhargrov@uscb.edu by 5 p.m. Aug.6. For more details and to register go to https://www.uscbcenterforthearts.com/. For additional information, call 843-521-3135.', 'USCB seeking entries for ‘Art Speaks!’', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'uscb-seeking-entries-for-art-speaks', '', '', '2020-05-20 11:48:06', '2020-05-20 15:48:06', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44443', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44445, 4, '2020-05-20 11:49:18', '2020-05-20 15:49:18', 'The South Carolina State Fair has named Karamel Bryant of Whale Branch Early College High School as one of its 50 Ride of Your Life Scholarship recipients for 2020.\r\n\r\nThe fair annually awards scholarships to South Carolina high school students planning to pursue their studies at any public or private college, university, or technical college in the state. The $6,000 scholarships are awarded at an annual rate of $1,500 and are based on academic and extracurricular achievement, communication skills, need, and completeness of the application.\r\n\r\nRecipients must retain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and enroll in no less than 30 credit hours each academic year to receive funding for that year.\r\n\r\nThe fair has awarded nearly $4 million in scholarships since beginning the Ride of Your Life Scholarship program in 1997.', 'Whale Branch student earns State Fair scholarship', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'whale-branch-student-earns-state-fair-scholarship', '', '', '2020-05-20 11:49:18', '2020-05-20 15:49:18', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44445', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44447, 4, '2020-05-20 11:56:57', '2020-05-20 15:56:57', 'Hilton Head Regional Healthcare (HHRH) is pleased to welcome four cardiovascular specialists.\r\n\r\nDr. Jay Kalan, Dr. Jonathan MacCabe, Dr. J. Calvin Sharp, and Dr. Douglas Westveer began seeing patients at Hilton Head Heart locations on May 7th. They’ve joined Dr. Aaron Ford, Dr. Mark Lawton, and Monica Riley, DNP.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“These outstanding physicians have served countless families in our communities for years and we are thrilled that they are joining the Hilton Head Regional Physician Network,” said Jeremy Clark, Hilton Head Regional Healthcare CEO. “Their skill and expertise are highly admired by the medical community and we consider it an honor to have them join us as we continue offering a full range of advanced cardiology care and treatment options closer to home for patients and their families.”\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Douglas-Westveer-MD.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-44449\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Douglas-Westveer-MD.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"334\" height=\"383\"></a> <a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/J-Calvin-Sharp-MD.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-44450\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/J-Calvin-Sharp-MD.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"334\" height=\"383\"></a> <a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Jonathan-MacCabe-MD.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-44452\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Jonathan-MacCabe-MD.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"333\" height=\"380\"></a>\r\nDr. Jay Kalan earned his medical degree at Virginia Commonwealth University and completed an Interventional Cardiology fellowship at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Dr. Jonathan MacCabe earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee and completed fellowships at Tulane University and Vanderbilt University. Dr. J. Calvin Sharp earned his medical degree and completed a cardiology fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Douglas Westveer earned his medical degree at Michigan State University and completed a Cardiology Electrophysiology fellowship at the University of Illinois.\r\n\r\nTo schedule an appointment, call 843-682-2800 or visit www.HHHeart.com to learn more.\r\n\r\nTo learn more about these new providers, please contact PR Manager Daisy Burroughs at 803-833-0104, email daisy.burroughs@tenethealth.com.\r\n\r\n<em>Above: Dr. Jay Kalan</em>\r\n<em>Right: Drs. Jonathan McCabe, Calvin Sharp and Douglas Vestveer</em>\r\n\r\n\r\n<em>Exclusive content from Care Magazine</em>', 'Hilton Head Regional Healthcare Welcomes Four Cardiovascular Specialists', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'hilton-head-regional-healthcare-welcomes-four-cardiovascular-specialists', '', '', '2020-05-20 11:56:57', '2020-05-20 15:56:57', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44447', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44454, 4, '2020-05-20 12:13:56', '2020-05-20 16:13:56', '<strong>By Laura Kaponer</strong>\r\n\r\nToday, I was faced with the question, \"What is a belief you hold because of your mental illness? Do you still believe it?\"\r\n\r\nThroughout my recovery, I have been different versions of myself, but still always on some level myself, depending on the varying degrees of my symptoms.\r\n\r\nSome beliefs have been delusional, some very dark and threatening, some completely euphoric. And as time passes, so do most of these beliefs.\r\n\r\nOne belief however has come back time and time again like an old habit – the belief that I am unlovable.\r\n\r\nThis is not about any lack of love in my life past or present. It\'s more about whether I am so inherently broken that I am incapable of truly feeling the love others give me.\r\n\r\nThe early pages of \"Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified\" by Robert O. Friedel, M.D., mention how my symptoms are not my fault, essentially saying I am wired differently from the neurotypical person.\r\n\r\nThat\'s not to say I don\'t have a responsibility to seek treatment for and manage my symptoms, because I absolutely do. But having this illness in the first place is not because of any wrongdoing on my part. With my illnesses, I have inherited certain deficits. Some I can take an active role in diminishing, while others I can not.\r\n\r\nI review my history of unhealthy relationships on pretty much every level, and they all have one common denominator – me. At some point I have to stop pointing my finger at everyone else, then stop to take a long hard look at myself: the failed romances, the expired friendships, the countless ex-roommates that ran away screaming, the former employers that couldn\'t wait to get rid of me.\r\n\r\nMaybe the cold hard truth is \"it\'s not them, it\'s me.\"\r\n\r\nMaybe there\'s a deficiency in me, where I don\'t know how to properly care for someone else or even properly care for myself. Something good and beautiful comes my way, but all I can do is stand there, blinking repeatedly at it.\r\n\r\nUnlovable to me isn\'t about me growing to a bitter old age, standing outside in the rain, crying that no one loves me. I think maybe it\'s the complete opposite. I have all these people in my life who do love me and I have no idea what the hell to do with it.\r\n\r\nI imagine this message continually flashing across my brain – INPUT ERROR. Is this something that can actually be taught? Is there some version of insulin for my malfunctioning brain that cannot process an overdose of love?\r\n\r\nI have to convince myself on a daily basis that perhaps just because a belief feels real and true doesn\'t necessarily make it so.\r\n\r\nIf I was this robotic being incapable of being loved by those around me, would they still continue to love me?\r\n\r\nHow do I actually know I have experienced love first-hand, or do I just think I have, based on what others have told me?\r\n\r\n<i>Laura Kaponer is a mental health advocate and blogger, as well as a volunteer with the local chapter of NAMI. You can find her on social media by searching #Laurakaponer</i><i>is1in5.</i>', 'The common denominator in my unhealthy relationships is me', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'the-common-denominator-in-my-unhealthy-relationships-is-me', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:13:56', '2020-05-20 16:13:56', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44454', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44457, 4, '2020-05-20 12:16:03', '2020-05-20 16:16:03', '<i>A</i>s parents continue to navigate the unexpected challenges of raising kids amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic, Children and Screens is working with top experts in the fields of parenting, education, and child psychology to bring you a series of helpful hints and common-sense suggestions. Last month, we polled our experts about their top tips for toddlers and held an interactive webinar with more than 520 registrants to discuss that age group. This week, we’re proud to share 12 new advice geared towards parents of school-age children.\r\n\r\n<b>FIND THE SILVER LINING</b>\r\n\r\nRemember that a key part of resilience is trading the efficiency of school and work for connection with your child. You are in this together as a family, and you have everyone’s creativity to explore this new space. Use this time to create new rituals and new reminders of the joy in being a family! <i>- Colleen Kraft, MD</i>\r\n\r\n<b>CREATE SCREEN-FREE ZONES</b>\r\n\r\nAs a family, agree on specific times and places during the day when you will just be together, without the disruption of checking your screen. Meals, bedtime, game time, and walks around the block are all good times to stash your device and be fully present with each other and with the moment.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>With so much of life happening on screens, we need to protect quality time and places where we can simply connect with ourselves and each other, without digital distraction.<i> - Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair, Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, Cambridge MA</i>\r\n\r\n<b>PICK AND CHOOSE</b>\r\n\r\nWhile structure is important, worried children may benefit from daily “choices” to help them feel like they can still maintain some sense of control (especially when everything around them seems chaotic)! For instance, when school is over for the day, tell them it’s time to play a game, but they can choose which one. If butting heads, try to offer them one of two options. <i>- Meredith Gansner, MD, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Cambridge Health Alliance</i>\r\n\r\n<b>PRIORITIZE AND&nbsp;</b><b>ORGANIZE</b>\r\n\r\nIf you’re a parent who’s working virtually from home, be sure to set realistic goals and create a schedule to match your workday. Recognize what meetings you need to “attend,” and what may be less important. If you have asynchronous work to complete, prioritize the most important deliverables, and help your children to do the same. Some teachers have virtual lessons that would be helpful for your children. Some teachers have pre-recorded lessons that you and your child can view at a time that works for both of you. If this doesn’t work, use other free learning site resources to help out. There are plenty of them, for example, The Kahn Academy https://www.khanacademy.org/ <i>- Colleen Kraft, MD</i>\r\n\r\n<b>HOW CAN I HELP?</b>\r\n\r\nAsk your children to come up with ways that they can help each other (and you). If they can’t think of anything, suggest ideas like “help each other not be bored,” or “help each other with schoolwork.” Post their “Helping Ideas” on the fridge and come up with new ideas every few days, or even every day. <i>- Elizabeth K. Englander, PhD Director, Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center, Bridgewater State University</i>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span><b>WALK IT OUT</b>\r\n\r\nSchedule breaks that involve physical activity and fresh air. Go for a walk, bounce a ball, skip rope, play hopscotch; the possibilities are endless when it comes to having fun and connecting with your child. Just make sure to follow all current social distancing guidelines any time you leave the house. <i>- Colleen Kraft, MD</i>\r\n\r\n<b>MIX IT UP</b>\r\n\r\nTreat your child’s mind with respect and kindness by mixing up the day with activities that’ll challenge different parts of their brain (e.g. reading versus math). Monitor your kids for signs of fatigue, increased irritability, distractibility, and fidgeting, and take breaks for physical activity when necessary. Oftentimes, screen use only stimulates the visual and auditory part of the brain, which means senses like smell, touch, taste, and temperature are not being adequately stimulated. What the brain doesn’t use winds up growing less developed, so varied activities and challenges will help your child develop all of their senses. <i>- Martin P. Paulus M.D. Scientific Director and President, Laureate Institute for Brain Research</i>\r\n\r\n<b>LISTEN WITH YOUR EYES</b>\r\n\r\nNon-verbal behavioral cues (such as a shrug of the shoulders or a furrowing of the brow) can provide helpful information about a child’s understanding of the content being shared with them. The same holds true even for online instruction. In the course of a lesson occurring in real time, make sure that your child presents both verbal and non-verbal cues to let the teacher know what may or may not be understood about a given concept, lesson, or assignment. <i>- Fran C. Blumberg, Professor Division of Psychological &amp; Educational Services, Fordham University</i>\r\n\r\n<b>MAKE DISTANCE SOCIAL</b>\r\n\r\nEmbrace the opportunity to be social with distant friends and family. It can be difficult to connect with loved ones in other parts of the world during busy days at school and work, however, consider the current situation an opportunity to connect/reconnect via video teleconferencing mediums. It can also be made into a fun, stress-free social studies “class” with your kids as they learn about other places, customs, and cultures. <i>- Kara Bagot, MD, Child &amp; Adolescent Psychiatrist, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry</i>\r\n\r\n<b>DO YOUR BEST</b>\r\n\r\nOff-screen activities are great, but you won’t always have the mental capacity to support non-screen tasks, and that’s totally fine. Fred Rogers once said: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things… my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” By social distancing, your family is helping. And if that means you need to let your kids have a little extra television time in the midst of a crisis, that’s okay. Just be sure to find media you trust and keep an eye on what your kids are watching.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span><i> - Dr. Jessica Piotrowski, Director, Center for research on Children, Adolescents, and the Media, University of Amsterdam</i>\r\n\r\n<b>IT’S OK TO BE BORED!</b>\r\n\r\n<i>The next time your child complains to you about being bored, resist the urge to put a screen in front of them.</i> Instead, let them sit with their boredom. It may make you both a bit uncomfortable at first, but it turns out that our brains are doing important work when we’re not actively engaged in a specific task. Neuroscientists call this the default mode of brain functioning, and it’s linked to a whole bunch of important skills, including self-awareness and empathy. So, instead of dreaming up another enriching activity to engage your children, let them get bored. Their developing brains will thank you. <i>- Martin P. Paulus M.D. Scientific Director and President, Laureate Institute for Brain Research</i>\r\n\r\n<b>LET’S GET PHYSICAL</b>\r\n\r\nCapitalizing on the ways in which digital technology can promote healthy activities can be fun for both parents and their children while staying at home. Turn on your streaming music service and have a dance party with your kids, or go old school with a Wii Fit for solo or team exercise and competition. There are also a variety of free and subscription-based apps that have family fitness content to provide fun and engaging ways to interact and exercise as a family. <i>- Kara Bagot, MD, Child &amp; Adolescent Psychiatrist, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry</i>\r\n\r\nAs kids develop, experts recommend giving them more responsibility and autonomy, while at the same time keeping a close eye on their development and progress. It can be a challenging balance to strike, but hopefully these tips will help you and your kids find a safe, healthy, and happy middle ground as you grow and learn together.&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<i>For more tips, and to have your questions answered by experts, visit:</i>\r\n\r\n<b>About Children and Screens</b>\r\n\r\nChildren and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is a 501C(3) national non-profit organization founded by Dr. Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra. Children and Screens advances interdisciplinary research, supports human capital in the field, informs and educates the public, and advocates for sound public policy for child health and wellness.&nbsp;https://www.childrenandscreens.com\r\n\r\n<em>Exclusive content from Care Magazine</em>', '12 Tips From the Experts for Managing  Screen Time for Kids K-8 During the Pandemic', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', '12-tips-from-the-experts-for-managing-screen-time-for-kids-k-8-during-the-pandemic', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:16:03', '2020-05-20 16:16:03', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44457', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44459, 4, '2020-05-20 12:18:02', '2020-05-20 16:18:02', 'The onset of COVID-19 has doubled the percentage of American adults who have tried telemedicine as an alternative to a doctor’s office visit, according to a survey by independent marketing, advertising and public relations agency Mower. The study, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults regarding their comfort level returning to various common activities when COVID-19 restrictions ease, revealed that while only 16% had used telemedicine in the past, another 17% have tried it for the first time since the crisis began. Another 52% report that while they still have not taken advantage of the service they would if the need arose.\r\n\r\nAvailability is also on the rise. While 20% of Americans report that their own healthcare provider and/or their child’s already offered telemedicine before the pandemic, another 20% say their providers have added the service since the crisis began.\r\n\r\nProviding telemedicine options reflects well on providers. Among respondents who indicate it’s a new service, 58% say the addition shows their provider is taking the situation seriously, 51% see it as a sign of commitment to patients, 46% believe it means the provider is modern and flexible, and 40% call it a smart business decision.\r\n\r\nPatients over the age of 65 are significantly more likely not to know whether their provider offers telemedicine (53% compared to 32% of adults overall). However, among those 65+ who indicate their provider began offering telemedicine during COVID-19, 86% appreciate having the option to consult their doctor remotely.\r\n\r\n“Telemedicine is one aspect of life that is likely to become more commonplace as we ease into a new normal following the COVID-19 pandemic and as Americans continue to approach daily activities with more caution,” said Maggie Hooper, management supervisor and Mower’s Healthcare Specialty lead. “Healthcare providers should consider adding or enhancing telemedicine services, including clear communication on how patients can best access, use and pay for their virtual appointments.”\r\n\r\nThe Mower study also revealed that only one in three Americans (34%) would feel comfortable going to a regular doctor/dentist appointment on the first day COVID-19 restrictions ease. Another 29% would feel comfortable by Day 30 and 18% would wait until Day 60.\r\n\r\n<b>About the survey</b>\r\n\r\nMower’s online nationwide survey was conducted April 8-10, 2020, with a random sampling of 1,000 adults ages 18+. Responses were obtained using Dynata, a research panel provider. The margin of error is +/- 3.1%.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n<b>About Mower</b>\r\n\r\nMower is a digitally integrated independent marketing, advertising and public relations agency with professionals in New York City, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, N.C., Cincinnati, and Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Syracuse N.Y.\r\n\r\n<em>Exclusive content from Care Magazine</em>', 'The number of Americans trying telemedicine has doubled during COVID-19, Mower study reveals', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'the-number-of-americans-trying-telemedicine-has-doubled-during-covid-19-mower-study-reveals', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:18:03', '2020-05-20 16:18:03', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44459', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44461, 4, '2020-05-20 12:20:50', '2020-05-20 16:20:50', '<b>By Marie McAden</b>\r\n\r\nBeaufort Memorial Hospital’s high-tech disinfecting robot has added another microbial villain to its list of germ-destroying superpowers. Testing has shown the Xenex LightStrike Robot is 99.99 percent effective in eradicating SARS-CoV-2, the strain of coronavirus responsible for the global pandemic.\r\n\r\n“We are one of only two hospitals in the state – and the only one in the Lowcountry – with the LightStrike germ-zapping robot,” Beaufort Memorial Patient Safety Officer Ashley Hildreth said. “It’s a powerful tool that our custodial staff has been using since 2016 as part of our stringent cleaning and infection prevention protocols.”\r\n\r\nThe hospital invested in the $100,000 LightStrike system to help reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria like MRSA and C.diff. Nicknamed Violet, the robot uses high-intensity pulses of ultraviolet light to provide full spectrum disinfection.\r\n\r\nIn tests performed last month at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute – one of the world’s leading independent research institutes working exclusively on infectious diseases – the LightStrike robot destroyed SARS-CoV-2 in two minutes. It is the only ultraviolet disinfection technology proven to work on the deadly novel coronavirus.\r\n\r\nThe LightStrike disinfecting robot is currently being used by more than 500 healthcare facilities around the world, including the Mayo Clinic and MD Anderson Cancer Center.\r\n\r\nAt Beaufort Memorial, Violet has been reassigned to specifically target the coronavirus and keep the highly infectious viral menace from spreading within the hospital. It is currently being used in the rooms of discharged COVID-19 patients and those awaiting COVID-19 test results, as well as emergency department rooms occupied by patients treated for respiratory issues. As a precaution, it is still disinfecting operating rooms between surgeries.\r\n\r\nHere’s how it works:\r\n\r\nAfter a room has been cleaned and thoroughly wiped down with disinfectant, Birdie Wright, a specially trained environmental services technician, wheels in the robot and sets it up to zap any germs left behind on surfaces, fixtures and furniture. Violet scans the room to make sure no one is present and then raises to her full height of 5-foot 2-inches and begins her work.\r\n\r\nThe pulsed xenon lamps in the robot generate bursts of high-intensity ultraviolet rays, hundreds of times more intense than sunlight. The flash of germicidal light damages the cell structure and stops the DNA repair mechanism for most microorganisms and pathogens – even those lurking in shadowed areas – in less than five minutes.\r\n\r\n“Nurses and staff can put their cell phones, badges, stethoscopes and other personal items in the room to disinfect them as well,” Hildreth said. “By controlling the germs in these places, we are able to reduce the bioburden in the entire hospital.”', 'Beaufort Memorial’s disinfection robot effective on COVID-19', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-memorials-disinfection-robot-effective-on-covid-19', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:21:00', '2020-05-20 16:21:00', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44461', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44464, 4, '2020-05-20 12:25:41', '2020-05-20 16:25:41', '<b>Provided by Wells Fargo Advisors</b>\r\n\r\nWhen financial markets fluctuate, even the calmest investors can start to question their financial strategies. But volatile markets can present opportunities, says Tracie McMillion, head of global asset allocation strategy for Wells Fargo Investment Institute (WFII).<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“Financial markets are frequently volatile—that’s their nature,” she says. “Over longer periods of time, that volatility can add up to attractive portfolio growth.”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nMcMillion shares an analogy that compares this worry to seasickness: “If you stare at the waves directly ahead of you (the current financial market), the water may look bumpy and turbulent, and you might feel ill at ease. However, if you look outward at the horizon (your long-term investment goals), the ocean as a whole appears to be on a fairly even keel.”\r\n\r\nIn addition to focusing on your financial horizon, here are some strategies you can use to help weather economically turbulent times.\r\n\r\n<b>1. Match your investments to your time horizon. </b>The simplest way to feel more comfortable about your investments is to align them with your financial calendar, no matter what happens in the financial world this month or year. For example, do you need some of your money fairly soon, or want it close at hand in case of an emergency? If so, McMillion says you should consider investments such as cash holdings and short-term bonds that shouldn’t lose much, if any, value over the short term.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, if you won’t need some of your investment money until you retire multiple years in the future, equities or longer-term bonds are worth a closer look. Those investments carry more risks but also offer potentially better returns.\r\n\r\n<b>2. Know what to expect from your assets. </b>Some investors lose confidence because they don’t fully understand how their investments work. In that case, McMillion says, some knowledge of typical asset behavior is a good thing.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nConsider reading up on different types of investments and asking questions of your financial advisor. Once you know how your investments are more likely to perform in certain financial markets, you can help ensure that your investment strategy is in line with your tolerance for risk.\r\n\r\n<b>3. Tune out the noise. </b>By “noise” McMillion means the constant barrage of financial reports from the 24/7 news media. “It’s common for the financial markets to temporarily get a little bit messy as they sort through the current news cycle,” she says.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nHowever, investors usually don’t need to react to the everyday financial news, no matter how topsy-turvy things may seem. “Remember: The U.S. news tends to report on a very small slice of available investments, particularly U.S. large company stocks,” she says. “Your portfolio, if it’s diversified as it should be, probably isn’t going up and down to the same degree as these stocks. Your portfolio changes are probably much more moderate.”\r\n\r\n<b>4. Regularly revisit your plan. </b>There’s no such thing as a completely set-it-and-forget-it investment strategy, McMillion says. It’s always smart to check in regularly with your investment advisor. “Your life circumstances may change, or your financial goals could shift,” she says. “You’ll feel much more confident that your investments are doing their job if you review them regularly with your advisor.”\r\n\r\n<i>Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. is a registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo &amp; Company.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Katie C. Phifer, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Associate Vice President-Investments in Beaufort, SC at 843-524-1114. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>Any third party posts, reviews or comments associated with this listing are not endorsed by Wells Fargo Advisors and do not necessarily represent the views of Katie Phifer or Wells Fargo Advisors and have not been reviewed by the firm for completeness or accuracy.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE</i>\r\n\r\n<i>Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo &amp; Company.</i>\r\n\r\n<i>© 2019 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></i>', 'Four Ways to Invest More Confidently in a Volatile Market', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'four-ways-to-invest-more-confidently-in-a-volatile-market-2', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:25:41', '2020-05-20 16:25:41', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44464', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44574, 4, '2020-05-28 09:43:32', '2020-05-28 13:43:32', '', 'Screen Shot 2020-05-28 at 9.42.41 AM', '', 'inherit', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'screen-shot-2020-05-28-at-9-42-41-am', '', '', '2020-05-28 09:43:32', '2020-05-28 13:43:32', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2020-05-28-at-9.42.41-AM.png', 0, 'attachment', 'image/png', 0),
(44467, 4, '2020-05-20 12:26:22', '2020-05-20 16:26:22', 'Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island has restored limited depot access to properly credentialed military retirees and their credentialed dependents.\r\n\r\nBase access is restricted to every Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to\r\n10 p.m.\r\n\r\nThe restoration of access, which started May 11, is part of the depot’s plan to gradually open facilities, restore services and reduce depot access restrictions in a deliberate and phased manner.\r\n\r\nDepot facilities will require patrons to wear face masks upon entry and military retirees are not authorized to escort non-credentialed personnel aboard the depot.\r\n\r\nThe depot will continue to re-open open facilities, restore services and reduce base access restrictions as conditions permit.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the requirement of wearing face masks, the following facilities will have additional restrictions or modifications to their procedures or business hours:\r\n\r\n<b>Commissary</b>\r\n\r\nThe depot commissary is open to military retirees and their credentialed dependents. The commissary is open Tuesday through Sunday. Retirees will have access to the commissary Tuesday through Thursday until further notice.\r\n\r\n<b>Marine Corps Exchange</b>\r\n\r\nDepot exchange is open to military retirees and their credentialed dependents every Monday through Thursday during regular business hours. The barbershop has a reduced capacity to only 10 customers at one time. The exchange is limited to 400 patrons.\r\n\r\n<b>Library</b>\r\n\r\nThe depot library is open to military retirees and their credentialed dependents every Monday through Thursday during regular business hours. The library has a reduced capacity to only 20 patrons at one time.\r\n\r\n<b>Museum</b>\r\n\r\nThe depot museum is open to military retirees and their credentialed dependents Monday through Thursday during regular business hours. The museum has a reduced capacity to only 80 patrons at one time.\r\n\r\n<b>Traditions Restaurant</b>\r\n\r\nTraditions Restaurant is open to military retirees and their credentialed dependents Monday through Thursday during regular business hours. Traditions will serve takeout dinner Tuesday-Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The bar area is open to patrons, but with a reduced capacity to only 30 patrons.\r\n\r\n<b>Brig and Brew</b>\r\n\r\nThe Brig and Brew bar and grill is open to military retirees and their credentialed dependents Monday through Thursday during regular business hours. The bar area is open to patrons, but with a reduced capacity to only 250 patrons.\r\n\r\n<b>Post Office</b>\r\n\r\nThe depot post office is open to military retirees and their credentialed dependents Monday through Thursday during regular business hours. The post office has a reduced capacity to only 35 patrons at one time.', 'MCRD Parris Island re-opens on limited basis', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'mcrd-parris-island-re-opens-on-limited-basis', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:26:26', '2020-05-20 16:26:26', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44467', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44469, 4, '2020-05-20 12:27:20', '2020-05-20 16:27:20', '<b>By Mindy Lucas</b>\r\n\r\nDiscussions on the latest plan to develop the Whitehall property have been postponed – potentially until meetings can be held in person again.\r\n\r\nAt the Monday, May 18 meeting of the Beaufort-Town of Port Royal Metropolitan Planning Commission, Whitehall developer Sam Levin decided to withdraw the item from the agenda.\r\n\r\nLevin wanted to give the public the opportunity to voice opinions in person if possible, commission chairman Mike Tomy said at the beginning of the meeting.\r\n\r\nFor the last few months, municipal meetings have been held virtually due to the coronavirus.\r\n\r\nAfter developers for Whitehall Point Holdings LLC purchased the waterfront property across from downtown Beaufort in October of 2018 and sold nearly half of the 20-acre site to Beaufort County to develop a public park, the project stalled.\r\n\r\nA dispute over an easement agreement erupted in 2019 which led to a lawsuit. The county has since moved on with plans to develop the park.\r\n\r\nCurrent plans to develop the property owned by Whitehall Point Holdings include villas and multi-story apartment units.\r\n\r\nIn addition to a discussion over when the proposal would be taken up again, planning commission member Bill Bardenwerper asked for an updated traffic impact study in time for the next meeting.\r\n\r\n“We will be ready for you at the June meeting,” Levin said.', 'Whitehall development discussion postponed', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'whitehall-development-discussion-postponed', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:27:20', '2020-05-20 16:27:20', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44469', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44471, 4, '2020-05-20 12:36:37', '2020-05-20 16:36:37', '<b>Feight joins<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></b><b>The Greco Group</b>\r\n\r\nMegan Feight has joined The Greco Group as a real estate agent at Keller Williams in Beaufort. The Greco Group is led by Allison Greco.\r\n\r\nFeight also works as a massage therapist, specializing in neuromuscular massage therapy, at her Beaufort business Flo Massage, and has a clothing line called AZALEA.\r\n\r\n<b>Businesses re-open in Beaufort Town Center</b>\r\n\r\nSeveral businesses located in the Beaufort Town Center on Boundary Street have re-opened.\r\n\r\nThose include Nadia Hurtt Photography, Michael’s Salon, Bangs Salon, The Brow Company Beauty Bar &amp; Makeup Studio, Omni Health &amp; Fitness, Grounded Running and Coldwell Banker Access Realty. The Foundry has re-opened by can only have one member working out at a time.\r\n\r\nRevolution Ballroom will re-open for in-person classes on June 1.\r\n\r\n<i>Have an employee or business announcement? The Island News routinely prints business briefs when space allows. Send announcements to: mindy@yourislandnews.com.</i>', 'Business Briefs', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'business-briefs-28', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:36:37', '2020-05-20 16:36:37', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44471', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44473, 4, '2020-05-20 12:37:30', '2020-05-20 16:37:30', '<b>BJWSA’s Sexton honored</b>\r\n\r\nThe South Carolina American Water Works Association (SCAWWA) has honored Beaufort-Jasper Water &amp; Sewer Authority’s Water Operations Manager Kevin Sexton with the Meritorious Service Operator Award for 2020.\r\n\r\n“This award is given to a certified water works operator for outstanding performance as a water plant operator based on health department standards for excellence in operation and maintenance.”\r\n\r\nSexton began working in the water field straight from high school as a meter reader for the City of Beaufort in 1990, transferring to BJWSA in 1994. He changed roles to water operator trainee in 1996 and was promoted to supervisor. After much experience and many accumulated licenses later, in 2015, he became BJWSA’s Water\r\nOperations Manager.\r\n\r\n<b>SCDMV resumes testing</b>\r\n\r\nBeginning Tuesday, May 26, the SCDMV will resume offering skills tests for non-commercial vehicle drivers who want to obtain standard (Class D) driver’s licenses. Skills tests will be offered by appointment only, Monday through Friday, at 23 SCDMV Branch Office locations across the state (including Beaufort) as well as one day per week at an additional 10 SCDMV locations.\r\n\r\nThe SCDMV suspended Class D skills tests in mid-March in response to COVID-19 social distancing requirements. Upon resuming skills testing, agency examiners will temporarily evaluate applicants using a modified version of the skills test that evaluates critical driver competencies while adhering to social distancing recommendations.\r\n\r\nThe modified skills test leverages national driver’s license standards from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and will be used until the SCDMV deems it appropriate to return to standard skills testing. Applicants who successfully complete the modified skills test and meet all other licensing requirements are eligible for South Carolina Class D licenses.', 'News Briefs', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'news-briefs-152', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:37:30', '2020-05-20 16:37:30', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44473', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44475, 4, '2020-05-20 12:38:14', '2020-05-20 16:38:14', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nEvery voter in South Carolina is now qualified to vote absentee in the June primaries and runoffs. Governor McMaster May 13 signed into law legislation passed the day before by the General Assembly that authorizes any voter to vote absentee in any election in June 2020. The provision expires on July 1, 2020 and does not apply to any elections after that date.\r\n\r\n“This action by the General Assembly and Governor McMaster, which we greatly appreciate, will go a long way in protecting the health and safety of every South Carolinian,” Executive Director of the S.C. State Election Commission Marci Andino said in a release. “All voters now have a safe alternative to voting at their polling place in June.”\r\n\r\nAll voters now have two options to exercise their right to vote in the 2020 Statewide Primaries and Runoffs: vote absentee or vote on Election Day.\r\n\r\n<b>Vote absentee</b>\r\n\r\nAny voter can now select Reason 18 – State of Emergency on the absentee application.\r\n\r\nIf voting absentee by mail, get your application now and return it as soon as possible. Once you receive your ballot, vote the ballot, and return it as soon as possible.\r\n\r\nIf voting absentee in person, visit your county voter registration office or a satellite absentee location. Bring your Photo ID if you have one.\r\n\r\n<b>Vote on Election Day</b>\r\n\r\nElection officials are taking steps to protect the health of voters and poll managers. Poll managers will receive special Covid-19 training on applying social distancing and maintaining sanitary conditions in the polling place. Election officials are working to source: masks, face shields and gloves for poll managers; sneeze guards for check-in stations; sanitizing wipes for cleaning common surfaces; hand sanitizer for voters and poll managers; cotton swabs for making selections on the touchscreen. Check-in stations and voting equipment will be spaced at least 6 feet apart.\r\n\r\nSome polling places will be relocated or consolidated due to the pandemic. Some facilities have declined to be used, and some poll managers have declined to serve. Election officials are working to find new locations and recruit new managers; however, some voters will vote at a different polling place.\r\n\r\nVoters should prepare by making sure your address is up to date.\r\n\r\nCheck your registration.\r\n\r\nUpdate your address.\r\n\r\nBring your Photo ID (or voter registration card if you do not have a Photo ID).\r\n\r\nCheck your polling place at scVOTES.org before going to the polls.\r\n\r\nWear a protective mask if you have one.\r\n\r\nBring your own pen for signing the poll list.\r\n\r\nPractice social distancing by spacing yourself at least 6 feet apart from others.\r\n\r\nBe patient. We are all in this together.', 'All voters can now vote absentee this June', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'all-voters-can-now-vote-absentee-this-june', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:38:14', '2020-05-20 16:38:14', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44475', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44477, 4, '2020-05-20 12:39:24', '2020-05-20 16:39:24', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nAccording to a May 15 letter from Colonel Timothy P. Miller, USMC, the Commanding Officer of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, civilians will return to their normal work routines on Tuesday, May 26 and military personnel will do the same the following day.\r\n\r\nThis change is a result of a downward trend of COVID-19 cases on a state and local level, according to the letter.\r\n\r\nThe Public Health Emergency Officer, along with medical professionals and department heads, will inspect work spaces that normally contain more than to employees. Procedures will be identified to guarantee that CDC guidelines are maintained and employees remain safe.\r\n\r\nMaintaining six feet of social distancing and wearing a mask will be adhered to by MCAS personnel.\r\n\r\n“Return to a normal work routine does not constitute relaxed standards on mitigation efforts that have kept us successful during this pandemic,” Miller writes.\r\n\r\nPersonnel are to reach out to supervisors if they have any questions during this pandemic.\r\n\r\n“Our goal is to remain transparent in our efforts, while meeting the mission and keeping the health and safety of all Air Station personnel a priority,” Miller closes.', 'MCAS Beaufort set to return to normal work routine', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'mcas-beaufort-set-to-return-to-normal-work-routine', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:39:24', '2020-05-20 16:39:24', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44477', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44479, 4, '2020-05-20 12:40:13', '2020-05-20 16:40:13', '<b>From staff reports</b>\r\n\r\nIn an effort to provide flexibility to Beaufort County’s taxpayers who have been affected by COVID-19, the Beaufort County Treasurer\'s Office has extended the Installment Payment Program for mobile homes, residential and commercial real property to all taxpayers.\r\n\r\nThe Installment Payment Program is a pay-in-advance program that allows customers to pay the upcoming year’s taxes ahead of the annual tax bills being issued.\r\n\r\nThese newly relaxed requirements will provide taxpayers with the freedom to pay their 2020 property tax payments in advance, in an amount they are most comfortable with and as frequently as they would like. Taxpayers already participating in the program are automatically eligible.\r\n\r\nPre-payments may be made at any time and in any amount up until Oct. 15, 2020.\r\n\r\n“We want to be there for our customers and the way we can do that is providing a way that they can pre-pay their future tax bill in a manner that they are most comfortable with.” Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls said in a release.\r\n\r\nTo apply for the Installment Program, simply complete the online form. To learn more about the Installment Payment Program, call 843-255-2600.', 'Beaufort County Treasurer expands installment program', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'beaufort-county-treasurer-expands-installment-program', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:40:13', '2020-05-20 16:40:13', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44479', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44481, 4, '2020-05-20 12:43:57', '2020-05-20 16:43:57', '<strong><i>Saturday, May 16, was a great day to be on one’s boat, cruising local waters or just being out in the sunshine. Pictured here are some of the 50 boats beached on the Sand Bar on Saturday in the Beaufort River. Most of the boaters were maintaining social distancing and none were rafting together. Photo by Bob Sofaly</i></strong>', 'Hangin\' at the Bar', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'hangin-at-the-bar', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:43:57', '2020-05-20 16:43:57', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44481', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44484, 4, '2020-05-20 12:47:49', '2020-05-20 16:47:49', 'Several Northern Beaufort County Fire, Police and EMS agencies participated Monday, May 11, in a drive-by of Beaufort Memorial Hospital to say “thank you” to all the nurses who have been on the front line of COVID-19 in recognition of Nurses Appreciation Week. Photos by Beaufort County Emergency Management.', 'Saying Thanks', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'saying-thanks', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:47:49', '2020-05-20 16:47:49', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44484', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(44487, 4, '2020-05-20 12:49:54', '2020-05-20 16:49:54', '<i>The new Port Royal Community Beer Garden, a community effort offering a safe dining opportunity on the scenic Battery Creek, kicked off last weekend. The event offered people a chance to get out of the house and enjoy table side delivery of meals from Port Royal restaurants while sipping wine or a cold beer and maintaining current norms of social distancing and a sunny spring day. Photos by Bob Sofaly.</i>', 'Port Royal Community Beer Garden opens', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'port-royal-community-beer-garden-opens', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:50:55', '2020-05-20 16:50:55', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44487', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44491, 4, '2020-05-20 12:55:21', '2020-05-20 16:55:21', '<b>By Bill Oxford</b>\r\n\r\nEvery crisis has new heroes. During the 9/11 attacks, they were the first responders running into burning and crumbling buildings as others ran out.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>Now, during the Coronavirus pandemic, the most visible heroes are the health care professionals, who are saving others and risking their own lives while doing so.\r\n\r\nThese heroes have much in common with the people that we honor today – America’s fallen veterans. They are men and women who have sacrificed their own lives so others could live. They are both elite and ordinary. They are elite in the sense of character. Giving your life so others could live is the ultimate definition of selfless.\r\n\r\nThey are ordinary in the fact that they represent the diverse fabric of our country. They are rich and poor, black and white, male and female. They come from every ethnicity and background. In short, they looked like anyone of us.\r\n\r\nAs we celebrate the selfless and untiring performances of the healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, it brings to mind the military medics, doctors and nurses who sacrificed their lives while treating others on the battlefield.\r\n\r\nOne such hero was Pharmacist Mate Third Class Jack Williams. The Navy Reserve corpsman was only 20 years old when he landed on Iwo Jima 75 years ago.\r\n\r\nOn March 3, 1945, James Naughton, a Marine in Williams’ unit, was wounded by a grenade.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>While under intense enemy fire, Williams dragged Naughton to a shallow depression and treated his wounds. Williams used his own body as a screen and was shot four times. Yet he continued.\r\n\r\nAfter he treated Naughton, Williams dressed his own wounds.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>He then proceeded to treat another Marine, despite his own immense pain. While heading to the rear, he was hit by a sniper’s bullet and killed.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>For his actions, Petty Officer Williams was awarded the Medal of Honor.\r\n\r\nWe also remember Army veterans like Lieutenant Sharon Lane.\r\n\r\nAccording to her biographer, Philip Bigler, Lt. Lane threw herself into her work as a nurse. While serving in Colorado, she requested a transfer to Vietnam.\r\n\r\n“There, at least, you are busy 12 hours a day, six or seven days a week,” she said in a 1968 letter to her parents.\r\n\r\nHer dedication was obvious, even as she treated enemy Viet Cong soldiers who would return the favor by kicking, cursing and spitting at their American captors.\r\n\r\nIn the early morning of June 8, 1969, Sharon’s tour of duty ended. A Soviet-built rocket struck the hospital. Lieutenant Sharon A. Lane was killed in action at age 25.\r\n\r\nIf she were still here, her skills as a nurse might still be benefiting us during the current crisis. But not all of the heroes working during the COVID-19 pandemic are in the healthcare industry. Grocers, first responders, delivery workers and drive-through restaurant employees are just a few of the many people that we rely on to provide vital services for society while risking their own safety.\r\n\r\nThe military also has heroes in every occupational field. Truck drivers, cooks and administrative clerks have all paid the ultimate price. At sea, on land or in the air – military service requires great risk.\r\n\r\nRoy Knight, Jr. was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. On May 19, 1967, he was shot down while attacking a target on the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos. He was posthumously promoted to colonel.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>Last year, a joint team from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency discovered and later identified Col. Knight’s remains.\r\n\r\nWhen his remains arrived at Dallas’s Love Field, a crowd had gathered to witness the dignified transfer of the flag-draped casket from the Southwest Airlines jet into the receptive arms of the military honor guard. One observer reported that the entire crowd fell silent.\r\n\r\nThe Southwest flight was piloted by another Air Force veteran, Col. Knight’s son, Bryan. Bryan Knight was only five-years-old when he said goodbye to his father as the elder Knight left for Vietnam.\r\n\r\nThis is yet another legacy that these heroes leave behind. A legacy that includes their sons, daughters, grieving parents, grandparents and friends.\r\n\r\n<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>Their heroic acts are sometimes performed to protect those with whom they serve. Corporal Jason Dunham was a squad leader with the Third Battalion, 7th Marines in Iraq.\r\n\r\nOn April 14, 2004, his squad approached a Toyota Land Cruiser. After his squad discovered AK-47s in the vehicle, the enemy insurgent exited and engaged in hand-to-hand fighting with the unit.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>The driver dropped a grenade.\r\n\r\nTo save his fellow Marines, Corporal Dunham made the ultimate sacrifice. He threw himself on the grenade and tried to use his helmet to shield the blast. Severely wounded by the grenade’s fragments, Cpl. Dunham was taken off life-support eight days later.\r\n\r\nCorporal Dunham died so other Marines could live. He, too, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his gallantry.\r\n\r\nApproximately one million men and women of the U.S. military have lost their lives in defense of our nation since the founding of this great Republic.\r\n\r\nNot all have died from enemy fire. Some have died from diseases that have too often festered around war zones.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>Often times, deaths from disease and accidents outnumbered casualties caused by enemy weapons.\r\n\r\nDuring the Spanish American War, 60 soldiers of the all-black 24th Infantry Regiment volunteered to serve as nurses. Thirty-six of them would later die of yellow fever or malaria.\r\n\r\nA generation later, the flu would kill nearly 16,000 U.S. soldiers in France during World War I. Another 30,000 American servicemembers died in stateside camps.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>These men and women could have isolated safely in their homes. But they knew they had an important job to do. A mission to accomplish. They were all on a mission to serve.\r\n\r\nEven when the enemy is an invisible virus or a microscopic germ, the sacrifices made are just as meaningful. The U.S. military has already lost servicemembers to COVID-19.\r\n\r\nThis Memorial Day as we continue to honor those who fell for us in battle, let’s also pause to remember those who have also sacrificed their lives while serving others.\r\n\r\nMay God bless them and may God bless you for remembering them here today.\r\n\r\nThank you.\r\n\r\n<i>American Legion National Vice Commander Paul Espinoza places a wreath at the Vietnam Veterans memorial as a part of the Memorial Day Observance on May 29, 2017 at the Wall in Washington, D.C. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.</i>', 'Remembering those who sacrificed for us', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'remembering-those-who-sacrificed-for-us', '', '', '2020-05-20 12:55:21', '2020-05-20 16:55:21', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44491', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44494, 4, '2020-05-20 13:02:15', '2020-05-20 17:02:15', '<h2><b>Beaufort County planning officials reverse earlier decision on development, allow planning to move forward for ecotourism-styled resort\r\n\r\n</b><b>By Mindy Lucas</b></h2>\r\nReversing its earlier decision, Beaufort County’s planning department has given the go-ahead to developers wanting to build an ecotourism resort on Bay Point Island.\r\n\r\nAfter receiving a newly submitted application, members of the county’s Staff Review Team (SRT) gave approval to a conceptual plan for the high-end resort at their most recent meeting, saying the project now satisfies the county’s definition of ecotourism.\r\n\r\n“The decision today … is not any type of endorsement of the development of the special use on the island,” Beaufort County’s Community Development Department Director Eric Greenway said.\r\n\r\nGreenway went on to say planners would still have to go before the Zoning Board of Appeals and a public hearing on the project.\r\n\r\nThe “virtual meeting” aired on The County Channel and the county’s Facebook page on Tuesday, May 5.\r\n\r\nIn December, SRT members said the plans did not fit the county’s definition of ecotourism and asked project planners to revise and resubmit plans for the $100 million project.\r\n\r\nThe plan now, SRT members noted, has the endorsement of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES). According to its website, TIES was founded in 1990 and has been “on the forefront of the development of Ecotourism, providing guidelines and standards, training, technical assistance, and educational resources.”\r\n\r\nLocated south of St. Helena Island, Bay Point Island – currently undeveloped – is accessible only by boat or plane. Most guests would fly into Hilton Head and would then be ferried over to Bay Point from Skull Creek Marina, project representatives have said.\r\n\r\nThe 50-acre resort would feature small villas made of wooden post and beam construction designed to blend in with the environment, planners have said. In addition, plans show several cultural wellness centers, a restaurant and canteen, cooking school and office space.\r\n\r\nSix Senses, a high-end global hotel resort and spa company would operate the proposed resort. The company, which specializes in ecotourism and sustainability according to it website, currently operates 17 resort properties around the world, some in such sensitive environments as the Seychelles.\r\n\r\nThe island currently has no infrastructure in terms of roads, electrical service, waste water treatment or water service, Greenway said at the May 5 meeting, adding that because of that, the utility plan is “a big issue” for the planning board.\r\n\r\nThe project’s planners took members through the specifics of those plans which now include a solar farm, rainwater collection system and composting system.\r\n\r\nThe project has met with push back from residents, community leaders and environmental groups who say the development would negatively impact an already fragile ecosystem.\r\n\r\nAt the first public hearing held in October with property owners and developers of the project, a representative of the Coastal Conservation League said the project did not take into account erosion, rising sea levels and the increased frequency of hurricanes.\r\n\r\nIn addition, the representative said that ultimately the approval of such a development would set a dangerous precedent in that it would open the area to resort-style ecotourism.\r\n\r\n“I would say all of that still stands,” said Juliana Smith, South Coast Project Manager for the Coastal Conservation League.\r\n\r\nWhile project planners have included additional detail in this most recent proposal, the added information didn’t change the league’s position, Smith said.\r\n\r\n“The island is still not the place for that large of a footprint or this type of development project,” she said.\r\n\r\nPlanners also failed to include or consult the area’s scientists, biologists or conservation experts before compiling the protection plan included in the proposal, she said.\r\n\r\n“Essentially, this is the first time the ecotourism special use has been pursued and the requirements that have been outlined for that by the county still really leave a broad interpretation of what ecotourism is and what it is not,” she said.\r\n\r\nArt Krebs, a member of the resort’s development team, took issue with the perception of the resort’s intention.\r\n\r\n“The main focus on this is really the community and nature,” he said, adding that in the past there’s been “quite a bit of information that has been thrown around without really understanding the purpose” of the project.\r\n\r\n“The purpose of this project is to preserve and conserve the island to its maximum possibilities,” he said at the May 5 meeting.\r\n\r\nKrebs went on to say the project would allow for a number of benefits to the community including jobs and long-term benefits and would be opening the island to the world.\r\n\r\n“Not only as an ecotourism destination but as a learning point,” he said, adding that the resort’s planners would like to create preserves, institutes for education or educational opportunities for children.\r\n\r\nSRT members at the May 5 meeting asked for additional details on the type of composting system developers intended to use and requested additional specifics on its stormwater collection plan.\r\n\r\nAt the end of the meeting, Greenway polled members who all gave approval to the conceptual plan pending the requests for additional details on plans were met.\r\n\r\nIn the days following the May 5 meeting, additional meetings with various county officials, environmental groups, business and civic groups and the project’s developers were held.\r\n\r\nThe Zoning Board of Appeals will now take up the project proposal in a public meeting tentatively scheduled for June 25, but officials have said that meeting will not be held until the county resumes with in-person public hearings to give the public a chance to weigh in.\r\n<h2><b>&nbsp;</b></h2>', 'Bay Point project moving forward', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'bay-point-project-moving-forward', '', '', '2020-05-20 13:02:15', '2020-05-20 17:02:15', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44494', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44498, 4, '2020-05-20 13:09:22', '2020-05-20 17:09:22', '<b>By Mike McCombs and Bob Sofaly</b>\r\n\r\nJohn Harvey was getting his own hair cut Monday at the end of his first day back at work at Harvey’s Barber Shop on Bay Street.\r\n\r\nFor seven weeks, the shop was dormant as close-contact services, such as barber shops and salons had been closed by order of South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster as the state tried to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.\r\n\r\n“I had customers mail me money,” Harvey said. “They said this is for the haircut I missed.\r\n\r\n“Then they mailed me another check another two weeks later. This time they wrote, ‘This is for the haircut my wife wouldn’t let me get because she likes my hair longer.”\r\n\r\nJohn and his brother, Ray, were busy Monday but happy to be back at work.\r\n\r\n“It’s good to be back, good to see faces, good to see people, good to talk to people,” John Harvey said. “It’s good to get back into a routine.”\r\n\r\nAt other businesses around town, things were similar.\r\n\r\nBeaufort Day Spa co-owners Jennifer Poole and Christina Byrne were busy Monday booking clients and making sure everything was in order for re-opening.\r\n\r\nByrne said they qualified for the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan which kept them afloat. Poole added that the property owner where their spa is housed on North Street was very forgiving regarding the monthly rent.<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RES5185.jpeg\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-44499\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RES5185-1024x738.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"766\" height=\"552\"></a>\r\n\r\n“He was very lenient,” she said.\r\n\r\n“He didn’t change the locks on us or anything,” Byrne joked. “We got the PPP loan, which in itself was a long haul.”\r\n\r\nAt the crowded J&amp;J Barber Shop in Port Royal, chairs were positioned outside for the longer-than-normal wait.\r\n\r\nOn Bay Street, John Harvey joked it was good to get back because he was “about to run out of projects at the house.”\r\n\r\n“The phone started ringing at 7 when I walked in the door,” Harvey said, “and it did not stop ringing until after 5 p.m., and we have two lines and we have messages on the phone.”\r\n\r\nJohn Harvey said he was hopeful many other businesses would be able to re-open as well, though he admitted he was fortunate. Harvey’s owns its building. And it, too, qualified for the PPP loan from the federal government, making it possible to pay its employees.\r\n\r\n“I know not everybody will be so fortunate,” he said.\r\n\r\nWhile the shop was shutdown, John Harvey admitted he took care of some house calls. He also lost a customer, one of the first deaths in Beaufort County from the coronavirus.\r\n\r\nHarvey’s has been open in Beaufort since 1936. This is the longest the shop has ever been closed, and aside from yearly breaks for the Water Festival, the next longest stint with the doors shut was two weeks for Hurricane Gracie in 1959.\r\n\r\n“My stamina is probably been down a little bit,” John Harvey said. “We have been out of work for seven weeks.\r\n\r\n“You got to ease into it again.”\r\n\r\n<i>Top: The Beaufort Day Spa was back and open for business on Monday, May 18 after being closed for two months because of the coronavirus. Co-owner Jennifer Poole gives fellow co-owner Christina Byrne a facial to see how latex-free gloves were going to work before working with clients. Both said they couldn’t feel any appreciable difference. Photo by Bob Sofaly.</i>\r\n\r\nRight:&nbsp;<i>Men wait outside for their turn to get a long awaited haircut at J&amp;J Barber Shop on Monday in Port Royal. With the waiting area inside the shop not holding as many customers due to social distancing, chairs were positioned outside for the longer-than-normal wait. Photo by Bob Sofaly.</i>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Barber shops, salons open again in Beaufort', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'barber-shops-salons-open-again-in-beaufort', '', '', '2020-05-25 19:29:15', '2020-05-25 23:29:15', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44498', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44502, 4, '2020-05-20 13:11:24', '2020-05-20 17:11:24', 'South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster on Monday signed H. 3411 into law. The bill, also called a continuing resolution, provides for the continued and uninterrupted operation of state government into the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020.\r\n\r\nIn signing the bill into law, the governor issued a signing statement addressing the federal CARES Act funding.\r\n\r\n“The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act urgently passed by the Congress and signed into law by President Trump provided South Carolina with over $1.9 billion dollars,” the governor’s statement reads. “Its sole purpose is the reimbursement of legitimate COVID-19 expenses incurred by state agencies, local governments, first responders, hospitals, school districts and institutions of higher education – to be done quickly but carefully to get them back on their feet. Time is of the essence and deadlines are approaching.”\r\n\r\nThe governor also addressed the work of AccelerateSC – a group created by the governor last month which serves as a coordinated economic revitalization effort involving business leaders, healthcare professionals, educators, local government officials, and others.\r\n\r\n“Shortly, based on many of the AccelerateSC recommendations, I will propose to the General Assembly a listing of priorities for appropriating CARES Act funds,” the statement reads. “These relief funds belong to the people of South Carolina, not politicians, and we must deliver them to where they are needed. Consideration for their appropriation must be done expeditiously – but also wisely, transparently and with meticulous accountability.\r\n\r\nThe governor continued, “To that end – I ask that you call the General Assembly back into session soon after receiving these recommendations. Any delay will cost the people of our state the one thing they don’t have – time.”', 'McMaster moves to keep state open, appropriate CARES Act funds quickly', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'mcmaster-moves-to-keep-state-open-appropriate-cares-act-funds-quickly', '', '', '2020-05-20 13:11:24', '2020-05-20 17:11:24', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44502', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44504, 4, '2020-05-20 13:13:53', '2020-05-20 17:13:53', '<i>Habersham’s Ron Callari captured friend and turtle whisperer Vicki Anne Nestor on Friday, May 15, sending off the first mama sea turtle to have buried her nest in the morning – most visits are nocturnal – on the beach at Hunting Island. Notice she maintained good social distancing skills. To submit a Lowcountry Life photo, you must be the photographer or have permission to submit the photo to be published in The Island News. Please submit high-resolution photos and include a description and/or names of the people in the picture and the name of the photographer. Email your photos to theislandnews@gmail.com.</i>', 'Lowcountry Life', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'lowcountry-life-119', '', '', '2020-05-20 13:13:53', '2020-05-20 17:13:53', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44504', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44511, 4, '2020-05-27 12:46:37', '2020-05-27 16:46:37', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nFive Beaufort area high school seniors each received a $1,200 scholarship grant through the Lt. General George I. Forsythe Rotary Scholarship Program.\r\n\r\nThe five recipients, each nominated by their respective high schools were:\r\n\r\nCalvin Harvey, Beaufort Academy: Calvin plans to attend Babson College in Wellesley, Mass.\r\n\r\nSophia McKeehan, Battery Creek High School: Sophia plans to attend USC Beaufort to study information science and technology and become a librarian.\r\n\r\nAlex Grabenbauer, Holy Trinity Classical Christian School: Alex pans to attend Clemson University to study mechanical engineering.\r\n\r\nNia Smith, Whale Branch Early College High School: Nia plans to attend Emory University to study mathematics.\r\n\r\nLawren Caldwell, Whale Branch Early College High School: Lawren plans to attend N.C. A&amp;T to study environmental science.\r\n\r\nNormally, scholarship recipients, representatives from their schools and their families are invited to a Rotary luncheon event to receive their recognition, but due to the cancelation of all Rotary events because of COVID-19, their scholarship grants were mailed to their homes.\r\n\r\nThe Lt. General George I. Forsythe Rotary Scholarship is presented annually to graduating seniors from Beaufort County high schools north of the Broad River in memory of Forsythe, a member of the Beaufort Rotary from 1972, when he completed a distinguished 33-year military career, until his passing in 1987.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the grant checks, each recipient received a Certificate of Recognition signed by retired Army Brigadier General Barney Forsythe, son of the late George Forsythe and a member of the Rotary Club of<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;Beaufort since 2014.</span>', 'Rotary Club of Beaufort awards annual college scholarships', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'rotary-club-of-beaufort-awards-annual-college-scholarships', '', '', '2020-05-27 12:46:37', '2020-05-27 16:46:37', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44511', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44513, 4, '2020-05-27 12:48:44', '2020-05-27 16:48:44', '<strong>By Justin Jarrett</strong>\r\n\r\nLowcoSports.com\r\n\r\nFor the second year in a row, Battery Creek will have a new girls basketball coach next season.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nThe school announced last week it has hired veteran coach Lonnie Kluttz to take over the Dolphins’ girls hoops program after Anntionette Elam was not retained following her first season at the helm.\r\n\r\nIn Kluttz, the Dolphins have recruited a coach with a long and distinguished track record. He has spent more than 15 years coaching at every level from youth to college, including a four-year stint as a men’s assistant at Fort Valley State University and two-year runs as the head boys coach at Denmark-Olar High School and head girls coach at C.A. Johnson High School.\r\n\r\n“We are excited to have Lonnie Kluttz join Battery Creek as the head girls basketball coach,” AD Sarah Hayes said. “He has the experience and determination to rebuild the program.”\r\n\r\nKluttz took over a rebuilding program at Denmark-Olar and had the Vikings trending in the right direction before leaving to get closer to home after his mother died and his father fell ill. He also guided C.A. Johnson’s girls to a quick rise, going from 2-6 in region play in his first season to 6-2 last season to capture the region title and Region Coach of the Year honors.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nKluttz cited a desire to move closer to his family’s Charleston-area roots as one reason for the jump to Battery Creek, but his decision to join the Dolphins also stems from the fact the program is just two years removed from going 18-6 and reaching the second round of the playoffs and returns a number of talented, young players.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“This allows me to assist in rebuilding a great program,” Kluttz said. “It appears that I will have a team with the potential to be great, and they will be able to grow together. What coach would not want an opportunity like this? I am very excited for the opportunity that Sarah Hayes and the Battery Creek administration have given me.“\r\n\r\nKluttz comes from a strong basketball lineage — his father, Lonnie Sr., was a standout at North Carolina A&amp;T University before being drafted by the Chicago Bulls and playing briefly in the now-defunct American Basketball Association.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nKluttz has also coached baseball, softball, and cross country, keeping with Battery Creek’s recent trend of hiring head coaches with diverse coaching backgrounds. Kluttz will serve as a social studies teacher at Robert Smalls<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;International Academy.</span>', 'Creek calls on Kluttz to rebuild girls hoops program', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'creek-calls-on-kluttz-to-rebuild-girls-hoops-program', '', '', '2020-05-27 12:48:44', '2020-05-27 16:48:44', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44513', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44516, 4, '2020-05-27 12:49:29', '2020-05-27 16:49:29', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort County Board of Education has approved architects for two major referendum projects as well as construction companies for renovations at 20 additional schools.\r\n\r\nThe Board approved Charleston-based LS3P Associates LTP to design Robert Smalls International Academy’s replacement building, and West Columbia-based Jumper Carter Sease Architects to design renovations at Battery Creek High Schools.\r\n\r\n“These are two major projects resulting from the referendum approved by voters in November,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in a release. “The new building for Robert Smalls is the referendum’s single biggest project, and it’s something that will be a leading fixture in the community for decades to come. Battery Creek’s renovations will modernize the entire high school and its athletic facilities.”\r\n\r\nThe Board also has approved guaranteed maximum prices for four construction companies to do renovations at 20 schools:\r\n\r\nThompson Turner Construction will build, for a guaranteed maximum price of $14.6 million, projects at Broad River Elementary, Coosa Elementary, Lady’s Island Middle, Mossy Oaks Elementary, Beaufort High, St. Helena Early Childhood Center, Whale Branch Early College High and Right Choices.\r\n\r\nContract Construction will build, for a guaranteed maximum price of $5.7 million, projects at Whale Branch Elementary and Whale Branch Middle.\r\n\r\nH.G. Reynolds Co., Inc. will build, for a guaranteed maximum price of $18.2 million, renovations at Beaufort Elementary.\r\n\r\nM.B. Kahn Construction Co. will build, for a guaranteed maximum price of $12.8 million, projects at Bluffton Elementary, Bluffton Middle, H.E. McCracken Middle, Hilton Head Island Early Childhood Center, Hilton Head Island Elementary, Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts, Hilton Head Island Middle, Hilton Head Island High and Okatie Elementary.\r\n\r\nThe summer projects are related to safety/security, technology upgrades, playground improvements at some schools and athletic facilities improvements at others.\r\n\r\nArchitectural and construction firms competed for the referendum work by submitting proposals. Finalists were interviewed, and their proposals were independently evaluated and scored by review panels composed of school principals, community members and district staff.\r\n\r\nCompeting firms were scored on numerous criteria that included such areas as past performance, personnel qualifications, demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and on budget, and related experience on similar projects.', 'BOE approves referendum project architects for summer projects', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'boe-approves-referendum-project-architects-for-summer-projects', '', '', '2020-05-27 12:49:29', '2020-05-27 16:49:29', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44516', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44518, 4, '2020-05-27 12:51:00', '2020-05-27 16:51:00', 'The fifth commandment in the Bible states “Thou Shall honor thy father and thy mother.”\r\n\r\nThere is more to that commandment, but you get the gist of the meaning.\r\n\r\nIt is during this period between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, I am reminded of my own parents and pleased to say, that I honor my parents every day. Because even though they have both been gone for more than 10 years, they are still “long upon the land” and live in my head. Their expressions keep popping up and I say “Okay, Claire and Dave, I hear you.”\r\n\r\nOne of the phrases is “Buck up.” My father loved to say this one. It was said to me or one of my siblings when we would be whining because the tire on a bicycle was low or maybe we missed our favorite television show. It may have been because someone snubbed us, or we stubbed a toe. Unless we were bleeding and sobbing, we would hear. “Buck up!”\r\n\r\nNow in his defense, I will say that it was usually followed by productive comments recommending that if there was something wrong, we should attempt to address it ourselves but it was also a reminder that he had confidence in us to handle a situation.\r\n\r\nWhen I went looking for definitions for “Buck Up”, I found one from the Free Dictionary online. “To adopt a positive outlook, attitude, or mood when one is upset or discouraged.”\r\n\r\nWhen I told a friend about Dad’s comments, she thought they were a bit harsh, but in truth, we always knew that Dad said it with love and kindness. I think he learned it from his own father.\r\n\r\nGrandpa Smith was 6 years old when his own father died, and I think his mother had a lot to deal with my grandfather and his six older siblings.\r\n\r\n“Buck up” probably worked very well for her.\r\n\r\nMy mother had other versions like “Grow up,” “Stop your whining,” or maybe “Count your blessings,” but the sentiment was the same. Your life is pretty darn good and if you have a problem handle it yourself or ask for help, but do not complain about it.\r\n\r\nI have been hearing Dad and Mom lately when I have been whining about my hair salon and pool closed, along with other mild inconveniences. The “Buck up” reverberates in my brain as I guiltily sit on my back porch on a beautiful afternoon reading a book or talking with my grandkids on FaceTime.\r\n\r\nSo, even though I did not appreciate some of their quips in response to my grumbling when I was a child, it is nice to still honor them to this day.\r\n\r\nCongratulations, I have bucked up.\r\n\r\n<em>Lee Scott, a writer and recent retiree, shares her everyday observations about life after career. A former commercial banker responsible for helping her clients to reach their business objectives, Scott now translates those analytical skills to her writings. She lives on St. Helena Island&nbsp;and enjoys boating, traveling and reading.</em>', 'Honor thy mother and thy father', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'honor-thy-mother-and-thy-father', '', '', '2020-05-27 12:51:00', '2020-05-27 16:51:00', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44518', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44520, 4, '2020-05-27 12:52:10', '2020-05-27 16:52:10', '<strong>By Scott Graber</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s Sunday morning and I’m sitting at our narrow, wooden-planked dining room table with my first cup of coffee. This simple, farmhouse style table seats six, although we have, on occasion, squeezed in eight people. Lately, this is where I’ve done my writing.\r\n\r\nI have a small room, upstairs, that was once the venue for most of my writing. That room is decorated— floor to ceiling—with thin black frames containing old columns, black and white photographs of our young son, and fading posters that advertise book signings.\r\n\r\nOne of these posters says that Bernie Schein, John Warley, Pat Conroy and I will be signing books on Sunday, May 20, 2014, on the Concourse Level at the South Carolina Book Festival.\r\n\r\nIt’s important to know that I’ve done maybe a half dozen book signings. Most were humiliating affairs where I sat at a folding table, alone, waiting for someone to approach and ask for a book and a signature. Sometimes I would sell a couple of books, to a couple of good friends, and then slink out of the store putting a box of unsold books into the back of my 1992 Volvo.\r\n\r\nIn terms of the South Carolina Book Festival, I was not actually invited. Pat Conroy had been recruited, sought-after, and said he would attend if John, Bernie and I were also invited. And so, at 2 p.m. on a long ago Sunday afternoon, I found myself on stage staring-back at 500 book-loving festival folk.\r\n\r\nPat began with an expansive introduction of his three Fitzgerald-like friends and their three soon-to-be best-selling novels. He explained that each of us had five minutes to pitch our book. I went first.\r\n\r\nMy novel concerned a father trying to rescue his son from war-ravaged Congo. I knew going-in that nobody in the audience cared about Congo, or its endless civil war, and everyone present was here for Pat. So I was surprised when I got a little laughter, a smattering of applause and the notion that nobody was sleeping.\r\n\r\nThus emboldened, I began to think might sell some books; but unaware I was going past my five minutes.\r\n\r\nJohn Warley came next and he, like me, knew these minutes were precious and (perhaps) John also went past his time.\r\n\r\nWhen Bernie got the spotlight he was angry — but he was also funny and provoked and profane; and somehow compressed his story into the very few minutes that were left. But then — at the signing that followed — Bernie let John and me know the depth and breadth of his anger and our self-absorbed venality.\r\n\r\nWhile Bernie ranted we were also setting ourselves up, at a table, to sign our respective novels. We were preparing our smile; our small talk; wondering whether we might experience a touch of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome at the end of a long evening of book signing. And from where we sat could see that most of the 500 folks in the auditorium had lined-up for books.\r\n\r\nBut, of course, it didn’t take long before we realized they had lined up for Pat. Not for us. I think Bernie and John sold a dozen books; I might have sold two.\r\n\r\nThis was painful for me because I had to sit, smiling, pen poised and ready, while hundreds of people slowly filed past me and my stack of unsigned, unsold books on their way to Pat — the master story-teller of our time. I also knew that Pat’s publisher had told him to stop signing after two hours; that these marathon signings were not good for his hands or his wrists.\r\n\r\nBut he did not stop. He sat there — finding a person, a teacher, an experience he had in common with the book-buyer. And Pat would give each of these persons (who sometimes carried five or six of his books in their arms) a moment they would never forget.\r\n\r\nThere was an “Author’s Dining Room” where the “Presenters” could find complimentary sandwiches and salads. I liked this room because I could meet real authors like Hanoch McCarty and Ron Rash. Often they would say, “Scott Graber? I don’t remember reading anything you have written.”\r\n\r\nThen, after a 10-second delay, “Wait a minute! I know you. You’re the Congo guy. And you’re friends with Pat Conroy.”\r\n\r\nRather than feel defensive, I would feel proud, contented with this characterization. It’s strange perhaps, but I still feel that way.\r\n\r\n<em>Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. Email Scott at cscottgraber@gmail.com.</em>', 'I’m proud to say that I was along for the ride', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'im-proud-to-say-that-i-was-along-for-the-ride', '', '', '2020-05-27 12:52:10', '2020-05-27 16:52:10', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44520', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44522, 4, '2020-05-27 12:58:03', '2020-05-27 16:58:03', '<strong>By David Taub&nbsp;</strong>\r\n\r\nIt is May 22. American deaths from COVID-19 have reached a staggering 95,000 plus, the highest in the world.\r\n\r\nThis pandemic has stolen our friends, neighbors and families in the blink of an historical eye in barely three months. Daily, two thousand or more are being added to this ignominious list, whose names will remain etched in our hearts and memorie\r\n\r\nIt is tens of thousands more than the 58,220 Americans killed during the many long years of the ill-fated Vietnam War, of which the hallowed names of the dead are etched in granite to live as a reminder and memorial to their gallant sacrifices.\r\n\r\nI reflect on the Vietnam war because too few folks remember how divided our country was over that hollow tragedy.\r\n\r\nAs a UCLA graduate student, I vividly recall running from the police on campus as they fired teargas and viciously swung truncheons — they seemed to be having fun. Us students wore masks, too, but for vastly different reasons.\r\n\r\nWhen the most trusted name in journalism, Walter Cronkite, told the nation that “the war is lost,” LBJ knew he was done. “I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president …\" he announced to a stunned public.\r\n\r\nThe toxic reality of sharp destructive divisions engulfing our republic today is not so dissimilar from what I experienced half a century ago. Both were engendered by a failure of leadership.\r\n\r\nDavid Halberstam, a brilliant historian, published The Best and the Brightest in 1969. He vividly demonstrated that decisions by our smartest civilian and military leaders were responsible for the shameful deaths of many thousands of America’s young warriors (and millions of southeast Asians, mostly civilians), all for naught.\r\n\r\nThat list of LBJ’s best and brightest included the Bundy brothers, LBJ’s closest advisors, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, General Maxwell Taylor and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.\r\n\r\nGeneral McMaster, Trump’s first Secretary of Defense, and his “best and brightest” (regrettably McMaster did not last long at the military’s helm) published a searing indictment, titled Dereliction of Duty (1997), detailing the vast government conspiracy of out-and-out lies intentionally perpetrated by LBJ and his henchmen to underwrite their decisions.\r\n\r\nA devastating recital, what Mark Twain would tell us was, “lies, damned lies and statistics.”\r\n\r\nRemember the daily statistic of “enemy body counts,” a disgusting index that indicated we were “winning?” The mother of all lies.\r\n\r\nThere are too many correspondences between these seminal events — the Vietnam War and COVID-19 pandemic — to give me comfort that we are again being led by our “best and brightest.”\r\n\r\nOutrageous lies and falsehoods laid upon the American people about COVID-19 by our “leaders,” parallel the volcanic interface with Americans characterizing the Johnson Vietnam era. We all know how that turned out: Not so good.\r\n\r\nI have opined at length about the critical importance of trust in our government, which continues to slip away, as a flood of polls reveals that a majority of the public is losing confidence in government. Providing strong and competent governing captaincy is difficult enough in “normal” times; even more so in abnormal times.\r\n\r\nWe need our “best and brightest” guiding us through the treacherous minefield of our most existential challenge in over a century. Fortunately, a cadre of our “best and brightest” heroes seems to be located in the health and science arenas.\r\n\r\nSadly however, too many national and state leaders are intent on either ignoring them or contradicting their sage common-sense advice. Instead, they proffer outlandish conspiracy theories or imaginary protective remedies.\r\n\r\nIndeed, our real heroes are now being called “the enemy” by our so-called “leaders.”\r\n\r\nHello! In case you haven’t noticed, the “enemy” is a coronavirus-caused illness named COVID-19.\r\n\r\nOur leaders have politicized and weaponized what should be a unified, non-partisan, cooperative effort to conquer this non-partisan killer. Instead, we get daily servings of cold pabulum, masquerading as truth (small “t”), spewed from lying mouths for personal naked political purposes. It is just the groan of “white” noise — division, distraction, destruction.\r\n\r\nHave we now “the worst and the dumbest?”\r\n\r\nOur political leaders should be guided by our third President, Thomas Jefferson, truly one of the best and brightest minds of any generation: “He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and a third time, till at length it becomes habitual: he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world’s believing. This falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good dispositions.”\r\n\r\nTo that, I say, Amen!\r\n\r\n<em>David M. Taub was Mayor of Beaufort from 1990 through 1999, and served as a Beaufort County Magistrate Judge from 2010 to 2015. He may be contacted at&nbsp;david.m.taub42@gmail.com.</em>', 'The best and the brightest; The worst and the dumbest', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'the-best-and-the-brightest-the-worst-and-the-dumbest', '', '', '2020-05-27 12:58:03', '2020-05-27 16:58:03', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44522', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44524, 4, '2020-05-27 13:03:08', '2020-05-27 17:03:08', 'As the coronavirus pandemic swept the U.S., state governments mandated that dental offices open only for emergency procedures. But in the coming weeks, some dental practices may resume regular appointments in individual states where businesses considered “essential” are allowed to re-open.\r\n\r\nWhen dentists do re-open for full business, the patient experience may seem the same in some ways, but in other ways the offices will reflect a “new normal”.\r\n\r\nDentists are accustomed to following stringent infection control precautions under normal circumstances to lower the risk of transmission of infectious diseases. These precautions help keep both patients and dentists safe because it assumes all patients may have an infection, despite the reality that most won’t.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nBut now, it is expected that patients will be given temperature checks before an appointment and be asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding coronavirus symptoms. All hygiene and safety standards will be enhanced, and the look of a typical dental office will be different.\r\n\r\nThose aren’t the only ways a dental visit may be different as a result of COVID-19. Others include:\r\n\r\n• More safeguards against blood and saliva. When dentists work on your teeth, they can produce aerosols – droplets or sprays of saliva or blood – in the air. This happens routinely when the dentist uses a drill or when the teeth are scaled or polished. With the coronavirus pandemic, there is an increased risk that the blood or saliva may carry the virus and either directly infect the dental staff, or land on surfaces that the staff or the next patient can touch. Equipment that reduces patient spray will come into play for patient and employee safety. You’ll see preprocedural rinses with a hydrogen peroxide solution, which is effective at killing the virus and reducing viral load in the mouth. There will be more use of rubber dams, a shield that fits over top of the tooth and minimizes aerosols in the area. The high-volume suction used to suction up spray will be used at a higher level. And some dentists may be wearing face shields.\r\n\r\n• An empty “waiting” room. Seeing several people in the waiting room may be a thing of the past. You shouldn’t go into an office until it’s your time to go in. There will be limited, if any, occupancy in waiting rooms, Offices will schedule more time between appointments, both to maintain safe space between patients and to have sufficient time to clean up between patients. Parents or other people accompanying patients likely will have to wait outside the office.\r\n\r\n• Alternating office hours. Offices may reduce schedules so fewer patients are there at once, reducing the chance for contact. Another option is longer hours on certain nights, in part to accommodate patients who couldn’t be seen during the shutdown – those who had to postpone non-essential appointments such as checkups, cleanings, and orthodontic adjustments.\r\n\r\n“Along with having trust in your dentist’s ability to care for your needs, more than ever a patient has to trust in the cleanliness and safety of the dental environment,” Dr. Kyle Bogan (www.drkylebogan.com) says. “That’s what will help set an office apart, and anything less will result in a patient migration.”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</span>\r\n\r\n<em>About Kyle D. Bogan, DDS</em>\r\n\r\nD<em>r. Kyle Bogan (www.drkylebogan.com) is a general dentist and a speaker/consultant on workplace culture. He is the owner of North Orange Family Dentistry. Bogan earned a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry and a Fellowship in the International College of Dentists. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Ohio Dental Association, the International Dental Implant Association and the American Academy of General Dentistry. Bogan earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from The Ohio State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;\r\n\r\nExclusive content from CARE Magazine</span></em>', 'Pandemic and Changes to Visiting Dentist’s Office', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'pandemic-and-changes-to-visiting-dentists-office', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:03:08', '2020-05-27 17:03:08', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44524', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(44529, 4, '2020-05-27 13:07:11', '2020-05-27 17:07:11', '<h2>Six Tips to Reach Your Goals</h2>\r\nWith everyone spending more time at home, a lot of people are making new exercise resolutions to try and stay in shape. But for many people, their resolve to get in shape is an on-going process of “well, maybe tomorrow.”\r\n\r\nIf you’re one of those with good intentions but poor follow through, there are ways to get back on track.\r\n\r\n“Many of us resolve to exercise more, but as with making other resolutions, we don’t create habits that last, says Dr. Suhyun An (www.drsuhyunan.com).\r\n\r\nOnce people commit to staying on a fitness plan, it’s important not to push too hard, which could cause pain and injury. Some pain may be manageable, though, and there are ways to address it between workouts in order to stay on track”.\r\n\r\nHere are six tips to help you stick with a workout plan as well as ways to prevent pain from sidelining you:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>HOW TO STICK WITH IT</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Create an action plan.</strong> If you’ve been a consistent couch potato, you might not want to set a goal to run a marathon in just a few weeks. So, create a sensible action plan that contains the steps you need to reach incremental goals, then bigger ones. Set small goals at first and celebrate your success along the way. This enables you to build confidence and look forward to working out, rather than dreading it and skipping it. Then, as you feel stronger, increase the duration and frequency of your workouts over time.\r\n\r\n<strong>Create a support network.</strong> When you tell your family members, friends, and colleagues about your resolutions, you might find others who have set goals that align with yours. These are the people who can help hold you accountable and motivate you to succeed. You might also inspire others through your actions. If you find exercise partners, you’ll reap the benefits of positive social experiences and inspiration.\r\n\r\n<strong>Make small adjustments that add up.</strong> Waking up 30 minutes early to tackle a workout is great, but what if that doesn’t fit within your busy day? Schedule your workouts like you would schedule meetings and commit to sticking with them. You can fit in mini workouts throughout your day. These may include walking up and down stairs, stretching or marching in place while you’re on the phone. Small changes lead to big results.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>HOW TO ADDRESS<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>THE PAIN</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Massage.</strong> “From deep tissue work to more gentle techniques, massage can help you relax,” Dr. An says. “It’s therapeutic benefits include relaxing muscles and sore tissues as well as easing chronic pain.”\r\n\r\n<strong>Physical therapy.</strong> You’ll learn how to gently and effectively move and stretch your muscles while working to strengthen your joints. Physical therapy can help the cause of your pain and may include exercises, stretching, or even water therapy that works your muscles in a pool.\r\n\r\n<strong>Hot and cold therapy.</strong> Heat from a heating pad, a hot bath, or other source boosts blood flow and allows muscles to relax. Cold from ice or a cold pack slows circulation and reduces swelling, slowing the body’s ability to send pain messages.\r\n\r\n“Don’t get discouraged,” Dr. An says. “We all have off days. It’s advisable to take days off from working out to rest or heal or if you’re not feeling well. You can emerge refreshed while reaffirming your commitment.”\r\n\r\n<em>About Dr. Suhyun An, DC, MSN, NP-C: Dr. Suhyun An (www.drsuhyunan.com) is the clinic director at Campbell Medical Group in Houston and an expert on regenerative medicine. She is co-author of Demystifying Stem Cells: A Real-Life Approach to Regenerative Medicine and travels the nation speaking on those topics. Dr. An received a BS in Biochemistry and Biophysical Science from the University of Houston, graduated cum laude from Parker College of Chiropractic, and got her master’s in nursing science from Samford University.\r\n\r\nExclusive content from CARE Magazine.</em>', 'Is Pain or Procrastination Stopping Your Workout Plan?', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'is-pain-or-procrastination-stopping-your-workout-plan', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:07:11', '2020-05-27 17:07:11', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44529', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44531, 4, '2020-05-27 13:10:24', '2020-05-27 17:10:24', 'People are taking special precautions to avoid becoming vulnerable to COVID-19 by wearing masks and gloves in public places. However, outdoor social distances can carry their own risks.\r\n\r\nBeaches and parks have become popular places of social distance to help prevent the spread of coronaviruses. Many people are really focused on doing the right thing to stay social and fight coronaviruses, but it’s very important not to actually take the steps necessary to prevent tick bites.\r\n\r\nTick bite prevention is critical. Ticks are more active than ever before, and in more areas than ever before. To prevent Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses it’s crucial to Be Tick AWARE™ from GlobalLymeAlliance.org. Follow these simple steps to protect yourself, family, and pets from ticks.\r\n\r\nBE TICK AWARE\r\n\r\nPracticing good tick bite prevention habits is the best way to prevent Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Good habits range from wearing appropriate clothing, where you walk, and how often you check for ticks. Simply, it’s important to be tick aware.\r\n\r\n5 EASY STEPS TO&nbsp;REMEMBER ARE:\r\n\r\n• AVOID areas where ticks live. Ticks thrive in places like wood piles, leaf litter, long grass, beach grass, bushy areas, stone walls, and perimeters where the lawn meets the woods.\r\n\r\n• WEAR light-colored clothing to spot ticks more easily; long-sleeved shirt tucked in at the waist, long pants tucked into high socks, closed-toe shoes, and a hat with your hair tucked in, if possible. Do not walk in the grass barefoot or in open sandals, even if it’s a shortcut.\r\n\r\n• APPLY EPA-approved tick repellent (such as DEET or picaridin) and insecticide (such as permethrin) to skin, clothing, and shoes as directed. Watch video on how to properly apply repellent.\r\n\r\n• REMOVE clothing upon entering the home; toss into the dryer at high temperature for 10-15 minutes to kill live ticks. Putting them in the washer, however, will not.\r\n\r\n• EXAMINE yourself and your pets for ticks daily. Feel for bumps paying close attention to the back of knees, groin, armpits, in and behind the ears, belly button, and scalp. Check everywhere – ticks love to hide.\r\n\r\nWHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A TICK ATTACHED\r\n\r\nAs hard as it may seem, don’t panic. Here are 5 steps to follow if you find a tick attached to you, or someone you know.\r\n\r\nSTEP 1. Remove the tick\r\n\r\nRemove the tick with a tick removal tool or tweezers. Get as close to the skin as possible, being careful to get the head – pull the tick straight up – immediately clean the site of the bite with and antiseptic or soap.\r\n\r\nDO! Save the tick in a sealable bag or vial with date of removal\r\n\r\nDO NOT! Twist or agitate the tick - Touch the tick - Drown the tick in oil or use petroleum to remove, it could spread any pathogens\r\n\r\nSTEP 2. Send the tick in for testing\r\n\r\nTesting the tick is important to identify its species and diseases it’s carrying. This information may aid in your diagnosis. It will also help researchers better understand tick habitats and patterns. Ask <a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Be-Tick-Aware-LymeSymptoms-Chart.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-44532\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Be-Tick-Aware-LymeSymptoms-Chart.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"489\" height=\"554\"></a>the lab to test the tick for Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens. Request that your lab test for Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens (co-infections).\r\n\r\nSTEP 3: Monitor your bite site closely\r\n\r\n1. Keep a close eye on your bite site and document any changes.\r\n\r\n2. Take a picture of the site of the bite as soon as possible. If you see any changes, take additional pictures.\r\n\r\n3. Draw a circle around the bite to easily track a rash that may start from the bite. Watch the site and other parts of your body to see if a rash develops for about a week or more. Any changes can mean a reaction to a pathogen from a tick.\r\n\r\nIt’s important to note that while the bulls-eye rash is most associated with Lyme disease, many people do not develop a rash or the appearance of the rash is not a bulls-eye. If you do develop a bulls-eye, CDC guidelines indicate this as a positive diagnosis for Lyme disease, and treatment should be started immediately.\r\n\r\nSTEP 4: Consult with your doctor\r\n\r\nAs soon as you experience any symptoms, see a doctor. A symptom could be a reaction or rash at the bite site, fatigue, brain fog, or any flu-like symptom. Note: a bulls-eye rash serves as an official Lyme disease diagnosis per the CDC. At the first signs of symptoms, 21 days of antibiotic treatment doxycycline are recommended immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment are key.\r\n\r\nIt’s important to note that while the bulls-eye rash is most associated with Lyme disease, many patients do not develop a rash or the appearance of the rash is not a bulls-eye.\r\n\r\nStep 5: Trust your symptoms, not the test\r\n\r\nCurrent Lyme diagnostics are inaccurate about 1/2 the time! It’s important to remember that if your doctor says your test came back negative, but you are feeling symptomatic, you may still have Lyme disease. Trust your symptoms, not the test!\r\n\r\nIf you need help connecting with a Lyme treating physician, GLA can help.\r\n\r\n<em>Source: Global Lyme Alliance (GLA)\r\n\r\nExclusive content from CARE Magazine</em>', 'Tick Bite Prevention Program', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'tick-bite-prevention-program', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:10:24', '2020-05-27 17:10:24', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44531', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44535, 4, '2020-05-27 13:11:24', '2020-05-27 17:11:24', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nThe U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Thursday, May, 7 announced a $2.4 million grant award to the Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority in Beaufort as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed by President Donald Trump on March 27.\r\n\r\nThe Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority will use the grant funds for maintenance, driver compensation and other expenses for Palmetto Breeze Service in the Beaufort area during the COVID-19 public health emergency.\r\n\r\n“This historic $25 billion in grant funding will ensure our nation’s public transportation systems can continue to provide services to the millions of Americans who continue to depend on them,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao said in a release.\r\n\r\n“We know many of our nation’s public transportation systems are facing extraordinary challenges and these funds will go a long way to assisting our transit industry partners in battling COVID-19,” FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams said. “These federal funds will support operating assistance to transit agencies of all sizes providing essential travel and supporting transit workers across the country who are unable to work because of the public health emergency.”\r\n\r\nIn addition to the CARES Act funding, FTA issued a Safety Advisory that prompts transit agencies to develop and implement policies and procedures regarding face coverings and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces, physical separation, and hand hygiene consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidance. CARES Act funding can be used to cover 100 percent of these costs.', 'Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority lands $2.4 million federal grant', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'lowcountry-regional-transportation-authority-lands-2-4-million-federal-grant', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:11:24', '2020-05-27 17:11:24', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44535', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44537, 4, '2020-05-27 13:14:47', '2020-05-27 17:14:47', '<strong>Provided by Wells Fargo Advisors</strong>\r\n\r\nBeneficiary designations can provide a relatively easy way to transfer an account or insurance policy upon your death. However, if you’re not careful, missing or outdated beneficiary designations can easily cause your estate plan to go awry.\r\n\r\nWe often complete these designations without giving it much thought, but they’re actually important and deserve careful attention. Here’s why: Beneficiary designations take priority over what’s in other estate planning documents, such as a will or trust.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nFor example, you may indicate in your will you want everything to go to your spouse after your death. However, if the beneficiary designation on your life insurance policy still names your ex-spouse, he or she may end up getting the proceeds.\r\n\r\n<strong>Where you can find them</strong>\r\n\r\nHere’s a sampling of where you’ll find beneficiary designations:\r\n\r\nEmployer-sponsored retirement plans [401(k), 403(b), etc.]\r\n\r\nIRAs\r\n\r\nLife insurance policies\r\n\r\nAnnuities\r\n\r\nTransfer-on-death (TOD) investment accounts\r\n\r\nPay-on-death (POD) bank accounts\r\n\r\nStock options and restricted stock\r\n\r\nExecutive deferred compensation plans\r\n\r\nBecause you’re asked to designate beneficiaries on so many different accounts and insurance products, it can be difficult to keep up. However, it’s worth the effort; failing to maintain the beneficiary designation on that 401(k) from three employers ago could mean money will go to the wrong place.\r\n\r\nWhen you first set up your estate plan, go over all the designations you previously made and align them with your plan. After that, you should review and update them regularly – a least once a year.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>10 tips about beneficiary designations</strong>\r\n\r\nBecause beneficiary designations are so important, keep these things in mind in your estate planning:\r\n\r\n1. Remember to name beneficiaries. If you don’t name a beneficiary, one of the following could occur:\r\n\r\nThe account or policy may have to go through probate court. This process often results in unnecessary delays, additional costs, and unfavorable income tax treatment.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nThe agreement that controls the account or policy may provide for “default” beneficiaries. This could be helpful, but it’s possible the default beneficiaries may not be whom you intended.\r\n\r\n2. Name both primary and contingent beneficiaries. It’s a good practice to name a “back up” or contingent beneficiary in case the primary beneficiary dies before you. Depending on your situation, you may have only a primary beneficiary. In that case, consider whether a charity (or charities) may make sense to name as the contingent beneficiary.\r\n\r\n3. Update for life events. Review your beneficiary designations regularly and update them as needed based on major life events, such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n4. Read the instructions. Beneficiary designation forms are not all alike. Don’t just fill in names – be sure to read the form carefully.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n5. Coordinate with your will and trust. Whenever you change your will or trust, be sure to talk with your attorney about your beneficiary designations. Because these designations operate independently of your other estate planning documents, it’s important to understand how the different parts of your plan work as a whole.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n6. Think twice before naming individual beneficiaries for particular assets. For example, you establish three accounts of equal value and name a different child as beneficiary of each. Over the years, the accounts may grow unevenly, so the children end up getting different amounts – which is not what you originally intended.\r\n\r\n7. Avoid naming your estate as beneficiary. If you designate a beneficiary on your 401(k), for example, it won’t have to go through probate court to be distributed to the beneficiary. If you name your estate as beneficiary, the account will have to go through probate. For IRAs and qualified retirement plans, there may also be unfavorable income tax consequences.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</span>8. Use caution when naming a trust as beneficiary. Consult your attorney or CPA before naming a trust as beneficiary for IRAs, qualified retirement plans, or annuities. There are situations where it makes sense to name a trust – for example if:\r\n\r\n• Your beneficiaries are minor children\r\n• You’re in a second marriage\r\n• You want to control access to funds\r\n\r\nEven in cases like these, understand the tax consequences before you name a trust as beneficiary.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n9. Be aware of tax consequences. Many assets that transfer by beneficiary designation come with special tax consequences. It’s helpful to work with an experienced tax advisor, who can help provide planning ideas for your particular situation.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n10. Use disclaimers when necessary — but be careful. Sometimes a beneficiary may actually want to decline (disclaim) assets on which they’re designated as beneficiary. Keep in mind disclaimers involve complex legal and tax issues and require careful consultation with your attorney and CPA.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>Next steps</strong>\r\n\r\nWhen creating, updating, or simply reviewing your estate plan, pay attention to your beneficiary designations.\r\n\r\nRemember, beneficiary designations take precedence over what you may have specified in a will or trust.\r\n\r\nPut a reminder on your calendar to check your beneficiary designations annually so you can keep them up-to-date.\r\n\r\nTrust services available through banking and trust affiliates in addition to non-affiliated companies of Wells Fargo Advisors.\r\n\r\nWells Fargo Advisors and its affiliate do not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax and/or legal advisors before taking any action that may have tax and/or legal consequences.\r\n\r\n<em>This article was written by/for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Whitney McDaniel, Financial Advisor in Beaufort, SC at (843) 524-1114. Any third-party posts, reviews or comments associated with this listing are not endorsed by Wells Fargo Advisors and do not necessarily represent the views of Whitney McDaniel or Wells Fargo Advisors and have not been reviewed by the Firm for completeness or accuracy.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo &amp; Company.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>© 2019 Wells Fargo Clearing<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span></em>', '10 Reasons Why Beneficiary Designations Are Important', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', '10-reasons-why-beneficiary-designations-are-important-2', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:14:47', '2020-05-27 17:14:47', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44537', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44539, 4, '2020-05-27 13:16:32', '2020-05-27 17:16:32', '<strong>Witness signature no longer needed on by-mail ballots</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a result of a U.S. District Court order issued today, South Carolinians voting absentee by mail in the 2020 June Primaries and Runoffs are no longer required to have their signature witnessed on the ballot return envelope.\r\n\r\nElection officials will accept and count all absentee ballots regardless of whether the envelope contains a witness signature, if otherwise valid. Any ballots that may have already been returned without a witness signature will also be counted if otherwise valid.\r\n\r\nVoters are still required to sign and date the voter’s oath on the return envelope. However, the “Signature of Witness” and “Address of Witness” spaces can be left blank.\r\n\r\nThe removal of the witness signature requirement applies only to the June 9 Primaries and June 23 Runoffs.\r\n\r\n3 former members of Congress endorse Landing\r\n\r\nThree former members of Congress who live in the Lowcountry have joined current and former public servants from across South Carolina’s First Congressional District in endorsing Kathy Landing.\r\n\r\nLanding received the endorsements of Mount Pleasant residents Tommy Hartnett, who represented South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, and Randy Neugebauer, rated the most conservative member of Congress in 2011 by the National Journal, and Seabrook Island resident and former Chair of the Republican Study Committee Sue Myrick.\r\n\r\nAmong others endorsing Landing are: Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls, CPA; Beaufort County Councilman Stu Rodman; Hilton Head Island Mayor Pro-Tempore Bill Harkins; Hilton Head Island Councilman Tom Lennox; and former Beaufort County Councilwoman Beth Grace.\r\n\r\n<strong>CVSC releases some 2020 endorsements</strong>\r\n\r\nConservation Voters of South Carolina (CVSC) announced endorsements in 14 State Senate and 16 State House contests this week, including two races impacting northern Beaufort County.\r\n\r\nThe CVSC endorsed Democrat Margie Bright-Mathews in Senate District 45 and Shedron Williams in House District 122.\r\n\r\nCVSC Executive Director John Tynan highlighted the bipartisan nature of the endorsements with the organization supporting 14 Democrats and 16 Republicans, “Conservation isn’t a partisan issue – it is a core South Carolina value, and these endorsements reflect that,” said Tynan. “Regardless of party or geography, each of these candidates has a passion and determination for protecting the Palmetto State. We look forward to working with each of them once they’re elected.”\r\n\r\nOf the endorsed candidates, 19 (9 Senate and 10 House) have primary contests on June 9. In addition, 6 of the endorsements are in open seats where an incumbent is not seeking election and 3 are challengers to incumbent lawmakers.\r\n\r\nThe most recent endorsements are listed below. For a complete list that includes endorsements released in March, go to https://www.cvsc.org/elections/endorsements/. Additional endorsements are expected mid-summer.\r\n\r\n<strong>Beaufort County GOP hosting online forums</strong>\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort County Republican Party will be holding a series of Zoom Facebook Candidate Primary Forums for primaries that impact northern Beaufort County.\r\n\r\nThe forum for the First Congressional District will be from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, May 28. Participating will be Chris Cox, Kathy Landing, Brad Mole and Nancy Mace.\r\n\r\nThe forum for Beaufort County Coroner will be from 7-8 p.m. Monday June 1. Participating will be Robert Blok, David Ott and David Zeoli.\r\n\r\nThe candidates will be on Zoom. You can access the events, which will be streamed, by going to the Facebook page Beaufort County Republican Party (@BeaufortGOP).', 'POLITICAL BRIEFS', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'political-briefs', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:16:32', '2020-05-27 17:16:32', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44539', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44541, 4, '2020-05-27 13:24:55', '2020-05-27 17:24:55', '<strong>Sidewalk closed near site of new county building</strong>\r\n\r\nThe sidewalk in front of the worksite for the new Arthur Horne Building on Ribaut Road is closed until further notice.\r\n\r\nPedestrians who want to cross Ribaut Road should do so at the corner of Boundary Street or the corner of Duke Street.\r\n\r\nWork began on the new Arthur Horne Building in February and is expected to be completed by March 2021. The building will have almost 8,000 square feet of office space, allowing Beaufort County to consolidate certain departments.\r\n\r\n<strong>County hosting shredding event June 6 in Bluffton</strong>\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort County Public Works Department Solid Waste and Recycling Section has organized a secure document shredding event for County residents from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. (or truck containers are full) Saturday, June 6 at the Public Works South site located at 9 Benton Field Road, Bluffton.\r\n\r\nTo limit personal contact and protection against coronavirus, please stay in your car during the event. Staff will unload bags and boxes and will use personal protection equipment (masks and gloves).\r\n\r\nIndividuals will be limited to disposing of no more than four boxes or bags.\r\n\r\nAny types or colors of paper, file folders or envelopes are acceptable. Staples or paper clips do not need to be removed. Materials can be brought in any container or bag and will be emptied into roll carts for immediate shredding.\r\n\r\nOnly residential quantities will be accepted. No materials from commercial businesses will be accepted. No electronics will be collected at this event.\r\n\r\nFor more information, visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle or contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Section at 843-255-2736.\r\n\r\n<strong>Fish weigh-in returns at Port Royal Marine/Safe Harbor</strong>\r\n\r\nPort Royal Marine/Safe Harbor has reopened the year-round fishing tournament weigh-in during operational hours. There are 28 categories for male, female, youth, and 10 and younger.\r\n\r\nFor additional information, please contact Captain Frank Gibson at 843-522-2122 or email fgibson@islc.net.', 'NEWS BRIEFS', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'news-briefs-153', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:24:55', '2020-05-27 17:24:55', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44541', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44543, 4, '2020-05-27 13:26:36', '2020-05-27 17:26:36', 'Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has distributed an additional $49,012 in grants to three local organizations providing help to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.\r\n\r\nThe Community Foundation established the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund in mid-March to rapidly deploy funds to nonprofit organizations addressing the needs of individuals and families struggling from the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the fourth round of grants awarded since early April. To date, the fund has raised more than $471,000 and granted $331,362 to 22 organizations in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties.\r\n\r\nA grants advisory committee, comprised of community leaders from Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties, reviews the grant applications. The following organizations have received grants in this fourth round of grantmaking:\r\n\r\nLove House Learning Academy – for food that will be provided to children who attend their childcare center whose parents are essential employees. Love House Learning Academy is partnering with Lowcountry Food Bank and Beaufort County Parks and Leisure Services as they reopen two sites to meet this need resulting from school closures.\r\n\r\nMeals-on-Wheels, Bluffton-Hilton Head – for food costs related to expanding weekend meal service to low-income, infirm and homebound clients. The grant will provide one weekend meal to up to 120 individuals for 13 weeks.\r\n\r\nVolunteers in Medicine – for personal protective equipment to ensure the safety of staff and patients who seek care when the clinic reopens to serve low-income members of the community.\r\n\r\nBecause this pandemic will be ongoing, the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund is still accepting donations. If you’d like to make a tax-exempt donation to the Lowcountry Community COVID-19 Response Fund, you can do so by visiting the Community Foundation’s home page at www.cf-lowcountry.org or by going to the fund’s donation landing page at https://cflowcountry.civicore.com/covid.', 'Community Foundation awards 4th round of COVID-19 grants', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'community-foundation-awards-4th-round-of-covid-19-grants', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:26:36', '2020-05-27 17:26:36', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44543', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44545, 4, '2020-05-27 13:27:46', '2020-05-27 17:27:46', '<strong>Greater Bluffton Republican<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>Club meeting</strong>\r\n\r\n5:45 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, Local Pie Bluffton at 15 State of Mind St., Bluffton. The guest speaker will be Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls, CPA, who will give an update on Beaufort County\'s fiscal health. The social hour begins at 5 p.m. in The Upstairs Room. The public is welcome.\r\n\r\n<strong>Beaufort County<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>free shredding event</strong>\r\n\r\n9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or truck containers are full), Saturday, June 6, Public Works South site, 9 Benton Field Road, Bluffton. Stay in your car. Staff will unload bags and boxes and will use personal protection equipment (masks and gloves). Individuals will be limited to disposing of no more than four boxes or bags. Any types or colors of paper, file folders or envelopes are acceptable. Staples or paper clips do not need to be removed. Materials can be brought in any container or bag and will be emptied into roll carts for immediate shredding. Only residential quantities will be accepted. No materials from commercial businesses will be accepted. For more information, visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle or contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Section at 843-255-2736.\r\n\r\n<strong>Beaufort County electronics<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>recycling event</strong>\r\n\r\n9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, June 20, Beaufort and Bluffton Public Works sites. The Beaufort County Solid Waste and Recycling Department’s free electronics recycling event originally scheduled for May 16. For more information, visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle or call 843-255-2736.', 'WHAT’S HAPPENING', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'whats-happening-15', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:27:46', '2020-05-27 17:27:46', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44545', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44547, 4, '2020-05-27 13:28:41', '2020-05-27 17:28:41', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nOn Wednesday, May 20, a Beaufort Elementary School staff member who had been working in the building tested positive for coronavirus, according to an email from the Beaufort County School District Director of Communications Jim Foster.\r\n\r\nAccording to the email, she had exhibited no symptoms. The building was cleared and will undergo extensive deep-cleaning before safely reopening.\r\n\r\nThe school postponed the collection of student devices, as well as pick-ups of students’ personal materials, until the building reopens.\r\n\r\nA small number of people who might have been exposed to the staff member were instructed to self-quarantine and get tested for coronavirus. There had been a limited number of staff working in the building, and they were practicing safe social-distancing procedures throughout the statewide shutdown.\r\n\r\nParents were notified via e-mail and social media posts.', 'Elementary school staff member tests positive for virus', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'elementary-school-staff-member-tests-positive-for-virus', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:29:08', '2020-05-27 17:29:08', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44547', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44551, 4, '2020-05-27 13:30:17', '2020-05-27 17:30:17', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nThe South Carolina Department of Transportation has awarded a $600,000 grant to the City of Beaufort for its Allison Road Pedestrian Connector Project.\r\n\r\nCity Manager Bill Prokop announced the news at City Council’s May 19 Work Session.\r\n\r\nThe pedestrian and streetscape project will connect Ribaut Road, the Beaufort Memorial Hospital campus, and nearby neighborhoods with the Spanish Moss Trail.\r\n\r\n“In its current condition, Allison Road does not have any pedestrian facilities and poses a hazard to pedestrian movement. Overhead utilities mark the streetscape,” City Director of Public Projects and Facilities Matt St. Clair said in a release. “The Allison Road Connector Project will provide a safe, convenient and attractive connection for pedestrians.”\r\n\r\nJust as significantly, the project will provide improved drainage for 18 acres in the Mossy Oaks neighborhood, supplementing the City of Beaufort’s major Mossy Oaks drainage infrastructure project.\r\n\r\nThis project includes building an eight-foot sidewalk on the south side of Allison Road; moving utilities underground; and repaving; as well as the stormwater improvements.\r\n\r\nThe project’s estimated cost is $1.4 million. Of that, $1 million is coming from SCDOT, which awarded the City a $400,000 grant in 2015 in addition to the $600,000 award just announced. The balance is coming primarily from city matching funds.\r\n\r\nThe project is expected to begin later this year.', 'SCDOT awards city $600K for Allison Road project', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'scdot-awards-city-600k-for-allison-road-project', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:30:17', '2020-05-27 17:30:17', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44551', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44553, 4, '2020-05-27 13:31:04', '2020-05-27 17:31:04', 'May 28 – Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority, 8 a.m., watch on BJWSA’s website www.bjwsa.org/publicmeeting/\r\n\r\nMay 28 – City of Beaufort Park &amp; Tree Advisory Commission, 3 p.m., watch via Zoom or on the city’s Facebook page\r\n\r\nJune 1 – Beaufort County Council’s Community Services Committee, 2 p.m., watch on The County Channel, the county’s Facebook page or at www.beaufortcountysc.gov\r\n\r\nJune 1 – Beaufort County Council’s Natural Resources Committee, 3:30 p.m., watch on The County Channel, the county’s Facebook page or<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>', 'PUBLIC MEETINGS MAY 28–JUNE 3', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'public-meetings-may-28-june-3', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:31:04', '2020-05-27 17:31:04', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44553', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44556, 4, '2020-05-27 13:37:58', '2020-05-27 17:37:58', '<strong>By Mindy Lucas</strong>\r\n\r\nBusinesses on hold or closed. Revenue impacted. Owners frustrated with the loan or recovery assistance process.\r\n\r\nFindings from a recent survey conducted by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce paint a grim picture no doubt about it, but dig a little deeper and there are also ‘glimmers of hope,’ says Chamber President and CEO Ian Scott.\r\n\r\n“Uncertainty is still kind of ruling the day,” Scott said recently by phone about the report released earlier in the<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>month showing the impacts<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>of COVID-19 on the chamber’s members.\r\n\r\n“That said, I feel there is confidence building among all of our businesses and many of the fundamentals are still strong in our economy. The pain is acute, but there are still some ‘glimmers of hope,’” he said.\r\n\r\nThe survey was conducted at the height of the state-ordered closings from the pandemic, from April 21 through May 2 and a report on its findings was released on May 4.\r\n\r\nKey findings showed that:\r\n\r\n• 89 percent of respondents report revenue impact, 80 percent report operational impact.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n• Decrease in customers/orders is the most cited impact.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n• Roughly half of respondents have reduced staffing capacity.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n• The majority of respondents are confident that their business will survive, though the near term remains unclear.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nFor a greater understanding of what findings like “operational impact” mean, Scott said it helps to have anecdotal information to go along with the survey as well.\r\n\r\nThat insight has come through conversations he and his staff have had with chamber members, he said.\r\n\r\nFor instance, operational impact can cover a range of impacts depending on the type of business. For some, that means a forced closure impacted the ability to serve customers, while for others that may mean supply chain distribution problems or a decrease in orders. And of course, all of those issues impact a business’ ability to make money, Scott said.\r\n\r\nIn addition, the effects are widespread and can vary. For instance, despite the closings, not all retail businesses have suffered.\r\n\r\n“Grocery retailers have been, in some cases, busier than they’ve ever been,” he said, adding that those businesses, however, may be dealing with other issues such as changing procedures or store policies in an attempt to keep employees safe.\r\n\r\n“Whereas with downtown businesses, it may be about getting customers to feel comfortable to come back out again,” he said.\r\n\r\nBusinesses such as restaurants, for instance, have only recently been allowed to re-open after having been shut down since mid-March. Retail and other businesses deemed “non-essential” have also begun the re-opening process.\r\n\r\nAnother key finding from those surveyed highlighted the frustration business owners felt in trying to apply for financial assistance at the onset of the closures.\r\n\r\nSome 83 percent of respondents applied for assistance through the U.S. Small Business Administration including the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program or both and multiple members reported frustration and delays with processing those applications for loans or financial assistance.\r\n\r\nWhile the survey’s sample size was a little small and therefore that percentage could have been a little lower in reality, Scott said it was fair to say lots of businesses had been critical of the process.\r\n\r\n“The clarity, the speed and processing, all of those haven’t been seamless we certainly detected,” he said.\r\n\r\nSince then, however, members have reported some progress in receiving assistance through these programs, particularly with the Paycheck Protection Program which initially ran out of money before funds were added.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nThere’s also been some movement in the backlog of unemployment claims that were initially going unaddressed. The numbers of those too have begun to diminish, Scott said.\r\n\r\nStill, there remains much work to be done, he cautioned.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nIn addition to outlining the immediate and critical needs of businesses, the chamber is working with its various partners, such as the city, county, Beaufort Memorial Hospital, DHEC, the Governor’s office and the Centers for Disease Control to identify ways to help businesses and residents.\r\n\r\nThe chamber has also rolled out a new webinar series featuring guest speakers from a variety of industries or backgrounds. And, he said, these partners are all still looking at the process for re-opening while also noting the importance of avoiding a ‘significant transmission of the disease’ to the community.\r\n\r\n“Which is why it’s important for everybody to have policies in place – policies for mitigating the contracting of the disease – and then follow those policies,” he said.\r\n\r\nTo read the full report visit www.beaufortchamber.org/covid-19-business-impact-survey-findings/.', 'Chamber reports ‘glimmers of hope’', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'chamber-reports-glimmers-of-hope', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:37:58', '2020-05-27 17:37:58', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44556', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44558, 4, '2020-05-27 13:39:52', '2020-05-27 17:39:52', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nBeaufort County will resume regular services and reopen most of its buildings to the public by Monday, June 15.\r\n\r\nIn the interest of preventing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting County employees and the public, administration has announced several temporary changes to operations that are in line with the public health guidelines put forth by DHEC and the CDC.\r\n\r\nBuildings are being disinfected, and cough-guards are getting installed at service counters.\r\n\r\nFloor markers and signs<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>reminding guests to maintain 6-feet of social-distancing are being placed throughout County buildings.\r\n\r\nEmployees are being provided with cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, and face coverings, which they are required to wear in the workplace.\r\n\r\nAlthough County offices will reopen June 15, the public is still strongly encouraged to do business online, through email or over the phone when possible.\r\n\r\nAnyone needing in-person assistance should make an appointment ahead of time.\r\n\r\nBeaufort County Council and committee meetings will continue to be held virtually.\r\n\r\nAll visitors to County buildings will be required to wear a face covering while there.\r\n\r\nPlans to resume regular services vary by department and some buildings will have limited access to the public starting June 1.\r\n\r\nFor information about specific departments, call 843-255-1000 ahead of time or visit Beaufort County’s website at www.beaufortcountysc.gov.', 'County buildings to re-open June 15', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'county-buildings-to-re-open-june-15', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:39:52', '2020-05-27 17:39:52', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44558', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44560, 4, '2020-05-27 13:45:32', '2020-05-27 17:45:32', '<em><b>EDITOR’S NOTE:&nbsp;</b>This column originally ran just after Memorial Day 2019. However, despite (and maybe, even more so because of) the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the essential theme has not changed. And it bears repeating.\r\n\r\n</em>\r\n\r\nBy now, the gatherings and happenings of the just-passed Memorial Day weekend are still fresh on the mind but soon headed for our unruly stack of memories, slowly fading.\r\n\r\nBy now, the grill has been cold for days, and any leftovers are likely already gone from the fridge.\r\n\r\nBy now, those of us that enjoyed a long weekend out of town are home again and several days back at work.\r\n\r\nIt may seem like the time to look forward to the next holiday, our next celebration, our next vacation.\r\n\r\nInstead I want to linger on the one we just had for a while.\r\n\r\nDecoration Day begot Memorial Day. A day to recognize and honor the Americans before us who paid the highest price in service of their country.\r\n\r\nThe ultimate sacrifice. They died for us, so that we may be free.\r\n\r\nSo how do we honor those men and women? What do we do to celebrate such a somber occurrence? Given the celebrations, laying of wreaths and parades, do we do enough?\r\n\r\nHow can we repay them?\r\n\r\nThe answer is complicated, and yet it’s simple.\r\n\r\nThe first and biggest step is to stop making it something we do just once a year. It should be a part of our lives every day.\r\n\r\nAnd then the second step is to be worthy of their sacrifice. How to do that is a little less clear.\r\n\r\nI’ve seen that sentiment on social media and T-shirts in the past week.\r\n\r\nAnd I think some of the people I’ve seen it from might disagree with me on exactly what that means.\r\n\r\nIt’s not about being more patriotic. It’s not about supporting the military. Although those things aren’t necessarily bad.\r\n\r\nIt’s not about being more “American.”\r\n\r\nIt’s about being a better American.\r\n\r\nWe should do the things we can do as Americans to make America better. We should be good citizens.\r\n\r\nFirst of all, we should be informed. And we should vote.\r\n\r\nWe should hold our elected officials – from our towns and counties to Congress and the White House – accountable. Right or left, Democrat or Republican, we should hold them to the same standards. And we should insist they follow the law.\r\n\r\nWe should be vigilant so that we don’t require the same sacrifice these soldiers made frivolously. We should question our leaders vigorously any time they want to send our troops into harm’s way. It’s our responsibility. Our leaders work for us.\r\n\r\nAnd when our men and women in uniform come home broken, we should address their needs adequately and promptly.\r\n\r\nBut our responsibilities shouldn’t just be toward our government and our military.\r\n\r\nWe should take care of those who came before us, our elderly.\r\n\r\nWe should care about children, even those that are not our own.\r\n\r\nWe should help and show empathy toward the sick, the mentally ill, the homeless and the poor.\r\n\r\nWe should give blood. We should give to charity.\r\n\r\nWe should care about our environment.\r\n\r\nWe should speak out when there is wrongdoing, racism, bigotry or greed.\r\n\r\nAll these things seem idealistic. Maybe they are.\r\n\r\nBut they can be done. And they can be done every day, even if in small doses.\r\n\r\nAnd they will make this country a better place, and the people will be better for it, as well.\r\n\r\nAnd that’s how you repay them. That’s how you honor them.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>&nbsp;</em>', 'Honoring the fallen should be a year-round task', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'honoring-the-fallen-should-be-a-year-round-task', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:45:32', '2020-05-27 17:45:32', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44560', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44562, 4, '2020-05-27 13:47:57', '2020-05-27 17:47:57', '<strong>Photo by Bob Sofaly</strong>\r\n\r\nElla Check, 8, left, and brother John, 12, help their parents put out American flags on Memorial Day at Beaufort National Cemetery. The children’s parents, Karen and Frank Check, said they tried to explain the importance of Memorial Day and honoring sacrifices made by those buried there. Karen Check said they purchased the flags at a local store and put out as many as they could to teach their kids. Both Ella and John are scouts and usually help put out the flags each Memorial Day. This year, however, the coronavirus made that impossible.&nbsp;', 'Memorial Day', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'memorial-day', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:47:57', '2020-05-27 17:47:57', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44562', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44565, 4, '2020-05-27 13:51:27', '2020-05-27 17:51:27', '<strong>Photo and story by Bob Sofaly</strong>\r\n\r\nHunting Island State Park flies its massive Garrison Flag on the lighthouse for Memorial Day, and a steady breeze made Old Glory dance in the wind over the weekend.\r\n\r\nHunting Island State Park Manager J.W. Weatherford said Sunday he had already been up to the top of the of the iconic structure because the wind gets the flag twisted.\r\n\r\n“But it sure is a beautiful thing,” he said.\r\n\r\nThe flag is the largest U.S. flag flown on special occasions and holidays – 20 feet wide and 38 feet long.\r\n\r\nThe Department of the Army calls it the Garrison Flag, while the Department of the Navy refers to it as Holiday Colors.\r\n\r\nThe Garrison Flag was created during the War of 1812. Maj. George Armistead, the commanding officer of Fort McHenry at Baltimore Harbor, wanted “to have a flag so large the British will have no difficulty in seeing it form a distance.”\r\n\r\nThe original flag was 30 feet wide and 41 feet long. The massive flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes for each state in the Union at the time. Each stripe was two feet wide.\r\n\r\nAfter the violent battle for Fort McHenry, the flag could still seen be seen as dawn broke on Sept. 14, 1814, giving Francis Scott Key the inspiration to write the Star Spangled Banner.', 'Old Glory waves again', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'old-glory-waves-again', '', '', '2020-05-27 13:51:27', '2020-05-27 17:51:27', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44565', 0, 'post', '', 0);
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(44569, 4, '2020-05-27 14:00:32', '2020-05-27 18:00:32', '<h2>Being prepared<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>makes things easier whether you stay or go</h2>\r\n<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nIt’s that time again.\r\n\r\nThe Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.\r\n\r\nHere are some things to remember for Lowcountry residents. Remember the Boy Scouts motto – Be prepared.\r\n\r\n<strong>Survival Kit</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you plan to stay during a hurricane, be prepared by having enough food, water and other supplies to survive up to 72 hours. Here’s a brief checklist:\r\n\r\n• Water (rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation)\r\n\r\n• Food (at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food)\r\n\r\n• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio; NOAA Weather Radio\r\n\r\n• Flashlight\r\n\r\n• First-aid kit\r\n\r\n• Extra batteries\r\n\r\n• Whistle (to signal for help)\r\n\r\n• Plastic sheeting and duct tape\r\n\r\n• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)\r\n\r\n• Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)\r\n\r\n• Manual can opener (if needed for food)\r\n\r\n• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery\r\n\r\n<strong>Maintaining your kit:</strong>\r\nKeep canned food in a cool, dry place. Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers. Replace expired items as needed.\r\n\r\n<strong>Additional Needs</strong>\r\n\r\nConsider adding the following items to your emergency supply kit based on your individual needs:\r\n\r\n• Prescription medications\r\n\r\n• Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids or laxatives\r\n\r\n• Prescription eyeglasses and contact lens solution\r\n\r\n• Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream\r\n\r\n• Pet food and extra water for your pet\r\n\r\n• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person\r\n\r\n• Complete change of clothing appropriate for your climate and sturdy shoes\r\n\r\n• Fire extinguisher\r\n\r\n• Matches in a waterproof container\r\n\r\n• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items\r\n\r\n• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils\r\n\r\n• Paper and pencil\r\n\r\n• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children\r\n\r\n<strong>The Important Stuff</strong>\r\n\r\nFEMA says take the time now to think about the priceless personal items you would want to protect from damage or take with you if you had to suddenly evacuate your home.\r\n\r\nThink about where you store valuable belongings and ways to better protect these items. If you have valuable items stored in a basement, you may want to move them to a higher location and put them in waterproof containers to avoid water damage.\r\n\r\nIdentification documents: Vital records (birth, marriage, divorce certificate, adoption, child custody papers), passport, driver’s license, Social Security card, green card, military service identification, pet ownership papers, identification tags.\r\n\r\nHousing documents: lease or rental agreement, mortgage, home equity line of credit, deed.\r\n\r\nVehicle documents: loan documents, VIN, registration, title.\r\n\r\nOther financial obligations: utility bills, credit cards, student loans, alimony, child support, elder care.\r\n\r\nFinancial Accounts: checking, savings, debit cards, retirement, investments.\r\n\r\nInsurance policies: homeowners, renters, auto, life, flood, appraisals, photos, and lists of valuable items.\r\n\r\nEstate planning: will, trust, power of attorney.\r\n\r\nMedical information: Health/dental insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, VA health benefits, list of medications, immunizations, allergies, prescriptions, medical equipment and devices, pharmacy information, living will, medical power of attorney, caregiver agency contract or service agreement, disabilities documentation, contact information for doctors/specialists, dentists.\r\n\r\nValuables: priceless personal mementos, family photos, and keepsakes; Possessions with monetary value, including jewelry, art, and collectibles.\r\n\r\n<strong>Get Connected</strong>\r\n\r\nDownload SC Emergency Manager (the official app of SCEMD). Using this app, coastal residents can determine their evacuation zone based on their phone\'s location or by entering a physical address. Get the free app via the Apple App Store or Google Play.\r\n\r\nSign up for updates from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777.\r\n\r\nSign up for updates from Beaufort County government at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/SCBEAUFORT/subscriber/new .\r\n\r\nFollow Beaufort County government’s Facebook page (@beaufortcountysc).\r\n\r\n<strong>Post Storm</strong>\r\n\r\nBe sure all the post-storm equipment you may need for survival, comfort or clean-up is serviced and top working order. This includes chain saws and generators. Also, be sure you have fresh gas and oil available.\r\n\r\nSources: The National Hurricane Center, FEMA, The South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the City of Beaufort, Beaufort County and ready.gov.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>THE NAME GAME</b>\r\n\r\nSince 1953, Atlantic tropical storms had been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center. They are now maintained and updated through a strict procedure by an international committee of the World Meteorological Organization.\r\n\r\nThere are six lists used in rotation and recycled every six years, i.e., the 2020 list will be used again in 2026. The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity. If that occurs, then at an annual meeting by the WMO committee (called primarily to discuss many other issues) the offending name is stricken from the list and another name is selected to replace it.\r\n\r\nIn the event that more than 21 named tropical cyclones occur in the Atlantic basin in a season, additional storms will take names from the Greek alphabet.\r\n\r\nHere are the names for this year’s storms:\r\n\r\nArthur\r\n\r\nBertha\r\n\r\nCristobal\r\n\r\nDolly\r\n\r\nEdouard\r\n\r\nFay\r\n\r\nGonzalo\r\n\r\nHanna\r\n\r\nIsaias\r\n\r\nJosephine\r\n\r\nKyle\r\n\r\nLaura\r\n\r\nMarco\r\n\r\nNana\r\n\r\nOmar\r\n\r\nPaulette\r\n\r\nRene\r\n\r\nSally\r\n\r\nTeddy\r\n\r\nVicky\r\n\r\nWilfred\r\n\r\n<b>KNOW YOUR ZONE:&nbsp;</b>\r\n\r\nNorthern Beaufort County is in Hurricane Zone A in the Southern Coast Group. Hurricane zones are used in determining evacuations and vulnerability to storm surge.\r\n\r\n<b></b>', 'Make preparations now for this hurricane season', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'make-preparations-now-for-this-hurricane-season', '', '', '2020-05-27 14:00:32', '2020-05-27 18:00:32', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44569', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44575, 4, '2020-06-02 19:23:57', '2020-06-02 23:23:57', '<h2><b>Beaufort residents gather to call for justice&nbsp;</b><b>after George Floyd dies at hands of police</b></h2>\r\n<h4><strong>By Mike McCombs</strong></h4>\r\n“Black lives matter.”\r\n\r\n“Stop the violence.”\r\n\r\n“Please, I can’t breathe.”\r\n\r\n“With Liberty and Justice for all.”\r\n\r\n“Solidarity.”\r\n\r\n“What if it was your brother?”\r\n\r\n“What if it was your son?”\r\n\r\n“Justice for Trey Pringle.”\r\n\r\n“We need justice.”\r\n\r\n“What if it was your own family?”\r\n\r\nIf you’ve driven past the intersection of Ribaut Road and Boundary Street the past few days, you’ve likely seen one or more of these signs.\r\n\r\nLike much of the rest of the country over the past few days, some folks in Beaufort stood up to say enough is enough.\r\n\r\nOn Monday, May 25, George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis.\r\n\r\nWhile he was handcuffed and face down on the ground, white police officer Derek Chauvin, kneeled on him, pressing his knee into his neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd pleaded that he hurt and could not breathe, even asking for his mother. Three other police officers essentially stood and watched.\r\n\r\nEventually, Floyd stopped pleading, dying on the street.\r\n\r\nBy Tuesday, video of the incident, difficult to watch, was viral, and the four officers were fired.\r\n\r\nAnd the protests began. In Minneapolis. And Louisville. And New York. And Los Angeles. And Nashville. And Atlanta. And everywhere, it seemed.\r\n\r\nBy Friday night, America was on fire.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nAt this point, Chauvin was arrested and charged with 3rd-degree murder. In the long run, experience tells me, that may be meaningless.\r\n<h4><strong>Here in Beaufort</strong></h4>\r\nWhile chaos was ruling elsewhere, as close as Savannah and Charleston, Corey Wright and Timothy Garvin, with help from others, of course, set the wheels in motion in their backyard.<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Protest-Organizer-Thomas-Garvin.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-44579\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Protest-Organizer-Thomas-Garvin-634x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"449\" height=\"724\"></a>\r\n\r\nWhat started Saturday with a handful of folks on the side of the street, by Sunday afternoon had progressed into 75 people on the side of the street, carrying signs and with the support of what easily seemed like the majority of passers by, who blew horns, yelled and pumped fists.\r\n\r\n“It’s beautiful,” Garvin said of the Beaufort protest. “Just look at all the colors. It’s not just black folks. Everybody is out here.”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nThere were people – black, white and brown – standing --<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>and sitting too – and waving and holding signs and pumping fists and yelling support. There was a stockpile of bottled water and snacks and posterboard and markers, all donated.\r\n\r\nAnd the honking horns. Man, the honking horns.\r\n\r\nBeaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling was there Sunday afternoon and had been most of the day. City Councilman Stephen Murray brought his whole family.\r\n\r\nWhile the attitude among the crowd was almost jovial, have no doubt it was serious.\r\n\r\n“We’re tired. We’re tired of this,” Wright said. “We’re out here, though, trying to be heard and bring about some change.”\r\n\r\nWhen asked if he felt the results had been good, Garvin referred to the violence and looting going on in some other places.\r\n\r\n“I think it’s been positive. I mean, you don’t see nothing broken, do you?” Garvin asked. “You don’t see nothing burning. Ain’t nothing on fire. It’s been positive. I can’t say it stays that way. But we’re not looking for it to go the other way, either.”\r\n<h4><strong>It’s an old story, really</strong></h4>\r\nNo matter the exact reason why or one’s opinion on the subject, it should be clear by now that police killing black men – and women – is a running theme in American life. There have been dozens over the past decade. That we know of.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nGeorge Floyd’s story is no different.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nIt comes on the heels of the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.\r\n\r\nTaylor was killed when Louisville police burst into the wrong house on a no-knock warrant, killing the sleeping woman. Arbery was chased down by two cop wannabes while jogging and shot and killed.\r\n\r\nKwajalean Pringle, also at the protest Sunday, unfortunately is all too familiar with another story. In February of 2018, her son Trey, 24, was killed after a confrontation with police. Pringle called 911 to help when her son was having a mental heatlth issue.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nInstead, the call resulted in the death of her son. He was tased five times, suffered cardiac arrest and died three days later at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.\r\n\r\nAt best, Trey Pringle\'s death was a tragedy. It’s clear that family and many others believe it was more.\r\n\r\nNot surprisingly, Kwajalean Pringle was emotional Sunday.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“It brings back so many memories, like I’m reliving this stuff all over again. This one just, … oh my God … all of them do, but there’s something about this one. They way that they were on his neck. I can just picture my son, it’s just …,” Pringle tried to finish.\r\n\r\n“I wasn’t going to come. But I had an emotional morning at work and I decided to come out anyway, just to show support. I wasn’t really prepared to say anything. But I just felt like I had to be here for my<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp; </span>son and everyone else.”\r\n\r\nKwajalean Pringle simply expressed how so many black Americans say they feel, as well.\r\n\r\n“We’re just tired. We’re just tired of our sons, uncles, brothers getting killed. I think we’re just fed up. Really tired. I know I am,” she said. “I’m just tired of hearing about them. Like I said, I’m reliving my son’s death all over again. It’s been two years, and it’s like I’m reliving it every day, all over again.”\r\n\r\nShe said it felt good to come, though. She had braved her emotions and fears to be supportive of friends and neighbors, and others in the same situation as her.\r\n\r\nStill, she had hoped this experience might bring her more answers about the death of Trey Pringle. But did it?\r\n\r\n“Honestly, no,” she said.\r\n\r\nKwajalean Pringle’s younger son, Nick, stood out Sunday in the crowd in front of the old Sgt. White’s Diner building. A basketball star at Whale Branch, Nick Pringle is on his way to Wofford to play basketball and get his education at the small Spartanburg college.\r\n\r\nLike his mother, Nick Pringle said he was tired of black men dying over and over. But he was optimistic.\r\n\r\n“We’re coming together as a community. Look at all these faces,” Nick Pringle said. “We’re just trying to bring everybody together. I’m not promising it will help. But we’re doing something positive.”\r\n<h4>Staying the course</h4>\r\nWhether or not the protest was going to continue into the work week, people just began to show up Monday.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nAmong them were City of Beaufort Police Officers. They weren’t there for crowd control, though.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nInstead, in a “we’re all in this together” moment, they grilled for the protesters.\r\n\r\nIt might have been easier to doubt Garvin’s words on Sunday, but after Monday’s turnout, it seems like the crowd might be in it for the long haul.\r\n\r\n“We going to be out here. Tomorrow, the next day. Next weekend. As long as it takes to get some sort of change. Oh, we’re going to be out here,” Garvin said. “They’re going to get tired of seeing us. They’re going to get tired of hearing horns blowing in the city. They’re going to get real tired. We’re going to be out here. We’re going to be out here.”\r\n\r\n<em>\r\n<strong>Top:</strong> At least 20 and as many as 75 people were gathered throughout Sunday at Ribaut Rd. and Boundary St. across from Beaufort City Hall and Beaufort Police Department to protest police brutality and injustice. The event was slated to begin about noon and go on all day, but some people began gathering as early as 9 a.m. Photo by Bob Sofaly.</em>\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Bottom:</strong> One of the event\'s organizers, Tim Garvin. Photo by Jeff Evans</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Takin’ it to the streets', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'takin-it-to-the-streets', '', '', '2020-06-06 19:22:04', '2020-06-06 23:22:04', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44575', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44583, 4, '2020-06-03 12:27:58', '2020-06-03 16:27:58', '<strong>By Lee Scott</strong>\r\n\r\nYears ago, when I was working in corporate America, everyone on my floor had an office with their own “Ego Wall.”\r\n\r\nThis was the wall covered with pictures, plaques, and diplomas displaying all the employee’s accomplishments. The wall was meant to impress clients and other associates.\r\n\r\nWe had our college degrees framed in cherry to match the cherry furniture. There were plaques and awards from local community organizations and of course, pictures with local dignitaries.\r\n\r\nSome people had pictures with the local mayor or even the governor. There would also be plaques for the company’s prestigious “President’s club” which we all aspired.\r\n\r\nI was thinking of those ego walls when I was shown into the office of a local professional who my husband and I were considering using. We had been led into his office and told he would be in shortly. The assistant was getting us some coffee while we waited.\r\n\r\nAs I sat there looking at his ego wall, it looked totally different from any I had seen before. I stood up to study it.\r\n\r\nThe first thing I noticed was a cute picture dated 1966. It was obviously the office’s occupant and he looked to be about a year old and sporting a Beatle’s haircut. He was a cute pudgy thing with a big smile.\r\n\r\nThen there were charcoal drawings of a couple who looked like his parents, along with assorted photos with his siblings and then an engagement picture of him and his wife. Behind various objects there were Bob Dylan and Beatle album covers and Star Wars figures in their original packaging.\r\n\r\nHe also had symbols of his faith and playbills of musicals from his church. Sitting next to a soccer team picture there were two mugs – one said, “Greatest Grandpa” and the other said “Amazing Dad.”\r\n\r\nThe last two photographs next to each other were the most moving. There was a picture of him with his wife standing with a young boy. It was labeled “Adoption Day in the Philippines – 2004.” Next to that was a photo of the same child, now a young man in a U.S. Air Force uniform. What a profound difference they had made in that boy’s life.\r\n\r\nI was mesmerized by his “ego wall” and the things he treasured.\r\n\r\nWhen he came into his office and apologized for the delay, we replied “No problem.”\r\n\r\nThen he sat at his desk and said, “Well, now, let me tell you a little bit about myself, the firm and how I can help you.”\r\n\r\n“Don’t bother.” I said. I looked at his ego wall and said, “Your whole life story is right there. That is good enough for us.”\r\n\r\nWe hired him.\r\n\r\nLee Scott, a writer and recent retiree, shares her everyday observations about life after career. A former commercial banker responsible for helping her clients to reach their business objectives, Scott now translates those analytical skills to her writings. She lives on St. Helena Island and enjoys boating, traveling and reading.', 'The best Ego Wall I ever saw', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'the-best-ego-wall-i-ever-saw', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:27:58', '2020-06-03 16:27:58', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44583', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44585, 4, '2020-06-03 12:31:04', '2020-06-03 16:31:04', '<strong>By David Taub</strong>\r\n\r\nIn the mid-19th century, French physician Louis Pasteur was instrumental in proving the germ theory of diseases. He developed immunizations against virulent deadly diseases, first in domestic animals, e.g. anthrax in sheep, and later, vaccination against one of the world’s most deadly diseases, smallpox. Over the past two centuries, thanks to laborious efforts of legions of scientists, researchers and physicians, the science of immunology was created, where from virtually all childhood diseases have been almost eradicated.\r\n\r\nBefore Pasteur, we lived in a cruel world without immunization, except by accident — infection followed by survival for some lucky few.\r\n\r\nThe Black Death/Plague, history’s most fatal pandemic, resulted in 75-200 MILLION deaths, peaking in Europe (1347-1351), where perhaps one-third of the entire population perished. Likewise, in the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine and without a coordinated “master plan” of effective responses, millions may yet perish before widespread “herd immunity” is established.\r\n\r\nIn the 1940s and 1950s poliomyelitis, so-called “infantile paralysis,” killed or crippled many thousands of Americans, both children and young adults, including the not-so-young Franklin D. Roosevelt. Through the diligent persistence of many unsung heroes, an effective vaccine was developed, first by Dr. Jonas Salk; somewhat later, Dr. Albert Sabin developed a more effective oral vaccine.\r\n\r\nI can remember being in middle school (in Texas we called it Junior High) in the mid-1950s. We lined up outside our classrooms, while medical personnel put a cube of sugar with a purple dot of the Sabin vaccine on it into our mouths.\r\n\r\nWith massive nationwide immunizations, virtually overnight the scourge of polio was eliminated in North America. A half-century later, the world is free of polio thanks to colossal immunizations, except for three countries — Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Why? Because religious fanatics (the Taliban) murder medical heroes trying to give life-saving vaccinations.\r\n\r\nIt takes years and billions of dollars to develop any drug or vaccine in the U.S. before they can be released to the public. These pharmaceuticals must be proven, first and foremost, to be completely safe (Phase One testing), and next, effective (Phases Two and Three testing).\r\n\r\nThat is why U.S. government-approved vaccines are SAFE and they work.\r\n\r\nBe that as it may, among a small segment of conspiracy believers (a tribe often called anti-vaxxers) we are seeing a strange phenomenon of rejecting life-saving vaccinations.\r\n\r\nTribal adults eschew vaccinating their children, believing, against all scientific evidence to the contrary, that vaccinations are harmful. These conspiracy addicts believe vaccination is a world-wide treachery produced by rapacious big Pharma and corrupt doctors.\r\n\r\nIt is unclear if this strange obsession is a new variant of DUMB-20 virus; more research must be conducted — perhaps NIH will fund me? Indeed, some say the anti-vaxxer tribe of self-styled “patriots” is already a menace.\r\n\r\nThey should ask the Pakistan or Afghanistan Taliban about that. Before 2012, thousands of east Indians were infected with polio. Today, many can be seen crawling on the streets of India begging for alms. They too can speak to the benefits of vaccinations.\r\n\r\nThis is our national reality today: A POTUS who is MIA; a battle between the White House and the CDC, where the former calls the latter “the Enemy;” Instead of hand-washing, we get finger pointing: “you are at fault;” “no, you’re to blame;” “no, everyone is, except me” (we know who the “royal me” is).\r\n\r\nThere is no organized unified plan of action to combat COVID-19; unemployment is staggeringly high and climbing; fools armed with battlefield weapons invade state capitals screaming for Liberty.\r\n\r\nA major political party appears to have been infected by DUMB-20, resulting in a modern-day reincarnation of the 19th Century “Know Nothing Party,” characterized by a rotting swamp of prejudice and irrationality, following like blind sheep led to slaughter behind a pathological narcissist, conspiracy-monger currently infecting 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.\r\n\r\nBy the time you read this, more than 100,000 of our kinsmen will have perished, with more deaths every day. Reflect on that ignominious statistic for a moment: Imagine two professional football stadiums chock-full of fans enjoying their NFL game — at half-time all are gone BAM, GONE – in the blink of an eye! Why? Because our cup overflows with copious amounts of failed leadership.\r\n\r\nWe are at war, but not with COVID-19. Rather, we are engaged in an un-civil war with ourselves, a country greatly and unnecessarily divided.\r\n\r\nNow, not wearing a mask, proven to protect against infection, has become the banner characterizing a phony culture war. Come Nov. 3, we will learn if sanity will prevail, or if an ugly parallel universe will capture our minds and souls for another four years. What universe then shall we inhabit? The outcome is up to you.\r\n\r\n<em>David M. Taub was Mayor of Beaufort from 1990 through 1999, and served as a Beaufort County Magistrate Judge from 2010 to 2015. He may be contacted at david.m.taub42@gmail.com.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;', 'Louis Pasteur: hero or villain', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'louis-pasteur-hero-or-villain', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:31:47', '2020-06-03 16:31:47', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44585', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44588, 4, '2020-06-03 12:34:10', '2020-06-03 16:34:10', '<strong>BY SCOTT GRABER</strong>\r\n\r\nIt is Sunday morning and I’ve just finished my brother-in-law’s memoir.\r\n\r\nJohn Littlewood is married to my wife’s sister, Kathy. They live in Umbria. John is an artist owning a small gallery in Umbertide (near Perugia). We visit this couple every two or three years.\r\n\r\nJohn grew up in post World War II Britain in very modest circumstances. His father was a caretaker for a Wolverhampton bank. His mother was the custodian for that same bank and also made and served tea for the bankers.\r\n\r\nJohn had trouble concentrating; feared math; and failed what was then called the 11-plus examination.\r\n\r\nIn 1945 the United Kingdom had two parallel educational systems — schools funded by taxpayers and private, fee-funded schools. The former were coeducational day schools; the latter were single-sex boarding schools known, strangely, as “Public Schools.” The choice between these two was largely based on parental wealth.\r\n\r\nBetween the ages of 5 and 11 there was a single educational stream in the taxpayer funded schools. And when one turned 11 there was a national exam called the “11-plus test.”\r\n\r\nIf one passed, one went to what were called “grammar schools” and then on to college. If one failed one went into the “Secondary Modern” stream where it was extremely difficult to get into a college.\r\n\r\nThe 11-plus exam became a white collar/blue collar divide that determined whether you would earn your living with your hands, or with your head. The results were based entirely on the results of an IQ test, not requiring the regurgitation of acquired knowledge and with little if any relationship to the curriculum.\r\n\r\nStudents at the private, fee-funded schools were not required to take the 11-plus exam. They had their own “Common Entrance Exam” that determined if they were going to the “Public School” of their parent’s choice.\r\n\r\nJohn failed the 11-plus exam and his formal education came to an end three years later. His father, a veteran who had fought at Gallipoli and the Somme, urged John to take up carpentry. John’s mother, Phyllis, disagreed.\r\n\r\nI tell this story because the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in the US, does the same winnowing-out once done by the 11-plus in Britain. (The 11-plus was abandoned in 2008.) It is true that the SAT is usually taken at 18, and for the disappointed, there are community colleges, but a bad outcome on the SAT/ACT often ends hope of a degree-backed career.\r\n\r\nThat may be changing.\r\n\r\nThe SAT is being dropped by many colleges — 51 at last count. The reason given is that the test is not a reliable “predictor of success” in college. One also knows that kids can be expensively tutored, take it several times, and often improve their scores by more than 100 points.\r\n\r\nBut if the SAT goes away that leaves a student’s GPA — his or her “grades” — as the primary “predictor of success.” And this puts high schools, high school teachers in particular, in the role of deciding who will go to Harvard and who will not.\r\n\r\n“Dropping a standard test requirement necessarily means that admissions committees must rely more heavily on high school grades. But if grades become the metric by which applicants are judged, high schools will have an incentive to hand out A’s like Halloween candy. Grade inflation of this sort could destroy high school GPA’s usefulness as an indicator of student aptitude,” says Forbes magazine.\r\n\r\nThe Forbes writer goes on to say that “even if admissions committees believe grades are the best measure, SAT scores can still be useful as a check against grade inflation.”\r\n\r\nPhyllis Littlewood had watched John draw, knew he was gifted, and helped him get a job in a commercial art studio in Wolverhampton where he swept the floors, washed the windows and caught rats.\r\n\r\nAnd while he was trapping rats he was given the opportunity to lay out advertising and compose pages of copy.\r\n\r\nThis inauspicious beginning led to design work for Goodyear Tire; then to night classes at Wolverhampton College of Art; and work at a small ad agency in London. After that he was off to Batton, Barton, Durstine and Osborne in London, then to Milan (where he ran BBDO-Milan) and finally to the bright lights of New York City, where he his worked on the Dupont, Pepsi-Cola and Pan Am accounts.\r\n\r\nEventually John would become President of NWAyer (West Coast) handling the Toshiba and Yamaha accounts.\r\n\r\nTesting is often loathed, or feared, but is sometimes essential. But we do love it when someone overcomes a bad day when one was 11.\r\n\r\n<em>Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. Email Scott at cscottgraber@gmail.com.</em>', 'Testing often loathed but sometimes essential', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'testing-often-loathed-but-sometimes-essential', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:34:10', '2020-06-03 16:34:10', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44588', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44590, 4, '2020-06-03 12:36:10', '2020-06-03 16:36:10', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nLimits to help protect two popular South Carolina fish species were recently added to South Carolina’s fish and game laws.\r\n\r\nLegislators passed catch and minimum size limits for both Atlantic spadefish and Atlantic tripletail, two coastal fish that previously lacked some protections.\r\n\r\nUnder the new laws, anglers may keep 10 spadefish per person per day (or 30 per boat) and may only keep fish at least 14 inches in total length. The creel limit for spadefish was previously 20 fish per person per day, with no minimum size limit.\r\n\r\nAnglers may keep three tripletail per person per day (or nine per boat), provided those fish are at least 18 inches in total length. No previous limits existed for tripletail in South Carolina waters.\r\n\r\nAtlantic spadefish are beautiful, black-barred fish that often school in large groups around reefs. Some anglers take a specialized interest in fishing for spadefish, which are surprisingly strong fighters when hooked.\r\n\r\nBecause of their schooling behavior and preference for artificial reefs, biologists and anglers have expressed concerns that they may easily be overfished from an area. At 14 inches, the new minimum size limit, spadefish tend to be 3-4 years old and part of the mature spawning population.\r\n\r\nAtlantic tripletail are somewhat uncommon saltwater fish that resemble large bream and are known for an unusual habit of floating on their side near the water’s surface. Their mottled coloring provides excellent camouflage as they swim around jetties, reefs, pilings and other structures in search of small fish and crabs.\r\n\r\nInterest in the tripletail fishery has grown significantly over the last decade, and South Carolina was the last state within the Atlantic tripletail’s range to enact limits on its harvest. Tripletail grow quickly – at 18 inches, a female tripletail is typically just over a year old.\r\n\r\nOriginally introduced in the S.C. Senate by Senator Chip Campsen in 2019, the tripletail and spadefish bills received unanimous approval in the Senate and were passed overwhelmingly by the House of Representatives earlier this year. The new limits took effect upon Acts 118 and 119 being signed by Governor Henry McMaster on March 24.\r\n\r\n\r\n<em>Above: Atlantic tripletail now have a minimum size limit of 18 inches in South Carolina, matching neighboring states. Photo by Captain Jake Parker, Hilton Head.</em>', 'SCDNR sets new limits for spadefish, tripletail', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'scdnr-sets-new-limits-for-spadefish-tripletail', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:36:10', '2020-06-03 16:36:10', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44590', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44593, 4, '2020-06-03 12:38:30', '2020-06-03 16:38:30', '<strong>By Wes Kerr</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>LowcoSports.com</strong>\r\n\r\nOpportunities in life don’t come around very often. When Beaufort High alumnus Ryle Owens was given a chance to try to keep his hoops dreams going, he made the most of it. Now, he’s eying the NBA Draft.\r\n\r\nMost people assume that the league’s prospects were all born to be superstars of their high school teams. That was not the case with Owens. As a Beaufort High Eagle, he never had that golden spotlight. Instead, he was a role player and a shooting specialist.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nHis coach would draw up specific plays in order for him to take the shot, but there was no evidence that he would become enough of a complete player to take his career forward. Instead, he often sat on the bench taking notes from his teammates and coaches. But the motivation and basketball knowledge he picked up during this time was immense.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“High school ball taught me to wait my turn, stay humble, and put in work,” Owens said. “Over the course of my four years I didn’t play much until my senior year, so I was motivated and continued to work hard to be the best player possible on the court.”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nRyle Owens was always known as a good outside shooter, but he took the rest of his game to the next level after working with coach Nick Field and landing at Young Harris College.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nNot a single college gave Owens an offer coming out of high school. But that wasn’t enough to destroy his hoop dreams.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nOne of his former coaches gave him a contact at USC Salkehatchie. It was the only basketball door left. He spent two years at the junior college, where he again was not a staple of the starting lineup. Even as a sophomore he started just seven games. But in the time he was given, he averaged nearly eight points and gave some notice that he wasn’t wanting this basketball ride to end.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nEven the best could not get to their level alone. That’s where Beaufort Academy athletic director Nick Field came in.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nThe two first met when Owens was doing summer workouts at Beaufort High with a couple other alumni. Field, then an assistant basketball coach at BHS, was beyond impressed with Owens’ work ethic, which grew his basketball talent.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“So we’re doing this workout and right away I noticed that he’s got incredible ball-handling,” Field recalls. “It’s been a lot of fun, because when you get to work with Ryle, it takes you back to when you were a fan as a kid. He can do things that are really fun to watch. He can jump out of the gym, he’s got a great shot, and he’s very quick. He’s working hard and doing everything he can in these drills that I’m putting on. Right away I noticed that Ryle’s the type of kid that if he gets an opportunity, he’s going to make the most of it. Everything that’s been presented before him he’s ran away with.”\r\n\r\nBut it was Owens who committed even more to learning from Field through his many brutal workouts on the court.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“I never knew you had to work so hard before I started working with Coach Field,” Owens said. “These were some of the most difficult workouts that I had ever done. It definitely made me grow as a player and a person, but seeing the workouts that he puts you through and seeing how next level it was really translated to the court.”<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nAfter it again looked like his basketball dreams were finished after junior college, Owens was given an opportunity at Young Harris College in the Georgia mountains. He was offered a spot by coach Jeremy Currier, who spent eleven seasons at Pfeiffer University before joining the Mountain Lions. He preaches a fast-paced style of play emphasizing 3-pointers on offense and active hands leading to steals on defense. Owens’ shooting prowess proved to be an ideal fit for Currier’s offense. In his senior season, he sank 74 threes.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\n“Earlier, I was only known as a shooter, so being able to carry that over and add in other parts of my game definitely helped a lot,” Owens said. “At Young Harris we had to make 300 threes some days before we could practice with the rest of the team. On top of that, I’m shooting on my own time. So carrying that 3-point shot has opened up so much more to my game.”\r\n\r\nIn the meantime, Owens worked on other parts of his game, including his ball-handling, decision making, and defense to become the talented guard he is now. Through his work ethic and the belief of his two coaches, Owens has climbed the ranks all the way from a high school role player to an NBA prospect in 2020. And now, some people are starting to know his name.\r\n\r\n“I’m not sure how it happened, but things have just been blowing up for me,” Owens said. “At first while playing at Young Harris I was getting contacted by overseas agents. I’ve always been open to playing overseas, but sometimes people just settle for that option. I wanted to push myself further. Coach Field has been working on my behalf and these NBA agents have taken a chance on me, and when I was presented with the opportunity, it was a clear-cut decision.”\r\n\r\nNow, with college basketball behind him, Owens is eyeing a dream that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago — a real chance to compete on the biggest stage of them all. He signed with agents Aaron G. Adams and Steven Kraser earlier this month and plans to enter the NBA Draft set for June 25.\r\n\r\n“The NBA was a childhood dream for me, and I never gave up on it,” Owens said. “God has been working things out for me. Coach Field and Coach Currier have been such key people in my life, and they’ve not given up on me.”\r\n\r\nThose two were the sparks that cultivated a talented, motivated, and determined man. No matter how much the odds are against him, this kid will get it done. If he’s given even the smallest chance for a spot in the league, watch out.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>\r\n\r\nRyle Owens isn’t done working yet.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</span>\r\n\r\n<em>Above: Ryle Owens was always known as a good outside shooter, but he took the rest of his game to the next level after working with coach Nick Field and landing at Young Harris College. Photo courtesy of Young Harris College Athletics.</em>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>', 'Owens continues to exceed expectations, aims for NBA', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'owens-continues-to-exceed-expectations-aims-for-nba', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:38:30', '2020-06-03 16:38:30', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44593', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44597, 4, '2020-06-03 12:40:01', '2020-06-03 16:40:01', '<h4>USCB names academic<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;</span>award recipients for 2020</h4>\r\nThe following regional USC Beaufort graduates were honored with academic deparmental awards for 2020:\r\n\r\nTheodora Light of Beaufort received the USC Beaufort Governor Paul Hamilton Sons of the American Revolution Outstanding Student in History and Outstanding Spanish Student of the Year awards.\r\n\r\nShane Suda of Beaufort received the USCB Outstanding Hospitality Management Student of the Year Award.\r\n\r\nJoshua Bing of Beaufort received the USCB Gordon Haist Interdisciplinary Studies Outstanding Student of the Year Award.\r\n\r\n“When our academic award recipients look back on their time at USCB, I hope they reflect proudly on thier consistent effort, knowing that what they have been awarded is a direct reflection of their outstanding performance as both a student and peer in the Sand Shark community,” USCB Chancellor Al M. Panu said in a release. “They have each shown their true character, and we salute them for it.”\r\n\r\nUSC Beaufort is the fastest growing four-year institution within the University of South Carolina System. It offers 20 baccalaureate degrees on three campuses – Bluffton, Beaufort and Hilton Head Island.\r\n<h4>Riverview Charter School enrollment drawing Thursday</h4>\r\nThe 2020-2021 enrollment lottery drawing for Riverview Charter School will take place via Zoom at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 4. In the interest of public safety, applicants will not be permitted to attend this year\'s lottery in person, but may login to watch the meeting using the Zoom Meeting ID and Password included here (Zoom Meeting ID – 978 380 7150 and Password – 062694).\r\n\r\nAn email with links to the lottery outcomes will be sent to all applicant families within 48 hours of the lottery\'s conclusion. Families will need their lottery number(s) to check the lottery outcomes as only numbers will be posted (no names).\r\n\r\n<strong>Rotary Club of the Lowcountry announces scholarship winners</strong>\r\n\r\nThe Rotary Club of the Lowcountry announced the recipients of this year’s scholarships during their Friday morning virtual meeting.\r\n\r\nBoth scholarship winners and Interact Advisor Deborah Kidd joined the meeting. The winners were presented with their certificates virtually, as well.\r\n\r\nThe 2020 winners are Beaufort High School’s Claire Bowden, who will attend Wake Forest, and Beaufort High School’s Kelsey Duncan, who will attend Clemson.\r\n\r\nBowden and Duncan were active in Beaufort High School’s Interact Club, holding officer positions and participating in the club\'s fundraising events and Adopt-A-Highway clean-up efforts. Their commitment to the Beaufort community demonstrates the Rotary principles of service above self and building goodwill and better friendships.', 'EDUCATION BRIEFS', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'education-briefs-8', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:40:01', '2020-06-03 16:40:01', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44597', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44599, 4, '2020-06-03 12:41:40', '2020-06-03 16:41:40', '<strong>From staff reports</strong>\r\n\r\nThe Beaufort County School District has recognized 80 high school students as Senior Scholars for their outstanding academic achievements.\r\n\r\nSenior Scholars have maintained a cumulative 3.5 grade-point average or higher, are ranked in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes and have earned the equivalent of a 3.5 GPA in all quarters of their high school courses.\r\n\r\n“We’re tremendously proud of what these students have accomplished during their high school years, and we’re confident their successes will continue as they move forward,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in a release.\r\n\r\nThis year’s Senior Scholars are (listed by school):\r\n\r\nBattery Creek High – Cameron Cook, Olivia Gee, Jeandre Hopkins, Tyler Kidd, Angelleena Ly, Sophia Mckeehan, Paula Nakamura and Chloe-Anne Pratt.\r\n\r\nBeaufort High – Joshua Aiken, Claire Bowden, Elizabeth Chain, Rhea Desai, Heather Domby, Sarah Geisler, Thomas Gnann, Ian Hoogenboom, Mabrey Kolb, Edmund McAlister, Jackson Miller, Brigid Murphy, Sadiya Afroze Nizamuddin, Katelyn Roberts, Sophia Sherman, Sydney Smith and Caitlin Ulmer.\r\n\r\nBluffton High – Orlando Azuara Hernandez, Evan Chapman, Cameron Collins, Peter Fredrick, Ethan Helms, Christian Pena, Letia Reed, Elena Senouillet, Jordan Wilhelm and Bailey Yang.\r\n\r\nHilton Head Island High – Arnaut Aguilar, Kieran Ashton, Logan Bedenbaugh, Cheyenne Ferre, Luke Fromdahl, Colin Gross, Riley Hay, Kaitlyn Holland, Laura Huggins, Janeth Landeros Montes, Veronique Magnan, Caitlyn Owen, Miya Poplin, Olivia Waters, Chloe Wells and Madelyne Wells.\r\n\r\nMay River High – Kayla Anfinson, Brandon Beck, Katie Benenati, Daniela Carachure, Emma Dewey, Adeline Dewig, Gracyn Drury, Mikayla Gassaway, Liz Iglesias, Cassandra Johnson, Hunter Jones, Ava Juliano, Sarah Katon, Grace Lavery, Gisselle Lopez, Jessica Lubbers, Stetson Mobley, Michelle Patino, Emma Peluso, Olivia Peluso, Alyssa Roberts, Chynna Sneed, Faith Sulak, Veronica Villavicencio Millacet and Ciarra Weaver.\r\n\r\nWhale Branch Early College High – Lawren Caldwell, Jameah Moore, Jamyah Moore and Nia Smith.', 'District honors 80 high school seniors for outstanding academic achievements', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'district-honors-80-high-school-seniors-for-outstanding-academic-achievements', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:41:40', '2020-06-03 16:41:40', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44599', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44601, 4, '2020-06-03 12:49:31', '2020-06-03 16:49:31', '<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Photos by Bob Sofaly</strong>\r\n\r\nBeaufort High School graduated 271 seniors during its version of the “drive-by” graduation Tuesday morning at BHS on Lady’s Island. Above, a graduate takes a selfie while using school <a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RES4502.jpeg\">\r\n</a>administration and elected officials as a back drop. (He rolled by before we could catch his name!)\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RES4502.jpeg\"><img class=\"wp-image-44603 aligncenter\" src=\"https://staging.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RES4502-1024x762.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"514\" height=\"383\"></a>\r\n\r\nBattery Creek High School graduated 160 seniors during its first “drive-by” graduation on Monday afternoon at the school. Seniors reached out of their cars and were presented their official diploma by BCHS Principal Chad Cox. Above, Cox presents Olivia Grace Gee, ranked No. 8 in the senior class, with her graduation package.</p>', 'Drive-By Graduations', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'drive-by-graduations', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:49:31', '2020-06-03 16:49:31', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44601', 0, 'post', '', 0),
(44605, 4, '2020-06-03 12:51:55', '2020-06-03 16:51:55', '<strong>By Mindy Lucas</strong>\r\n\r\nA Battery Creek High School senior was surprised with a scholarship, gifts and school supplies in a vehicle parade thrown by officers with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources on Monday, June 1.\r\n\r\nTyler Hancock, 18, received a $500 scholarship as part of the department’s “Take One Make One” hunting education program’s essay contest.\r\n\r\nAn aspiring game warden, Hancock was also “adopted” by officers with the department’s Beaufort Jasper and Colleton County units as part of a Lowcountry program started for graduates called “Adopt a Senior.”\r\n\r\nIn a vehicle parade held at the school on Monday, the officers presented items purchased from Hancock’s wish list including a laptop, backpack, books for college, a mini fridge, clothes and gift cards.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the scholarship and gifts, Hancock was also presented with a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license, valued at $500 and funded through the Harry Hampton Wildlife Fund.\r\n\r\nHancock plans to attend Horry Georgetown Technical College in the fall where he will major in Forestry and Wildlife Management. He served as president of the school’s Future Farmer’s of America program and as a major in its ROTC program.\r\n\r\nBattery Creek High School Principal Chad Cox said Hancock was a passionate student who was involved in a lot of activities.\r\n\r\n“Tyler is a great kid,” Cox said. “He has overcome a lot of obstacles and this is something he’ll remember for the rest of his life. All of us here are super proud of him.”', 'BC’s Hancock earns SCDNR scholarship', '', 'publish', 'closed', 'closed', '', 'bcs-hancock-earns-scdnr-scholarship', '', '', '2020-06-03 12:51:55', '2020-06-03 16:51:55', '', 0, 'https://staging.yourislandnews.com/?p=44605', 0, 'post', '', 0);
