<b>By Buck Boone</b>

How do I say goodbye to a town that has come to mean so much to me in such a short period of time? I think it will be easier to just say, “See y’all later,” because I certainly hope to return one day. Family health issues are requiring me to return to my home in the Greenville area, so after over 40 years in the industry, I am ending my newspaper career with this Friday’s deadline of The Island News.

I did not know much about the Beaufort area before I moved here a little more than two years ago. The more I discovered about this lovely part of South Carolina, the more I fell in love with it.  Yes, the history and the natural beauty are amazing, but I found that it’s the people who live here that make the area so special. I was received with open arms and quickly made to feel a part of this community. I am blessed to have met so many nice folks and fortunate to call many of them my friends.

The Island News has been a great place to work. It is a true community newspaper that is focused on the people, businesses and activities north of the Broad. Each week, readers submit their news to us because they want their friends and neighbors to know what is going on around them, and the paper reflects the positive aspects of the whole community.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your town; it has been a wonderful experience and I will miss it.
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