<b>Beaufort County man arrested on child pornography charges</b>

South 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.

Internet 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.

Investigators 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.

Lambe 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.

This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.

<b>MCRD Parris Island holding live-fire training</b>

Marine 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.

For questions regarding firing times and waterway closures please contact the Weapons and Field Training Battalion Range Control at 843-228-3170.

<b>House Freedom Caucus aligned PAC endorses Landing</b>

House 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.

House Freedom Fund supports candidates who will “fight to defend the Constitution and advance policies that promote liberty, safety, and prosperity for all Americans.”

“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.”

<b>BJWSA imposed, lifted boil advisory for Dataw Island area</b>

For 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.

The 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.

BJWSA 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.

<b>Hopeful Horizons support line remains open during pandemic</b>

Hopeful 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.

“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.”

The 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.

Hopeful 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.

<b>SC receives annual tobacco settlement payment</b>

South 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.

In 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.

\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.

South Carolina’s payment primarily goes to the S.C. Department of Health and Human Services for the Medicaid program.

The 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.

Since 1998, South Carolina has received a total of $1,664,216,330.05 in its share of tobacco MSA payments.

<b>Greater Bluffton Republican Club meeting postponed</b>

Because 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.

The guest speaker will be Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls, CPA.

The 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.

The 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.