December 14 edition

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POSTAL PATRON LOCAL

DECEMBER 14–20, 2023

WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM

PRESORTED PERMIT NO. 97 BEAUFORT, SC 29902

COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY

Fripp Cromer Langford, Phil Cromer, and Stella Scott awaiting the results of the Special Election for Mayor of the City of Beaufort on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 at Panini’s in downtown Beaufort. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

A new chapter

Cromer wins Special Election for Beaufort Mayor By Delayna Earley The Island News Beaufort has a new mayor, and his name is Phil Cromer. As of 8:45 p.m. Tuesday night, Dec. 12, the unofficial results for the Special Election for Mayor of the City of Beaufort show Cromer winning over opponent Mike Sutton with almost 66% of the vote with 15 of the 17 precincts reporting and all 14 absentee and early voting precincts reporting. Sutton received almost 34% of the

vote with 627 votes. “It feels terrific,” Cromer said while at his election after party at Panini’s in downtown Beaufort. “All those three months of campaigning, it seemed like a long time, but it really went by pretty fast and now it’s all over. It was all worth the effort.” Cromer said that he was grateful for all the support that he received while campaigning and finished with a message to those who voted for him, “I’m not going to let you down.”

He planned on spending a little more time at his after party before heading home to get some much-needed rest, but he would like to meet with City Manager Scott Marshall sometime this week to begin to discuss things for the next 11 months. Voter turnout was high for a special election with almost 20% of registered voters in the City of Beaufort showing up to the polls on Tuesday.

SEE CHAPTER PAGE A4

Wreaths Across America Beaufort closing in on goal 26,000 wreaths must be sponsored to have one for every headstone at Beaufort National Cemetery

An estimated 4,000 volunteers participated in the annual Wreaths Across America in 2022 at Beaufort National Cemetery. Last year, for the second year in a row, enough wreaths were sold to place one on every grave at the cemetery. File/Bob Sofaly/The Island News

By Mike McCombs The Island News The final count, until the final count, is 20,133. That’s the number of wreaths that have been sold for Saturday’s Wreaths Across America Day ceremony at Beaufort National Cemetery. It takes 26,000 wreaths to place one on every headstone at the cemetery for the holidays. The next time Wreaths Across America releases a count will be when the final count is released at Saturday’s ceremony.

“People can buy them all the way until right up to the ceremony,” said David Edwards, the Coordinator of Wreaths Across David America Beaufort. Edwards “What doesn’t get on the trucks will be counted for next year.” Edwards said organizers have been fortunate enough to cover every headstone for the past two years. “We have 26,000 interments

out there, and we covered all of them the past two years,” Edwards said. “We’re working our butts off to get them that way this year. All we can do is ask the people to do the best they can.” Wreaths cost $17 this year, up from $15 in years prior. “We understand that’s up,” Edwards said. “Food’s up. Gas is up. Everything is up. If you can, please sponsor the wreaths. We’re only asking people to do what they can. We’re asking for one at a time.

SEE WREATHS PAGE A4

NEWS

STATE NEWS

VOICES

INSIDE

McDorman to retire as City of Beaufort police chief in January.

Uncorking the debate: South Carolina senators clash over alcohol delivery legislation.

Cherimie Crane Weatherford: Don’t forget to move the elf.

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Lowcountry Life A2 News A2–7 State News A8–10 Arts A11 Sports B1, 3 Education B2

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