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DECEMBER 17–23, 2020 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Burton firefighter ‘no longer employed’ with district Wanted on charges for soliciting sex from 13-year-old, Thomsen fled to GA medical facility
LOLITA HUCKABY
It's back!
By Mindy Lucas An area firefighter wanted on charges of soliciting sex from a
County Council approves return of mask ordinance
13-year-old girl is no longer working as a firefighter with his department, officials say. “Brandon Thomsen is no longer employed by the Burton Fire District,� said Capt. Dan Byrne with the district by phone on Tuesday, Dec. 15. Asked specifically if Thomsen was fired or had resigned, Byrne said the district does not discuss
personnel issues. “All we can say is he is longer employed (with the district),� Byrne said. Earlier in the month, Thomsen had been placed on “immediate suspension� by the fire district after it was notified that warrants had been taken out for his arrest. In addition, Thomsen, 46, was recently located at a medical facility
in Brunswick, Ga. Police learned of his presence at the facility on Dec. 6, Beaufort Police Department spokesman Capt. George Erdel said. “We had hoped to quickly pick him up, but he fled from his residence prior to the arrest warrants being issued,� Erdel said.
SEE DISTRICT PAGE A6
Q&A
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BEAUFORT mask ordinance for the unincorporated areas of Beaufort County is back in place. A majority of County Council on Monday night approved the emergency ordinance to continue the restrictions they let lapse in October. Monday night's swing vote came from Councilman Stu Rodman who in October felt like citizens could handle the matter themselves. Even the three council members who voted against the ordinance – Brian Flewelling, Chris Hervochon and Mike Covert, who was attending his final council meeting – said they personally wear masks but felt a mandate was not necessary. The county will join all the other local municipalities in mandating mask wearing in public places. Only Hardeeville, which is partially in Beaufort County, does not have a mask ordinance. The county ordinance, like the other municipal ordinances, will remain in place until Gov. Henry McMaster lifts the state's emergency ordinance. The local ordinances have been in place since July, with penalties. To date, no law enforcement agencies have reported writing any tickets or warnings
Then-City Councilmen Stephen Murray, left, and Mike McFee wave to the crowd during the 2015 Memorial Day Parade in Beaufort. Photo by Bob Sofaly.
Beaufort’s new mayor pledges to listen and bring people together
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By Mindy Lucas eaufort business owner and former city councilman Stephen Murray was sworn into office on Dec. 8 as the city’s first new mayor in 12 years. While Murray is one of the youngest mayors the city has had in decades, politics and civic engagement weren’t always top
Farewell and good wishes BEAUFORT – Beaufort County Council, besides quickly dealing with the mask ordinance, said farewell to several folks who are leaving at the end of the year. Councilman Mike Covert of Bluffton, who has served for three years on council, said his farewell after opting not to seek another term. He promised his colleagues he’d “be back� in two years. But he did not say where. Among the county
of mind for the 39-year-old. Thanks to a drama teacher at Beaufort High School, Murray was “bit by the Stephen theater bug� and as Murray a result found his way into business at an early age.
Over the years, he has started and managed several successful business ventures and currently runs Kazoobie Kazoos and New South Shirts. He and wife, Melissa Murray, Beaufort County School District’s PK-12 Director of Literacy, have twin girls. As the city’s new mayor, Murray will be coming in at a
time of increased growth and development, tension between developers and historic and environmental preservationists and a global pandemic that has affected Americans everywhere. The Island News recently talked with Murray by phone, just before
SEE MAYOR PAGE A5
Planning Commission greenlights Whitehall development plan By Mindy Lucas Planners for the Whitehall development project went back before the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) on Monday, Dec. 14 with a revised development plan, and this time their proposal was approved. In a unanimous vote held at the MPC’s regular meeting Monday
SEE MASK PAGE A4
night, members gave their stamp of approval to a revised plan that featured significantly less density on the Lady’s Island property. The developer’s previous plan was denied by the commission in September after some members called into question whether the site plan reflected the intent of the county’s
zoning code. In an apparent effort to go “back to the drawing board� planners had reworked site plans to include what developers and commission members estimated to be about 20-25 percent less density in terms of buildings. Residential space now includes single family lots and townhomes as
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Whale Branch’s Pinckney earns East-West Shrine Bowl nod.
Judy Siedentopl has been working for the Marine Corps longer than any Marine currently serving in uniform.
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opposed to the larger scale apartment buildings the previous plan featured. Zoned for mixed use, the plan still includes some space for businesses or other commercial uses. While access points remained the same, roads within the development
SEE PLAN PAGE A6
Voices A11 Local Military A12–13 Legals B1–B11 Directory B12 Classifieds B13
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