December 19 edition

Port

It’s been written here before and thus, will be written again. Watching the two municipal councils of Beaufort and Port Royal often evokes a tale of two cities.

The councils of both municipalities held their final meeting of 2024 last week, and the atmosphere in the rooms was a contrast.

(Actually, it was SUPPOSED to be the Beaufort City Council’s last meeting but because they had not completed their work on ARPA grants, they had to meet again this week.)

In Port Royal, a fairly goodsized crowd was gathered to watch the Town Council give the final reading to an ordinance change which limits short-term rentals (STR). The Council had imposed a moratorium on new STR licenses until a citizen’s task force came up with a plan to restrict the numbers.

The speakers that addressed the Council were generally supportive, expressing concerns about the number of STRs that were popping up across town. There was at least one speaker who voiced opposition because of concerns about the impact on his financial plans for his property, but the Council was firm and unanimous.

One speaker even used the opportunity to thank the council not just for more restrictive STR regulations, but for the tighter tree regulations enacted this past year, expanded sidewalks and speed bumps and a lovely lighting ceremony for the town Christmas tree.

On the other end of Ribaut Road, in the Beaufort City Hall, Mayor Phil Cromer and Council members Neil Lipsitz and Mitch

Sheriff’s Office asks

Wreaths Across America Beaufort meets its goal They’re covered

By Mike McCombs The Island News

Another successful year is in the books for Wreaths Across America Beaufort.

For the fifth year in a row, Beaufort Coordinator David Edwards confirmed, the group was able to place a Remembrance Wreath on every headstone in Beaufort National Cemetery for the holiday season.

According to Edwards, more than 3 500 volunteers, as well as 168 motorcycles and four truck of wreaths, were on hand Saturday, Dec. 14, to make things happen.

“I like the way everything went,” Edwards said. “The weather was perfect, there were enough volunteers, and enough assistance.”

All the work isn’t done, though.

The wreaths will be retired on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 8 a.m.

“Volunteers will be needed for that, as well,” Edwards said. “Waste Pro will be assisting with the disposal of the wreaths.”

Looking toward next year’s Wreaths Across America Day, between now and Jan. 15, any orders for wreaths will be matched by

Menorah lighting set for Dec. 26

Staff reports To celebrate the 2024 Chanukah season, Chabad Greater Hilton Head will be holding its fourth annual Public Menorah Lighting at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort.

Chabad Greater Hilton Head will light a 9-foot public Chanukah menorah at 5 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 26, the second night of the eight-day Festival of Lights. The event will feature Grand Menorah Lighting music, latkes and donuts. Complimentary Chanukah menorahs and candles will be distributed as well for participants to light at home.

“Everyone is especially excited

about Chanukah this year,” said Rabbi Mendel, Rabbi of Chabad Greater Hilton Head. “You see, the war in Israel is being fought everywhere. Our defense is not guns and bombs … it’s something much more powerful: our strength as a people. Standing together.

LOLITA HUCKABY

Rabbi Mendel Hertz of Chabad Greater Hilton Head lights the menorah at sunset Thursday, Dec. 7, to begin the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Each lamp of the menorah commemorates the Jewish victory over the Syrian armies in 164 BC. Bob Sofaly/File/The Island News

Mai'Love Solomon, a 7-year-old

America’s International Miss Pageant Queen from Chesapeake Va., says a prayer after laying a Remembrance Wreath on a veteran’s grave at Beaufort National Cemetery during Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

LOWCOUNTRY LIFE & NEWS

At 11:01 a.m., Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, Port Royal Police were called out to a residence on 11th Street regarding a suspicious individual. The description of the suspect included dilated pupils. Officers responded and arrested “Bumble” the Abominable Snow Monster. The Island News photographer Amber Hewitt was lucky to catch the police in action as they made the arrest. 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.

VETERAN OF THE WEEK BEVERLY MCCONNELL

Dear Readers,

American Legion Beaufort brings you Beaufort’s Beverly McConnell, 66, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Prattsburgh, N.Y., in 1978. After Boot Camp in Orlando she was trained at Port Hueneme, Calif., to be a heavy equipment operator with the Seabees. Her first assignment was at the Naval Magazine on Guam, where she spent much of her time driving large bombs up the island to Anderson AFB and the B-52s stationed there. She then served at Naval Base Norfolk, Va. Her final active duty assignment was for three years in Adak, Ala. She separated in 1984 on a disability and returned to New York State and worked for the Taylor Wine Company and later for Mercury Aircraft Inc., in Hammondsport. She retired to Beaufort in 2011

ON THIS DATE

December 24

– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207 For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.

1856: Robert Smalls marries Hannah Jones, an enslaved hotel maid five years his senior. It was Smalls’ first marriage. – Compiled by Mike McCombs

PAL PETS OF THE WEEK

Dog Of The Week

More than anything, Bob wants to be the center of someone's world. This happy-go-lucky 2 year old gives off good vibes and makes friends wherever he goes. If you're looking for a best friend to accompany you on all of life's great adventures, Bob is ready to fill that important role. He is neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped.

Cat Of The Week Leo came to PAL after his person passed away. He’s a big, handsome, gentle boy who really wants to be back in a cozy home. He was confused after his world changed, and it takes him some time to warm up to new people, but once he does, he will come to you for love. Leo is 7 years old, neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped.

For more info on Bob, Leo, or any of our other pets, call Palmetto Animal League at 843-645-1725 or email Info@ PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.

Our Season of Second Chances

continues with fee-waived adoptions for cats, kittens, and adult dogs throughout the holiday season.

– Compiled by Lindsay Perry

We need your help.

Do you love having a local newspaper? One you can actually pick up and hold in your hands?

A local newspaper produced BY locals FOR locals? FYI – We’re the only one.

While other local newspapers around the country are beingbought up by impersonal hedge funds – or disappearing altogether – we’re a family-owned publication employing editors, reporters, photographers, and salespeople who actually live in Beaufort and care about what happens here. We’re a newspaper OF the community, BY the community, and FOR the community.

Do you value knowing about last week’s City Council meeting? Yesterday’s school board decision? Friday’s high school football game? What about that new restaurant that just opened? That festival coming up this weekend? That corrupt County official who just lost her job? That occasional monkey prison break?!

Here at The Island News, we believe local newspapers are essential – not just to community spirit and cohesion, but to democracy, itself. Sure, we’re here to keep you informed about all the fun stuff – festivals, concerts, parades,adoptable pets, monkeys – but we’re also here to help hold our local leaders accountable.

And for 6 years, we’ve been doing it all AT NO CHARGE, because we believe an informed community is a healthy community – and that everybody deserves access to the news.

But like many of you, we’ve experienced tough times over the last few years. Inflation has hit us hard. Paper prices have skyrocketed, along with the price of just about everything else. We’re struggling for our survival.

So this holiday season, we’re asking for your help.

Starting today, you can donate on our website at www.yourislandnews.com or by sending a check to: The Island News, PO Box 550, Beaufort, SC 29901. Your donation – no matter how small – would not only help keep us going, it would let us know you value what we do!

Please help us pull off a Christmas miracle, readers! We love producing this paper for you and hope to do so for years to come.

Many thanks,

Jeff and Margaret Evans, Publishers

Beverly McConnell

Scan to Donate

Beaufort Police release review of Thanksgiving arrest video

Disciplinary action taken against officers though arrests deemed legal

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

A Beaufort Police review of a Thanksgiving weekend arrest of two women that resulted in a video circulating on social media which sparked questions from members of the community concluded that the arrests were lawful, though the officers’ conduct did not adhere to the professional standards upheld by the Department, and disciplinary measures were taken.

Per the statement released Wednesday, Dec. 11, by the Beaufort Police Department, just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28, officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with a headlight that was “non-functioning” and was observed to be swerving.

During the traffic stop, the driver was given a standard field sobriety test and was then arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI), driving while suspended and resisting arrest.

While the driver was being administered the test, the passenger remained in the vehicle but allegedly became belligerent and attempted to interfere with the arrest.

The passenger was tased when officers tried to detain him and he allegedly actively resisted. He was arrested for public disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

According to the statement, the vehicle’s owner later arrived on the scene and was told to contact the

tow truck driver. The vehicle owner is the woman who is shown in the video being pulled from the vehicle.

After contacting the tow truck driver, she allegedly assaulted him and caused him injuries, after which she returned to her vehicle and allegedly refused multiple commands to exit the vehicle.

“Officers were forced to remove her from the vehicle, and she was arrested for assault and battery in the third degree,” the release said.

The incident was filmed from the moment that the woman was pulled from the front seat of the car by the passenger of the car, who was also arrested for interference.

After the driver was taken from the vehicle and was in the process of being arrested, the passenger can be seen exiting the vehicle and moving around to film the arrest.

A police officer tells her aggressively to back up while a separate police officer tells her to stay out of the crime scene.

She asks for his badge number, and he flashes it at her, before turning back around and placing the passenger under arrest.

In the release, the department stated that they reviewed all body-worn and in-car camera footage, reviewed all supplemental reports and conducted multi-tiered evaluations by supervisory personnel.

“A thorough review of this incident confirmed that all charges and elements of the crimes were present, and the crimes were lawful. This review further resulted in training, retraining and disciplinary measures,” the release said.

When asked for further clarification about what that meant, Beaufort Police Department Spokesperson Lindsey Edwards said that while the arrests were made lawfully, upon review of the incident it was determined that the officers’ conduct did not adhere to the professional standards upheld by the Beaufort Police Department.

She also said that department training and retraining included leadership,

de-escalation and response to resistance.

She also said that there was unpaid suspension time included in the disciplinary measures as well, but did not specify as to which officers received the suspension, how many or for how long. The Island News has submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for the incident reports as well as the body and dash cam video related to these arrests.

Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.

Burton Fire District honors top firefighters

Staff reports

The Burton Fire District honored its top firefighters for 2024 at a district banquet held over this past weekend.

Captain/EMT Ethan Webb was selected as the Burton Fire District’s 2024 Officer of the Year. Webb was hired by the fire district in 2011 and was chosen by his fire academy classmates for the Order of the Maltese Cross award, which

Ethan Webb

is awarded to the candidate who best displays the ethos of the fire service. In 2016, Webb was selected as the Burton Fire District Firefighter of the Year, and the Exchange Club Firefighter of the Year for saving the life of a woman off duty by performing CPR. In

2018, Webb was awarded the S.C. Firefighters’ Association Meritorious Action award for his efforts to save a man trapped under a mobile home. In 2022, then Lt. Webb, was also selected as the 2022 Officer of the Year.

Engineer/EMT Josh Fridley was selected as Burton Fire District’s Firefighter of the Year. Fridley was hired by the district in 2022 and promoted to Engineer just a year

later. Fridley’s peers noted his continuous positive attitude, initiative in taking on new projects and training other firefighters, and his volunteer participation in several fire district committees on station and uniform improvements as reasons for nominating him for this award.

In addition, the district’s maintenance staff also noted his detailed vehicle inspections and constant

preventive maintenance on the district’s emergency apparatus to ensure they are prepared to safely and efficiently respond to emergencies.

Engineer Guido Portela was selected as Burton Fire District Shift I Firefighter of the Year, and Engineer/Paramedic Morgan Clifton was selected as Burton Fire District Shift II Firefighter of the Year.

To further expand and enhance cardiac care for Lowcountry residents, Beaufort Beaufort Memorial has added an experienced interventional cardiologist to the team at Beaufort Memorial Heart Specialists.

Board-certified in Internal Medicine and fellowship-trained in Cardiovascular Disease as well as Interventional Cardiology, Dr. Francis O’Neill brings his background with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to the practice where he will diagnose and treat patients with cardiovascular conditions.

In addition to seeing patients in both the practice’s Beaufort and Okatie offices, Dr. O’Neill will also perform cardiac catheterization procedures in the newly renovated cath lab at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

The New York native joins the hospital from his role as an interventional cardiologist and Director of both Cardiac Catheterization and Cardiac Critical Care at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, N.Y. Having performed over 1,000 coronary procedures, his focus is interventional cardiology – but his diverse experience will bring specialized, high-quality care in the areas of heart failure, hypertension, pacemaker and defibrillator management, coronary disease,pulmonary embolism, cardiogenic shock, valve disease and arrhythmia management.

Doctor of Allopathic Medicine

American University of the Caribbean St. Maarten

Residency – Internal Medicine

Nassau University Medical Center East Meadow, N.Y.

Fellowship Training

Cardiovascular Medicine

Nassau University Medical Center East Meadow, N.Y.

Interventional Cardiology

Morristown Memorial Medical Center Morristown, N.J.

Body found in car at Outback Steakhouse in Beaufort

By Delayna Earley The Island News

A man was found dead in his vehicle outside of the Outback Steakhouse restaurant on Boundary Street on Sunday morning.

Just after 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, Beaufort Police officers responded to 2113 Boundary Street in response to a report of a deceased individual.

According to Beaufort Police Department Spokesperson Lindsey Edwards, when officers arrived on the scene the found a 40-year-old deceased white male inside of his vehicle.

The man was identified as John Benford by the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office. At this point, foul play is not suspected but the incident is currently under investigation.

Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.

Staff reports

Southside Park ribbon-cutting set for Dec. 19

The City of Beaufort will hold a ribbon-cutting at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19 to celebrate the completion of Southside Park’s Phase 1, according to a media release. The public is invited.

Phase 1 improvements for the 34-acre park include:

Woodland playground: Adjacent sites with age-appropriate equipment for children, ages 2-5 and 5-12. The equipment includes slides, climbers, swings, and a picnic area, among other features. The playgrounds are inclusive for children of all abilities; Event pavilion; New vehicular access and parking lot improvements; New landscaping; and Trail improvements.

The park, nestled in the Mossy Oaks neighborhood, has long lacked many amenities, other than a dog park and some trails.

“This is a great occasion for

the City of Beaufort,” Mayor Phil Cromer said in a news release. “Southside Park, one of our pretti-

est parks, now offers the amenities that make it a premier park in our City. Children and their parents

will be able to enjoy this park in a new way.”

Councilman Neil Lipsitz, who served on the Southside Park Advisory Task Force, said, “I am thrilled that Southside Park will finally be the park that our residents and visitors deserve. The City has fulfilled a promise that Southside Park would one day have playgrounds and other amenities that people expect in a park. That day is here.”

According to the release, the Phase 1 improvements cost approximately $4 81 million, funded through the Capital Projects Fund and Parks & Tourism Revenue Bond.

The City of Beaufort convened the Southside Park Advisory Task Force, comprised of neighborhood residents and staff, in early 2021 The Task Force sought public input through a survey that received more than 1 100 responses. That led

features included in the Southside

Phase 1

Photo courtesy of the City of Beaufort

Drawdy’s

— Cart No. 32 – took first place dressed as a Gingerbread house, with the gingerbread men walking close by. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Assistant Town Manager, Brooke Plank Buccola, checks in golf carts as they enter the annual Port Royal Golf Cart Parade on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Massalon-Elliget

guy himself. The display at 7 Tuscarora

Woman found dead at Beaufort storage facility

By Delayna Earley

Island News

The

A woman was found dead in her storage unit off of Parris Island Gateway on Tuesday, Dec. 10

Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) was contacted by the manager of the storage units located at 878 Parris Island Gateway in Port Royal after he found Annette Shelton laying on the floor of a storage unit and unresponsive, according to Maj. Matt Averill with the BCSO.

The manager contacted 911 when he found her

and BCSO responded to the scene.

The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office concluded through an autopsy that the 46-year-old woman died from natural causes, although they would not specify beyond that.

Deputy Coroner Shane Bowers said that he could not say if Shelton was living in the storage unit or not based off of the information that they had, but he did know she was from Beaufort.

Averill said that, per the manager of the storage fa-

cility, it appears that Shelton may have been “residing” there since Nov. 25 In the state of South Carolina, it is illegal to live in or use a self-service storage unit for residential purposes, per Section 39-20-20 of the South Carolina Code of Laws.

Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.

County Christmas Tree Lighting

NEWS BRIEFS

Penn Center Christmas Tree decorating, lighting set for Saturday

Penn Center is hosting its Christmas Tree Decorating and Lighting of the Tree from 4 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21 at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park (The Green), St. Helena Island – the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and Sea Island Parkway.

Organizers ask everyone to bring ornaments and decorations to place on the tree. There will be Singing with Friends, followed by Lighting of the Tree from 5 to7 p.m.

Please bring lawn chairs and dress for the weather. For more info, contact Barbara Gardner Hunter at 347-497-9326 or Charity Coleman at 843-592-4212

County VA to offer End of Life Planning Seminars for veterans, families

Beaufort County Veterans Affairs is hosting End of Life Planning Seminars for veterans and their families.

These seminars address things veterans and their families can do today to ensure their personal effects are in order. They also discuss Veterans Affairs benefits that surviving spouses may be entitled to receive.

They will be offered at either 9 a.m. or

Goal from page A1

Wreaths Across America.

To sponsor a Remembrance Wreath, which costs $17, click on the QR code on Wreaths Across America

Beaufort’s Facebook page or visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/GA 0175 P. That code at the end of the web address guarantees the wreaths purchased make their way to Beaufort.

Wreaths Across America

Beaufort is in its 19th year

1 p.m., at convenient locations around Beaufort County:

Tuesday, Feb. 18: Lobeco Branch Library, 1862 Trask Parkway, Seabrook.

Tuesday, Feb. 25: Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way.

Tuesday, May 20: Hilton Head Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road. Tuesday, May 27: Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street.

RSVPs are required for space and resource purposes. Please contact Crystal at 843-2556880 to reserve your seat. For questions and more information please contact Beaufort County Veterans Affairs at 843-255-6880

A construction reminder

IPW Construction Group will continue to perform shoulder closures and temporary lane closures the entire length of Laurel Bay Road in Beaufort. Closures will take place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday, until the end of the year. During this time, please prepare for and expect minor delays in traffic. Drivers traveling through the area are asked to please be mindful of our traffic control team and the crews working within the area. In addition, the ramp coming off U.S. 21 onto Laurel Bay Road is permanently closed.

– Staff reports

of attempting to make sure all 28 000 veteran heroes buried in Beaufort National Cemetery have a Remembrance Wreath on their headstones.

Wreaths Across America is a 501 (c)( 3 ) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992 . The organization’s mission –Remember, Honor, Teach

– is carried out in part each year by coordinating

wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

Edwards will be around for Wreaths Across America Beaufort’s 20 th year. He has no plans in the immediate future to step away.

“It means a lot to me,” Edwards said. “Those are my brothers and sisters out there.”

Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.

Santa visits with the attendees during the Beaufort County Christmas tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Arrest made in August murder of Beaufort woman

Staff reports

After a months long investigation, The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department has made an arrest in murder of 33-year-old Stephanie Campbell, of Beaufort, who was found dead on August 21 2024, on Saint Helena Island. According to a news release, on Tuesday, Dec. 17 2024, investigators served 41-year-old Anthony Alfra-

do Brown, of Saint Helena Island, with warrants for his arrest for the charges of Murder and Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime. Brown was already in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center on charges of Armed Robbery and Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime.

Brown was initially tak-

en into custody on Aug. 23, 2024, in connection to an armed robbery case.

Two days prior to his arrest, shortly before 2 a.m. on August 21, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received the report of an armed robbery at the Circle K on Lady’s Island. Deputies learned the suspect was armed with a gun, demanded cash, and left with

money and merchandise. Investigators quickly identified Brown as the suspect and warrants for his arrest were obtained.

A few hours after the armed robbery occurred on Aug. 21 2024, at about 9:15 a.m., the Communications Center received a report of a woman lying on the side of Langford Road on Saint Helena Island. When deputies arrived, they found Camp-

bell dead from an apparent gunshot wound.

Early in the investigation, Brown was identified as one of the individuals who had last seen Campbell alive.

As investigators worked the case, arrest warrants for Brown were obtained in connection to her murder.

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office appreciates the public’s assistance with all cases and encourag-

es those with information regarding suspicious or criminal activity to report it by calling our non-emergency dispatch line at 843-524-2777

For those wishing to remain anonymous, tips can be reported to Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County via the P3 Tips app, online at www.TIPSBFT.com, or by calling 1-844-TIPSBFT (1-844-847-7238).

Beaufort man receives life for machete murder

Staff reports

A local man who used a machete to kill a visiting Georgia man in 2020 will spend the rest of his life in prison, following a three-day jury trial at the Beaufort County Courthouse.

Michael Eugene Goode was found guilty Thursday, Dec. 12, of the July 2020 murder of 66-yearold Rodney Watson of St. Marys, Ga., which took place outside a mobile home on Horton Road in Burton. Goode also was found guilty of possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

Menorah from page A1

Supporting one another. Celebrating, connecting, as we have done through the centuries … Just like the Maccabees of old. They fought their war, lit the Menorah, and reunited the community. Our community can rally around during Chanukah. It says ‘We are here! It boosts the pride and courage of everyone.’

“People are preparing to celebrate with family and friends, to fill their homes

Goode received life in prison for the murder and five years for the weapon charge.

The charges are to be served concurrently. Goode will not be eligible for parole.

“The victim in this case was simply trying to help someone who looked to be in distress, but instead was met with senseless brutality,” said Jared Shedd of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, who prosecuted the case. “This defendant behaved unconsciona-

with the light of Chanukah, and there’s palpable joy. The public Hanukkah celebration is about sharing this light and joy with the broader community and the entire Greater Hilton Head.”

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, begins this year on the evening of Wednesday, December 25 and concludes the evening of Thuesday, Jan. 2. It recalls the victory of a militarily weak Jewish people who defeated the Syrian-Greeks, who had overrun ancient Israel and sought to impose restrictions on the Jewish way of life and

bly, and both the verdict and sentence are just.”

While driving to the store, Watson saw a man in the roadway and stopped his vehicle. Watson’s niece and front-seat passenger recognized the man as Goode, also known as Slick. They picked him out of the roadway and gave him a ride.

But when they arrived at the destination on Horton Road, Goode began attacking the woman in the front seat. Watson attempted to intervene but was viciously attacked by Goode with a machete. Watson sustained at

prohibit religious freedom. They also desecrated and defiled the Temple and the oils prepared for the lighting of the menorah, which was part of the daily service.

Upon recapturing the Temple, only one jar of undefiled oil was found, enough to burn only one day, but it lasted miraculously for eight. In commemoration, Jews celebrate Hanukkah for eight days by lighting an eightbranched candelabrum known as a menorah. Today, people of all faiths consider the holiday a symbol and message of the triumph of

least six stab wounds mostly to the back.

The fatal blow occurred when an artery on Watson’s left arm was severed, a forensic pathologist testified. The pathologist was one of 15 witnesses called by Shedd.

Goode originally claimed he was elsewhere during the deadly assault, but DNA evidence linked the clothes he was seen wearing to Watson and the 10-inch machete. On the witness stand, Goode changed his story, claiming he was afraid but ultimately did remember his actions.

freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of light over darkness.

Chanukah emphasizes that each and every individual has the unique power to illuminate the entire world. It was to encourage this profound idea that the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, launched the Hanukkah awareness campaign in 1973, of which Beaufort’s public Hanukkah activities are a part.

The menorah faces the street, the Rebbe notes, and so passers-by immediately feel “the effect of the light,

Goode’s prior criminal record includes convictions for possession with intent to distribute crack (1994); three counts of assault and battery (1996); two charges of criminal domestic violence (2005, 2012); two charges of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature (2006 and 2010); resisting arrest (2007); and one charge of giving false information (2019).

Circuit Court Judge Marvin H. Dukes III handed down Thursday’s sentence. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office assisted with this investigation.

which illuminates the outside and the environment.” In the half-century since, the Rebbe’s campaign has brought Chanukah into the mainstream and altered awareness and practice of the festival, returning what some mistakenly dismissed as a minor holiday to its roots as a public proclamation of the triumph of freedom over oppression and a mainstay of Jewish cultural and religious life. Throughout the State of South Carolina, Chabad will be presenting several Chanukah events and cele-

brations, including celebrations in Bluffton and Hilton Head. For more information about Hanukkah and a local schedule of events, visit jewishhiltonhead.org/beaufort and jewishhiltonhead.org/ chanukah.

Chabad Greater Hilton Head offers Jewish education, outreach and social service programming for families and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations. For more information visit Jewishhiltonhead. org or contact Rabbi Mendel at 843-301-1819 or rabbi@ jewishhiltonhead.org.

City Councilman Neil Lipsitz, alongside his wife and son, is sworn in to a new four-year term by Municipal Court Judge Ned Tupper at City Council chambers during the City Council Regular Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

City Councilman Mitch Mitchell, alongside his wife, is sworn in to a new four-year term by Municipal Court Judge Ned Tupper at City Council chambers during the City Council Regular Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Mayor Phil Cromer, alongside his family, is sworn in to a new four-year term by Municipal Court Judge Ned Tupper at City Council chambers during the City Council Regular Meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Mike McFee is voted in as Mayor Pro Tem during the election held in City Council chambers during the City Council Regular Meeting on Tuesday, Dec.10, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Goode

Sheriff’s Office asks public for help with string of Beaufort shootings

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has asked for members of the public to come forward with any information regarding several shootings that have occurred in northern Beaufort County over the past week.

The first shooting incident happened on St. Helena Island on Thursday, Dec. 12, at around 7:30 p.m.

Deputies were called to the area of Lands End and Storyteller Roads because there had been a report that there was a gunshot victim.

A 20-year-old St. Helena Is-

land man was found inside of a vehicle by deputies upon arriving at the scene. He was suffering from a gunshot wound and is currently in critical condition at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).

While deputies were on scene investigating this incident, they heard additional gunfire.

Further investigation led deputies to a home on Scott Hill Road on St. Helena Island where they discovered a home that had been shot at multiple times, although no injuries were reported in this incident.

Circumstances surrounding these shootings are still under in-

vestigation and anyone with information has been asked to contact Sgt. Kline at 843-255-3430

BCSO deputies responded to another shooting incident on Saturday, Dec. 14, at around 12:30 a.m. at a home on Familial Lane on Lady’s Island for a report of a gunshot victim.

Once deputies arrived on scene, they found that the home had been shot from the street and a 35-yearold man who was inside the home had been struck. He was transported to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening injury, according to the release from BCSO.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call

Sgt. Moore at 843-255-3441

Then on Sunday, Dec. 15, BCSO deputies were alerted at around 3 p.m. to a gunshot victim who had sought medical attention at the Tidewatch Emergency Department in Bluffton. Through their investigation, deputies learned that the shooting had occurred around Polk Village in Beaufort.

The victim is a 32-year-old St. Helena Island man who was transported to a Savannah area hospital for treatment. He is currently listed in critical, but stable condition.

Members of the public with information regarding this case are asked to call Cpl. Lidey at 843-255-3294

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office encourages the public to report suspicious or criminal activity by calling the non-emergency dispatch line at 843-524-2777

For those wishing to remain anonymous, tips can be reported to Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County via the P3 Tips app, online at www.TIPSBFT.com or by calling 1-844-TIPSBFT (1-844-847-7238).

Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.

Parris Island Marine Corps Band

DAYLO hosting holiday Read-Aloud

Staff reports Join the student volunteers of DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization) for a special bonus holiday Teddy Bear Picnic read-aloud from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Beaufort County Main Library at 311 Scott Street. In collaboration with the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, high school and college student volunteers from the Beaufort-based chapters of DAYLO will read from diverse, inclusive picture books to children and their families -- including a special selection of some of DAYLO’s favorite holiday books. Cozy blankets and a plethora of stuffed animals make a welcoming environment in this free community literacy program.

Nexus Care of Beaufort County celebrates 50th anniversary

Staff reports

DAYLO is a student-led diversity themed book club and community service group founded at Beaufort High School and now with chapters across South Carolina. Learn more at https:// linktr.ee/DAYLOBFT.

Lowdown from page A1

The Pat Conroy Literary Center is a nonprofit interpretive and learning center

Mitchell were sworn in after winning re-election last month. At least there was no “swearing” at them, not yet.

County Council adjourns for the year with more secrecy

BEAUFORT – Beaufort County Council’s final meeting of the year probably brought a sigh of relief to those 11 elected officials,

advancing the legacy of beloved, bestselling writer, educator, and mentor Pat Conroy (1945-2016), author of “The Water Is Wide,” “The Great Santini,” “The Prince of Tides,” and more. Learn more at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org.

with all the controversy they’ve encountered this year. But even in the waning month of a controversial year marked by lawsuits and departing administrators, the council leadership, Chairman Joe Passiment managed to generate more ill-will. Passiment had orchestrated a private meeting the week before with Hilton Head town officials to discuss strategy for funding the U.S. 278 bridge project, now that the proposed sales tax referendum didn’t pass and the budget for the plans is $190 million short.

The Beaufort County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Department, now operating as Nexus Care of Beaufort County, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a ceremony attended by staff members and department directors, including Founding Director William "Skeet" Von Harten (1974); Douglas "Bud" Boyne (1974-2017); Steven Donaldson (2018-2023); and current director Rebecca Whitt Burgess (2023-present), according to a press release from Beaufort County. Since its beginning in 1974, several programs and services have been designed to help individuals, families, and the community. For some, these programs and services are a requirement of the law; for others, they are a requirement for life. The department's mission is to reduce the negative impact of alcohol and drugs in Beaufort County by providing its citizens with person-centered prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services.

"We are so thrilled to celebrate 50 years

Invited to the meeting were various town and county administrators, Council Vice Chair Larry McElynn, the three Council Committee chairs, Alice Howard, Mark Lawson and Logan Cunningham. And Sen. Tom Davis who’s determined to find money to get that bridge fixed. Since the meeting was private — the elected officials can legally do that because there was not a majority of members in attendance — there were no reporters there so the public only knows, based on a press release

of service to Beaufort County and its citizens. I am grateful that we could mark this momentous occasion with all the former directors of this department,” Nexus Care Director Rebecca said in a news release. “We will honor all who have served in the department and those who have been served by looking to the future and continuing a legacy of care that leads to healthy people, thriving communities, and brighter futures.”

A highlight reel of the ceremony can be viewed at https://bit.ly/4fWzdiI.

Resources for those seeking help with overcoming drug and alcohol misuse include telehealth counseling, disaster distress helpline, recovery groups and referrals to Narcotics.com, Addictions.com, Rehabs.org and AA.org.

Anyone interested in more information about services can visit https://bit. ly/41713EI, contact the Beaufort office at 843-255-6000, located at 1905 Duke Street, or the Bluffton office at 843-2556020, located at 4819 Bluffton Parkway.

put out by the county that county and town leaders are working together to find a funding solution.

The lack of invitation, or even a forewarning of said meeting, didn’t sit well with Councilman Tom Reitz, whose district includes part of the U.S. 278 bridge corridor. He said so, at last Monday’s meeting, and by the end of the week, he’d put out a statement that Passiment and Council Vice-Chair Larry McElynn should resign their leadership roles.

It will be interesting to see how

this latest rift works out when the Council comes back to work in January. One of the first things on their agenda will be to elect a chairman.

Lolita Huckaby is a community volunteer and newspaper columnist. In her former role as a reporter with The Beaufort Gazette, The Savannah Morning News, Bluffton Today and Beaufort Today, she prided herself in trying to stay neutral and unbiased. As a columnist, these are her opinions. Her goal is to be factual but opinionated, based on her own observations. Feel free to contact her at bftbay@gmail.com.

The Parris Island Marine Corps Band performs a free holiday concert in Port Royal on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

Staff Sgt. Norris tells a Christmas story to attendees during the Parris Island Marine Corps Band free holiday concert in Port Royal on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

DAYLO’s Brea Parker

It is Tuesday evening, Dec. 10 and I’m in a small assembly room at the Buckwalter Recreation Center in everexpanding Bluffton.

The utilitarian room has about 40 chairs — all of them filled — and this evening the room is hosting the cream of Beaufort County’s elected crop including Sen. Tom Davis, Reps. William “Bill” Herbkersman, Michael Rivers, Jeff Bradley and William Hagar — aka the Beaufort County Legislative Delegation.

Earlier this afternoon Sen. Tom Davis made a motion to reconsider the Delegation’s recent decision to replace Andy Kinghorn and Rob McFee on the Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority’s Board. Kinghorn had been reappointed by the City of Beaufort; McFee had been reappointed by Beaufort County; and both of these appointments were sent over to the Delegation assuming approval and a new certificate signed by Governor McMaster.

In November, however, the Delegation rejected both men and substituted an architect, Grady Woods; and also substituted Roger Bright who is the Vice President for Development at Forino Construction — a company currently involved in Beaufort and Jasper counties having done five different housing projects.

Mr. Herbkersman who is

Beaufort County Legislative delegation reinstates City, County’s nominees to BJWSA board

Chairman of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee in the S.C. House of Representative and also Chairman of the Legislative Delegation, made no bones about the fact that he had spearheaded the change in the nominees. He began by saying the Authority was “going forward into the biggest bond issue in its history” and “without Donna Altman you don’t have a financial person on the Board.”

Thereafter the rejected Andy Kinghorn was given the podium and what followed was a lengthy give and take between Mr. Kinghorn and Rep. Herbkersman that focused on the culture at the Water Authority under the now-retired General Manager, Joe Mantua, with Kinghorn admitting that “things were going downhill” during this time.

Kinghorn also admitted that the engineering department “was not as good as what we have now.”

Mr. Kennedy explained to Rep. Herbkersman that certain developers were angry about the applica-

tion process, and he (and others) began to re-write the hooking-up regulations. He said there were criticisms, and they found many of those criticisms valid. But they also discovered, with the help of a consultant named Black and Beach, that the capacity fees being collected from developers were not nearly enough to cover the costs of building new treatment plants, and installing new pipes and constructing additional settling tanks.

And so the Board increased the cost of its capacity fees — initially from $7 000 per unit to about $11,000 per unit. It reminded me of chess; Herbkersman would move his bishop; Kinghorn his knight; it is all on television.

Throughout this exchange it was acknowledged that former General Manager Dean Moss; former Finance Director Terry Murray; and former Chairman Donna Altman had performed well during their respective tenures.

After Kinghorn left the podium Greg Padgett, current Chairman of the Water and Sewer Authority continued the discussion of the Mantua administration and the culture at the Authority during his term saying, “People didn’t want to come to work”; but he also acknowledged that Andy Kinghorn, Dave Strange and Jeff Ackerman were the board members who reached out to the development community in its effort to re-write

“The Board anticipates borrowing up to $300,000,000 to cover the costs of new, necessary infrastructure. The debt service on this new borrowing will not be covered by capacity fees collected from developers. A big part of it will be paid by rate payers and there will be more rate hikes.”

SCOTT GRABER, on the financial challenges faced by the Beaufort Jasper Water and Sewer Authority Board

the Development Policy and Planning Manual. Rejected nominee Rob McFee spoke next saying that the Board “had become disengaged;”

but with the arrival of board members Dave Strange and Jeff Ackerman things got better.

York Glover, Beaufort County Council’s liaison to the Water Authority, also spoke to the Delegation saying, “finance is the biggest problem.”

After two hours of discussion — that was mostly Mr. Kennedy responding to Rep. Herbkersman — Sen. Tom Davis made a second motion to return Kinghorn and McFee to their Board seats. This motion passed, 4-2, and there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief among those then making their hand-shaking exit from the Bluffton gymnasium.

But this is far more consequential than a game of chess. The Board anticipates borrowing up to $300 000 000 to cover the costs of new, necessary infrastructure. The debt service on this new borrowing will not be covered by capacity fees collected from developers. A big part of it will be paid by rate payers and there will be more rate hikes. Even so Board members know that tough decisions will have to be made about what is built; what is not built; what maintenance is deferred and how to allocate this debt service between rate payers and developers.

Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. He can be reached at cscottgraber@gmail.com.

No education in third kick of voucher mule

Charleston City Paper

South Carolina Republicans have tried to craft a private school voucher plan that could pass constitutional muster for years – and twice since 2020. Both recent incidents got them a solid “F” from the state Supreme Courts.

S.C. Senate Education Committee Chairman Greg Hembree’s response heading into 2025? Hold my beer. The new plan from Hembree (R-Horry), which was unveiled at a committee hearing this week, is substantially similar to previous GOP efforts in that it funnels public money into

private schools. Which, of course, is precisely what the Supreme Court keeps trying to tell them is unconstitutional.

But Hembree now says he’s cracked the code — that one weird trick that will magically make vouchers legal in South Carolina. Under this plan, the legislature would pay for the vouchers with state lottery money instead of state general fund money. And everybody knows that lottery money isn’t really public money.

Right. Even though it’s sitting in state bank accounts. And even though state legislators like Hembree are the public’s stewards to spend it.

But as critics have pointed out, the real problem with voucher efforts is that they don’t pass the laugh –or public smell – test.

Why? Because they use public money to pay for private schools. And that’s just wrong.

As S.C. Education Association President Sherry East told the S.C. Daily Gazette this week, the whole scheme amounts to “putting lipstick on a pig.”

“You can call it something different [with the lottery money] but the consequences to public schools will still be the same,” East said.

And as the latest test scores show, South Carolina’s children — more than

90% of whom attend public schools — can’t afford those consequences. According to the S.C. Department of Education, fewer than one-third of 8th graders in South Carolina are currently doing math at grade level and only about half meet expectations in reading. And when you drill down, the numbers were even worse for minority students, as the City Paper noted in a previous editorial.

“In the 8th grade, just 13% of Black children are meeting expectations in math, 34% in reading.

Unsurprisingly, the news for 8th grade Hispanic kids isn’t much better – 23% are succeeding in math, 40%

in reading. And finally, perhaps explaining those two results, only 19% of students in poverty are working at grade level in math, 40% in reading.”

Long story short: S.C. public schools are already struggling to educate our kids in K-12 schools. And a voucher program that steals desperately-needed public resources intended for college students isn’t a solution for that problem, particularly when the voucher program is capped at 15,000 students, a tiny fraction of the state’s 800,000 K-12 population.

Charleston City Paper is an award-winning weekly newspaper in Charleston, S.C.

Published in coordination with StatehouseReport.com

Perhaps the most famous words ever uttered on the subject of education in South Carolina were those of Democratic U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, who once wryly noted, “There’s no education in the second kick of a mule.” South Carolina Republicans, who’ve already twice ignored that bit of simple wisdom by failing to get vouchers past the state Supreme Court, should consider it carefully before they push through yet another voucher bill — and risk a third kick in 2025

SCOTT GRABER

Program seeks to put more counselors in highest-need schools

By Jessica Holdman SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA — A new program at the University of South Carolina is helping fill openings for counselors and therapists in schools that most need them.

South Carolina public schools reported 30 unfilled counselor positions statewide this fall, according to a report by the state’s Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement.

USC’s program, funded by a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, aims to help fill those vacancies going forward by recruiting, training and graduating a total of 72 new school counselors by 2029.

Participating students receive free tuition, money to attend professional conferences, and a $10,000 stipend while interning in schools with a high percentage of impoverished students in three school districts: Richland 2 (suburban Columbia), Lexington 1 (which includes Lexington, Gilbert and Pelion) and Aiken County.

Those districts, which offer a relatively short commute for USC students, also met the grant’s requirements for school poverty ratings and understaffing, and each committed to hiring five USC students annually from the program.

Upon graduation, the students agree to work for at least two years in a high-need school in South Carolina, where more than 60% of students statewide live in poverty.

USC’s counselor program has had grant-funded programs in the past, but this is its first focused on getting graduates through the master’s degree program debt free and into schools with the greatest needs.

Growing up in New Jersey, USC student Jack Apple attended a high-poverty school and experienced homelessness in fourth and fifth grades. In choosing a career, he wanted to help children facing similar challenges.

He was weighing whether to accept a job offer teaching second grade in Richland County after graduating with a bachelor’s degree or stay in college to become a counselor when he learned about the opportunity at USC.

“These children, they need an advocate,” Apple said about his decision, recalling what he saw firsthand while student teaching.

Some children “would steal food because they knew they would go home where there was no food provided for them,” he said. “Some kids would come to school in the same outfit all week long. A lot of these kids have gone through some experiences, traumatic experiences, and they just need somebody who will love them unconditionally, regardless of how they show up to school.”

Combating a shortage

It’s already difficult to get mental health professionals to become school counselors. It’s even more difficult to recruit and retain them in the poorest schools, said Jonathan Ohrt, an associate professor of education and the USC program’s director. The grant identifies willing students and gives them an education free from the burden of student loans.

And it gives them the extra training to handle the circumstances they’ll experience in poor communities.

Increasing the number of counselors working in schools also is important to the professional well-being of the counselors themselves and their ability to help, Ohrt said.

The state Department of Health and Human Services found in January 2022 that South Carolina school mental health counselors were each handling about 1,300 students, compared to the national ratio of 385:1. By September 2023, districts added counselors to 230 more schools in the state. Each counselor then handled 653 students.

The effort to combat the shortage also extends beyond the program at USC.

South Carolina State University also received a federal grant this year of $1.25

million to offer a free certificate program for those who counsel children and adolescents with disabilities. And last year, Clemson University received a $5.8 million federal education grant to offer free tuition to Greenville County school employees who wanted to go back to school for counseling.

Issues exacerbated

The long-term goal for South Carolina is to have one therapist for every 325 students. While progress has been made, students’ mental health issues were exacerbated by a global pandemic.

“When we look at post-COVID surveys of K-12 students, there are higher levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness and stress — all those things seem to have increased,” Ohrt said.

It’s a feeling USC counseling student Katie Struzyk knows well. She was a high school senior in Burnsville, Minnesota, when the COVID-19 virus struck and worsened the anxiety she had struggled with through childhood.

Luckily, Struzyk had people she could turn to growing up, such as her softball coach who was also a school counselor.

“I remember one day, my anxiety was over running and I was starting to freak out and couldn’t be in class,” Struzyk said “I walked all the way down to her office and I sat with her for half an hour, and she just let me talk to her.”

While shadowing a middle school counselor, Struzyk encountered a student who attempted self-harm during class. Struzyk said she was impressed by the counselor’s calm demeanor and assurances the student wouldn’t be disciplined.

“School should be a safe and comfortable space for students and I want to be a part of that,” Struzyk said. “If I can be a trusted adult in that environment for them, it would be an honor to me.”

Making students feel safe

Part of what prompted Apple to stay in school to become a counselor is his passion for helping students develop social and emotional skills. This teaches kids how to interact with each other and the community at large, recognizing and controlling their emotions and coping techniques for resolving conflicts.

Since Apple started the USC program this semester, he has spent 15 hours shadowing several area school counselors on the job and witnessed the types of difficult circumstances he will one day need to address.

For example, Apple was present when a middle school student told the school counselor they wanted to identify as a different gender. Under a state law signed in May, school administration must inform students’ parents.

Apple told the S.C. Daily Gazette he is openly queer and was outed while in grade school.

“I know firsthand the harm that being outed when you’re not ready can do to somebody, and it just sticks with me,” he said.

In a separate instance, a play therapy session with a kindergartner caught him off guard. Apple, the counselor and the child were playing with a doll house, and the child revealed being sexually assaulted.

“You can imagine sitting there playing dolls, and this stuff is starting to unravel and how heavy that is,” Apple said.

The techniques he learned in class took over.

“You have to be positive; you have to make that child feel safe,” Apple said. “Otherwise, kids, they’ll pick up that maybe Mr. Apple feels uncomfortable, so I need to stop sharing.”

After the child told Apple and the counselor what happened, the counselor contacted the state Department of Social Services to look into the matter to hopefully ensure the child’s safety. That, too, is required by law.

With Future Scholar, South Carolina’s 529 College Savings plan, you can give a gift that will last a lifetime. Whatever their dream, your gift today can make all the difference tomorrow.

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South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis

The power of love: Hugs and cuddles have long-term effects

How often do you hug? Do you like to sit close and hold each other’s hands? Recent research shows it’s good for your health. Between loving partners, between parents and children, or even between close friends, physical affection can help the brain, the heart and other body systems you might never have imagined.

For centuries, artists have examined love through poetry, painting, music, and countless other arts. There is chemistry and biology of love. At the center of how our bodies respond to love and affection is a hormone called oxytocin. Most of our oxytocin is made in the area of the brain called the hypothalamus. Some is released into our bloodstream, but much of its effect is thought to reside in the brain.

Oxytocin makes us feel good when we’re close to family and other loved ones, including pets. It does this by acting through what scientists call the dopamine reward system. Dopamine is a brain chemical that plays a crucial part in how we perceive pleasure.

Oxytocin does more than make us feel good. It lowers the levels of stress hormones in the body, reducing blood pressure, improving mood, increasing tolerance for pain, and perhaps even speed-

ing how fast wounds heal. It also seems to play an important role in our relationships. It’s been linked, for example, to how much we trust

others.

One thing researchers can say with certainty is that physical contact affects oxytocin levels. Fre-

quent warm contact may somehow prime the oxytocin system and make it quicker to turn on whenever there’s warm contact.

Much of what we know about oxytocin has come from research in animals, and that loving care has long-term effects.

Young animals that are groomed a lot when they’re with their mothers become more comfortable exploring new environments. The ignored ones develop more anxiety disorders, produce higher levels of stress hormones and have higher blood pressure.

Research from animals confirms that the quality of care a mother gives her offspring can have longterm effects on their personality characteristics and mental health as well as physical problems like heart disease.

Most humans are genetically programmed to form social bonds. But the ability to form close bonds is shaped by early experiences. In the end, a complex interaction of genes and experience makes some people form social bonds more easily than others.

We may not yet fully understand how love and affection develop between people—or how love affects our health—but research is giving us some guidance. Give those you love all the affection you can. It can’t hurt, and it may bring a bounty of health benefits.

Source: www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/ pubs/adv_in_parenting/index.cfm

Beaufort Memorial celebrates new PATH graduates, national certifications

Nine graduates of Beaufort Memorial’s PATH program (People Achieving Their Highest) celebrated their success at the graduation ceremony of the program’s eighth cohort on Dec. 11

The graduation was also a pinning ceremony for newly certified graduates in their field, as well as a “signing day” celebration to commemorate individuals entering the pathway.

PATH graduates in Cohort 8 completed programs as Clinical Medical Assistants (1), Patient Care Technicians (5), Central Sterile Processing (1) and Endoscopy Technicians, a new education track that saw its first two graduates in this cohort.

PATH graduates in Cohort

their national

in their

Newly certified graduates were pinned for their achievement as Certified Clinical Medical Assistants (5) and Certified Patient Care Technicians (4). The Beaufort Memorial PATH program has been showcased by the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) as an example of innovative workforce development. The program’s first cohort graduated in September 2022

“There are three realms of success in PATH, and the first is having the courage to sign on. Everybody who is signing on is going back to school; they’re taking on something that is stressful,” said Beaufort Memorial Director of Education Joy Solomon, MSN, RN, NPD-BC.

program successfully, and we’re celebrating those who have completed the program and have gotten the national certification. We’re very grateful for all the students who did the work and studied hard.”

“We’re celebrating those who have completed the

Also celebrated were seven individuals who signed and committed themselves to PATH Cohort 9. Cohort 9 also includes three additional employees that will be pursuing their registered nurse (RN) license through the program. The PATH program includes scholarships, clinical training, traditional education and non-traditional financial assistance to encourage individuals to advance their careers and support a better healthcare network in the Lowcountry. Anyone interested in learning how they can join the team at Beaufort Memorial and grow their career through the PATH Program should visit BeaufortMemorial.org/PATH.

Dealing with drama at holiday parties

If you are feeling anxious about seeing certain relatives at an upcoming holiday party, you're not alone. A psychologist offers tips on how to deal with family drama. Now that the holidays are here, so are all of the family festivities. But not everyone looks forward to reuniting with relatives.

So, what can you do to make those encounters a little less stressful?

“Family drama can be so stressful because when there's drama, sometimes it can be really dramatic,” said Dawn Potter, PsyD, psychologist for Cleveland Clinic. “However, a lot of times people do try to be on good behavior at parties, and so if you try to bring an open, positive attitude with you, you can usually weather things.”

Dr. Potter said if you go to a family get-together with the belief it’s not going to go well, you can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Meaning, you unintentionally cause a problem that may not have otherwise happened had you kept a more optimistic attitude.

Some other ways to help ease tension with relatives is to limit your interactions with them or avoid them altogether.

It can also be helpful to have someone with you to act as a buffer.

And of course, there’s always the chance that politics will come up in conversation—especially with the recent election.

Dr. Potter said in that situation, it’s best to not engage.

“Usually somebody's mind is not going to be changed at the dinner

table. So, if you feel very strongly about something and someone else at your holiday party feels very strongly in the opposite direction, bringing it up in a group will never result in the kind of outcome you want,” she said. “Hearts and minds are changed slowly over time, typically, and with personal relationships. So, if you must discuss politics, I recommend in a one-on-one situation.”

Dr. Potter said if your stress or anxiety seems to be disrupting your day-to-day life, it’s worth talking to a mental health professional. They can help get to the root of the issue.

Source: https://newsroom.clevelandclinic. org/2024/12/11/dealing-with-drama-atholiday-parties

Beaufort Memorial PATH Cohort 8 graduates Joyce Scott, Sabrina Cooler, Kennithiya Screen, Sequina Register and Dashaunna Montford.

8 who received

certifications

field included Destiny Fields, CCMA; Amanda Webb, CPCT; Tannesia Gray, CCMA; Tiara Johnson, CPCT; Henry Burow-Williams, CPCT; Shekinah Milledge, CCMA; Wendy Robertson, CCMA and Sonji Graham, CCMA.

Fingers numb? Wrist, hand hurt?

Feel persistent burning, tingling or numbness in the fingers, wrist pain and weakness of the hand? It could be carpal tunnel syndrome and is unrelated to repetitive activities or constant use of high-tech gizmos.

Repetitive motion may aggravate the problem, but carpal tunnel syndrome has multiple causes, such as wrist-canal anatomy, obesity, advancing age, pregnancy, menopause, wrist trauma, presence of underlying nerve-related and inflammatory diseases like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, or other conditions, including hypothyroidism and kidney failure.

To date, studies have failed to show conclusively any definitive relationship between repetitive motion and carpal tunnel syndrome, adding that the “myth” of such a relationship has prompted misdirection of billions of dollars into workers’ compensation to treat a condition that commonly occurs in the general population and is not due to onthe-job requirements.

Carpal tunnel syndrome develops when the median nerve, running from forearm to hand through the narrow carpal tunnel on the wrist’s palm side, becomes pinched and inflamed. The carpal tunnel is composed of bone and ligaments and serves as passageway for the median

nerve and the tendons controlling the fingers. Symptoms of the neuropathy—burning, tingling, and numbness in the fingers and palm of the hand, wrist or forearm pain and decreased hand strength—begin slowly, worsening over time.

Experts say some individuals may have an “innate predisposition” for carpal tunnel syndrome because their wrist canals are anatomically narrower. The (U.S.) National Institutes of Health reports women are more than three times likely than men to develop the affliction, likely because of tendon sheath changes that are affected by estrogens,

worsening in the perimenopausal years, and typically seen during 3rd trimester of pregnancy, although usually transient. CTS is very rare in younger people, and when seen, is likely due to narrow anatomy of the carpal canal relative to tendon diameters. Early diagnosis is warranted for carpal tunnel syndrome. If left untreated, the syndrome can eventually make it difficult for patients to form a fist, coordinate their fingers and do simple, manual tasks like buttoning a shirt. It may even precipitate wasting of muscle at the base of the thumb and lead to permanent numbness in the central digits of the hand.”

The good news: treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome have advanced, and the problem can be effectively resolved without loss of hand function. Initial treatment tends to be conservative in nature, involving wearing of wrist splints at night, high doses of anti-inflammatory medications, Vitamin B6 ingestion, corticosteroid injections on rare occasion while physical therapy has been shown to have minimal effectiveness. However, if the problem persists or nerve compression is severe the hand specialist will usually recommend a minor outpatient procedure.

One treatment is endo-

scopic release, in which the surgeon divides the carpal tunnel ligament through a tiny cut in the crease of the wrist without having to make a larger, open incision. The nerve and tendons are protected while the division of the compressing ligament is visualized on a large monitor via the endoscope, avoiding any soft tissue disruption that would lead to post-op discomfort. Patients can usually use the hand immediately, only avoiding heavy manual labor or sports for several weeks. Minimal to no rehab is even necessary. There are caveats to such a surgery. Talk with your surgeon to understand all the risks.

Carpal tunnel syndrome cannot always be prevented, but risks may be reduced.

• Lose weight

• Be cautious of hand position during sleep. Maintaining the hand below heart level allows fluid to pool in the wrist canal and may increase risk. The wrist typically bends during REM cycle sleep (dreaming) putting more pressure on the median nerve. A wrist splint will avoid that during sleep.

• Use tools, pens, or other items with a more relaxed grip.

• Be aware of posture while walking or sitting; keep shoulders squared. Hunching places strain on arms, wrists, and hands. Avoid bending the wrist excessively in flexion or extension for prolonged periods.

• Take breaks when doing any intensive activities involving hands or wrists.

Sources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/articles/PMC10262635/; https://www.healthline.com/ health/home-remedies-for-carpaltunnel; https://www.hopkinsmedicine. org/health/treatment-tests-andtherapies/carpal-tunnel-release

Helping a loved one with Alzheimer’s through the holidays

While festive, the holidays also can be stressful, with chaotic schedules, last-minute shopping and preparations for time with family and friends. But for many people with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia, the holidays can be a particularly confusing and disruptive time in terms of changes in routines, and people who may be perceived as strangers visiting.

Several strategies may help navigate this time. Planning for the holidays is key. Involve the person with dementia in the preparations. Opening holiday cards together may help trigger long-term memories. Hanging ornaments on the tree and stirring the Christmas cookie batter can provide a sense of purpose and satisfaction. Try to avoid overstimulation with elaborate holiday displays of blinking lights and large decorations that can lead to disorientation. Lighted candles and deco-

rations that may be mistaken for edible treats should be avoided. Alcohol should be restricted. You may wish to limit the size of gatherings or number of visitors if your loved one is easily confused and agitated.

Communicating with your guests about your loved one’s condition will limit the distress that may be caused by “do you remember me?” questions.

A phone call with the visitor in advance might provide a happy anticipation to the arrival and may facilitate recognition.

Schedule visits at the best time of day for the individual and limit the duration of gatherings to what you feel your loved one can tolerate. Realize that dementia sufferers can fatigue easily, which often manifests as more confusion.

Maintaining a routine is important. Visits should be held in the person’s most familiar surroundings. For a person residing in an assisted living or skilled nursing facility, however, the in-

creased activity of other residents’ friends and relatives visiting can lead to disorientation. Use your best judgment whether your loved one feels more safe and secure with structured activities in the facility or at an outing with friends and family.

Gifts for someone with dementia should account for their impairments. For instance, an

In the news . . .

electric coffee maker or teapot that turns off automatically, calendars or medication holders are items that many people with dementia can use to help them adapt to their illness. Less practical but more emotionally gratifying gifts can be family photo albums, familiar music, recordings of church sermons and gift certificates for a hairstyle or manicure.

It may be overwhelming for a caregiver during the holidays to maintain traditions while also providing care to their loved one. Don’t forget to reserve time for yourself and communicate realistic expectations to those around you throughout the season.

And remember: Despite the challenges of dementia, the holidays still can be a rewarding time for you and your family.

Paul Mazzeo, M.D., is a boardcertified neurologist with Coastal Neurology and sees patients in Okatie and Beaufort. He is medical director of the Beaufort Memorial Memory Center.

Hospice Care of The Lowcountry rebrands as MiraSol Health

Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, a nonprofit provider of compassionate end-of-life care, palliative and grief care services in Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton, and Hampton counties, announces its rebranding as MiraSol Health. This new name reflects the organization’s growing range of services unified under one umbrella as it redefines its care delivery approach to support patients facing serious illness, terminal diagnosis, or grief, while also providing vi-

tal support to caregivers. The name “MiraSol” draws inspiration from the sun’s healing warmth, symbolizing resilience, renewal, and the life-affirming care the organization provides. Today, MiraSol Health

serves over 3,200 community members annually and encompasses four distinct programs: Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, Lowcountry Palliative Care, Rays of Hope Behavioral Health and The Maggie Clark Volunteer

Program. The organization is supported by a dedicated team of 55 physicians, nurses, employees, and counselors, along with more than 200 volunteers. This rebrand signals a renewed commitment to delivering compassionate, in-

novative, and comprehensive healthcare in the Lowcountry. MiraSol Health will hold a community open house in January in celebration of the rebranding and its growth. To learn more, visit www.mirasolhealth.org

provider with any questions

PAUL MAZZEO, MD

You have the right to know what’s happening in your community.

Public notices – information local governments are obligated to provide citizens – are required to be published in local newspapers to provide a public record that’s accessible to everyone.

Public notices keep you informed about your government. But, in some states legislators are trying to keep public notices from appearing in local newspapers. This severely impacts government transparency and, in turn, limits the public’s right to hold them accountable for their actions.

Let your state legislators know that you value being able to access notices in your newspaper and that they are worth the investment.

SPORTS&RECREATION

Young girls hoops talent blooming

By Justin Jarrett LowcoSports.com

WA youth movement is taking place across the area’s girls basketball landscape, and the bright future ahead is already starting to shine through for several local teams.

Beaufort High’s girls had a big week, sweeping a home-andhome with rival Battery Creek before blowing out a short-handed Cross Schools team at home

Monday. Freshman Jania Hayward and Whale Branch transfer Zaria Coaxum have led the resurgence for Reggie Jones’ team, which has won four straight to even its record at 5-5 after playing a brutal early-season schedule.

The Eagles also held on for a 50-45 win over Whale Branch to start the winning streak, and the

Warriors are rounding into form just in time for a rematch Friday in Seabrook. Eighth-grader Harmony Prejean has been a breakout star for the Warriors and averaged 25 3 points in three wins last week, including 29 in a 43-39 home win over Battery Creek on Friday.

John Paul II’s roster has gotten younger, too, with a number of key players off last year’s state runner-up squad graduating and an influx of freshmen stepping into key roles. Lily Termini has emerged as the Golden Warriors’ top producer, and the junior is averaging 12 7 points and 6 9 rebounds per game during a 7-1 start.

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS

BASKETBALL

Beaufort (5-5)

Last week: W 37-32 vs. Battery Creek, 12/10; W 49-28 at Battery Creek, 12/14;

W 69-41 vs. Cross Schools, 12/16

This week: vs. Stall, 12/19; at Whale Branch, 12/20

Battery Creek (3-6)

Last week: L 32-37 at Beaufort, 12/10; L 39-43 at Whale Branch, 12/13; L 28-49 vs. Beaufort, 12/14; L 37-42 vs. Colleton

Co., 12/16

This week: No games scheduled

Bridges Prep (0-6)

Last week: L 43-76 at Memorial Day, 12/10; L 26-62 vs. John Paul II, 12/13

This week: at Lowcountry Leadership, 12/17

Whale Branch (3-4)

Last week: W 56-14 vs. Hardeeville, 12/10; W 43-39 vs. Battery Creek, 12/13; W 38-34 at Bluffton, 12/14 This week: vs. Beaufort, 12/20; at Hardeeville,

By

Creek boys cruising; BC Classic up next

By Justin Jarrett LowcoSports.com

It’s been a while since The Palace was a place no visiting team wanted to play, but the glory days of Battery Creek boys basketball might be coming back around.

The Dolphins ran their win streak to five games with a 5543 win over Colleton County on Monday, improving to 5-1 after a tough loss to Savannah power Calvary Day to open the season in the Savannah Hoops Showcase.

And the best part? The Dolphins are doing with a young roster loaded with sensational sophomores.

The hot start has coach C.J. Brown’s team rekindling the magic that filled the gym when Brown himself was starring for legendary coach John Drafts, whose name has been added to the rebooted BC Classic tournament that will be played at Creek from Thursday through Saturday.

The field includes area private-school power Hilton Head Prep — a potential opponent for the Dolphins if both make the finals — as well as an undefeated May River squad that could await Creek in the semifinals.

Junior Ethan Cox has been the

breakout star of the early season for Battery Creek, averaging 15 points and 5 3 rebounds per game while displaying an improved outside shot and more well-rounded skillset, while sophomore Michael Wiliams, Tyjuan Simmons, and Tyrese Smith are all making huge contributions at both ends of the floor.

JPII knocks off Bucs; Young hits 1 K

Bridges Prep’s boys started the season as the fifth-ranked team in Class 2A and bolted out to a 4-0 start before dropping two straight games this week, including another impressive win for John Paul II.

The Golden Warriors jumped out to a quick double-digit lead and held off Bridges Prep for a 52-43 road win Friday, and JPII followed it up with a 49-43 victory at Bethesda Academy on Monday.

Bridges also fell 58-46 at May River on Saturday, but the Bucs bounced back to beat Savannah Classical Academy 65-57 on the road Monday night.

Bridges Prep guard QJ Young went over 1,000 career points with the Bucs’ first basket against JPII.

(5-2)

Last week: W 60-45 at Memorial Day, 12/10; L 43-52 vs. John Paul II, 12/13; L 4658 vs. May River, 12/14; W 65-57 at Savannah Classical, 12/16

This week: at Lowcountry Leadership, 12/17; vs. Savannah Classical, 12/20

Whale Branch (4-4)

Last week: W 68-33 vs. Hardeeville, 12/10; L 47-69 vs. Battery Creek, 12/13; L 43-59 at Bluffton, 12/14

This week: vs. Beaufort, 12/20

John Paul II (6-2)

Last week: L 43-45 at May River, 12/10; W 42-43 at Bridges Prep, 12/13; W 49-43 at Bethesda Academy, 12/16

Golden Warriors take title at Northwood

Battery Creek’s Kelvin Willis dunks the ball Tuesday, Dec. 10 at Beaufort High School. Battery Creek won, 76-44. Amber Hewitt/The Island News

ART

Budding Artist After-School Art

Club 4 to 5 p.m., or 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., Mondays/Wednesdays or Tuesday/Thursdays, Happy Art Studio, 10 Sam’s Point Way, Beaufort. Ages 8 to 13. Painting, drawing, clay or crafts. Visit www.happyartstudio.net.

CALENDAR

New Year’s Eve Fireworks

9 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 31, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort. Presented by Beaufort Area Hospitality Association.

Tides To Tables Restaurant Week

Thursday, Jan. 9 to Sunday, Jan. 19, Beaufort. Tides to Tables Restaurant Week kicks off the Beaufort Oyster Festival featuring local restaurants and their cuisine.

Beaufort Oyster Festival

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 18 & 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday Jan. 19, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort. Hosted by the Beaufort Area Hospitality Association. Free Admission. Live music. Cornhole tournament at 1 p.m., Sunday. Oysters provided are all locally farmed or harvested. Oysters will be available steamed, raw, roasted or fried. Other food options will be available as well. More than 15 local educational organizations will take part.

50th Beaufort Charities Festival

Friday & Saturday, Feb. 28 & March 1, Live Oaks Park, Port Royal. Live entertainment Friday and Saturday nights. Oyster roast all day Saturday.

Lowcountry Food Truck Festival

11 a.m., Saturday, April 5, 1404 Paris Avenue, Port Royal.

MCAS Beaufort Airshow Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13, MCAS Beaufort. Celebrate 250 years of the Marine Corps with us. From the U.S. Navy Blue Angels to unforgettable aerial thrills, it’s a weekend you don’t want to miss. Tickets are free for general admission but required! Reserve yours now to secure your spot. Go to beaufortairshow.com to reserve your tickets.

Karaoke with Melissa

8 p.m. to midnight, Tuesdays, Highway 21 Bar, 3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Karaoke with Melissa

7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with either Parker or Eric.

Trivia with Tom – Bricks On Boundary

7 p.m., Every Thursday, Bricks on Boundary, 1422 Boundary St, Beaufort. Free. Team trivia event, win house cash and Beer Bucket prizes! For more information, visit https://rb.gy/o9nhwe.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

7 p.m., Thursdays, Amvets Post 70, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free. Public is welcome. Enjoy Karaoke. Dinner will be available.

Karaoke at Willie’s

8 p.m., Thursdays, Willie's Bar and Grill, 7 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Saint Helena Island. Come and showcase your singing talents or just enjoy the performances. For more information, visit www.GullahLove.com.

Bluffton Night Bazaar — a Lowcountry Made Market

5 to 8 p.m., first Thursday of each month, Burnt Church Distillery, 120 Bluffton Road. A highly curated selection of accessories, clothing, home goods, custom gifts and more by local artists and makers.

Habersham Farmers Market

3 to 6 p.m., Fridays, Habersham Marketplace. Vendor roster includes B&E Farm, Cottonwood Soap, Flower Power Treats, Hardee Greens, Megs Sweet Treats, Vitamin Bee, Lady’s Island Oyster Company, Pet Wants.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9 p.m., Fridays, Highway 21 Bar, 3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Lt. Dan.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9:30 p.m., Fridays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Parker.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Karaoke with Melissa 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Fridays, R Bar & Grill, 70 Pennington Dr, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Port Royal Farmers Market

9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, year round, Naval Heritage Park, 1615 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Rain or shine. You will find fresh, local, seasonal produce, shrimp, oysters, poultry, beef, pork, eggs, bread and cheese, as well as plants, ferns, camellias, azaleas, citrus trees and beautiful, fresh cut flower bouquets. There are prepared food vendors serving barbecue, dumplings, she crab soup, crab cakes, paella, coffee, baked goods, bagels and breakfast sandwiches. No pets allowed. For more information, visit http://www. portroyalfarmersmarket.com/, visit @ portroyalfarmersmarket on Facebook or call 843-295-0058.

Slip and Splash Saturdays

10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays, Battery Creek Pool, 1 Blue Dolphin Drive, Beaufort, and Bluffton Pool, 55 Pritchard Street, Bluffton. $5 per person. Stay busy for hours climbing on our inflatable challenge track.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

7 p.m., Saturdays, The Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd., Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with Lt. Dan. Come early at 6 p.m. for Steak Night.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9:30 p.m., Saturdays, Rosie

O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with Eric.

Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud

9 a.m. to noon, 1st Saturday each month, Port Royal Farmer’s Market, Corner of Ribaut Road & Pinckney Blvd, Port Royal. Free. DAYLO Students and other volunteers will read to young children, who are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animals.

Karaoke with Melissa

8 p.m. to 12 a.m., 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, Peaceful Henry’s Cigar Bar, 181 Bluffton Rd, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

CHRISTMAS

Town of Yemassee Christmas Tree

Lighting & Christmas Party

6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 19, downtown Yemassee. Activities include hayrides, refreshments, pictures with Santa, bingo, painting and more.

CLASS REUNION

Beaufort High School Class of 1975 Oct. 17 through Oct. 19, 2025, Beaufort. 50th Class Reunion Celebration. Request that graduates of this class contact the class Community Outreach Representative Barbara Gardner Hunter at 347-497-9326 or email gardnerbarbara991@gmail.com to provide current contact information.

DANCE

The Beaufort Shag Club

6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, AmVets Club, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free lessons for members from 6 to 6:30 p.m. We also host a dance the second Saturday of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. Lessons will run September through May only. Visit our FaceBook page (beaufortshagclub) for current events.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Rooted Beaufort Yoga classes

5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Thursdays, Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal; 9 to 10:15 a.m., Whitehall Park or Pigeon Point Park. Rooted Beaufort is a collective of local Yoga teachers who host outdoor yoga classes and donation-based events with proceeds being donated locally on a rotating basis.

BEMER Circulation Therapy

10 to 11 a.m., Fridays via Zoom. Already own a BEMER? Never heard of it but curious? Join to ask any questions about this leading-edge German technology that enhances blood flow 30% in 8 minutes. Sessions are designed to support those who have their own unit but everyone is welcome. Brought to you by BEMER Specialist -- Human & Equine, Elizabeth Bergmann. Text 410-212-1468 to get the Zoom link. Free.

HISTORY

Beaufort History Museum at the Arsenal

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, 713 Craven St, Beaufort. General Admission for Adults $8, Seniors $7, Active Duty Military and College

Students with ID $5. Children/Teens younger than 18 Free. Explore and experience more than 500 years of Beaufort History with knowledgeable docent guided tours.

The Historic Port Royal Museum 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or upon request, Thursdays through Sundays, The Historic Port Royal Museum, 1634 Paris Ave. The museum features the turn-of-the-century businesses and industries of Port Royal: Shrimping, crabbing, oystering, the railroad, the school and the mercantile. Great gifts featuring local artists are available. For more information. visit www.portroyalhistory.org, email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com or call 843-524-4333.

Tour Historic Fort Fremont Dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday, The Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land’s End Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. The History Center is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Visitors can learn about the fort’s history during the Spanish-American War through interpretive signs, self-guided walking tours with a smart phone, exhibits in the history center, and docent-led tours. For more information visit www.fortfremont.org or contact Passive Parks Manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@ bcgov.net.

LIBRARY ACTIVITIES

“Lego” With Lego 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., every Tuesday, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. Ages 5 and up. No registration required. Come see our new and improved Lego Club. Choose one of our new Lego kits and get going. Call 843-255-6540 for more information.

Career Navigator

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., every Tuesday, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Free one-on-one resume writing and job application assistance with a Career Navigator from Palmetto Goodwill. No appointments necessary. For more information call 843-255-6458.

Bridge Club

11 a.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Beginning September 18. The first session is for beginners new to the game, and following sessions will provide some instruction and we will learn as we play. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843255-6458 for more information.

Mahjong Club

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fridays, Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street. All levels of players are welcome. Feel free to bring your own mahjong sets. Plan to meet every week. For more information, call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843-255-6458.

MEETINGS

Zonta Club of Beaufort

6 p.m., 4th Tuesday of each month, Smokehouse, Port Royal.

Rotary Club of Sea Island lunch meeting

12:15 p.m., 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Social gathering every 3rd Tuesday at 5:30 pm, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information, visit www.seaislandrotary.org.

Rotary Club of Sea Island social gathering 5:30 p.m., 3rd Tuesday of each month, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information, visit www.seaislandrotary.org.

Beaufort Rotary Club

Noon, Wednesdays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Catered buffet lunch, followed by a guest speaker. Prospective members welcome. For further information and upcoming speakers, please visit website www.beaufortrotaryclub.org.

The Beaufort Trailblazers – A Volunteer Group

8 a.m., first Thursday each month, Herban Marketplace, Beaufort. Anyone interested in supporting or building off-road/dirt/wilderness mountain biking/jogging/walking trails near is encouraged to attend. For more information, call 843-575-0021 or email universitybicycles@hotmail. com.

Emotions Anonymous International local group meeting 4 p.m, Thursdays, via Zoom. Emotions Anonymous International, (EAI), is a nonprofit program designed to help people with emotional difficulties. It has a chapter in the Lowcountry and members want others who feel the need to know they are welcome to participate. There is no charge to participate. They are based on the 12 steps and 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and follow a specific format designed to provide the support and tools for navigating life’s painful difficulties. All are welcome. Anyone interested in participating may contact the group via email at EALowcountry@ gmail.com or call or text Laurie at 252917-7082. For more information on EAI visit www.emotionsanonymous.org.

Rotary Club of the Lowcountry 7:30 a.m., Fridays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady's Island Dr., Ladys' Island. Catered breakfast from local chef. Speakers weekly. Occasional social events replace Friday mornings, but will be announced on our website, www.rotaryclubofthelowcountrybeaufort.org.

MUSIC

Habersham Third Fridays Music on Market 5 to 8 p.m., third Friday of the month, Habersham Marketplace.

OUTDOORS/NATURE

The Beaufort Tree Walk Lady’s Island Garden Club invites you to take a meandering walk through the Historic “Old Point” and enjoy some unique and noteworthy trees. The “Walk” takes about an hour, is a little over a mile starting at the corner of Craven & Carteret streets in Morrall Park and concluding in Waterfront Park. Booklets with map and information about each tree are available free at the Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street.

Tours of Hunting Island

Every Tuesday, Hunting Island State Park, 2555 Sea Island Pkwy. Free, park entry fees apply. Sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For more information call the Hunting Island Nature Center at 843838-7437.

RUNNING/WALKING

Oyster Boogie 5K

Saturday, Jan. 18, downtown Beaufort. USATF Certified 5K Race.

SEWING/QUILTING

American Needlepoint Guild

Meeting

10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1st Tuesday each month. The Hilton Head Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild welcomes anyone, beginner or experienced stitcher, who is interested in needlepoint to join us for stitching, learning and fellowship. For more information, please contact us at hiltonheadislandchapter@needlepoint.org.

Embroidery Guild of America

Meeting

Second Tuesday of every month, Palmetto Electric Community Room, Hardeeville. The Lowcountry Chapter of the Embroidery Guild of America welcomes anyone, beginner or experienced stitcher, who is interested in any type of embroidery including needlepoint, cross-stitch, surface and beaded embroidery, hardanger, bargello, sashiko, etc., to join us for stitching, learning and fellowship. For more information, please contact us at lowcountrychapter@egacarolinas.org.

SPORTS/GAMES

ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Carteret St. Events will be held weekly. Contact Director and Club Manager Susan DeFoe at 843-597-2541 for location.

Bridge Club 11 a.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort Branch Library. The first session is for beginners new to the game, and following sessions will provide some instruction and we will learn as we play. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843255-6458 for more information.

Beaufort Masters Swim Team 6 to 7 a.m., Monday through Friday, Wardle Family Port Royal YMCA. Coached practices. Ages 18 & older, all skill & speed levels, no prior swim team experience needed. Visit lowcountryswimming.com for more information.

YOUR EVENT HERE

Send your upcoming events to theislandnews@gmail.com.

Former SC Sen. Kay Patterson, a role model for generations of legislators, dies at 93

By Skyler Laird SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA — Former South

Carolina Sen. Kay Patterson, a stalwart fighter for civil rights during more than three decades at the Statehouse, died Friday, Dec. 13 at age 93 Patterson, first elected to the House of Representatives in 1974, had been in hospice care for several months before dying in the early morning hours Friday, said Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, a Columbia Democrat who holds his former seat.

Patterson, a former chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, was among three Black legislators in the House who were elected in 1984 to the Senate. He remained in the upper chamber until his retirement in 2008, when then-Rep. John Scott, who died last year, won the seat.

“He’s been such a strong force in this community for so long,” Isaac Devine, who won a special election in January, said of Patterson. “To be in the seat he served in for so long is such a great honor for me.”

Over his 34-year Statehouse career, Patterson was known for bringing humor into debates, even as he scolded his fellow lawmakers.

He didn’t go to the podium often. But when he did, even senators outside the chamber scrambled back in to listen, said Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Hopkins, who called Patterson his mentor.

“When he got to the well, everybody got to their seat. Not only would we be informed and chastised, we’d be entertained,” said Jackson, who was first elected in 1992. “You wanted to hear what he had to say.”

Jackson said Patterson taught him how “not to lose your sanity while you’re here” — advice he’s tried to pass on to new senators since Patterson left the chamber.

“He was absolutely brilliant. He could read something and have it forever,” said Jackson, who shared an office suite with Patterson. “When he spoke, he knew exactly what he was talking about.”

Born in Darlington County, Patterson attended Claflin College until 1951, when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He finished his undergraduate degree in social sciences at Allen University in 1956

Former Gov. Jim Hodges, South Carolina’s last Democrat in the office, remembered Patterson as “funny, smart, shrewd and brave.”

“This former Marine drill sergeant was bigger than life,” Hodg-

es, who worked with Patterson as a legislator before becoming governor, said in a statement.

Patterson first worked on Statehouse grounds while a student at Allen University, when he was a janitor in the Wade Hampton Building, he said during a 2004 interview with the University of South Carolina. At that time, in 1956, Black people weren’t allowed in the Statehouse, Patterson recalled.

He was making $100 a month cleaning the offices of the state attorney general and agriculture commissioner.

“And then one day I came back down here as a member of the House, and then one day in ’84 I came back sitting in the Senate as a senator,” Patterson said. “Now that’s a helluva long ways to come. That’s a long ways to come.”

It was Congressman Jim Clyburn who told Patterson he should run for Senate. At first, Patterson was reluctant, having just won a coveted spot on the House budget-writing committee. But after an hour-long conversation with Clyburn, Patterson changed his mind, he told the USC interviewer.

“So, Jim Clyburn is the reason I’m sitting up in here because I damn sure didn’t want to come on my own,” Patterson said in the interview.

In a statement Friday, Clyburn called Patterson “a trusted leader, a tireless champion for civil rights, and a treasured friend.”

During his years in the Senate,

Patterson was always willing to make a stand, said friends and former colleagues.

When other senators shied away from talking about racism, Patterson stood up, said former Sen. John Land, D-Manning.

“He probably was one of the boldest and most unafraid senators that I ever served with,” said Land, who led Senate Democrats for eight years as majority leader, then for 12 years as minority leader until he retired in 2012. “He did not hold back in any way what he felt about the state of South Carolina and the treatment of Black people.”

But he remained friendly as he did so, Land said. “He was a kind soul to be around. He always had a smile on his face and a kind word to say, even to his adversaries.”

Patterson’s outspokenness was on full display when he pushed year after year for legislators to remove the Confederate battle flag from the Statehouse, said former Sen. John Matthews, who — like Patterson — was a former educator elected in 1974 to the House and 1984 to the Senate.

A 2000 law passed as a compromise took the flag off the Statehouse dome and put a square version on a 30-foot pole beside the Confederate Soldiers Monument on the Statehouse’s front lawn. There it remained until 2015, when the massacre of nine Black worshipers at a historic Charleston church prompted the Legislature to remove the flag from State-

house grounds entirely.

“The legacy he will be leaving for all of us to follow is that you have to stand up for what you believe in,” said Matthews, D-Bowman, who retired from the Senate in 2020. “You have to fight for justice.”

Matthews and Patterson sat beside each other for 25 years in the Senate. They were so like-minded, they used a code to communicate how each was voting on a bill: A point to the nose for “no” and to the eye for “aye,” Matthews said.

“He was a dearly beloved friend,” said Matthews, who Patterson at one point credited with keeping him in the Senate for his final term. “He was very outspoken. He was committed to equal justice and equal rights.”

For 14 years, Patterson taught at W.A. Perry Middle School before being reassigned as school classrooms integrated. When the new school didn’t want to give him as much work, he took a job with the South Carolina Education Association, where he worked until retiring in 1985, he said during the USC interview.

Former Rep. I.S. Leevy Johnson first met Patterson when the late senator was attending Allen University and student teaching in Johnson’s eighth-grade class.

Even then, “he was very smart and very knowledgeable,” Johnson said. “He related well with people, and that was one of his attributes his whole life, that he had an appealing personality that impressed people.”

With his long experience as a teacher, improving public education was a major issue for Patterson, said former Sen. Nikki Setzler, a West Columbia Democrat who retired this year after 48 years in the chamber.

“He was passionate to improve the lives of not only the people in his district but the people of South Carolina,” Setzler said.

Even after he left the Senate, Patterson continued to mentor new Columbia-area legislators. Isaac Devine said she often called him for advice during her first couple months in the Senate this year, she said.

Former Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a Columbia Democrat, did the same when he first won a seat in the Senate six years ago. He and Patterson had crossed paths when Harpootlian was the local solicitor and a council member, but Harpootlian wanted Patterson’s advice for serving in the Senate, he said.

“He said, very clearly, ‘Keep your sense of humor. Don’t take yourself too seriously, but at the same time, remember you’re an advocate for people who can’t advocate for themselves,’” said Harpootlian, who is also the former state Democratic Party chairman.

Patterson was a lifetime member of the NAACP. He credited his “favorite uncle,” who was statewide president of the civil rights group, for his outspokenness.

“He was the one that inspired me to speak up and to speak out. That’s the way he was, and I wanted to be like my Uncle Sharver, and so I’ve always been outspoken,” Patterson said in 2004. “You should give respect to your elders and respect to your supervisors. I always respected them, but if something was on my mind, I was going to speak it, and if they did something wrong, I was going to tell them about it. I would always speak up and speak out.

“And that’s just my hallmark ever since I was a little child,” he said.

Patterson leaves behind a daughter and three grandchildren.

S.C. Daily Gazette Editor Seanna Adcox contributed to this report. Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and

Sen. Kay Patterson, who died Friday, Dec. 13, talks to Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Columbia, and Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Hopkins. Photo courtesy of Jamie Devine

LOCAL MILITARY

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, 20 December 2024

Recruit Training Regiment • Commanding Officer, Colonel C. B. McArthur 3rd Recruit Training Battalion • Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel B. L. Tye Commander of Troops, Captain S. P. Miller • Parade Adjutant, Captain B. J. Placek Company “M”, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion • Captain S. P. Miller Drill Masters • Gunnery Sergeant M. N. Moreno, Staff Sergeant B. Graham

PLATOON 3104

Senior Drill Instructor

Sgt Y. R. Castellon

Pvt Barker, Janus A.

Pvt Beane, Kenneth R.

Pvt Canane, Jackson S.

Pvt Carrasco, Elvinuriel R.

Pvt Castillomelgar, Francisco A.

Pvt Clark, Brayden W.

Pvt Cole, Zavier A.

Pvt Cooper, Jackson O.

Pvt Diehl, Alexander E.

*PFC Dingwall, Kael A.

Pvt Dixon, Sean A.

PFC Easterling, Michael A.

Pvt Erisman II, James M.

*PFC Goad, Kyler M.

Pvt Goff, Dalton M.

Pvt Gonzalezmartinez, Jonaten

PFC Harris, Rajay L.

Pvt Hayward, Derrick W.

Pvt Heaps, Benjamin C.

Pvt Henry, Jayden D.

Pvt Humphrey Jr, Luke P.

PFC Johnson, Laron

Pvt Kale, Daniel P.

Pvt Kuras, Jodie N.

Pvt Le, Marc M.

PFC Lester, Matthew C.

Pvt Lopez, Henry B.

Pvt Lopezsiguenza, David F.

Pvt Lynch, Jeremiah M.

Pvt Marcotte, Trey L.

Pvt Martinezsoto, David

Pvt Mcdonald, Logan D.

PFC Melendezrosado, Kyle G.

PFC Newby, Khalid J.

Pvt Peklo, Ross A.

Pvt Pierce, Lawson G.

Pvt Riva, Aidan V.

Pvt Rojas, Oscar J.

Pvt Santiago Jr, Juan M.

*PFC Saunders, Hezekiah F.

PFC Sirleaf, Aliyou V.

Pvt Spurgeon, Wesson X.

PFC Storks, Cameron V.

Pvt Vasquezreyes, Kevin M.

PFC Velasquezmorales, A D.

Pvt Williams, Nathaniel R.

*PFC Yoder, Owen D.

PLATOON 3105

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt H. Lavertue

Pvt Adkins, Jonathan T.

Pvt Andrickson, Isaiah J.

Pvt Astacio, Christopher

Pvt Bellomo, Daren M.

Pvt Bonura, Kohl S.

Pvt Brustein, Joseph I.

PFC Clark, Nathan J.

Pvt Courchaine, Baylor P.

Pvt Djom, Amar K.

*PFC Douse, Cornelius L.

PFC Dominguezgarcia, Anthony G.

Pvt Fuller, Riley J.

Pvt Giove, Forest T.

Pvt Gray, Camron M.

Pvt Hatfield, Nicholas Z.

Pvt Hernandez, Rodrigo J.

Pvt Hernandezcedillo, Alejandro A

Pvt Holmes, Andrew H.

Pvt Holotik, Thomas S.

Pvt Kanu, Alhaji A.

Pvt Kiza, Bendera

Pvt Knight, Kenneth H.

*PFC Ladosenszky, Damian G.

Pvt Landreth, Richard V.

Pvt Le, Ethan D.

Pvt Maher, Gavin A.

*PFC Markland, Zackary T.

Pvt Mathews, Charles M.

Pvt Mccaycantrell, Caleb A.

Pvt Muller, Colton

Pvt Merida, Gerald J.

Pvt Morenopierson, Damian L.

Pvt Nichols, Alex M.

Pvt Padillavazquez, Angel I

Pvt Peck, Anthony M.

Pvt Pena, Americo

PFC Prescott, Cliff A.

Pvt Proctor, George J.

PFC Ramos, Jason P.

Pvt Reed, Timothy A.

Pvt Rosadodiaz, Zaqdiel O.

Pvt Schlueter, Devan W.

Pvt Simons, Jonathon D.

Pvt Sowards, Malik W.

Pvt Visintine, Joshua S.

Pvt Wilder, Dyson W.

Pvt Wiley, Abel M.

Pvt Williams, Gabriel A.

Pvt Wilson, Jacob M.

PLATOON 3106

Senior Drill Instructor SSgt M. Maas

PVT Ahamed, Shafeen

PVT Balderas, Rogelio

PVT Barbecho, Jimmy A.

PVT Beau III, Richard E.

PVT Bigsby, Malichi M.

PVT Bordon, Gabryel N.

PVT Burke, Preston J.

PFC Cassell, William E.

PVT Castillomedina, Aubry J.

*PFC Cheng, Zhenxiang

PVT Cotton, Nathaniel K.

PVT Covington Iii, Gregory W.

PVT Cuff, Alexander J.

PVT Deloach, Cody A.

PVT Dundas, Tyrique L.

PFC Dunn, Draven A.

PVT Fisher, Jaylin J.

PFC Fitzgerald, Dantre

PVT Fuller, Jaylon A.

PVT Garciagerardo, Oscar

PFC Gonzalez, Josue A.

PVT Grimsley, John R.

PVT Hanscom, Owen J.

PVT Harriott, Orlando H.

PVT Hoffelder, Robert A.

PFC Hollerman V, George E.

PVT Holloway, Ethan W.

PVT Jean, Donald

*PFC Keefe, Matthew N.

*PFC Lazo, Qiel A.

PVT Lilienthal, Thomas K.

PVT Luongo, Michael A.

PFC Mace, Charles E.

PVT Martinez, Jose L.

PFC Moessner, Joseph C.

PVT Noman, Istiaque A.

*PFC Page, Christian R.

PVT Perezaguilar, Matthew

PVT Phelan, Matthew T.

PVT Powell, Jacob M.

PVT Prielipp, Kaden L.

PFC Richards, Osida S.

PFC Riveracartagena, Gabriel A.

PVT Santiago, Alvaro J.

PVT Shubladze, Artyom

PVT Singh, Noorjashan

PVT Stump, Gabriel F.

PVT Tejadamorel, Ramon E.

PFC Willhide, Jonathan J.

PLATOON 3108

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt E. A. Benitez Ortega

PVT Almonte, Julian A.

PVT Andino, Angel D.

PVT Avila, Julian M.

PVT Baezalmeida, Antonio

PVT Bailey, Nathaniel L.

PVT Banziger, Gabriel E.

PVT Bazemore, Miles J.

PVT Bowers, Aiden M.

PVT Cabaniss, Jaden A.

PVT Chambers, Nolan R.

PVT Chen, Yaotian

PVT Colon, Joesph M.

PFC Correatoro, Yediel J

PVT Dunmyer, Cameron D.

PVT Figueroa, Enrique

PFC Francisco, Joseantonio

PFC Freeman-Turner, Demetrius E.

PVT Graham, John B.

PVT Gregory, Damian

PFC Grubb, Tanner A.

PVT Henninger, Ian P.

PVT Hills, Vernon C.

PFC House, Brenden M.

PVT Ivey, Datryl L.

PVT Johnson, Joshua E.

PVT Johnston, Levi

PVT Jones-Furnance, Hezekiah T.

PVT Landsman, Colt R.

*PVT Lemons, Nathan T.

PFC Lopez, Roberto

PVT Lopezramirez, Biureck A.

PVT Loreto, Janpatrick D.

PVT Ludwig, Miles A.

PVT Mackiewicz, Jalen J.

PVT Maldonado, Damon M.

PFC Mcghee, Elias S.

PFC Moore, Ethan G.

*PVT Nuckolls, Elisha

PVT Oberhaus, Chase E.

PVT Ocelotl, Danny

PVT Pacheco-Mejia, Samuel

PFC Perez, Christian A.

*PVT Plantamuro, Angelo D.

PVT Rodriguez, Aaron S.

PFC Rose, Noah F.

PVT Segurayanez, Robert

*PVT Stump, Gabriel A.

PFC Tanguay, Dylan P.

PLATOON

3109

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt S. Banuski

PVT Aguirre, Jan P.

PVT Albarracin, Anthony

PVT Alcantaramedrano, Erlys E.

PVT Asiimwe, Trevor R.

PFC Brooks, George R.

PVT Brzozowski, Brayden D.

PVT Caballerolinares, Alex D.

PVT Campbell Jr, Anthony S.

PVT Carnahan, Robert W.

PVT Coleman, Rhett L.

PVT Cubias, Wilber D.

PVT Cuevas, Trentin A.

PVT Dang, Caden A.

PVT Dubosemcclymont, Rhyan C.

PVT Estep, Raven T.

PVT Goode, James A.

PFC Hackett, Parker B.

PFC Ibarravaldez, Juan

*PFC Jackson Ii, Rhian D.

*PFC Komora, Shawn A.

PVT Lavariega, Rafael

PVT Lee, Elijah J.

PVT Lopezjuarez, Andi

PVT Marintecpanecatl, Raul A.

PVT Martinez, Uriel

PFC Miller, Nicholas J.

PVT Okonsky, Viktor M.

PVT Patterson Iii, Billy L.

PVT Pineda, Raul E.

PVT Poole, Benjamin L.

PVT Popov, Manny M.

*PFC Provo, Corey M.

PVT Ramirez, Noel

PVT Ramos, Raul

*PFC Richards, Cody S.

PFC Shah, Soham P.

PVT Snow, Mark J.

PVT Soumm, Vesana

PVT Steel, Jack H.

PVT Sullivan, Ivan P.

PVT Thompson, Clayton R.

PVT Tristano, Maxwell A.

PVT Vazquez, Kaleb E.

PVT West Iii, James E.

PVT Wood, Kamdyn R.

PVT Yelenchak, Nikolai

PLATOON

3110

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt J. Taykowski

*PFC Abreu, Johnathan A.

PFC Alleyne, Anton D.

PFC Awe, David O.

PVT Bermeobalboa, Erik A.

PVT Braxton Iv, Beverly L.

PVT Corona, Jeremy

PVT Culver, Nicholas D.

PVT Dalia, Patrik A.

PVT Daligan, Laurence P.

PFC Delossantoshernandez, Luis A.

PFC Dibenedetto, Nolan P.

PVT Farris, Lucas A.

PVT Fitzsimmons, Levi J.

PVT Floresgonzalez, Owen

PVT Geiser, Philip J.

PFC Hopson, Joseph M.

PVT Hufstetler, Caden

PVT Irby, Noah E.

PFC Ireton, William G.

PFC Jenkins, Daniel O.

GySgt Kelley, Justin D.

PVT Knudsonburton, Ian C.

PFC Kwan, Alexander

PVT Lembo, Jacob T.

PFC Louks, Ayden J.

PVT Lyon, Tanner M.

PVT Martin, Joseph P.

*PFC Martinez, Issac M.

PVT Mcguire, Kyle C.

PVT Morningstar, Trent D.

PVT Nikatsadze, Nikoloz

PVT Ortizsantiago, Dionel F.

PVT Perdomo, Kevin D.

PFC Perez, Jesus

PVT Reilly, Conner M.

PVT Robles Iv, Miguel

PVT Rodriguez Jr, Cristhiam J.

PFC Rodriguez, Oscar A.

PVT Rodriguez, Oscar D.

PVT Rodriguezabreu, Anyeuris F.

PVT Ruppert, Jason L.

PVT Schipper, Charles L.

PVT Schmidt, Isaac C.

PVT Tapiarivera, Jair J.

PFC Vazquez, Xavier

PVT Villalba, Derick L.

PVT Wagner, Derrik C.

PFC Whitacre, Brayden M.

*Denotes Meritorious Promotions

MAG-31 NCOs complete Confidence Course

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jacoreyan Bennett, aircraft avionics technician, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, wades through water during the confidence course Oct. 25, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. The confidence course is an obstacle course designed to build physical fitness, teamwork, and mental resilience among Marines. Lance Cpl. Kayla LeClaire/USMC

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Zachary Kelly, Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, participates in the confidence course Oct. 25, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. The confidence course is an obstacle course designed to build physical fitness, teamwork, and mental resilience among Marines. Lance Cpl. Kayla LeClaire/USMC

TVA benefits for elderly veterans

his is the third of four articles on 23 VA benefits for elderly veterans. The first article covered the VA's pension program (Regular Pension and enhanced benefits of Aid & Attendance and Housebound), Geriatrics and Extended Care Program, and Long-Term Care Program. It also reminded veterans to sign up for VA healthcare, use a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to help them file for their VA benefits and services, and ensure they know their social worker.

You can read Article 1, dated Dec. 4, 2024, online at https://bit. ly/4grRyEa.

The second article was published on Dec. 11 2024, and it covered Military Service-connected Disability Compensation and Residential Settings and Nursing Homes [including the Community Residential Care Program, Medical Foster Homes, Adult Family Homes, Traumatic Brain Injury – Residential Rehabilitation (TBIRR), and Assisted Living]. To read all of Larry Dandridge’s past The Island News articles on veterans’ benefits, leadership, law enforcement, hospice, and other topics, go to https://www.yourislandnews. com and click on MILITARY.

This article will cover the following benefits/services involving residential settings and nursing homes.

Benefit 10 of 23

VA Community Living Centers (VA Nursing Homes)

A Community Living Center (CLC) is a VA Nursing Home. Veterans may stay for a short time or, in rare instances, for the rest of their lives. It is a place where veterans can receive nursing home-level care, including help

with daily living activities, skilled nursing, and medical care. There are more than 100 Community Living Centers across the country. See this listing of the current VA Community Living Center Locations at https://bit.ly/3ZVffzk.

There is a VA Nursing Home in the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (phone 843-577-5011) and in the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center (803776-4000). Unlike many nursing homes in the past, a Community Living Center resembles "home" as much as possible. There are activities for veterans of all ages, family-friendly places to visit, veterans' rooms to decorate, and pets allowed to visit or live in the CLC. Veterans may stay for a short time or, in rare instances, for the rest of their lives. The mission of a Community Living Center is to restore each veteran to his or her highest level of well-being. It is also to prevent declines in health and to provide comfort at the end of life. Learn more at https://bit. ly/4gD9lbF and by talking to your VA Social Worker.

Benefit 11 of 23

Community Nursing Homes

A Community Nursing Home is where veterans can live fulltime and receive skilled nursing care any time of day or night. VA contracts with community nursing

homes to care for veterans. The Community Nursing Home program is offered in many communities so veterans can receive care near their homes and families. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3DcBmbF and by talking with your VA Social Worker.

Benefit 12 of 23

State Veterans Homes

State Veterans Homes provide nursing home, domiciliary, or adult day care. They are owned, operated, and managed by state governments. To participate in the State Veterans Home program, the VA must formally recognize and certify a facility as a State Veterans Home. The VA then surveys all facilities yearly to ensure they continue meeting VA standards. The VA does not manage State Veterans Homes. You can find the National Association of State Veterans Homes Directory of U.S. State Veterans Homes at https://nasvh.org/directory/. There are five State Veterans Homes in South Carolina. They are in Walterboro, Anderson, Gaffney, Columbia, and Florence. The Veterans Victory House address is 2461 Sidneys Road, Walterboro, S.C. 29488, and the phone number is 843-538-3000

Benefit 13 of 23

Homemaker and Home

Health Aide Care (Home

Based & Community Care)

A Homemaker and Home Health Aide is a trained person who can come to a veteran's home and help the veteran take care of themselves and their daily activities. The services of a homemaker and home health aide can help veterans remain in their own homes and can serve veterans of any age.

Homemakers and Home Health

Aides are not nurses but are supervised by a registered nurse who will help assess the veteran's daily living needs. This program is for veterans who need personal care services and help with daily living activities. It is also for veterans who are isolated or whose caregivers are experiencing a burden. These services can be combined with other Home and Community-Based Service.

Homemakers and Home Health Aides work for an organization that has a contract with the VA. Homemaker or Home Health Aid services can be an alternative to nursing home care and provide respite care at home for veterans and their family caregivers. The services of a Homemaker or Home Health Aide can help veterans remain living in their own homes and can serve veterans of any age. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3ZBo5kF and by talking with your VA Social Worker,

Benefit 14 of 23 Skilled Home Health Care (Home Based & Community Care)

This care is for veterans needing short-term care as they move from a hospital or nursing home back to their homes. It can also be used to provide continuing care to people with ongoing needs. The program is for veterans who need skilled services such as skilled nursing, case management, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, wound care, or IV antibiotics.

Skilled Home Health Care can be combined with other Home and Community-Based Services. The care is delivered by a community-based home health agency that has a contract with VA. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3ZE04Jx and by asking your VA Social Worker.

Benefit 15 of 23 Home-Based Primary Care (Home Based & Community Care)

Home-based primary Care is health care services provided to veterans in their homes. The program is for Veterans who need team-based and in-home support for ongoing diseases and illnesses that affect their health and daily activities. Because of the severity of their illness, veterans usually have difficulty making and keeping clinic visits and are often homebound, but that is not required. This program is also for veterans who are isolated or whose caregivers are experiencing a burden. Home-based Primary Care can be combined with other Home and Community-Based Services. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3VJuGs9 and by talking with your VA Social Worker.

Continued next week.

Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior,

LARRY DANDRIDGE

U.S. Marines with Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, participate in the confidence course Oct. 25, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. The confidence course is an obstacle course designed to build physical fitness, teamwork, and mental resilience among Marines. Lance Cpl. Kayla LeClaire/USMC

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CLASSIFIEDS & GAMES

THURSDAY’S CARTOON

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