February 10 edition

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PRESORTED PERMIT NO. 97 BEAUFORT, SC 29902

COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY

Fund established to preserve historic Beaufort properties

Dick Stewart of 303 Associates speaks to the Lady's Island Business Professionals Association on Tuesday, Feb. 8, on Lady's Island. Stewart recently announced the formation of a $100,000 revolving fund to assist heirs and freedman’s house owners in the Northwest Quadrant of Beaufort. Photo by Tony Kukulich/The Island News.

By Tony Kukulich The Stewart Family Office announced the creation of a $100,000 revolving fund to help preserve historic, traditionally Black-owned properties in the Northwest Quadrant of Beaufort. A Feb. 3 press release issued by the Stewart Family Office stated, “The ownership and use of family homes and property has proven to be the single best path to the creation of intergenerational wealth in the history of the United States. Stewart Family Office is establishing this fund to work with families, property owners and others that are actively engaged in assisting heirs and families to retain and use their property.” The number of freedman’s cottages – a specific architectural type of

home built by previously enslaved people – is dwindling. A primary goal of the newly established fund is to slow or stop that trend. “Since I retired in ’98 and moved back here, we have done a large number of renovations here in the historic district,” Dick Stewart told The Island News. “We understand the process. We understand the value of these properties, and we want to assist these folks with some money and some expertise so they can make use of their property.” According to the Lowcountry Gullah Foundation, heirs’ property – land that has been handed from family member to family member, often without it being properly deeded – comes with a unique set of issues.

SHARING HISTORY

Fire station purchase ruffles feathers in Port Royal

Royal officials said they were not included in the negotiations for the station’s purchase. “Initially the deal was that we had a long-term lease,” explained City of Beaufort Mayor Stephen Murray. “It allowed us to get into it fast. It was turnkey. Given the conditions at the time, it made a lot of sense for us. The owner approached us and made us an offer we couldn’t refuse, so to speak. … We think it was in the

SEE FEATHERS PAGE A4

SEE FUND PAGE A4

Security guard leaves weapon in Beaufort school bathroom

Gullah storyteller Anita Singleton-Prather of St. Helena Island spoke to the students of John Paul II Catholic School on Monday in Ridgeland. The presentation was part of the school's recognition of Black History Month and was the second time that Singleton-Prather has been featured at the school. Photo by Tony Kukulich/The Island News.

By Tony Kukulich The City of Beaufort’s 2021 purchase of a fire station located in the Town of Port Royal was the one point of contention between the two municipalities during an otherwise mundane joint council meeting late last month. The city closed on the purchase of Station 4 – located at 571 Robert Smalls Parkway and operated by the City of Beaufort and Town of Port Royal Fire Department – just prior to the end of last year. Port

The original purchaser, usually a former slave, did not have a will or was unable to deed the property to their descendants. A property might now have several, if not hundreds of heirs who have ownership rights but no clear title. It may have been lived upon for generations, yet if the land goes up for sale or needs to be divided, the legality of who can do what with the property comes into play. Additionally, mushrooming tax liabilities on highly valued coastal properties, coupled with multiple owners and poorly documented provenance, often resulted in land and homes being lost to tax auctions. Ironically, the land that was first available to formerly enslaved peo-

The City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department Station 4 on Robert Smalls Parkway, Beaufort, as seen Tuesday, Feb. 8. The property was recently purchased by the City of Beaufort for $3 million. Photo by Tony Kukulich/The Island News.

ARTS

SPORTS

FAITH

INSIDE

Sponsors invited to apply for next phase of Art Bench Project.

Battery Creek ends run in 3rd round of playoffs.

Billy Holland: “When praying for rain, don’t forget your raincoat.”

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Lowcountry Life A2 News A2–6 Arts A7 Health A8–9 Education A10 Sports A11

By Tony Kukulich A teacher at Beaufort’s Mossy Oaks Elementary School discovered a loaded firearm in a staff bathroom at the school last week. The weapon, a 9 mm handgun belonging to a school security guard, was unattended for approximately three minutes, said Candace Bruder, director of communications for the Beaufort County School District (BCSD). The teacher reported the weapon to the school principal after its discovery. Mossy Oaks Principal Melissa Vogt sent an email to parents notifying them of the incident that occurred Tuesday, Feb. 1. In that email she stated, “At no time did any students come into contact with this weapon.” The security guard, who was not identified, was employed by GuardOne Security and had been assigned to the school district since Nov. 4, 2021. “This individual is not allowed back on school property for any reason,” said Bruder in an email to The Island News. “GuardOne Security has a strict policy regarding the failure to control weapons.” According to Bruder, GuardOne Security guards receive 32 hours of training, while the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division requires only eight. “Safety and retention of weapons is a key part of their training curriculum,” she added. In October 2019, the Beaufort County Board of Education directed the district to pursue the use of a private firm to provide armed security guards for the district’s elementary schools. While middle schools and high schools in the district had school resource officers (SRO) assigned, elementary schools at the time shared five community resource officers among the 22 campuses. The board further directed that the use of a private security firm should eventually be phased out in favor of using SROs from local law enforcement agencies.

Faith A12 Food A13 Voices A14–15 Military A16–17 Directory A18 Classifieds A19

SEE WEAPON PAGE A4


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