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PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID BEAUFORT, SC PERMIT NO. 92
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FEBRUARY 16 - 22, 2017
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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Soiree promises to be an elegant affair
Whale Branch to get new gym Staff reports
All money raised during the event goes directly into funding Friends of Caroline Hospice, a local nonprofit hospice serving Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper counties. Friends of Carolina provide care and support for people living with a life limiting disease. The purpose of hospice is widely misunderstood, according to experts.
The Beaufort County board of education voted recently to devote a portion of its borrowing capacity to building a larger competition gym for Whale Branch Early College High School. Since Whale Branch Early College High opened in 2010, its four basketball teams have practiced and played their interscholastic games in one small gymnasium. A larger competition gym was never built, and today Whale Branch is the only high school in Beaufort County that doesn’t have a competition and a practice gym. According to the district’s current capital improvement plan, the preliminary cost estimate to build the new gym is $4.4 million. The board voted to place the project under a state-authorized provision that allows local school boards to borrow up to 8 percent of their districts’ assessed property value for facilities construction and improvement. The district’s goal, officials said, is to design, build and open the gym in time for the 2018-19 basketball season. “It’s an exciting development, and it goes beyond athletics because a competition gym will basically be an extension of our classroom space,” said Principal Mona Lise Dickson. “Now we’ll have more room for physical education classes as well as a comfortable space for indoor community events like graduation ceremonies.” There are other issues, Dickson said. For example, basketball practices currently pose a significant scheduling challenge because all four of the high school’s teams (varsity boys and girls and junior varsity boys and girls) must practice daily in the small practice
See BANDS page A7
See GYM page A7
Staff reports
The Historic Beaufort Foundation’s (HBF) annual gala, the elegant and popular Lafayette Soirée, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 22. The location will be the waterfront garden of Nancy and Howell Beach, behind their historic home, the ca. 1892 Dr. A.P Prioleau House on Federal Street. The HBF is also grateful to Betty Chamlee Miller, Dr. Katherine Kinghorn and Dr. Robert Bell for the use of their adjacent properties. The headline sponsor for this year’s event is O’Quinn Marine Construction. “This year’s theme is ‘Joie de Vivre,’ ” said Chairman Donna Dehncke and Co-Chair Mary Fermin Savage, “and we will be celebrating the joy of living here in Beaufort, Lowcountry-style.” “Since the Soirée has long been known as the town’s most elegant garden party, we expect this year’s event to sell out, just as we did last year,” said Dehncke. “Our décor and garden setting will reflect the essence of Lowcountry beauty,” added Fermin Savage. See PARTY page A7
Chairman Donna Dehncke and Co-Chair Mary Fermin Savage stand in front of the Dr. A.P. Prioleau House on Federal Street. Photo by Jasmina Kimova Photography.
Bands, Brews and BBQ to benefit hospice By Aileen Goldstein
Imagine a street event in a beautiful setting during our beautifully mild winter. Now imagine the festival includes championship barbeque, craft beer and live music from a variety of local talent. You don’t have to imagine for long, as the Friends of Caroline Hospice’s annual Bands, Brews and BBQ is right around the corner. The 8th annual event will take
place Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25, on Paris Avenue in Port Royal. The event kicks off the official South Carolina Barbeque Association’s year-long championship contest and features sanctioned judging of as many as 32 teams of barbeque experts all competing for the coveted top spots. Bands scheduled to perform at the festival include The Cluster Shucks, Walker Harris Band, Eric Daubert and Cranford Hollow.
Friday night’s Wing Throw Down event will feature wings recipes from participating cooking teams. The evening will also include the first annual Eat Sleep Play Beaufort Hot Wing Eating Contest sponsored by the Carolina Tavern. Competing participants will eat as many wings as possible in 2 minutes. Saturday’s event schedule includes live music, barbeque tastings and a kid’s zone, including a bounce house and face painting
We are. Accreditation
LOVING IT!
The Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Valentine Ball had hearts aflutter. PAGE A3
CREATIVE JUICES Whether it’s dance or working as a silversmith, it’s all about creativity for this Dataw Island resident. PAGE B1
INSIDE Lowcountry Life A2 Health A3 In Other News A4-5 Business A6 From The Front A7 Community B1
Schools B3 Schools B4 B5 Sports Events B7 Directory B8 Classifieds B9
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