February 16 edition

WALTERBORO

Maggie Murdaugh’s death was a painful one.

She not only suffered physically as her killer circled, shooting again and again until she was gone, her last breath was taken knowing her 22-year-old son — one half of her world — had been killed too.

Paul Murdaugh was shot with his arms down by his sides.

He didn’t raise them defensively before being pegged in the chest with a shotgun — possibly his own. The final shot to his shoulder, which left through his head, sent him to the ground, gone before he got there.

Neither Maggie nor Paul would have been at Moselle the night of their murders were it not for the insistence of Alex Murdaugh.

When Maggie’s sister, Marian Proctor, later asked Alex who could have done this to them, his response was, “Whoever did it had been planning it for a long time.”

It is important to know that. It’s important to think about it.

We are now in Week Four of the Alex Murdaugh trial in Colleton County. The prosecution expects to finish in the next day or so. Then we’ll hear from Alex Murdaugh’s team.

So far their defense has been, “But he loved them.”

For a surprising number of people that argument alone seems to be enough.

He loved them. So he couldn’t have …

SEE FARRELL PAGE A5

VALENTINE’S DAY

SEVENTEENTH 17 TH ANNUAL BEAUFORT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FEBRUARY 21-26, 2023 BEAUFORTFILMFESTIVAL.COM

BIFF is back

Beaufort International Film Festival marks Big Chill’s 40th birthday

By Mark Shaffer Lowcountry Weekly

Sylvia Bushey, owner/operator of Carolina Floral Design, puts the finishing touches on a floral arrangement using some of the 2,250 roses she’ll use for the St. Valentine’s Day celebration. “And that’s just the roses” she said. She said that retail business is getting back to normal after many people stopped buying flowers due to the COVID pandemic.

Lee Petrolawicz, left, hands Sylvia Bushey, right, an arrangement to be adjusted for a customer Tuesday afternoon. Denise Berbigler, center, raises a question from another customer. Bushey said her drivers have made nearly 70 deliveries a day for the last couple days and expected to run out of flowers before the end of the day. Photos by Bob Sofaly/The Island News

Girl by Jesse Andrews

Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika

L. Sanchez Me and Earl and the Dying

Of the 16 books reviewed by committees so far, all but one – It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover –have been returned to the shelves in some fashion. Each time the committees’ decisions have been appealed by Szalai or Covert, the Board of Education has reaffirmed the committees’ decision.

SEE REVIEW PAGE A4

Each year for the past 17 years, Ron and Rebecca Tucker manage to pull off the minor miracle that is the Beaufort International Film Festival. And each year after the last award’s been handed out, the applause fades into the night and the curtain comes down on another BIFF, they ask each other the same question: Why go on?

INSIDE

Complete schedule for the 17 annual Beaufort International Film Festival, Page A6

“Once we start planning it and put out the call for submissions, it’s kind of a snowball effect and we are absolutely spent during the process,” Ron Tucker said. “But it is kind of addictive, though every year it gets a little harder for a lot of different reasons.”

COVID posed a unique challenge, albeit one that affected the festival only minimally. The 2020 festival was already in the books by the time the world went into lockdown, and though scaled down, the 2021 festival was conducted under strict protocols. Competition, however, doesn’t come with protocols.

SEE FILM PAGE A6

BIFF TICKETS

Tickets are available for the 17th annual Beaufort International Film Festival hosted by the Beaufort Film Society (BFS). The event runs from February 21 through February 26, with all film screenings held at the USC Beaufort Center for the Arts at 805 Carteret Street in Beaufort. All blocks are $15 each, while a Daily Film Pass is $50 for BFS members and $60 for non members each day. An All Events Pass is $270 for BFS members and $325 for non members. Tickets can be purchased online at www.beaufortfilmfestival.com or patrons can pay at the door for screenings only. Tickets are also available at the Beaufort/Port Royal Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitors Center at 713 Craven Street in Beaufort.

‘He loved them so he couldn’t have’

LIZ FARRELL

LOWCOUNTRY LIFE & NEWS

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Editor-in-Chief Mike McCombs theislandnews@ gmail.com

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Strong winds after heavy rain on Fripp Island this past weekend formed these unusual looking sand pedestals along the beach in this photo by Paige Bouy. 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 BOB TORREY

Beaufort’s Bob Torrey, 90, joined the United States Marine Corps in Bangor, Maine in 1950. After Boot camp at Parris Island, he was stationed at Camp Lejeune, where he trained as an anti-aircraft gunner. He then shipped to near Pusan, Korea where he served in anti-aircraft artillery. His next duty station was at Marine Barracks Key West, Fla., for three years. Then it was back to Pusan, Korea in anti-aircraft

Torrey

Bob

SALES/BUSINESS

Advertising Sales Director Amanda Hanna 843-343-8483 amanda@ lcweekly.com

drews AFB near Washington and later on Long Island, N.Y at the ATC center for all of the greater New York City’s airports. He retired and returned to Beaufort in 1994. He has volunteered with the Franciscan Center on St. Helena.

gunnery

duties. After Korea, he trained at MCAS Cherry Point to

LEGAL NOTICES

be an Air Traffic Control maintenance technician. He was next off to Phu Bai, Vietnam (near Hue) as an ATC maintenance man during the Tet Offensive. He then served in Millington, Tenn., as an ATC maintenance instructor. His final assignment was at MCAS Beaufort from which he retired in 1974 as a Captain, USMC, with 24 years of service. He went on to work for the FAA for 20 years in ATC maintenance, first at An-

ON THIS DATE

February 16

Accounting April Ackerman april@ aandbbookkeeping. com Billing questions only.

– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 9. For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com

1970: Joe Frazier defeated Jimmy Ellis at Madison Square Garden in New York City to improve to 25-0 and win the WBA and vacant WBC world heavyweight titles.

February 20

1995: Dee Delaney was born in Beaufort. Delaney, a Seabrook native, was a star athlete at Whale Branch Early College High School, earning 14 total varsity letters in four sports – baseball, basketball, football and track. Delaney played college football at The Citadel, then the University of Miami (Fla.). Delaney has played for five teams (Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) in the NFL and is still active.

– Compiled by Mike McCombs

PAL PETS OF THE WEEK

Cat of the Week: Sasha loves to talk and tell you all about her day. She is especially happy if you have a toy to spend some enrichment time with her. She would love a home where she can be the queen of her own castle. Sasha is 1 year old, spayed, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped.

Dog of the Week: Dixie is the definition of tiny but mighty. She is a strong and independent little lady who loves to tell you what she thinks. She is the right fit for someone who wants a medium sized dog to fit into their family. Dixie is 1 year old, spayed, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped.

If you are interested in adopting Sasha, Dixie, or any of our other pets, call our adoption center at 843-645-1725 or email us at info@ palmettoanimalleague. org to set up an appointment.

CONTACT US PO Box 550 Beaufort, SC 29901 TheIslandNews@gmail.com www.YourIslandNews.com facebook.com/TheIslandNews

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Juggling past, future no easy assignment

BEAUFORT

Could the timing be any more ironic?

Last week, the community hosted a symposium on the archaeological footprint of the 17th century Scottish settlement Stuarts Town believed now to have been somewhere in The Point neighborhood.

While folks reflected on past residents, some current Point residents cheered to learn a state judge had agreed with the Beaufort Historic Foundation’s argument that their easement on the historic home of Reconstruction hero Robert Smalls prevented tours by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The addition of even more tourists in their historic neighborhood was frustrating to the neighbors who supported the BHF’s position that the once private home didn’t need to be turned into a house museum.

All this while the National Park Service consultants came to town for a “health checkup” on the city’s national Historic Landmark District which some feel could be in jeopardy because of structural changes since the 1973 designation.

And – to add to the irony – at the end of the week, the city building department issued construction permits for the much-debated four-story parking garage and new three-story hotel with a roof-top bar, right in the middle of the downtown district.

The history of 303 Associates’ plans for a four-story parking garage on the lot bordered

by Craven, Port Republic and West streets and the hotel on the corner of Port Republic and Scott Street could be the subject of a week-long symposium by themselves.

Both projects since they were first introduced have drawn considerable opposition from citizens concerned about their impact on the confined downtown business district. There were multiple hearings before the local review board. Lawsuits have been threatened and filed.

It was one year ago, January 2022, that a district court judge upheld the project approvals given by the city’s Historic Review Board and in the meantime, the National Park Service had been contacted to investigate if the Historic Landmark designation was still appropriate.

The preliminary report is available online, and concerned residents are encouraged to read it and offer their comments.

Whether that report will have any bearing on the proposed 303 Associates projects is unlikely.

It appears only the courts, or the developers, can determine the fate of those buildings now.

Beaufort and the surrounding Lowcountry are known for their

natural beauty but you hardly ever see a tourism report or fluffy magazine article about the city without mention of the historic homes and quiet, tree-lined streets.

But just like the natural beauty spots are changing due to development and economic pressures, those scenic, manmade structures are being influenced by those same pressures. Case in point, the Northwest Quadrant and Old Commons neighborhoods where the older homes have been demolished and replaced with Southern Living designs found in subdivisions all over the country.

It’s a difficult task as many sociologists will attest, to balance the past with the uncertain future. Community leaders – both those elected and those outspoken because of their interests – have a tough job.

Town’s updated tree ordinance postponed for a month

PORT ROYAL – It was a small but determined group of tree-huggers gathered at last week’s Port Royal Town Council meeting to witness what was expected to be the second and final reading of an ordinance strengthening the town’s tree protection ordinance.

Unfortunately, they left disappointed after the council members, who had so adamantly endorsed the idea of stronger tree protections for the past several months, had questions.

The matter was postponed until the March1 council workshop, when the elected folks will talk

some more about increasing fines for cutting trees without permits in preparation for development.

The draft, as written, already increases penalties five-fold, from $1,000 for certain specimen trees to $5,000. But while Council members said they might want even more “teeth” in the penalties, they were also concerned about the increased costs to single-family homes, at a time when “affordable housing” is a realistic buzzword.

Again, not an easy job.

Short-term rentals limit passes vote in Folly Beach

FOLLY BEACH – A majority of town voters said “yes” last week to limiting the number of shortterm rentals in their community, a move other communities across the country frustrated with the changing nature of their neighborhoods, have been watching.

Unfortunately, the “binding” referendum which was endorsed by 53 percent of those who turned out for the special vote can still be reversed by the Folly Beach Town

Council. The vote is also expected to be challenged in court by those who see short-term rentals as vital to their finances or a violation of their personal property rights. The referendum, which limits the number of STR’s to 800, less than the 1,000-plus that already exist, was placed on a ballot after enough residents signed a petition to force a vote. And that action came after the same concerned citizens went to Town Council meetings asking, unsuccessfully, for the elected officials to do something about the changing nature of their community as the number of visitors outnumber those who live there.

Lolita Huckaby Watson 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

Nationally Ranked Health Care

Only 5% of hospitals in the U.S. have earned the Top Hospital award for patient safety and quality — and Beaufort Memorial is one of them.

We’re proud to be among the select group of hospitals recognized by the national hospital safety watchdog organization The Leapfrog Group for putting patients and their safety first every day. Not only does it mean our team is focused on you, it means you can feel confident in trusting us when it matters most.

W

e all want access to top healthcare, because we know that “top” means a commitment to pursuing and achieving the best, which is especially important when you’re looking for medical services and care. And the good news: it’s right in our backyard.

LOLITA HUCKABY

And – to add to the irony – at the end of the week, the city building department issued construction permits for the muchdebated four-story parking garage and new three-story hotel with a roof-top bar, right in the middle of the downtown district.”

Applicants invited for boards and commissions vacancies

From staff reports

The Beaufort County Legislative Delegation encourages qualified citizens who are willing to serve on a board or commission to submit an application. All applicants must be a registered voter in Beaufort County to be considered for an appointment.

The following boards and commissions have legislative delegation-appointed vacancies, expired terms or terms that expire in the near future:

Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County

Beaufort Jasper Higher Education Commission

Foster Care Review

Board

• Beaufort Jasper Water & Sewer Authority

Coastal Empire Community Mental Health Center

Lowcountry Area Resort and Island Tourism Commission

Technical College of the Lowcountry Area Commission

The application can be found at https://bit.ly/3I1iP0L

All applications must be received by the close of business, Thursday, March 2.

For further information or to obtain an application, please contact the Beaufort County Delegation Office at 843-255-2260 or email cmaxey@bcgov.net

Review

from page A1

To recap, 97 books were removed from the shelves of libraries and classrooms in the BCSD in October and are to be reviewed for their appropriateness by the committees. The reviews were initially triggered by the complaints from a group of parents that the books were obscene and inappropriate. The lists resulting in the removal of books were submitted to the district by former Beaufort County Councilman and prominent GOP politician Mike Covert and Ivie Szalai.

The committees must consist, per state guidelines, of a school librarian, a district teacher, a parent (other than the complainant), a school administrator, a district-level administrator, and a member of a School Improvement Council in the district. The BCSD added a seventh member to the committees — a community member.

The committees are then randomly selected by Rodriguez and are tasked, according to the BCSD, “with reading their assigned book in full and then meeting as a group to share and discuss findings. The value of the book is to be examined as a whole, considering the impact of an entire work, transcending individual words, phrases, and incidents.”

The committees meet and complete their reviews utilizing the BCSD Review Committee Checklist and issue a written report of their findings to the appropriate parties, including the Superintendent and the Board of Education.

Any appeals will be heard and decided by the Board of Education.

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

Unveiling the past

New display highlights Fort Fremont’s role in the defense of Port Royal Sound

From staff reports A new display at the Fort Fremont History Center depicts how technology and world events converged to select remote St. Helena Island for the site of one of the most sophisticated defense structures at the turn of the 20th century. Three new panels answer the question “Why Fort Fremont?”

Port Royal Sound with its deep natural harbor played a strategic military role in the history of the area since the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. Three hundred and fifty years later, Fort Fremont marked the final chapter of coastal fortifications on Port Royal Sound.

The Fort was built to protect the U.S. Naval Station at Parris Island which had a dry dock and coaling station critical to the Caribbean and Atlantic naval fleets during the Spanish-American War. The battleship USS Maine made one its last stops for provisions here on the way to Hava-

na, Cuba, where its sinking ignited the start of the war with Spain.

Historian and author Larry Rowland said, “[Fort Fremont] is a magnificent artifact of an era — an era that has been neglected at the turn of the 20th century.

It is a piece of history that is disappearing. The Friends of Fort Fremont and Beaufort County have preserved it for the use of the public as a memorial to that moment in history.”

The Fort Fremont History Center is located on the Fort Fremont Preserve at 1124 Land’s End Road, St. Helena Island. The preserve and fort were purchased by Beaufort County through the Rural and Critical Lands Preservation Program in 2004 and 2010 and encompass 18-acres of mixed hardwood forest facing the Port Royal Sound. In 2021, Beaufort County opened the History Center to showcase the rich history of the area.

The Friends of Fort Fremont work with Beaufort

Why Fort Fremont? Friends of Fort Fremont member Marian Rollings stands next to one of three new panels that depict the history of the Fort. Photo courtesy of Friends of Fort Fremont

County to preserve and promote Fort Fremont’s historic, natural, educational, and cultural resources through public tours and displays at the history center.

The Preserve is open daily from dawn to dusk. The History Center exhibit hall is free to the public and open every Friday from

Friends of Fort Fremont members Cecile Dorr and Ted Panayotoff unveil new interpretive panels at Fort Fremont.

Photo courtesy of Friends of Fort Fremont

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A self-guided walking tour app is available at www.

fortfremont.org. For more information visit www.fortfremont.org or www.beaufortcountysc.gov

Rain couldn’t stop Marsh Tacky oyster roast

By Delayna Earley The Island News

YEMASSEE – A few large tents and hay thrown on the ground helped to save the second annual Pigs & Pearls event benefiting the Carolina Marsh Tacky Association from a very rainy evening.

The oysters at the second annual Pigs & Pearls Oyster Roast were provided by Gullah Man Oyster and Seafood. The event, which was held at Grayson Oaks Farm in Yemassee, still drew a crowd of around 130 despite the rainy weather. Photo courtesy of Equestrian Images.

NEWS BRIEFS

Indivisible Beaufort

February meeting

Indivisible Beaufort’s next meeting is set for 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 25 at the St. Helena Branch Library at 6355 Jonathon Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island.

Classroom censorship? Transferring public school funds to private and religious schools through vouchers? Harsh penalties for teachers violating restrictive laws? It’s not something from a dystopian novel. It is happening here and now.

Featured speaker Josh Malkin, Legal Fellow and Legislative Advocate at the ACLU, focusing on public education, will share the latest South Carolina legislative attacks on our public education system and the ACLU’s role in leading the fight against these proposals.

The event is free and open t the public.

League of Women Voters February meeting

The League of Women Voters Beaufort will be hosting a presentation and discussion on the nationally acclaimed book Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy by author Derek Black at 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25 at Penn Center.

Black is from South Carolina and is a Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law. His award-winning book tells the true story of education in the U.S. and the current state of affairs: book banning, censorship and individuals seemingly grabbing control of curriculums, education theories and many other aspects of education.

Plan to attend and bring a friend. The event is free and open to the public.

“We are all horse people, so we are used to the mud,” Caroline Knight, secretary for the association, said. About 130 people attended the event that was held on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Grayson Oaks Farm in Yemassee.

“Everyone brings horses to

Beaufort awarded $800,000 grant for Bayard St. drainage improvements

The City of Beaufort has been approved for an $800,000 STA grant to address drainage and flooding issues along Bayard Street in The Point neighborhood.

The grant, from the Environmental Protection Agency, will allow the City to improve the stormwater infrastructure along Bayard. Among the improvements will be new stormwater pipes installed in the public right-of-way, Project Manager Neal Pugliese said in a news release. Current drainage will be redirected, he added.

The City will match this grant with $200,000 from its stormwater infrastructure allotment in its American Rescue Plan funds.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham was instrumental in helping the City win approval for the grant, Pugliese said. The City is awaiting EPA guidance on the grant, he said. Once that is received, the City will begin the design and permitting process. Permits will need to be acquired from state and federal agencies. The work on Bayard Street is part of an ongoing plan to address flooding issues in The Point. The historic neighborhood has antiquated stormwater pipes and poor drainage flow, which the City is committed to addressing.

Beaufort History Museum seeks a webmaster

Beaufort History Museum is currently seeking a volunteer webmaster who will work with the Museum’s Board of Directors and committee leads to manage and maintain the Museum’s website and membership software. The

our events, and we never get to sit down and talk because we are caring for the horses,” Knight said. “We wanted to be able to just talk and have fun, so we decided to do an event like this and have it as a fundraiser.”

Food for Pigs & Pearls was provided by Gullah Man Oyster & Seafood. Attendees feasted on barbeque, oysters, macaroni and cheese, and hash.

Live music was provided by Noel Lindler Music.

The fundraiser aimed to raise money to help further

webmaster position requires a high level of organization, attention to detail, and exceptional creative skills.

Although previous experience as a webmaster is not required, a background and understanding of computer science and other technical concepts will be extremely beneficial. The successful candidate should understand basic computer architecture, network security, web development concepts, and the tasks involved in managing digital resources.

Those interested in pursuing this opportunity should send a summary of qualifications and interests to kathryn.mixon@beauforthistorymuseum.com

Beaufort History Museum has openings for docents

The Beaufort History Museum has openings for trained docents and will hold a three-day docent training session for interested persons, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., February 28 through March 2 in the Greater Beaufort Port Royal Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) Conference Room, 701 Craven Street, Beaufort. Lunch will be included.

Docents welcome visitors of all ages from all over the country and world to the Museum, conduct tours, and relate the remarkable 500 -plus year history of Beaufort and the Sea Islands during their tour. Visit http://bit.ly/3DQm9uk to view more details regarding the Museum’s expected qualifications for its Docents and the normal duties Docents perform.

Space is limited and you must register for this event. Visit http:// bit.ly/3x5S0n3 to find the Museum website and register for this event.

the preservation and protection of the Carolina Marsh Tacky, which is a S.C. State Heritage horse and is a critically endangered species of horse.

Delayna Earley lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She spent six years as a videographer and photographer for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette before leaving the Lowcountry in 2018. After freelancing in Myrtle Beach and Virginia, she joined The Island News when she moved back to Beaufort in 2022. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com

County Council’s planning, workshop sessions on County Channel

The Beaufort County Council held its annual strategic planning and budget workshop sessions this past week. County Council used each session to set goals related to transportation infrastructure, employee retention and compensation, parks and recreation, growth, and public safety.

The planning sessions were held in County Council Chambers Wednesday, Feb. 8 and Thursday, Feb. 9. All the workshop sessions are available to view on The County Channel at https://bit.ly/3XCjyuZ

Beaufort Republican Women’s Club holding membership drive luncheon

The Beaufort Republican Women’s Club will hold its annual Membership Drive Luncheon at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, March 4, in the Carolina Room at the Dataw Island Club, 123 Dataw Drive, St. Helena Island.

Xiaodan Li, Beaufort County Republican Party’s representative to the South Carolina Republican Party and member of Friends of Liberty, will be the featured speaker. The cost of the luncheon is $38 and is by reservation only.

The Beaufort Republican Women’s Club is an active organization with more than 100 members. To reserve a seat, please mail a check with the names of those who will be attending to BRWC, P. O. Box 1835, Beaufort, S.C. 29901 before Saturday, Feb. 25. For more information, contact Diane Roney at 843-838-4972.

– From staff reports

Harold’s celebrates half century of bringing community together

By Delayna Earley

The Island News YEMASSEE

– A half century ago, Harold Peeples purchased an old-fashioned garage and gas station in Yemassee.

The filling station-turned-restaurant, which is completely family-run to this day, celebrated it’s 50th anniversary on Saturday, Feb. 11.

The event featured the establishment’s weekly steak dinner, which patrons must reserve, as well as live music in the bar area.

The building was built in the 1930s as a Chevrolet dealership, but in 1973 it became a gathering place where members of the community could come together for covered dish suppers.

Eventually, Peeples began cooking and serving food inside of the garage, and he charged a small fee to help cover the expenses.

Over the years, Peeples and his wife, Mary, grew the business to add Friday wings, Saturday steaks and a bar.

The restaurant was originally named Peeples Service Station, but it became known as Harold’s Country Club after a local sports

announcer named Charles Jackson began encouraging people to, “… all go over to Harold’s Country Club for a cool one,” after games at the baseball field next door.

Peeples died in 2003 and Mary lived to the age of 95 before she

died in 2022.

Joyce Bunton and Harold ‘Red’ Peeples, Jr., their children, now own the restaurant.

“Harold (Sr.) and Mary treated everyone the same – rich or poor. They went the ‘extra mile’ to help

people, friends as well as strangers,” according to a printed program handed out during the anniversary event.

Delayna Earley lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She

spent six years as a videographer and photographer for

County names Robinson ACA for Public Safety

From staff reports Beaufort County Administrator Eric Greenway recently announced that Deputy Fire Chief John Robinson has been named Assistant County Administrator of Public Safety.

In his new role, Robinson will be responsible for overseeing several important public safety departments, including the Beaufort

From staff reports

The National Park Service announces the addition of three new sites to Reconstruction Era National Historic Network. This national network connects sites across the country who provide education, interpretation and research related to the period of Reconstruction.

The Reconstruction Era (1861-1900) is one of the most fascinating and misunderstood periods in American History and includes stories of

Farrell

from page A1

John Robinson

County EMS Department, Corrections Center, Animal Services, and Mosquito Control. He will work closely with the County Administrator to ensure that these departments are working together smoothly

and effectively to serve the community.

Most recently, Robinson was Deputy Fire Chief for the City of Beaufort. According to the City of Beaufort/ Port Royal Fire Department: Chief Robinson has devoted more than 23 years of dedicated service to the City of Beaufort and Town of Port Royal.

“I’m excited to welcome

Mr. Robinson to Beaufort County and look forward to him doing great things in his new role,” Greenway said in a news release. “Public safety impacts all County residents and all the departments under Mr. Robinson’s responsibility are led by extremely talented Directors and staffed with dedicated and hard working County employees who do some of

the most difficult work in our community. Keeping the community safe is the priority and I look forward to see good programs continue under Mr. Robinson’s leadership.”

Robinson served in the U.S. Navy as a Submarine Sonar Technician and managed a team of maintenance technicians and equipment operators at Intel Semicon-

ductor. He has also held various positions in the City of Beaufort, including Emergency Manager, Procurement Agent, and Deputy Chief of Administration for the City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department. Robinson will be paid $125,000 along with the traditional benefits package offered to County employees.

Reconstruction Era National Historic Network adds 3 new sites

freedom, education and self-determination.

The new community sites are located in Texas, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C., and represent a wide range of compelling Reconstruction stories.

• Located in Washington, DC, the African American Civil War Museum helps share the story of members of the United States Colored Troops. At a time when the U.S. military was still segregated, the numerous regiments of the United States Colored Troops

Alex told investigators he had fallen asleep on the couch after dinner that night from 8:30 to 9 p.m. When he awakened, he said he called and texted Maggie to let her know that he was going to his mother’s house to check on her — something his mother’s caretakers say he didn’t do often. His mother was asleep.

Alex told investigators that he didn’t go down to the kennels that evening … specifically that he had not been down there with his wife and son. Then SLED found the video on Paul’s phone.

At 8:44 p.m. that evening — just five minutes before Paul and Maggie are thought to have been murdered — Paul had taken a

were involved in combat operations in various campaigns and theatres of the Civil War. In the early days of post-war Reconstruction, USCT units remained on garrison duty in areas of the South to help enforce the peace. Many veterans of the USCT went on to become prominent community leaders after mustering out of service. Learn more at www.afroamcivilwar.org.

• Founded by Dr. Andrea Roberts in 2014, The Texas Freedom Colonies Project is a research, educational,

video of a dog at the kennel.

In the background were three voices.

Paul’s and Maggie’s were two of them.

More than half a dozen witnesses — friends, family and co-workers — have identified the third.

“Alex Murdaugh,” they have testified again and again.

How certain were they?

“One hundred percent.”

Alex, as it turns out, wasn’t napping. He was at the kennels minutes before Maggie and Paul — both prolific phone users — had stopped using their phones forever.

Not only had Alex lied about his alibi, he had asked others to do so as well.

One of his mother’s caretakers and his housekeeper both testified about his attempts to plant false memories with them.

“If anyone asks, I was here for

and social justice initiative dedicated to preserving the spaces within and heritage of Texas’ historic African American settlements. These Freedom Colonies –557 in total – were founded by African Americans in Texas between 1865-1930 during Reconstruction and the subsequent rise of Jim Crow. The website is an ArcGIS, StoryMap-based platform and is currently the state repository of historical Black settlement data. Using archival data crowdsourced from the pub-

30 or 40 minutes,” he said to the former before offering to help pay for her wedding and get her a better job at the Hampton County School District.

“THIS was the shirt I was wearing that day,” he said to the latter in a panic after SLED questioned him about another of Paul’s videos from that night, which showed Alex in a different outfit from what he was wearing after calling 911. His housekeeper did all the family’s laundry. She had tucked in his collar that morning. She knew what he was saying was not true. It is well-established at this point that Alex was under incredible financial pressure at the time of the murders. Paul was facing three felony BUI charges. His legal team — the same one Alex has now — was expensive.

Alex was a defendant in a civil

lic, the Project aims to fill knowledge gaps and make visible African American places, schools, churches, cemeteries, and histories in the public record and provides a publicly accessible map and data clearinghouse for descendants. You can visit the project at http://www.thetexasfreedomcoloniesproject.com.

• The Strieby Church, School, and Cemetery Cultural Heritage Site in Asheboro, N.C., is the site of a church and school founded by Rev. Islay Walden,

case involving the 2019 boat crash Paul was alleged to have caused. The clock was running out for him on a motion to compel. Late in the afternoon on the day of the murders, Alex was compiling a list of his accounts to hand over to the plaintiff’s attorney. He knew what that list would most certainly lead to — the discovery of the millions he had stolen from clients over most of his career.

Earlier that same day, he had been given an ultimatum by his law firm — people who had dealt with his antics before, forgiven him and moved on. “Show us that you didn’t steal nearly $800,000 from us.”

His law license — the thing he used to allegedly steal from clients — would be in jeopardy. He was broke. He had bad credit. He was running out of lending options. He wasn’t sleeping.

“The Blind Poet of North Carolina” in the 1880s, and a community of formerly enslaved people grew up around the church and school.

“The inclusion of these sites to the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network represents the reach of Reconstruction,” Superintendent Scott Teodorski said. “From the heroism of Black Civil War soldiers to the growth of communities across the Carolinas and Texas, Reconstruction is truly a national story.”

He was possibly on drugs. And his father — his best friend and salvation — was about to die. Recently someone tweeted at me about white collar criminals and how they simply don’t commit violent crimes — as if one criminal were more noble than the other.

She wasn’t citing any statistics. She was sharing her belief, which her mind had converted into a fact.

“They don’t do it, because they just don’t,” was her rationale. Alex loved them. So Alex couldn’t have … And yet there he is.

Liz Farrell has lived in the Lowcountry since 2003. She is an award-winning journalist and co-host of the Murdaugh Murders Podcast and Cup of Justice podcast with Mandy Matney. The two have been investigating the Murdaugh story for four (very strange) years. You can reach them both by going to murdaughmurderspodcast.com

Joyce Bunton cuts a cake that she made for the 50th

Yemassee. Photos by Delayna Earley/The Island News

Harold ‘Red’ Peeples, Jr. asks trivia questions about the restaurant during Harold’s Country Club’s 50th anniversary celebration.

SCETV spotlights Black American programming during Black History Month

From staff reports

During the month of February, South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) recognizes Black History Month with special programming that highlights the Black American experience.

From historical documentaries to digital series and more, SCETV shares the rich culture and history of Black Americans throughout the year, with special programming during Black History Month.

In addition, PBS is celebrating Black History Month by throwing a Block Party!

Throughout the month of February, stream new and beloved programs celebrating Black excellence. Whether it’s history, music, documentaries, science or genealogy, there is always something to watch. Learn more at https:// www.pbs.org/articles/welcome-to-the-block-party/

“As part of our mission, we are proud to highlight programming about and by Black Americans during Black History Month,”

SCETV Assistant General Manager Stephanie Cook said in a news release. “It’s important to showcase these

“There are more (regional) film festivals now, and we’re all competing for films and sponsorship,” says Ron. “But even though a lot of our filmmakers are screening at other festivals around the same time, I see them choose to come to us. They want to be here.”

“Filmmakers are a buzzy bunch,” Producer Uyen Le said. “Word of mouth means a lot.” Her partner and husband, Writer/Director VW Scheich agrees. “It’s how we first came to BIFF.”

That was a decade ago and in the years since the pair have been a near constant creative presence for BIFF and Beaufort. This year they’ll generate big buzz of their own by opening the festival with a special first ever matinee screening of their latest film, “Stars Fell Again,” the brand-new sequel to the hit 2020 rom-com, “Stars Fell on Alabama.” In the orig-

veteran judges tell us this is the best overall selection of films we’ve ever had.”

The roster includes four full-length features, three documentary features, seven short documentaries, four animation shorts, 10 student films and a staggering 29 short films. One of the last films to make the dead-

programs to our viewers and to continue providing resources to advance South Carolina’s cultural and historical understanding.”

To view all the programming airing in honor of Black History Month, visit the SCETV website.

Upcoming programs on SCETV

• Alpha Kappa Alpha:

A Legacy of Service –This documentary airs at 5 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 19, and tells the story the first college sorority started and incorporat-

ed by African American women.

Ida B. Wells: American Stories – There are few historical figures whose life and work speak to the current moment more than Ida B. Wells, the 19th-century crusading investigative journalist, civil rights leader and passionate suffragist. Learn more about her life and legacy at 6 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 19.

• Gullah Roots – This impactful, one-hour documentary film will air at 9 p.m., Thursday, Feb.

23, and follows leaders of the South Carolina and Georgia Gullah/ Geechee community as they experience a recent homecoming in Sierra Leone.

To view the SCETV full programming schedule, visit www.scetv.org/tv-schedule

In addition, three poignant Carolina Stories documentaries will re-air this month:

• Charlie’s Place at 9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16.

Jail No Bail at 9:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16.

The Education of Harvey Gantt at 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23. Additional insightful series celebrating Black History Month can also be viewed this month with ETV Classics and Carolina Snaps on SCETV Digital. For more stories, quizzes, interviews and information, including a South Carolina African American history calendar, visit the SCETV website. Miss a program? Make sure to visit pbs.org – watch in the SCETV App or use SCETV Passport.

inal Beaufort doubled for Alabama and the Tuckers co-produced through the Beaufort Film Society.

A constant factor in the buzz that’s made Beaufort one of the top-rated festivals year after year is the intimate setting. All of the films screen under the big top of the USCB Center for the Arts. Attending filmmakers get a post screening Q & A with the audience while the audience has the opportunity to rub shoulders with the filmmakers. It’s up close and personal all day, every day. Trust me, you can run but you can’t hide at this film festival.

“We didn’t want to be like other festivals,” Ron Tucker said. “We wanted to stand out and really support the filmmakers. And the word gets out. It’s really evident this year. A couple of the

line – the short “Ivalu” from Denmark – is nominated for an Academy Award. Each year there seems to at least one film that gets the judges buzzing. This year it’s the short film, “Ghosted.”

“Every single judge described it as, “Wow!” Ron Tucker said.

If the Beaufort International Film Festival were to adopt a theme song, it should be Marvin Gaye’s Motown classic, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.”

There are two reasons. One: over the festival’s 17 seasons its popularity among filmmakers has been achieved almost entirely by word of mouth – a global grapevine, if you will.

Two: Gaye’s iconic tune sets the narrative tone in the opening montage of the film that put Beaufort squarely on Hollywood’s radar 40

years ago. Writer/Director Lawrence Kasdan’s “The Big Chill” was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Picture. It helped launch the careers of Oscar winners and nominees like Glen Close, William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum and Tom Berenger, and it ushered in a golden age of filmmaking in Beaufort and South Carolina that included the likes of “The Prince of Tides,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” “Forrest Gump,” and many, many more. And it made dancing around with leftovers in the kitchen look cool.

This year’s list of BIFF honorees includes the film’s Cinematographer and Editor. Co-recipients of the Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award, John Bailey and Carol Littleton, also happen to be married. Both have amassed an astonishing list of honors during remarkable careers far too long to detail here.

“They’ve both worked on some of the biggest films ever,” Ron Tucker said. “A lot of Beaufort and BIFF connections are in there.”

In addition to “The Big Chill” Bailey’s lensed classic films like “Silverado,” “In the Line of Fire,” “As Good as it Gets,” and “Groundhog Day.” Littleton’s edited most, if not all, of Kasdan’s directorial work including “Body Heat,” “The Accidental Tourist,” and “Grand Canyon.” She won an Emmy for the TV adaptation of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and was nominated for an Academy Award for her work on a little film by Steven Spielberg called “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.”

“‘The Big Chill’ told the (film) industry that you could go to a small South Carolina town and make a quality film,” says Dan Rogers. The Senior Project Manager at the SC Film Commission has seen it all in his 35 years on the job. Rogers receives this year’s Behind the Scenes Award and according to Ron Tucker, nobody’s more deserving.

“Dan’s been charging the hill for a long time,” says Ron. “He can tell you how much money the movies that were made here spent. And he can also tell you how much mon-

ey the movies that didn’t get made here could’ve spent.”

“You build on every film,” Rogers said. “A film as popular as ‘The Big Chill’ became a calling card for South Carolina. It gave producers a comfort level and gave the Film Commission a voice to say, ‘Here’s how they did it and here’s how we can do it with your story.’”

The story Writer/Director David Kniess tells in his feature documentary, “The Gift,” is one worthy of only the fourth Santini Patriot Spirit Award ever presented. “It is a very powerful film, a very emotional story” Ron Tucker said. “How he got some of the footage, I have no idea.”

“This story started many years ago on a random red eye flight and a seat next to a young Marine named Jason Dunham,” Kniess said.

On April 14, 2004, young Corporal Dunham was leading a patrol in western Al Anbar Province, when his convoy was ambushed. Dunham made the ultimate sacrifice to save his comrades and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Kniess calls his film an intimate look at the life of Corporal Dunham, his family, and Marines of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. “Intimate” is putting it mildly.

“People need to see ‘The Gift” to get a better understanding of what it’s like for men and women to go to war and the after-effects that linger for the rest of their lives,” Kniess said. “It’s for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Loss is universal.”

Kniess is humbled to receive the Santini.

“The fact that it has only been given out a few times, makes me feel that I have accomplished what I set out to do and I feel The Gift is an important story that people need to see.”

Ron expects “The Gift” to be well-represented on awards night.

“Most of the production crew are coming, possibly Corporal Dunham’s family and about 25 members of his unit.”

Why go on? There’s your answer.

Film from page A1

The cast of The Big Chill filmed 40 years ago in Beaufort.

Ron and Rebecca Tucker

Bluffton Book Festival announces new event series

From staff reports

In celebration of Black History Month, the Bluffton Book Festival is excited to announce The Hue Series focusing on Black lives while centering the human experience by highlighting the universality of stories and storytellers that can be enjoyed by everyone. This first event will be held virtually and is being offered for

free for all to enjoy. The Hue Series presented by The Bluffton Book Festival kicks off with a free virtual event for Black History Month scheduled for 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17. Attendance is free but you must register. Please visit the Bluffton Book Festival website at https://www. blufftonbookfestival.com/ to reserve your spot.

“Each year we at the Bluffton Book Festival seek to increase the love of books and

reading in our community. We want to expose readers to new and different stories and experiences,” Bluffton Book Festival Founder Rockelle Henderson said in a news release, “and it is our hope that everyone will come out to support the diverse group of writers and genres, not just this month but every month of the year.” Join featured authors

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUFORT

Catherine Adel West, author of The Two Lives of Sara; Piper Huguley, author of By Her Own Design: A Novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register; Clarence Haynes & Omar Epps, authors of Nubia: The Awakening; Yasmin Angoe, author of They Come At Knight; and Dr. Melody T. McCloud, author of Black Women’s Wellness: Your ‘I’ve Got This’

Lunch with Author Series continues in February with Pamela Terry

From staff reports

The University of South Carolina Beaufort Lunch with Author 2022-2023 Series continues Wednesday, Feb. 22, at The Belfair Clubhouse beginning at noon as author Pamela Terry will be discussing her novel When the Moon Turns Blue

About the book

One woman fights to hold on to her friends, her family, and all that she holds dear as the battle over a Confederate statue divides her small-town Georgia community in this powerful novel from the author of The Sweet Taste of Muscadines

On the morning after Harry Cline’s funeral, a rare ice storm hits the town of Wesleyan, Ga. The community wakes up to find its controversial statue of Confederate general Henry Benning destroyed — and not by the weather. Half the town had wanted to remove the statue; the other half wanted to celebrate it. Now that the matter has been taken out of their

hands, the town’s long-simmering tensions are laid bare.

Without Harry beside her, Marietta is left to question many of her preconceived ideas about her friends and family. Her childhood friend, Butter, has come to her aid in ways Marietta never expected, or asked for. Her sister-in-law, Glinda, is behaving completely out of character, and her brother, Macon, the top defense attorney in the Southeast, is determined to find those responsible for the damage to the statue and protect the legacy of Old Man Griffin, the owner of the park where it stood.

Marietta longs to salvage these connections, but the world is changing, and the divides can no longer be ignored.

With a cast of poignant, relatable characters, When the Moon Turns Blue is a compas-

sionate and timely novel about family, friendship, and what can happen when we discover that we don’t particularly like the people we love.

About the author

A lifelong Southerner, Pamela Terry learned the power of storytelling at a very early age. Terry is the author of The Sweet Taste of Muscadines and the internationally popular blog From the House of Edward,

which was named one of the top 10 home blogs of the year by London’s The Telegraph She lives in Georgia with her songwriter husband, Pat, and their three dogs, Apple, Andrew, and George. She travels to the Scottish Highlands as frequently as possible. Join us for lunch with author Pamela Terry at noon, Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Belfair Country Club. Books will be available for purchase and the author will be signing books. Reservations must be made by Thursday, Feb. 16. Tickets are $50. For additional information, go to uscbcenterforthearts.com or call 843-521-4145.

Guide to Health, Sex, and Phenomenal Living. All will be interviewed by writer and owner of Riverchild Media, Yona Deshommes.

To learn more about the authors and to purchase books please visit our bookstore partner Hueman Books, a Black-owned independent online bookstore at https://bookshop.org/lists/ bluffton-book-festival

ART BRIEFS

An evening of art and poetry

The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center and Beaufort Arts Council will host art historian Midori Yamamura speaking on Yoko Ono’s Painting to Hammer A Nail and poet Luis H. Francia reading from his newest collection Thorn Grass

The event is free and open to the public from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, at the Beaufort Arts Council at 921 Ribaut Road. Call 843-379-7025 to reserve a spot.

Conroy Center’s March

Forth set

The Conroy Center’s seventh annual March Forth will be held on Saturday, March 4, and Sunday, March 5, with a special preview event the evening of Friday, March 3. March Forth commemorates the anniversary of Pat Conroy’s passing on March 4, 2016, with programs on major themes of his writing and teaching life, including social justice, inclusivity, conservation, education, and storytelling.

Our 2023 March Forth will include appearances by MacArthur Fellowship honoree, environmentalist, memoirist, and poet J. Drew Lanham; South Carolina Academy of Authors honoree, environmentalist, memoirist, poet, and novelist John Lane; New York Times bestselling novelists De’Shawn Charles Winslow and Megan Miranda; and former Charleston City Poet Laureate Marcus Amaker.

– From staff reports

Good foods to combat high blood pressure

Research has shown that certain foods—such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oily fish—can lower blood pressure. Combining these foods in the diet may lead to longterm health benefits.

Medications, dietary changes, and other lifestyle modifications can reduce high blood pressure, or hypertension, while lowering the likelihood of developing associated conditions. High blood pressure increases a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

Many researchers have found that certain foods can lower high blood pressure. In this article, we look at some foods that may help and how to incorporate them into the diet.

In general, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers a serving to be:

1 cup of cooked or raw vegetables or fruit

1 cup of 100% fruit juice

2 cups of raw leafy salad greens half a cup of dried fruit

For most ages, the USDA recommends consuming around 2 cups of fruit per day and 3 cups of vegetables per day, although this varies slightly according to age and sex.

1. Berries: Blueberries and strawberries contain antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid. However, some experts say there is not enough evidence that blueberries reduce blood pressure. A serving of blueberries is around 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries or half a cup of dried blueberries. A serving of strawberries is around 7 strawberries.

2. Bananas contain potassium, which can help manage hypertension. One medium-sized banana contains around 422 milligrams (mg) of potassium.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), potassium reduces the effects of sodium and alleviates tension in the walls of the blood vessels. Other potassium-rich foods include apricots, lentils, prunes, acorn squash, potatoes. A

serving would be 1 large banana, 1 cup of sliced banana, or two-thirds of a cup of mashed banana. The Office of Dietary Supplements advises that males aim to consume 3,400 mg of potassium daily and females—2,600 mg. People with kidney disease should consult a doctor before increasing their intake of potassium, as too much can be harmful.

3. Beets: Drinking beet juice may reduce blood pressure in the short and long term, because it contains dietary nitrate. A 2015 study found that people with hypertension who drank 250 milliliters (ml), or about 1 cup, of red beet juice every day for 4 weeks had lower blood pressure. The researchers recorded an average fall in blood pressure of 7.7/5.2 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) over a 24- hour period. A serving of beet is around 1 cup, which is around 2 small beets or 1 large one. Tips for use include drinking 1 glass of beet juice per day, adding beets to salads, preparing beets as a side dish.

around 500 mg of vitamin C per day for about 8 weeks saw significant improvements in their blood pressure readings. People who ate 3 kiwis per day for 8 weeks saw a more significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure than those who ate 1 apple per day for the same period. The study authors note that this may be due to the bioactive substances in kiwis. Kiwis are easy to add to lunches or smoothies. One cup of kiwi, or 2–3 kiwifruits, makes up 1 serving.

6. Watermelon contains an amino acid called citrulline. The body converts citrulline to arginine, and this helps the body produce nitric oxide, a gas that relaxes blood vessels and encourages flexibility in arteries. These effects aid the flow of blood, which can lower high blood pressure. People can consume watermelon as juice, in salads, including fruit salads, in smoothies, in a chilled watermelon soup. One serving of watermelon is 1 cup of chopped fruit or 1 slice of around 2 inches.

chard. To consume a daily dose of green vegetables, a person can stir spinach into curries and stews, sauté Swiss chard with garlic as a side dish, bake a batch of kale chips. A serving of spinach is 2 cups of fresh leaves. A serving of raw cabbage is 1 cup.

9. Garlic has antibiotic and antifungal properties, many of which may be due to its main active ingredient, allicin. Garlic in general, and specifically Kyolic garlic, can reduce blood pressure, arterial stiffness, cholesterol.

10. Fermented foods are rich in probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that may help manage blood pressure. Sodium is a risk factor for high blood pressure, and experts advise people to limit their salt intake. However, a 2017 study did not find that eating salt-fermented vegetables increased the risk of high blood pressure, despite the high sodium content.

tachios all appear to improve endothelial function, which can benefit blood pressure and heart health. Opt for unsalted nuts. People should not consume nuts if they have a nut allergy.

16. Citrus fruits contain hesperidin, an antioxidant that may benefit heart health. People can consume citrus fruits as drinks, whole or in fruit salads, as lemon juice, squeezed on salads for flavor instead of salt.

ing any medications they recommend.

How can you lower your blood pressure immediately?

There is no way to lower blood pressure quickly at home. A person should follow a plan of diet, exercise, and possibly medication to lower their blood pressure over time. If blood pressure is over 180/120 the person should call 911.

Can drinking water lower blood pressure?

4. Dark chocolate: Cacao, an ingredient in dark chocolate, contains flavonoids, an antioxidant. Flavonoids may help reduce blood pressure, according to the AHA. However, it notes that a person may not be able to consume enough flavonoids in dark chocolate for it to have significant benefits. The AHA says that a small amount of chocolate from time to time can be part of a balanced diet. It advises, however, that people eat it because they enjoy it, not for health reasons.

5. Kiwis: A daily serving of kiwi can help manage mildly high blood pressure. Kiwis are also rich in vitamin C. Several trusted source studies indicate that people who consumed

7. Oats contain a type of fiber called beta-glucan, which may have benefits for heart health, including blood pressure. Ways of eating oats include having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, using rolled oats instead of breadcrumbs to give texture to burger patties, sprinkling them on yogurt desserts.

8. Leafy green vegetables are rich in nitrates, which help manage blood pressure. Some research suggests that eating at least 1 cup of green leafy vegetables per day can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Examples of leafy greens include cabbage, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, Swiss

The effects of probiotics on blood pressure appeared more beneficial when the participants consumed multiple species of probiotic bacteria, probiotics regularly for more than 8 weeks, at least 100 billion colony-forming units per day. Fermented foods to add to the diet include kimchi, kombucha, apple cider vinegar, miso and/or tempeh. Probiotic supplements are another option.

11. Lentils provide protein and fiber, and experts say they can benefit the blood vessels of people with hypertension. People can use lentils in many ways, including as an alternative to minced beef, adding bulk to salads, as a base for stews and soups.

12. Natural yogurt: Yogurt is fermented dairy food. A 2017 study indicated participants with high blood pressure who consumed more yogurt had lower systolic blood pressure and lower arterial pressure than those who did not.

13. Pomegranates contain antioxidants and other ingredients that may help prevent high blood pressure and atherosclerosis. People can consume pomegranates whole or as juice. When buying prepackaged pomegranate juice, check to ensure that there is no added sugar.

14. Cinnamon may help reduce blood pressure, according to a 2020 review. The study found that consuming up to 2 g of cinnamon per day for 8 weeks or more reduced blood pressure in people with a body mass index of 30 or more.

15. Nuts: Several studies have found that eating nuts of various types can help manage hypertension. Walnuts, hazelnuts, and pis-

17. Oily fish: The AHA recommends consuming two servings of 3 ounces (oz) of oily fish per week, as it may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Research also suggests that eating oily fish may help lower blood pressure. In a 2016 study, people with high systolic blood pressure saw significant improvements in their readings after consuming 0.7 g per day of supplements of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid fish oil for 8 weeks. Examples of oily fish are anchovies, sardines, mackerel, albacore tuna. Note that some fish contain mercury, and people should check the latest Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.

18. Tomato extract: Tomato contains lycopene, an antioxidant that may be beneficial for heart health. A 2021 review found that consuming tomato extract can significantly lower systolic blood pressure in people with or without hypertension. However, including tomatoes in the diet did not produce the same results. Other researchers have found that high doses of lycopene reduced systolic blood pressure, while lower levels did not.

Foods to avoid

While some foods may relieve hypertension, others can increase the risk of the condition. Be aware of your consumption with salt, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods.

What else can you do to lower your blood pressure?

As well as dietary measures, the AHA recommends the following tips for lowering blood pressure:

Exercise regularly.

Learn some strategies for managing stress.

Avoid or quit smoking.

Reach or maintain a moderate body weight.

Work together with a doctor, including tak-

Some evidence suggests drinking more water each day may lower blood pressure, but more research is needed.

When should you contact a doctor about high blood pressure?

Optimal blood pressure is up to 120/80 mm Hg. If several readings show levels are higher than this, a person may wish to seek guidance from a doctor.

In summary, dietary and lifestyle choices can help manage high blood pressure. A diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables, oats, nuts, lentils, herbs, and spices can be beneficial. In contrast, salt, alcohol, and processed foods may worsen hypertension.

A doctor can help a person make a plan that involves exercise, food choices, and other measures to manage high blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health issues.

Sources: https://www. medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/322284

Changes you can make to manage high blood pressure. (2017). https://www.heart.org/en/healthtopics/high-blood-pressure/changesyou-can-make-to-manage-highblood-pressure

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 and online materials. (n.d.). https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/ resources/2020-2025-dietaryguidelines-online-materials How can I reduce high blood pressure? [Fact sheet]. (n.d.). https://www.heart.org/-/media/ files/health-topics/answers-by-heart/ how-can-i-reduce-high-bloodpressure.pdf

Hypertensive crisis: When you should call 911 for high blood pressure. https://www.heart.org/en/ health-topics/high-blood-pressure/ understanding-blood-pressurereadings/hypertensive-crisis-whenyou-should-call-911-for-highblood-pressure

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. (2019). FoodData Central. http://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

High blood pressure increases a person’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

parent PULSE ©

How long is pink eye contagious?

Pink eye or conjunctivitis causes painful, red, and itchy eyes. Viral and bacterial pink eye are highly contagious. Anyone with pink eye due to infection should stay away from work or school until symptoms clear.

The time it takes for pink eye to clear up will depend on the type. It often resolves in 7–10 days, but some people may need treatment.

Treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis is with antibiotics. Most people will need antibiotic treatment for 5–7 days. A doctor will advise on when to return to work or school, but people should not attend if they have symptoms and will be working closely with others.

Pink eye caused by a virus is usually highly contagious for 10–14 days.

Pink eye that results from an allergy is not contagious and will typically clear after a person moves away from the allergen.

Allergic, viral, and bacterial are three types of pink eye, but eye inflammation can happen for other reasons.

Allergic pink eye

Around 40% of the population may be prone to allergic conjunctivitis, when the eye reacts to allergens, such as:

grass animal dander dust

mold

pollen

ragweed

Exposure to chemicals such as chlorine can also lead to symptoms. Allergic conjunctivitis is not contagious. It will resolve more quickly if a person can move away from the allergens that cause the reaction. Some people may need eye drops or other medication to keep allergic conjunctivitis at bay.

Viral pink eye

Viruses responsible for pink eye include:

• Adenovirus: This accounts for up to 90% of cases. Herpes simplex virus (HSV): HSV is likely responsible for 1.3–4.8% of cases.

• Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis: Less common but highly contagious, this is passed on by hand-eye contact and possibly touching surfaces where the virus is present.

• COVID-19: Between 1% and 6% of people with this Covid virus develop pink eye. The virus may transmit through contact with eye tissues and discharge.

Viral pink eye can: stem from an infection that spreads from the nose to the eyes spread from one eye to

another transmit via droplets from a cough or sneeze result from an upper respiratory infection or cold occur with other symptoms, such as a fever and body aches, depending on the cause

Viral pink eye is highly contagious for 10–14 days and can take 14–30 days to disappear.

Bacterial pink eye

A mild bacterial pink eye infection usually lasts about a week or 10 days without treatment. With treatment, it should start to improve after 3–4 days of starting antibiotics. A person must take the whole course of antibiotics, or it may recur. If pink eye does not improve quickly with antibiotic drops, it is likely to be viral rather than bacterial pink eye.

Seven signs pink eye is contagious

When the symptoms of bacterial or viral pink eye symptoms are present, the condition is likely to be contagious. Seven signs of conjunctivitis are: discharge from the eyes or sticky eyes crusty eyelashes and lids swelling around the eyes burning sensation

February is Heart Health Month

tearing up red or pink in the whites of the eyes irritation or grittiness in the eyes

A day care, school, or workplace may ask a person not to return until their symptoms have cleared.

How does pink eye transmit?

Viral or bacterial pink eye can spread from one person to another through: sharing personal hygiene or other items shaking hands or other close personal contact using unclean or old makeup that has collected bacteria touching the eye with dirty hands using contact lenses where pathogens are

present touching items where bacteria or viruses are present and then touching the eyes coughing and sneezing touching an infected eye and then the other eye

Pink eye can also be a symptom of an underlying viral or bacterial infection that may be contagious, such as COVID-19 or gonococcal or chlamydial infections.

Will pink eye go away on its own?

A mild bacterial or viral pink eye infection may take 1–2 weeks to resolve without treatment, but it can take up to 30 days. If pink eye persists after this time or does not respond to treatment, a

person should speak with their doctor.

When is it safe to return to work or school?

If pink eye is infectious, a person should not usually spend time in close contact with others, such as work or school, until symptoms clear. A doctor can advise when it is safe to return to everyday activities.

How long do pink eye bacteria or viruses live on surfaces?

Bacteria that cause pink eye usually live on surfaces for only 2–8 hours, but some can remain active for 2 days or longer. Viruses last longer, often for 24–48 hours, but some are still effective on surfaces for up to 8 weeks.

In summary, though common and sometimes painful, pink eye is not often a major concern. If an infection is present, people should avoid others until symptoms clear, as it can be very contagious. Most people can return to work, school, or day care once symptoms have cleared. Often, pink eye goes away on its own, but treatment can help manage discomfort, and antibiotics may clear a bacterial infection more rapidly.

Source: https://www. medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/321551

Will taking care of my teeth help prevent heart disease?

Poor oral health—not regularly brushing or flossing—is unlikely to be the primary cause of heart disease. But poor oral health combined with other risk factors may contribute to heart disease. Bacteria on your teeth and gums could travel through your bloodstream and attach to fatty plaques in your arteries (atherosclerosis), making the plaques become more swollen (inflamed). If one of the plaques bursts and causes a blood clot to form, you can have a heart attack or stroke.

It’s possible that swelling in gums leads to swelling in other parts of your body, in-

cluding your arteries. This swelling can also contribute to heart disease. Regardless of whether you have heart disease, it’s important to take care of your teeth and gums.

Steps to good oral hygiene include:

• Brushing your teeth at least twice daily Flossing your teeth daily Replacing your toothbrush at least every three months

• Getting regular dental checkups, as recommended by your dentist

Source: NIH.gov/Medline

I never got that million dollar verdict

Some weeks ago, I had lunch with Dean Moss and David Murray. In an effort to avoid a meandering, melancholy discussion of Donald Trump or the transmutation of land acquired (by the public) for open space, I brought along a book review from the Wall Street Journal.

After ordering a glass of pinot noir and the antipasto salad, I read the review (to Dean and David) of the book, “The Good Life,” by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz (Simon and Schuster, 341 pages, $28.99).

The review begins by describing a years-long study involving 800 young people — 400 well positioned for success (Harvard) and 400 on a glide path to despair (South Boston). The study follows these folks through their lives — many are now dead — with interviews, physical exams and the sharing of health records. In the end it found that “positive

SCOTT GRABER

relationships with others” was the key to happiness.

After reading these conclusions to Dean and David I asked Dean if he believed “positive relationships” were the key to his happiness.

“My friends are the reason I stay in Beaufort.”

“Do I qualify as one of those friends?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“And how do I make you happy?”

Dean who was drinking unsweetened ice tea paused, mid gulp, to consider the question allowing David to say, “I think I’ll have the small lasagna.”

That pause allowed me

Ibelieve as we come of age, say, within the 15-, 16-, 17-year range, we start to rebel against our parents as we learn how, as we ourselves mature, to identify the older generation’s hypocrisies. This is, perhaps, a traditional, if not easy, excuse to rebel against an establishment, but I also think it is one of the first steps to cutting our own apron strings. Learning how to identify one’s own hypocrisies seems to be a much harder endeavor.

I was very active in the late 1960’s counter-culture. I spent a few months in a hippie commune as I was turning 20 and searching out the new “enlightened” generation. It didn’t take too long for me to see and understand the obvious hypocrisies of my fellow brothers and sisters, even though we shared anti-capitalism bullet points. It soon became clear to me that they weren’t universally embracing the peace and love movement as I had envisioned it.

I’ve been trying to dredge up when I first realized my own hypocrisies. I suppose embracing the 60s’ sexual revolution and then becoming terribly jealous when a girlfriend felt obligated not to be monogamous could be counted as sort of hypocrisy. I believe, however, it wasn’t until I became a parent myself, struggling to help make a home and living with my own family, that a number of personal hypocrisies came to light; hypocrisies that were perhaps the compromised principles of my vanishing youth. … Me, now, the “older” generation.

Last year I had a little self revelation about hypocrisy: When

to think about the “positive relationships” I’ve experienced during the years I’ve been roaming the earth. I concluded I had been fortunate to have had a reliable of cadre of friends including college classmates, high school teachers, swim team coaches, Episcopalian priests and a current cohort willing to join me and my wife around our Solo-brand, outdoor fire pot when the temperature falls into the 40s. All of which reminded me of a column by Kathleen Parker who writes, “lawyers are the unhappiest people on the planet.” Parker says that “a lack of meaningfulness and stress are the primary causes of unhappiness among my legal colleagues.” Parker doesn’t comment on “positive relationships” but says that lumberjacks, those who spend time “tilling and smelling the soil,” and those “attuned to the earth’s cycles” are happiest.

I’m not certain I agree with Parker’s “earth cycles” theory, but I do think that a sense of purpose — a sense that one is doing meaningful work — is as important as positive relationships, or a diet that includes kale, or exercise that is vigorous.

But here is the hard part for most us.

Many lawyers spend their day reading small print, then filling-out and filing forms in an effort to close a loan, form an LLC or give a client the benefit of a trust.

This same lawyer may have gone to law school believing she would explain the meaning of the Second Amendment to the Supreme Court. Or perhaps he saw himself making an inspirational closing argument in the manner and fashion of Atticus Finch as portrayed by Gregory Peck in “To Kill A Mockingbird.”

Or, perhaps, the dream in question was that she would protect the consumer from

confiscatory interest rates; unreadable, multi-page contracts; sellers of used cars and organic shampoo that can also can be used as a dessert topping.

Bypass surgeons — at the end of an operation — must feel fulfilled. Lawyers often wonder when and where they lost their idealism.

There are, let’s be clear, lots of consumer, environmental and public interest jobs to be found. It’s unfortunate that these careers don’t pay much — not nearly as much as those who go down the personal injury path. Gopher turtles, moss-draped trees and the hapless, overwhelmed consumer routinely lose-out to the developer and the well lawyered corporations who promote and protect the concepts of free enterprise, capitalism and their right to invoke the God-given maxim, “Buyer Beware.”

Right at the moment I’m sliding, gradually but inex-

orably into retirement. As I slide into anonymity, I’ve thought about my (legal) career and whether I made a difference.

I was discussing all of this with my neighbor, Kit Bruce, saying, “All things considered, I probably earned a C-minus as a lawyer,” explaining “I never argued a Second Amendment case before the Supreme Court.”

“I don’t think that is definitive,” Kit replied. “You represented poor people.”

“Yes,” I said. “And I never got that million dollar verdict.”

“Didn’t you straighten-out land titles?”

“Yes, but I never marched with Jesse Jackson …”

“Well…” she said. after some thought, “How about a C-plus?”

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

TIM

a person comes to identify and realize their own hypocrisies they start to work hard at not continuing to be hypocritical. I wonder if this is true? After all, do you know anyone who thinks of hypocrisy as a virtue? I don’t think so.

My conclusion, from a sort of rationalization, then settles on thinking that perhaps most hypocrites don’t even realize that they are hypocrites, because why would anyone knowingly want to be a hypocrite?

Yet, today’s society seems to be so full of such obvious hypocrisies we seem now to take them for granted, as part of our everyday life. Why shouldn’t we?

I think we can all agree that most modern day politicians have been, at some point, hypocritical; both left and right. Are we simply becoming completely insensitive to those hypocrisies?

Is it comparative to our not demanding the much needed revisions to our gun laws, and now, book banning? If we normalize gun violence and book banning, normalizing hypocrisy seems like small potatoes, doesn’t it?

A very recent hypocrisy from Jim Jordan is this: Now that he is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, he is demanding that any of this committee’s new

subpoenas must be honored by all that are served those subpoenas. Yet he himself ignored the subpoena issued by the Congressional January 6th special committee, which was unraveling something much more important than Hunter Biden’s laptop. It doesn’t get more hypocritical than that, even though one could write a book filled with congressional as well as presidential hypocrisies.

The real problem now is horrendous behavior is common; it was much rarer (mostly hidden) in our past, and generally people were held accountable for proven behavior that crossed moral lines.

I guess as older generations die out a period like McCarthyism (1950-1954) is simply forgotten, even though there are many parallel assertions and behavior now coming with Trump supporters.

Their ideology wants you to believe that progressives like me are socialists without even knowing what a true socialist is. We are not learning from our own history. In fact there are people that would prefer to suppress examining and learning about true history (as with Critical Race Theory and Holocaust Denial) being taught and discussed in public schools.

The point I want to make here is that, to me, our present society seems to be normalizing horrendous behavior. Trump is presently the King and the supreme example of accepted bad behavior, though I still shake my head with disbelief when I see new examples of societal disrespect, like what was exposed publicly during Biden’s State of the Union

I believe, however, it wasn’t until I became a parent myself, struggling to help make a home and living with my own family, that a number of personal hypocrisies came to light; hypocrisies that were perhaps the compromised principles of my vanishing youth. … Me, now, the “older” generation.”

address. So I ask myself, is our society regressing?

The acceptance of horrible behavior, to me, is a form of societal decadence; not people trying to figure out whom they should love and desire to live with, or dealing with the difficult problems associated with a confusing gender identity, or being told what my children should or should not read. I mean, don’t we want to move forward and not regress back into our past? And who could convince me that we are not witnessing a regression in our present, supposedly, civilized democracy?

I look at junior Congress members like George Santos and Marjorie Taylor Greene, proven liars and people that obviously live outside of a fact-based and reality-based existence. The fact that they receive around $174,000.00 per year from our taxes, (not including benefits like free health care, staff and chauffeuring), that is real salt in the wound. And when I read that Greene had actually, publicly

Promote your Church Services in The Island News and increase membership! Contact us today! Amanda Hanna amanda@lcweekly.com Hope Falls ads.theislandnews@gmail.com

complained about her pay, that was like acid in a wound. Should these two politicians even been elected in the first place? No, but they still have supporters.

The real decadence in our society is not same-sex marriage, changing your given birth gender, nor seeking an abortion. Real, destructive decadence is greed, normalizing hypocrisy, sustaining lies as truth, and accepting corruption as a good business practice. If you research and study history you would soon learn that it is those traits that destroy most societies and empires as they did with the Romans and the English. It is not God that destroys a civilization, it is our own, human decadence. People destroy a society.

A WISH LIST

When my late husband and I moved to Beaufort in 1998, I truly believed we had created a new life in a place as close to heaven as one might achieve.

We had become familiar with the Lowcountry when we started vacationing on Hilton Head Island in the early 80s, renting homes every summer in Palmetto Dunes, many on the ocean.

After seven or eight years, we simply knew this was where we would retire. Coming from the Pittsburgh area that claims 69 total days of complete sunshine, we were captivated. Initially, our thoughts were to settle on Hilton Head, but after some exploration of places nearby, we decided that a small town, much like the kind where we both had been raised as children, better suited us.

To be certain that we were making the right decision, in 1995 we both took sabbatical leaves and spent a month on Harbor Island. If we had any doubts, they were swept away during that month when we explored Beaufort and the surroundings.

I have never regretted that move. We lived 35 years in suburban Pittsburgh where we both taught high school – he, chemistry and I, English. Sadly, my husband lost his battle with leukemia in 2001, and when many friends from Pennsylvania asked whether or not I planned to return, I knew I would not, weather notwithstanding. I simply loved this place and all it had to offer. Furthermore, I had made won-

derful friends who were my support system as I grieved my loss. I tell you this because what follows may seem on the surface a condemnation of the town I love to call home. Instead, I ask you to think of what I am about to propose as a “wish list.”

At 80 years of age, I know the truth in the saying that there is nothing more sure than change. Change is very hard, especially as we grow older and more set in our ways. When I hear many lamenting the influx of people as well as new business establishments, I recall my late husband’s comment early on that, “Now that we are here and settled, those other damned Yankees should stay away.”

Of course, he didn’t mean it; the man didn’t have a mean bone in his body. That was simply his idea of humor. I often wonder what he would say now, 22 years later. So yes, while the atmosphere of Beaufort is taking on subtle changes, I think that “small town” flavor is, thankfully, still intact. What I am about to suggest won’t dilute that flavor but rather, I believe, enhance it. And so we come to the crux of this article, my wish list.

I am unabashedly a lover of

good Italian food. My favorite dishes include just about anything, with veal Marsala topping the list. When I visited North Boston, an enclave for truly spectacular Italian cuisine, I couldn’t get enough. Even walking the streets and absorbing the smells wafting from so many restaurants was a treat. I did discover Ombra on Hilton Head, but I’m saddened that I should have to drive that far for authentic Italian. So make the addition of the perfect Italian restaurant, here in Beaufort, No. 1 on my list.

No. 2 is a plea for the return of an indoor movie theater. At one time, we had two, one on Lady’s Island and one on Robert Smalls. Great movies are still being made, and wouldn’t it be wonderful if we didn’t have to drive to Bluffton to see the latest. I find it a bit ironic that we host a film festival every year, an event that draws many, but we don’t have a movie theater.

I fully recognize that with COVID came the closing of many public facilities, but the reality is that we lost both theaters before that. Some may respond that we have a Drive-In nearby. Sorry, but this woman prefers the comfort of a seat inside as opposed to that in her car. Please, please bring back one of our theaters.

And then there is No. 3: the establishment of a really fine bakery with the most exquisite offerings to be had. Bakeries seem to come and go here, and I’m not exactly sure why they “go.” Anytime I was ever in one, it seemed to be highly patronized. And yes, I know the

higher end grocery stores do offer decent pastries, but most of these are delivered from out of town and baked in the store, as opposed to actually making them from scratch right in the facility. Walking into a bakery where the latter is taking place, with the surrounding smells that drew you there, is a treat above and beyond picking up a cardboard box, or God forbid, a plastic container filled with socalled delicacies. No. 4 on my list, unfortunately comes after the fact; in other words, too late. On Lady’s Island, we watched Publix relocate across the Sea Island Parkway from its original location. The lot sat empty for years; rumors were rampant, and there was the issue of tree removal, something very meaningful to many of us.

Much conjecture and supposition was offered as to what would be built there. Many of us fell into line with the drum beat of Trader Joe’s, Trader, Joe’s! At one point we were told Harris Teeter. “Good grief,” said we who craved a Trader Joe’s; “Harris Teeter is simply another Publix.” Then all went quiet and the lot continued to sit empty, giving us hope that maybe, just maybe, Harris Teeter was out of the mix. No such luck. I still repeat my mantra occasionally, silently asking for a Trader Joe’s in Beaufort before I depart this earth.

And now to my fifth wish. I have saved what most will see as trivial for the last. Every time I navigate Sams Point Road and have to turn left onto Sea Island Parkway, I grit

LIVING ON PURPOSE

my teeth. This is especially true if I am back in line farther than five cars. Will someone pleeezzze reset that directional light to accommodate more than five cars passing through.

I have sat and counted just about every time I am there, and truly, five is the max. It may be even fewer if someone up front is asleep at the wheel. By then frustrated souls go careening through on the yellow arrow in hopes that they won’t be mowed down in this challenge. There are plenty of us coming from the direction of Sams Point, and I think that light merits an adjustment.

And so concludes my wish list. I am the first to admit that every one of these ranks as a first-world problem. And while I readily recognize that I live in a place closely approximating Nirvana, even the Garden of Eden had its drawbacks, especially if you revile snakes as I do.

I have no idea who the decision makers are that might move my wish list along, but if you are out there, please know I would love to go to dinner at a top notch Italian restaurant and take in a movie here in Beaufort. That would be right after I stopped at the bakery to buy some goodies for the next day. And all that activity would take place, assuming I made it through that miserable light at the corner of Sams Point and Sea Island Parkway.

Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”

It’s encouraging to see a hunger, thirst for God

There is a move of the Holy Spirit happening in Wilmore, Ky., where the small evangelical Asbury University and Seminary are located.

As the regular chapel service began Wednesday morning in Hughes Auditorium, it was not long before things became extraordinary. Many students did not leave and continued to worship as the band kept playing. The message that morning focused on confession, repentance, and how true love for God and others is more than just words.

News traveled quickly, and soon more students started coming in. Many said they felt the power of God drawing them to examine their hearts and make a fresh commitment to Christ. College students have joined in from other colleges, including the University of Kentucky, as

BILLY HOLLAND

Christians from other states are making the journey to experience this 24/7 manifestation of God’s presence.

It is not known at this time how long this outpouring will last, but there has definitely been a lot of excitement in the last five days. The crowds are growing as the worship, praying, reading scriptures, and personal testimonies of God’s power are generating faith and a glimpse of what the normal Christian life should be like.

Asbury president Kevin Brown spoke on John 17 on

Friday night, a passage that calls for unity.

“So when people see us, they see one accord. For this generation, for the church, for the world, the edification of our neighbor, and the glory of God. This is not an Asbury thing, this is a kingdom of God thing.”

Saturday night, all 1,500 seats were taken with many people standing around the walls. When the Asbury website started posting daily updates, soon the site had so much traffic it crashed. Growing numbers watching the live stream are sending prayers not just from around the country, but also from places like Paraguay, Indonesia, Africa, Australia, and India.

The editor of the school newspaper said, “We are encouraging each other to have this posture of radical humility. We are trying to

understand God’s love in a greater way. It’s not about us, it’s about Jesus and I believe this is why it continues.”

Some of the older generations may remember another outpouring here in February 1970. It began when the dean at that time invited students to share their testimonies and miraculously, the worship and praying lasted for 144 hours straight. Classes were canceled for the week, and many traveled around the country sharing about what God had done in their midst.

Another comment from a news site, “We see depravity now in America, every day, wherever we look. It’s encouraging to see young people on their knees in prayer. May this revival spread like wildfire across this land. America has never been in deeper trouble. Lord help us.” I have written about

revival in the past, and it can mean several things like renewal, awakening, restoration, repentance, or making alive again. It’s associated with those who once were on fire for God but they have drifted away into what is called a cold or lukewarm state of being spiritually lethargic. To be revived means to be convicted by hearing God’s truth and seeing the need to be reignited in our passion to be completely sold out to Jesus.

In Revelation 2, we see the letter to the church at Ephesus where Jesus said, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.” He is saying that when Christ is at the top of our priority list, our love for Him will blaze like a roaring fire.

However, when we allow the cares of the world and our carnality to become

more important than our relationship with Him, we become ashamed and nonchalant like smoldering embers.

Revival is a gift of God’s grace and yet the only thing that is preventing it from happening anywhere is an attitude of our heart. It begins when someone wants to become a living sacrifice for God. What does this mean? It means the realization that living holy is how we please Him. Our gratitude and love for Him is not just about what He can do, it’s for who He is. You do not know that God is all you need until you realize He is all you have. He’s either the Lord of “all” of your life or He is not really your Lord at all. We will discuss more about revival next week.

Learn more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

Sherry Schumann to speak at HTCCS March 9

From staff reports Holy Trinity Classical Christian School invites the community to join author and speaker Sherry Schumann for her lecture

“Shepherding Our Grandchildren, God’s Way” from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, March 9 in the Great Hall on the main campus at 302 Burroughs Avenue. Schumann will look at

Schumann

Psalm 23 through a shepherd’s eye. David, the Shepherd-King, penned the 23rd psalm approximately 1,000 years before our Savior’s birth. She will discuss the relationship between a shepherd and his

sheep, and we will discover godly ways to shepherd our grandchildren. Schumann serves as senior writer for the Legacy Coalition and national prayer co-coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network. Her first novel, The Christmas Bracelet, is an “ashes to beauty” holiday tale.

Sherry’s life in rural South Carolina is simple and beau-

tiful. She’s been married to her soul mate for 34. Her heart soars when the voices of their three sons, three daughters-in-love and three grandchildren fill their home.

This lecture is open to the public. Cost is $10 and includes a light supper and printed materials. To register, go to www.HTCCS. org, scroll down to News & Announcements and follow

the link. For more information about this lecture and future lectures, please contact Director of Advancement Celeste Pruit at cpruit@htccs.org or call her at 843-379-9632.

Founded in 2012, Holy Trinity Classical Christian School (HTCCS) provides students with a distinctly Christian and classical education in Beaufort. HTCCS

serves more than 370 students in preschool through high school.

Academic instruction at HTCCS is rigorous, affording teachers, and staff members the opportunity to engage with high-achieving students in a Christian environment. For more information about the academic excellence offered at Holy Trinity, visit www.htccs.org

Sherry

CAROL LUCAS

Who cares about public

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

SCHSL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS CAPSULES

PREP HOOPS ROUNDUP

Bridges Prep’s MeChelle Carter, right, can’t reach the rebound while Whale Branch’s Destiny Pryor makes the grab during their Region 7-1A basketball game Wednesday night at Bridges Prep. The Lady Bucs went on to squeeze out the region win over the Lady Warriors, 31-29, to improve to 4-18, 4-10 in the region, while the Lady Warriors dropped to 7-5, 6-8 in the region. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

this

Beaufort High boys

Region 8-3A No. 1 seed

Record: 10-11 (won 7 straight)

1st rd: vs. Brookland-Cayce (10-13), 7 p.m. Wednesday

Up next: If the Eagles advance, they’ll host Lake City or Dillon on Friday.

Playoff outlook: Coach Jeremy Huff’s team was slow out of the gate after waiting for the football team to finish its state title run, but the Eagles have been soaring for the past month. BA transfer Sully Gay has emerged as the perfect complement to big man Michael Dennison, and Samari Bonds and Arthur Singleton can light up the scoreboard, too. Beaufort has the horses to make a deep run, but the path is treacherous with No. 10 Lake City likely awaiting Friday and a home game against second-ranked Orangeburg-Wilkinson looming in round 3.

Battery Creek girls

Region 8-3A No. 2 seed

Record: 10-9 (lost 3 of last 5)

1st rd: vs. Swansea (15-8), Thursday

Up next: If the Dolphins advance, they’ll likely travel to top-ranked Camden on Saturday.

Playoff outlook: The Dolphins did what they were supposed to do and finished second in the region behind a strong Philip Simmons team, but they stumbled a bit down the stretch and will need to find their footing

LowcoSports.com

early against a solid Swansea squad to defend their home court. Senior guard Kiara Wilson will give the Dolphins everything she’s got to close out a terrific career, but it will take something beyond special from the entire team to get past Camden in round 2.

Beaufort High girls

Region 8-3A No. 3 seed

Record: 10-9 (won 3 straight and 5 of 6)

1st rd: at Orangeburg-Wilkinson (168), Thursday

Up next: If the Eagles advance, they’ll likely travel to Loris on Saturday.

Playoff outlook: When Reggie Jones stepped away for one season, the Eagles slumped to a four-win season, and they started 0-5 against a challenging early-season schedule in Jones’ return to the bench, but they’ve been rolling ever since. Led by soccer star Quinn Wilson and fellow seniors Riley Brozek, Topaz Fripp-Williams, and Acionna Lowe, Beaufort has won three straight and five of its last six, including a win over rival Battery Creek. The ninthranked Bruins are a tough first-round draw, but if the Eagles can pull off the road win they’ll have a good shot at another road upset in round 2.

Whale Branch boys

Region 7-1A No. 2 seed

Record: 16-6 (won 3 straight and 6 of 7)

1st rd: vs. Latta (5-16), Thursday

Up next: If the Warriors advance, they’ll likely travel to No. 2 Scott’s Branch on Saturday.

Playoff outlook: Coach Antauwn Wade has put together a terrific debut season in Seabrook, and the Warriors are well-positioned to cruise through their first-round matchup before a big-time test at No. 2 Scott’s Branch looms Saturday. Don’t discount Whale Branch’s chances in the battle of the branches, though, and if they do, they have a clear path to the state finals. The Warriors were ranked eighth in the final SCBCA Top 10, and they’ve been battle-tested in a brutal Region 7-1A. Senior Queashawn Fields has emerged as the go-to guy down the stretch, but Laron Wright and David Evans are lethal from 3-point range and Bradford Thompson is a force on the block. The x-factor is the Warriors’ depth, with Keith Chisholm, Kevin Jenkins, and Greggory Gilbert all capable of putting up big numbers any given game.

Playoff schedules

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15* GIRLS HOOPS

2A 1st rd: Lake Marion at Wade Hampton

2A 1st rd: Ridgeland at Andrew Jackson

1A 1st rd: Lamar at Estill

SEE CAPSULES PAGE B2

JPII’s Peter Torinese captures 2nd state title

LowcoSports.com

After falling just short a year ago, John Paul II’s Peter Torinese made it back to the mountaintop.

Torinese capped off his terrific high school wrestling career with his second SCISA state title, winning the 132-pound championship. He also won a 113-pound title as a freshman and finished runner-up at 132 last season.

The Golden Warriors finished fifth in the team standings with a

total of five placers, as senior Kohl Woodham finished runner-up at 182, Daniel Snyder (120) and Jack Brock (152) placed third, and Jude Witkowski was fourth at 113.

Eagles fall in Lower State semifinals

After pulling off two road wins to open the Class 3A wrestling playoffs, Beaufort High couldn’t muster another, falling 53-29 at Aynor in the Lower State semifinals. The

Bluejackets advanced to the finals before falling to West-Oak.

Ryli Corbin (106), Tayriq Legree (113), Jack Miller (138), and Andrew Legree (152) all earned pins for the Eagles, and Colton Phares (182) won by technical fall.

Beaufort finishes the dual season with an 18-6 record and will compete in the Lower State individual qualifier Friday and Satur-

10-1)

MONDAY, FEB. 13

GIRLS HOOPS Northwood Academy 54, John Paul II 39

JPII (17-5): Emily O’Sullivan 10 pts, 9 rebs; Lily Termini 9 pts, 9 rebs, 5 asts; Brady Mahoney 8 pts, 13 rebs; Gracie Henderson 8 pts

BOYS HOOPS

John Paul II 53, Northwood Academy 52

JPII (3-21): Jackson Ogden 18 pts; Finn Mahoney 11 pts

– LowcoSports.com

day at Dreher High School along with Battery Creek. John Paul II’s Peter Torinese

Beaufort center Michael Dennison, center, gets twisted around and fouled by Ashley Ridge’s Jalil Hope, left and Jaylin Hatzog earlier

season at Beaufort High. The Eagles were set to open the 3A playoffs Wednesday against Brookland-Cayce. File photo by Bob Sofaly/The Island News

The fifty member concert band presents great American music by great American composers!

‘America Coast to Coast’ takes a musical journey from Broadway to Hollywood with several stops in between. The program includes, ‘The Golden Age of Broadway’, ‘Shenandoah’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Selections from Chicago’, ‘Gershwin by George’, ‘America the Beautiful’ and much more.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2023 - 7:00 P.M.

Magnolia Hall, Sun City Bluffton, SC 29909

Residents and Guests Only

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023 - 4:00 P.M.

SUNDAY,

A JOIN US FOR A NIGHT OF FUN END PRESIDENT’S DAY WEEKEND WITH A BANG WHILE SUPPORTING YOUR COMMUNITY YMCA!

PRESENTED

St. John’s Lutheran Church 157 Lady’s Island Drive Beaufort, SC 29907

DONATIONS MUSIC • FOOD • DRINKS • GOLF CART RAFFLE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE YMCA $50 SINGLE OR $80 COUPLE

‘Ghost’ still reps the Super Bowl champion Chiefs

He might have hung up his cleats a few years back, but Beaufort High alum Ron Parker is still a Kansas City Chief at heart.

LVII with a Lowcountry twist, offering his insight in the organization that employed him for six seasons, as well as head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and more.

And he agreed to come

back for another interview if the Chiefs won, so look out for more analysis from Parker and Team Lowco on the next LowcoSports Lowdown podcast, available on the Lowco Media YouTube channel, Spotify, Apple, or anywhere you get podcasts.

USCB freshman OF doubles up on conference honors

LowcoSports.com

Freshman outfielder Hunter Miller was so good last week for the USCB Sand Sharks baseball team that he was honored by two conferences in two different affiliations on Monday.

After collecting five hits in a two-game week, Miller was recognized as the NAIA Continental Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week — and as the NCAA Division II Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Week. The Sand Sharks are in year two

Capsules from page B1

of three in their transition to NCAA Division II and remain eligible to compete for NAIA championships despite playing a full Peach Belt schedule.

Miller earned starts in wins against Middle Georgia State and Francis Marion, starting the week with a pair of home runs and three RBIs to finish 2-for-4 with a walk against the Knights. To cap off the week, he poured in a three-hit game against the Patriots, driving in a run and scoring twice. Miller

went 5-for-8 with four RBIs, four runs, two homers, and two walks on the week.

Through seven starts as a freshman, Miller is hitting .333 with eight hits, one double, two homers, eight RBIs and five runs scored. He also has a stellar .625 slugging percentage to go along with his .429 on-base mark.

Miller and the Sand Sharks (3-5) play their first-ever Peach Belt series this weekend with a threegame set at Lander beginning at 5 p.m. Friday.

ARTS

Indelible Moments: 1970 Street

Photographs from Two Cultures

Through February 20, USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret Street. Photography show featuring the work of Jack Dempsey, a Beaufort resident. The USCB Center for the Arts will present an exhibit of more than 50 street photographs from the U.S. and South America during the early 1970s. Photographs in the front exhibit area were taken during two extended trips to Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru in 1971 and 1972. The interior exhibition area will present photographs taken in the central, eastern, and southern U.S., around the early 1970s as well. These photographs highlight the contrasts and similarities of the two cultures during that unique period in our history. For more information, visit https://www.uscbcenterforthearts.com/ or jdempsey.net.

Gifts From the Boneyard

10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 1-31, 2023, Port Royal Sound foundation (PRSF) Museum, 310 Okatie Highway, Okatie. The Friends of Hunting Island (FOHI) and The Port Royal Sound Foundation (PRSF) are hosting an art exhibit called, “Gifts From the Boneyard, Art Inspired by Hunting Island’s Landscape.” The featured artist is Barbara James, a local fabric artist. Photographers Joan Eckhardt and Andy Stephens are also contributing pieces. Proceeds from sales will go to FOHI and PRSF. Opening gala from 4 to 6 p.m., March 2, 2023.

CALENDAR

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.

Trivia with Tom – Fat Patties

7:30 p.m., Every Wednesday, Fat Patties, 831 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Free. Team trivia event, win house cash prizes! For more information, visit https://rb.gy/o9nhwe.

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

7:30 p.m., Every Thursday, Fat Patties, 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.

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.

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.

Wet Willie’s Trivia Night

7 to 10 p.m., every Thursday, Wet Willie’s, Beaufort Town Center. Win awesome prizes while you sip the worlds greatest daiquiris and munch on delicious bites.

Wet Willie’s Bingo Night

7 to 10 p.m., every Friday, Wet Willie’s, Beaufort Town Center. Win free giveaways, merchandise, and more cool prizes.

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.

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.

Drum Circle

6:30 to 8 p.m., 2nd Friday of every month, Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce, 711 Bladen Street, Beaufort. Free. Anyone welcome, no experience necessary. Eric Roy, a recent transplant from Connecticut with successful experience in leading drum circles, is our new facilitator. He will start sessions off with 15-20 minutes of instruction on djembe playing and teach a selected traditional rhythm & accompaniment for participants to play. In addition, there will be time allotted for spontaneous group drumming. Bring a drum, if you have one, a chair and a desire to have fun. The Drum Circle has several extra drums and many other percussion instruments that anyone can use. To receive updates on future events, send your email to lannyk13@gmail. com. The first session will be on Friday, Jan. 13.

Highway 21 Flea Market

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday, Highway 21 Drive-In. Sellers, vendors, handmade items, unique products and yard sale items. For information, email lowcountryfleamarket@gmail.com.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

HIGHWAY 21 DRIVE-IN

The movies scheduled for this week (Friday, Feb. 3 through Thursday, Feb. 9) at the Highway 21 Drive-In are Ant Man And Wasp Quantumania (PG, 6:30 p.m.) and Ant Man And Wasp Quantumania (PG, 8:45 p.m.) on Screen 1; Ant Man And Wasp Quantumania (PG, 7:30 p.m.) and Wakanda Forever (PG13, 9:50 p.m.) on Screen 2; and Marlowe (R, 7:30 p.m.) and Megan (PG-13, 9:10 p.m.) on Screen 3 (Friday and Saturday).

Online ticketing is available at hwy21drivein. com on the Now Playing page. Patrons are asked to arrive early on Friday and Saturday nights. Gates open at 6:30 p.m.

“Our family at the Hwy. 21 drive in feel a responsibility to our community,” a statement from Highway 21 Drive-In management reads. “We are concerned about many things in these trying times and in making the right decisions. We are concerned with our employees, our patrons, our business, our community’s businesses, and the health and well-being of all.”

A reminder: no outside food or beverages can be brought into the drive-in.

Upcoming movies include Shazam (March) and The Amazing Maurice (February).

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.

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.

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.

Karaoke with Melissa

7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, Latitude Bar & Chill, 3295 Latitude Blvd, Hardeeville. Open to residents and their guests only. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

YMCA Puppy Plunge

9 to 11 a.m., Saturdays, Feb. 25, March 25. Wardle Family YMCA, Outdoor pool, 1801 Richmond Ave., Port Royal. Well-behaved canines of all breeds and sizes are welcome. Cost is $10 per pup. All proceeds benefit the Y’s Learn to Swim program. Owners will be required to sign a waiver before entering the enclosed, exterior pool area (use the side entrance gate), must be present with their pups at all times, and humans are not permitted to swim in the Puppy Plunge. The YMCA asks that pets be up-to-date on all vaccinations. Event is weather dependent so check the YMCA social media or call the Y front desk at 843-522-9622 the morning of the Puppy Plunge to check any status update.

Beaufort Republican Women’s Club Membership Drive Luncheon

11:30 a.m., Saturday, March 4, The Carolina Room, Dataw Island Club, 123 Dataw Dr., St. Helena Island. The cost of the luncheon is $38 and is by reservation only. Xiaodan Li, Beaufort County Republican Party’s representative to the South Carolina Republican Party and member of Friends of Liberty, will be the featured speaker. To reserve your seat, please mail your check with the names of those who will be attending to BRWC, P. O. Box 1835, Beaufort, SC 29901 before February 25. For further information, contact Diane Roney at 843-838-4972.

Memory Matters: Memory & Aging

4 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, Encompass Health Rehab Hospital, 107 Seagrass Station Rd, Bluffton. $20 for this session, or $40 for all Memory Matters sessions. Speaker: Dr. Paul Mazzeo, Coastal Neurology.

MCAS Beaufort Airshow

Saturday-Sunday, April 22-23, 2023, MCAS Beaufort. Visit BeaufortAirShow.com. General admission is free.

Memory Matters: Ask a Neurologist

10 a.m., Saturday, May 20, Memory Matters, 117 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. $20 for this session, or $40 for all Memory Matters sessions. Speaker: Dr. Jill Trumble, St. Joseph’s Candler Neurology.

Memory Matters: Preparing for the Unexpected

10 a.m., Wednesday, June 7, St. Gregory the Great Catholic School, 38 St Gregory Drive, Bluffton. $20 for this session, or $40 for all Memory Matters sessions. Speakers: Lowcountry Council of Governments, Geriatric Care Manager, Elder Law Attorney, Bluffton Fire Department.

Memory Matters: Simple Suppers –Healthy Eating for Two

10 a.m., Wednesday, June 21, First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. $20 for this session, or $40 for all Memory Matters sessions. Speaker: Chef Kim Baretta HISTORY

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., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. 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.

What Civil War Are We Talking About? Southern Honor and the Myth of the Lost Cause

10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 20, Room 115, USCB Hilton Head Campus, 1 Sand Shark Drive, Hilton Head Island. $8 for Heritage Library members, $10 for non-members. To register, go to https://heritagelib.org/onlineclasses. This presentation explores this 19thcentury manifestation of “fake news” and its lasting consequences on the national memory and understanding of the Civil War.

LIBRARY ACTIVITIES

Law Talk

Select times and days, Lobeco Branch Library, 1862 Trask Parkway, Seabrook. To register, call 843-255-6479. Free. Brief topic overview with Question & Answer with volunteer attorney. Tuesday, Feb. 28, 5 to 6 p.m., Landlord Tenant

Law; Tuesday, March 18, 5 to 6 p.m., Wills, Estates, and Probate; Saturday, April 29, 11 a.m. to noon, Heirs Property; Saturday, May 20, 11 a.m. to noon, Starting a Business or Nonprofit.

Dungeons & Dragons

4 p.m., Mondays, Beaufort Downtown Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, 843255-6441. Ages 12 to 18.

Lego Club

4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Mondays, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island, 843-255-6540. All ages welcome.

Law Talk

5:30 to 6:30 p.m., select Tuesdays, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. To register, call 843-255-6481. Free. Brief topic overview with Question & Answer with volunteer attorney. Jan. 24, Wills, Estates, and Probate; Feb. 28, Estate Planning; March 28, Advanced Health Care Directives; April 18, Starting a Business.

Teen Art Club

4 p.m., 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of each month, Beaufort Downtown Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, 843-255-6441. Ages 12-18.

Teen Anime Club

4 p.m., 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of each month, Beaufort Downtown Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, 843-255-6456.

Law Talk

5:30 to 6:30 p.m., select Tuesdays, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. To register, call 843255-6540. Free. Brief topic overview with Question & Answer with volunteer attorney.

Tuesday, Jan. 17, Starting a Business; Tuesday, Feb. 7, Expungement; Tuesday, March 7, Credit Card Debt; Tuesday, April 4, Social Security Disability; Tuesday, May 2, Getting Arrested.

Teen Video Game Club

4 p.m., 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of each month, Beaufort Downtown Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, 843-255-6441. Ages 12 to 18.

Law Talk

Noon to 1 p.m., select Wednesdays, Hilton Head Branch Library, 11 Beach City Rd, Hilton Head Island. To register, call 843-255-6525. Free. Brief topic overview with Question & Answer with volunteer attorney. Wednesday, Feb. 15, Cyber Security and Data Privacy; Wednesday, March 15, Wills, Estates, and Probate; Wednesday, April 19, Advance Health Care Directives; Wednesday, May 17, Real Estate and Foreclosure.

S.C. Works Job Coaching

2 to 4 p.m., Thursdays, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island, 843-255-6540. Free help with job searches, interviews.

Chess Club

1 to 2 p.m., Saturdays, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island, 843-255-6540. Ages 5 and older.

Chess Meet Up

11 a.m., 2nd Saturday of each month, Beaufort Downtown Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, 843-255-6456. Instructor Henry Otto Seim will show beginners the basics or play a friendly game with more experienced players. All skill levels welcome. Extra boards will be set up.

Chess Meet Up

11 a.m., 3rd Saturday of each month, Lobeco Branch Library, 1862 Trask Parkway, 843-2556479. Instructor Henry Otto Seim will show beginners the basics or play a friendly game

with more experienced players. All skill levels welcome. Extra boards will be set up.

LITERATURE

Books Sandwiched In –

The Ladder of Years

12 to 1 p.m., Monday, Feb. 20, USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St, Beaufort. Free. A thought leader in our community discusses a book that has had an impact on the presenter, with questions and discussion to follow. Light refreshments offered. This meeting’s book is The Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler, presented by Jayne Violette.

Books Sandwiched In –

My First Summer in the Sierra

12 to 1 p.m., Monday, Feb. 27, USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St, Beaufort. Free. A thought leader in our community discusses a book that has had an impact on the presenter, with questions and discussion to follow. Light refreshments offered. This meeting’s book is My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir, presented by Greg Schulte.

Books Sandwiched In –

You’re Going to Be Somebody

12 to 1 p.m., Monday, March 6, USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St, Beaufort. Free. A thought leader in our community discusses a book that has had an impact on the presenter, with questions and discussion to follow. Light refreshments offered. This meeting’s book is You’re Going to Be Somebody by Helen Smith, presented by Carrie Major.

Books Sandwiched In –

The Personal Librarian

12 to 1 p.m., Monday, March 13, USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St, Beaufort. Free. A thought leader in our community discusses a book that has had an impact on the presenter, with questions and discussion to follow. Light refreshments offered. This meeting’s book is The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray, presented by Wanda Mayse.

MEETINGS

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.

League of Women Voters

6 to 7:30 p.m., second Thursday of every month, Meeting Room, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Ladys Island Dr, Beaufort. Free. The Public as well as LWVB members are encouraged to attend. The meeting will be about the topics members have suggested as projects for 2023.

Zonta Club of Beaufort

6 p.m., 4th Tuesday of each month, Smokehouse, Port Royal. Until November 22, we are participating in a service project with a global organization called Free the Girls. We are currently collecting new and gently used bras to help women rescued from trafficking start their own businesses selling the bras. Last year our club collected more than 600 bras and we are hoping to beat that number this year. Our collection sites are Amy Bowman State Farm Agency, 1284 Ribaut Rd., Myrna B. Breland, CPA, 1 Professional Drive, Port Royal, and Nourishing Health Acupuncture and Herbs, 34A Savannah Hwy.

MUSIC

Fripp Island Friends of Music Concert Series

5 p.m., specific Sundays, Fripp Island Community Centre, 205 Tarpon Blvd., Fripp Island. Individual shows are $30. Consider becoming a member of Fripp Island Friends of Music (FIFOM). Membership gives you access to all five concerts, including the post-performance reception where you meet the musicians while enjoying delicious hors d’oeuvres prepared fresh by Harold’s Chef Services. It also helps fund FIFOM’s Music-in-the-Schools program. The basic FIFOM membership, $100, has not changed. To become a member, text or call Vanessa Peñaherrera at 704-8070255 or email vandy116@gmail.com. Go to frippfriendsofmusic.com for more information.

Schedule: Feb. 26, The Tony Lee Group (jazz); March 26, Kim Richey (singer-songwriter).

Jevon Daly

4 p.m. & 8 p.m., Friday, March 10, Coligny Theatre, 1 N Forest Beach Drive, Hilton Head Island. $5 admission for 4 p.m. kids show, $20 admission for 8 p.m. evening show. Purchase tickets for kids show at shorturl.at/xGLQZ. Purchase tickets for the evening show at shorturl.at/dlCIT.

OUTDOORS

Port Royal Cypress Wetlands tours

4 to 5:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24, Port Royal Cypress Wetlands. Bring your holiday guests to a free guided tour of the wetlands sponsored by Friends of Port Royal Cypress Wetlands and led by Master Naturalist Jill Moore. Moore is full of information about alligators, turtles, trees, plants, and the variety of birds that call the wetlands home. This is a great opportunity to learn about this magical place. Tours are limited in size so sign up now. Kat Bray, Tour Coordinator, info@foprcw.org.

Fripp Island Audubon Club February Program

6:45 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23, Fripp Island Community Center, 205 Tarpon Blvd., Fripp Island. You’re invited to a screening of Purple Haze: A Conservation Film, presented by the Fripp Island Audubon Club. This will be a unique program about Purple Martins. Bring a snack to share and join us for the Meet and Greet from 6 to 6:45 p.m.

SPORTS 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.

Focused on the future

With help from his brother, Beaufort’s Witter sets flight plan in Army

By Sarah Windmueller U.S. Army Cadet Command

As a college athlete, standout student, and one of the first Army ROTC Cadets from Benedict College to branch aviation in over 30 years, Beaufort’s Corey Witter knows he wouldn’t be where he is today without family.

After losing his mother to breast cancer at the age of 14, Witter’s older brother, Jahleel, stepped in as his legal guardian, giving Witter the assurance and guidance he needed to focus on accomplishing his goals and join the military.

“No matter what you go through there’s a lot you can do even with limited opportunities.” Witter said.

“You have to make the most of what’s been handed to you and then go from there. It always works out.”

From the get-go, Witter’s family determined their strength would not be sidetracked by hardship – and they certainly experienced their fair share of obstacles.

Sandra, Witter’s mom, battled chronic illness her entire life, including diabetes, heart problems and kidney issues. She was unable to work because of her health limitations.

Seeking family support, Sandra moved herself and her two boys from Beaufort to Kansas in 2002 where her younger sister, the boys’ aunt, was located.

For nine years they lived together with their aunt’s family until her death in 2011.

“We moved back to Beaufort because my aunt passed away from breast cancer,” Witter said.

Mourning the loss of her sister, Sandra took a realistic look at her illness battles and knew a move back to Beaufort had to happen. It was a difficult transition for the boys, but they needed to be close to family.

“She’d be in and out of the hospital from all of the things she had, and she had so many different things going on health-wise,” Jahleel said.

isn’t positive.”

Jahleel saw his mom’s strength as well, but being six years older and involved in her daily healthcare, he remembers a much different side of the story.

“She told me something along the lines of, ‘I’m not going to be here forever, so you’ve got to make sure that you look out for your brother.

All of the things that you know, I need you to be able to do when I’m gone because you’re all I have, and I want you to be there for your brother,’” Jahleel said.

As time progressed, Sandra’s cancer spread.

Witter recalls her continuously sunny outlook,

knew what was happening.”

Sandra Witter passed away October 30, 2014 with her boys at her side.

The boys were just 20 and 14 years old.

Life happened quickly, and both boys had to step up to the plate.

Jahleel took on a full-time job and became Corey’s legal guardian.

“I told him I would do what I can to make sure everything was good, and that’s what I did,” Jahleel said.

“He focused on his grades and school, and I focused on taking care of everything.”

Witter seized this opportunity and threw himself into excelling in his studies and extracurricular activities. On top of being a straight-A student, he played football, basketball and track.

“I like being occupied. I’m not really the type of person that likes to sit around,” Witter said. “When I don’t do a lot, it just feels like something is missing or like I should be doing something else.”

While balancing his activities, Witter also began looking ahead to life after high school. The military was something he’d been interested in and was “always towards the top of the list” when it came to future careers.

His sophomore year, he tested the water by joining his high school’s Air Force JROTC program.

“I signed up just to see what it was like – like a test.” he said. “I stayed in because I ended up liking the structure and the vibe, and it felt like it fit me.”

Anthony Robertson is the Benedict College ROTC Coordinator, he’s also an Army ROTC alumnus of Benedict College. He noticed Witter and his teammates warming up and walked over to speak with them about the ROTC program.

“He came up to me and a couple other people one day, and I was listening, but it was going in one ear and out the other. I wasn’t really interested whatsoever,” Witter said.

Robertson confirms that Witter’s attention seemed elsewhere. But to his surprise, Witter showed up outside his office a few weeks later.

“He said, ‘You’re in charge of ROTC?’ and I said, ‘Yes, I am,’ and he said, ‘I would like to join,’” Robertson recalls.

After meeting Robertson that morning on the track field, he was convinced ROTC wasn’t for him, but fate began to work their way into his daily life.

“I started thinking about what I was going to do after I graduated college and then I started seeing Cadets walking around campus in their uniforms,” Witter said.

He stopped some of the Cadets to talk about the program and their experiences.

“I just felt like it was a good opportunity; it would be stable income – a guaranteed job,” he said.

Witter found himself in Robertson’s office just days later signing up to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

“We had a brief on aviation that was really interesting and that changed my whole mindset about what I wanted to do,” Witter said.

Robertson also pushed Witter to think about pursuing the aviation branch and flying helicopters.

“I encouraged him to do some research on it, and I also encouraged him to research the percentage of African Americans who fly helicopters,” Robertson said.

Of the 144 Army ROTC Cadets who branched aviation and will commission this year, only six were Black.

After his research and decision to branch aviation, Witter began studying for the Selection Instrument for Flight Training (SIFT).

The SIFT is a measure of multiple aptitudes, focusing mainly on S.T.E.M.

The SIFT is the first hurdle Witter had to cross to qualify for aviation service. Weeks of studying led to the exam day, and then Witter had to wait.

“After studying and testing he came back with the highest score the ROTC program had ever seen,” Robertson said. “He did everything else right in the ROTC program, so he’s going aviation.”

“I knew Corey had what it takes to be great. … He fits everything that embodies being a college student, an ROTC student, he serves in the national guard,” Robertson adds. “He’s a shining example, who I encourage students to pattern themselves behind.”

Witter’s future was confirmed this past fall when he was selected for aviation. He’ll be heading to Ft. Rucker, Ala., to learn how to fly Chinook helicopters after commissioning.

“There’s a lot of things you can do in military, but I feel like flying is one of the biggest things that you can do and it’s one of the greatest opportunities that I’ve seen so far and one of the most interesting,” he said.

Witter also finds the civilian career options for aviators appealing as he plans to one day fly airplanes for a major airline.

Even as Witter knocks out goals toward his future, his brother, Jahleel, is still very present in his life.

“He comes first that’s just how it is,” Jahleel said.

It wasn’t long after their move home to Beaufort that the family received news that Sandra had breast cancer. She began treatment immediately.

Witter, who was 12 at the time, remembers his mom’s positive outlook regarding the internal battle her body was fighting.

“Even though you could see she was sick, you would never know with how she acted,” Witter said. “She was probably one of the strongest people I have ever seen in my life as far as trying to be positive even when everything around you

even as time was running out.

“After she stopped chemo, we had to basically accept that it was going to happen. It wasn’t like when somebody all of the sudden passes away, this was different in that you knew it was coming for months in advance.”

Naturally quiet, Witter didn’t broadcast his emotions or allow others to know what was happening at home.

“When I was at school, I didn’t necessarily talk about anything that was going on,” Witter said.

“Maybe one or two people knew, but nobody else really

The program pushed Witter out of his reserved shell and presented leadership opportunities that continued to grow his interest in joining the military.

“He was always devoted to the goal. It’s one of the things that stands out even today. He’s more focused,” Jahleel said.

After graduating from Beaufort High School in 2018, Witter made the decision to attend Benedict College, a historically black college (HBCU), on a full academic scholarship. He also joined the school’s track team as a decathlete. He focused on his studies and athletics until fate stepped in one morning during track practice.

“The rest is history. He was serious, he was all the way locked in,” Robertson said. “He was a great athlete, he was a great student, his GPA was high, he was a Campus Cadet with the Campus Police Department, and so the bench point for greatness started right then.”

Witter cut his hair, enlisted in the Army National Guard, and took a semester off to attend Basic Advanced Individual Training.

Back from training and officially enrolled in Army ROTC, Witter began to look at his future options. Already a Criminal Justice major, he thought joining the Military Intelligence branch would partner well with his current studies … until he was introduced to helicopters.

“When I made the promise to my mom that I would take care of him, I meant that on all aspects of anything that I could possibly do to make things better or his life easier, it’s what I do.”

Witter took his brother’s promise to heart, and it resonates with him today, remaining a prime focus for his leadership intentions as a future officer in the Army.

“Him putting his life on pause, it was a really big sacrifice for me, and that’s what drives me,” Witter said.

“I’m not an aggressive leader but having the experiences that I do – most people haven’t had their parents die – so carrying that with me will help me understand how to treat people and understand their experiences.”

Corey Witter is an Army ROTC Cadet who lost his mother when he was 14 years old. His older brother became Corey’s legal guardian and encouraged him to remain devoted to his future goals. Witter is currently an MSIV Cadet at Benedict College who branched aviation. He begins his training after graduation and commissioning in the spring. Photos courtesy of Corey Witter.

Corey Witter (right) is an Army ROTC Cadet who lost his mother when he was 14. His older brother, Jahleel (left), became Corey’s legal guardian and encouraged him to remain devoted to his future goals. Witter is currently an MSIV Cadet at Benedict College.

Disability Housing Grants for veterans

This week I had a question from a 100%-service-connected disabled veteran and his son on VA housing assistance and disability housing grants. The veteran is a senior and an amputee, and his son is his primary care giver.

Because of their need for information, I decided to write this week’s and next week’s articles on disability housing grants.

Warning

One warning before you decide to file for a Disability Housing Grant. The application and appeal (if you need to appeal a VA decision) processes are complicated. There are dozens of VA websites, guidebooks, videos, and fact sheets available on Disability Housing Grants and appeals. This is one area where veterans need the help of a VA-accredited Representative (a Veterans Service Officer, Attorney, or Claims Agent).

According to the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Disability Housing Grants For Veterans webpage https://www.va.gov/ housing-assistance/disability-housing-grants/, the VA offers housing grants for veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities so that the veteran can buy or change a home to meet their needs and live more independent-

ly. Changing a home might involve installing ramps or widening doorways.

Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) eligibility for a veteran’s permanent home Veterans may be able to get a Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant if they use the grant money to buy, build, or change their permanent home (a home the veteran plans to live in for a long time) and the veteran meets both of these requirements.

The veteran owns or will own the home, and ...

The veteran has a qualifying service-connected disability

Qualifying serviceconnected disabilities include:

The loss or loss of use of more than one limb.

The loss or loss of use of a lower leg along with the residuals (lasting effects) of an organic (natural) disease or injury.

Blindness in both eyes (with 20/200 visual acuity or less).

Certain severe burns.

The loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity (foot or leg) after September 11, 2001, which makes it so the veteran cannot balance or walk without the help of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair.

Only 120 Veterans and service members each fiscal year (FY) can qualify for a grant based on the loss of one extremity after September 11, 2001, as set by Congress. A fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. If a veteran qualifies for a grant in the current fiscal year but they can’t receive it because of the 120-grant limit, the veteran may be able to receive this benefit in future years.

Grant Type 1 – Specially Adapted Housing (SAH)

Grant Funding Limit for a veteran’s permanent home

If a veteran qualifies for an SAH grant, they can get up to $109,986.00 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. This is the current total maximum amount allowed for SAH grants.

Grant Type 2 – Special Home Adaptation (SHA)

Grant for a veteran’s premanent home

Veterans may be able to get an SHA grant if they use the grant money to buy, build, or change their permanent home (a home the veteran plans to live in for a long time) and the veteran meets both of these requirements: The veteran or a family member own or will own the home, and … The veteran has a qualifying service-connected disability.

Qualifying serviceconnected disabilities include:

The loss or loss of use of both hands. Certain severe burns. Certain respiratory or breathing injuries.

Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant Funding Limit for a veteran’s permanent home

If a veteran qualifies for an SHA grant, he or she can get up to $22,036.00 for FY 2023. This is the current total maximum amount allowed for SHA grants.

Veterans do not have to use the Total Grant Amount this year

If a veteran is eligible for an SAH or SHA

grant, they can use money from their grant up to six different times over their lifetime.

Depending on the adaptations the veteran needs, and the bid from the veteran’s builder, the veteran can use as much or as little of their grant as they need this year. If a veteran does not use the full amount, they can use more money from the grant in future years.

The VA may adjust the total maximum amount each year based on the cost of construction. A veteran may receive up to the current total maximum amount for the last year the veteran uses the grant.

Grant Eligibility for a temporary home

Veterans may be able to get a Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grant if he or she meets both of these requirements.

The veteran qualifies for an SAH or SHA grant, and …

The veteran is living temporarily in a family member’s home that needs changes to meet their needs. (To use a TRA grant, you don’t have to own the house.)

Learn about eligibility for SAH or SHA grants at http://bit.ly/3YNXleK

Grant Type 3 – Specially Adapted Housing (SAH)

Grant Funding Limit for a veteran’s temporary home

If a veteran qualifies for an SAH grant, the veteran can get up to $44,299 through the TRA grant program for FY 2023.

Grant Type 4 – Special Home Adaptation (SHA)

Grant for a veteran’s temporary home

If a veteran qualifies for an SHA grant, the veteran can get up to $7,910 through the TRA grant program for FY 2023.

Next week’s article will cover how to apply for an SAH or SHA grant, using a VSO, and other resources. You can read more than 100 articles on veterans’ benefits written by Larry Dandridge and published in The Island News at www.yourislandnews.com

Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing freelance writer with The Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.

U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 115 give flowers to Sgt. Maj. Joshua Toles, outgoing sergeant major, VMFA-115, Marine Aircraft Group 31, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, and family. Sgt. Maj. Toles was recognized for his service, leadership and dedication to the unit as he relinquished his duties to the incoming Sergeant Major. Photos by Lance Cpl. Nathan Saucier/USMC

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Marc Pegram, incoming sergeant major, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 115, Marine Aircraft Group 31, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, receives a mameluke sword from

Col. Shannon Waller, commanding officer, VMFA-115, MAG-31, during the January

and Appointment ceremony at MCAS Beaufort. The relinquishing of the sword represents the passing of duties and responsibilities of one Sergeant Major to another.

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All Grown Up

What Would the Church Look Like Today?

The Acts of the Apostles is like a baby photo of the early Church. We witness the growth of a beautiful family of faith, formed by Jesus and guided by the Holy Spirit. Through this family, known as the Church, Jesus continues his ministry and cares for his people. Nearly two thousand years have passed since this portrait was taken.

As adults, we don’t look exactly like our baby pictures. Our faces have lost their chubby cuteness, and our arms and legs have gotten longer. But many important attributes remain unchanged, such as our eye color or our number of limbs. Similarly, if the Church described in Acts continued to this day, we would expect it to have grown and matured, while retaining the essential characteristics seen in its infancy.

The Church would look a lot different today.

Just as a child grows and learns over time, we would expect the Church to develop over the years. As Christians reflect on the teachings of Jesus, the truths of the faith would gradually become clarified and more clearly understood. As the faithful seek to grow in their relationship with Jesus, new spiritual customs and manners of prayer would gradually develop. External characteristics may have changed, but it would still be the same Church found in Acts.

In its essentials, the Church would still be the same. As we explored in previous messages, there are many aspects of the early Church that are essential to its identity and mission, and thus we would still expect to find them in the Church today. The Church would be one Church, visibly united in teaching and worship. It would not be limited to one area, language, or cultural group, but rather would unite the human race as one spiritual family. Its leaders would have authority that has been passed down from the apostles. Its faithful will all struggle with sin, but for those who seek to know and love Jesus, they will find all they need to become holy.

We should still expect to find this Church today.

Jesus intended to continue his ministry through his family of faith, the Church. People will always need to hear his teachings, to be fed with the Bread of Life, to be healed and forgiven. Since these needs of the human heart will never disappear, the Church is meant to continue until the end of time. This is why Jesus promised the apostles: “I will be with you always, until the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20)

We believe that the Catholic Church is this same Church. We are not just Catholic Christians because our parents raised us this way, or because of the spiritual comfort we receive from our faith. We are Christians because we believe that Jesus is truly God. We are Catholic Christians because we believe that the Catholic Church is the same Church found in the Acts of the Apostles, but grown up. It is the Church started by Jesus, and through it he still ministers to us today. In our next message series, we will explore reasons for this belief.