February 2 edition

LIZ FARRELL

This is why I was dreading this trial

WALTERBORO

About five years ago, I covered a murder trial in Ridgeland.

A young mother of three was strangled to death by her boyfriend.

When law enforcement arrived, they found her two sons huddled behind a dirty mattress propped against a wall. Her infant daughter was crying out for her.

The boyfriend admitted to getting violent with the woman but denied killing her.

To show the jury just how brutal and inhumane her death was — how indisputably intentional it was — prosecutor Hunter Swanson from the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office counted out 30 long and painful seconds on the clock, a fraction of the time this man had held his hands around the woman’s neck before she died.

At any moment he could have stopped, Swanson said. But he chose not to.

The woman’s sister and friends sat shoulder to shoulder and became so distraught and angry at one point that the judge had to warn them to stay calm.

After finding the boyfriend guilty, the jury remained in the courtroom to hear his sentencing. One juror sat with her arm around another who wept.

When the foreman talked to me afterward, he too became emotional.

I cried for most of the drive home.

SEE FARRELL PAGE A5

Hamar’s Cup comes home

By Mike McCombs The Island News

It’s not the holy grail. But relative to the history of Beaufort, it’s not far off.

On January 23, the Historic Beaufort Foundation (HBF) successfully bid on an historic silver cup and cap commissioned in 1748 and presented by “the Gentlemen of Port Royal” to British Capt. Joseph Hamar, commander of His Majesty’s ship Adventure, for

protective services around Beaufort and Port Royal.

It is a one-of-a-kind artifact distinctly tied to Beaufort’s history that, despite its importance, almost nobody even knew existed.

“None of the historians knew about the cup,” HBF Executive Director Cynthia Jenkins said. “They knew about Hamar and the Adventure … but it’s been in private hands all these years.”

BOE will rule on 9 more book appeals

By Mike McCombs

The Island News

The Beaufort County School District’s (BCSD) book review wheels keep turning.

At least one of the two original complainants have appealed the review committee’s decisions for each of the nine books returned to circulation in some fashion after the committees’ Thursday, Jan. 19 meeting.

Neither of the original complainants — Ivie Szalai or Mike Covert — appealed Committee 10’s decision to remove It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover from circulation in the BCSD. It will remain out of circulation in the district for five years, according to policy.

The decisions on the other nine books — all appealed by Szalai — went as follows:

Committee No. 7: Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur – returned to grades 9-12 only.

Committee No. 8: The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell – returned to grades 9-12 only.

Committee No. 9: Looking for Alaska by John Green – returned to grades 9-12 only.

Committee No. 11: Impulse by Ellen Hopkins – returned to grades 9-12 only.

Committee No. 12: Glass by Ellen Hopkins – returned to grades 9-12 only.

Committee No. 13: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous – returned to grades 9-12 only.

Hamar’s Cup was given to Sotheby’s to auction by a family on New York City’s upper east side, according to Jenkins, and someone tipped her off about its existence.

Jenkins said HBF bid on the silver cup and cap in partnership with a number of donors who contributed to a special fund for the purchase. She declined to

SEE CUP PAGE A4

Committee No. 14: Crank by Ellen Hopkins – returned to grades 9-12 only.

Committee No. 15: Thirteen

Reasons Why by Jay Asher – returned to circulation.

Committee No. 16: The Poet X by Elizabeth Aceveda – returned to grades 9-12 only.

Covert did not appeal the decisions of Committees 15 and 16.

The fate of these nine books will ultimately fall to the Board of Education. While a date to decide the

SEE APPEALS PAGE A5

DragonBoat Beaufort looking hard for a home

Nonprofit needs dock space to continue paddling program, outreach

By Mike McCombs

The Island News

Over the past 10 years, DragonBoat Beaufort has lent a big hand to help area cancer survivors. Now,

the organization itself needs a helping hand.

Greg Rawls, a Beaufort artist, has been a member since the nonprofit started 10 years ago. He’s done all the jobs, he said. President, vice president, race director, board of directors.

Rawls says DragonBoat Beaufort, a nonprofit partner of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, is soon to be homeless if the orga-

nization can’t secure dock space from which to operate.

According to Rawls, the group started its paddling program for cancer survivors and supporters a decade ago out of the former Port Royal Landing Marina until it was bought by Safe Harbor. The group then moved temporarily to a private dock in Cottage Farm until it

SEE HOME PAGE A3

DragonBoat Beaufort’s paddling program is supposed to start in March. But without dock space, that won’t happen. Photo courtesy of Sun City Photography Club.

HBF buys one-of-a-kind artifact commissioned by ‘Gentlemen of Port Royal’

The 1748 silver cup and cap awarded in gratitude to British Capt. Joseph Hamar for protecting Port Royal and Beaufort. Photo courtesy of the Historic Beaufort Foundation.

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

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Videographer Delayna Earley delayna. theislandnews@ gmail.com

Alain Scepkowaki of Lady’s Island took this picture of a sunrise over Port Royal in early January. 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 BRUCE KINSEY

Beaufort’s Bruce Kinsey, 76, joined the United States Marine Corps in Kenmore, N.Y. in 1963. After boot camp at Parris Island and infantry training at Camp Lejeune, he was assigned to training in San Diego as a Radio/Telegraph Operator before assignment to a unit at Camp Pendleton. His next assignment was at Twentynine Palms, Calif. He then served in Vietnam as a field communica-

Bruce Kinsey

tor on the ground working near Chu Lai and northward into the DMZ and probably North Viet

nam. His unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their near constant combat. He finally ended up in Hue before transfer to Okinawa. His final duty station was at Camp Geiger, N.C., from which he separated as a Corporal in 1969. He used his GI Bill at the State University of New York, finally earning a MS(AE) degree. He participated in the first VA study about PTSD and

worked with at-risk children, both in New England and here in Beaufort and as a design engineer. He moved to Beaufort in 1991 . He volunteers at Parris Island to help new recruits adjust and with the Beaufort Symphony.

– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 9. For nominations, contact jechubb 1 @gmail.com

Search For Stuarts Town continues with Saturday Symposium

From staff reports

A free public symposium to discuss the Search for Stuarts Town, the project to look for evidence of the lost Scottish colony, will be held from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4, at the USCB Center for the Arts Auditorium.

In August of 2022, a team of archaeologists from the University of South Carolina’s Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA) and the University of Florida spent a week doing an exploratory dig in The Point neighborhood of Beaufort – searching for the lost 17th Century Scottish colony of Stuarts Town.

All of the collected materials have been at the SCIAA laboratories in Columbia where, for these past few months, they have been meticulously cleaned, examined, and catalogued. The symposium on Feb. 4, will be the first public presentation of what was found, what it may (or may not) mean, and future plans for The Search for Stuarts Town project.

The symposium will include presentations on the history of Stuarts Town, the archaeological search for its remains, the history of the Yamasee Indians who were

ON THIS DATE

February 2

allies of the Stuarts Town colonists, and the archaeology of the nearby Yamasee town of Pocotaligo – where the 1715 Yamasee War began.

Professors participating from the University of South Carolina are Chester DePratter and Larry Rowland; from the University of Florida is Charles Cobb; from the University of Texas is Peter Moore; from the University of North Florida is Denise Bossy; and from the University of Michigan is doctoral candidate Hannah Hoover. Learn about the findings, future

plans, and the latest scholarship regarding both Stuarts Town and the Yamasee Indians. Afterwards, take the opportunity to meet the speakers and purchase a signed copy of Dr. Moore’s new book, Carolina’s Lost Colony: Stuarts Town and the Struggle for Survival in Early South Carolina. Lobby doors open to the public at 12:30, and seating begins at 12:45 on a first-come first-served basis.

Sent out by the City of Beaufort, SC on behalf of the: Stuarts Town Action Group, Dr. Chester DePratter, StuartsTownActionGroup@ gmail.com, www.stuartstown.com

1926: Beaufort County Sheriff James Edwin McTeer died. His son, also James Edwin McTeer, would be appointed nine days later to complete his term in office.

February 3

1779: The Battle of Port Royal Island, sometimes called the Battle of Beaufort or the Battle of Gray’s Hill, occurred near what is now Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort on U.S. 21 west of downtown Beaufort. After the British captured Savannah, Ga., on Dec. 29, 1778, they wanted to establish a base of operations on Port Royal Island, allowing them to stage an attack by land and water on Charleston. British General Augustine Prevost sent Major James Gardiner and 200 men to capture Fort Lyttleton on the island. General Benjamin Lincoln responded by sending General William Moultrie and a well-armed force of 300 men to meet Gardiner. The two armies met just outside of Beaufort on February 3. The British and the patriots, after exchanging heavy fire for 45 minutes, started to run low on ammunition and decided to withdraw. However, when Moultrie learned Gardiner was retreating, he sent his cavalry in pursuit. The cavalry chased the British and captured a few men, but the British left the island — and the field of battle — to the Americans.

– Compiled by Mike McCombs

PAL PETS OF THE WEEK

Cat of the Week: Ambrosia knows how beautiful she is. Ambrosia has a true calico temperament where it is her way or the highway. She currently resides in our warehouse where she can have her me time. She would be a wonderful addition to a single person or couple who likes an independent cat. Her personality is best described as lady boss. Ambrosia is 2 years old, spayed, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped.

Dog of the Week: Rosie originally came to PAL in the fall of 2012, she has since been in and out of homes. Rosie is a senior gal who deserves to spend her golden years in a quiet loving home. She greatly enjoys her outings with our kennel team and volunteers. Rosie is 10 years old, spayed, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped.

If you are interested in adopting Ambrosia, Rosie, 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.

SALES/BUSINESS

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

Accounting April Ackerman april@ aandbbookkeeping. com

Billing questions only.

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

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All content of The Island News, including articles, photos, editorial content, letters, art and advertisements, are copyrighted by The Island News and Island News Publishing, LLC, 2022, all rights reserved. The Island News encourages reader submissions via email to theislandnews@gmail.com. All content submitted is considered approved for publication by the owner unless otherwise stated. The Island News is designed to inform and entertain readers and all efforts for accuracy are made.

Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Island News, its publisher or editors. Content published from Care Magazine® is intended as a reference and options source only, not as a guide to self-treatment or substitute for profession medical advice. It is provided for educational purpose only. Readers assume full responsibility for how this information is used. The Island News reserves the right to refuse to sell advertising space, or to publish information, for any business or activity the newspaper deems inappropriate for the publication.

Park Service seeks public input on Beaufort National Historic Landmark District Study

From staff reports

The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking the public’s input on the initial findings from its study of South Carolina’s Beaufort National Historic Landmark District (NHLD). The public comment period on the district’s Integrity and Condition Assessment Study will open through March 11 and includes opportunities to submit written comments and participate in public meetings.

The draft study and key findings — completed under contract by LG2 Environmental Solutions, Inc. — identifies the district’s current condition, key threats and development options supporting the district’s long-term preservation. The study also recognizes local preservation success and further recommendations for future preservation efforts.

“The study’s goal is to assess the district’s current health as a national historic landmark and aid stewardship,” said Alesha Cerny, a historian with the National Historic Landmarks Program. “Public

Home

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was able to secure a more appropriate home at the Port Royal Sound Foundation.

However, Rawls said DragonBoat was informed last fall by the Foundation that the group could not return and it has been looking for a new home ever since.

Rawls said that search has not been going well.

“We usually start the paddling season in March,” Rawls said. “Obviously, we

input is essential to the process and will help ensure a full range of factors are considered.”

Opportunities for public comment

The NPS welcomes public comments on the draft Beaufort NHLD Integrity and Condition Study prior to finalizing the report later this year. The NPS will host two in-person public meetings with opportunities to provide feedback at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.,

Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the Beaufort City Hall Municipal Complex, second floor Council Chambers located at 1911 Boundary Street.

Written comments may also be submitted for consideration in the study:

Online (the preferred method): Visit https://parkplanning. nps.gov/beaufort. Select “Open for Comment” on the left menu bar, open the “February 2023 Public Meetings” folder and click on the green “Comment Now” button to access the online commenting form; or

can delay that as long as we have to, but at some point, if you don’t have a program to participate in, they’ll go elsewhere.”

In addition to the paddling program, DragonBoat Beaufort has put on a successful DragonBoat Race Day nine times. Race Day attracts thousands of people to Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, including several hundred people from out of town, benefiting Beaufort businesses.

Most importantly, Race Day has raised more than $250,000 which the non-

By Postal Mail: Write to Alesha Cerny,

Attn: Beaufort NHLD Study, National Park Service, 100 Alabama Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30303

Written comments on the draft study must be submitted online or be postmarked by March 11 to be considered.

Additionally, NPS will host a series of listening sessions with community members directly involved in the management of the district, including local government officials, business owners, preservation experts and others to gain a greater understanding of their efforts to preserve the district.

About the Beaufort National Historic Landmark District Designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 1973, the Beaufort National Historic Landmark District reflects three centuries of history and is significant for its antebellum history and architecture as well as its role in the Civil War

profit has funneled back into the community by supporting cancer patients who live, work or receive treatment in Beaufort County.

“We cover what insurance doesn’t,” Rawls said. “We can help with rent, utilities, food costs, even transportation to appointments and treatments. We even had some poor lady who lost her teeth during treatment, and we got her dentures.”

Rawls said that for DragonBoat Beaufort to be successful, it needs all three components – the paddling program, the DragonBoat

and Reconstruction Era. Having architecture different from that of Savannah and Charleston, Beaufort has preserved a number of distinctive “lowcountry” houses from the 18th and early 19th centuries. Typical houses have two-story verandas and airy, open interiors. Several buildings, foundations and other character-defining elements of the district are built of tabby, an important regional building material composed of oyster shells, lime and sand mixed with seawater.

About the National Historic Landmarks Program National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places that have exceptional abilities to illustrate and interpret American cultural heritage. The National Historic Landmarks Program, established in 1935, is administered by the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior and is responsible for helping to preserve and pro-

Race Day and the end game –the outreach program to the actual cancer patients.

The organization’s fear, Rawls said, is if lack of dock space eliminates the paddling program, there is no organization to put on Race Day. And without Race Day, the group will not raise the funds necessary to support its much-needed outreach program.

Dock space is hard enough to come by. Exacerbating the situation, DragonBoat needs a lot of it.

“A DragonBoat is 42 feet long, and it takes 10 people

tect the almost 2,600 NHLs in the United States.

The agency works with preservation officials, private property owners and other partners interested in nominating properties for National Historic Landmark designation. The program provides states and local communities with technical assistance, recognition and funding to help preserve our nation’s shared history and create close-to-home recreation opportunities.

The NPS is the federal agency charged with monitoring the overall health of NHLs. As stated in the program’s regulations, the NPS is to maintain a continuing relationship with the owners of NHLs. Periodic visits, contacts with State Historic Preservation Officers, reports and other means are used to determine whether landmarks retain their integrity, to advise owners concerning accepted preservation standards and techniques, and to update administrative records on the properties.

just to put it in and take it out,” Rawls said. “We also have a 20-foot pontoon we use for safety. It goes out every time a DragonBoat goes out.

“We fully acknowledge that’s a lot of dock space.”

Rawls wants to be clear, while “free” or “donated” are always the most beneficial words for a nonprofit to hear, DragonBoat can negotiate a modest dock fee.

“We would, of course, prefer a donation, but we can pay something,” Rawls said. “We can’t pay market rates, but we have a membership

fee that goes toward the paddling programs and we could adjust that accordingly.”

But Rawls said the group just hasn’t had any luck, despite talking to just about everybody they can think of.

“We just keep hitting dead ends,” he said. “We feel like if we just get out the word to the world, maybe we’ll reach somebody who knows something we don’t know or has access to a dock we don’t know about.”

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

Nationally Ranked Health Care

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.

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 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.

BMH named Top Hospital I

n January, team members throughout Beaufort Memorial hospital celebrated the hospital being recognized as one of America’s Top Hospitals for patient safety and quality of care. The celebration included the unveiling of the Top Hospital plaque in the hospital lobby and distribution of cookies to staff and providers.

Beaufort Memorial is among only 5% of U.S. hospitals to earn the Top Hospital designation from The Leapfrog Group, a national hospital safety watchdog organization.

“This type of recognition can only be achieved with a hospital-wide commitment to safety, involving everyone from our housekeeping and food service staffs to the nurses, doctors, and technicians on our medical team,” BMH President and CEO Russell Baxley said. “Their hard work and vigilance to keep patients, visitors and each other safe is central to the values we hold as an organization.

I am proud to work alongside this amazing team.”

Photos courtesy of Beaufort Memorial Hospital

Wilson asks SC Supreme Court to reconsider Fetal Heartbeat Law

From staff reports South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson petitioned the South Carolina Supreme Court on Monday, Jan. 30, asking it to rehear its ruling on the state’s Fetal

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Heartbeat law.

“Today, we filed in the South Carolina Supreme Court our petition to rehear the Fetal Heartbeat Law ruling. We respectfully disagree with the Court’s decision

ing to Sotheby’s.

and believe the intent of the South Carolina Constitution is clear. The framers of our privacy provision did not conceive this provision as creating a right to abortion.”

The South Carolina Su-

share the purchase price with The Island News

The cup was item No. 828 at the Jan. 23 auction – “George II Silver Presentation Cup and Cover of South Carolina Interest. Thomas Heming, London, dated 1748.” Its estimated sale price, according to Sotheby’s, was $15,000 to $25,000.

Turns out that estimate was a bit low. The cup and cap sold for $56,700.

Wayne Vance, chair of the Historic Beaufort Foundation Board of Trustees, applauded the purchase. “This is an exceptional accomplishment, to bring home to Port Royal Island the original silver cup from 1748 that meant so much to our young town 274 years ago,” Vance said in HBF’s news release. “To secure the actual antique cup, not a reproduction, and to eventually make it accessible to the public, is remarkable. We want to thank everyone who contributed to make this possible.”

“It’s so rare to have anything from Beaufort that early that’s this quality,” Jenkins said. “Our board was determined that it should become to Beaufort.”

About the cup and cap

According to Sotheby’s, there are few comparable items to this 13.5-inch silver cup and cap crafted by Thomas Heming of London. The auction house’s experts said the Heming cup and cover “is among the earliest and most sophisticated examples of rococo silver which can be linked to the American Colonies.”

Heming began his apprenticeship in London in 1738. The South Carolina cup represents his very early work. It was crafted well before he would go on to be named Principal Goldsmith to King George III in 1760, accord-

The item was listed by Sotheby’s as a “George II Silver Presentation Cup and Cover of South Carolina Interest, Thomas Heming, London, dated 1748 … of double-bellied rococo form, the scroll-edged foot case with trailing grapevine, continuing up the body and extended by engraved representations, flanking two rococo cartouches engraved with contemporary arms and presentation inscription, matching cover with crest and motto below grape cluster finial, scroll handles topped by caryatids of a bacchante and a satyr with grape cluster and pan pipes, marked under foot with lion passant, leopard’s head crowned, and maker’s mark twice, one obscuring another mark.”

Colonists from South Carolina commissioned the silver cup less than 40 years before the American Revolution and less than 40 years after Beaufort was founded in 1711.

“It’s in extremely good shape, with beautiful markings and no scratches,” Jenkins said. “An extremely beautiful piece.”

The inscription on the cup reads:

The Gentlemen of Port Royal

So: Carolina

Present this Plate to Captn: Hamar

Comdr: of his Majts Ship Adventure. in

Gratefull Acknowledgment of his Services

Done to this Port in ye Year

1748

Why Hamar’s cup was important Prominent Beaufort historian Larry Rowland, Ph.D., didn’t have any knowledge of this cup until recently.

“No, I had no idea,” he said. “I doubt if anybody in Beaufort had any idea.”

preme Court on January 5 held that the Fetal Heartbeat Act was unconstitutional, ruling the law violates a woman’s constitutional right to privacy, as guaranteed by the South Carolina

And then he read what was inscribed on the cup.

“As soon as I read the inscription on it, I knew what it was about,” he said. “(HBF) just needed to decide what to bid on it.”

In the years before the cup and cap were made, Beaufort and Port Royal, as well as Charleston, were struggling to develop in terms of commerce and shipping thanks to almost constant naval warfare between British Charleston, and Spanish and French privateers.

During King George’s War (the War of Jenkins’ Ear), the British were fighting Spanish Florida, and possession of Georgia was in the balance. It was a principal event in Beaufort and Port Royal.

In 1740, S.C./Georgia forces under General James Oglethorpe laid siege to St, Petersburg. Oglethorpe eventually failed, and the naval war that followed was costly to Charleston commerce.

The Spanish were clearly winning the naval war in the 1740s. The colonists lobbied the Royal Navy to base ships at Port Royal. The British chose Port Royal over Charleston because the harbor was deeper and there was a natural formation of the riverbank, where Ribaut Road exists now, that allowed them to lift ships in the water and work on them at low tide.

“It was really the first Royal Naval establishment in Carolina,” Rowland said.

Capt. Hamar, the first commander of the Royal Naval Station in Port Royal, and his ship, the HMS Adventure, helped turn the tide and successfully defended Beaufort and Port Royal from the Spanish.

“It’s easy for us to forget today how important the maritime location of Beaufort was,” Jenkins said. “And it’s what makes it special today.”

According to Rowland, the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in October 1748 ended King George’s War and the Anglo-Spanish dispute over Georgia.

Constitution. The Court ruled that the S.C. constitutional right to privacy includes a woman’s decision to have an abortion. The Court said the State “has the authority to

Stability and economic benefits brought by the presence of the Royal Navy ships helped establish Beaufort and Port Royal as centers for commercial shipping.

This is where the “Gentlemen of Port Royal” came into play.

Obviously a group of prominent citizens, the “Gentlemen” commissioned the cup and cap as a gift to Hamar for his defense of Beaufort and Port Royal.

But who were the “Gentlemen of Port Royal?”

Rowland didn’t hesitate to give “his best guess,” saying he had little doubt who two of the “Gentelmen” were.

“One was Lt. Gov. William Bull of Sheldon,” Rowland said. “(This victory) would have been very important to him personally and politically. And he was one of richest people in America at the time.”

The other?

“Col. Nathaniel Barnwell,” Rowland said. “The eldest son of Tuscarora Jack (John Barnwell), Oglthorpe’s aide de camp. He would have been most interested and he could afford it.”

Rowland said, “Those two I’m sure are two of the ‘Gentlemen of Port Royal.’ ... I’d be really guessing at any more.”

Rowland said, more than just a rare piece for its artistic value, it was rare as a reward for service.

There were often cash prizes, sometimes even land given for services provided, but “this is a little different,” said Rowland.

Coming home

According to Jenkins, Beaufort expanded its boundaries in honor of Capt. Hamar.

“… the city was expanded,” Jenkins said. “(Beaufort) added two new streets. It had stopped at Bladen Street according to the early maps.”

Two new streets, now within Beaufort’s National Historic Landmark district, Hamar and Adventure, were named in honor of the 1748 heroics, and Capt.

limit the right of privacy that protects women from state interference with her decision,” but any limitation must be reasonable and meaningful in relation to the time frames imposed.

Hamar was gifted two lots on the street bearing his name.

Capt. Hamar didn’t stay in Beaufort long, though. He left the Adventure in 1749.

As of now, no one knows if Hamar was given the cup in Beaufort, or if the cup ever actually made it to Beaufort at all. Jenkins and Rowland both say they’re doing their homework, trying to find out.

It could be just as likely he received the cup in London.

Hamar retired from British service in 1758 and died in 1773, just before the American Revolution.

He willed the Cup and Cap from the Merchants Of Carolina to his daughter Mary Elizabeth Hamar Arden. From her, it eventually made its way to Sotheby’s.

“It’s a big story as a historian,” Rowland said. “It’s a sort of keystone of our colonial history with the Spanish in Florida. A big piece of history.”

“To see this item come up for auction, with its direct and historic ties to Beaufort and Port Royal, really was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Vance said.

It will likely be a couple more weeks before it makes its way to Beaufort, maybe for the first time.

Now that the HBF has the Cup and Cap, Jenkins’ isn’t certain what comes next. They want to display the piece for the public to appreciate, but they honestly don’t know exactly how they’ll do that.

“The attitude was, ‘we need to see if we can get it to Beaufort, and then we’ll figure all that out,’” Jenkins said.

Jenkins does know one thing for sure though.

“I know that we won’t be drinking out of it,” she laughed. “They did. That’s what they did, that’s what it was used for. But I think if we do anything, we’d be handling it with white gloves.”

Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached

A ‘romantic’ night of music from Beaufort Symphony Orchestra

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

BEAUFORT – The Beaufort Symphony Orchestra held their second concert of their 2022-2023 Concert Series on Sunday, Jan. 29, at Beaufort High School Performing Arts Center.

The concert featured guest artist Susan Merdinger, an internationally acclaimed pianist, who accompanied the orchestra as they played Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23.

The first time Merdinger performed with the orchestra was in Oct. 2021.

VIDEO For a short video related to this story, follow this electronic link or visit https://youtu.be/ e6A4t6ozRCg.

The theme for Sunday’s concert was “Romantic Celebration,” and in addition to the piece by Tchaikovsky, the orchestra

played Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Opus 56 “Scottish” by Felix Mendelssohn.

The next concert in the series will take place March 5 and will feature music with an “Americana” theme.

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.

Guest artist Susan Merdinger, seated, plays a little Chopin on the piano after performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concert No. 1 on Sunday at the Beaufort High School Performing Center. More than 220 people attend the concert that wrapped up with Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

‘Cross That River’ hits Beaufort for 1 night only

From staff reports

A quarter of the cowhands in the West were Black. A Harlem composer found a way to honor their history.

“Cross That River” represents a significant moment in American history where Black cowboys lived and helped settle the West. It is a story that’s never been told in this way.

And this critically acclaimed musical will appear at USC Beaufort’s Center For The Arts for one night only –

WANT TO GO?

What: “Cross That River”

When: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3

Where: USCB Center For The Arts

Tickets: On sale now — $35 for adults, $25 for students and $30 for seniors and military at this digital link or USCBCenterForTheArts. com

Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. The unsettled West of the 1860s provides a new life

and new dreams for Blue, a run-away slave, who escapes from slavery to Texas to become one of America’s first Black cowboys. This compelling tale of freedom integrates fiction with historical fact, and each song presents a different page in this complicated chapter of American history.

The story of Blue begins in Louisiana, and with every song of this highly-infectious score, the audience is moved further along on Blue’s har-

rowing journey across the Sabine River to freedom in the Wild West. Each song tells a unique story, at times joyful, sometimes tragic, but mostly a poignant chronicle of enduring perseverance.

Award-winning musician, Allan Harris wrote Cross That River to tell the untold story of the Black West and empower Americans with an inspiring story of hope and freedom.

Educational outreach is an important component of this

thrilling and relevant musical tale that performed for a multiple-week Off-Broadway run to great critical acclaim.

Tickets are on sale now for $35 for adults, $25 for students and $30 for seniors and military.

Here are just a few of the memorable reviews for “Cross That River:”

“The voice of a benign storyteller, a deeply romantic true believe with a heroic vision of American history

Free income tax preparation available at library

From staff reports

The Beaufort County Library continues the long-standing tradition of hosting free tax preparation assistance for Beaufort County citizens provided by Lowcountry Area VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

In collaboration with the Beaufort County Human Services Alliance, United Way of the Lowcountry, Inc., the Lowcountry Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to persons generally earning $60,000

annually or less, differently-abled persons, persons 60 and older, and limited English-speaking persons.

Further details about VITA services is available at http://bit.ly/3JEb6Ii

To volunteer or obtain more information, contact Volunteer Program Coordinator Sherry Halphen at lowcountryvitacoalition@ gmail.com or call 843-8372000.

VITA tax assistance will be available at the following library locations: Lobeco Library: 1862 Trask Parkway, Saturdays (February 4 – April 15), 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

NEWS BRIEFS

Planning and Zoning revised fee schedule went into effect

Wednesday

Beaufort County Council recently passed a resolution revising fees for the Planning and Zoning Department. The fee increases will help continue to cover the costs provided by the department and provide necessary resources to all County residents and businesses. The item was passed at the Monday, January 9 regular County Council meeting. A complete list of the fee changes can be found on the Planning and Zoning Department webpage at https://bit.ly/3XTfR5g

Farrell

from page A1

Grief caused by another’s evil act becomes breathable in a courtroom.

It is dark and demoralizing to hear how a man can take a mother’s life.

It is almost impossible not to become affected by the raw pain of those seeking an explanation to the unexplainable.

These stories can be difficult to cover and, if I’m not careful, they can bring me to the most lost of places.

This is why I was dreading the murder trial of Alex Murdaugh.

Murdaugh not only stands accused of killing his wife, Maggie, a mother of two, he is charged with

• St. Helena Library:

6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, Wednesdays (February 1 – April 12), 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Beaufort Library: 311 Scott Street, Mondays & Thursdays (February 6 – April 13), 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Closed February 20

• Bluffton Library: 120 Palmetto Way, Open February 6 – April 10; Mondays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (February 25, March 11, March 25, April 8 by appointment only, call 251-616-0551

or email blufftonvita@ gmail.com); Closed: February 20

Volunteers with the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation program are providing tax preparation and e-filing service to local Beaufort County residents at the Bluffton and Hilton Head branch libraries.

Bluffton Branch Library Appointments are required and must be scheduled online. Appointment times will be scheduled on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting February 1. For questions, contact 843580-6321.

For questions and more information, please call the Beaufort County Planning and Zoning Department at 843-255-2140.

League of Women Voters Beaufort February meeting set for Feb. 9

The League of Women Voters Beaufort is holding their General Membership February meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9 in the Meeting Room of the Sea Island Presbyterian Church on Lady’s Island. Discussions at the meeting will center on topics suggested by members involving sub-

killing their 22-year-old son Paul.

Now that we are in the second week of testimony, though, it’s clear that this will be a different type of murder trial for me … for a lot of reasons.

The first is that the details of Maggie’s and Paul’s deaths — so far — have come largely from Murdaugh’s defense team and not the prosecution.

To create cognitive dissonance among the jury — to get them to look at Murdaugh and think “Him?

No way” — Murdaugh’s lead attorney Dick Harpootlian has taken his script from a slasher movie, using the most gratuitous of terms to describe what happened to them.

“Butchered! Slaughtered! Brains!”

Because of this, Maggie and Paul have become caricatures — D-list actors — in the story of

their demise.

Hilton Head Branch Library

Walk-ins are welcome every Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., starting Tuesday, Feb. 7 and will continue through Tuesday, April 11. For questions, contact 843-564-8449.

Visit AARP Tax-Aide for further information. For details regarding tax help at the library, please visit the Library’s Tax Help page.

For more information regarding BCL programs and events, please contact Theresa Furbish, Programs and Events Librarian, at 843-255-6442 or theresa. furbish@bcgov.net

jects of interest locally and statewide that could become projects for the LWVB to pursue in 2023.

General membership meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month and are open to the public. Future meetings will be held on March 9, April 13, May 11 and June 8.

The LWVB is a non-profit non-partisan group whose purpose is t register people to vote and to educate voters on matters affecting them and other residents of Beaufort County. Please join us to make our voices heard and to move this critical mission forward.

– From staff reports

and the African-American contribution.” – The New York Times

“An exhilarating production. The show has a riveting story along with a fabulous score – an extraordinary theatrical experience.” – Broadway World

“A Country-before-it-was cool song cycle inspired by the oft-overlooked history of the African-American cowboys.” – The Washington Post

Appeals from page A1

appeals has not been set, the next board meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 7, which falls within the 15-day window since the appeals were filed Jan. 27 and Jan. 30

Meanwhile, 10 more book review committees are set to meet Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 5:45 p.m. at Okatie Elementary School. The books under review include:

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Sold by Patricia McCormick

All the Things We Do In The Dark by Saundra Mitchell

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

• I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

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

Then there’s the family. The people who have experienced this loss most acutely. But it is unclear who is in the room for Maggie and Paul.

Murdaugh’s family — his brothers, his sister, his sister-in-law, his niece and his surviving son — are sitting behind him in a display of loyalty that is both surprising and unsurprising, as well as unnerving and increasingly more awkward as the prosecution builds its case.

The rest of the benches are filled with media, law enforcement officers, lawyers, members of the public, witnesses and sometimes Nancy Grace.

If Maggie’s family is there at all, they are quietly camouflaged among the fray. There is no public outcry from

either family that SLED has gotten the wrong man. There’s no call for justice for Maggie and Paul.

It is as if everyone is there because this is simply what they are supposed to do.

Then there’s the disgust I feel about the whole thing.

Not just at the murders themselves but at the system that continues to cut Murdaugh a break.

In front of the judge and jury, Murdaugh is a broken man who, as the day wears on, is less and less able to mask his petulance with tears.

Away from the judge and jury, he is smiling, social and like his old self, talking to his family and his attorneys — oblivious of the guards who hover nearby.

His exits from the courtroom almost seem leisurely, like he’s

simply leaving for home through a different door.

On Tuesday, a guard tried to interrupt his end-of-the-day chitchat. Murdaugh turned and gave him the “just a second” signal.

Nineteen indictments, 99 charges, four of them related to murders, most of them felonies, millions he’s admitted to stealing from clients, millions more he’s been accused of stealing … but just a second. Alex Murdaugh will go back to the holding cell when Alex Murdaugh is ready.

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

Young children getting sick from cannabis edibles hits new high

New research shows the number of children under the age of 5 accidentally poisoned by cannabis edibles has soared 1,375% since 2017, a high that doctors are not happy to see.

“It’s becoming more and more common. It’s important for people to understand that it’s a danger; it’s something that we’re really having to deal with,” said Christopher Pruitt, M.D., medical director of the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital Emergency Department.

“The worst is where they’re very minimally responsive, and we are worried. I’ve had a number of these cases where we’re worried that we might have to place an artificial airway and put them on a ventilator.”

Recent research indicates that 2-year-olds had the highest rate of exposure, followed by 3-year-olds.

One key difference is that unlike most medications and cleaning chemicals, cannabis edibles can look pretty enticing to a child. Some are in the form of gummies, chocolate bars or salty chips. What kids usually don’t realize is that many edibles contain THC—the chemical in marijuana that affects a person’s mental state.

Another issue: Cannabis edibles are designed for much bigger bodies. Pruitt said that in his experience, the smaller the child, the larger the risk. “We see it some in older kids, but they’re more likely to have a reaction like a young adult versus a younger kid. Little kids can end up unresponsive.”

That leaves some people wondering why the government doesn’t require cannabis edibles to be in child-resistant packaging. The reason: While a growing number of states have legalized marijuana

use, the federal government hasn’t. That means no federal regulations on how edibles are packaged.

Marijuana is currently illegal in South Carolina, but that doesn’t keep some people from ordering it or bringing it home from states where it’s legal. Pruitt encourages parents whose children unwittingly consumed cannabis edibles to take action.

Edible products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can be easily mistaken for commonly consumed foods such as breakfast cereal, candy, and cookies, and accidentally ingested.

Accidental ingestion of these products can lead to serious adverse events, especially in children.

Some edible products are designed to mimic the appearance of well-known branded foods by using similar brand names, logos, or pictures on their packaging. These copycats are easily mistaken for popular, well-recognized foods that appeal to children.

The FDA is aware of reports of copycat products packaged to look like Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles, Nerds Ropes, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids, and Trix, among others.

Cannabis

Who is at risk?

The FDA is advising consumers about the risk of accidental ingestion, especially by children, of edible products that contain THC. Accidental ingestion of these edible products may cause serious adverse events.

Some manufacturers are packaging and labeling edible products containing THC to look like popular brands of commonly consumed foods, such as breakfast cereal, candy, and cookies. These products appeal to children and may be easily mistaken for popular, well-recognized foods.

The FDA is aware of multiple media reports describing children and adults who accidentally consumed copycat edible products containing THC and experienced adverse events. Additionally, from January 1, 2021, through May 31, 2022, the FDA received over 125 adverse event reports related to children and adults who consumed edible products containing THC. Some individuals who ate these edible products reportedly experienced adverse events such as hallucinations, increased heart rate and vomiting, and many required medical intervention or hospital admission. Ten of the reports specifically mention the edible product to be a copycat of popular foods, such as Cocoa Pebbles, Gushers, Nerds Rope, Skittles,

edibles come in forms that may look pretty enticing to a child.

Sour Patch Kids, and Starburst.

In addition, national poison control centers received 10,448 single substance exposure cases involving only edible products containing THC between January 1, 2021, and May 31, 2022. Of these cases, 77% involved patients 19 years of age or younger. Of the total cases, 65% involved unintentional exposure to edible products containing THC and 91% of these unintentional exposures affected pediatric patients. Furthermore, 79% of the total cases required health care facility evaluation, of which 7% resulted in admission to a critical care unit; 83% of patients requiring health care facility evaluation were pediatric patients. One pediatric case was coded with a medical outcome of death following the ingestion of a suspected delta-8 THC edible.

Recommendations for Consumers

Call 9-1-1 or get emergency medical help right away if you or someone in your care has serious side effects from these products. Always keep these products in a safe place out of reach of children. Call the local poison control

center (1-800-222-1222) if a child has consumed these products. Do not wait for symptoms to call. Contact your healthcare provider if you or someone in your care recently ingested these products and you have health concerns. Visit www.fda.gov/fcic for additional consumer and industry assistance.

For More Information

What You Need to Know

(And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including Cannabidiol (CBD)

FDA Regulation of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products, Including Cannabidiol (CBD)

5 Things to Know about Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol – Delta-8 THC

Sources: https://www.fda.gov/food/alertsadvisories-safety-information/fda-warnsconsumers-about-accidental-ingestionchildren-food-products-containing-thc https://web.musc.edu/about/newscenter/2023/01/03/cannabis-edibles

Does osteoporosis also affect men? care TALK ©

Worldwide, 1 in 3 women over age 50 will experience a bone fracture due to osteoporosis, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation.

But it’s not just women who are affected by osteoporosis. One in 5 men over age 50 also will have the same issue. Osteoporosis is thin-

ning of your bones to the point where they can break.

“Bone loss really starts to occur in a big way at about age 55,” says Dr. Bart Clarke, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist.

Dr. Clarke says that women are most at risk, especially those past menopause, when bone loss is accelerat-

ed because of a lack of estrogen. But women aren’t the only people affected.

“About 20 percent of the patients in the country who have osteoporosis are men,” says Dr. Clarke.

Without a bone density test, most people won’t even know they have osteoporosis because there are usually

no symptoms until a bone is broken, “which is one of the reasons why this is dangerous,” says Dr. Clarke. “Because it’s like having high blood pressure or high blood sugar. Many times, you have no clue because nobody’s checked.”

If you’re in your 50s, Dr. Clarke recommends talking to your primary care provider and asking about bone density testing if you have had previous low-trauma fractures or risk factors for osteoporosis. You also

should maintain good nutrition with proper amounts of calcium and vitamin D and stay physically active.

Source: https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/ healthletter/osteoporosisaffects-men-too

Photo credit: iStock

Why is IBS more common in females?

Experts do not fully understand what causes IBS, so they do not yet know why it is more common in females. That said, there are several theories.

Sex differences in IBS may occur due to a combination of factors, such as:

Biological differences:

A 2021 review suggests that female sex hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, may influence bowel function, pain perception, and gut flora. However, researchers are still learning about this.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): People with IBS often have a history of traumatic experiences early in life.

Females who experience ACEs are more likely than males to develop mental health conditions later in life, which may contribute to IBS.

• Health inequity: Females have higher rates

of many chronic conditions than males. This may be partly due to sexism, which can lead to discrimination, abuse, poverty, and inadequate healthcare. These, in turn, may contribute to physical and mental illness. For example, a 2017 study found that females who experienced sexual assault in the military often went on to develop conditions that cause chronic pain, including IBS.

Conditions with

similar symptoms

Several other conditions can cause similar symptoms to IBS in females, including:

• PMS: People who only experience changes in bowel movements around their period may be experiencing PMS. This can also cause mood swings, breast tenderness, cramping,

bloating, gassiness, and tiredness.

• Fibroids: Fibroids are growths in the wall of the uterus. The symptoms can include bloating or pressure in the belly, constipation, pain, heavy or painful periods, and tiredness due to anemia.

• Endometriosis: This condition can cause pelvic pain, back pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, painful periods, and pain during or after sex.

• Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs): These conditions affect the muscles of the pelvis that hold organs in place. A person with a PFD may experience constipation, difficulty controlling gas or bowel movements, and a sensation of fullness, aching, or pulling in the vagina. IBS symptoms are often similar among all sexes.

However, females may be more likely than males to experience constipation rather than diarrhea. They also report higher levels of anxiety and depression and lower quality of life than males with the condition.

Biological and social factors that affect females may also influence their experiences of IBS. For example, hormonal changes may cause IBS symptoms to worsen at certain times, and social attitudes may affect how people feel about their symptoms. Researchers are still learning about symptom differences and why IBS is more common in females. By understanding how sex and gender affect IBS, health professionals may develop a better understanding of how to prevent and treat the condition.

Source: summarized from an article https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/ibs-symptoms-in-females

High blood pressure? Cutback on caffeine

By American Heart Association News

People with severely high blood pressure who drink two or more cups of caffeinated coffee each day could double their risk of dying from a heart attack, stroke or other type of cardiovascular disease, new research finds. But drinking green tea or just one cup of coffee did not have the same effect.

The increased risk also did not apply to people with lower blood pressure levels who drank two or more daily cups of coffee, according to the study just published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (https:// www.ahajournals.org/).

Prior research suggests drinking one cup of caffeinated coffee per day may help people lower their death risk following a heart attack and help prevent heart attacks

and strokes in healthy adults. Some research suggests coffee can lower the risk for high blood pressure, also called hypertension, in people who don’t already have it. But drinking too much coffee has been shown to raise blood pressure and lead to anxiety, heart palpitations and trouble sleeping.

“Our study aimed to determine whether the known

protective effect of coffee also applies to individuals with different degrees of hypertension and also examined the effects of green tea in the same population,” senior study author Dr. Hiroyasu Iso said in a news release. Iso is director of the Institute for Global Health Policy Research at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo.

The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology define high blood pressure as a systolic (“top”) reading of 130 mmHg or higher or a diastolic (“bottom”) reading of 80 mmHg or higher. In this study, researchers used five categories to classify blood pressure levels: optimal and normal (less than 130/85); high normal (130-139/85-89); grade 1 hypertension (140159/90-99); grade 2 (160179/100-109); and grade 3 (180/110 or higher). People whose blood pressure was 160/100 or higher were considered to have severe hypertension.

The study included 6,574 men and 12,035 women from 30 Japanese communities participating in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk. Participants were ages

40 to 79 when they enrolled between 1988 and 1990 and self-reported their coffee and tea consumption. They were followed through 2009. Lifestyle, diet, and medical history were assessed using data from health exams and self-administered questionnaires. Coffee and tea consumption were self-reported during the study, and blood pressure was measured at a single point and changes were not accounted for.

The analysis found that participants with severe hypertension who drank two or more cups of coffee each day doubled their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, compared to those who didn’t drink coffee. Drinking just one cup of coffee or any amount of green tea—regardless of blood pressure level—did not raise the risk, the study showed.

Both drinks contain caffeine. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has 80 to 100 milligrams of caffeine, according to the Food and Drug Administration. An 8-ounce cup of green or black tea has 30 to 50 mg of caffeine.

The authors suggested that polyphenols—micronutrients found in green tea that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties—may partially account for why the drink was not linked to the increased death risk associated with high coffee consumption.

While the authors called for more research, Iso said “these findings may support the assertion that people with severe high blood pressure should avoid drinking excessive coffee.”

Visit https://www.heart. org/ for additional information.

Tips for parents and coaches about concussions in

It’s important to be aware

More children are showing up at emergency rooms at least in part because parents, coaches and pedia tricians have become more aware of the dangers of concussion and more alert to its symptoms. Children and teenagers are more likely than adults to sustain a concussion and also take longer to recover. It is critical that their recovery be complete and medically approved before resuming sports activity to avoid second impact syndrome, a rare but serious condition in which even a mild blow can be catastrophic if an earlier concussion hasn’t completely healed.

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury in which a blow to the head or body causes the brain to be jarred or shaken inside the skull. While there are sometimes bruises or cuts on the head, there is more often no visible sign of injury, no loss of consciousness and no structural damage to the brain. “In the typical concussion, the damage to the brain is functional,” says Dr. DaSilva, “meaning there is a temporary disturbance in the way the brain works. Concussions are diagnosed based on an understanding of the injury that occurred and the youngster’s symptoms.”

Symptoms of Concussion

The most common symptoms of concussion are headache, confusion, and amnesia about the injury. If the blow to the head was mild and the child is alert and responsive, the concussion is probably mild and a visit to the doctor within a day or so is appropriate.

Symptoms that warrant immediate medical attention include repeated vomiting, loss of consciousness, lasting dizziness, a headache that gets worse over time, slurred speech, stumbling or loss of coordination, changes in vision, dilated pupils, and ringing in the ears Post-concussion syndrome is a complication of concussion. It is sometimes called post-concussive syndrome.

The symptoms of post-concussion syndrome can include:

Physical symptoms:

Headache. This is the most common symptom.

Dizziness. This may be accompanied by dizziness with a spinning sensation (vertigo).

A feeling of sickness (nausea).

Double, or blurred, vision. Hearing loss and/or a ringing noise in the ears (tinnitus). Reduced sense of smell and taste.

Problems tolerating light and noise.

Emotional and behavioral symptoms: Being easily irritable and sometimes aggressive. Feeling anxious easily.

Depression.

Having disturbed sleep and feeling tired. Reduced sex drive.

Changes in your appetite. Personality changes such as showing socially or sexually inappropriate behavior. Having a lack of energy and a lack of interest in things. Having sudden outbursts of emotion - for example, sudden crying or laughing episodes.

Problems with mental processes (called cognitive symptoms): Difficulty remembering things.

• Concentration and attention problems.

Slowed reaction times.

Problems processing information and problems reasoning. Difficulty learning new things. Not everyone with post-concussion syndrome will have all of the symptoms mentioned above.

children

Recovering from Concussion

Children who sustain concussions usually recover after a week or two of rest and restricted activity. Rest must be both physical and mental. Because a concussion affects the working of the brain, the brain needs a thorough rest from work in order to recover. Activities that tax the brain, like schoolwork, technology use, parties and loud music should be restricted. As symptoms abate, the child can gradually resume normal activities

but must not return to the playing field until all symptoms are gone and the child has been cleared by a medical practitioner with experience managing concussion. We can’t protect our children from falls, bumps, and bruises but we can take common-sense steps to reduce the risk of concussion.

Daniel DaSilva, PhD., (www.morrispsych. com) is a neuropsychologist specializing in pediatrics with extensive experience in the evaluation of pediatric cognitive disorders including those resulting from traumatic brain injury, cancer, infections, and genetic disorders.

If you keep building it, they’ll keep coming

Although I always read Tim Wood’s op-eds when they appear in the The Island News, it is seldom that I find very much that I agree with. He and I are at different poles on most subjects, which is OK. I respect his right to believe what he wants, as I hope he does mine.

But as I read his piece in the January 26 edition, it was almost as if my words were coming out of his mouth. I was shocked. I could not agree with him more.

Tim was saying the same thing that I have been saying to anyone who would listen, and some who would rather not, for years.

We “discovered” and fell in love with Beaufort way back in 1978 and bought

JIM DICKSON

property on St. Helena Island thinking that we might some day retire here, although it was some 20 or so years away. At the time we were living in the small town of Alpharetta, Ga., population 3,500 more or less.

Alpharetta is about 20 miles north of Atlanta. In many ways it was much like Beaufort, small, charming and full of friendly people.

Then Honda decided to build a huge parts distribution facility that would

destroy one of the most beautiful pieces of property in Georgia, and the race was on.

The chosen site was on a small natural lake surrounded by wonderful old growth trees. We and many of our neighbors rallied at the city council meetings to protest. The first meeting there were 50 of us, then 35, then 20 then 10 and in the end just us. When the mayor and three of the city council members showed up driving new Honda’s, it was over.

Walmart bought land across the street for a Walmart and a Sam’s Club, and long story short, small charming Alpharetta is now just part of Greater Atlanta. You don’t know when you leave one and drive into the other.

Over the years we have lived in Albuquerque, N.M.; Fort Worth, Texas; Atlanta; Houston; Dallas; El Paso, Texas; San Diego; Arlington, Texas; Oklahoma City; Charlotte; Akron, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; and probably some that I have forgotten. But in every case, we have seen that “If you built it, they will come.”

The scenic, tree-lined, two-lane highway that led to our lakeside house near Charlotte is now a four-lane highway choked with traffic, fast food, car washes, used car lots and all the wonderful things that unregulated development will bring. What was the nice little city of Arlington, Texas, which is located between Dallas and Fort Worth is now just another part of the system

of eight- and ten-lane highways that sprawl all over the landscape between the two cities, that once again you don’t know when you leave one and enter the other.

The beautiful avocado and orange groves and great little vineyards that we used to drive out to on weekends for fresh fruit and a taste of wonderful locally produced wine near San Diego are now thousands of the same house all in a row up and down the hills. Huge apartment complexes grow where there were once vineyards, and the sweet country air is now chocking with auto exhaust. In the words of the developers, “The best and highest use of the land.”

Tim Woods tells the hard truth, and he tells it like it

is, or will be, if no one cares or listens. Our wonderful Beaufort will go the same way as so many other places in in America if unregulated growth is allowed to continue.

In future years, some of the old timers will sit around and talk about how great it used to be, and wish it was again. Then it will be too late!

Born, raised and educated in the Southwest, Jim Dickson served in the U.S. Navy Reserve in Vietnam before a 35-year business career. Retired to St. Helena Island, Dickson and his wife are fiscally conservative, socially moderate and active in Republican politics, though they may not always agree with Republicans. Having lived around the country and traveled around the world, Dickson believes that the United States truly is the land of opportunity.

I take issue with the sweeping generalizations

It is Saturday, early, and I’m in my grey-painted study. I have my coffee and a view of several portraits done of me, my wife, and a long-dead ancestor. The last portrait is slowly losing its image, falling particles forming a layer of dust on the bottom of the frame.

This morning there is no newspaper so I have to make do with a New Yorker story titled “The Swamp.” Many of you have already read this retelling of the Murdaugh family saga. But this column is not about Murdaugh or his family, although I did know Buster Murdaugh, the Solicitor, when I first began to practice law.

James Lasdun has done a fair job of repackaging the cyclone of tragedy and controversy that now surrounds Mr. Murdaugh. But in the process he also describes South Carolina’s Lowcountry.

“Fanning and I met in Hampton and drove toward the Combahee River, crisscrossing swamps where he had often fished and camped. Logging trucks plied the narrow blacktop. The scrawny logs strapped on the flatbeds, Fan-

SCOTT GRABER

ning told me, were loblolly pines that had been grown for pulp — ‘a nasty industry.’”

Mr. Lasdun continues his lengthy paragraph saying;

“He laid out a stark history of the region. Rice plantations, dependent on slave labor, had given way to cotton, corn and soy — crops that depleted the soil. The land, further leached of nutrients by chemical fertilizers was eventually too poor for much besides loblolly pines, clusters of which stood on the flat scrub awaiting the chainsaw. With the loss of agricultural jobs, local lawmakers struggled to allow other industries. Medical waste disposal, tire grinding and other occupations joined the logging and pulping trades.”

So here, with admirable brevity, Mr. Lasdun summarizes the topography, economy and soil quality of Colleton, Hampton, Jasper and parts of Beaufort County. As I reread his descriptions I thought how these words would compliment most of the B-roll imagery offered-up by HBO, Netflix, CourtTV and the other streamers who are currently telling their version of the Murdaugh saga.

Mr. Lasdun, however, wants to make it clear that he is not one of those writers who flies in, interviews a camouflage and Carhartt-wearing local, then describes a Third World hellscape from the comfort of a West Side walk-up.

“I was trying to avoid what Faulkner called the outsiders eagerness to believe anything about the South not even provided it be derogatory but merely bizarre enough. In particular I wanted to resist any idea of the ongoing saga as a tale of some purely gothic malevolence.”

Those of us who live in this strange place know that parts of Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton and

Hampton counties are, indeed, vast pine forests that will be eventually transformed into craft paper, particleboard and newspaper. We also know that just behind the billboards featuring a ubiquitous lawyer who claims, “I will fight for you,” there is a huge tract called the ACE Basin — 350,000 acres that is one of the last untouched, unsullied ecosystems on the Atlantic Ocean.

And yes, we know that most of the cotton has departed this area. Instead this topography supports small, neat houses clustered in communities called Green Pond, Yemasee, Early Branch and Cottageville. And yes, in years past these modest FHA-financed houses may have had a chained pit bull in the front yard.

We know many of the folks who live in the red-brick houses in Ridgeland and Estill commute to the Georgia State docks in Savannah. Many living in the double-wides near Green Pond and Pocotaligo ride a darkened bus to golf course and hospitality jobs on Hilton Head Island. Those living

in Jacksonboro and Ravenel drive in the early morning darkness to kitchens at Husk, Hank’s and Slightly North of Broad.

And so I take issue with the sweeping generalization that these Lowcountry folk are “insanely poor” and “there’s no industry aside from suing people.” (I should point out that these two last quotes are attributed to a third person.) All of which reminds us of the “Praying For Sheetrock” people who once populated McIntosh County, Ga., in the 1970s. While some served on juries that returned big verdicts, I take issue with the notion that everyone is these parts is similar to the rapacious thieves in Daphne du Maurier’s “Jamaica Inn.” Lastly, I take issue with the notion that South Carolina “has an incredibly corrupt ruling class ...” I do realize I may be in the minority on that item.

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

How many white men watched the beating of Tyre Nichols and thought, “Man, that could have been me?”

Family experiences made that possibility feel very real to me.

My father had an encounter years ago where a rolling stop resulted in a trooper berating him and asking, “If I was beating your head in with this stick, would you want me to slow down or stop?”

My brother had an encounter as he was driving to college. A trooper stopped him and spoke very aggressively until he noticed my brother’s passenger, a white classmate who was going back to West Point with him.

My encounter came as I was leaving work at The Herald newspaper in Rock Hill. The radio in the newsroom had been crackling all night with what sounded like a broad-scale police operation.

We all marveled at the level of police activity, even for a Saturday night.

A few weeks earlier I had run into a police officer working a part-time job at a convenience store who told me my brand-new 1994 Ford Probe was a known quantity to law enforcement. “It’s not a GT,” I said. “It’s just the base model.”

I already knew its “Electric Red” color made it a target.

He replied, “That doesn’t matter. Everybody knows about Mustangs, but those little cars can go, too.”

So there I was, making my way toward Highway 5 in my sporty red Probe when a

muscle car pulled up beside me at a stoplight. It had been on my bumper for a couple blocks already. I didn’t look over as it revved its engines, but like most twenty-somethings in a “car that can go,” I anticipated the challenge.

At first, I resisted the invitation of the other car’s rapid acceleration after the light turned green, but then it slowed as if it were asking, What are you waiting for?

I knew from experience the two lanes would quickly change to one after the next stoplight, and I made up my mind to beat the other car to the point the road narrowed. When the traffic light changed to green I stomped on the gas pedal and my car leapt in front. I burst out laughing and looked into my rearview mirror.

A flashing blue light was placed on the car’s dashboard. I pulled into an empty parking lot and jumped from my car.

“You’re not giving me a ticket!” I shouted at the silhouette of the man who stepped from the car. I couldn’t see his face behind all the light.

“Get your ass back in the car!” I saw a glint of a badge as he came closer. The voice was deep. Authoritative. He was Black.

“I know you’re all hopped up on adrenaline from your big sting tonight,” I said, “but I’m not a bad guy. I’m one of the good guys, too. I work at the newspaper.”

“I don’t give a damn where you work!” His hand moved to his holster.

Another car pulled up then, a standard police cruiser with lights and clear markings. A young Black officer got out. He walked straight to me and commanded, “Get back in the car!”

I tried to explain the circumstances, but he was resolute: “You can tell me whatever you want to tell me

later, but first, you need to get back in your car.”

I settled into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut. I was angry at being goaded into a possible speeding ticket, frustrated about losing points on my license and the likely increase in my insurance premium, but worst of all was the prospect of having to explain to my parents –especially my father – that I had been pulled over.

The young officer went to the one who’d pulled me over, talked to him, and then walked back to my car. I tried again to explain, but he cut me off.

“We’re going to let you go, but let me tell you something. If you ever get pulled over again, don’t get out of your car like that. We’re trained to see that as a threat, and deadly force becomes an option.”

At that point, my bluster dissipated. I thanked him

and left, shaking. Arrest was the worst thing I’d imagined happening, but … I could have been killed. Alone. On an empty street at night. I was just trying to get home.

Like Tyre Nichols.

My story is not unique in my immediate family, my larger family, nor among my group of friends and acquaintances who are Black.

Too many Black Americans have had an experience with law enforcement or know someone who had experiences that could have turned tragic.

So I ask, how many white men saw the video of Nichols’ arrest and beating and thought to themselves, “That could have been me” or “That could have been my son?”

Not enough, apparently, because it keeps happening.

Terry E. Manning is a Clemson graduate and worked for 20 years as a journalist. He can be reached at teemanning@gmail.com

Appreciating every day, every hour

Ihave a good friend that is seriously ill with late-stage cancer. When he was diagnosed about two years ago, he began to write and send a daily text thread to friends about his treatments, how he is doing, the weather, anything associated with astronomy, and a generous amount of philosophical thoughts. His personality is that of a thinker who appreciates the beauty of simple things.

As I have read his thoughts and was allowed to see into his soul, it has been such a blessing and encouragement to see the good work that God has been doing in his life. He has gone through a lot more discomfort and challenges than we know. He has always been an optimistic person and now even in his difficult moments, his light of love and hope cannot be hindered.

The Bible mentions in Psalm 91:1-2 about finding a secret place with God where nothing or no one can penetrate, disturb, or threaten.

BILLY HOLLAND

It is a refuge where even though the storms may be intense and the violence of spiritual warfare rages all around us; we are safe and at peace in His presence.

When he writes about sitting next to the window in his recliner covered with several layers of blankets, those of us who are constantly on the go can hardly grasp the beauty of being still before God. When he allows us to enter into his world of simplicity with things such as watching the rabbits and squirrels running around the yard doing what they need to do to survive, we see the quiet analogy of how he is doing the same thing.

He talks about the neighbor’s dogs and cats and how

he imagines their daily routines or things like watching the snowflakes falling and how as a child he loved to try to catch them on his tongue. He often mentions the importance of community and how we need to care about each other and not be consumed with the fast pace of life that we forget to live. Humility, meekness, and an attitude of gratitude help prevent haughtiness from gaining control.

And there is the frequent mention of the trinity as this is a reference to the awareness of God’s Spirit and the passionate desire to be in His will. To me, he is more than a survivor; he is a lighthouse. His lifestyle of sensitivity and compassionate lifestyle has always been a contrast from how the fast-paced world operates, and now that he has opened the door for us to get to know him on a more personal level, it’s the Lord that is reminding us what walking in His Spirit actually means.

It’s fascinating to realize

that when we are not feeling any pain and have the energy to do whatever we want, we do not think about what it would be like to be sick. When we hear about those who discover they have a terminal disease, we are sad and say a prayer, then off we go back to our busy lives and the carousel of what we believe is important.

It’s when WE receive a negative report that our merry-go-round comes to a stop. If there was ever a time in our lives to take the lantern of self-examination down the path into our soul, it would be then. When the distractions and clutter are removed we can make things right with everyone, especially God. Our perspective changes as our world is now different.

Beyond the reality that God is the ultimate authority, this does not mean that we do not have the opportunity to make critical choices. We can allow the feelings of hopelessness and fear to dictate our minds and hold us in

depression, or we can see the glass half full and be humble and thankful for all the blessings and good things that God has given to us throughout our lives. Instead of becoming bitter, we could invest our time into interceding for others.

My friend has always loved kayaking and admiring the beauty of God’s nature. He looks forward to going this spring and always includes at the end

of his posts that he will see us creek-side.

He closes the thread the same way every day by encouraging everyone to find the stillness within God’s grace. His heart sings, he is grateful, and he is always wearing his sunglasses because God’s love and mercy is shining on him so brightly.

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

Sunday 8:30 am, 10:30 am at 81 Lady’s Island Drive Pastor Steve Keeler (843) 525-0696 seaislandpresbyterian.org

One Family in Faith Unity in the Early Church

As the early Church grew, it experienced its first crisis. Because Christianity began as a movement within Judaism, most of the earliest Christians were Jewish. Many continued to follow the dietary laws and ritual customs which God had given to the Jewish people. But as Christians, were these laws and customs still required by God? For example, if a Greek man became Christian, did he have to be circumcised as God commanded in the Scriptures?

The crisis threatened to divide God’s family into two camps. Jesus had respected the Jewish laws and customs during his lifetime, and he had not instructed his disciples to abolish them. Thus, many in the Church believed that Christians were still bound to follow these practices. They taught that unless a man is circumcised, he cannot be saved. (Acts 15:1) Others, like Paul, argued that these practices are optional for Christians and that they are not necessary for salvation.

The apostles gathered in Jerusalem to resolve this matter. Led by Peter, the apostles discussed these questions at length. They concluded that these Jewish religious practices are not necessary for salvation. Christians are not required to be circumcised or follow Jewish dietary laws, but they must still follow God’s commandments in areas of morality, such as those regarding sexual purity. The apostles then sent out a letter announcing this decision to all of the Christian communities. (Acts 15:6-35)

Through the apostles, Jesus kept his Church united. The letter was not sent by the apostles as a suggestion. The apostles expected that their teachings would be obeyed by all Christians who received the letter. The apostles understood that Jesus had given them authority to teach in his name, and that the Holy Spirit was teaching through them. (Matthew 28:20, Acts 15:28) At this crucial moment, Jesus worked through the apostles to protect his flock from error and keep them united as his spiritual family.

The early Christians exhibited a marvelous unity. In our day, we have become accustomed to the idea of many competing churches, each with different beliefs and existing more or less independently of one another. But this gathering in Jerusalem paints a different picture of the early Church. The apostles were not lone rangers, each starting their own church with a different version of the Gospel. Rather, it was taken for granted that Christians would be united in worship, beliefs, and leadership. There was “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.” (Eph 4:4-5)

The early Church was united as one family of faith. Christians were from many different nations, ethnic backgrounds, and social classes, but they formed one Church. In each region they formed local congregations, but they were part of a family that knew no borders. Their faith in Jesus united them as one body, spread over many languages and lands. Humanity, once broken apart by sin, was being reunited by Jesus into a beautiful family of faith.

The Early Church Message 6 of 8

Address of Obligor; Record Owner, if different from the Obligor; and any Junior Lienholders is as follows: HUGH A. ROLLINSON & VALERIE E. ROLLINSON , PO BOX 14547 SURFSIDE, SURFSIDE BEACH, SC 29587.

The sale of the Property is to satisfy the default in payment by the Obligor/Owner of the obligations secured by the CLAIM OF LIEN as recorded in Lien Book 152 at Page 2252, records of Beaufort County, SC. The amounts secured by the CLAIM OF

GIVEN of the intent of the undersigned Trustee to sell the below described Property at Public Auction on the 2/16/2023 beginning at 9:00 A.M..

The Public Auction shall occur at the Office of Bolchoz Law Firm, 6 Buckingham Plantation Rd, Ste B, Bluffton, SC 29910.

Property Description: Unit Number 214, Vacation Week 42, Designated Season Gold Timeshare Interest consisting of 1 undivided 1/51 interest(s) in fee simple as tenants in common in and to the below described Condominium Unit, together with a corresponding undivided interest in the Common Furnishings which are appurtenant to such Condominium Unit, as well as the recurring (i) exclusive right every calendar year to reserve, use and occupy an Assigned Unit within Royal Dunes Beach Villa sat Port Royal Resort Horizontal Property Regime (the “Project”); (ii) exclusive Furnishings located within or otherwise appurtenant to such Assigned Unit; and (iii) non-exclusive right to use and enjoy the Common Elements of the Project, for their intended purpose, during the Vacation Week or one (1) or more Split Vacation Periods (up to maximum of seven (7) days and nights) in the Designated Season identified above as shall properly have been reserved in accordance with the provisions of the then-current Rule and Regulations promulgated by Royal Dunes Beach Villas at Port Royal Resort Owners Association, Inc., all pursuant to the Master Deed for Royal Dunes Beach Villas at Port Royal Resort Horizontal Property Regime, duly recorded in the RMC Office for Beaufort County, South Carolina, in Record Book 698 at Page 940, as amended from

have been reserved in accordance with the provisions of the then-current Rule and Regulations promulgated by Royal Dunes Beach Villas at Port Royal Resort Owners Association, Inc., all pursuant to the Master Deed for Royal Dunes Beach Villas at Port Royal Resort Horizontal Property Regime, duly recorded in the RMC Office for Beaufort County, South Carolina, in Record Book 698 at Page 940, as amended from time to time (the “Master Deed”).

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

Changing of the guard at Beaufort Academy

Clifford steps down; THA’s Shuford hired as football coach

By Justin Jarrett LowcoSports.com

A Lowcountry coaching legend is stepping down, but he’s sticking around to help the next guy add to his already impressive resume.

Mark Clifford, the longtime football coach at Beaufort High School before capping off his career with a run at Beaufort Academy that included winning a SCISA 8-man state championship and guid-

ing the program through a successful transition to traditional football, announced his retirement as the Eagles’ head coach Monday.

“It’s bittersweet.

I’m still sharp up here,” Clifford said Monday night, pointing at his temple, “but you’ve seen the way I

am when I coach. I just can’t do it anymore, physically.” Clifford will remain on staff at BA to assist and advise veteran Thomas Heyward Academy coach Nic Shuford, who agreed to terms with the school Thursday and on Friday announced his departure from THA

at the end of the school year.

“First off, thank you to Coach Clifford for everything he’s done building this program from the ground up,” BA Athletics Director William Howell said. “I am also thrilled to have Coach Clifford stay on staff to make this a seamless transition.”

Howell and Shuford already had a strong working relationship as their schools’ athletics directors, so

when Clifford indicated a readiness to take a step back, Howell’s mind naturally wandered toward Ridgeland.

“Nic’s coaching resume speaks for itself,” Howell said, “and his leadership skills, passion for the game of football, and dedication to growing successful young men on and off the field is going to be

SEE GUARD PAGE B2

PREP HOOPS ROUNDUP

Hilton Head Prep’s Connor Campbell grimaces while maintaining control of the ball against John Paul II’s Christian Tilton on Wednesday night during the first quarter of a SCISA 3A game at John Paul II. The Dolphins from Hilton Head Island bested the Golden Warriors, 41-32. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

Beaufort’s Guerin Willis, left, tires to pass the ball around Battery Creek’s Savion Ison during the first quarter of their Region 8-3A basketball game Friday night at Beaufort High School. The Eagles went on to beat their crosstown rivals, 66-56, and improved their record to 8-9, 5-1 in conference play. The struggling Dolphins dropped to 3-16, 0-1 in the conference. Bob Sofaly/The Island News

Eagles sweep Creek on Senior Night

LowcoSports.com

The stars of the night shined on Senior Night at Beaufort High on Friday, as Quinn Wilson scored 18 points to lead the Eagles girls to a 38-33 win over rival Battery Creek and fellow senior Michael Dennison led the way with 23 points and 21 rebounds in the boys’ 66-56 win to finish the sweep.

The Eagles led the girls game by as many as 11 in the first half before Kiara Wilson drilled a 3-pointer to pull Creek within 20-12 at halftime. The Dolphins reeled off a 10-2 run to start the third quarter to pull even and surged ahead 30-26 before Quinn Wilson stopped the avalanche with a triple then put the Eagles back on top with a steal and layup, and Beaufort was able to hang on.

Quinn Wilson finished with 18 points and four steals, and Acionna Lowe pulled down 14 points and scored a key bucket for the Eagles.

Kiara Wilson had 19 points, six rebounds, and four steals to lead the Dolpins, and Armani Hutchinson added five points and 14 boards.

Battery Creek’s Daquan Jacobs started the boys game with the hot hand and finished with 27 points, but the Dolphins faded after bolting to a nine-point lead in the first quarter. Dennison went to work inside, and Arthur Singleton was red-hot from 3-point range, knocking down four triples.

Samurai Bonds added 12 points and six rebounds, and Sully Gay had 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals and capped the big home win with an exclamation mark dunk.

Battery Creek was in action at home Tuesday against Hanahan. Beaufort travels to North Charleston on Thursday.

Battery Creek’s Armani Hutchinson, left, has nowhere to go with Beaufort’s Aiona Lowe standing guard during the second quarter of their Region 8-3A basketball game Friday night. The Dolphins lost the back-and-forth game, 38-33. The Lady Eagles improved their record to 8-6, 4-2 in the conference. Bob Sofaly/The Island

News

Mark Clifford Nic Shuford

SPORTS & EDUCATION

JPII, BA split second meeting

By Justin Jarrett LowcoSports.com

When the John Paul II girls visited Beaufort Academy in early January, it was the Golden Warriors’ first game after a four-week layoff for the holidays, and the Eagles caught them sleeping.

This time, it was BA who

went through the motions in the first quarter, and the Eagles couldn’t claw out of an early 10-point hole in a 60-51 loss at JPII on Monday. Brady Mahoney had 16 points, 20 rebounds, six blocks, and three steals, and Lily Termini added 12 points and 14 rebounds to lead JPII

(15-3) to a bounceback win after being humbled by powerhouse Hilton Head Christian Academy on Friday.

Mike’Ala Washington scored 25 points and Tahleea Heyward added 20 for BA (11-9), which surged within six late in the game, but the rally fizzled when Washing-

ton left with an injury. Cayce Graves added 10 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, and Savannah Trott hit a trio of 3-pointers for JPII.

Dante Aiken had the hot hand from 3-point range early to keep JPII’s boys in it, but BA displayed its depth and ability to push the ball in

transition to open up a comfortable halftime lead and cruised to a 52-39 win.

Braydon Dineen scored 14 points, and Gavin Midyette added 11 to lead BA (15-4), while Christian Tilton had 16 for JPII (2-17).

BA hosted Holy Trinity and John Paul II played at

Patrick Henry on Tuesday.

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette for 6½ years. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.

Conroy Center establishes scholarship for future educators

From staff reports

John Paul II’s Brady Mahoney, left, tries to squeeze in a little closer to the basket as Hilton Head Prep’s Bryn Miller fouls her during the second quarter of their SCISA 3A game Wednesday night. Bob

Hoops

from page B1

FRIDAY, JAN. 27

GIRLS HOOPS

Beaufort 38, Battery Creek 33

BFT (8-9, 3-3): Quinn Wilson 18 pts, 4 stls;

Acionna Lowe 2 pts, 14 rebs

BCHS (9-8, 4-2): Kiara Wilson 19 pts, 6 rebs, 4 stls; Armani Hutchinson 5 pts, 14 rebs

Whale Branch 44, Bethune-Bowman 30

WB (5-12, 4-5)

B-B (5-13, 5-4)

Bamberg-Ehrhardt 62, Bridges Prep 29

B-E (10-6, 6-1)

BP (2-15, 2-7)

HHCA 70, John Paul II 48

HHCA (20-1, 2-0): Tamya Hutchinson 21 pts, Morgan Scott 16 pts, Devon Yarde 16 pts

JPII (14-3, 1-1): Brady Mahoney 16 pts,

Lauren Majorkiewicz 7 pts

Beaufort Academy 69, Colleton Prep 41

BA (11-8, 5-0): Mike’Ala Washington 23 pts;

Tahleea Heyward 17 pts; Kamirah Freeman

12 pts

CPA (5-8, 0-3): Sidney Bailey 10 pts; Anne

Hatcher White 8 pts

Thomas Heyward 24, Holy Trinity 19

HT (6-6, 1-4): Lilly Cooler 5 pts; Anna Cate

Gray 5 pts; Selah McGrew 5 pts; Eliza

Gaillard 4 pts

THA (1-7, 1-3): Kate Smith 14 pts

BOYS HOOPS

Beaufort 66, Battery Creek 56

BFT (8-11, 5-1): Michael Dennison 23 pts, 21

rebs; Arthur Singleton 14 pts; Samari Bonds

12 pts, 6 rebs; Sully Gay 11 pts, 8 rebs, 5

asts, 4 stls

BCHS (3-16, 0-6): Daquan Jacobs 27 pts;

Kanye Freeman 15 pts

Whale Branch 56, Bethune-Bowman 45

WB (12-5, 7-2): Queashawn Fields 18 pts, 5

rebs, 5 stls; KJ Chisolm 14 pts, 4 rebs, 4 stls, 3 blks, 3 asts; Bradford Thompson 11 pts, 13 rebs, 6 asts, 5 stls, 5 blks

B-B (10-8, 6-3)

Bamberg-Ehrhardt 62, Bridges Prep 53

B-E (9-9, 4-4)

BP (12-8, 4-5)

HHCA 71, John Paul II 36

HHCA (19-2, 2-0): Isaiah Anderson 17 pts,

Elijah White 11 pts, Brady Bagenstose 11 pts

JPII (2-16, 0-2): Christian Tilton 8 pts,

Sebastian Slusne 8 pts, Austin Floyd 7 pts

Beaufort Academy 63, Colleton Prep 36

BA (11-5, 5-0): Eddie Gonzalez 16 pts

CPA (0-17, 0-5)

Holy Trinity 43, Thomas Heyward 23

HT (6-9, 1-4): Levi Dyer 24 pts, 19 rebs, 3

blks; Michael Andrade 9 pts, 6 rebs

THA (7-10, 3-5)

MONDAY, JAN. 30

GIRLS HOOPS

Estill 101, Bridges Prep 21

EST (14-6, 10-0): Ka’dejah Smoaks 34 pts, 4

stls; Jalasia Polite 22 pts, 14 rebs, 6 stls, 5

asts; Lyric Jones 15 pts, 4 rebs, 4 stls, 3 asts;

Aljanea Moton 14 pts, 6 rebs, 6 stls; Kaliyah

Dobson 10 pts, 6 rebs

BP (2-16, 2-8)

Bamberg-Ehrhardt 45, Whale Branch 20

WB (5-13, 4-6)

B-E (11-7, 7-1): Raven Brown 19 pts

John Paul II 60, Beaufort Academy 51

JPII (15-3): Brady Mahoney 16 pts, 20 rebs, 3 stls, 6 blks; Lily Termini 12 pts, 14 rebs; Cayce Graves 10 pts, 8 rebs, 5 asts;

Savannah Trott 9 pts

BA (11-9): Mike’Ala Washington 25 pts;

Tahleea Heyward 20 pts

BOYS HOOPS

Estill 59, Bridges Prep 43

EST (13-7, 10-0): Angelo Lewis 26 pts, 8 rebs;

Xaviar Garvin 9 pts, 10 rebs; Kavon Chisolm

7 pts, 12 rebs; Jeremiah Taylor 7 pts, 9 rebs

BP (12-9, 4-6)

Whale Branch 71, Bamberg-Ehrhardt 46

WB (13-5, 8-2):

B-E (9-11, 4-5): Anthony Williams 17 pts,

8 rebs

Beaufort Academy 52, John Paul II 39

BA (15-4): Braydon Dineen 14 pts; Gavin

Midyette 11 pts

JPII (2-17): Christian Tilton 16 pts

– LowcoSports.com

Following its namesake’s legacy of teaching and supporting educators, the Pat Conroy Literary Center has established The Pat Conroy Literary Center Future Educator Scholarship.

Established to encourage and support high school seniors with a declared intent to pursue a career in education, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Future Educator Scholarship honors the teaching legacy of the late Pat Conroy (1945 - 2016), acclaimed bestselling author of The Water Is Wide The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline The Prince of Tides, and more. The inaugural scholarship is funded through the generosity of former educators and will be presented in spring 2023

The $5,000 scholarship will be awarded in two parts:

(1) $2,500 on high school graduation and college acceptance, and (2) $2,500 in the awardee’s junior year of college as a future candidate for teaching. In addition to receiving the cash award, the scholarship recipient will also be paired with a teaching mentor who will serve as an additional supportive resource throughout the student’s degree program.

Who should apply

The Conroy Center’s Future Educator Scholarship is open to all Beaufort County graduating high school seniors with an interest in pursuing a career in education

and meeting the following criteria. Priority will be given to need-based applicants.

The ideal candidate will:

(1) have earned a GPA of 3.0 or greater on the S.C. Uniform Grading Scale, (2) have earned a 21 or greater on the ACT and/or a 1080 or greater on the SAT, (3) be a legal U.S. citizen and a legal resident of Beaufort County, (4) submit two letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors not related to the applicant, and (5) complete the required application form and two essays.

When to apply

The 2023 scholarship

application period is now open and will conclude on March 20. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a selection committee, and finalists will be contacted for brief interviews. The scholarship recipient and all other applicants will be notified of their status by April 10.

How to apply

Apply online using the application form at https:// patconroyliterarycenter. org/about/future-educator-scholarship

Please contact the Conroy Center with any questions at patconroyliterarycenter@gmail.com

LEARNING THE ‘UNTOLD STORIES’

Local educational institutions hosting conference highlighting County’s rich, diverse history

From staff reports Beaufort County School District (BCSD), Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, Pat Conroy Literary Center, Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL), University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB), and Penn Center are collaborating to host “Untold Stories, Pathways for the Next Generation,” an African American history education conference with a focus on Beaufort County’s rich and diverse history.

The conference is open to anyone desiring an immersive learning experience about African American history specific to Beaufort County.

This second annual African American History Education conference promises a robust series of activities and educational sessions for attendees. The three-day immersive experience (Feb. 9 through 11) includes live music and dance, art, cuisine, and indepth presentations and panel discussions from local and nationally renowned artists, authors, educators, clergy, living legends, and historians.

“We had such a positive response to last year’s programming that we knew we needed to do this again,” said BCSD Officer of Academic Initiatives N’kia Campbell, Ph.D, the event organizer.. “Attend -

EDUCATION BRIEFS

4 from Beaufort on Wofford’s Fall 2022 Dean’s List

Timothy Schmitz, provost of Wofford College, has announced Dean’s List students for the fall 2022 semester and four from Beaufort made the list: Hayden Canaday, Bailey Herron, Coldin Mueller and Paige Zeigler. Wofford College, established in 1854, is a four-year, residential lib-

Guard from page B1

a true difference maker for our school, program, and student-athletes.”

Shuford guided the Rebels to four consecutive SCISA 1A state titles before a runner-up finish this season, compiling a 115-51 record, including a 56-8 mark since 2018. The Rebels also finished as state runners-up twice and won seven region titles during his tenure.

VIDEO For a short video about this event, follow this digital link or visit https:// bit.ly/3YbJOgM

ees will gain a new perspective and insight about the Lowcountry through the many untold stories shared.”

On Thursday, Feb. 9, attendee will have a choice of six historical tours. Friday’s activities and

eral arts college located in Spartanburg. It offers 27 major fields of study to a student body of 1,800 undergraduates. Nationally known for the strength of its academic program, outstanding faculty, experiential learning opportunities and successful graduates, Wofford is recognized consistently as a “best value” and for its commitment to student success and accessibility for low- and middleincome students.

“I will forever be grateful for the time spent at Thomas Heyward,” Shuford said. “The opportunity I was given to be a part of so many students’ lives in that time is something I will always cherish.”

Now he has a chance to build a new dynasty at BA, which already figured to be one of the top contenders in SCISA 2A in 2023. The Eagles return the majority of their key players from a team that went 8-3 and reached the state semifinals, and now they have a veter-

WANT TO GO?

Untold Stories, Pathways for the Next Generation

What: An African American history education conference with a focus on Beaufort County’s rich and diverse history

When: Thursday, Feb. 9 thought Saturday, Feb. 11

Where: Historical Tours, TCL, USC Beaufort

Cost: Residents $25 for Friday, Saturday, Thursday is free. Beaufort County School District employees and all students are free.

More information: For more information, email AAHEC@ beaufort.k12.sc.us

sessions will be at TCL, while Saturday’s conference events will be at USCB’s historical campus located in Beaufort.

For a conference overview, visit www.beaufortschools. net/community/2nd-annual-african-american-history-education-conference

Interested persons can pre-register for the confer-

Apolinar named to Fall 2022 Dean’s List at Georgia State

Cristal Gonzalez Apolinar of Beaufort (29906) was named to the Fall 2022 Dean’s List at Georgia State University.

To be eligible for the Dean’s List, degree-seeking students must have earned a GPA of at least 3.5 for a minimum of nine semester hours of academic credit taken at Geor-

an quarterback to slide into graduating star Braydon Dineen’s role — Shuford’s son Dietrich passed for 1,686 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions and added 794 yards and seven touchdowns on 82 carries as a sophomore this season at THA despite coming off a season-ending knee injury that required surgery a year earlier.

The Shufords already reside in Beaufort, so the opportunity was something they couldn’t pass up.

“My family and I are ex-

ence online on a first-come, first-served basis. Community members can register per day ($25 for Friday or Saturday, and Thursday is free). BCSD employees and BCSD, TCL and USCB students can attend the conference free of charge.

For more information, email AAHEC@beaufort. k12.sc.us

gia State during the fall or spring term with no incompletes for the semester.

Eligible students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all classes taken at Georgia State.

Georgia State University, an enterprising urban public research university, is a national leader in graduating students from widely diverse backgrounds.

– From staff reports

tremely excited to be joining the BA family,” Nic Shuford said. “This is a great opportunity to be able to contribute to the great legacy and history of Beaufort Academy. The administration and Coach Clifford have done an excellent job building the football program here and I can’t wait to be just a small part of taking it to the next level.”

With Beaufort High defending a state title around the corner and an influx of talent and new energy en route to BA, fall can’t

come soon enough on Lady’s Island.

“I’m biased, but I think we will have two of the best football coaches in the Lowcountry here at Beaufort Academy,” Howell said. “I’m ready for the next era of BA football.”

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette for 6½ years. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.

Sofaly/The Island News

There is no word in the language

I revere more than ‘teacher.’ My heart sings when a kid refers to me as his teacher, and it always has. I’ve honored myself and the entire family of man by becoming a teacher.”

– Pat Conroy, The Prince of Tides

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 12 a.m., 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.

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

HIGHWAY 21 DRIVE-IN

The movies scheduled for this week (Friday, Feb. 3 through Thursday, Feb. 9) at the Highway 21 Drive-In are Knock At The Cabin (R, 7 p.m.) and Violent Night (R, 8:40 p.m.) on Screen 1; Puss n Boots, Last Wish (PG-13, 7 p.m.) and Megan (PG-13, 8:50 p.m.) on Screen 2; and 80 For Brady (PG-13, 7 p.m.) and A Man Called Otto (PG-13, 8:40 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 Quantumania (February) and The Amazing Maurice (February).

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 843295-0058.

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. 4, Latitude Bar & Chill, 3295 Latitude Blvd, Hardeeville. Open to residents and their guests only. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Lonely Hearts Support Group Kickoff

5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14, Ministries for Synergetic Wellness, Inc. 501(c)(3), 2201

Boundary St. #208, Beaufort. Free. Storytelling with a learning message and chocolate buffet. Come tell your 10-minute healing story. Register by leaving a confidential voicemail with name, phone and number attendees at 843-525-6115 or send email to reneesutton@healthierhealing. com. This is a therapeutic social activity run professionally by a licensed counselor to create a safe opportunity to practice listening and communication. Confirmation of attendance and location will finalize by Feb 12.

Lowcountry Christian

Women’s Connection

Luncheon and Program

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 15, 170

Hampton Hall Blvd., Bluffton. ‘Jazz it Up Feature/

Speaker-Tempe Brown; Mini Jazz & Blues

Concert. Prepaid Reservations: Luncheon is $28 Luncheon is $28 payable to CWC Bluffton and send to Carol Mock, 607 Argent Way, Bluffton SC. 29909 or email Julie.ott.az@gmail.com.

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.

HISTORY Beaufort History Museum at the Arsenal

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, 713 Craven St, Beaufort.

General Admission for Adults $8, Seniors $7,

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

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

Tour Historic Fort Fremont Dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday, The Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land’s End Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. The History Center is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 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.

Beaufort County Historical Society: Battle of Port Royal Island, 1779

11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott St, Beaufort. Limited seating, registration recommended. For registration, please go to https://www. beaufortcountyhistoricalsociety.com/events on or after Jan. 19. Presentation by Col. Neil Baxley, former Marine and head of Beaufort County’s Emergency Management Division. Come learn about the strategy, tactics and significance of this American Revolution battle fought near the Marine Corps Air Station 244 years ago. South Carolina’s first land based engagement between professional British, militia and Continental forces resulted in a Patriot Victory.

Beaufort County Historical Society: Stuarts Town

1 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4, USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St, Beaufort. Presentation by Chester de Pratter and his archaeological team. Participate in a community forum to reveal the findings and the significance of those findings from the 117 shovel tests conducted in Beaufort’s downtown Point area.

Gullah 101

2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 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/online-classes. Let us introduce you to the spiritual, musical, linguistic and storytelling world of the Gullah culture.

The American Revolution:

A World War No One Knows

10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 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/online-classes. Discover how America was only one relatively compact and insignificant theater of war in what was in reality a World War for England, and that American independence was won only due to military aid from two European powers and distractions provided by four other major nations.

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/online-classes. This presentation explores this 19th-century 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, 843-255-6441.

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.

Time for Tea (English Tea Party)

3 p.m., 1st Monday 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, 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 843-255-6540. 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

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 Boys in the Boat

12 to 1 p.m., Monday, Feb. 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 The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, presented by Joe DeVito.

Books Sandwiched In –

Trouble the Water

12 to 1 p.m., Monday, Feb. 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 Trouble the Water by Rebecca Dwight Bruff, presented by Rebecca Dwight Bruff.

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.

MEETINGS

Maye River Quilters

10 a.m., Feb. 4, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way, Hardeeville. To attend as a guest, RSVP at mayeriverquilters@gmail.com. For Information and membership forms, call 843-7059590.

Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club February meeting

7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9, Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club located on Lady’s Island off of Meridian Road. Social begins at 6:30 p.m. Guests are welcome. Reservations are not needed. The guest speaker is Ryan Yaden, DNR Director of the S.C. Artificial Reef Program. Ryan will present the history of this very successful program with updates on the reef from Edisto to Hilton Head White Water Reef, including new coordinates. He will also present deployments of materials of opportunity at these reefs with underwater video of deployed tanks, APCS Barges, Tug Boat, and NY Subway Car. Beaufort Boat & Dock Supply, Butler Marine, and Adams Marine Seminars again are our monthly $50 drawing sponsors. Remember to weigh in your favorite catch at Beaufort Boat & Dock Supply – located at 1734 Ribaut Road, Port Royal – during regular hours. Congratulations to Bill Hennigh, last month’s winner. Winners must be present at the next month’s meeting to receive the cash award. Guests are welcome. Reservations are not needed. For additional information, please contact Captain Frank Gibson at 843-522-2122 or email fgibson@islc.net.

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 next meeting is Thursday, Jan. 12. The meeting will be about the topics members have suggested as projects for 2023.

OUTDOORS

Birding 101

4 p.m., Feb. 8, Port Royal Cypress Wetlands Amphitheatre, 1700 Paris Ave, Port Royal. Friends of the Port Royal Cypress Wetlands and Fripp Island Audubon Club will be offering a workshop for those new to birding. The workshop will be led by a Master Naturalist. Focus will be on how to use binoculars, identifying characteristics of common birds found in the wetlands, useful phone apps and guide books. Space will be limited. For further information and to reserve a space please call Dan Frese at 843-473-9393.

Port Royal Cypress Wetlands tours

10 to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 11; 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.

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.

older.

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

Recruit

PLATOON 2008

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt L. J. Cartagena Colon

PFC Arias, Lee R.

PFC Bridges, De’Andre T.

Pvt Burden, Isaac J.

PFC Byron, Chance R.*

PFC Cardonacarrillo, Esdras R.

Pvt Chisholm, Ja’Darius M.

Pvt Cruzjimenez, William Y.

PFC D’Antignac, Ty’Von K.*

Pvt Dearman, Braedon M.

PFC Dorsey, David A.

Pvt Eads, Jordan R.

PFC Finlay, Andrew G.

Pvt Fleming, Jeffrey P.

PFC Ford, Matthew A.

Pvt Gabriel, Carlos U.

Pvt Gomez Vodofsky, Carlos F.

Pvt Greene, Anthony L.

Pvt Gutierrez Moreno, Samuel

PFC Guzman-Escobar, Cecilio

Pvt Harris, Jah’Mir N.

PFC Howell, Ernest D.

Pvt James, Cameron M.

Pvt Jeanfrancois, Jalijah D.

Pvt Johnson, Bradley N.

Pvt Kubilus, David J.

PFC Larussa, Grayson M.

PFC Leonard, Darius T.*

Pvt Marteguzman, Angelo A.

Pvt Mathurin, Ishmel N.

PFC McConnell, Christophe N.

Pvt McMillan, Andrew J.

Pvt Moss, Bryce I.

PFC Mulligan, Liam J.

Pvt Neely, Colby D.

Pvt Olivero II, Bruce

Pvt Powell, Sire L.

PFC Rodriguez, Alexis A.

Pvt Rodriguezcastaneda, Brayan A.

Pvt Romero, Luis F.

Pvt Sumner, Jacob B.

Pvt Taylor, Thomas N.

Pvt Torresconcepcion, Jezed Y.

LCpl Waites, DeAndre J.

Pvt Williams, Tiphaurus L.

PFC Yu, Eunjun*

PLATOON 2009

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt S. R. Deer

Pvt Aldrich, Christian J.

Pvt Arrington, Sean M.

Pvt Battle, Jeremiah A.

Pvt Bonano, Gregory

Pvt Boyle Jr., William R.

PFC Bozman, Cameron B.

PFC Brant, Jacob R.

Pvt Cartee, Matthew A.

PFC Castrillon, Kevin

Pvt Chen, Yishuo

Pvt Copson, Dalton J.

Pvt Dees, Nathan G.

PFC Dill Simmons, Dasaun C.*

Pvt Doffour, Osbon G.

Pvt Dunlap, Wyatt A.

PFC Early, Cyril D.

Pvt Etheridge, Jeremy R.

Pvt Frankenhauser III, Paul T.

Pvt Garcia, Erik D.

Pvt Gaw, Ea Y.

Pvt Gray, Dominik M.

PFC Gross, Isaiah D.

PFC Harper, Terrance E.

Pvt Herron, Travis C.

Pvt Jones, Devin B.

Pvt Lewis, Trent H.

Pvt Maher, Scott A.

Pvt McCarthy, Colin T.

PFC McCormick Jr., Brad J.

Pvt Mendieta, Giancarlos

PFC Moore II, Benjamin J.

Pvt Moore, Deion E.

Pvt Olivo Rodriguez, Raphael E.

Pvt Ortiz Agustin, Fernando

PFC Pattelena, Robert B.*

Pvt Penacarvajal, Lester O.

Pvt Reid, Zekel D.

Pvt Richards, Giovanni J.

Pvt Ross, Thomas J.

PFC Torres Jr., Gerald W.

Pvt Tran, Dai V.

Pvt De La Trinidad, Jose M.

Pvt Stvil, Ermison S.

PFC White, Colby C.*

Pvt Wright, Connor M.

PLATOON 2010

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt B. H. Rosado

PFC Adames, Caleb W.*

Pvt Andrade, Rolando J.

Pvt Angel, Rodolfo D.

PFC Arias, Rangel N.

PFC Ariza, Humberto

Pvt Benitez, Christophe

Pvt Blinn, Jake C.

Pvt Boggs, Elijah Z.

Pvt Carbaugh, Wesley A.

Pvt Chavez Sanchez, Williams R.

Pvt Cook, Blaze M.

PFC Crowley, Liam P.

PFC Dolan, Bryce D.

Pvt Duarte, David

Pvt Farley, Tyler P.

Pvt Freed, Nathin D.

Pvt Gallant, Tristan S.

PFC Garcia, Yusuan

Pvt Gonzalez-Acevedo, Luis F.

Pvt Hayes, Grant M.

PFC Herb, Mason G.

Pvt Ibayan, Micael M.

Pvt Jarrell, Gage R.

Pvt Johnson II, Jeremiah J.

Pvt Lappay, Miguel E.

Pvt Luckett, Hunter C.

Pvt Marin, Juan E.

Pvt Mix, Bradley A.

Pvt Palomo, Fernando A.

Pvt Parker, Cyrus W.

Pvt Perez Gutierrez, Lewis

Pvt Perry, Anthony K.

Pvt Preece, Mackenzie P.

Pvt Rojas, Marco

Pvt Rosado, Jonathan N.

Pvt Ruhimbana, Foid

Pvt Sanchez Ortiz, Rafael J.

PFC Smith, Delano J.*

Pvt Smith, Shawn J.

Pvt Smith Jr., Darrell M.

Pvt Sosa, Kevin D.

PFC Threlkeld, Austin I.*

Pvt Torres, Bryant X.

PFC Vasquez, Joseph A.

Pvt Velazquez, Luis F.

Pvt Wischman, Tanner M.

PLATOON 2012

Senior Drill Instructor Sgt J. G. Salvato

Pvt Arcangelrodriguez, Alan R.

Pvt Arellanollanos, Cristofer

Pvt Ascue, Gabriel G.

Pvt Barragan, Stanley E.

PFC Bermudez, Jeremy J.

Pvt Castro, Brandon

PFC Cherenfant, Kareem A.

Pvt ClaraMoreno, Brayan

PFC Collado, Joseph M.*

Pvt Cox, De’Shawn A.

PFC Cusson, Zachary J.

Pvt FloresGarcia, Mario

Pvt Frey, Trevor A.

Pvt Fuentes, Eddie

Pvt Guevara, David L.

PFC Guzman, Jose L.

PFC Heslop, Kardell A.

Pvt Hunt, Ethan M.

Pvt Inman, Noah T.

Pvt Jarvis Jr., Jonathan D.

PFC Kim, Hyunmin

Pvt Li, Junior

Pvt Mantilla, George D.

Pvt Marrow, Ziaire A.

PFC Menendez, Adrian A.

PFC Miller, Dominick C.

PFC Molina, Brandon E.

Pvt Nixon, Anthony T.

PFC Noyola, Marvin Y.

PFC Olsen, Devin J.

PFC Oquendo, Gabriel A.

Pvt Paris, Ramon L.

PFC Parrish, William C.

PFC Patrick, Nicolas W.*

Pvt Penafiel, Joseph A.

Pvt Perez, Kenny L.

Pvt Pesina Garcia, Francisco A.

Pvt Quilacio, Simon J.

PFC Rabanal, Joseph R.

PFC Rivera, Manuel S.

PFC Robinson, Cole C.

Pvt Robosky, Stephen E.

Pvt Rodriguez, Jaelon S.

PFC Schwartz, Jesse L.*

Pvt Sollecito, Franklyn J.

Pvt Soto, Leury

Pvt Stubel, Bailey J.

Pvt Trinidad, Nicholas L.

Pvt Vasquez, Joshua C.

PLATOON 2013

Senior Drill Instructor SSgt T. A. Hilgendorf

Pvt Arciniegaslobo, Juan S.

Pvt Armstrong, Ethan O.

Pvt Bah, Mamadou M.

Pvt Barnes, Owen M.

Pvt Basurto, Adolfo

Pvt Bech, Garrett E.

Pvt Bright, Layne S.

Pvt Charles, Jhafed A.

Pvt Clark, D’Angelo T.

Pvt Collins, Joseph B.

PFC Collins, Ru-Shawnie D.

Pvt Deems, Joshua A.

Pvt Elam Jr., Todd N.

Pvt Elvariste, Bradley R.

PFC Federici, Matthew T.

Pvt Flores, Klein A.

PFC Gallardo, Juan P.

Pvt Harrison, Christian G.

PFC Healy, Ryan A.

Pvt Hoffecker Jr., Abe B.

Pvt Jackson, Matthew A.

Pvt Jaimes, Eduardo G.

PFC Jennings, Jack P.*

Pvt Kirk, Jeremiah J.

Pvt Lester, Colin J.

PFC Maiorano, Ensign M.

Pvt Maldonado, David

Pvt Martin, Rain A.

PFC McIntosh, Ian R.

PFC Mckibben, Seagan G.*

Pvt Melrose, Adrik M.

Pvt Muniz, Antonio A.

Pvt Naquin, Logan A.

PFC Navarro Linares, Christopher N.

Pvt Otano, Damien M.

Pvt Overman, Dion T.

PFC Rau, Nicoales M.

Pvt Segres Jr., James Z.

Pvt Smith Jr., James A.

PFC Tilliard, Marco B.

Pvt Tolliver, Canyon R.

PFC Villagomez, Jeffrey*

Pvt Walker, George E.

Pvt Xicohtencatl, Brandon

PFC Zhanaytorres, Kevin

*Denotes meritorious promotion to current rank

Refueling Northern Strike 23-1

A flight of U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (VMFA-115), Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort return to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, after a mission supporting Northern Strike 23-1 on Jan. 24, 2023.

A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (VMFA-115), Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort flies over Michigan during Northern Strike 23-1 on Jan. 24, 2023 from Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

A KC-135T Stratotanker aircraft with the 127th Air Refueling Group, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., refuels a flight of U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (VMFA-115), Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort during exercise Northern Strike 23-1. The Michigan-based exercise is an accessible, cost-effective way for units across the DoD, reserve components in particular, to experience extreme cold-weather joint all-domain operations. Photos by Munnaf H. Joarder/U.S. Air National Guard

VA Provided vision care, corrective lenses, eyeglasses, frames, contact lenses and more

Veterans in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia and elsewhere who are eligible for VA healthcare should take advantage of the excellent eye and vision care (Ophthalmology and Optometry) offered throughout the VA healthcare system. The VA goes far beyond just providing glasses. Veterans should watch the following VA’s theSITREP — YouTube videos to learn more about VA eye care:

1. What types of Eyeglass Frames Does VA Offer? https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=FmMxB7ohI08

2. Optometry Services and How to Schedule VA Appointments. https://youtu.be/ Yv2p4njItUA

3. Which is better? VA vs. Private Sector, https://youtu.be/ QICQ3vXjA7A

4. What Types of Eyeglass Lenses does VA Offer? https://youtu. be/ggsz3B3lo7E

5. Does VA Provide Contact Lenses? https://youtu.be/ zzcCHzdjLHk

6. Does VA Provide LASIK Surgery for Veterans? https:// youtu.be/_fYjAtNeQbQ

7. Does VA pay for expensive eye medications? https://youtu. be/_U-NoXQtzO4

8. VA Eye Care Services for the Blind, TBIs, & Assistive Tech. (Visual Rehabilitation, Audio Devices, Computer Optical Character readers, Video Magnifiers, Talk Script, etc.), https://youtu.be/ Obb4p937cNg

9. Eye Care in the Community. Does VA Pay for Private Sector Exams? (Community Care is used some-

times for routine eye exams but vets do need to come back to VA to be fit for glasses, Not every VA has every type of eye care, etc.), https://youtu.be/ zPcCJfl_38M

10. How Often Should Veterans get Eye Exams? (Healthy folks with no concerning medical problems

--- every two years, Diabetic Patients yearly, Glaucoma or Macular Degeneration every 3 to 4 months, etc.), https://youtu.be/ kFIePf7_Lqo

11. How to Enroll in VA Health Care, https:// youtu.be/ZO9snrUHP_A

VA Eye and Vision care

The VA’s ophthalmology and optometry specialists diagnose and provide medical and surgical care for conditions that affect veterans’ eyes — like cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic eye disease. VA ophthalmology services include: Medical care for glaucoma, eye infections, and other conditions, Surgery for cataracts, traumatic eye injuries, and other problems, Treatment for eye conditions related to illnesses like diabetes or arthritis, Plastic surgery to repair droopy eyelids, clear blocked tear ducts, Eyelid and facial reconstruction, and more.

the quality of your vision through a comprehensive exam. They diagnose and treat many eye disorders that do not require surgery or further specialized care. Some of these services include: Vision tests and screenings

Prescriptions for eyeglasses and contact lenses

Minor procedures, such as removing a foreign body from your eye

Providing vision therapy and visual rehabilitation services. Optometrists identify health conditions that many veterans may not know affect their eyes.

The American Optometric Association notes there are some 270 conditions (like Diabetes) that may lead to eye and vision changes.

VA Ophthalmologist

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases, performs eye surgery, and prescribes eyeglasses and contact lenses. They provide the same services as optometrists do, but with additional eye surgery and vision rehabilitation skills.

Two VA Lowcountry

Eyecare Clinics

Veterans in the Lowcountry are fortunate to be in the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System and Medical Center’s service area. Veterans in the Lowcountry may be referred to the Optometry and Ophthalmology Clinic at either the Ralph H. Johnson VA

Medical Center, 109 Bee Street, Charleston, S.C. 29401, phone 843-577-5011 or the VA/DOD Joint Eye Clinic, 746 Pulaski Street, Goose Creek, S.C. 29445.

World-Class Services

The VA is focused on serving the veteran. VA eye care services are similar to services provided in the private sector but VA eye care, in many cases, is more readily available, with lower appointment wait times. VA care is more comprehensive because the VA eye healthcare team has instant access to the veteran’s full medical record. VA healthcare is completely integrated and VA eye care doctors can almost instantly refer a patient to a VA Primary Care Provider or another specialist when needed. VA multidisciplinary collaboration is second to none.

For example, VA doctors can see if veterans are refilling their medications., therefore if the VA is treating a veteran for glaucoma and their pressure is not where the doctor wants it to be, the eye doctor will know if there is a medication treatment failure or if the problem is caused by the patient failing to follow the treatment plan.

Another example is the VA treats veterans with TBI-related eye problems through an integrated team of neurologists, speech pathologists, physical therapists, and eye care doctors. These teams treat together complications and the late adverse effects caused by TBIs.

Huge selection of VA provided eyeglass frames

The VA has come a long way in providing a full range of eyeglass frames for veterans. The VA offers up to 75 frames made by as many as five manufacturers to pick from. VA eyeglasses are top-of-the-line technology. Frames are broadly offered in masculine and feminine categories. Flex frames are offered.

Frames are available in plastic and metal with metal frames being made of either nickel or titanium. Some frames are larger than others to help block out sunlight. Rimless frames are available with shatter-resistant glass (Polycarbonate or Trivex) lenses. See VA theSITREP – YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=FmMxB7ohI08

Wide selection of VA provided eyeglass lenses

The VA offers single vision (same for distance and reading), reading (no driving), lined bi-focal (distance top – reading bottom), no line bi-focal (progressives), photochromic (transition) lenses which lighten and darken in varying degrees of sunlight, and sunglasses. Progressive (no line) lenses provide multiple-distance vision, including a midrange for computer reading.

Progressive lenses are not recommended for people who need to have constant good depth perception (no ladders) or who have neck arthritis and cannot move their head to adjust sight.

Transition Lenses are not recommended for driving in bright light. Photochromic

(transition) lenses need direct sunlight to hit them to darken. Because auto windshields already have UV protection in them, transition lenses will not change much. For someone who does lots of driving, sunglasses and other than transition lenses are recommended. Photochromic lenses are great for golfing and other such direct sunlight activities. The chemical in transition lenses will also wear out eventually. If the VA issues you transition lenses and you cannot get used to them, they will issue you bi-focals after you have tried out the transition lenses for a while.

Contact lenses and LASIK surgery

The VA provides these services. This writer made my first eye appointment with the DOD/VA last week. I was offered an appointment the same day but made an appointment for Tuesday, Feb. 3, with the VA/DOD Joint Eye Clinic, 746 Pulaski Street, Goose Creek, S.C. 29445. Call or email me, and I will tell you how the appointment went.

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.

ATTORNEY

Christopher J. Geier Attorney at Law, LLC

Criminal Defense & Civil Litigation

16 Professional Village Circle, Lady's Island Office: 843-986-9449 • Fax: 843-986-9450 chris@bftsclaw.com • www.geierlaw.com

AUDIOLOGY & HEARING

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www.beauforthearing.com | 843-521-3007

Hear the Beauty that Surrounds You

The Beaufort Sound Hearing and Balance Center

Dr. Larry Bridge, AU.D./CCC-A

206 Sea Island Parkway, Suite 31, Beaufort thebeaufortsound@gmail.com

www.thebeaufortsound.com | 843-522-0655

AUTOMOBILE SERVICES

Zippy Lube, Inc. www.zippylubebeaufortsc.com zippylubeinc@gmail.com 843-522-3560

Quick Lube and Full Service Automobile Repair Ronnie Kizer, Owner 149 Sea Island Parkway • Beaufort, SC 29907

THURSDAY’S CARTOON

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ADVERTISE YOUR AUCTION in 99 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Your 25-word classified ad will reach more than 2.1 million readers. Call Randall Savely at the S.C. Newspaper Network, 1-888-727-7377.

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VACATION RENTALS

ADVERTISE YOUR VACATION PROPERTY FOR RENT OR SALE to more than 2.1 million S.C. newspaper readers. Your 25-word classified ad will appear in 99 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Call Randall Savely at the South Carolina Newspaper Network, 1-888-727-7377.

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