JANUARY 2 - 8, 2020 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Flu forces Beaufort Memorial to restrict visitors
An increase in the number of flu-related illnesses forced Beaufort Memorial to impose visitor restrictions beginning the day after Christmas. After a meeting Monday morning, it appears those restrictions will continue for the immediate future.
“Visitation restrictions may help us prevent the spread of flu and other viruses to our patients and staff so that we can care for those patients that need hospitalization,” Infection Preventionist Sherri Rabon, RN, said Monday morning. “Last week we had 75 positive influen-
za cases with 29 of those coming from the BPP clinics. We also assisted two patients last week on the Care Anywhere app with flu-like symptoms. “Visitors under the age of 18 and adults with cold or flu-like symptoms will be restricted from patient visita-
FLU ON THE RISE
Last year, flu activity didn’t ramp up until February. This year, it has come much sooner, A4
tion until further notice this flu season. The threshold we set to determine visitation
restrictions was 50 positive flu cases in one week and that occurred this past weekend.” Rabon encourages visitors to use the hand sanitizer, tissues, and surgical masks available to them at the hospital entrances. “Our goal is always to provide the highest quality of care pos-
sible to the greatest number of patients possible,” Rabon said. “We ask our community to bear with us as we work as efficiently as possible to help our patients during the current flu season.” For more information or updates regarding restrictions, visit BeaufortMemorial.org.
ON THE AIR
MIKE MCCOMBS
In effort to crucify media, Eastwood’s movie spins its own fake news
W
hen I heard a while back that Clint Eastwood was making a movie about Richard Jewell, I’ll admit I was pretty excited. Jewell, the security guard who first reported the bomb in Centennial Park during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, is a tragic figure. And quite frankly, a man whose story deserved to be told. And hearing that Eastwood would make the movie, I was positive I’d be ecstatic with the results. I was wrong. Having grown up in Atlanta, the 1996 Olympics were a big deal. My father a civil engineer, worked on transportation plans for the games. In the early morning hours of July 27, 1996, I was with my girlfriend Mari Linn and friends at Tiger Town Tavern in downtown Clemson when special reports took over the televisions after a pipe bomb exploded in Centennial Park, resulting in two deaths and more than 100 injuries. It was a kick to the gut. This was pre-9/11. Mass shootings weren’t as common as they are now. But only a little more than a year before, Timothy McVeigh had bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.
Alec Bishop, right, videographer for The County Channel, makes a few minor adjustments to his camera while Scott Grooms, left, of The County Channel and Beaufort County Administrator Ashley Jacobs go over the script. Photos by Bob Sofaly.
Award-winning County Channel keeps residents informed and entertained
Scott Grooms of The County Channel with the Emmy awards won by Beaufort County.
SEE MEDIA PAGE A5
By Mindy Lucas It’s a Friday morning at the Beaufort County administration building on Ribaut Road. Inside, on the first floor, the staff of the County Channel is gearing up for the next segment of Coastline, a public affairs show featuring county officials and local or community representatives. While county administrator Ashley Jacobs works out what she wants to talk about with the show’s substitute host, Scott Grooms, Rob Lewis is busy next door in “Master Control”
manning a large, colorfully lit panel just below 13 Years Mindy Lucas’ a computer story on monitor. The County A 10-year Channel was County published Jan. 2, 2020, Channel 13 years to veteran, the day after Lewis helps Beaufort County threw produce and the switch to direct the turn on the channel’s channel on Jan. 2, 2007. original content and, along with other staff, helps record its many meetings. “This is basically live
editing,” he says, as he explains what the “Control Surface,” as it is called, does. After a few minutes more, everyone is ready and Lewis gives the signal. “Stand by. We are recording,” he says, as he begins counting them down. “4 – 3 – 2 – 1.” Built from the ground up A locally produced, public-access styled broadcast, the County Channel began airing on Jan. 2, 2007.
SEE CHANNEL PAGE A4 We are. Accreditation
JANUARY'S FIRST FRIDAY
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