NEWS: Former county planning director puts in plug for more parks. PAGE A3
JULY 16–22, 2020 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
State sees 1st 2 kids with rare MIS-C By Mike McCombs There were two developments pertaining to COVID-19 and children last week in South Carolina. And neither were good. On Saturday, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) confirmed the state’s
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
COVID-19 takes 1st child in SC
first pediatric death associated with COVID-19. Then on Sunday, DHEC confirmed the state’s first cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19. The death was a child younger than 5 from Chester County. “Today, we mourn the loss of one of our children to this
virus. It is heart-wrenching to lose a child under any circumstances, and especially so during a time when we have all lost so much already,” DHEC Public Health Director Dr. Joan Duwve said. “Our state is in a dire situation, and we will continue to mourn the loss of parents, grandparents, children, friends and neighbors until each and every one of us steps up to do what is
right, not just for ourselves but for others. “No one is immune to this deadly disease, but we each have the power to impact the path this pandemic takes in South Carolina. Choosing to wear a mask and maintain physical distance today will not only help change the course of the pandemic in South Carolina, it will help save the lives of those around us.”
Then on Sunday, two children were the first in the state with a confirmed diagnosis of MIS-C, a rare health condition recently recognized to occur in some children and teenagers who have contracted COVID-19. One child is from the Midlands and one is from the PeeDee. Both are younger than 10.
SEE CHILD PAGE A7
Heavy rains leave Hunting Island under water HUNTING ISLAND UPDATES For the latest and most accurate information about Hunting Island State Park, visit the park’s official Twitter account @HuntingIslandSP managed by Park Manager J.W. Weatherford.
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
Lolita Huckaby Watson can be reached at bftbay@gmail.com.
Back to class or staying home? School district asks parents to make tough decision as it readies reopening plan
An employee of Hunting Island State Park fills up a water pump which has run out of gas. Senior Park Ranger Tori Johnson said the retention ponds used for storm runoff and surrounding grounds are full to capacity and saturated with water.
calls itself “Save Bay Point,” are concerned that the county may be basing its decision to move forward on the advice and counsel of an organization that to date, no one seems to know much about. “Before decisions are made that are irrevocable, the county needs to ensure all entities involved are 100 percent legitimate, particularly if they claim to be a non-profit and the county is relying on their alleged ex-
From staff reports Parents of the Beaufort County School District’s 22,000 students are being asked to decide if they want their children to stay at home and learn virtually or return to the classroom amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the district prepares to release its reopening plan on Friday, July 17. The district’s online student registration system for the 2020-21 academic year is up and running.
SEE SOCIETY PAGE A4
SEE CLASS PAGE A6
Who is The International Ecotourism Society? Organization with questionable history at the center of Community Development Code, Bay Point planning By Mindy Lucas An organization whose representative weighed in on county planning meetings concerning the Bay Point development project as recently as May 5 is not a nonprofit organization as it purports to be and, in fact,
has a history of troubling allegations, according to documents obtained by The Island News. The International Ecotourism Society, or TIES, lost its federal tax-exempt status in Shining 2015 after failing to file a light 990 forms, as required Read letter on decision by the IRS for tax-ex- to green light empt organizations, Bay Point for three consecutive Project on years, the documents page A4. show. TIES’ website currently states it is a nonprofit “dedicated to pro-
SHIPS WITH NO PLACE TO GO
See more totals and last week’s numbers on A7.
By Lolita Huckaby Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling, after three terms in office, says he will not seek re-election in November. Keyserling, who most recently led the Billy local effort Keyserling to provide masks for residents against the COVID-19 virus, said he wants to focus his efforts on Reconstruction projects and finish his autobiography. Former City Councilman and husband of current Councilwoman Nan Sutton, Mike Sutton, as of press time, is the only candidate to file in the upcoming Beaufort city elections as mayor. Current council members Nan Sutton and Mike McFee, whose seats are also open this year, have not announced their plans. Interested candidates have until noon on Aug. 14 to file with the city clerk. Candidates must be residents of the city. Council and mayoral terms are four years and are non-partisan, city-wide representation.
Barricades are up to prevent campers at Hunting Island from using water from this spigot. Deep holes remain hidden under nearly 2 feet of water in some places, making walking a dangerous proposition. Photos by Bob Sofaly.
when the island got 8 inches of rain. In total, on Tuesday and Wednesday, Hunting Island received 12.75 inches of rain. While the park is closed, the campground has remained open. While some campsites are flooded, those that aren’t are still open for reservations.
As of Monday, July 13 S.C. Confirmed cases: 58,003 S.C. Confirmed deaths: 961 Beaufort County cases: 2,015 Beaufort County deaths: 23
Keyserling will not run again
DROWNING AGAIN
By Mike McCombs In what has become an all too common sight, Hunting Island State Park has been closed for the past week after heavy rains left most of the park’s roads submerged. “Unfortunate news to report ... We will continue to remain closed at least through Wednesday July 15th. Everyone of our roads still have covered areas of flood waters. We are not draining well. We have been pumping water off of our roads since the rain began,” Park Manager J.W. Weatherford tweeted on the park’s official Twitter account on Sunday, July 12. The park was initially closed during the day Tuesday, July 7,
THE NUMBERS Totals
moting ecotourism.” An independent search conducted by The Island News verified the revocation of TIES’ nonprofit status in 2015. In addition, there was no reinstatement date listed. The documents were provided to both the newspaper and to Beaufort County’s Community Development Department Director Eric Greenway by members of a loose coalition opposed to the Bay Point development, which is being touted as an ecotourism project. Members of the group, which
THE AREA’S BEST
INSIDE
Charleston cruise ships still stranded by the Covid-19 scare remain tied up in Port Royal.
Warriors headline 201920 All-Lowco Basketball Teams presented by H2 Basketball.
PAGE A5
PAGE A9
Lowcountry Life A2 News A2–6 Business A6 Legal Notices A6 Health & Wellness A7
Voices Sports Education Directory Classifieds Games
A8 A9 A10 A10 A11 A11