EDUCATION: Beaufort Academy has plan in place to return to school. PAGE A6
JULY 9–15, 2020 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
COVID-19 spreading in state, county Beaufort County’s mask ordinance closes gaps By Mike McCombs Last week was another big week for COVID-19 in South Carolina and in Beaufort County. On average, in Beaufort County, there were 52.4 new cases each day in the week ending Monday, July 6. For the state, that number was 1,604.1 Both of those Record numbers are up high from the previ- New S.C. ous seven-day cases reach period, when a record high on there were an July 4. See average of 38.9 last week's and 1,263.6 new numbers on cases daily in page A4. Beaufort County and the state of South Carolina, respectively. Those are increases of 35 and 27 percent, respectively, as well. Saturday, July 4 saw the state set a new record with 1,836 new cases. Beaufort County set its own high-water mark on Tuesday, June 30, with 71. And the positive test rate on Friday, July 3 was a record 20.7 percent.
Hannah VanDam, a lifeguard at Hunting Island State Park, watches as a pair of F-16s from Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter cruise by on the Fourth of July at the beach Saturday. Also participating was a vintage P-51 Mustang and a big C-127 cargo jet, all part of the Salute From the Shore which began near Myrtle Beach and made its way down past Hunting Island.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
3 Beaufort County deaths in first week of July There have already been three deaths from COVID-19 in July in Beaufort County. There were only six deaths re-
Beachgoers celebrate Independence Day at Hunting Island State Park
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Photos by Bob Sofaly
THE NUMBERS Totals
Macay Stuart, of Bluffton, was spending a family day observing the Fourth of July at Hunting Island State Park. Here he flies his kite near the live guard station flying an American flag.
Mini American flags could be seen all around Hunting Island State Park. The flags were given away free, courtesy of Explore Beaufort.
Naval Hospital’s new commanding officer wants to make sure health facility remains a ‘high reliability’ organization
C TAX DEADLINE: JULY 15
Mason Wilkerson, left, of Bluffton, gets a history lesson from his uncle, Austin Carmack of Tishomingo, Miss., on the Fourth of July at Hunting Island State Park.
Batz a man on a mission
By Mindy Lucas aptain Raymond Batz is on a mission. As the new commanding officer for both the Naval Hospital Beaufort and the 127-acre installation itself – a unique double command – Batz wants to make sure
Captain Raymond Batz
As of Monday, July 6 S.C. Confirmed cases: 46,247 S.C. Confirmed deaths: 819 Beaufort County cases: 1,510 Beaufort County deaths: 23 Last week’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: 1604.1 Previous week’s 7-day avg. new cases, state: 1,263.6 Last week’s 7-day average new cases, county: 52.43 Previous week’s 7-day average new cases, county: 38.9
patients and their families are in good hands at the health facility. To do this requires a threeprong focus, he said: always caring, which is the hospital’s motto, a drive toward high reliability as an organization and being balanced for dynamic change. That may sound like so much military speak but as Batz explained in an in-person interview recently, it’s all meant to make sure the health facility is operating as a “high reliability” organization at all times. “High reliability means we’re doing the best we can to ensure that we’re going through each day
deliberately, and, from a healthcare perspective if we have a focus, it’s a zero-harm focus,” he said. Batz took over command of Naval Hospital Beaufort from the previous CO, Capt. Rob Jackson who retired in May. Having recently served as Deputy Commanding Officer at Tripler Army Medical Center in O’ahu, Hawaii, Batz comes to the Beaufort facility in a time of recent transition. In just the last six months, the hospital made the federally mandated transition to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Beaufort, which means, like many
LOOK FROM AFAR
INSIDE
Income tax deadline extension granted during the COVID-19 outbreak is quickly running out.
National Association of Women Artists present the first combined Virtual Art Exhibit through Aug. 25.
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Voices Arts Directory Classifieds Games
military health facilities across the country, it realigned its services. For Naval Hospital Beaufort, that means switching from care that includes hospitalizations to providing only outpatient care. However the health facility, which supports both Parris Island and the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort as well, will continue to provide overnight stays for recruits when needed. Batz said the health facility will continue to ensure that recruits become Marines in a way that’s healthy while getting them ready to
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SEE MISSION PAGE A5