SPORTS: Palmetto State Games set to return after 35-year hiatus. PAGE A9
JUNE 18–24, 2020 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Lowcountry businesses struggled with federal assistance process S.C. SBA official: ‘There’s still money’ left in paycheck protection program By Mindy Lucas As new business owners, Kendell and Anthony Wilson thought they’d be dealing with the usual things business owners face when they opened
their business Glowcountry Indoor Mini Golf in December. Things like managing finances or marketing. Especially marketing. After all, when Glowcountry first opened, the family-friendly golf course which uses black lights and glowing features was a new concept for most people.
“I’d love to say we came up with the idea but we didn’t,” said Kendell Wilson. What the couple didn’t think they’d be dealing with was a global pandemic that would soon lead to a nationwide shut down. “We were shocked,” she said describing those first few weeks. “You never expect the country to come to a complete
close, to shut down.” But shut down they did. And like many small businesses around the Lowcountry, the Wilsons soon found themselves looking to the federal government for emergency assistance and trying to decide if they even wanted to apply in the first place. After all, they’d come this far without taking out loans.
“We literally put our savings into the business,” Wilson said, explaining the couple had even foregone building a house in order to launch their business venture. “It was like, there’s no option to fail,” she said. But this was something different, as everyone kept saying. And no one, not even those in Congress, which had
As SC’s coronavirus numbers explode, debate on masks takes center stage
From staff reports As we are hearing and reading reports of significant increases in new cases of COVID-19 in South Carolina in the midst of a statewide “re-opening,” the debate over whether or not to wear a face mask has become even more important. With so many opinions about face masks and cloth face coverings, it may be hard to distinguish what is based on good science and what is fiction. Here are some of the things you may be hearing, and the medical information that contradicts these common “mask myths.”
Park Ranger Amanda Taylor, left, schedules a time slot for Laurie Kleppy and her young nephew to climb the Hunting Island Lighthouse Monday morning. In the background are Samantha Melius and Arthur Sprangel of St.Louis, Mo., waiting for the time slot to open. Photos by Bob Sofaly.
Hunting Island Lighthouse re-opens By Bob Sofaly
Samantha Melius, left, and Arthur Sprangel trudge up the first of the 175 steps on their way to the top of the 131-foot tall Hunting Island Lighthouse on Monday.
Parris Island, Port Royal cancel July 4 fireworks By Mike McCombs and Ginger Wareham There will be a lot less boom on the Fourth of July 4 in the Beaufort area this year. Port Royal Town Council made the decision last week to cancel the annual Independence Day Fireworks Display scheduled for Saturday, July 4. The decision was made, according to Port Royal Town Manager Van Willis, in reaction to the cancelation of the annual Independence Day Celebration at Marine Corps Recruiting Depot Parris Island. A spokesperson from Ma-
rine Corps recruiting Depot Parris Island could not confirm Thursday afternoon that the installation’s fireworks celebration had been canceled. “Once we got word that Parris Island was canceling (its show), we had to decide,” Willis said by phone Thursday afternoon. “… based upon the concerns about the spread of COVID-19 and large social gatherings, we went ahead and canceled.” With an anticipated attendance of more than 3,000 people at the Sands Beach, Willis said it would be challenging to implement and enforce any type of social
WANT TO GET POLITICAL?
Photo by Bob Sofaly. distancing as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Port Royal Town Council
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Busting the myths around the mask
READY TO CLIMB
The iconic Hunting Island Lighthouse reopened under limited capacity Monday, June 15, but by appointment only and in small groups of no more than six at a time. There is a fee of $2 to climb all 175 steps in the 131-foot structure and one has to be at least 44 inches tall to even be considered for the trek. Ranger Carl Berube said visitors to the lighthouse have a full 45 minutes to climb to the top, take some pictures and descend. He said the lighthouse is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
just created a massive relief package, had ever seen anything like it. So the Wilsons began looking into the process and reading online forms for clues as to what they might qualify for and that’s when the real headache began.
felt that it was important to take the cautionary steps now to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the community. Willis said the town learned of Parris Island’s decision “several weeks ago.” There was worry that with no fireworks to watch from Parris Island, people would have flocked to Port Royal in abnormally large numbers, exacerbating the situation. “There was a worry there would be mayhem,” Willis said, “and we didn’t want that.” Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
We used to hear that we shouldn’t wear masks. Why should I change now? COVID-19 is a new disease and experts around the world are learning new things about it every day. As more data has become available and new things discovered, many recommendations have evolved and will continue to do so. The recommendation for everyone to wear face coverings/masks came about after the discovery that the virus can be transmitted in aerosolized particles when someone speaks or breathes heavily, not just in larger droplets from a sneeze or cough. “As we return to many aspects of normal life, it is important to not let our guard down,” said Dr. Kurt Gambla, chief medical officer at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. “COVID-19 will continue to be a threat until an effective
THE LATEST NUMBERS 19,378 – Total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in S.C. 602 – Total number of deaths caused by the virus in S.C. 615 – Total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in Beaufort County. Source: S.C. Department of Health and Envionmental Control (DHEC) as of June 15. See last week's numbers on page A4.
vaccine is developed and in wide use. Until then, taking simple precautions, including wearing a mask in congested public spaces, social distancing and handwashing, are the best ways to prevent the spread of this virus.” I’m not afraid of catching COVID-19 or at risk for serious complications so I don’t need a mask. Generally, masks are recommended for two reasons – to protect the wearer from being infected (keeping germs out) or to protect others from being infected by the wearer (keeping germs in). Current guidelines for the public fall into the second category. Since you can have the virus without realizing it and be contagious, wearing a mask protects those around you should you have COVID-19. “It’s important to remember that face coverings should be used in addition to social distancing, not as a replacement,” says Ashley Hildreth, Beaufort Memorial’s patient safety officer.
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‘March for Justice’ slated for Father’s Day By Mindy Lucas A silent “March for Justice” will be held on Sunday, June 21, or Father’s Day, in downtown Beaufort. The march is being organized by retired Air Force Major General Harold Mitchell, a Beaufort County native who served nearly 40 years in the military. Mitchell recently spoke to members of Beaufort City Council, saying he had been struggling with the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis and also the Charleston church shooting in 2015 in which nine African American church members were killed
GOODBYE
INSIDE
Mayor, City Council seats up for grab in November in Beaufort.
Bob Bender, Environmental activist and founder and curator of the Lowcountry Estuarium in Port Royal dies.
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by a gun man during a bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. “In 1968, after the killing of Dr. King, I’m struggling in the same way, that I’ve got to do something,” he said. The event will begin with an assembly of participants at 4 p.m. in the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort. It will then proceed at 4:30, up Charles Street to Boundary Street, will move to Carteret Street then back to Bay Street and the park. Drivers should expect street closures. Participants are asked to wear masks and be prepared to space themselves apart.