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MARCH 5 – 11, 2020 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
OPERATION PULL DOWN
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
ELECTION 2020
Biden brings home big victory SC Democratic Primary: Former VP wins decisively in state, Beaufort County
Money seems to be falling from the ceiling of Johnson Creek Tavern as volunteers work in other rooms to remove thousands of dollar bills destined to be donated to charity. Here, Craig Bowman, center, removes some of the money from a window frame covered with dollar bills. Photos by Bob Sofaly.
$1 bills removed from bar’s walls, ceiling will go to Honor Flight for WWII veterans
By Bob Sofaly
A
small army of volunteers helped take down stapled one dollar bills from the walls, ceiling and just about everywhere else one might think of to attach a dollar bill during Operation Pull Down on Saturday at Johnson Creek Tavern. Diners at Johnson Creek Tavern typically sign dollar bills and staple them to the walls and ceiling of the restaurant. Coleman White, co-owner of the popular restaurant and bar near Hunting Island, said the bills are removed each year and donated to charity. “In 2018, we donated more than $17,000 to the Honor Flight for World War II veterans,” he said. The money will go to Honor Flight Savannah, where it will defray the expenses for veterans to visit Washington, D.C. on April 24–26 to see the nation’s war memorials. All totaled, White said over the last few years Johnson Creek Tavern has donated more than $51,000 to charity, all from dollars bills stapled to its walls.
By Mindy Lucas After months of campaign stops, town halls and door-todoor canvassing, the run-up to South Carolina’s Democratic Primary is over with former Vice President Joe Biden walking away with a de- Joe Biden cisive victory in hand. Thousands went to the polls on Saturday, Feb. 29, in Beaufort County to cast their ballot. At the Charles L. Brown Activity Center in Beaufort, where three precincts vote, 262 people had voted as of 11 a.m. on Saturday. Over at Port Royal’s Town
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S.C. DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RESULTS % Votes J. Biden 48.44 256,111 B. Sanders 19.90 105,226 T. Steyer 11.33 59,917 P. Buttigieg 8.25 43,612 E. Warren 7.06 37,353 A. Klobuchar 3.15 16,678 T. Gabbard 1.28 6,755 BEAUFORT COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RESULTS % Votes J. Biden 45.84 11,287 B. Sanders 15.23 3,750 P. Buttigieg 12.47 3,070 T. Steyer 12.22 3,009 E. Warren 6.91 1,701 A. Klobuchar 5.58 1,373 T. Gabbard 1.18 290
*Unofficial totals via scvotes.org County Elections Board to certify results Thursday The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County will hold their monthly board meeting at noon on Thursday, March 5. This meeting will be held after the Canvass Hearing to certify the Beaufort County results of the Democratic Presidential Preference Primary in the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County Beaufort office at 15 John Galt Road.
SC Democrats show up at polls like never before Beaufort County, like rest of state, shows big increase in turnout
Marian Spears, left, and Patsy Hand act as “the bank,” counting and bundling some of the 17,000 dollar bills removed from the walls of Johnson Creek Tavern during Saturday’s Operation Pull Down.
By Mike McCombs When Joe Biden won South Carolna’s First in the South Democratic Primary on Saturday, Feb. 29, is wasn’t just a big win for him. It was the biggest turnout for South Carolina Democrats ever. The 539,020 voters who cast ballots in the primary exceeded 2008’s total by 6,869. And Beaufort County played a big part in the record-setting day. With an 81 percent increase in voter
turnout over the last primary, the county was second only to York County, which saw an 86 percent increase. “The party (in Beaufort County) will have more voters heading to the polls in November,” Beaufort County Democratic Party Chair Mayra Rivera-Vazquez said Monday night. “South Carolina wants a change and will elect more Democrats up and down the ballot in November. South Carolinians are ready to send Lindsey (Graham) home and re-elect Joe Cunningham to Congress.” Rivera-Vazquez said the
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Beaufort Charities Oyster roast set for Saturday in Port Royal
Don’t forget to spring forward Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead an hour.
It’s the one they talk about all year long. And it’s coming Saturday. Now in its 16th year, the Beaufort Charities Oyster Roast is the granddaddy of
Beaufort County oyster roasts. As many as 2,500 people are likely to pack Live Oak Park in Port Royal from 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday. The event will offer all-you-
can-eat oysters from 1 to 8 p.m., two live auctions (3–4 p.m. and 7–8 p.m.) and a free kids zone. The Embers will provide the entertainment from 4 to 7 p.m., followed by Steel Rail Express
from 8 to 10 p.m. A DJ will play from 1 to 3 p.m. There will be cold beer, wine and liquor available. Bottomless beer cups are $13, while beer tumblers are $25. Bring-
ing lawn chairs is advisable. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the gate. For tickets and more info, go to https:// www.beaufortcharities.org/ oysterroast. We are. Accreditation
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INSIDE
Historic Beaufort Foundation’s Architects’ Tour to be held March 14.
Two-day Port Royal event benefits charity.
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