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The Island News Beaufort County Council officially confirmed the revisions to the St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) following its third and final reading during the County Council meeting in Beaufort on Monday, May 8, 2023. St. Helena Island residents and supporters, most of whom were wearing stickers in support
of the CPO, from around Northern Beaufort County cheered as Beaufort County Council passed clarifying revisions 9-2.
“These revisions are so important because they make it very clear what the people of St. Helena want,” said Councilman York Glover, of St. Helena Island. “It’s not about keeping development out, it’s about what these things represent. They don’t want to become
another Hilton Head Island and lose their Gullah Geechee identity.”
The revisions to the CPO make it clear that there shall be no gated communities or golf courses built on St. Helena Island.
This third reading and vote came after two previous readings of the CPO by county council.
The decades-old ordinance was originally written in the late 1990s and
was intended to uphold the wishes of the residents of St. Helena Island to keep their island mostly rural and to preserve the deeply rooted Gullah Geechee culture that exists there.
The revisions to the ordinance came after developer Elvio Tropeano purchased the Pineville property on St. Helena Island and proposed building an 18-hole golf course on the 450 acre property along with 65 homes.
The project also proposed preserving a historic area known as St. Helenaville, which is connected to Pine Island by a causeway.
Tropeano sought an exemption to the CPO to build the gated community or homes and 18-hole golf course, later changing his proposal to three 6-hole golf courses instead.
The revisions to the
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Rain and cloudy weather may have plagued the annual Taste of Beaufort event last weekend in Beaufort, but that did not stop locals and visitors alike from coming to the waterfront festival to enjoy some good food and music.
The City of Beaufort hosted the Taste of Beaufort event on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, 2023, at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
Admission to the festival was free
and patrons could purchase tickets to buy food and beverages on site.
“The rain did put a dampness on the festival on Friday, but overall people still had a great time,” Beaufort Mayor Stephen Murray said.
This year, most of the vendors were food truck vendors, some local and some based in surrounding areas such as Charleston.
“I think one of the challenges is
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By Delayna Earley/Thenamed
The Island News
Just as it appeared the Beaufort Police Department may have played a part in shining some light on a 35-year-old unsolved murder case in Michigan, the case took another dark turn over the weekend.
On Saturday, May 6, an inmate in the Beaufort County Detention Center (BCDC) died by what authorities are calling suicide. According to a release from Beaufort County, the inmate was found unresponsive in his cell by corrections officers during a routine check. Despite immediate efforts to revive the inmate, he were pronounced dead at the scene.
The inmate was identified by Beaufort County Deputy Coroner Debbie Youmans as 53-year-old Robert Odell Waters of Beaufort.
Waters
“It is an ongoing investigation, and any other information will be released by law enforcement,” Youmans said.
As is standard procedure in cases involving the death of an inmate in custody, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is in charge of the investigation.
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The Damon Fowler Band from Tampa, Fla., kicked off the 2023 season of the Port Royal Street Music concert series Saturday, May 6. About 200 people came out and enjoyed perfect weather while the band played the blues into the night. Bob Sofaly/The Island News. To submit a Lowcountry Life photo, you must be the photographer or have permission to submit the photo to be published in The
Beaufort’s Bill Green, 65, joined the United States Navy in Charleston in 1977. After basic training and specialty schools in Orlando, he was assigned as a Dental Technician at Camp Lejeune.
He deployed to the Mediterranean with the Marines aboard USS Ponce (LPD-15). He was next assigned to the Naval Dental Center Orlando before a tour at Camp Pendleton, making two more deployments to the Med-
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Beaufort County Clerk of Council Sarah Brock, charged with media requests related to this case, wasn’t immediately available for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Waters was in custody as a result of a warrant relating to the 1988 murder of 19-year-old Cathy Swartz in Three Rivers, Mich. The Beaufort Police Department’s Investigations Division worked with the Three Rivers Police Department and Michigan State Police to assist with Waters’ arrest.
According to the Detroit News, citing police, Swartz was beaten, stabbed and strangled in her apartment while her then-9month-old daughter, Courtney, was in the next room. Swartz fought back but succumbed to her injuries.
Rcently, Three Rivers Police made the cold case one it’s priorities. Using forensic genetic genealogy, analysts narrowed
iterranean aboard USS Guam (LPH-9). Staying with the Marines, he next served at Parris Island.
investigators’ suspect pool to a single family and eventually to Robert Waters.
According to the newspaper, Three Rivers “detectives traveled to South Carolina to speak with Waters. After their interview, they obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect.”
“If you have lived in TR for any amount of time you have probably heard about Cathy Swartz’s murder in 1988. We are pleased to announce that an arrest was made!” the Three Rivers Police Department posted to Facebook after Waters’ arrest. “A special thank you to the Officers and Detectives at the City of Beaufort Police Department – we appreciate your help and hospitality!”
“Although we were a small part in this investigation, we are honored to have been a part of the apprehension” Beaufort Police Chief Dale McDorman said at the time.
After Waters’ death, Three Rivers Police Chief R. Scott Boling was more measured.
“On Saturday, 5/6/2023, Three Rivers Police Department was notified that Robert Odell Wa-
May 11
2019: Beaufort High School claimed its second straight Class 4A boys track and field state championship in Columbia. The Eagles won by a whopping 36 points despite having just three event winners –Alex Macias (pole vault), Desmond Gailard (triple jump) and Dexter Ratliff (discus).
May 12-13
1862: Robert Smalls steals the CSS Planter. On the night of May 12, 1862, three white crew members of the CSS Planter –Capt. C.J. Relyea, pilot Samuel H. Smith and engineer Zerich Pitcher – go ashore
Transferring to Norfolk, Va., he served with the Atlantic Surface Fleet staff for four years before being transferred to Naval Station Rota, Spain. From Spain he then served in Newport, R.I., before rejoining the Marines at MCAS Cherry Point. His final tour was back at Parris Island from which he retired in 2007 as a Master Chief (E-9) with 30 years of active service. He then worked for 14 years as a Human Resources Special-
ters was found deceased in his jail cell in Beaufort County Detention Center,” Boling wrote.
“The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) was requested to conduct the in-custody death investigation. This is an ongoing investigation, and the Three Rivers Police Department is waiting for the results from the Coroner’s Office before making a statement to the media later this week.”
While Waters may have been the primary suspect and arrested in connection with Swartz’s death, the law views him as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
In the County’s statement about Waters’ death, Beaufort County Administrator Eric Greenway expressed his condolences to his family and friends.
“Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of the deceased inmate during this difficult time,” Greenway said.
“We are cooperating fully with SLED’s investigation and are committed to ensuring that our Detention Center continues to provide a safe environment for
in Charleston, leaving Smalls, the ship’s wheelman, and the enslaved crew members unattended. Around 3 a.m., Smalls and his crew fire up the ship’s boilers and sail to a wharf to pick up their waiting family members, then sail past Confederate forces at Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie. Smalls, impersonating the captain, wearing his widebrimmed straw hat to hide his face, uses the proper coded signals at two Confederate checkpoints, including at Fort Sumter itself, and other defensive positions. When the Planter cleared the Confederate defenses, just before dawn, Smalls raised a white flag and delivered the ship – and its 17 black passengers (nine men, five women and three
Cat of the Week: Sway is ready for a summer of fun. Sway loves to play and spend his time soaking up the sun on his cat tower. He is a big boy with a big personality, who would love to be the king of his own home. Sway is 3 years old, neutered, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped.
ist at both Naval Hospital Beaufort and MCRD Parris Island. He’s been married to Brendalyn Green for 41 years and they have two sons, one joined the Marines and one is a Merchant Mariner serving aboard Military Sealift Command ships.
– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 9. For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com
its inmates.”
Assistant County Administrator of Public Safety John Robinson also issued a statement.
“The Beaufort County Detention Center takes the well-being of its inmates seriously,” Robinson said. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic event and have worked closely with SLED to determine the cause of the incident.”
According to the County’s release, it is providing grief counseling to the staff who were involved with the incident and has encouraged staff to contact the Beaufort County Director of Wellness for any assistance they may need.
The Beaufort County Detention Center is a 326-bed facility that houses both pre-trial detainees and convicted offenders. The facility is accredited by the American Correctional Association and adheres to strict standards for the care and treatment of inmates.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com
children) to the blockading Union fleet.
May 16
2019: The Battery Creek High School softball team wins the Class 3A state championship, defeating Union County, 2-1, at Battery Creek. Senior pitcher Alexis Ortiz hurls a one-hitter and hit the go-ahead solo home run in the fourth inning for the Dolphins, just two batters after Emily Crosby homers to tie the game at 1. Ortiz pitched all 48 postseason innings for BC, striking out 66 and surrendering just 4 runs.
– Compiled by Mike McCombs.
Dog of the Week: Harley is one of our longest residents. She has been with us for more than 800 days consecutively. She is a beautiful, smart, and energetic dog who would make a great companion. Harley is 5 years old, spayed, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped.
If you are interested in adopting Sway, Harley or any of our other pets, call our adoption center at 843-645-1725 or email us at info@ palmettoanimalleague. org to set up an appointment.
Sports Editor Justin Jarrett LowcoSports@ gmail.com
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All content of The Island News, including articles, photos, editorial content, letters, art and advertisements, are copyrighted by The Island News and Island News Publishing, LLC, 2022, all rights reserved. The Island News encourages reader submissions via email to theislandnews@gmail.com. All content submitted is considered approved for publication by the owner unless otherwise stated. The Island News is designed to inform and entertain readers and all efforts for accuracy are made. Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Island News, its publisher or editors. Content published from Care Magazine® is intended as a reference and options source only, not as a guide to self-treatment or substitute for profession medical advice. It is provided for educational purpose only. Readers assume full responsibility for how this information is used. The Island News reserves the right to refuse to sell advertising space, or to publish information, for any business or activity the newspaper deems inappropriate for the publication.
The Island News
A lawsuit brought against the City of Beaufort, 303 Associates and The Beaufort Inn regarding the proposed parking structure and Marriott-affiliated hotel in Downtown Beaufort is going to be heard in court on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the Beaufort County Courthouse in Beaufort.
West Street Farms and Mix Farms are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit and claim to own properties adjacent to the proposed locations of the hotel and parking garage.
Developer George Trask owns both adjacent properties.
According to a post on the Beautiful Beaufort Alliance’s Facebook page, the lawsuit was filed to “hold the city accountable for its own city laws.”
The post goes on to say that the city asserts that it did not break any laws and that 303 Associates and The Beaufort Inn both relied on the city.
The proposed parking
garage and hotel are part of a project that was originally approved by the Historic District Review Board (HDRB) in June 2021, but Trask alleges in the lawsuit that the approvals issued are invalid because they did not file for an issuance of variance by the Zoning Board of Appeals according to city
regulations due to the large footprint of the buildings.
Beaufort mayor Stephen Murray said he believes that the city has done their due diligence and has followed all of the city’s regulations during the process of approving the projects.
This lawsuit is one of two that Trask has filed against
the city of Beaufort.
The other lawsuit, Historic Beaufort Foundation vs. City of Beaufort, is currently waiting to be heard in appellate court after Judge Bentley Price decided to uphold the HDRB’s June 2021 approval of the hotel and parking garage on January 6, 2022.
Judge R. Scott Sprouse
will be presiding over the hearing that is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
Delayna Earley lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She spent six years as a videographer and photographer for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette before leaving the Lowcountry in 2018.
After freelancing in Myrtle Beach and Virginia, she joined The Island News when she moved back to Beaufort in 2022. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com
VIDEO
After acquiring Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort this January, Seascape Hospitality Group has announced the acquisition of Camelot Farms Equestrian Center, located on Saint Helena Island.
Founders Joe Guerra and Adam Fuller led the acquisition on behalf of Seascape Hospitality Group and will manage the operations of the property moving forward through their management company.
Camelot Farms Equestrian Center’s services and riding excursions will be a fantastic
From staff reports
new amenity for Fripp Island Resort visitors and residents, while remaining open to the public.
Mark and Anne Kennedy founded Camelot Farms Equestrian Center in 1999 after relocating from Atlanta, Ga. The 62-acre horse farm with 54 horses is the finest equestrian facility in the area, bordering the marshes of the Atlantic Ocean.
Camelot Farms Equestrian Center is located on Saint Helena Island, between Dataw and Fripp Islands, only five miles from Hunting Island State Park.
Camelot Farms currently
offers indoor and outdoor boarding, rider training, and trail rides – either on the plantation trail or down the beautiful coastline along the Saint Helena Sound. The coastline excursion is the only beach ride offered yearround in the area.
All of Camelot’s trail rides provide a unique recreation opportunity for horse lovers, history buffs, and nature lovers alike. Featuring a wide variety of family and kid-friendly programming, Camelot Farms is an exciting addition to Seascape Hospitality Group. Future plans for the Equestrian Center
The Leadership Beaufort program’s 38th class graduated Wednesday, May 3 at a dinner at the Officer’s Club at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.
Hosted by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Beaufort is a nine-month program that guides a select group of local professionals through an in-depth view of cultural, economic, historic, social, educational, environmental and government resources. The goal is for participants to not only learn what is going on, but learn how to make a difference in the community.
“Leadership Beaufort provides a holistic look at our community from the inside out.” said Jennifer Tuckwiller, Board Chair for the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce and a member of the 33rd Class of Leadership Beaufort. “It is a strong element of an overall effort to create understanding of the sectors of Beaufort’s economy, and building engaged citizens.”
The Leadership Beaufort pro-
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have altered the language to close any potential loopholes that developers might try and exploit.
The two dissenting votes were from council members Paula Brown and Logan Cunningham.
gram connects participants with prominent civic, business and government leaders. It is an interactive process for the “movers and shakers,” and also a way to form bonds between participants from a diverse array of backgrounds, demographics, employment sectors and more.
Tuckwiller added, “The relationships cultivated over the course of this program will be as valuable to graduates as the lessons learned. The notion of teamwork and applying each other’s strengths for the best outcome is integral to the program.”
The program is administered by Connie Hipp and Rob Bridgers, along with a strong committee of alumni, who all share a passion for Leadership Beaufort.
Applications for the 39th class are now available on the Chamber website, and the deadline is May 26.
Members of the 38th Class of Leadership Beaufort:
Michelle Aivaz – Beaufort Academy, Teacher
Cunningham and fellow Councilman Tom Reitz both recommended to the St. Helena Island leaders who were present at the meeting, that they should meet with Tropeano and try to come to a mutually beneficial agreement to preserve the integrity of the island, but also allows him to develop his purchased property.
“I hope that there is some
Christina Becker – MCRD Parris Island, Financial Analyst
David Bogan – Atlas Surveying, Field Supervisor Stacey Burrell – Premier Nationwide Lending, Mortgage Loan Officer
Sandra Capps – Edi & Implementation Manager, Davlong Business Solutions
Laurie Cooler – Technology Coordinator, Beaufort Academy
Shannon Denny – LowCountry Real Estate, Realtor
Shawna Doran – Beaufort Memorial, VP Quality, Risk & Patient Safety
Jorge Guerrero – ERA Evergreen Real Estate, Director of Operations/Realtor
Artrell Horne – Beaufort County, Litter Control Supervisor/Enforcement Officer
Allison Kindwall – Kinghorn Insurance of Beaufort, Commercial Sales
Dave LaBonte – Oracle Cerner, Se-
dialogue between the community and the property owner because the next step is a residential community on here, whether it’s a hundred homes, a hundred and fifty, you can agree or disagree, the county cannot stop that. Whether it’s him or he sells it off to another developer, even in this CPO it’s still allowed. We want to support the residents, but
EDITOR’S NOTE
In the interest of full disclosure, Mike McCombs, Editor of The Island News, is a member of the Leadership Beaufort class of 2023.
nior Engagement Officer
Gerald LaHay – City of Beaufort/
Town of Port Royal, Firefighter/
Commercial Real Estate Sales & Investment
Dixie Lanier – Balfour Beatty Communities, Regional Director
Annis Lyles – Retired, The Coca-Cola Company, VP Marketing/
Communication
Jessica Mangano – The Tabby
Shore & Soiree Social Media, Own-
er
Mike McCombs – The Island News
Editor-in-Chief
Jimmy McDuff – Carolina Chutes & Equipment, Estimator
Kelsey Medaglia – City of Beaufort, Business License Administrator
Dan Montanari – MCCS, Food and Beverage Manager
we want to make sure that the residents have all of the information at hand and I think we’ve done that over this time,” said Cunningham. It prohibits gated communities but not gated driveways, and there are plenty of gated driveways, particularly on Hilton Head where the communities do not have gates, but
include upgrades to the barn and boarding facilities, enhancements to the property, and expanded educational and family programming.
“We’re excited to add Camelot Farms to strengthen our list of amenities offered here at Fripp Island Resort, while still being able to service the Beaufort-area public,” Fripp Island Resort General Manager Tom Frost said in a news release. “We are honored that Anne and Mark chose us to maintain their legacy on Saint Helena at Camelot Farms and are looking forward to an exciting future.”
Hannah Nichols – Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort, Director of Marketing
Jess O’Brien – Beaufort Digital Corridor, Executive Director
Nicie Phillips – Homesfinder Realty Group, Agent
Ana Ramirez – Beaufort County Human Services, Outreach Specialist
Elizabeth Smith – Harbor 17, Owner
Rob Steinhauser – USMC, Executive Officer MCAS Beaufort
Steven Tinsley – City of Beaufort/ Town of Port Royal, Firefighter
Dottie Unger – USAA, IT Audit
Director
Holly Vega – Adams Outdoor Advertising, Sales Assistant
Pervis Walker – Great Grand Family Foundation, Executive Director
Shantae Williams – Homesfinder Realty Group, Cox team, Realtor
Barry Wilson – AlphaGraphics, Co-Owner
the driveways, especially on some of the deeper and larger parcels, do have security gates. The CPO also does not affect existing gated communities, such as Dataw Island.
“We know it is going to change. Everybody on St. Helena knows that it will change, but it’s a gradual change that we can live with,” Councilman Glover
said during the discussion before the vote. “That’s what we want.”
Delayna Earley spent six years as a videographer and photographer for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette before leaving the Lowcountry in 2018. After freelancing in Myrtle Beach and Virginia, she joined The Island News when she moved back to Beaufort in 2022. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com
The Island News In his 36 years as Beaufort’s City Attorney, William “Bill” Harvey has provided counsel to five mayors, seven city managers and dozens of city council members. Now he’s stepping down.
Harvey, who started the job July 1, 1987, is stepping down from his role as City Attorney to focus on the other areas of his practice and the continued success of his law
firm. Harvey & Battey celebrated 100 years of serving clients in Beaufort last May
According to the news release from the City of Beaufort, Harvey will remain involved to ensure an orderly transition of pending legal matters to new counsel. A resolution was read at Tuesday
night’s City Council meeting recognizing the many years of service that Harvey has given to the City, providing legal guidance through significant growth and development, and in many litigation and appellate matters.
William Harvey“Whereas the City of Beaufort is appreciative of the many years of service provided by him;” the resolution read, “Now, therefore, be it resolved that the City Council of the City of Beaufort, South Car-
olina, duly assembled, wishes to express our gratitude to William B. Harvey, III for his many years of service to the City.”
“I love this city and I want to see its health and success, especially in this period of increased growth and tremendous change,” Harvey said after the resolution. “It is with that passion that I have approached my 36 years as your City Attorney, and I want to thank the citizens of Beaufort for giving me that opportunity.”
According to the City’s release, officials will begin the search for a new attorney as soon as possible. The search method will be through a formal request for proposals procurement process. The proposals received will be evaluated by City Council prior to selecting a new city attorney.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com
The Island News
Beaufort mayor Stephen
Murray spoke to a group of citizens about their environmental concerns on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at the Unitarian Fellowship of Beaufort on Lady’s Island.
Mayor Murray was the main presenter for the event and was invited by the Citizens Climate Lobby and the church congregation to speak about climate change and how it affects the City of Beaufort and the other coastal areas in northern Beaufort County.
“We talked about where the city is in terms of climate resiliency,” Murray said.
Murray said that in the mid-2010s, under his predecessor Mayor Billy Keyserling, the city of Beaufort set up a Sea Level Rise Task Force made up of citizens and other environmental
groups, and they put together a road map for the city that is still being followed.
They also made note of several areas in the city where issues were arising between dilapidated stormwater infrastructure, rising sea levels and other contributing factors. Murray said that they city has been slowly trying to fix the issues on that priority list.
“The climate keeps changing, so we are just trying to get ahead of it, especially as the storms and hurricanes seem to be getting worse,” Murray said.
In terms of carbon footprint, several years ago the city of Beaufort put solar panels on four of their city facilities, they made sure to seal all of the windows and doors to better insulate them, they put in high efficiency LED lighting in most of the buildings, brand new
high efficiency HVAC units that have centralized control, meaning that they automatically adjust the temperature in the building based on the time of day and if people are expected to be there.
Mayor Murray said with those small changes, they were able to save taxpayers 60% of what was previously spent on energy costs, and that money was used to pay off all of the equipment that was purchased to make the changes.
Delayna Earley lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She spent six years as a videographer and photographer for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette before leaving the Lowcountry in 2018. After freelancing in Myrtle Beach and Virginia, she joined The Island News when she moved back to Beaufort in 2022. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com
Beaufort mayor Stephen Murray speaks to a group of environmentally concerned citizens on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort on Lady’s Island.
Mayor Murray was the main presenter for the event and was invited by the Citizens Climate Lobby and the church congregation to speak about climate change and how it affects the City of Beaufort and the other coastal areas in northern Beaufort County. By Delayna Earley/The Island News
From staff reports The Beaufort Lions Club will hold a fundraising spaghetti dinner from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 18 at Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Beaufort. The menu includes spaghetti with meat sauce or meatballs, crispy garlic
bread, tossed green salad, sweetened or unsweetened tea, and dessert. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $8 for children younger than 12. Major credit cards, cash, and checks are accepted, and take-out is available.
Lions Clubs International is a global organization of 1.4
million members who serve those who have experienced disasters but focus on service in five target causes: vision, environment, diabetes, pediatric cancer, and hunger. The Beaufort Lions Club plans to expand its focus to better address the needs of children diagnosed with di-
to rebroadcast television programming from South Carolina ETV’s station in Beaufort, SC, WJWJ, in the NextGen TV format. If you use an antenna to watch TV, you must rescan your television after this date to continue receiving this channel. NextGen TV is an enhanced broadcast television technology. To learn more, visit https://www.watchnextgentv.com. You can continue to receive W29EN-D’s existing content on WGCB-LD on channel 35, where it is available. W29EN-D is operated by the Public Media Venture Group. More information about PMVG is available at https://www.publicmediaventure.com/
NOTICE OF LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION
Notice is hereby given that Colleton River Plantation Club, Inc., intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license and/or permit that will allow the sale and on premises consumption of beer, wine, and/or liquor at, 58 Colleton River Drive, Bluffton, SC 29910. To object to the issuance of this license and/or permit, you must submit Form ABL20, postmarked no later than March 2, 2023. Submit protests online at MyDORWAY.dor.sc.dov, or email ABL@dor.sc.gov.
NOTICE OF LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION
Notice is hereby given that The Blue Lady Brewing Company, LLC., intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license and/ or permit that will allow the sale and on premises consumption of beer, wine, and/or liquor at, 10 Buck Island Rd., Bluffton, SC 29910. To object to the issuance of this license and/or permit, you must submit Form ABL-20, postmarked no later than May 27, 2023. Submit protests online at MyDORWAY.dor. sc.dov, or email ABL@dor.sc.gov.
abetes in coordination with Beaufort County School District nurses.
Since July 1, 2023, The Beaufort Lions Club has assisted more than 16,000 Beaufort County residents through more than 150 activities. Members of The Beaufort Lion’s Club have
conducted more than 5,000 vision and hearing screenings for preschoolers, as well as public and private school students in Beaufort County; provided eye surgeries and prescription glasses for those without insurance; donated to local food banks; provided warm blankets and
puzzle books to cancer patients undergoing infusion treatments; donated school supplies; and volunteered in various needs within the community. Proceeds from this fundraiser will support both the vision program and the diabetes project.
The
Island NewsDeputy City Manager Re-
ece Bertholf has been hired as the City Manager for New Hope, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis. He has not yet set a departure date, but Bertholf is slated to begin his job in New Hope on June 12.
“I just had the opportunity to land in an amazing community with some really phenomenal people in the City of New Hope,” Bertholf said, “and the time was right for me to make the move.”
Bertholf found out Thursday, May 4, that he was the New Hope committee’s top choice. They negotiated a contract agreement, and the committee ratified the con-
Reece Berfholftract unanimously, 5-0, on Monday night.
He has been deputy city manager of Beaufort since August
2021. Beginning in January 2020, he held the dual positions of both assistant city manager and fire chief.
“We are excited for Reece and his family for this opportunity,” City of Beaufort Mayor Stephen Murray said. “We are a better organization because of his service and wish him well in his new position.”
In his 23 years with the City of Beaufort, Bertholf
Capital Waste Services has adjusted some routes. The changes began as early as Tuesday, May 9
Due to some narrow alleyways and roads in the City of Beaufort, Capital Waste is switching to a smaller truck for those particular
literally worked his way up from the bottom. A native of Minnesota, he began his career in 2000 in Beaufort as a volunteer firefighter with the Beaufort/Port Royal Fire Department, after serving four years in the Marine Corps. He was promoted throughout his tenure at the Fire Department, and became chief in 2015.
“In the Spring of 2000, I literally showed up as a young Marine at the fire station down there at 135 Ribaut Road and agreed to volunteer at the fire department. And little did I know how that would change my life,” Bertholf said. “I didn’t have an education. I didn’t have a job. I was a working
routes. They will use this truck for both trash and recycling pickups, but on different days. Recycling will still be serviced every other week.
These neighborhoods will see the following changes:
Islands of Beaufort, Overlook, Stone Martin Drive Trash and yard debris will be picked up on Tuesday. Recycling (every other
man in the Marine Corps. I was a blue collar, common engineer. And that organization took me in and showed me the way to a career. A month before 9/11, ... I started my work with the (Beaufort/Port Royal) Fire Department. I got out of the Marine Corps on Friday Aug. 10, and I started work on a Monday, Aug. 13, at the City of Beaufort Fire Department. And life happens.”
While working full time, Bertholf earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina Beaufort and an MBA from The Citadel.
“I decided to go to school, and the City supported me to do that. I was able to get a
week) will be on Wednesday.
– City Walk, Ribault Island, Verdier Drive Trash and yard debris will be picked up on Thursday. Recycling (every other week) will be on Friday. As a reminder, Capital Waste will place yard signs at the entrances of the affected neighborhoods the week the new service
world class education right here from Beaufort and Charleston, culminating in some time with the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard most recently, last year. And all of that has been supported by my employer her at the City of Beaufort, and I’m forever grateful for that,” Bertholf said. “But the biggest ting I wanted to say was that it’s been all about the people. It’s been about the citizens I’ve interacted with, it’s been about the people I’ve worked along side, it’s been the teams I’ve been fortunate enough to lead that really set me up to have a remarkable career with the City of Beaufort.”
City Manager Scott Mar-
days begin. The company will also change its website calendar to reflect the correct service days.
The Lowcountry Food Bank is hosting a Mobile Pantry Food Distribution from 10 a.m. to noon,
shall said the search for a new deputy city manager is pending an evaluation of staffing needs and a determination of the skill sets that will be required of the successful candidate for the position.
“Reece’s departure after 20 plus years with the City leaves a big hole to fill,” Marshall said. “I’m grateful to have had him here in my first few months, but he is more than ready and deserving of the opportunity that awaits him in Minnesota. He will be a very effective city manager.”
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com
Friday, May 12 at Mount Carmel Baptist Church, 367 Keans Neck Road, Seabrook. This is a no-cost event. Are you or do you know someone in need of no-cost food assistance? Pick up healthy food for friends and loved ones who are unable to attend. Please bring your own bags.
– Compiled from staff reports
From staff reports
From staff reports The Beaufort/Port Royal Fire Department added a new pumper truck to its fleet of firetrucks last week. The Pierce Custom Enforcer PUC Pumper features a 1,500-gallons-per-minute pump and a 1,000-gallon water tank. It is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including Holmatro rescue tools for extrication, a Stryker LIFEPAK 15 cardiac monitor, and all the hoses, nozzles, and tools needed for firefighting.
“I am proud to see our fleet improve, allowing us to better serve our community,” Fire Chief Tim Ogden said in a release. “The managers and councils in both Beaufort and Port Royal have been very supportive of our needs, and they definite-
Weather from page A1
Despite the lack of the local brick-and-mortar restaurants, there was a lot of variety for attendees to choose from.
Festival goers could choose from local seafood, Southern food, Polish food, Asian food, and a lot of sweets and snacks such
ly put a high priority on public safety.”
This truck will replace a 2011 Pierce Pumper that will move to reserve status.
The Fire Department has a fleet replacement schedule in which a truck serves 10 years of front-line service and another 10 years in reserve status. The next truck due for replacement will be the department’s ladder truck, which the department is developing specifications for now.
The pumper truck cost $948,928, which includes all the equipment and an extended warranty. The funds came from the City of Beaufort’s fire impact fees.
The new truck went into service on Wednesday, May 3, after a traditional wetdown ceremony at the main Fire Station, 135 Ribaut Road, its permanent home.
Some very special Beaufort County School District teachers and staff were treated with flowers, balloons, and other goodies today as Board of Education members and district administrators made surprise visits to their classrooms and work areas to announce the 2023-2024 Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year.
“The teachers we’re honoring today have been cho-
sen by their peers, which makes their recognitions very special,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in a news release. “It’s an outstanding group selected from the many wonderful teachers we have across our district.”
Teachers of the Year are selected by their peers according to criteria established by the schools, the South Carolina Department of Education and the district’s Teacher
Forum. Teachers honored will be eligible for District Teacher of the Year honors next fall. Support staff honorees are selected by school staff and can include social workers, school nurses, bookkeepers, office managers, teacher assistants, school secretaries and technology and data specialists. Staff honored will be eligible for District Support Staff Person of the Year.
School Teacher of the Year Support Staff of the Year
Battery Creek High Karen Tooman Latricia Brown
Beaufort Elementary Suzanne Duvall-Blank Myrtle Thompson
Beaufort High Megan Stevenson
as macarons, kettle corn, fudge and ice cream. Bands played on Friday night and Saturday during the day, drawing people down toward the stage to eat their food samplings while enjoying live music.
Deaz Guys and Whiskey & Wine took to the stage on Friday night and on Saturday, it was Campfire Tyler, Parris Island Dirty Boots Brass Band, Irritating Julie, and The Brewer Band.
The festival had a Kid’s Corner with face painting and mini golf as well as a Craft Market that was open on both Friday and Saturday.
While exact numbers for
this year’s festival are not available yet, Rob Wells, President and CEO of Visit Beaufort, Port Royal and Sea Islands, said that in past years this festival has drawn between 5,000 and 6,000 visitors to the downtown Beaufort area.
Royal Fire Department’s new pumper truck cost $948,928 and is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. Photo courtesy of the Beaufort/Port Royal Fire Department that our brick-and-mortar restaurants, between being a bit short-staffed and being really busy after COVID-19, they’ve had a hard time putting people in the park,” Mayor Murray said.
Delayna Earley lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She spent six years as a videographer and photographer for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette before leaving the Lowcountry in 2018. After freelancing in Myrtle Beach and Virginia, she joined The Island News when she moved back to Beaufort in 2022. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com
Elementary Kailin Kermisch Sarai Ortega
Red Cedar Elementary Randi Harms Eddie Rodriguez
River Ridge Academy Jessica Foxworth Dr. Peter McCray
As you’re planning a road trip, or a family vacation during this summer, keep in mind that this is the time of year when the most childhood injuries and accidents occur. While it’s fun to play outdoors in the summer, it’s important to make sure your children are staying safe and alert. Parents, grandparents, child caregivers, are encouraged to learn more about what can be done to prevent injuries and death and help raise public awareness of safety. As you spend time with your family over the summer break, take action by following these tips:
1. Prevent heatstroke.
Heatstroke is a severe form of heat illness that occurs when the body cannot regulate its own temperature. This can happen when a child is left inside a car on a hot day or is performing extreme physical activity and not drinking enough water. Symptoms of heatstroke include headache, nausea, flushed skin, and rapid breathing. You can prevent your kids from getting heatstroke by making sure they drink plenty of water, wear light colored clothing, and teach them to come indoors as soon as they feel overheated.
2. Keep kids safe in parking lots.
Parking lots are dangerous, and it only takes a few seconds for a tragedy to occur. It’s clear that many drivers are not paying vigilant attention to their surroundings, making parking lots a serious safety issue for children (as well as adult pedestrians). Look around for vehicles and teach your child to look around for cars. Drivers have trouble seeing kids, but kids often assume if they can see the car, then the driver can see them. Make it clear that it’s never OK to play games or act silly
in parking lots.
Never let your children play near parked cars.
Always have your child hold an adult’s hand.
Teach the STAR Method
Kids do well with easily memorized phrases, so if your child is likely to understand an acronym, teach the STAR method:
S: Stop and stand still when you get out of the car.
• T: Touch a designated place on the car and wait.
• A: Pay attention to what’s going on around you and listen to your
parent.
• R: Be ready to grab a parent’s hand when they tell you it’s time to go.
3. Never let kids swim alone.
It’s extremely important that parents closely supervise children in the water, whether at the pool, lake, or beach. Even if children are swimming in your own backyard pool, it only takes seconds of looking away for an accident to occur. Always remain at least an “arm’s length” away from small children so you stay within immediate reach. If
your children are not strong swimmers, it’s a good idea to provide them with personal flotation devices, but you still must keep an eye on them at all times.
4. Have an emergency plan.
When traveling with your kids to a new and unfamiliar location, it is possible for your children to get separated from you, especially when in a crowded location like a theme park or zoo. Come up with a plan for your kids in case they ever get lost and practice going over it with them, so they’ll be prepared in case of an emergency. Let your children know to seek help from an employee and stay away from strangers. Have your child memorize their name, parent’s name(s), address, and phone number so they will know how to contact you in case of separation.
5. Make sure they’re strapped in correctly.
If you have small children traveling with you in the car it’s important to check that they are seated and strapped in correctly. It’s advisable to have your child in an age-appropriate card seat until age 7 or 8. All children age 5 and younger are required to
have a child restraint device and must use vehicle safety belts properly. Parents can get a ticket for having kids in the backseat who are not properly secured, and this can be extremely dangerous if a car accident occurs. Always check with your child’s car seat manufacturer to make sure you are correctly buckling them in.
6. Keep an emergency road kit.
If you’re traveling by car this summer, be prepared for emergencies with a road kit stored in the trunk at all times. Keep jumper cables, flares, a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit and more. Other necessities like bottled water, a blanket, and nonperishable foods can come in handy in case of car trouble if you get stranded on the highway.
7. Keep an emergency phone list.
Summer means more outings for mom and dad, and this means more babysitting for the kids. A simple emergency phone list can make a huge difference if something goes wrong. Keep the list in a safe place and easily accessible. Make sure the kids and the sitter know where the list is.
Do you struggle with sore, achy muscles and joints? Andrew Bang, DC, a chiropractor with Cleveland Clinic, says there are three things you can try to ease common aches and pains.
First, he recommends trying heat. “If we can get the heat to help penetrate those areas where you have pain, you have increased blood flow; those ligaments, tendons, connective tis -
sue loosen up back to a lengthened state instead of a tightened state,” he explained. “So, you tend to have less pressure on a joint, then you tend to feel better.” Dr. Bang continues saying heating pads, warm rice socks or even a paraffin wax dip can help heat penetrate deep into joints, increasing blood flow and reducing discomfort.
Second, try loosening up
muscles that get too tight, like your neck, with a gentle stretch. According to Dr. Bang, gently stretching tight muscles brings blood flow back into those areas and can provide relief.
Third, he recommends tightening up overstretched muscles to relieve aches and pains. For example, sitting all day may overstretch the mid-back and cause pain. Dr. Bang suggests tighten-
ing up those muscles by squeezing the shoulder blades together and holding for 30-to-60 seconds every couple of hours. This creates movement, increases blood flow, and can reduce pain.
“I find that the body loves, it craves, a couple of things. It craves movement. It craves a variety of movement,” said Dr. Bang. “Repetitive movements tend to lead to pain and irritation. Whereas with a
variety of movements, you tend to have relief in pain and increase in blood flow.”
Dr. Bang likes to tell the people he treats that ‘motion is lotion’ – basically, if you keep moving, you’ll have less pain.
He says generally, the more people sit, the more they complain of pain.
ccnewsservice@ccf.org, May 3, 2023
Laryngitis is swelling and inflammation of the larynx. It is usually temporary and has no serious consequences.
Common causes include viral infections, overuse of the voice, acid reflux, smoking, and exposure to irritants and allergens.
The larynx, sometimes known as the voice box, is home to the vocal cords. These are vital to the processes of breathing, swallowing, and talking. The vocal cords are two small folds of mucous membrane covering cartilage and muscle that vibrate to produce sound. Laryngitis is an inflammation of the vocal cords. The vocal cords normally open and close to generate the voice with a slow, steady movement. When a person has laryngitis, their vocal cords are swollen. As a result of this swelling, vocal fold vibration and mucosal wave will change, which alters the sound of the voice.
People with laryngitis will often have a voice that is hoarse, gravelly, or too quiet to hear properly.
Laryngitis often occurs due to an acute viral infection. These infections are usually mild and last for a period of 3–7 days.
In chronic laryngitis, the inflammation is ongoing. Vocal cords can become strained and develop growths, such as polyps or nodules.
Symptoms
Laryngitis can cause a wide range of symptoms in adults, including:
hoarseness
difficulty with speech
throat pain
low fever
persistent cough
frequent throat clearing
These symptoms begin suddenly and often become more severe over the next 2–3 days. If symptoms last for more than 3 weeks, it is likely that the case has become chronic. This suggests there is a more serious underlying cause.
If a person has laryngitis for more than 3 weeks, they should contact a doctor who can investigate the underlying cause.
Laryngitis often relates to other illnesses. Throat
infections, colds, or flu can occur alongside a case of laryngitis. If a person has one of these illnesses alongside laryngitis, they may experience some of the following symptoms: headache swelling in the glands runny nose pain while swallowing fatigue and malaise
The symptoms are likely to resolve without treatment by the seventh day of infection. A person should see a doctor if the symptoms persist for longer or present severely.
Symptoms in children
Symptoms of laryngitis in children can differ from symptoms in adults. The condition’s characteristics are often a hoarse, barking cough and fever, and it may also present as croup. Croup is a contagious respiratory illness common among children. Although croup is usually a simple illness to treat, severe cases require medical attention.
Doctors recommend medical attention for children experiencing any of the following symptoms: difficulty with breathing or swallowing a fever of over 103° Fahrenheit or 39.4°
Celsius drooling loud, high-pitched breathing sounds when inhaling
These symptoms can also indicate epiglottitis. This is inflammation of the epiglottis, the flap of cartilage at the base of the tongue. Both adults and children can develop epiglottitis, and the condition can be life-threatening in certain cases.
Causes
A number of conditions can cause laryngitis. Acute and chronic forms of laryngitis typically result from different factors.
Infections
The most common cause of laryngitis is a viral infection. These viruses are often similar to those that cause
the common cold or flu.
Overuse of the voice can also cause inflammation of the larynx, which can lead to laryngitis. Examples of overuse include loud singing or excessive shouting.
In very rare instances, diphtheria can cause laryngitis. This is a bacterial infection that spreads through droplets from coughing and sneezing. Most people in the United States have had the diphtheria vaccine.
Other causes
There are a number of causes of chronic laryngitis.
Common causes of chronic laryngitis include:
acid reflux, a condition in which stomach acid and contents make their way up into the throat
FAST FACTS ON LARYNGITIS
Viral infections such as colds are the most common causes of laryngitis.
Lifestyle factors, such as ongoing exposure to irritants, often cause chronic laryngitis.
Children with laryngitis can develop another respiratory illness called croup.
• A doctor may recommend additional testing in more severe cases, such as a laryngoscopy.
Self-care measures and rest are the best treatment options for acute laryngitis.
bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infections
chronic sinusitis
excessive coughing inhaling irritants, such as allergens or toxic fumes
high alcohol intake
habitual misuse or overuse of voice smoking, including secondhand smoke inhaling steroid medicines, such as asthma inhalers
Tests and diagnosis
Doctors typically diagnose laryngitis with a physical examination that assesses the ears, nose, throat, and voice. Most cases do not require any additional testing.
Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/180271
May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones, making them more susceptible to sudden and unexpected fractures.
Ardeshir Hashmi, MD, Section Chief of Geriatrics for Cleveland Clinic, said some people may not even know they have it.
“Unfortunately, most people find out the hard way. They don’t think they’ve ever broken anything before and they say, ‘Well the fall wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I didn’t think I would get these fractures,’ and yet there they are with a fracture,” said Dr. Hashmi. “By definition, that fragility fracture is that you have osteoporosis.” The good news
is that osteoporosis can largely be prevented.
Dr. Hashmi said the key is to start healthy habits early on, which include eating foods that have calcium to help support bone health, taking the right supplements like vitamin D, and of course exercising. He notes the latest research shows it can be beneficial to combine strength and aerobic training. However, be careful not to overdo it so you don’t get hurt.
You also don’t necessarily have to go to the gym. There are other physical activities a person can do instead, like walking, climbing stairs or riding a bike. You could even dance or do some gardening, it really depends on what you enjoy.
“For some people, it’s even water-type exercising, so aquatic therapy or swimming. But that gives you more aerobic sort of exercise,” he explained. “The resistance does come though, and it actually comes from the counter-pressure of the water. So, if I was in the pool just walking around, that would give me some strength training and some aerobic exercise as well.”
Dr. Hashmi said for those who may be concerned that they’re at risk for osteoporosis or think they have it, it’s important to talk to their physician, as there are tests available to check, like a bone density scan.
ccnewsservice@ccf.org
May 4, 2023
Abbas Kharal, MD, a neurologist with Cleveland Clinic, emphasizes it’s a good time to remind people about the signs and symptoms of a stroke and that anyone can have one—even younger people.
“No age group is immune to having strokes, and we’re surprisingly seeing a significant rise in strokes in young adults,” Dr. Kharal said.
A stroke occurs when there is an issue with blood flow to part of the brain—whether that be due to a lack of blood supply or bleeding in the brain.
Dr. Kharal said it’s important to remember the acronym ‘FAST’ to recognize some of the symptoms of a stroke:
‘F’ is for face drooping, ‘A’ is for arm weakness, ‘S’ is for speech difficulty and ‘T’ is a reminder that it’s time to call 911.
It’s critical to seek immediate medical attention as strokes can cause permanent brain damage or death if treatment is delayed.
According to Dr. Kharal, younger people who experience stroke symptoms will sometimes put off getting help because they think
it’s something less serious. He said lifestyle choices may be one of the reasons why more people under 50 are having strokes.
“Particularly in younger adults, we’re seeing a significant rise in premature atherosclerosis, which is hardening and blockages in blood vessels. That is specifically believed to be due to a rise in the vascular risk factors of stroke in more younger patients,” Dr. Kharal
said. “We’re seeing the incidence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes occurring now in younger patients in their late 20s into their early 30s. These diseases have traditionally been attributed to a much older population.”
There are several other factors that can lead to stroke, including clotting disorders, structural heart disease, blood vessel abnormalities—including inflammatory and genetic blood vessel disorders— and recreational drug use.
Dr. Kharal said that living a healthy lifestyle and keeping up with annual doctor visits can reduce a person’s risk of having a stroke.
ccnewsservice@ccf.org, May 8, 2023
Nurses help us heal.
Nurses give us comfort.
Nurses offer us hope.
Nurses make a difference.
National Nurses Week is celebrated each year from May 6 through May 12—the birthday of Florence Nightingale—to recognize nurses for their foundational role in patient care and invaluable contributions to the well-being of communities everywhere.
Beaufort Memorial would like to shine a light on our extraordinary nurses who continue to provide the highest level of quality care to their patients. You deserve special recognition for your efforts to excel, lead, and innovate every day! You truly make a difference.
By Justin Jarrett LowcoSports.com
BEAUFORT – Down to their last three outs at home in extra innings, Beaufort High’s baseball team was on the brink of running it back for a winner-take-all rematch against Gilbert that the Eagles were hoping to avoid Monday night. But with the top of a potent lineup looming, all they needed was an opening.
Malcolm Webb reached on an
error to lead off the inning, Zack Talbert beat out a beauty of a bunt, and Mason Connelly bounced a two-run single through a drawnin infield to give the Eagles a 7-6 walkoff win and the Class 3A District 6 title. Beaufort will open the Lower State bracket at Hanahan on Thursday looking to avenge two regular-season losses to their region rivals.
Talbert finished 4-for-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI and Con-
nelly was 2-for-4 with a run and four RBIs as the top of Beaufort’s lineup set the tone. Talbert led off the game with a triple and scored on a Connelly single before Jadyn Andrews drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 2-0 before Davis Woods even took the mound. The Eagles could have had more, but Logan Brutcher was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a Chase
Beaufort High School catcher Hudson Mullen puts the tag onto Gilbert High School’s Chayne Jennings for second out after Gilbert’s Ethan Ethridge, right, scored the go-ahead run Monday night at Beaufort High School. The Eagles battled back and won the game, 7-6, in extra innings. Bob Sofaly/The Island News SEE BASEBALL PAGE B2
LowcoSports.com
A handful of the players on Beaufort High’s boys soccer team have already been to the mountaintop as members of the Eagles’ state championship football team last fall. One of them delivered the moment that extended Beaufort’s season Monday night, and the Eagles won a penalty shootout at Waccamaw to come within one win of providing the perfect bookend to a charmed school year for Beaufort High’s sports teams.
Jack Troutman, the kicker and punter for the Eagles’ football championship run, bent a free kick from 30 yards inside the far post for the equalizer in the waning minutes of regulation, and Nigel Bell made two stops in penalties before Bryce DeFilippis buried his kick from the spot to clinch a 4-2 shootout win and send Beaufort into a showdown with Daniel for the Class 3A title Saturday night in Irmo.
The start of the game was delayed 45 minutes by weather, and the host Warriors jumped on top early before DeFilippis slotted home a cross from Sam Track to draw even. Wacccamaw edged ahead by a goal just before halftime, and that’s where it stood until Troutman’s free kick bent around the Warriors’ wall and past the diving
LowcoSports.com
The Whale Branch boys ran away with the Region 7-1A track and field title and the girls came up just short in a runner-up finish Wednesday on their home track. The Warriors racked up 220 points to outpace Bamberg-Ehrhardt (134) easily in the boys standings, but the Red Raiders edged Whale Branch 189-176 in the girls standings.
Jesse Richardson and Keith Chisholm each won three events to lead the Whale Branch boys, and Destiny Pryor claimed three golds for the girls. Beaufort High’s boys and girls both finished runner-up to Philip Simmons in the Region 8-3A meet. Kacy Fields was the standout for the Eagles, winning the javelin and the shot put.
keeper to tie it.
After two 10-minute overtime periods and two five-minute Golden Goal
sessions ended without a score, sending it to penalties. Trask, Troutman, and Guerin Willis each converted their tries, and with Bell making stops on two of the four shots he faced, the dagger from DeFilippis sent the Eagles to their first boys soccer state championship game.
In Friday’s 4-1 win over Dreher, the Eagles dominated in the wet conditions. Beck Schwerin scored a hat trick to lead Beaufort. Dreher put one on the board, and Beaufort answered almost immediately with a goal from Eduardo Loza.
The Eagles (15-2) have won 13 straight games dating to March 17, and they’re one away from making history.
Region 7-1A Meet at Whale Branch BOYS Whale Branch 220, Bamberg-Ehrhardt 134, Allendale-Fairfax 70, Estill 46, Bethune-Bowman 29, Branchville 16, Royal Live Oaks 1 WB champs: Jakhi Pusha (100m, 11.63); Jesse Richardson (800m, 2:08.15; 1600m, 4:47.90; 3200m, 10:32.00); Keith Chisholm (110H, 16.19; LJ, 19-0.75; TJ, 41-4.5); Jonathan Kelley (400H, 1:07.83); 4x100 (43.55); Greggory Gilbert (HJ, 5-10) GIRLS Bamberg-Ehrhardt 189, Whale Branch 176 Estill 62, Branchville 29, Bethune-Bowman 23, Allendale-Fairfax 16, Royal Live Oaks 12 WB champs: Destiny Pryor (100m, 12.74; 200m, 26.12; LJ, 16-7.5); Larmore Pryor (400m, 1:03.13); Ariehanna Wiltshire (800m, 2:49.26); Alani Crawford (3200m, 14:02.22); Talaijah Bartley (100H, 15.75); 4x100 (48.93); 4x800 (12:00.42); Janiah Pryor (TJ, 32-4.75)
Region 8-3A Championship at Beaufort
GIRLS
Philip Simmons 294, Beaufort 221 Battery Creek
70, Hanahan 64, North Charleston 22
BFT champs: Anaiya Houseal (100m, 16.04); Yzeult Antia (400H, 1:13.52);
LowcoSports.com
Beaufort High’s boys golf team captured the Class 3A Lower State title Monday, posting a team score of 313 at Diamondback Golf Club in Loris.
The Eagles won by 18 shots over Region 8-3A rival Philip Simmons, with individual medalist Simon McAlister leading the way with a 1-over-par 73. Jack Lubkin shot 79, Jack Sumner carded an 80, and Jerry Bruns and Gus Christian each posted 81 for the Eagles.
The Class 3A state championship will be held Monday and Tuesday at Three Pines Country Club in Woodruff.
LowcoSports.com
The SCISA soccer playoffs kicked off Monday and Tuesday, and the teams from Beaufort Academy, Holy Trinity, and John Paul II went into the postseason with high hopes.
John Paul II’s girls were the first to get started with a 6-0 rout of Spartanburg Christian on Monday, setting up a rematch with top-seeded Hilton Head Prep in Wednesday’s semifinal. The Dolphins swept the season series, most recently winning 2-1 at JPII last week.
Holy Trinity’s girls had a first-round bye Monday and will travel to Cambridge Academy for a SCISA 2A/1A semifinal matchup. The winner will face the Beaufort Academy vs. Patrick Henry victor in Saturday’s championship game. The top-seeded Eagles had a bye in the first round.
Holy Trinity’s boys are the top seed in SCISA 1A and earned a bye into the semifinals, where they’ll host either The King’s Academy or Anderson Christian on Thursday.
BA’s boys earned a No. 2 seed in SCISA 2A and were set to host Marlboro Academy in Tuesday’s first round with Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach awaiting the winner in the semifinals Thursday.
The No. 2 seed JPII boys were set to open the SCISA 3A playoffs at home against Florence Christian on Tuesday with a semifinal matchup with Oakbrook Prep looming Thursday if both advance.
The Knights beat the Golden Warriors 3-2 in last year’s SCISA 2A title game.
GIRLS SOCCER
Thursday, May 4
SCHSL 3A
Camden 2, Beaufort 0
Monday, May 8
From staff reports
Last week was a busy week for Battery Creek High School senior Darby Kinsey.
On Tuesday, May 2, the nonprof it Pat Conroy Literary Center an nounced Kinsey has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Center’s Future Educator Scholarship, a $5,000 award.
Then on Wednesday, May 3, the Beaufort County School District (BCSD) announced that Kinsey had been awarded the prestigious Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) South Carolina Teaching Fellowship.
“I have been preparing for this since I was four years old. I can remember setting up my “classroom” in my bedroom and creating my own curriculum for my baby dolls and stuffed animals – and now I finally get to do it for real,” Kinsey said in a (BCSD) news release. “I am so honored to receive this fellowship. I am excited about learning how to be the best teacher that I can be and bringing that knowledge back to the community that helped raise me.”
Kinsey, a member of Beaufort County’s teacher cadet program, is a dual enrollment student at the Technical College of the Low-
country, Kinsey will earn her Associate’s Degree before she graduates from high school in June. She will continue her studies toward her Education degree at Charleston Southern University this fall.
A group of current and former educators served as the Conroy Center’s scholarship selection committee. They were unanimous and enthusiastic in their selection of Kinsey as the scholarship awardee.
Two of the committee members, both Beaufort County School District teacher mentors, offered glowing appraisals of Kinsey for public announcement.
“Darby is committed, goal-driven, and confident that she will succeed in her chosen career path. She is looking forward to a bright and successful teaching career, working for and with her students and contributing to their personal and educational growth,” said Celeste Prince-Brown, also a Beaufort High School student of Pat Conroy’s.
Joseph Taylor said, “The moment Darby sat down with the scholarship committee for her in-
terview, she exuded confidence. She is a young woman who has known that she wanted to be a teacher since the age of four. Now, 14 years later, she is getting ready to receive her diploma from Battery Creek High School and also her Associate’s Degree from TCL. When you consider what she has achieved in the past four years while working and taking both high school and college courses, it’s really quite extraordinary. Future students and teaching colleagues will benefit from having Darby Kinsey in their lives. As a teacher at BCHS told me recently, ‘Darby is the real deal!’ I have no doubt about that.”
In addition to the cash award, Kinsey will be paired with a teaching mentor through the Conroy Center to serve as an additional resource for her through her degree program and her entrance into her teaching life.
As a member of the exceptional Teaching Fellows program at Charleston Southern, Kinsey will be offered numerous professional development opportunities and be involved with communities and businesses through various service projects and partnerships with local schools.
Kinsey holds this honor along-
side fellow Beaufort County School District alum, Jada Jenkins, a Whale Branch Early College High School graduate who was named a 2022 S.C. Teaching Fellow. The state’s Teaching Fellows Program, operated by CERRA, was established in 1999 by the S.C. General Assembly. The mission of the program is to recruit talented high school seniors into the teaching profession and help them develop leadership qualities.
Each year, the program provides Fellowships for up to 200 high school seniors who have exhibited high academic achievement, a history of service to their school and community, and a desire to teach in South Carolina.
Applicants for the program undergo a rigorous selection process that includes an online application, an interview and presentation in front of a team of three educators, and a scored response. Following the rigorous selection process, applicants who are awarded a Fellowship receive up to $24,000 in yearly scholarships (up to $6,000 a year for four years) to attend a Teaching Fellows Institution in South Carolina. Each Fellow agrees to teach in South Carolina one year for every year he or she receives the Fellowship.
LowcoSports.com
Right about the time the Beaufort High baseball team was building up to a walkoff win to claim a district title, the Eagles’ softball team hit a surge to keep its season alive.
Beaufort rallied for four runs in the bottom of the sixth to stun visiting Waccamaw 6-4 and advance to the district championship, where the Eagles will have to win twice at Marlboro County on Wednesday to advance to the Class 3A Lower State bracket.
Kylie Rast went 2-for-4 with a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth and earned the win in relief, catching a weak popup on the infield for the final out to seal the win. Riley Brozek added a pair of hits and an RBI, and Caylin Adkins was 2-for-2 with a walk for Beaufort.
Rast led off the bottom of the first with a rope down the left-field line for a triple and scored on Adalyn Johnson’s grounder before Brozek roped a double to plate Johnson and make it 2-0.
Johnson gave Rast a respite and gave the Eagles 4 1/3 strong innings in the circle, striking out six and
Beaufort High School’s shortstop Riley Brozek fields the ball after a bad bounce took the ball out of reach of third baseman Kyrsten Cruikshanck during the top of the third inning against the Waccamaw Lady Warriors on Monday night at Beaufort High School. The Lady Eagles won, 6-4. Bob Sofaly/The Island News
allowing three runs, six hits, and one walk. The Warriors touched her up for three runs in the third to take the lead, but she was able to keep Waccamaw off the
board for another inning before giving way to Rast with one out in the fifth. Rast worked out of a jam to strand a runner at third, but an Eagles error in the
sixth gave the Warriors an important insurance run and a 4-2 lead with Beaufort down to its last three outs. Brozek led off the sixth with a single and Adkins walked
before a Waccamaw error opened the floodgates. Erin Dolan drew a bases-loaded walk to tie it at 4, then Rast blooped a single down the right-field line to give the Eagles the lead and they tacked on one more run. Rast didn’t need it. She sat down the first two batters on strikes and induced a weak popup back to the circle to slam the door and send the Eagles into a daunting doubleheader in Bennettsville on Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 3 Class 3A
Beaufort 6, Brookland-Cayce 1 Swansea 10, Battery Creek 4
Class 1A
Latta 26, Whale Branch 0
Hannah-Pamplico 18, Bridges Prep 0
SCHSL 3A
Friday, May 5
Marlboro Co. 2, Beaufort 1
SCHSL 2A
Kingstree 13, Wade Hampton 3
SCHSL 1A
Palmetto Scholars 15, Whale Branch 0
Bridges Prep 15, Hemingway 0
Monday, May 8
SCISA 3A
John Paul II 6, Spartanburg Christian 0
BOYS SOCCER
SCISA 3A
Baseball from page B1
McKelvey flyout to end the inning.
Tuesday, May 9
Florence Christian at John Paul II
HHCA at Oakbrook Prep
SCISA 2A Marlboro Academy at Beaufort Academy
GIRLS SOCCER
Wednesday, May 10
SCISA 2A/1A SEMIFINALS
Patrick Henry at Beaufort Academy
Holy Trinity at Cambridge Academy
SCISA 3A SEMIFINALS
John Paul II at Hilton Head Prep
HHCA at Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach
Woods gave Beaufort four scoreless innings before running into trouble in the fifth. He gave up backto-back singles to start the inning, prompting Shane Monahan to turn to Carter Bowersox, but the Indians scratched across three runs and took the lead.
The Eagles alternated hits and walks to start the sixth with Malcolm Webb’s bases-loaded base on balls forcing home the tying run
before Talbert and Connelly lofted consecutive sacrifice flies to left to give
Beaufort a 5-3 advantage. But Gilbert rallied in the seventh and cut it to one
run on Jake Torbett’s twoout single, then tied it up when Tanner Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Indians blanked Beaufort in the bottom of the seventh and scraped across a run in the eighth, but the Eagles needed to send only three batters to the plate to muster the two runs they needed. Webb hit a sharp ground ball to short that found its way into the outfield and took second on a wild pitch. Talbert squared around to sacrifice him to third but laid a beauty down the third-base line and beat it out before swiping second to put the
Class 3A
Beaufort 6, Waccamaw 4
Class 1A
Lowcountry Leadership 18, Bridges Prep 6
winning run in scoring position.
Connelly, who is committed to play at Columbia International next season, worked the count to 1-1 and hit a sharp bouncer past the diving shortstop to set off a celebration that ended with him at the bottom of a dogpile.
Survive and advance.
Thursday, May 4 Class 3A Beaufort 7, Loris 3 Camden 10, Battery Creek 0 Class 1A Carvers Bay 11, Whale Branch 1 Monday, May 8 Class 3A Beaufort 7, Gilbert 6
Joshua Ryan Albridge
Sanai Alston
Hunter James Arquette
Austin Dylan Bauer
Kiwana Doniese Black
Nathaniel David Blubaugh
Ray Ellen Bunch
Christine Cannon
Gabrielle Brianna Chaney
Angelica Alondra Chavez
Ailyn Chavira
Collins O. Cleveland
Jamiyla Diamond Cy’Nea Coleman
Ann M. Crager
Denise Carol Creel
Stephine Cruz
Christian Danielle Dantzler
Kendell Jameson Dinkins
Farrah Zianna Doe
Phillip Evan Lee English
Titia Shaneequa Evans
Garrett Jordan Famuliner
Lydia A. Fields
Quaeshawn Judah Fields
Yariela Maria Fludd
Deveigh Lee Ford
Tiffany Fortier
John Michael Fuller
Brenda Monseratt Garcia
Amanda Leigh Garrett
Shakil Xavier Gause
Samara Shanae Gibbs
Jeremy Renard Givens
Elijah Keawe Gomez
Jonathan Gonzalez
Leah Nicole Grave
Alec Harper
Tyler Narvel Harris
Taquana Le’Shay Heyward
Shadasha L. Holmes
Anthony Phillip Horn
Shanena Rena James
Whitney Vernice Jefferson
Taylor Imani Johnson
Justin Keller
Daniela Guadalupe Landeros
John Marshall McDaniel
Clifton Daniel Major, III
Sandra Marconi
Samantha Brooke Marotta
Evan Andrew Mello
Samantha Nicole Mendicino
Taqouya Jemira Miller
Anastasia L. Mousa
Faith Murray
My’asia Symone Keonna Murray
Sharon Murray
Octavio Alejandro Nunez
Maya Angela Patterson
Abril Ramirez
Angelica Nicole Ramirez
James Edward Ranck
Olivia Richardson
Guadalupe Kimberly Rosas de la Cruz
Cassandra Rose Castaldi
William Grady Rose
Judith Anita Russell
Eliseo Shell Bollo
Jackson Slaton Skinner
Kim Stone
Thokare Elaine Wallace
Keosha Sh’avae Washington
Michael Alan Williams
Tiffany Willis
Brandon Michael Wilson
Jasmyn Wise
Natalia M. Yanez
Diploma Graduates
Jasmine Marie Callender
Ingrid Zuleima Gaitan
Karey Danielle Harris
Bellah Grace Hexamer
Rylee Hill
Ashley Morgan Kelly
Caroline Marie Lavery
Teagan Rose Manning
Tess Orise McGlen
Riley AnneMarie Pfendler
Stella Marie Piccioli
Associate Degree Graduates
Jack Connor Abler
Katherine Veeka Ahders-Oehring
Tyler Russel Ahern
Blaine Victoria Alexander
Bianca Algarin
Keagen Avery Allen
Malani Connease Anderson
Shyla Anderson
Jan Amber Aycock
Paulette Magdalia Bailey
Thomas Clifford Bailey
Janera Shanay Baskerville
Reina Mirabueno Batchelder
Allyson Paige Beall
Taquoia Lashae Beals
Kimberly B. Beamon
Samantha Grace Beever
Kathrine Bell
Marlena Yneathe Benson
Jessica Blackburn
Charlene Michelle Boggs
Rondasha Gabrielle Bonds
Darren John Branner
Ally Brannon
Alexis Paige Brown
Robert L. Brown
Yasmin Renee Brown
Stephanie Michelle Brumley
Haley Budzynski
Paul Edward Burroughs
Grace Katheryn Burvenich
Dionne Latrell Campbell
Tyler Chase Campbell
Bette Ruth Cappelmann
Maria Angelita Carolus
Denali Autumn Carr
Shaun Marcus Carter
Ashley Chandler
Denise Rena Charles
Alayna Marlene Clark
Sherri Lynn Connolly
Zien Judea Cordray
Janeya Sherrie Cox
Lisa Crawford
Carman Raven Crosby
Lelis Jamil Cruz Ramirez
Annie M. Daise
Mickayla Amore Daise
Suniah Citirine Danaher
Autumn Kelly Dark
Breona Ni’Jae Davis
Demesvar Delva, Jr.
Stefany Joshlyn Donjuan
Haleigh Dorch
Makayla Drayton
Brandon Dunn
Vernonn P. Edmalin
Karleigh Marie Edmonson
Aspen Grace Eller
Emma Grace Epperson
Shawana Erwin
Chandler Nicole Eubanks
Samuel Allen Farley
Victoria R. Farmer
Kennedy Farrell
Derris Devonta Felder
Mikayla Chanel Ferguson
Micahla Faith Fetters
Latisha Fields
Fallon Rose Fischer
Natiema Fuller
Miky Gagnon
Saul Marcos Donicio Garcia
Brian Gatch
Laurie Dallas Gibbons
Cynthia Gibson
Brittany Gray Giles
Crystal Gill
Krista Gilligan
Randa M. Godley
Kylie Grace Gonzales
Victoria Valentina Gonzalez
Joshua E. Goodpaster
Issac Terrell Gordon
Ashley Dondrea Grant
Natasha Nadine Shakiesna Green
Zaria Shamone Green
Joann Gullo
Kamelia Hadipour
Caleb Brendan Zweede Hagood
Donna M. Harding
Holly Christine Hart
Kylie Hartman
Maryanna Jennings Hatcher
Fabiola Rossie Hernandez-Serna
Genesis Hernandez
Jennifer Hernandez
Laurie Jane Hernandez Aguiler
Cory Herritt
Meggan Leigh Hiers
Sheldon Hunter Hiers
Kari Marie Hill
Madeline Claire Hitchens
Sabrina Lashay Holmes
Anthony Philip Horn
Kelly Anne Housaman
Virginia Hudson
Jennifer Leeanne Hunnicutt
Valentina Hurtado
Valerie Iannazzo
Alicia Lorenay Jackson
Angela M. Jackson
Mattice Laton James
Diamond Jett
Jose Juan Jimenez
Ja’laya Ta’Neace Johnson
Quintarus Derelle Johnson
Spencer Tyler Johnson
Kearsen Jones
Diane Keane
Adrian Eduardo Kennett
Camron Dalton Kilgore
Darby M. Kinsey
Kaitlyn Barbara Kintz
Deborah Ann Kulak
Chelsie Lee Kunze
Sarah Temple Lafond
Latesha Lashay Landrum
Miecha Anise Lane
Makaylia Moeisha Lawrence
Jessica Kay Leakey
Lavonna Levine
Laura McCrindle Lewis
Julia Margaret Lingwall
Sydney Danielle Lister
Jo Ann Little
Pamela Michelle Lopez
Layla Simone Love
Adriana Amelia Loza
Sara-Rose Lyda
Faith Lynn Marie Macherione
Ana G. MacIas
Logan Zachary Markiw
Ana Massa
Christopher J. Masters
Colton Brooks Maxey
Niayana Jasmeen McCalla
Karla V. McGinnis
Mikayla Renae McKinsey
Jaleesa Brittney McQueen
Ana Erika Elona Mendoza
Alondra Del Carmen
Mercado Evangelista
Timia Junue Miller
Alexis Teria’ Mitchell
Bertha Jazmin Montero
Bailey Lanier Moore
Sthanley Andrey Mora
Isaac David Morales
Kalyn Deniece Moultrie
John Andrew Murray
Laurann Elaine Nix
Fallyn Elizabeth O’Brien
Joanna Carolina Olivares
Erica Orr
Alex Randall Owens
Aureona Michelle Lasha Palmer
Jennifer Marion Panduro
Cassie Pearce
Charles Chenoweth Pedroni
Donovan Jason Peterson
Makenzie Grace Pierce
Sydney Sinclair Pollins
MacKenna Lynn Pratt
Taylor Ann Pratt
Joshua Preston
Katherine Ramirez
Christina Marina Ranck
Isabella Danyelle Raniszewski
Rhonda Renee Richey
Nickindra Merdeia Riley
Savanna Haley Roberts
Celine Victoria Robinson
John Lafe Robinson
Briana Elizabeth Rodgers
Wesley Jacob Rogers
Megan Patricia Rogowsky
Gabrielle R. Rowell
Ephraim Jordan Edward Russell
Jenny Marie Schumann
Hannah Scott
Robert Edward Self Jr.
Chelsea Selner
Callista C. Shepherd
Evin Sierra
Sarah ELizabeth Silvas
Alexis Simmons
Tina Marie Simmons
Rebecca Caroline Simonsen
Delien C. Skinner
Vail Alden Sklar
De’ Ziyah Tamar’e’ah Ta’nea Smalls
Jason Leroy Smalls
Amy Suzanne Smith
Dean Curtis Smith
Shenkliay Demetrice Smith
Sara Jand Allegra Southers-Brun
Jordan Steward
Lorrie Kaye Stockman
Sherelle La’Shay Stoney
Kailee Sword
Hung Ta
Nigiria Rose Taylor
Caroline Anne Taylor
Kayla Tracy
Madeline Louise Tucker
Sydney Ann Turpin
Eugenio Turrubiartes, Jr.
Breanna Lynn Varnadoe
Marilyn Gay Wade
Amanda Schotz Walrad
Chasmere Alexandria Washington
Keniyah Shynae Webb
Ariana Kaitlyn White
Brooke White
Sheree L. White
Tori Jai White
Sydney M. Wiese
Cynthia Wilson
Jada Wilson
Teresa Lynn Wooten
Jocelyn Elaine Youngblood
Sandra Skipper Yuen
Andy Zuviri
Because names of candidates for graduation were furnished for publication prior to commencement, it is possible that some persons listed may not have completed award requirements or may have been added after publication. This printing of a candidate’s name constitutes neither graduation nor the granting of an award.
In the heart of downtown, a male snowy egret presents a carefully chosen branch to a potential mate.
Normally he accessorizes with a yellow face mask and golden slippers. But for breeding season, the wading bird dons a reddish mask and bright orange booties. He also sprouts lacy white feathers.
If the girl is impressed, she accepts the guy’s branch and the new couple will build a nest.
In that case, the pair will be among the hundreds of birds currently nesting at the Port Royal Cypress Wetlands. They include snowy and great egrets, an assortment of herons, the once-endangered wood stork and the odd anhinga.
Some of the birds are year-round residents.
Others, like the green heron, have traveled from as far as South America just to have their babies in Port Royal.
The birds were not the original intent behind the wetlands. When town officials created the habitat more than 20 years ago they were merely looking for a place to retain the town’s stormwater.
The birds were a happy accident, an indicator of a healthy ecosystem.
On April 29, around 150 children and their parents converged onto the wetlands for a bird birthday
celebration. Although most of the chicks have yet to hatch, the crowd egged them on with a rowdy rendition of “Happy Birthday,” followed by a cupcake feast.
From sinkhole to rookery
Once there was a sinkhole, smack in the center of downtown Port Royal. But in 1999, town officials transformed the depression into a wetlands habitat, replacing invasive plants with native trees like tupelo and cypress.
That same year, the Lowcountry was experiencing a drought, causing waters further inland to dry out. A few displaced great egrets found their way to the wetlands to have their babies.
Those first few nesting birds showed the wetlands had more potential than just stormwater retention. After consulting with local ecologists, town officials hired contractors to build islands in hopes of attracting more birds. The islands were surrounded by gator-infested waters, which would keep predators like racoons and rats from getting to the birds’ eggs.
Word travels fast in the bird world. Shortly after the islands were constructed, the wetlands became a thriving rookery.
“As a birder, this small area is just awesome. You can see so much in such a small period of time,” said Jenn Clementoni, owner of Birding Beaufort, which offers guided tours of birding hotspots around the county.
Port Royal Elementary School art teacher Theresa Merchant at the birthday for the birds event at the Cypress Wetlands on April 29, 2023. Michael Cuglietta/Post And Courier
Scot Clark, president of the Friends of the Port Royal Cypress Wetlands, a nonprofit set up in 2019 to support and advocate for the wetlands, estimates that well over 500 birds come to roost on any given evening.
In the spring and summer, the area serves as a nursery.
“Soon, there’s going to be babies everywhere. It will be very noisy,” Clementoni said.
Theresa Merchant is an art teacher at Port Royal Elementary, just a few blocks away from the wetlands. For the birthday for the birds event on April 29, her students crafted birds out of cardboard toilet paper rolls.
She encourages all her students to spend time at the wetlands.
“At the end of school, if they’re looking for something to do, this is a real science environment,” said Merchant, who came to the party wearing a colorful straw hat decorated with felt bird cutouts.
Wood storks
In 2012, a half-mile wooden boardwalk was constructed around the wetlands. Stand in the viewing area at sunset on a fall or winter evening and it will rain birds, as egrets and ibis fly in to roost.
Clementoni has seen 164 species of birds in Beaufort County this year, which makes her the fourth best birder in the area. The top birder is Steven Guy, who has
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already clocked 218 species.
“Steven is always number one,” said a defeated Clementoni.
One of her favorite birds to talk about are wood storks. Due to habitat destruction in Florida, wood storks once faced extinction. But in February the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services announced the birds’ numbers were doing so well that the agency recommended removing them from the federal list of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.
Part of the reason for the successful rebound in the storks’ numbers was their ability to expand into new areas for breeding, including human-created wetlands throughout the Southeast, like the one in Port Royal. This year, for the first time, the wetlands are home to a colony of nesting wood storks.
When Clementoni talks to visitors at the wetlands, she does not focus only on the birds. Rather, she talks of the importance of the entire ecosystem, highlighting just how fragile it can be.
“A lot of people are migrating here, excuse the pun. I understand growth. But you lose these trees, you lose these birds,” she said.
She applauds town officials who recently passed an ordinance imposing the highest financial penalties in the entire state for cutting down trees.
She is also a booster for the bird birthday because it can get young people excited about nature. Children at the event took part in a scavenger hunt, searching for wetlands wildlife.
When a mother egret stood up, a few lucky kids even caught a glimpse of some tiny balls of fluff.
From Beaufort to Bluffton and Hilton Head, The Post and Courier covers news impacting your community. Subscribe for more local coverage at postandcourier.com/IslandNews
From staff reports and SCDNR
Mark it down for Friday, May 5. That was the day the Friends of Hunting Island Sea Turtle Conservation Project marked the first sea turtle nest of the season at Hunting Island.
Last year, Hunting Island saw 175 sea turtle nests on its beaches, a record. This first nest in Beaufort County comes three days after the first two nests of the season were recorded.
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources’ (SCDNR) Corinne Johnston found a loggerhead nest on South Island (part of Yawkey Wildlife Center) and Jerry Tupacz of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found a loggerhead nest on North Cape Island (part of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge) on Tuesday, May 2.
This is the second year in a row that South Carolina’s first sea turtle nest has appeared on May 2, one day after the
‘official’ start of the season. Both nests follow ‘false crawls’ spotted yesterday on each island, tracks indicating a female sea turtle had come ashore but ultimately did not lay eggs. The SCDNR relies on a network of more 1,500 trained volunteers to regularly patrol beaches from May 1 to October 31 to count, monitor and protect sea turtle nests.
The 2023 season opens on the heels of another record-breaking year: in 2022, biologists and volunteers counted 7,996 sea turtle nests in South Carolina, marking the second-highest year since record-keeping began. Prior to 2022, nest numbers held steady at 5,644 nests in 2021 and 5,560 in 2020.
Nesting requires a great deal of energy, so female sea turtles do not lay eggs every year. This cyclical pattern of nesting results in fluctuating nest numbers from year to year. It’s not unusual for record-breaking years (like
2019; 8,795 nests) to follow low nesting years (like 2018; 2,766). A robust winter diet is crucial for female sea turtles to recoup the energy and nutrient reserves needed for shelling and laying eggs.
Overall, sea turtle nest numbers across the Southeast have trended up over the past decade after several decades of conservation efforts.
“We’re optimistic, but nest numbers have not reached Loggerhead Recovery Plan benchmarks, and the species is not out of the woods just yet,” said SCDNR biologist Michelle Pate, who leads the agency’s sea turtle nesting and stranding program.
“Long term monitoring of these long-lived species needs to continue to ensure current management continues to work.”
Four sea turtle species nest on South Carolina beaches: loggerheads, greens, Kemp’s ridleys, and leatherbacks. All four species are classified as endangered or threatened
Sea turtle next No. 1 on Hunting Island for the 2023 season.
Hunting Island Sea Turtle Conservation Project
and are protected under the Endangered Species Act in addition to state law. Loggerhead nests comprise most of the state’s total number each year.
Sea turtle clutches average 120 eggs and hatch after approximately 60 days. Nesting females may remain in
South Carolina waters and continue to nest every two weeks, laying up to six nests per season. Throughout this stressful time, the turtles also abstain from eating.
South Carolina beachgoers can help the state’s sea turtles by keeping beaches clean, turning beachfront lights out to avoid disorienting turtles, and giving all sea turtles and nests a wide and respectful berth when encountered on the beach.
Report all sick/injured/ dead sea turtles and nest disturbances to the SCDNR at 1-800-9225431 so that staff/volunteers can respond as soon as possible.
Respect boating laws and boat cautiously, especially in small tidal creeks where sea turtles like to feed. Boat strikes have emerged as the leading cause of death
for sea turtles in South Carolina. Keep artificial lights off the beach at night during nesting season –this includes beachfront property lights and flash photography, which can disorient nesting mothers and hatchlings. Always respect sea turtles by observing them from a distance on the beach. Individuals that violate federal law by harming or interfering with sea turtles or their nests can be subject to civil penalties of up to $25,000 and up to a year’s imprisonment. Keep our beaches and ocean clean by avoiding single-use plastics. Plastic bags and balloons are among the most common trash items found on South Carolina beaches and can cause injury or death when sea turtles mistake them for food.
From staff reports The Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club’s May meeting will be held Thursday, May 11, at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club on Lady’s Island off of Meridian Road. The social begins at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting
will start at 7.
Capt. Frank Gibson, Excutive Officer of the Beaufort Sail and Power Squadron, now known as America’s Boating Club of Beaufort, will present how to equip your boat for a successful inspection by S.C. Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) or the U.S. Coast Guard, including handouts.
Afterward, Capt. Tim Deckard of Castaway Fishing Charters will present how to locate and fish for Crocker, Whiting, Black Drum – Sharks or no Sharks.
He will have rods and reels set up and baits of choice. This will include locations and safety measures in handling the species. Beaufort Boat & Dock Supply, Butler Marine, and Danny Walsh and the Achurch Real Estate Group again
are our monthly $50 drawing sponsors. Remember to weigh in your favorite catch at the Beaufort Boat & Dock Supply, located at 1734 Ribaut Road, Port Royal, during regular hours.
Congratulations to Shawn McEvoy, last month’s winner.
Winners must be present at the next month’s meeting to receive the cash award. Guests are welcome. Reservations are not needed. For additional information, please contact Capt. Frank Gibson at 843-522-2122 or email fgibson@islc.net
ARTS
Lowcountry Paint Party
6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, May 11, Morris Center, 10782 S. Jacob Smart Blvd, Ridgeland. $30. Enjoy an evening with friends while painting your own Lowcountry work of art. Camilla Pagliaroli will walk you through the process of creating a whimsical shrimp piece inspired by National Shrimp Day.
“Colors of the World” photography exhibition
Monday, June 5 to Sunday, July 2, The Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery, 6 Church St, Bluffton. Free and open to the public. Savannah Kemper’s upcoming photography exhibit captures the unique colors and textures from her travels. An opening reception will take place from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 7 at the gallery. For more information, visit http://www. aproposllc.com or follow Savannah on Instagram at @apropos_photography.
(Re)create Assemblage Workshop
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, June 10, Morris Center, 10782 S. Jacob Smart Blvd, Ridgeland. $55. The art of assemblage is the subject of this workshop that focuses on how to repurpose disposable items (aka trash) into artistic creations. Led by Kirkland Smith, you’ll learn what types of materials work best for this type of assemblage and use templates to design your own piece on 12x12 Masonite.
CALENDAR
Sharing Hearts Support Group
5:30 to 7 p.m., second Tuesday of every month, 2201 Boundary Street, Suite 208, Beaufort. Free. Come tell your 10-minute story of a life lesson or healing message using your own creative expression through a song, poetry, reading, art or verbal storytelling. Come away with an uplifting sense of support and connections or to just listen. Register by leaving a voicemail with name, phone and number of attendees at 843-525-6115 or send email to reneesutton@healthierhealing.com.
Notification will be done of any location change due to seat requirements. Next event is on Tuesday, June 13.
Trivia with Mike –
Bricks On Boundary
7:30 p.m., Every Thursday, Fat Patties, 1422 Boundary St, Beaufort. Free. Team trivia event, win house cash and Beer Bucket prizes! For more information, visit https://rb.gy/o9nhwe.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
7 p.m., Thursdays, Amvets Post 70, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free. Public is welcome. Enjoy Karaoke. Dinner will be available.
Bluffton Night Bazaar —
a Lowcountry Made Market
5 to 8 p.m., first Thursday of each month, Burnt Church Distillery, 120 Bluffton Road. A highly curated selection of accessories, clothing, home goods, custom gifts and more by local artists and makers.
Rooted Beaufort Yoga classes
5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Thursdays, Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal; 9 to 10:15 a.m., Whitehall Park or Pigeon Point Park.
Rooted Beaufort is a collective of local Yoga teachers who host outdoor yoga classes and donation-based events with proceeds being donated locally on a rotating basis.
Wet Willie’s Trivia Night
7 to 10 p.m., every Thursday, Wet Willie’s, Beaufort Town Center. Win awesome prizes while you sip the worlds greatest daiquiris and munch on delicious bites.
Wet Willie’s Bingo Night
7 to 10 p.m., every Friday, Wet Willie’s, Beaufort Town Center. Win free giveaways, merchandise, and more cool prizes.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
9 p.m., Fridays, Highway 21 Bar, 3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Lt. Dan.
Karaoke with Melissa 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Fridays, R Bar & Grill, 70 Pennington Dr, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.
Drum Circle
6:30 to 8 p.m., 2nd Friday of every month, Gazeebo, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort. (Note: Drum circle will meet on 3rd Friday in May –May 19 – because of scheduling conflict.)
Free. Anyone welcome, no experience necessary. Eric Roy, a recent transplant from Connecticut with successful experience in leading drum circles, is our new facilitator. He will start sessions off with 15-20 minutes of instruction on djembe playing and teach a selected traditional rhythm & accompaniment for
participants to play. In addition, there will be time allotted for spontaneous group drumming. Bring a drum, if you have one, a chair and a desire to have fun. The Drum Circle has several extra drums and many other percussion instruments that anyone can use. To receive updates on future events, send your email to lannyk13@ gmail.com.
Highway 21 Flea Market
9 a.m. to 4 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday, Highway 21 Drive-In. Sellers, vendors, handmade items, unique products and yard sale items. For information, email lowcountryfleamarket@gmail.com.
Port Royal Farmers Market
9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, year round, Naval Heritage Park, 1615 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Rain or shine. You will find fresh, local, seasonal produce, shrimp, oysters, poultry, beef, pork, eggs, bread and cheese, as well as plants, ferns, camellias, azaleas, citrus trees and beautiful, fresh cut flower bouquets. There are prepared food vendors serving barbecue, dumplings, she crab soup, crab cakes, paella, coffee, baked goods, bagels and breakfast sandwiches. No pets allowed. For more information, visit http://www.portroyalfarmersmarket. com/, visit @portroyalfarmersmarket on Facebook or call 843-295-0058.
Slip and Splash Saturdays
10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays, Battery Creek Pool, 1 Blue Dolphin Drive, Beaufort, and Bluffton Pool, 55 Pritchard Street, Bluffton. $5 per person. Stay busy for hours climbing on our inflatable challenge track. Karaoke with Melissa
8 p.m. to 12 a.m., 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, Peaceful Henry’s Cigar Bar, 181 Bluffton Rd, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.
Play & Eat – Dinner Theater
6 to 8:30 p.m., Saturdays, May 13, May 20, June 3, June 17, and July 1, Hilton Garden Inn, 1500 Queen Street, Beaufort. Solve a murder mystery while you feast on a fantastic dinner. Just to let you know the murderer is hiding somewhere in the room, and you may find yourself as one of the suspects if you don’t watch it. This is a prize-winning competition and everyone is a participant. For more information, contact 843592-6209 or playandeatdinnertheater@ gmail.com, or visit the website at www. playandeatdinnertheater.com.
Memory Matters Brain Booster Class
1 to 3 p.m., Monday, May 15, & 22, First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. 99$ fee. A three-week brain wellness course for active adults that promotes positive lifestyle strategies for improved brain health. Instructed by Memory Matters’ Community Education Director Debbie Anderson.
Lowcountry Christian Women’s Connection Luncheon
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 17, Hampton Hall Clubhouse, 170 Hampton Hall Blvd., Bluffton. Derby Days: FeatureHeroes on Horseback. Invited Speaker: Rose Lewis. Cost $28, must be prepaid. Please make checks payable to CWC Bluffton and send to Carol Mock, 607 Argent Way, Bluffton S.C. 29909. For more information call Julie Ott at 602-705-5465.
Beaufort Lions Club spaghetti dinner
5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, May 18, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Beaufort. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $8 for children younger than 12. Major credit cards, cash, and checks are accepted, and take-out is available. The menu includes spaghetti with meat sauce or meatballs, crispy garlic bread, tossed green salad, sweetened or unsweetened tea, and dessert. Lions Clubs International is a global organization of 1.4 million members who serve those who have experienced disasters but focus on service in five target causes: vision, environment, diabetes, pediatric cancer, and hunger. Proceeds from this fundraiser will support both the vision program and the diabetes project.
Memory Matters: Ask a Neurologist
10 a.m., Saturday, May 20, Memory Matters, 117 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. $20 for this session, or $40 for all Memory Matters sessions. Speaker:
Dr. Jill Trumble, St. Joseph’s Candler Neurology.
Palmetto Bluff Farmers Market
9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, May 24, The Farm, 228 Old Moreland Road, Bluffton. Palmetto Bluff in partnership with Lowcountry Made is proud to present their inaugural Farmers Market, starting May 2023.
The Original Gullah Festival
Friday through Sunday, May 26 to 28, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
Decoration Day Play
3 p.m., Saturday, May 27, USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret Street, Beaufort. $45 Online – $50 at the Door/Gate.
Children 12 & younger $15. Join Aunt Pearlie Sue & The Gullah Kinfolk as they celebrate Decoration Day. Step back in time and experience Memorial Day like it used to be. This is a very entertaining, informative and historical re-enactment of the City of Beaufort and describes some of the culture of the peoples in the sea island. Register at https://rb.gy/p3puu.
Memory Matters:
Preparing for the Unexpected
10 a.m., Wednesday, June 7, St. Gregory the Great Catholic School, 38 St Gregory Drive, Bluffton. $20 for this session, or $40 for all Memory Matters sessions. Speakers: Lowcountry Council of Governments, Geriatric Care Manager, Elder Law Attorney, Bluffton Fire Department.
Memory Matters: Simple Suppers –Healthy Eating for Two
10 a.m., Wednesday, June 21, First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. $20 for this session, or $40 for all Memory Matters sessions. Speaker: Chef Kim Baretta.
67th annual Beaufort Water Festival
Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 23, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort.
GOLF
Adaptive Golf Clinic
9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, May 13, Legends Golf Course, 299 Belleau Wood Road, Beaufort. Free and open to the public. Register by April 30 to get on base. Event is geared toward individuals with disabilities/challenges from stroke, spinal cord injury, TBI, neurological conditions, amputation and more or individuals who are recovering from major injury or surgery. Participants receive complimentary instruction taught by experienced professional golf instructors; use provided equipment to increase mobility and assist swing; practice driving, chipping and putting; and connect with fellow adaptive athletes who are already golfers. Register at https://adaptivegolfexperience.org/ monthly-clinic-registration/.
HISTORY
Beaufort History Museum at the Arsenal
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, 713 Craven St, Beaufort. General Admission for Adults $8, Seniors $7, Active Duty Military and College Students with ID $5. Children/ Teens younger than 18 Free. Explore and experience more than 500 years of Beaufort History with knowledgeable docent guided tours.
The Historic Port Royal Museum
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or upon request, Thursdays through Sundays, The Historic Port Royal Museum, 1634 Paris Ave. The museum features the turn-ofthe-century businesses and industries of Port Royal: Shrimping, crabbing, oystering, the railroad, the school and the mercantile. Great gifts featuring local artists are available. For more information. visit www.portroyalhistory.org, email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com or call 843-524-4333.
Tour Historic Fort Fremont
Dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday, The Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land’s End Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. The History Center is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Visitors can learn about the fort’s history during the Spanish-American War through interpretive signs, selfguided walking tours with a smart phone, exhibits in the history center, and docentled tours. For more information visit www. fortfremont.org or contact Passive Parks Manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@bcgov. net.
Tea Time Treasures
Noon, Saturday, May 13, Morris Center, 10782 S. Jacob Smart Blvd, Ridgeland. $30 per person. This delightful presentation is steeped in the art and history of tea and teapots. Elyse Gerstenecker of Historical Collections at Telfair Museums joins us for the Morris Center Annual Spring Tea. Her visual presentation will highlight teapots and other decorative arts used at tea time. Afterwards, enjoy a lively Q&A.
Jasper County Historical Society Meeting
6 p.m., Tuesday, May 16, Morris Center, 10782 S. Jacob Smart Blvd, Ridgeland. Free. Sit in on an informative meeting of the Jasper County Historical Society. The
meetings include a presentation on local and state history topics. This month’s speaker is General Lloyd W. Newton.
A Monumental Occasion:
250 Years in the Making
1 p.m., Tuesday, June 20, Morris Center, 10782 S. Jacob Smart Blvd, Ridgeland. Free. What is the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission?
Come learn about this organization and what they are doing to celebrate the 250th anniversary of this revolutionary time in history. The speaker is Bill Davies, Vice Chairman of the Commission.
MEETINGS
Zonta Club of Beaufort
6 p.m., 4th Tuesday of each month, Smokehouse, Port Royal.
Maye River Quilters
9:30 a.m., Monday, May 13, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way, Hardeeville. To attend the meeting as a guest, send an RSVP email to mayeriverquilters@gmail.com. For more information and for membership forms to join the group, call 843-705-9590.
Indivisible Beaufort
11 a.m., Saturday, May 20, Downtown Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street. Free and open to the public. The featured speaker will be Mayra Rivera-Vazquez and Immigration Here In The Lowcountry will be the topic. She will discuss the consequences of our inaction on immigration here in the Lowcountry. Rivera-Vazquez has worked for the past six years with the Deverall Immigration Law Firm, helping immigrants, mostly Latinos, to achieve the American Dream. She has also worked as a community activist and volunteer in several organizations in the Lowcountry and the state, including Habitat for Humanity, Hopeful Horizons, and Lowcountry Immigration Coalition. For more information, visit indivisiblebeaufortsc.org.
Friends of the Beaufort Library
10 a.m., Saturday, June 10, Beaufort Branch Library. 2023 Annual Meeting. In addition to Board elections, this is an opportunity to learn more about our plans for the coming year, volunteer opportunities and meet other members. This event is open to the public. For more information visit friendsofthebeaufortlibrary.com.
MUSIC
Lowcountry Community Concert Band
3 p.m., Sunday, May 21, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Bay Street, Beaufort. A free event, donations gratefully accepted. Lowcountry Community Concert Band presents “Spring Around the Posy.” The Lowcountry Community Concert Band closes a successful Spring Season with an outdoor performance. Come out and enjoy great music played by 60-plus volunteer musicians.
The program includes selections from Lincolnshire Posy, an English folksong collection by Percy Aldridge Grainger; Flourish for Wind Band and Rhosymedre, both by Ralph Vaughan Williams; Irish Rhapsody by Clare Grundman; Siciliano movement from Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo by Malcolm Arnold; L’Inglesina (“Little English Girl” march) by Davide Della Cese; and Midnight Euphonium, a solo piece, by Goff Richards.
OUTDOORS
Port Royal Cypress Wetlands tours
9 a.m., Saturday, May 13; 9 a.m. Friday, May 26; Port Royal Cypress Wetlands. Bring your friends and visitors to a free guided tour of the wetlands sponsored by Friends of Port Royal Cypress Wetlands and led by Master Naturalist Jill Moore. The egrets, snowy egrets and woodstorks are all nesting and the rookery is an exciting place! Alligators and turtles are basking in the sun and spring is in the air. This is a great time to learn about this magical place. Tours are limited in size. T0 sign up at www.foprcw.org and register on line.
SPORTS Beaufort Masters Swim Team
6 to 7 a.m., Monday through Friday, Wardle Family Port Royal YMCA. Coached practices. Ages 18 & older, all skill & speed levels, no prior swim team experience needed. Visit lowcountryswimming.com for more information.
Hilton Head Kiwanis Club’s Charity Cornhole Tournament
2 to 6 p.m., Saturday, May 13, Lincoln & South Brewing Company, 138 Island Drive, Hilton Head Island. Registration is $55 per two-person team. The winning team selects the children’s charity of choice for $300, with the runner-up winning $150 for the charity of their choice. Proceeds from the cornhole tournament will benefit First Tee of the Lowcountry. Sponsorships are $200 and include team entry. Register online at www.hiltonheadkiwanis.com by May 6.
The Almighty has the power to unlock all doors and break down every obstacle. We also believe He can do whatever He wants, but often are left clueless to comprehend His decisions.
I’ve heard testimonies from individuals who were in a grave situation and suddenly they were delivered. Coincidence? No, I believe God had a precise plan that would bring Him glory.
On the other hand, as a chaplain, I’ve been on scene where someone was involved in a terrible accident or had taken their own life and obviously, He did not prevent that.
No human can understand why sometimes He intervenes and other times He does not, but His sovereignty is defined as Him being the Omniscient judge with all authority. Didn’t we pray, not my will but thy will be done?
So what about our desires and choices? If we want to spend time each day praying for a stronger spiritual awareness, and focusing on developing a closer relationship with Christ, we certainly have the opportunity to do it. He designed us with free will which means we choose what we do and whom we serve, and it’s evident who desires to be filled with God’s Spirit and who could
BILLY HOLLANDcare less.
The religious masses will scoff and say, “It’s ridiculous! No one can think about God all the time!” Really? This is not true. Responses like this are a defense mechanism trying to disguise guilt by justifying rebellion. There is a remnant today that is devoted to being one with God. They desire to pull away from the dark persuasions of the world and passionately invest their entire lives in drawing nearer to Him. Are you included with these disciples?
I can hear the arguments now, “Am I supposed to live in a monastery and chant day and night? I have a family and I want to enjoy the pleasures of life!”
Did I say the only way to know and love God was to live in the isolation of a dungeon?
I’m just trying to relay that every Christian can live in the awareness of God’s presence while also receiving all the
blessings that God wants to graciously give.
What I’m talking about is love. It would be amazing if we loved Him only a fraction of how much He loves us. Do we love Him enough to give Him our will completely?
Let’s see, should I pray, study, and worship, or watch this next movie? I’ll do it later. We are guilty of drawing blueprints for our lives, but shouldn’t we be following the plans God has made for us? There are consequences when we manage our daily affairs without first consulting our
Master. I know a man that had a wonderful wife, two beautiful children, a great job, a nice house, and new cars, but one day he sold everything and set out to walk with God and live completely by faith. I consider him a Bible scholar, but he thought that by pulling away from trusting and depending on this world, he could lead his family into the realms of a higher spiritual existence.
However, instead of finding peace and joy, he was confronted with every possible attack imaginable. They faced fear, worry, discouragement, frustration, and
stress, and after all the money was gone, he was haunted by feelings of failure. Since this idea was supposedly sanctioned by the Lord, he felt accountable to hold firm to his faith. Long story short, his wife took the children and divorced him.
I realize there are different opinions about this story, but whether God intervenes or not, or even if we relocate to an igloo in the North Pole, we are still who we are and our relationship with Him is in our heart. The only reason why we would not live in the awareness of His presence is because we are not really in love with Him. Going off-grid and living in a recreational vehicle does not make us more holy, it’s all about loving Him to the point that we want to be with Him more than anything else in the world. When this happens, the nature and character of Christ will be seen within us wherever we are. Beyond the words and deeds, walking the narrow path is to know God so intimately that we are constantly listening for His still small voice, however, we cannot obey God and live according to our own decisions at the same time.
It is Saturday, early, and I’m in Port Royal. This morning I’ve got my coffee — Eight O’Clock, The Original — and the prospect of work in the yard. But this morning my thoughts keep going back to the Doritos Locos Taco, the so called D.L.T.
When I was a teenager, I spent Sunday morning at Mass; my military family was living in San Antonio, Texas. Mass was followed by lunch at an off-post restaurant. That lunch usually involved some form of chicken, some iteration on the potato, some type of sugar from a dessert trolley — usually lemon meringue pie.
One Sunday, my brother David and I spotted a small Mexican cantina and requested a temporary pass on the chicken, potato, cream pie theme that we had come to loath. And it came to pass — one unre-
markable afternoon — that we found the taste, smell and tactile experience that is the singular province of the taco.
I can, to this day, remember sitting in a small room surrounded by sombreros and Manolete posters, knowing I had departed the flatlands of the mashed potato and its dull, lumpen, big meat companions for a new sensory landscape centered on a corn shell full of stuff that made me happy to be alive.
I must confess that I was never really interested in knowing the chemistry of the taco — why does it
To qualify to run for President of the United States of America you only need four things – be a natural born citizen, have lived here for at least 14 years, be at least 35 years of age, and not served two terms as President. There are about 330,000,000 people living in the U.S., of which something over half could meet these qualifications.
So out there somewhere there are more or less 165,000,000 people who could run for President if they wanted to do so.
Out of that group, we currently have two front runners. One is a bombastic egotist who is a chronic prevaricator and refuses to let go of the past. He is probably the most polarizing politician in modern history. On the other hand, we have an old, worn out, political hack, who is probably senile and can’t remember the past, much less what day it is unless one of his keepers tells him. We can do better!
I know that the above descriptions are going to offend supporters on both sides, and I apologize for being polarizing myself, but I
taste so good? And so I was surprised by an article titled “The Crunch Bunch” in the New Yorker Magazine dated April 24.
This piece is focused the Taco Bell franchise and its effort to stay competitive. It tells us that Taco Bell is constantly experimenting with new products. Two of these items — the Crunchwrap and the Doritos Locos Taco — are the focus of the New Yorker article.
“The Doritos Locos Taco, or D.L.T., is designed to target taste buds using ‘dynamic contrast’ — in this case the sensation of biting through the crispy shell to the fat-laced filing. Exactly half of the D.L.T.’s hundred and seventy calories are from fat, the ideal ratio for a pleasing mouthfeel. The lactic acid and citric acid in the Doritos dust get the saliva flowing and excite the brain’s pleasure center,
signaling you to eat more.
The taco has what industry scientists call a “long hang time” flavoring system, meaning that the lingering smell stimulates food memories and cravings; meanwhile the multifaceted flavors are strong enough to trip “sensory-specific satiety,” a neural signal that makes you think you’re full.”
As one works through the New Yorker piece, it becomes apparent that the “crunch” is as important as the fat and the Dorito dust. Apparently we Americans like a shell that “snaps at four pounds of pressure per square inch.”
It is important to recognize that we in the South had the ingredients for the taco long before Taco Bell opened its first restaurant in 1962.
When English settlers arrived in Charleston the first thing they did was to plant corn. Their protein was wild
or domesticated pigs. Most American food historians agree that Southern cuisine was the collision of corn and pork although we in South Carolina had a long dalliance with rice.
It is true that the Charleston aristocracy found ways to eat oysters, shrimp and turtles — items that did not, at first glance, appear to be edible. But the average South Carolinian relied on corn meal baked, boiled and fried.
Richard Hooker (former Beaufort resident and author of “Food and Drink in America”) wrote, “The conversion of cornmeal into bread could be simplicity itself. An ashcake was made by mixing meal with water, adding some salt, and forming small pones which were wrapped in corn shucks and covered with hot ashes and embers in the fireplace. A hoecake was similar, except it was toasted before the fire
leadership not division.
also think that there are many of us who down deep know that it’s true, and would very much like to find someone better. Someone that we could enthusiastically support, an election where we are voting for a candidate, not just voting against the other guy. This not to say that both of these men have not done some good for the country. They have, but it’s time to move on to newer and younger candidates who will look to the future and not continue to fight the battles of the past.
I can’t recall a time in my life when we were more in need of a President that who could pull the country back together so that we can confront the challenges that we are facing both domestically and around the world. We need
We are fortunate that we have a few declared and potential candidates on both sides of the aisle that could fill this role. People who have, in my opinion, the experience, education, intelligence and ability to work with both political parties to bring about the changes that we need to get the country back on track. To name a few, Amy Klobuchar, Tim Scott, Joe Manchin, Nicki Haley, and, although he is new to politics, Vivek Ramsswamy seems like a bright successful young man with some very good ideas. Mike Pompeo, probably the best qualified person to be President, has said that he won’t run, but in politics never say never. Another thing that I would like to come out of the next election is to have my party back, and I suspect that there are some Democrats out there that feel the same way. We have a whole generation that has never seen how a representative republic works.
For the past several years the far left and the far right of both parties have been in control, and the result
has been stalemate, stagnation and bad government. I would like to see a return to a system where a strong and capable President presents a budget to Congress and they have time to analyze the proposed budget, debate, find consensuses and come up with a workable solution. To return to regular order where bills are presented, sent to committee, debated and understood and then brought to the floor for a vote up or down. I would like to see reasonable people return to power on both sides of the aisle. Not so much for an old guy like myself, because, like Biden and Trump, my day has passed. But for our kids and grandkids, who I hope will have
Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com
on a clean board, a piece of metal or outdoors, on a rock sloping toward the fire. What was called corn pone was similar except that it was baked in an oven and the rough dough raised with yeast …”
In order to escape their backwoods boredom our ancestors would sometimes pour molasses over their baked corn; but as far as I can tell, we Southern folk didn’t realize that we were missing the all-important crunch that came with the taco.
It is true that Mexico gave us the questionable benefits of the chimichanga, refried beans and the Pina Colada (actually Puerto Rico). But one cannot ignore the taco.
Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. He can be reached at cscottgraber@gmail.com
the same opportunity that we have had to make a successful life in this wonderful country. To make this happen we can’t continue down the road that we are now on; we need new leadership, new ideas, and a new beginning, not only in the Presidency, but in Congress as well and especially the Senate.
Born, raised and educated in the Southwest, Jim Dickson served in the U.S. Navy Reserve in Vietnam before a 35-year business career. Retired to St. Helena Island, Dickson and his wife are fiscally conservative, socially moderate and active in Republican politics, though they may not always agree with Republicans. Having lived around the country and traveled around the world, Dickson believes that the United States truly is the land of opportunity.
JIM DICKSON
I can’t recall a time in my life when we were more in need of a President that who could pull the country back together so that we can confront the challenges that we are facing both domestically and around the world.”
This is a story the U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn’t want you to read.
Eight years ago the Department permanently barred the Albany Grocery Store at the crossroads of Kinlock and Keans Neck Roads in northern Beaufort County from accepting Food Stamps, or in government-speak “participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) Program.”
The community of which the store and a handful of churches are the center is known as “Dale,” and from the store, it is 12 miles to the Laurel Bay Food Lion and 14 miles to the Walmart Supercenter at the Cross Creek Shopping Center in Beaufort. There are no grocery stores closer.
That means that Food Stamp recipients who live in the northern part of Beaufort County which is one of the poorest areas in the county, many of whom do not have cars, must travel many miles to get healthy food.
The Albany Grocery Store is a place unique to the Gullah-Geechie tradition-heavy Dale area. Working people come from miles around to enjoy the store’s freshcooked lunchtime fried pork chops, red rice, mac and cheese, baked chicken and “dirty rice” which for the uninitiated means rice with sausage and spices mixed in. There is also often flounder, whiting, or a local catch on the lunchtime menu.
During soft shell crab season, fried soft shells sell briskly from the Albany Store’s kitchen too. How many convenience stores sell fried soft shells? Probably just this one. Why? Because the store’s resourceful owner, Louis Albany, is a crabber too, and he runs a soft-shell crab molting operation out of the back of the “old store” that’s across the street from the “new store” during that short but profitable season which is typically in late April and early May. In season out of the old store Albany also sells fresh crabs and soft shells by the bushel, and seasonally fresh fish and oysters too. In business under just three owners for nearly a century now, the store sells chainsaw bar oil, camo pants, dog collars and baby wipes as well.
“It’s a hardship for me,” said Herbert Fields,76, a heavy equipment operator who attended Robert Smalls High School in Beaufort and who went out on disability in Dale with a crushed hip in 1993. “To go to Beaufort, I got to pay somebody. But to
get to the Albany store here
I don’t got to pay nobody.”
A round trip ride to the Walmart, Fields explained last week, can cost $25 cash, trips that take painful bites out of his Food Stamps-plusSocial Security-plus-disability monthly budget.
Cynthia Watson, a lifelong Stuart Point resident and no stranger to hardships, agreed. Watson, a single mother, says, referring to the Albany store: “We need that store. They have bread, canned goods, Chlorox detergent, lunch meats and cheese. But now I have to go 10 miles to the Food Lion to get those things.”
Meanwhile, according to The U.S, Department of Agriculture, in 2021, “32.1 percent of households below the federal poverty line were food insecure … and food insecurity was substantially higher than the national average for single-parent households, and for Black and Hispanic households” and rising.
document goes on to assert, is 200 times greater than the “store-type average” for convenience stores in South Carolina.
A May 22, 2017, letter to then-Congressman Mark Sanford makes clear, however, that the inspector never saw the seafood operation that runs out of the “old store” across the street.
And that there is freshly caught seafood being sold there also explains why there are more large dollar transactions than the USDA’s South Carolina convenience store store-type average. A bushel of crabs can cost $200, and, according to the USDA guidelines, fresh seafood is an eligible Food Stamp expenditure. Most convenience stores don’t sell crabs by the bushel. Probably in that respect there is not another store like this one in all of South Carolina. But since the USDA doesn’t have a “Country Story” category, the Albany Store which looks and works not at all like a convenience store, was necessarily categorized as one, and judged by convenience store criteria.
That’s sloppy.
Why did the Albany Grocery become permanently disqualified from the SNAP Program eight years ago? The government’s explanations provide an unflattering picture of a department that is at once foolish, sloppy, arrogant and if not racist, then at the least culturally insensitive. First, the public affairs spokespeople for the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service in Atlanta won’t talk about the case. They will only reply to emailed questions.
That’s foolish.
Then, in their legalistic emailed responses, they decline to provide specific details of the case. Instead they hide behind generalities like “retailer charged with trafficking in SNAP benefits” without, in a 13page charging document, offering one specific example of the business trading Food Stamps for cash which is the definition of trafficking in SNAP benefits.
The charging document does make one thing clear however: the attention of the inspector was attracted by the large dollar purchases that the government’s records showed. In April, May and June of 2014, the charging document shows, there were 19 SNAP transactions that ranged in value from $100 to $275. This volume of “large” transactions, the charging
Finally, the USDA’s written responses to my questions make clear that there was no hearing. The store’s owner never got a chance to let an impartial arbiter like a judge and jury, or a hearing officer, or a hearing committee hear his side of the story. Because there was no fraud alleged, there were no charges and so there was no hearing. Words were never spoken between the parties.
Following the sloppy inspection, a charging letter that is steeped in legalese was sent by the Department. The owner tried to answer in writing. The Department apparently deemed his explanations inadequate. And in a one paragraph denial letter dated April 16, 2015, Administrative Review Officer Daniel S. Lay in Alexandria, Va., jerked the store’s license for good.
That’s arrogant.
And since the inspector was white, and never asked either the cash register operator or the owner any questions, nor did he ever show his USDA Inspector identification to anyone, ... if that’s not racist, it is at least culturally insensitive.
And there are elderly people hungry in northern Beaufort County today because of it.
From staff reports PARRIS ISLAND – In a milestone emphasizing the Marine Corps’ successful standardization in recruit training, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island will deactivate its Fourth Recruit Training Battalion in a ceremony June 15, 2023, and realign personnel between the service’s two recruit training locations, according to a news release.
“This is a moment to celebrate the legacy of so many of our Marines who made the transformation through 4th Recruit Training Battalion,” Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David H. Berger said in the release. “It’s also a moment to celebrate progress.
I’m proud to see our male and female recruits benefit from having access to the quality of all our leaders — at Parris Island and San Diego — through an unchanging, tough, and realistic recruit training curriculum.”
Since 1949 and until recently, Parris Island served
as the sole point of entry into the Marine Corps for all enlisted female Marines. Since that time, female Marines have trained under multiple guidons, with 4th Recruit Training Battalion transforming Marines since 1986
Male recruits began training within Fourth Battalion in 2020. Today, successful recruit training standardization makes an all-female training battalion unnecessary, as all recruits have been training in gender-integrat-
ed companies since 2022
“On 1 November 1986 4th Recruit Training Battalion was established as the Corps’ only unit through which women could earn the title of U. S. Marine,” said Brig. Gen. Walker M. Field, Command-
ing General of MCRD Parris Island and the Eastern Recruiting Region. “Since then, those Marines have transformed thousands of young women, and since 2021 men, through rigorous basic training and our Corps’ cherished legacy, preparing them to win our nation’s battles. On 15 June 2023, we will bid farewell to 4th Battalion in a deactivation ceremony that concludes her glorious tenure, closing the final chapter of integrating recruit training. We are forever grateful to the Drill Instructors, staff, and legions of Marines who so proudly call 4th Battalion home.”
Given the number of personnel potentially affected, the impending deactivation has been a sort of an open secret among the MCRD Parris Island community.
The personnel move to standardize the recruit training experience includes a portion of the personnel structure previously serving 4th Recruit Training Battalion
moving from Parris Island to San Diego. This will create a more similar organization at both depots while MCRD San Diego increases their throughput of integrated training companies to match that of MCRD Parris Island.
MCRD San Diego is scheduled to train approximately half of the female Marine population by fiscal year 2024.
“What matters most is making the very best Marines,” said Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. “It won’t be long before there are female Drill Instructors who, as recruits, graduated alongside their male counterparts. They will train recruits and make Marines with that experience.”
The ceremony will be held at Parris Island this summer to formally deactivate the battalion, honor its legacy, and highlight the historic unit’s impact on the transformation of female Marines. More details on the event will follow in a later release.
The articles in this week and next’s The Island News should answer all your questions on whom veterans and their family members (spouses, children, dependents, caregivers, and survivors) should contact to find out what their veterans’ (federal-VA) benefits and state veterans’ benefits are and who can help with filing and appealing claims.
This week’s article will cover the basics of VA-accredited representation and exactly who the county Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) and some other VSOs are in the footprint of The Island News
The most frequent question that veterans and their family members ask me is, “Whom should they call with questions about veterans’ benefits?” The short answer I give them is, “They should call a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accredited representative (normally a Veterans Service Officer) or the VA itself.”
I find the VA to be much less helpful than using a local VSO at answering questions on veterans’ benefits. VSOs are also more timely in responding, but veterans and family members can contact the VA directly in the following ways:
1. Going online to Ask VA (see https://bit. ly/41hJmys),
2. Asking the VA’s chatbot at Ask our Chatbot a Question (see https://bit.ly/3NTuzqU),
3. Contacting Your Local VA Facility (see https://bit.ly/3pgxfnX),
4. Calling the MyVA411 Main Information Line at 800-698-2411, the VA Benefits Hotline at 800-827-1000, the VA
Health Benefits Hotline at 877-222-8387, or the My HealtheVet Help Desk at 877-3270022.
5. Contacting your local VA Facility (VA health facility, VBA regional office, cemetery, or other location) at the VA’s Find VA Locations search website found at https://www. va.gov/find-locations.
6. Finding VA Frequently Asked Questions and other resources at the VA’s Resources and Support webpage search tool found at https://www.va.gov/ resources/.
Veterans Service Organizations and Veterans Service Officers are called VSOs. As explained in detail at the VA’s Get Help From An Accredited Representative webpage, found at https:// bit.ly/3enmCdG, Veterans Service Officers do not charge for their services; have to pass a background check; are trained by the VA, the state they work in, and a Veterans Service Organization (VFW, American Legion, DAV, PAV, AMVETS, VVA, Red Cross, etc.); must pass a certification exam; take continuing education courses; work for the veteran (not the VA), and be of high moral character. Because VSOs must meet these stringent requirements, my first choice (and
most veterans’ first choice), is to ask a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) for help understanding their veteran’s benefits and applying for their federal (VA) and state veterans’ benefits. Veterans Service Officers work for Veteran Service Organizations (both are called VSOs), as well as for local government offices (like the SC County Veteran’s Service Offices in each county of SC).
VA-accredited Attorneys and Claims Agents
However, in some cases (like during the VA appeals or adjudication processes primarily), a veteran or their family member may elect to use a VA-accredited attorney or claims agent to help them. More on VA-accredited attorneys and claims agents next week.
How to find VSOs at Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Regional Offices
Go online to the VA’s Accredited Representatives VSOs at Regional Offices webpage, https:// bit.ly/3TahNn1, and search your state. The following Veterans Service Organizations (and VS Officers) are co-located at the Columbia, S.C. Regional Office, 6437 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, S.C. 29209, phone 800-827-1000.
1. American Legion. S.C. Department of Veteran Affairs, phone 803-647-2434.
2. American Veterans (AMVETS), phone 803-647-2421
3. Disabled American Veterans (DAV), phone 803-647-2422.
4. Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), phone 803-647-2432.
5. Veterans of Foreign
Wars (VFW), phone 803-647-2443.
6. National Association for Black Veterans, phone 803-647-2444.
The American Legion, AMVETS, Blinded American Veterans, Georgia Department of Veterans Services, and VFW Veterans Service Organizations have offices co-located in the Atlanta, Ga., VBA Regional Office, which is located at 1700 Clairmont Road, Decatur, Ga., 30033: Although the VSOs in the VBA’s Regional Offices are dedicated and helpful, only those veterans within easy driving distance of their offices find it convenient to work with these VSOs faceto-face.
How to find a Veterans Service Officer in the Lowcountry of S.C. and Ga.
The good news is South Carolina and Georgia have Veterans Service Offices in almost every county of each state. You can find the address, phone number, office chief’s name, and email address for each S.C. County Veterans Service Office at https://bit.ly/3qbLVSL.
You can find a GEORGIA Veterans Field Service Office near you at https://bit. ly/44KMVA7.
Some S.C. VSOs in the footprint of The Island News
Beaufort County: 100 Clear Water Way, Beaufort, S.C. 29906, 843-2556880, FAX 843-255-9445, website https://www. beaufortcountysc.gov/ veterans-affairs/index. html.
Beaufort DAV Chapter VSO Michael Vergan-
tino, 843-301-2543 and mlv1030@gmail.com.
Jasper County: Alton Jenkins, 651 Grays Highway, Ridgeland, S.C. 29936843-726-7727, ajenkins@jaspercountysc.gov and jcwebsite@ jaspercountysc.gov.
Colleton County: 219 S. Lemacks Street, Suite 124, Walterboro, S.C. 29488, Janet Smith, 843-549-1412, cvao@ colletoncounty.org.
Charleston County:
Lonnie Hamilton III Public Service Building, Suite B-154, 4045 Bridge View Drive, N. Charleston, S.C. 29405, David LeBlanc, 843-974-6360, vaoffice@charlestoncounty.org.
Hollywood and Edisto Island, S.C., American Legion Post VSO Charlie Tupper, 843-7097523, Charles.R.Tupper@gmail.com.
Hampton County: Sharon Johnson, 201 Jackson Ave. West, Hampton, S.C. 29924, 803-914-2085/2087, sjohnson@hamptoncountysc.org.
Dorchester County: Johnny K. Brown, 500 N. Main Street, Summerville, S.C. 843832-0050, JKBrown@ dorchestercountysc. gov (also in St. George at 201 Johnson St., St. George, S.C. (Tuesdays only), 843-563-0116.
Berkeley County: Gerald Baxley, 212 Oakley Plantation Drive, Moncks Corner, S.C. 29461, 843-377-8506, gerald. baxley@berkeleycountysc.gov.
Some Georgia VSOs in the footprint of The Island News. Chatham County, Ga.: Office Manager Miguel Rivera (Bi-Lingual), 912-
920-0214, Ext. 2412191, FAX: 912-921-2016, Miguel.rivera5@va.gov, 1170 Shawnee Street, Savannah, Ga. 31419. Also, VSO Sheri Shellman, 912-920-0214 Extension 412194 and VSO Robert Jones 912-920-0214 extension 412193. This office is located in the Savannah VA Outpatient Clinic. Liberty County & Hinesville, Ga.: Shannon Daniels, 912-408-2948, shannon. daniels@vs.state.ga.us, and Dennis Boothe, 912-408-2900 ext. 352750, dennis.boothe@ vs.state.ga.us, 500 East Oglethorpe Highway, Hinesville, Ga. 31313. Located inside the Hinesville VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Brunswick Ga., Veterans Field Service Office (located in the VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic), 93 Benchmark Way, Brunswick, Ga., 31520, Office Chief Stephanie Jordon, Phone: 912-2647360, Email: stephanie. jordan1@vs.state.ga.us.
Continued next week.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing freelance writer with The Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
Recruit Training Regiment • Commanding Officer, Colonel B. W. Ward
4th Recruit Training Battalion • Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel A. R. Dones
Commander of Troops, Captain N. H. Paduda • Parade Adjutant, Captain G. F. Tankersley Company “O”, 4th Recruit Training Battalion • Commanding Officer, Captain N. H. Paduda
Senior Drill Instructor
SSgt C. Morel
PFC Bainestolito, Jordan J.
Pvt Barr, Clinton G.
Pvt Barrerasolorio, Isai
Pvt Barrett, Brandon J.
Pvt Bradley, Alexander M.
Pvt Cain-Wade, Robert A.
Pvt Castro, Bryan
PFC Chitwood, Nathan L.
PFC Chow, Jason
PFC Davis, Blake A.
Pvt Delatorreascencio, A
*PFC Dentchevkruse, Samuel
Pvt Dial, Warren J.
Pvt Dunn, Jonathan T.
Pvt Evans, Austin C.
Pvt Farmer, Jaylen E.
Pvt Gardiner, Jacob C.
Pvt Green, Zymere M.
*PFC Gross, Jacob L.
Pvt Headrick, John H.
PFC Helmer, Michael R.
Pvt Icenogle, David E.
Pvt Jett, Michael C.
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Pvt Kinney, Jackson R.
Pvt Kirk, Scott M.
*PFC Knight, Christopher A.
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*PFC Mahaffey, Ethan A.
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*PFC Rodriguez, Anthony I.
Pvt Romeromier, Angel H.
Drill Masters • Staff Sergeant L. M. Hinton, Staff Sergeant K. W. Jackson
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*PFC Torres, Jeremiah J.
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PFC Wallace, Terry D.
PFC Wildermuth, Matthew J.
Pvt Wilkinson, Jessup C.
Pvt Winters, Phillip K.
PLATOON 4012 Senior Drill Instructor
GySgt P. C. Diaz
Pvt Andrade, Alayna R.
PFC Bautistasala, Esbeydy
*PFC BurgosMartinez, Chelsea
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Pvt De Albuquerque, Karinny A.
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Pvt Estrada, Carmen A.
PFC Fang, Jennifer
*PFC Geraghty, Allison E.
*PFC Gomezvera, Arleth
Pvt Gordon, Genesis A.
PFC Hernandez, Azucena
PFC Jarriel, Katie M.
Pvt Kelman, Laura B.
*PFC Malcolm, Casey L.
Pvt Mclemore, Haistyn A.
Pvt Molinapagan, Erika C.
PFC Monroe, Chloe A.
Pvt Ortega, Ashely
PFC Pham, Jessica Q.
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PFC Rodriguezbaez, Shannel L.
PFC Schultz, Alexa L.
Pvt Sigg, Katrina E.
PFC Spirgatis, Valentina
PFC Swanigan, Ninamarie
Pvt Traub, Isabella R.
PFC Wells, Jamesia C.
Senior Drill Instructor Sgt S.A. Hamilton
Pvt Adeoye, Adedolapo K.
Pvt Allen, Camden B.
PFC Allen, Keegan T.
Pvt Alvarez, Michael J.
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Pvt Balogh, Jacob A.
Pvt Barrera, Oscar D.
Pvt Belezos, Logan J.
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PFC Brannan, Finn
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Pvt Brown, Marquise P.
Pvt Bustos, Sebastian
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PFC Michaud, Seedner
Pvt Nunez, Luis M.
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Pvt Rowe, Antwone D.
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PFC Shaw, Jhaviyon D.
PFC Silvanic, Isaac J.
PFC Silvidio, Aaron J.
PFC ThapaMagar, Aman
PFC Tino, Immanuel W.
*PFC Travis, Aidan R.
Pvt Veach, Anthony J.
Pvt Velasquez Iii, Eliezer O.
Pvt Verdinhernandez, Brian
PFC Yan, Htet K.
PLATOON 4016
Senior Drill Instructor SSgt S. C. Gaines
*PFC Acevedorodriguez, Juan J.
Pvt Alcala, Alexander J.
PFC Bagwell, Joshua S.
*PFC Berge, Justin S.
Pvt Betancourtnegrete, Joshua Y.
Pvt Bilotta, Jacob P.
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PFC Cameron, Stephen R.
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*PFC Ducote Jr, Jason R.
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*PFC Jourdainaponte, Bryan A.
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*PFC Nash, Jeremiah D.
Pvt Paquin, Justin M.
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Pvt Pierre, Ruben C.
Pvt Popio, Andrew J.
Pvt Ramirez Jr, Adan
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*PFC Volkes, Anthony J.
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Pvt Wynn, Clayton S.
PFC Young, Dalton J.
Senior Drill Instructor
SSgt Z. L. Velazquez
Pvt Achury, Kerry L.
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PFC Martinez Santiago, Irishmary
*PFC Mcneely, Dekeisha I.
PFC Oguisten, Ashley Y.
PFC Oliveras Hernandez, Ingrid V.
Pvt Poh, Kaeli M.
Pvt Warren, Angel D.
Pvt Wooley, Cylie B.
PLATOON 4018
Senior Drill Instructor Sgt M. J. McGill
PFC Aiello, Noah C.
Pvt Amaya, Ignacio
PFC Annable, Jordan N.
*PFC Bahnke, Ty C.
Pvt Brown, Jahieme O.
Pvt Bush, Martin G.
PFC Camachomangual, Alfonso I.
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Pvt Castellanosbello, Brandon
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PFC Dew, Nymeir J.
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Pvt Ewing, John B.
Pvt Foti, Gabriel A.
Pvt Fry, Dj S.
Pvt Gaudin, Tyvante E.
PFC Godbee, Kai J.
PFC Gonzalezayala, Galvin G.
PFC Gonzalezescalera, Habraam
Pvt Grant, Damien A.
Pvt Green, Jaughn A.
Pvt Guaman, Jhon A.
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PFC Leonards, Reid M.
Pvt Li, Yuanhui
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Pvt Mcintyre, Sterling P.
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PFC Moon, Ryan S.
*PFC Morris, Andrew A.
Pvt Mowery, Remington T.
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Pvt Panameno, Cesar L.
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Pvt Richardson Jr, Bernard K.
Pvt Ruiz, Oscar
PFC Sanchezconnover, Yan E.
Pvt Shawver, Joseph D.
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Pvt Sparks, Gabriel J.
*PFC Spight, Tramon L.
Pvt Taylor Kaleb
Pvt Thang, Justin V.
PFC Tharp, Dylan J.
PFC Willms, Daniel R.
Pvt Wickings, Mathew W.
PFC Willms, Daniel
PFC Xiewu, Javier J.
Pvt Zill, Kaleb W.
*Denotes Meritorious Promotion
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About the year 150, Justin wrote to the Roman Emperor. Justin Martyr was a renowned Christian author and teacher in the second century. Seeking to end the Roman Empire’s persecution of Christians, Justin wrote an open letter to the emperor explaining and defending the Christian faith. Although he was eventually beheaded for refusing to renounce Jesus, Justin’s letter allows us to travel back in time and see a fascinating glimpse of Christianity in its early years.
Justin describes the Christian worship and practices of his day. He writes that they gather together every Sunday, for “Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead on the same day.” There are readings from “the memoirs of the Apostles and the Prophets.” The leader verbally instructs those present, “exhorting the imitation of these good things.” Then bread and wine are brought forward, and the leader prays over them at considerable length, using the words of Jesus at the Last Supper. The bread and wine are then given to the people to receive. Afterward, deacons take a portion of this bread to those who are too sick to come to the worship.
Justin explains, “This food is called among us the Eucharist.”
Not everyone is allowed to receive the Eucharist, he explains, but only those who share their beliefs, have been baptized, and are living a holy life. This is because they do not receive the bread and wine “as common bread and common drink,” but rather they have been taught that when this food is “blessed by the prayer of his word,” it “is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.”
The worship Justin describes is very familiar to Catholics. Each Sunday, Catholics around the world experience what Justin outlined. After we are nourished by God’s word in Scripture and preaching, we are nourished by Jesus himself in the Eucharist. Like the Christians of Justin’s day, we believe that Jesus works a miracle and becomes truly present in Holy Communion. He nourishes us spiritually and allows us to be united with him, body and soul.
Justin is one of many authors known as the “Early Church Fathers.”
Many were taught by the apostles themselves, or by someone who learned directly from an apostle. As one read their works from the first and second centuries, one recognizes beliefs and practices that are still associated with the Catholic Church today. This shows that the Catholic faith was not invented sometime along the way, but stretches all the way back to the first generations of Christians. The Eucharist, for example, is reflected in John 6 and other writings of the New Testament, and can be traced clearly through each century of Christian history. Our Catholic faith unites us with the people of Justin’s time. In the previous message, we explored how the Catholic Church is a worldwide family of faith. Catholics can travel anywhere in the world and, even if we don’t understand the language, we can feel completely at home. Similarly, if we had an opportunity to travel back in time and join Justin’s congregation for a day, we would feel completely at home. It would be the same worship, the same Eucharist, and they would be our brothers and sisters. Jesus unites us as one beautiful family of faith, stretching across the centuries.
One can read Justin’s letter by searching online for “The Apology of Justin Martyr.” (“Apology” here means “explanation.”) He describes Sunday worship in paragraphs 65-67.
