bad luck, consistently “bought high” by invest ing her $2,000 each year at the market's peak

therapy establishments and massage services.

Commercial gyms will include group exercise facilities such as yoga studios, barre classes, and others.

“With our increased capacity for testing the people of our state, it is time to responsibly and gradually get these small businesses back up and running,” McMaster said. “We have an opportunity to set an example for the rest of the world by reinvigorating our economy while staying safe, but we can only do that if South Carolinians continue to follow the advice and recommendations of our public health experts.”

The governor’s announcement comes following nearly three weeks of accelerateSC meetings, in part, for the purpose of developing guidelines for operations that each of these businesses are expected to follow, if and when they choose to open.

Municipal Court to resume sessions Thursday, May 14

The City of Beaufort Municipal Court will resume court sessions beginning Thursday, May 14, with new social distancing and health guidelines to help minimize risk to court participants.

Courthouse administrative offices are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Defendants are encouraged to contact the court before their court date for information regarding reductions in fines or diversionary programs; call 843-525-7036. Defendants are also encouraged to email proof of compliance to courtcontacts@cityofbeaufort.org. – What to expect when appearing on your trial date?

A check-in station will be set up outside the Courthouse near the disability-accessible entry. The docket will be checked to ensure you are on it and your temperature may be taken. – Other guidelines: Face masks are required to enter the courtroom; Social distancing guidelines will be in force; One defendant will appear in court at a time; City staff will wear gloves and face masks; If paperwork is required after court, it will be emailed or mailed to you.

If you are ill, please contact the court team aT 843-525- 7036.

SCDMV returns to normal schedule

Starting Wednesday, May 13, the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) will have returned to operating five days a week at all but two branch office locations. Customers must continue to schedule appointments through the agency’s website at SCDMVonline.com to maintain social distancing inside branch offices.

Social distancing requirements will remain in effect at all SCDMV Branch Office locations. Customers must continue to adhere to 6 feet of physical separation between themselves and others while waiting to enter a SCDMV Branch Office.

Branch Office lobbies will not be available as waiting areas, and the SCDMV will ensure proper distancing by serving customers using every other counter. Sneeze guards are in place for the protection of both customers and employees. Frequent sanitization will also be a priority of our employees to prevent the spread of germs.

Non-commercial road tests remain suspended but the SCDMV is assessing several options to resume this service to license drivers. In the interim, a customer in need of a non-commercial road test may contact a licensed driving school in South Carolina to determine if the driving school is offering road tests.

The SCDMV will continue to offer motorcycle licensing road tests and will also continue to offer a limited number of Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) skills tests at select locations. Customers are encouraged to check the SCDMV website at SCDMVonline.com to see if they can complete their transactions online before attempting to make appointments.

SC reports 147 news cases of coronavirus

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Tuesday announced 147 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 9 additional deaths, bringing the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 7,927 and those who have died to 355.

There were two news Beaufort County cases bringing the total to 282 with 12 deaths in the county.

OUR STAFF MAY NOT WEAR CAPES...

EVERY MAY WE RECOGNIZE

It’s a time to honor the history and innovation that make America’s hospitals not only exceptional, but also—as our nation has gratefully acknowledged in recent weeks—indispensable.

Most important, though, it’s a time to salute the providers and employees who this and every week do us proud at Beaufort Memorial, caring for our patients, and one another, with sensitivity and expertise and, yes, heroism whatever their department or job title.

We never forget that however well equipped, hospitals are just buildings, bricks and mortar and windows and walls. Their heart and soul are the people who work within.

Ours at Beaufort Memorial are the best of the best—and especially this year, we can’t say it often enough.

Investing in Difficult Times: Getting (re)started can be hard, but it isn’t difficult.

By Fred Gaskin

Not surprisingly, I regularly receive calls from investors that have been battered by recent events. They’ve witnessed their life savings suffer meaningful declines, and their confidence in the market is shaken. A few have liquidated part, or all, of their investment portfolios. These emotions and reactions are not surprising, and inevitably the conversation shifts to them asking, ‘What should we do with our cash?’ While risk tolerances, investment objectives and time horizons vary, I believe history provides some interesting lessons for investors.

While holding cash feels good over the short term, particularly in these volatile times, it’s not a successful long-term strategy. Consider the fact that if you wait to put your savings to work in stocks and other investments until the “perfect” moment — or even until a time you think will be better than today — history suggests your plan is likely to backfire, resulting in less wealth over time.

To see how waiting to invest can cost you, evaluate the fortunes of four hypothetical investors, based on data

NEWS BRIEFS

Parris Island holding live-fire training

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island will be conducting extended live-fire training from 6 a.m. May 18 to 2 a.m. May 22. The marsh and waterways in the range impact area to include Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek, and Edding Creek will be closed to boat traffic.

For questions regarding firing times and waterway closures please contact the Weapons and Field Training Battalion Range Control at 843-228-3170.

Paige Point Boat Landing floating dock closed

The floating dock at Paige Point Boat Landing in the Sheldon area is closed until further notice. The boat landing, however, remains open. Please contact the Beaufort County Public Works Department at 843-255- 2800 for further information.

Beaufort County free electronics recycling event

The Beaufort County Solid Waste and Recycling Department’s free electronics recycling event originally scheduled for Saturday, May 16 at the Beaufort and Bluffton Public Works sites, will now be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 20.

For more information, contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Section at www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle or call 843-255-2736. from the Schwab Center for Financial Research.

Each received $2,000 at the beginning of every year for 20 years through 2018 — but as you’ll see, each made drastically different decisions about how to invest those sums. 1. The Perfect Timer. This highly skilled — or very lucky — investor was able to place his $2,000 into the S&P 500 every year at the lowest monthly closing price, thus ensuring the highest possible returns over time.

2. The Immediate In

vestor. Each year, this investor kept it simple and invested her $2,000 in the market on the first day of each year. 3. The Terrible Timer. This investor, prone to terribly bad luck, consistently “bought high” by investing her $2,000 each year at the market's peak. 4. The Hesitator. This investor ended up never investing at all. Instead, he left his money in cash investments (using Treasury bills as a proxy) every year. He always felt that lower stock prices — and, therefore, better opportunities to invest his money — were just around the corner.

The result? Investing immediately pays off. While the Perfect Timer did best over the course of time, accumulating $175,859 over the 20- year period, the Immediate Investor who put her money to work early and steadily did almost as well. In the same time, the Immediate Investor accumulated $163,126 or just $12,733 less than the Perfect Timer. Even the Terrible Timer came out in good shape, ending up with $141,954.

The worst performer by far: The Hesitator, who by failing to ever invest his money wound up with just $64,651—a substantially smaller amount than all of the others.

The experiences of these four investors offer some important lessons about investing:

The best time to start investing is right now. Don’t get caught up in what the financial markets are doing today or what pundits predict will happen next week. The Immediate Investor’s results demonstrate how smart it can be to invest as soon as you possibly can, while the Hesitator’s poor results show the dangers of dilly dallying.

Even the worst market timing beats doing nothing at all. Over the long term it's almost always better to invest in stocks — even at the worst time each year — than to hesitate and not invest at all. Even with her exceptionally poor timing, the Terrible Timer earned more than 50 percent more than what she would have if she’d avoided the market entirely.

Don’t worry about trying to time the market. Ultimately, the benefits of timing the market perfectly aren’t all that great. Over the 20 years, The Perfect Timer amassed only around $13,000 more than the Immediate Investor who put her cash to work right away. Trying to time the market perfectly is a Herculean task that even most professional investors can’t do successfully over time. Ask yourself: Would you rather stare at stock charts all day or spend your free time with family and friends?

Dollar cost averaging is a great compromise. If you don't have the opportunity, or stomach, to invest a lump sum all at once, consider investing smaller amounts more frequently. Dollar cost averaging helps prevent procrastination by helping you stick to an investment schedule. And by ensuring you put relatively small sums of money to work on a regular and consistent basis, dollar cost averaging helps you buy more of your investments when prices are low, and less when prices are high.

The lessons outlined above are very important, but most investors still need guidance. By committing to a plan, investors can remove much of the emotion from the investment process with a clearly defined objective (Getting Invested!), and importantly, get better invested for the long term. As we’ve mentioned in earlier articles, timing the market’s ups and downs is nearly impossible – instead, focus on staying diversified, know your risk tolerance, and stick to your plan during tough times. For long-term investors, which are most of us, the strategy should be time in the market rather than timing the market.

Fred Gaskin is the branch leader at

the Charles Schwab Independent Branch

in Bluffton. He has over 35 years of

experience helping clients achieve their

financial goals. Some content provided

here has been compiled from previously published articles authored by various parties at Schwab.

Information presented is for general

informational purposes only and is not

intended as personalized investment ad

vice. Where specific advice is necessary or

appropriate, Charles Schwab recommends

consultation with a qualified professional. The Schwab Center for Financial Research is a division of Charles Schwab

& Co., Inc.

Diversification strategies and periodic

investment plans (dollar-cost-averaging)

do not assure a profit and do not protect

against loss in declining markets.

Past performance is no indication of

future results.

This analysis shows the outcomes for

four hypothetical investors who invested

$2,000 a year for 20 years. The Perfect Timer invested each year at the market trough. The Immediate Investor invested

immediately on the first day of each

year. The Terrible Timer invested each

year at the market peak. The Hesitator

never implemented the plan and stayed in T-bills. The Perfect Timer & the Terrible Timer invested their yearly $2,000 investments in T-bills while waiting to

invest in stocks. Stocks are represented by

the S&P500® Index with all dividends

invested. Indices are unmanaged, do

not incur fees or expenses, and cannot

be invested in directly. Average results

remained relatively unchanged when the

study is extended to 12-month periods that

begin with a month other than January. In

the case of the 12-month period that goes

from February to January, the Immediate

Investor invested immediately on the first

day of February each 12-month period

for 20 years. Ibbotson US 30-Day

Treasury Bills is an unweighted index which

measures the performance of one-month maturity US Treasury Bills. S&P500®

Index is a market-capitalization weighted

index that consists of 500 widely traded

stocks chosen for market size, liquidity, and

industry group representation.

Nurse from page A1

to other symptoms and a patient’s all-important vital signs as well.

“You work as a team and you provide the care that’s seamless,” she said. “But to me, it’s not the ones who present with all kinds of the classic symptoms that’s scary. … It’s the ones who you have to think out of the box to figure out what’s wrong.”

Then there are the patients who are ill from the moment they come in, or who are sick and quickly worsen, both Singer and ICU nurse Candy Chappell said.

Patients like David Jackson who would be admitted first to the hospital, then to its intensive care unit where he would spend 11 days on a ventilator.

“When patients got to us they were pretty bad,” Chappell said, adding that many of the COVID-19 patients had similar symptoms: high fevers, respiratory issues with high oxygen requirements.

“We’ve all seen a lot of respiratory illnesses obviously, but you would see chest X-rays and you would say it looks typical for COVID-19,” she said. And a lot of patients would need to be intubated.

“And they needed to be intubated immediately,” she said.

That is when a tube is inserted into the patient’s throat and windpipe using general anesthesia. This is to make it easier to get air into the lungs. A ventilator then pumps in air with extra oxygen.

As one of the first patients to test positive and then be released from the hospital, David Jackson’s recovery was no small victory for the hospital, and one that would be celebrated with medical staff lining the halls and clapping for him as he was wheeled out.

But the road to recovery for patients like Jackson and the impact the virus has had on their families is difficult nonetheless, Chappell said.

A new private foundation and pending 501c(3) nonprofit in the Lowcountry called The Celebration Projects aims to provide deserving children in need with a birthday party.

The nonprofit is seeking children who are currently or have been experiencing any adversity.

From physical disabilities, learning disabilities, children with Austism, or those experiencing financial hardship, The Celebration Projects is accepting nominations and applications on its website, www.thecelebrationprojects. org.

Group launched to provide birthday parties to kids in need

A4 MAY 14–20, 2020

Nurse Candy Chappell takes care of patients in the Intensive Care Unit at Beaufort Memorial Hosptial. Photo by Mindy Lucas.

When Jackson’s wife was informed she would not be allowed in with her husband, that’s when the gravity of the situation really hit them, Chappell said.

“That was the moment for me when I thought, ‘Oh my god. This is going to be terrible,’” she said. “I can’t imagine what I would do if that was my family and I couldn’t see them.”

To help ease her burden, Chappell brought her own phone in to Jackson’s room so his wife could FaceTime with him.

“It was very emotional watching them talk to each other,” she said.

The hospital eventually purchased and brought in iPads for patients to communicate with family members, but until then, Chappell allowed the couple to use her phone to check in. She’d also show Jackson’s wife his monitor to show her how well he was doing.

At some point, she told Chappell, ‘I think I can get some sleep tonight.’

Tragically, not all patients admitted to the ICU with the coronavirus make it.

“We want them all to do well and be successful and come off the ventilator,” Chappell said.

When they don’t, it is extremely difficult for family members who can’t be there with them, or hold their hand she said.

“Having them pass away and not be with their family, I think that’s the hardest part for us,” she said. “But it’s hardest on the families.”

Reluctant heroes

When the virus first hit Beaufort County, there was almost a feeling of, “Can this really be happening?” Chappell said.

“Just like everybody else we thought, ‘Surely it’s not going to come to Beaufort and bam, it was here,” she said.

Naturally, the medical staff was a little leery as many worried about taking the virus home to their families, she said. One only had to turn on the TV to see evidence of its devastation in places like New York or Italy, Chappell said.

“But we learned different things (to protect ourselves) as we went along,” she said, explaining that first staff would change out of scrubs before leaving work. Then later, they would change at home, stripping down in garages or exterior buildings, before going in to shower.

“But there was never any of thought that we were not going to take care of patients,” said Chappell, who hasn’t seen her own mother, 83, in over a month.

As many nurses including Chappell and Singer will tell you, they go into the profession out of a desire to care for others, even though the days can be long and sometimes emotionally or physically exhausting.

Both Singer and Chappell typically work 12-hour shifts, three times a week but can sometimes work an extra shift if needed. But both nurses also said it’s the medical staff and their own teams that make the difference.

“We have a very supportive group here,” Chappell said. “We all have a vested interest in these folks and when we don’t have a success, we talk about it and help each other through it.”

Singer echoed Chappell’s comments.

“We’ve gone through a lot together here,” she said, adding that when they’ve lost a patient, no matter what it’s from, it can be hard.

“We might close the doors to the trauma room, and just debrief,” she said. “And if you need a minute, there is a lot of respect where we work.”

Words like “hero” or “brave” are sometimes used to describe nurses, doctors, first responders and others on the front lines of the pandemic, but both Singer and Chappell were reluctant to call themselves heroes.

“I don’t feel like a hero,” Chappell said. “I feel like I’m doing my job, and I’m helping the community and doing what I need to do to help people, which is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

“There are many organizations that are thankfully providing children and their family with basic needs,” founder Libby O’Regan said in a release. “Our goal is to bring pure joy to children through the simple act of a birthday party.”

O’Regan believes having a birthday party promotes self-confidence, self-worth, and creates the chance to bridge socio-economic gaps, foster inclusion, reduce bullying, connect individuals, and create a lifetime of memories.

“We believe the simple act of a birthday party has the power to change the course of a young person’s life,” O’Regan said.

When an applicant is accepted, there is no cost for the family or any of the attendees for the party. The recipient of the party will work with the organizers to dream up their party.

The Celebration Projects team will work with the child to visualize a theme, such as a train theme, superhero theme, or mermaid party. The party will include a location, activities, entertainment, food, drink, cake, decorations, and favors for up to 30 people. The party will even include gifts.

The organization will rely on the financial contributions of generous donors and the support of dozens of businesses in the community.

Many businesses and individuals have already pledged their support to donate their services and products when they are able. A ticketed fundraiser to include an auction is being planned for next May.

To learn more about how you can partner, donate, or nominate, please visit www. thecelebrationprojects.org or reach out to Libby O’Regan at libby@thecelebrationprojects.org.

Special to The Island News

We are facing a new normal. Social distancing. Pandemics. Flattening the curve. Shelter in place. These terms are now part of our vocabulary.

COVID-19 has created this sense of vulnerability and anxiety in our everyday lives. But as we are learning to adapt and regaining control, another concept needs to be added to the mix – Advance Directive.

“An advance directive is a document that puts you in control of your healthcare decisions, even when you are not able to speak for yourself,” Jennifer Massey, a licensed social worker at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, said. “Now, more than ever, completing an advance directive ensures your wishes about end of life are at the center of your treatment decisions.”

Why now?

Recently, hospitals have had to put strict visitor restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With these restrictions, patients are coming into the hospital alone.

In addition, some patients may require days or weeks on mechanical ventilation. It can be unclear who should be making healthcare decisions for those patients who are very ill or unable to communicate clearly.

Providers are left to track down next of kin based on the state laws about healthcare surrogates, not necessarily working with the person that knows the patient’s wishes best.

“Families may be left to make decisions based on reports from doctors and a few video phone calls,” said Massey, who also serves as Manager of Patient Continuum of Care Services for Beaufort Memorial’s Palliative

Care Program. “This can be even more difficult if the family is burdened with trying to guess what their loved one would want in this situation.”

What can I do?

Add “creating an advance directive” to the list of the projects you want to get done during your time in quarantine. This will allow you to reflect on what quality of life means to you and empower you to make decisions about your healthcare, removing the burden from your family.

It also enables you to pick the person you feel will best support your decisions, not necessarily your oldest child or spouse, but the person that will make the tough choices based on the wishes you have communicated.

South Carolina has several options for writing down your decisions about end of life care. The easiest is the South Carolina Healthcare Power of Attorney, (a copy of the free form is available at BeaufortMemorial.org/PowerOfAttorney). The form has instructions on completion and needs to be witnessed by two people that are not part of family or medical team. While there is a place to notarize this form, this is optional.

“Take your time and read over the form and consider what is being asked,” Massey said. “Talk with your doctor if you have questions about what any of it means or how it would relate to your current health condition.”

What next?

Complete the form, initialing by the appropriate line and signing at the end of the document. After you complete the document, share it.

“This is not a document to hide away in a safe deposit box,” Massey said. “This is a document you want to make sure you share. Share it with your family so they know how best to support you should your health start to decline. Tell them about the decisions you have made and why. Share it with your primary care physician. Share it with your hospital. Take it to any medical appointment to ensure your goals for care are at the center of the treatment you are receiving.”

From staff reports

In recognition of Women’s Health Month, Beaufort Memorial is offering the opportunity to purchase screening mammograms for $99 through MDsave now through May 31.

Mammograms are available in both Beaufort and Bluffton and can be purchased online at BeaufortMemorial.org/SaveOnMammos. Patients who purchase the $99 mammogram by the end of this month will be able to schedule their screening appointments any time within six months of purchase.

“During the Covid-19 crisis, many things in our lives have been put on hold, including routine medical appointments,” said Jackie Brown, clinical manager of the Breast Health Center at Beaufort Memorial. “Women’s Health Month is a good reminder that it’s more important than ever to care for ourselves.”

Beaufort Memorial to offer $99 mammograms through May 31

MDsave is an online healthcare marketplace designed for patients who have no health insurance or high-deductible health plans. Through MDsave patients can receive discounts on a wide range of medical services, including lab work, imaging tests, physical therapy, primary care visits and a variety of same-day surgeries – and avoid complicated hospital billing. Rather than receive separate invoices from the hospital and physicians, the services are bundled into one bill and paid directly to MD Save.

But don’t think this is a one and done kind of form, she advises.

“With major life changes, your wishes and values will change. A divorce, diagnosis with a serious illness, death of a chosen agent or loved one or your own health decline can make you rethink the way you view aggressive therapies.”

Look at the document again and again. Create a new one if you need to. Just remember to share the changes with everyone, so they are working with the latest information.

“While COVID-19 has created this sense of vulnerability and anxiety in our everyday lives, by completing your healthcare power of attorney, you can regain some control,” said Massey. “Empower yourself and your family so they may act confidently on your behalf if the need should ever arise.”

Patients who wish to purchase a $99 screening mammogram should: • Visit BeaufortMemorial. org/SaveOnMammos and select a service and preferred location now through May 31. • Pay online with a major credit card, debit card, FSA or HAS card and receive a service voucher. • Call 843-522-5015 to schedule an appointment any time in the next six months. • Present the voucher at the time of the appointment.

From staff reports

Achy knees or hips slowing you down? You’re not alone. It’s estimated that more than 30 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, the most common type of joint problem in older adults. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, and a loss of ability.

“Many people start noticing joint pain in their 40s, but it’s not necessarily enough to slow them down,” Beaufort Memorial Physical

Andrea Sadler

Beaufort Memorial offers free online joint pain seminar

Therapist and Orthopaedic Care Coordinator Andrea Sadler said. “But by the time they reach their 50s and 60s, the pain is often bad enough to seek medical attention.”

If joint pain is keeping you from doing the things you enjoy, join Sadler for a free online joint pain class where she discusses common causes of joint pain, how early diagnosis can solve pain issues, effective non-surgical treatments for joint pain and the latest minimally invasive surgical procedures.

After watching the video, get more answers by signing up for an upcoming live Q&A video forum with Sadler and one of the hospital’s board-certified o r t h o p a e d i c specialists. The next live Q&A session will be hosted through Zoom at 1 p.m. Monday, May 18 with Dr. Vandit Sardana.

The seminar and Q&A sessions are free, but registration is required for the Q&A.

To view the video and make a reservation for the live Q&A, visit BeaufortMemorial.org/ JointPainClass.

Dr. Vandit Sardana

The Breast Health Center has implemented enhanced safety and social distancing measures including employee and patient screenings for COVID-19, additional spacing in waiting areas, and staff use of protective masks, gloves, and eyewear. Patients are encouraged to wear a mask to their appointment, as well.

“Our main concern is keeping our patients safe and healthy,” said Brown.

Cat Island Golf • Pool • Grill

Summer Camp

with J ill Wilson

Ages: 4-14 • 4 Different Weeks • 8:45am-Noon $180 Members • $185 Non-Members

Tennis Forehand & Backhand Fundamentals • Eye Hand Coordination Games

Tennis Etiquette • Importance of Teamwork • Bring Your Racket!

Swimming

Water Safety • Learning for All Skill Levels

Fun by the Pool

Arts & Crafts • Projects • Games • & MORE!

What to Bring Hat • Sunscreen • Towel • Bathing Suit

Change of Clothes • Water & Snack

Comfort & Peace of Mind

Your home is where you go to relax and to be comfortable, especially now when we’re all spending extra time inside. A Service Agreement with Carolina Air is a great way to ensure your HVAC system stays running at its best, so you don’t worry about losing your cool when the weather begins heating up. Call us today for year round comfort and peace of mind.

Ninety-six Beaufort County eighth-graders were honored Thursday, May 7 for being named Junior Scholars by the South Carolina Department of Education.

The students were recognized during a Facebook Live ceremony after the annual Junior Scholars Banquet was canceled due to the state-ordered shutdown of all schools and school-related events.

“We didn’t want the COVID-19 school shutdown to keep us from recognizing these 96 students who are being recognized by the state of South Carolina for demonstrating outstanding academic potential,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said. “We’re challenging them to reach that potential and to keep pushing themselves to succeed.”

The Junior Scholars Program was developed by the S.C. Department of Education to identify eighth-graders with exceptional academic talent and to develop strategies for inclusion into special programs. The program includes a process for screening, identifying and recognizing students with high scholastic achievement and intellectual ability.

Eligible students include those who score 550 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the PSAT/NMSQT or those who scored 530 or higher on the Mathematics portion of the PSAT/NMSQT, those who participated in Duke University's Talent Identification Program (TIP) during their seventh-grade years.

Students who qualify as Junior Scholars receive an award of merit from the S.C. Department of Education as well as information regarding summer academic experiences sponsored by South Carolina colleges and universities. They can use that special recognition to bolster their applications to colleges and universities.

Beaufort County School District Junior Scholar honorees (listed by school):

Beaufort Middle School – T'Erre Adderley, Ella Glover, Ryan Lin, Essence McKnight, Adelaide Rogers, Elizabeth Sherbert, Langston Simmons, Connie Marie Taylor and Zoe Way.

Bluffton Middle School

– Brodie Lanese, Maxwell Larkby, Ella Price, Thaddaeus Rios, Dylan Sampson, Destiny Skinner, Olivia Williams, Thabile Douglas, Hunter Darlak, Anthony Bynum, Jacob Brophy and Isaac Anaya.

H.E. McCracken Middle

School – Caleb Allinder, Anna Andreoletti, Joshua Angulo Lopez, Elizabeth Barry, Noah Berkley, Sarah Butler, Simon Cali, Trey Collins, Luke Constantineau, William Corn, Blaine Cottingham, Mia Doty, Elena Ford, Ava Gerschutz, Mallory Gilmore, Aiden Harvey, Emily Henderson, Garren Keckley, Ciera Kiefer, Laura Lopez Reyna, Ana Maldonado, Tyler McMahan, Kirtus Miller, Zarek Miller, Katie Misner, Michael Patino, Ellory Pruitt, Alexys Sambroak, Paul Smith, Haylie Star and Carlie Woods.

Hilton Head Island Middle

School – Mary Cahillane, Alexandra Coley, Lucas Fernandez, Matthew Garino, Benjamin Gutierrez, Jayro Hernandez, Nikhil Krishna, Thompson May, Susana Mogil, Fred Mouzon, Gray Rezzetano, Bryan Ruiz, Landon Schwartz, Zachary Starnes and Luke Stevens.

Lady's Island Middle

School – Abigail Baron, Jordan Dilon, Noah Henry, William Keyserling, Tucker Mickel, Jack Nicka, Parth Patel and Nathan Tran.

River Ridge Academy – Hailey Aipperspach, Miller Hendricks, Alexander Lamb, Thiowa Maldonado, Ryan Mooney, Liliana Namdar, Sean Nguyen, Jacob Nix, Grant Pagatpatan, Jason Putnam, Michael Sands, Joshua Smith and Nathaniel Sorto.

Robert Smalls Interna

tional Academy – Jaeli Maxey and Lin Widrick.

Riverview Charter School

– Aiden Hovest, Juan Lopez, Creed Smith, Alexander Thomas, Daniel Trask and James Willis.

Students from St. Peter’s Catholic School carry signs and wave to their teachers during a reverse drive-by Saturday on school grounds. Students and teachers have been holding classes online. Photos by Bob Sofaly.

Schools had to get creative this year in surprising their 2020-2021 Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year due to physical distancing measures currently in place.

Earlier this month, principals and school staff visited teachers and support staff at home from 6 feet, hosted surprise Zoom meetings, and staged reveals during packet pick-up to make the special announcements.

“The dedication and professionalism of our teachers and support staff has never been more important than in these extraordinary days,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez. Said. “This week we’re honoring our newly selected teachers and the support staff of the year, but we’re also honoring all of our district’s teachers and support staff. They earn our respect and gratitude each and every day.”

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

Schools get creative in announcing teachers, support staff of the year

Hendrix and Sarah Schoolfeld wave to their teachers from the back of their dad’s

pick-up truck during the reverse drive by Saturday at St. Peter’s Catholic School.

Teachers at St. Peter’s ‘drive-by’ for their kids

By Bob Sofaly

In an effort to keep in personal contact with their students, teachers at St. Peter’s Catholic School on Lady’s Island decided to have a “reverse drive-by” Saturday morning on school grounds.

Teachers, assistants and school administrators lined both sides of the road and waved to their students, who crept by waving their own banners from cars and pick-up trucks.

One teacher said the children have been doing a marvelous job with online learning but it all lacked the emotional bonding between teacher and students. So they decided to have drive by.

“This is all new to us. But it might be the new normal for them,” she said. “This way we get to see each and tell them we love and miss them.”

If the smiles and squeals from the children was any indication, the reverse drive by was a huge success.

Battery Creek High Roderick Williams Rebecca Wright-Washington Beaufort Elementary Carmalita Lawton Susan Gresham Beaufort High Jonathan Miller Reginald Jones Beaufort Middle Scott Lopatka Charles Brown Beaufort-Jasper ACE Sam Carpenter Catherine Pape Bluffton Elementary, ECC Ashley Whitman Dani Pennell Bluffton High Katlyn McCormick Sandy Bedosky Bluffton Middle Cathryn “Cat” Floyd Lakeisha Lofton Broad River Elementary Laura Boozer Bertha Alston Coosa Elementary Marjorie Isley Melissa Harmon H. E. McCracken Middle Kristin Stevenson Vanessa Smallpage-Herrera Hilton Head ECC Katie Carroll Patricia Wagner Hilton Head Elementary (IB) Michelle Taylor Magdalena Gorczyca-Swidzinski Hilton Head Island Jennifer Backlund Nilo Rosado Creative Arts, Daufuskie Island Hilton Head Island High Gerson Bonilla Matamoros Amy Morrissette Hilton Head Island Middle James Waechter Deborah Diaz Joseph Shanklin Elementary Abbie Whitaker Brandi Siatkowski Lady’s Island Elementary Clayton Wynn Denise Shuford Lady’s Island Middle Juvonna Chatman-Jenkins Cindi Riley May River High School Chelsi Klutch Christine Long M.C. Riley Elementary/ECC Sherri Westby Laura Vanhouten Mossy Oaks Elementary Andrea Riley Debra D’Antonio Okatie Elementary Megan DeWeese Deborah Bush Port Royal Elementary Felicia Horton Elizabeth Bornscheuer Pritchardville Elementary Julie Markle Kami Branham Red Cedar Elementary Stephanie Moldenhauer Jennifer Martin Right Choices Jacqueline Fulton Carolyn Brown River Ridge Academy Justine Vaitas Kelly Poisson Robert Smalls Intl. Academy Violeta Magnus Toni Burnsed St. Helena Elementary, ELC Shakira Grimes Charlesetta Sterling Whale Branch E.C. High Sonia Perez-Roberson Sharika Green Whale Branch El., Davis ECC Willard Smith Sherry Gordon-Jones Whale Branch Middle Arsenio Toledo Sheila Rivera Adult Education Garner Jones Shakinna Murray Transportation Dorothy Gregory District Office Doneane Daise Simmons Office of Early Childhood Education Monique Wallace The 2020-2021 Beaufort County Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year:

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EDUCATION BRIEFS

Johnson named Student of the Month for Feb.

Michael Johnson, a student at Lady’s Island Elementary School, was named Student of the Month in February by the school for his demonstration of honesty and integrity in character education.

TCL extends some application deadlines

The Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL) has extended the deadline to apply for Massage Therapy and other Health Science programs.

Johnson was honored virtually by City Council members at their April 14 session. Michael Johnson

Beaufort’s Norman earns AS from Georgia State

Tijon Norman of Beaufort (29906) graduated from Georgia State University during the spring 2020 semester with an Associate of Science degree from the university's Perimeter College. Norman majored in General Studies.

More than 4,000 students graduated from Georgia State in the spring of 2020, and were honored by the university with a virtual celebration on May 6. Spring 2020 graduates have been invited to return to the university to participate in an in-person, formal commencement when it is safe to do so.

Prospective students who wish to begin in the fall must apply by June 1. Lecture courses are taught online and all activities will strictly follow Governor's orders and state regulations as conditions require. For more information, visit tcl.edu/pathways/ health-sciences/.

Beaufort’s Dreier graduates from UT Martin

Beaufort’s Richard Dreier was among students who received degrees from the University of Tennessee at Martin during spring commencement held May 2. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a virtual commencement was held in lieu of the traditional in-person ceremony and was live-streamed via Facebook Live and YouTube.

UT Martin is a comprehensive regional institution in the University of Tennessee System offering 18 bachelor’s degree programs and five master’s degree programs.

LowcoSports.com

Dawson Coleman has been a constant presence in the Beaufort Academy athletics department since he was an eighth-grader. Now he is taking his versatile skill set to the South Carolina Gamecocks.

BA announced Saturday that Coleman has accepted a preferred walk-on offer to join the Gamecocks’ football team as a tight end/wide receiver.

Coleman is best-known in the Lowcountry for his contributions on the basketball court, but he has been a three-sport star at BA, receiving all-region honors in football, basketball, and soccer and helping the Eagles claim state championships in football (2018) and soccer (2017, 2018).

“We know he is going to have a great collegiate career

Quarterback Dawson Coleman and Coach Mark Clifford pose after

Beaufort Academy won the 2018 SCISA 8-man football championship.

at USC and will forever be our Eagle,” BA athletics director Nick Field said.

Coleman leaves BA as the program’s all-time leader for all-purpose yards and points, having passed for 2,212 yards and 32 TDs and added 1,354 rushing yards and 16 scores on the ground. But his contributions didn’t always show up on the stat sheet, according to BA coach Mark Clifford, who has raved about his quarterback’s football IQ and decision-making ability since taking over the program in 2018.

“Dawson was one of my favorite quarterbacks that I have ever coached in my career,” Clifford said. “He could run, throw, and read defenses as good as any.”

Clifford recalls one time in particular when a fan approached the coach after the game to credit him for a good play call that led to a touchdown, and the veteran coach had to confess his young quarterback made the call.

“That happened often,” Clifford said. “He is a kid that you could put complete trust and confidence in, and above all, he is a leader on and off the field. There is no doubt in my mind that he will succeed at Carolina and in life. I am honored to have been his coach.”

Coleman’s other coaches at BA echoed those sentiments. He only played one season for current boys basketball coach Bobby Smith, but he made quite an impression.

“Dawson had a great work ethic and could lead by example,” Smith said. “Dawson was a winner and would not accept losing, and if the game became tight, he increased his effort and desire to win. Dawson will compete and he is the type of player that every coach dreams about, he was not only talented but showed great leadership skills. It was a great honor to coach Dawson, and I wish him the very best.”

From staff reports

With South Carolina schools shut down for the remainder of the academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, district high schools are planning a creative approach to graduation ceremonies that include commemorative videos as well as drive-through celebrations for students and their families.

“With the numbers of COVID-19 infections projected to increase during the coming weeks, our goal is to celebrate the Class of 2020’s accomplishments as safely as possible for everyone concerned,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in a release. “Our students haven’t been able to experience a number of exciting things normally associated with senior celebrations, so we want to create something memorable and fun.”

Coleman admits he didn’t envision himself playing bigtime college football, but Clifford did, and the pupil trusted his mentor’s vision.

“Two years ago I talked to coach Clifford on the phone, and he said I had the chance to be a Division I football player,” Coleman recalls. “I thought he was crazy. Fast forward to now and it turns out he was right. I’m very thankful for all of my coaches throughout my life that have made me the athlete that I am today. I am looking forward to what the future holds for me.”

District high schools will schedule specific times for graduating seniors to bring two guests apiece to their schools. Small groups of 10 socially distanced students will then be video-recorded as they hear their names and walk across their school’s stage in caps and gowns. Each student’s two guests will be able to watch while socially distancing in the auditorium.

Everyone entering the school will be required to wear a mask, although students may remove their masks prior to crossing the stage. In addition, nurses will check the temperatures of all students and guests, and no one with a temperature higher than 100 degrees will be allowed to participate.

Speeches from principals, senior class valedictorians, salutatorians and Superintendent Rodriguez will be recorded in advance, and video of all graduates walking across their school’s stage will be edited into a complete movie that will be posted to the district’s YouTube channel on the day of each school’s previously scheduled graduation ceremonies.

In addition to its commemorative graduation movie, each high school will schedule a celebratory “drivethrough celebration” where families can accompany graduates to their school’s campuses and be cheered by school staff and community dignitaries.

Each high school will contact its graduating seniors and their families with details on its video-recording schedules and drive-through graduation celebrations. The district’s six high school graduation movie premieres and drive-through celebrations are set for:

Purchases made using Beaufort County School District credit cards were properly authorized and documented, according to an outside audit performed by a Georgia-based firm hired by the Board of Education.

The report from Mauldin & Jenkins of Savannah was the second outside credit card audit in two years to find that district procedures had been properly followed. The district makes most of its purchases of goods and services electronically – everything from classroom supplies to school furniture to monthly utility bills – using “purchase cards” provided by Bank of America.

Second P-card audit: All authorizations, documentation appropriate

After examining 2,664 purchases between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, Mauldin & Jenkins found no unauthorized purchases and determined that district procurement procedures had been followed.

June 1

Battery Creek High School June 2 Beaufort High School June 3 May River High School June 4 Whale Branch Early College High School June 5 Hilton Head Island High School June 6

Bluffton High School Graduation ceremonies will combine videos and celebrations

The Mauldin & Jenkins report, which was presented to the Beaufort County Board of Education Tuesday, May 5, echoed findings from a 2018 audit by a Virginia CPA firm. After that firm, Reed & Associates, sampled 262 transactions from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017, Board members commissioned a second audit aimed at reviewing a larger sample of transactions.

In addition to the 2018 and 2020 Board-ordered audits, internal controls for P-cards are reviewed in the district’s annual independent audits required by the state.

In the 2018 and 2020 audits as well as district administration’s independent annual audits and procurement audits, there has never been a significant problem found with internal controls concerning P-card purchases.

District P-cards are subject to fraudulent use just as family credit cards are, and of more than 27,000 charges made during the 2018-19 fiscal year, individuals who were not district employees illegally made purchases 30 times using district P-card numbers. Each of those 30 cases was monitored and investigated, and in each case, Bank of America reimbursed the full cost of the illegal charge. The credit cards involved were replaced by Bank of America.

Cash rebates are also an important benefit for the Beaufort County School District, which received more than $1.9 million in P-card cash rebates from Bank of America over the past five years. Rebate funds become part of the district’s operating budget.

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It is Sunday, May 3, and I’m in our “gray room.”

This room comes with gray-painted walls and floorto-ceiling bookcases that are painted that same color.

There is also a gray sofa, an upright piano and fireplace. A decorator (or realtor) would call it “intimate” – Susan and I say ‘cozy’.

Today’s Beaufort Gazette talks of newly opened beaches; the promise of baseball; and relaxing the “lockdown” rules that have governed our lives and our consciousness these last six weeks. But what I’m interested in is what happens next. Are we really going to be different after this microbe moves on?

There is nothing in today’s Gazette on this topic. Nothing specific.

But several days ago Lance Morrow, writing in the Wall Street Journal, wrote about an earthquake in Portugal — in 1755 — that killed 50,000 people. The earthquake

SCOTT GRABER

was followed by fire and a tsunami that killed more Portuguese people.

Morrow wrote, “The ground that people stood on — the ground of religious and philosophical belief — became treacherous, latent with danger, unbelief, apocalypse. It was only 34 years between the Lisbon earthquake and the French Revolution.”

Morrow suggests that the overthrow of the French monarchy — the killing of God-appointed kings — was attributable to the Lisbon earthquake and its aftermath. He suggests that the notion that kings were endorsed by God, legitimized by the Catholic Church, took a fatal hit in 1755.

Making this kind of (not so obvious) connection is a great way to start a column. Pointing out that the Turks, for example, left bags of coffee behind after their siege of Vienna in 1683; and that the caffeinated drink quickly spread across Europe and displaced beer; and that the caffeine-fueled Enlightenment was a direct consequence of these left-behind beans is a marvelous way to get one’s attention.

But Lance Morrow moves his piece into deeper water.

“Theologians used to draw a distinction between natural evil and moral evil. Natural evil means earthquakes, floods, cancer and other such afflictions for which human beings cannot reasonable be blamed. Moral evil was the kind that is, one way or the other, man’s fault. Moral evil would be Auschwitz, or Pol Pot’s killing fields, to cite extreme examples.”

Morrow goes on to say that “failure to contain the virus, however, carried the matter over into the category of evils — torts of policy and management — for which humans may be held accountable.”

In other words, somebody, somewhere in China let the virus loose; somebody didn’t put it back; and somebody didn’t sound an alarm. This wasn’t a forgivable mistake. It was — as we lawyers sometimes say — “actionable.”

All of which brings me back to a conversation I had many years ago with a Congolese friend, Herve’ Miabilangana, as we were drinking NGok (beer) in Brazzaville.

“Herve” I began, “How to you explain Mobutu Sese Seko; or Bokassa; or even somebody like Robert Mugabe? How do those men do the monstrous killings that they do?

“There is,” he said with some obvious wariness, “a thing called ‘evil’ — some say Satan. But whether or not you personalize evil, it gets inside and infects the person. And it has infected Mobutu.”

As I write these lines I realize I have recounted this conversation in another, earlier column. So if these words look familiar, don’t be surprised.

But here, in the Western World, we have largely departed the concept of evil as a sentient, free-roaming creature putting very bad choices, or releasing bad viruses into our individual lives.

“Still there remains a residual temptation to see the coronavirus as inscrutable pushback, as a ferocious reality check. Is the pandemic some sort of cosmic rebuke? If so, a rebuke by whom and of what?” Morrow continues.

There is, in the law books, a dusty defense called, “unavoidable accident.”

“We the People, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” T hese magnificent words, the Preamble to our hallowed Constitution, set forth the role of “government” in our republic.

During previous perilous crises that have befallen our nation since its birth, our government stepped up and provided capable competent and dynamic leadership. Our nation’s citizens looked to its government to conquer evil villains, humans and diseases. And thus, we survived them all, and we became better off thanks to government.

There can be no question about the essential role our

We the People …

Each couple brought a course, like an appetizer, salad, or dessert. We supplied the hamburgers, potato salad, a vegetable tray, and of course, plenty of beer and wine.

We had a wonderful time roaming around from one conversation to another, from the porch to the kitchen.

Afew months ago, my husband and I had a casual dinner party with three other couples. It was one of those easy gatherings where we greeted one another with hugs and kisses.

DAVID TAUB

government must play for our “general welfare,” our Liberty, and our Union. In spite of Reagan’s declaration to the contrary, Government is not the problem; rather the problem is a lack of good government. And because of that, our faith and confidence in government today has reached a depressingly low-point.

In the midst of the great existential challenge from COVID-19, our Federal government has abdicated its central and essential role; it has chosen not to govern.

POTUS told the nation that we are “on our own,” and that he, the leader of government, bears “no responsibility, at all.” How can this be?

The government “sets the rules” but now refuses to accept responsibility for the consequences that derive from the rules it created. This is a fundamental violation of the most important oath taken by our leaders, as they must before taking the helm of elected leadership. Each and every one of them seals this sacred oath by swearing, “…so help me God.”

It seems to me to be a bad career move to violate an oath to God. Ask Moses about that.

Sadly, the staggering reality of the past three months provides proof positive that our government has failed us. Almost without pause, POTUS continues to ignore scientific and medical evidence to the detriment of more than 75,000 unnecessary deaths already, with more dying each day. We lead the entire world in this pathetic metric.

POTUS adds to this tragedy by endorsing opening the economy – against the recommendations of his administration’s experts – which will without doubt add vastly to the death rolls. If POTUS had only heeded the early warnings from his own intelligence community and others, and then followed the scientific/medical advice, it is likely that the nation would not have been forced into extreme lock-down responses that have impacted the economy so drastically.

“The burden is upon the Plaintiff to show that the injuries he complains of were not the result of an unavoidable accident. The mere fact that an accident happened, standing alone, does not permit you to assume that someone had to have caused it.” (South Carolina Requests to Charge, 23-19)

“Unavoidable accident” is not seen much these days. One may throw it into one’s pleadings, but a jury rarely comes back saying the car wreck just couldn’t be helped.

But whether one believes this pandemic is cosmic in origin; or was inevitable and unavoidable; the American landscape is now rich with targets of those seeking accountability for the misery, the pain and the anxiety.

Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist,

veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. Email Scott at cscottgraber@gmail.com.

Now we face the worst of all possibilities: staggering deaths with more than 2,000 added each day, unimaginable, increasing levels of unemployment, and an unavoidable recession that may well approach or even exceed the economic and personal losses experienced during the Great Depression.

In his rejection of governance, POTUS opines that a free people can govern themselves or even better, that “the market” will sort it all out. The “market place” never solved such crises, nor should the country’s leaders really expect it to.

There is no precedent or need for a nongovernmental approach to this global crisis. If our elected national leaders wish to abdicate their responsibility to govern, then they should just step down. How have we come to this deep dark and uncertain place?

Currently, our federal government’s inept attempt to address this challenge paints a canvas of chaos and dysfunction. The White House does follow one of its medical dictates, to wash hands frequently. Unfortunately, this process has not been to encourage or enhance disinfection. Rather, the current administration has washed its own metaphorical hands by pronouncing to the state governments that “You are on your own. Good luck.”

Wasn’t that what Pontius Pilate said, that he was “washing his hands” since he wanted no responsibility?

This abysmal failure of our current government to provide competent leadership has resulted in the greatest division of our republic since the Civil War. Lincoln said, “A House divided cannot stand,” and we are already on our knees.

Fortunately, most of our State governors have picked up the banner of leadership POTUS threw down on the battlefield of the war on the coronavirus enemy. And with a few extraordinary exceptions (I did not anticipate that any governor might think getting a tattoo was worth a human life, but what the hell do I know?), our governors have shown that government can and will provide the bold leadership needed to survive this calamity. God bless the leadership these governors have shown. Amen!

David M. Taub was Mayor of Beau

fort from 1990 through 1999, and served as a Beaufort County Magistrate Judge from 2010 to 2015. He may be contacted at david.m.taub42@gmail.

LEE SCOTT Now what?

highlighting daily life observations

The post-pandemic dinner party

Afterward, when everyone was leaving, there were more kisses and hugs and promises to get together again soon.

But now that party seems like a lifetime ago since none of us have been entertaining. That was when we were so used to seeing each other, we just took it for granted.

When I asked my girlfriends about the things they have missed during this quarantine besides the dinner parties, each had a different reply.

One said she missed just having lunch with the girls; one said, going shopping downtown; and another friend said she missed going to her Yoga classes at the gym.

There were other things like getting a pedicure, going to church and getting a haircut that were high on the lists too. Those day-to-day activities that all of us had been doing, have now take on a special significance

com.

So, I started to envision my next dinner party once things begin to get back to “normal.” The invitation will read something like:

“Let’s get together (and apart) at the SCOTTS. Please bring your own chairs, food and alcohol. We will supply hand sanitizers and plastic dinnerware, cups, napkins, and utensils. The backyard will be marked off, so each couple is 6 feet apart. A garbage can will be available at the top of the driveway to

Introducing . . . Joe Wescott, DDS

dispose of all the plastic and paper products. There will be one uncorked bottle of wine with the couple’s name on it. Please be careful if you decide to share your bottle. Beer will be in the cooler.

Please – NO HUGGING AND KISSING, except between couples. As usual, air kisses will be acceptable and encouraged. In the event of rain, this outdoor gathering will be postponed until the next sunny day.”

When I told my friends about the post pandemic dinner party, they all agreed it was a great idea. But they worried that after a few hours of eating and drinking, it will just seem so natural to say good night with a hug and kiss. My thought is that maybe the alcohol in us might act as its own disinfectant so we will not have to worry.

But whatever happens, there will still be plenty of hand sanitizers available as they leave.

Lee Scott, a writer and recent re

tiree, shares her everyday observations about life after career. A former commercial banker responsible for helping her clients to reach their business

objectives, Scott now translates those analytical skills to her writings. She lives on St. Helena Island and enjoys boating, traveling and reading.

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LAST WEEK'S CROSSWORD & SUDOKU SOLUTIONS

THURSDAY’S CARTOON Read with caution; not necessarily the opinions of the editorial staff.

THEME: ARMY AND NAVY ACROSS 1. Smoothing tool 5. Broadband access overseeing org. 8. Attorneys' org. 11. Length times width 12. *Lined up single ____ 13. Lump of stuff 14. Carpet attribute 15. Cut the crop 16. Lingo 17. *Entire ship's company 19. Toothy wheel 20. Gives a helping hand 21. They're from mars? 22. Language family, includes Turkic and Mongolian 25. Indian spice mix, pl. 29. Bachelor's last words 30. Baby Ruth component 33. One of the Earnhardts 34. She goes by Lo? 36. Actors' grp. 37. Mister in Madrid 38. Colossal 39. With no effort 41. American cuckoo 42. Leave hastily, two words 44. *Commissioned officer of the lowest rank 46. "____, drink, and be merry" 47. *Omaha ____ 49. Baby whale 51. *It's a wall to a civilian 54. Hands, to #12 Down 55. Check out 56. Cambodian money 58. Welcoming sign 59. Went down slippery slope 60. *Date of Allied landing 61. *Opposite of stern 62. "For ____ a jolly good.." 63. Dried-up

DOWN 1. Grammy category 2. Diva's solo 3. Unload 4. Saffron-flavored rice dish 5. Evil one 6. Wears 7. Porcini mushrooms 8. Aquarium scum 9. Uncouth one 10. Address abbreviation 12. Spanish dictator, 1939- 1975 13. *Throwing weapon 16. Ice, dark, and middle, e.g.

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18. Pittsburgh Steelers' ____ Field 21. Dojo turf 22. Was sick 23. Parkinson's disease drug 24. African antelope, pl. 25. Gaspar, Balthasar and Melchior 26. Veranda in Honolulu 27. "____ came a spider..." 28. European finch 31. *"Excellent in all we do" org. 32. None left when on E 35. *____ formation, or on diagonal 37. Make synchronous 39. Credit card payment alternative, acr. 40. What Deep Throat did 43. Stumblebums 45. Type of shards 47. *Announcement device 48. Island off Manhattan 49. Head of family 50. All over again 51. Silly talk or writing 52. *____-de-camp 53. Letter opening 54. Flash dancers 57. NaOH

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Medical expertise is crucial in death investigations. The evaluation of the quality of health care and the nation’s response to bioterrorism are emerging factors in the forensic physician’s prevention strategies for public illness and injury. CERTIFIED FORENSIC PHYSICIAN Doctor Blok’s background as a Certified Forensic Physician and US Army Aviation Medicine Accident Death Investigator provides him with extensive medical experience. MEDICAL OPIOID EXPERTISE As a certified specialist in Pain Management and Addiction Medicine, Doctor Blok has the training, experience, and expertise to work with law enforcement on the evolving opioid epidemic that threatens our county, state, and nation. PROACTIVE APPROACH Doctor Blok’s objective is to create a modern coroner’s office to work with law enforcement, the legal system, and our citizens to ensure that every case is quickly and fairly resolved always with respect to those involved. He favors a proactive approach to reduce injuries and deaths by using new and innovative ideas in the community.

To the living we owe respect, But to the dead we owe only the truth.

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