MAY 2 - 8, 2019 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
ROAD TO 2020
Booker brings revival to Beaufort
Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) tells the story of his humble origins to group of more than 200 supporters during his presidential campaign rally Friday night at Whale Branch Middle School. Photo by Bob Sofaly. By Mike McCombs SEABROOK – When Cory Booker walked out onto the isolated square stage Friday, April 26, on the floor of the gymnasium at Whale Branch Middle School, it didn’t take long to figure out this political rally was quite different than the last one here, held just a week before in the same building. A room away, the previous Friday, fellow Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts had shown a keen grasp of the issues and a sharp intellect. She was smart, likable and seemed to have answers the partisan
crowd liked. A week later, surrounded on three sides by occupied folding chairs and on a fourth by fans in the bleachers, Booker, the senator from New Jersey and 2020 Democratic candidate for President of the United States, gave many similar answers, policy-wise, to the more than 200 in attendance. Politically, Booker’s positions weren’t all that far from Warren’s. But there, the similarities ended. From the first moments, Booker’s event was not so much a political rally as it was a revival of sorts. There was neither the
tent nor the fire and brimstone of a Baptist preacher. Instead the theme that flowed through Booker’s two-hour talk was love. “I think people on both sides of the aisle know we need a revival. A revival of civic grace, a revival of a deeper empathy for each other, a revival that doesn’t have us hating each other just because we vote differently,” Booker said. “We need to get back to the sense of a common cause, of a common purpose, because we definitely have a common pain. So for me a lot of the focus of this campaign, the reason why I wanted to run is because
I felt like this was the spirit our country most needed.” Booker said a country can only be judged by how it treats it’s most vulnerable citizens, and on that note, America has lost its way. He cited the justice system’s tilt toward those with money and its bias against the poor, black, brown and mentally ill. He also cited the nation’s treatment of women. He supports a single-payer health care plan. But before such a plan could work, he said, we first have to defend the Affordable Care Act and expand Medicare.
“I believe health care in America is a right,” Booker said. Booker said he would lower prescription drug costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Teege Culp of St. Helena Island was impressed with the whole package. “The whole thing struck me. I liked his upfront honesty,” Culp said. “I liked the fact that I didn’t see a lot of narcissism coming out of him. That was refreshing. I like his ideas. I liked what he had to say. Climate change, health
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Veterans and civilians alike salute during the playing of Taps near the conclusion of the funeral for three homeless combat veterans Wednesday at Beaufort National Cemetery. Photos by Bob Sofaly.
Paying final respects
Joe Pilon of the Patriot Guard Riders holds an American flag and his service dog Buddy as they get ready for the funeral for three homeless combat veterans Wednesday at Beaufort National Cemetery.
Chaplin Bill Masciangelo said he read “with great sadness of their unclaimed status,” regarding the three homeless veterans from Berkeley County laid to rest Wednesday at Beaufort National Cemetery.
SOMETHING SPECIAL
By Bob Sofaly About 300 people from all over the Lowcountry showed up Wednesday morning at Beaufort National Cemetery to give a heroes’ send off to three indigent, homeless combat veterans from Berke-
TAKE TO THE SKIES
ley County. Specialist Walter Boyd Hall, U.S. Army, Vietnam; Petty Officer Wesley Allen Jones, U.S. Navy, Vietnam; and Frank J. Remeiskis, U.S. Army, World War II, were all laid to rest with full military honors.
INSIDE
Cummings thrills world again.
America's finest fly at Air Show.
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Lowcountry Life A2 News A2-4 Health A5 From The Front A6 Voices A7 Sports B1, 4
Schools B2 Food B3 Around Town B6-7 What To Do B8 Directory B8 Classifieds B9
Taste of Beaufort returns to waterfront Taste of Beaufort returns this weekend to the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort. The culinary event of the spring runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 3 and from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. Admission to the Waterfront Park is free. Quick bites, meals and sweets are available from most of the area’s most prominent restaurants. Food tickets are available for $1 each and can be exchanged at food vendor booths. There will be live entertainment, as well. On Friday night, Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love will perform On Saturday, Roger Bellows and Beek Webb, Lavon Stevens and the Inspirational Messengers, The Roger Lewis Trio and Evolution Big Band will perform. There will also be a special performance by Beaufort’s Finest Youth Orchestral Musicians. The Arts and Craft Market will run from noon to 6 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The Arts Showcase and Discovery runs from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday. The Taste of Beaufort 5K Run/Walk takes off at 8 a.m. Saturday. Register at RunSignUp.com.
Keyserling: Drilling delay no cause for rest By Mike McCombs Beaufort County, along with many other coastal communities on the Atlantic coast, seemed to get at least a temporary reprieve when The Trump Administration was forced last week to delay its plans to expand offshore drilling after a court ruling. “Any delay is good,” Beaufort mayor Billy Keyserling said. “But it’s a delay and not a permanent solution. I understand it is postponement related to pending litigation over other proposed sites. Accordingly, this is more about timing than scientific beliefs drawn from the facts.” Department of the Interior spokeswoman Molly Block told the Associated Press that given the court setback, the agency “is evaluating all of its options.” Governors, lawmakers and municipalities from both parties in coastal states have strongly opposed the expand-
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