SPORTS: Whale Branch Warriors make history with perfect regular season. PAGE A8
NOVEMBER 12–18, 2020 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
McDorman sworn in as Beaufort police chief
Interim chief beats two other finalists for job
From staff reports Dale McDorman was sworn in as police chief of the City of Beaufort on Monday morning. City Manager Bill Prokop initially announced Thursday, Nov. 5 that McDoman had been chosen from three finalists. “This is a new challenge in my life,” McDorman said after his swearing-in. “I think it’s made easier
by the quality of officers we have here.” McDorman, who was appointed interim chief after the death of Matthew Clancy in July, has Dale been with the BeauMcDorman fort Police Department since 1995, rising from patrolman to deputy chief in 2010. “After completing a very thorough search and interview process with over 25 applicants, from eight states and one very capable and pro-
fessional internal candidate for the position of police chief, I am pleased to announce the selection of Interim Chief Dale A. McDorman to the position of police chief,” Prokop said. “He did an outstanding job during the interview process with community representatives and City staff. Dale was deputy chief under Chief Clancy and will be building on the programs and methods that were instilled in the Police Department by Chief Clancy.”
Municipal Judge Ned Tupper swears in new City of Beaufort Police Chief Dale McDorman on Monday. McDorman’s wife, Mary, held the Bible. Photo courtesy SEE CHIEF PAGE A2 of City of Beaufort.
What’s next with Beaufort County Council? Many say council still needs to get its act together, improve communications and transparency
Marien and Pike Mink, left, watch as their son Colt plays during Saturday’s Union Encampment by the 79th New York Highlanders at The Arsenal. Saturday also was the anniversary of the surrender of Beaufort County to Union forces in 1861.
Bringing history to life
R
Ron Roney, left, chats with Joe Fore during the Union encampment Saturday at The Arsenal on Craven St. Fore and a handful of fellow re-enactors from the 79th New York Regiment were on hand to answer questions about what life was like during the occupation of Beaufort during the Civil War. Photos by Bob Sofaly.
e-enactors from the 79th New York Highlanders occupy The Arsenal once again to demonstrate what life was like for Union soldiers occupying Beaufort during the Civil War. Saturday was the anniversary of the end of the Battle of Port Royal, which surrendered Beaufort and Hilton Head Island to Union forces in 1861.
By Mindy Lucas Now that Beaufort County’s top administrative official has resigned after some on county council tried to force her out, many are wondering what’s next with both the position and council itself. Beaufort County Council Chairman Joe Passiment said the county will begin working to fill the position recently occupied by Beaufort County Administrator Ashley Jacobs, after the first of the year. “How long that will take we don’t know at this point in time,” Passiment said. The council will wait to install new member, Logan Cunningham, and other members who were re-elected before trying to fill the administrator’s job, he said. It will then work to find a search firm to help with the process. All told, it could take several months, he said. “That’s the most appropriate way we should be doing this,” he said. In the meantime, many residents are left wondering how the council plans to rebuild trust and confidence in the months to come with an already controversy- and election-weary community. Jacobs, who resigned in October after only 18 months on the job, came in during a period of strife in the county’s government. From infighting
on council, to lawsuits and low morale, it was not an easy time to be a new administrator. The last straw seemed to come in October, after county council met privately to discuss her firing. Jacobs tenured her resignation a week later. Asked about how the council was doing in terms of its communications now, Passiment said the council was “doing fine.” However, the news of Jacob’s resignation disappointed and angered many who saw her initial hiring as way of righting the ship. “I think a lot of people felt like she was going to be the captain of this ship that was going to get them out of the storm,” said Heather Bragg, owner and founder of Bluffton-based marketing and communications firm Bragg Media. Bragg, who led the recent “Let Her Work SC” effort to petition council members to keep Jacobs in her job, said she had heard from many – from county employees to elected officials and those “on and off the record” – who were either angered or upset by council’s actions to force Jacobs out and continues to hear from people. More than 265 people signed the petition at www.letherworksc. com. She pointed to the former administrator’s many accomplishments for why the move to terminate Jacobs made no sense. Among those mentioned on the site include the creation of the first comprehensive budget plan and discovery of $1 million that was
SEE COUNCIL PAGE A4
Humans aren’t the only ones who miss ‘business as usual’ Therapy dogs have been sidelined by the pandemic too – and they miss their jobs! By Mindy Lucas osh misses her work. So does Jasper and Maggie. In fact, some days they lie about moping, either in their favorite chair or curled up with a warm blanket. Perhaps they’re thinking about the good old days when they had an office to go to and someone
T
friendly to lick. Yes you read that right, and we’re talking about therapy dogs. What did you think we were talking about? As it turns out humans aren’t the only ones that have been sidelined by the pandemic. As Russ and Sandy Dimke with the Beaufort Chapter of Therapy Dogs International (TDI) said recently, these amazing animals have been effected too, and they miss their work. “We miss it too,” said Russ Dimke, who serves as the organization’s director.
With more than 30 members in their chapter, TDI handlers and their dogs are used to visiting assisted living centers, rehab facilities, hospitals and other healthcare facilities around the Lowcountry. They also offer such programs as Tail Waggin’ Tutor, an innovative reading program in elementary schools, and provide stress relief to students at USC Beaufort and Technical College of the Lowcountry during midterms and final exams. But since March, those visits and programs have dried up. “Within a week it all changed,”
EDITOR’S NOTE This story originally appeared in Lowcountry Weekly.
he said, recounting what it was like when Covid-19 began to spread across the country, shutting down hospitals and other healthcare facilities to visitors. And it isn’t just the dogs who miss those visits. The residents in these living facilities miss them as well.
SEE DOGS PAGE A6
CHARITY
REPEAT
INSIDE
Dataw Island pro plays one-man golf marathon for veterans.
Holy Trinity Lions sweep SCISA 1A XC titles again.
PAGE A4
PAGE A8
Lowcountry Life A2 News A2–6 Legals A4 What's Happening A5 Health A7
Sports Education Voices Directory Classifieds Games
Therapy dog Maggie is owned by Jane Marti. Photo courtesy of Therapy Dogs International.
A8–9 A9 A10 A11 A13 A13