It’s hard to remember just what life was like before the NIXLE alert came through to my phone from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at 7:51 p.m., Wednesday evening, Nov. 6
“Public’s help sought concerning escaped primates in Yemassee
…”
Let’s see … I remember, I think I was having dinner with my girlfriend, … and I know, maybe, we’d just had an election, I think. Maybe even a pretty big one.
It’s all a fog.
Apparently, around 1 p.m., Wednesday, a caretaker at Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee failed to properly secure an enclosure and 43 of the 50 female rhesus macaque monkeys contained within … suddenly weren’t.
Forty-three monkeys. That seems like a lot. I mean, at least to be roaming around free in Beaufort County.
“The Yemassee 43.”
I like the sound of it. It’s got a historic feel to it.
Initially, however, the public had no idea that many monkeys were loose. The NIXLE simply said the Yemassee Police Department was working with Alpha Genesis staff in an effort to locate “several escaped primates.”
I am certain 43 is a lot more than several. If you’re not sure, try reading these two statements.
“I had several cups of coffee this
SEE MONKEYS PAGE A7
By Delayna Earley The Island News
By Delayna Earley The Island News
More than half of the monkeys that made a grand escape from a research facility in Yemassee last week are back in custody.
As of Monday, Nov. 11 32 of the 43 monkeys that escaped a research facility in Yemassee have been captured. The monkeys fled from captivity at Alpha Gene-
It has been one week since the City of Beaufort voted to decide the next mayor and two council seats, and their decision was that nothing should change.
After a heated and contentious race, incumbent Mayor Phil Cromer won the election over City Councilman Josh Scallate, and incumbents Neil Lipsitz and Mitch Mitchell won their seats
11 monkeys still on the loose
43 monkeys escape research facility in Yemassee
sis Primate Research Center on Wednesday, Nov. 6, after a caretaker cleaning one of the enclosures left two doors unsecured at around 1 p.m.
It was then that a troop of female rhesus macaque monkeys escaped.
The facility the monkeys escaped from is located on Castle Hall Road and is home to roughly 5 000 monkeys – more than the population of Yemassee itself.
The monkeys are used for bio-
Many of the monkeys stayed close to the facility, hanging out in the trees outside of the fences. The entire group monkeys were at large until the first one was caught on Saturday, Nov. 9
SEE ESCAPE PAGE A6
VETERANS DAY
VIDEO To watch a video of some of the escaped monkeys from Yemassee’s Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center, courtesy of Katrina Fernandez, follow
or go to https://bit.ly/4fKpE65.
Three-year-old Shelton Hodges of Beaufort waves the American flag as he watches the parade march past him on Boundary Street during the annual Beaufort County Veterans Day Parade on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Candidates assess outcome of City races
back on City Council over Josh Gibson and Julie Crenshaw.
Mayor Cromer said that he is grateful to the voters for their support in the recent election.
“My hopes and plans over the next four years with Council support are to hopefully complete
the Waterfront Park repair and replacement, the marina lease, current stormwater projects, development code updates, Duke Street streetscape and drainage, Pigeon Point boat landing, drainage study and playground equipment replacement,” Cromer said. “Other projects will
likely be added from the upcoming Council retreat in January.”
While his opponent did not win the election, he still maintains his seat on City Council and had a very positive outlook on the rest of his term in that position.
“Post election I feel good,” Scallate said. “As a representative that wants to serve in a greater capacity, I feel my job is to offer myself
MIKE MCCOMBS
Phil Cromer
Josh Scallate
LOWCOUNTRY LIFE & NEWS
Amber Hewitt of The Island News snapped this photo of local linemen eating oysters during an oyster roast held on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2024, at Live Oaks Park in Port Royal, The oyster roast for linemen was sponsored by Kourtney Thomson and Lauren Fawcett of The Local Group eXp Realty. To submit a Lowcountry Life photo, you must be the photographer or have permission to submit the photo to be published in The Island News. Please submit high-resolution photos and include a description and/or names of the people in the picture and the name of the photographer. Email your photos to theislandnews@gmail.com.
VETERAN OF THE WEEK RALPH SIZEMORE
American Legion Beaufort Post 207 brings you Beaufort’s Ralph Sizemore, 69, who joined the United States Navy in Beaufort in 1973. After Boot Camp in Orlando he was assigned to USS Canopus (AS-34) in Holy Loch, Scotland, where he monitored radiation levels on the ship and aboard submarines being serviced. He then served aboard USS Raleigh
Ralph Sizemore
(LPD-1) as a hull technician, and later aboard USS Cone (DD-866).
He separated in 1979 and used the GI Bill to attend Orangeburg Technical College earning a degree in Animal and Plant Science. After farming for a year, he joined
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Another election behind us
Thank goodness we have this most unusual election behind us and we now hope everyone can put away the vitriol and often untrue accusations, return to the rule of law to maintain our democracy, and work for our country. We'd all do well to follow the wisdom of this little statement I found while cleaning out my files.
“We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty, and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to line in the same box.” (Author unknown)
– Edie Rodgers, Beaufort Wait … don’t jump!
OK … Carol Lucas, Terry Manning and all assorted Liberal Op-Ed writers for The Island News … take a deep breadth … put away all you unfounded accusations, unnecessary fear mongering and phony, holier than thou sermons. Because, despite your warnings, what you have feared most has actually happened … the “bogeyman” MAGA … 73 million-plus Americans ... has prevailed and your new President will be Donald J. Trump.
But don’t despair. It may not be as bleak as you think. If you can take your heads out of the sand and take a look around for just a moment you might just be surprised.
We MAGA folks are not racists, misogynists or any of the things by inference you accuse us of being. Nor are we extremists. Our desire for secure borders, a strong economy with jobs for all those willing to work, common sense social policies, peace through strength (rather than appease-
November 14
ment), limited role of government, personal accountability and unfettered free speech are foundational blocks of our country to be revered, not tinkered with, or worse, scoffed at as if no one will notice or care.
We are patriots proud of our country and those who have served in its defense and proud of those values that inspire millions of immigrants every year in their legal journey. We are caring and giving people who reach out to our fellow Americans not only in times of need but whenever we can help someone improve themselves and their families.
We support our local police with respect and resources because to do otherwise creates chaos and hurts those in communities already most negatively impacted by crime.
There is more but hopefully this primer inspires you to open you minds.
So before you write your next columns take a deep breadth … lift your head up and take a peek. We are everywhere, a good spirited and welcoming lot … as many of the folks formerly in your party apparently found out and displayed on Nov. 5
– Frank Wainwright, St. Helena Island
Give electric school buses a try
As a member of the Clean Energy Community, I’m concerned about the harmful effects diesel fumes have on our community. Studies show that diesel exhaust:
It can be 4-12 times more polluting than ambient air.
Worsens or leads to asthma, heart and lung diseases, and even cancer.
2022: The swimming pool at the Charles Lind Brown Center in Beaufort is named after Alvin Settles, who spent more than 30 years giving swimming lessons at the pool.
November 15
2022: Lt. Col. Larry Dandridge, U.S. Army, ret., a regular contributor to The Island News, is awarded the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor.
2022: The Beaufort City Council approves the updated version of the Beaufort Preservation Manual, also known as the Milner Report.
PAL PETS OF THE WEEK
Cat Of The Week
Smiley may be missing a leg, but he still gives the best hugs. He’s a gentle boy who loves to snuggle. And you should see him zip down the hallway at Palmetto Animal League on three strong legs. Smiley can’t wait to find a place to call his own. Smiley is 2 years old, neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped.
Dog Of The Week
Shadow is a 3-year-old girl who loves the water and being around people. She enjoys
a chemical plant in Orangeburg where he worked in plant operations and as a firefighter and ambulance driver. He has disabilities from his time in service and helps the DAV at the Beaufort Naval Hospital.
– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207. For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.
Impacts students’ cognitive abilities and performance in school tests.
Pollutes our environment and worsens air quality.
Electric school buses produce zero tailpipe emissions, improve air quality for children and drivers, and save school districts money on fueling and maintenance costs. Other school districts in South Carolina have found them to perform well in various conditions, better than diesel.
To date, the Environmental Protection Agency has awarded almost $3 billion to fund approximately 8,500 bus replacements at more than 1 000 school districts. With up to $965 million in rebates available under this new round of CSBP funding, now is the time to learn more.
The EPA Clean School Bus Program is a 5-year, $5 billion program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 2021. The program provides funding for public school districts, Tribal school districts, manufacturers, dealers, private fleets, and other eligible applicants to replace aging diesel buses with electric school buses and propane and compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses.
The application window for its 2024 Rebates closes on Jan. 9 2025. If you’re interested in exploring this exciting opportunity, please check out EPA’s comprehensive website at https://bit.ly/3Z0DQlT.
I urge you to apply for EPA funding and bring electric school buses to Beaufort County School District.
– Mike Bogle, Beaufort. Bogle has lived in Beaufort since 2018 and is currently the Beaufort Chapter Lead for Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
The document guides the continued preservation of Beaufort’s historic structures.
November 18
2023: Lowcountry Pride holds its annual Lowcountry Pride Festival in Port Royal for the first time.
November 19
2022: The inaugural Beaufort Brawl mixed martial arts event is held at The Foundry in Beaufort.
– Compiled by Mike McCombs
playing with her ball, going on walks, and the occasional 5- to 10-minute run. Shadow is very respectful of the cats in her foster home. Her foster mom says she’s a super smart, beautiful girl. Shadow is spayed, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped.
For more info on Pounce, Sadie or any of our other pets, call PAL at 843-645-1725 or email Info@ PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.
– Compiled by Lindsay
Perry
Staff reports
Harriott hired as Beaufort County CFO
Beaufort County has named Pinky Harriott its new Chief Financial Officer, effective Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, according to a news release Tuesday afternoon.
“We are eager to welcome Mrs. Harriott as our next CFO. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, along with an impressive record of community service,” Beaufort County Administrator Michael Moore said in a news release.
Harriott, a Beaufort native, having grown up on St. Helena Island, is a graduate of Beaufort High School.
She possesses a B.S. in Business Administration with a focus on Finance and Management. As a Certified Government Finance Officer (CGFO), she has more than 14 years of experience in governmental accounting
and finance across state and local government agencies.
Harriot is currently the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Finance and Human Resources at the University of South Carolina Beaufort, where she oversees the annual budget and ensures compliance with fiscal policies and regulations.
Harriot has also previously worked for Beaufort County. During her tenure as the Budget Director, she implemented the county's first Digital Budget Book
and received the inaugural GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.
She is a lifelong member of Rotary International, currently serving as President of the Lowcountry Rotary Club. She also participates on the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is a member of the Volvo Community Advisory Board.
Harriot and her husband, Bradley, have been married for 12 years and are the parents of three chil-
dren: Kalob, Gracie, and John. “I look forward to embarking on this exciting new journey,” Harriott said in a release. “I am confident that my experience will continue to contribute to the mission of Beaufort County and expand our services to meet the needs of our residents, while ensuring compliance and fiscal transparency. I am looking forward to working with Mr. Moore and am excited about his fresh perspective and vision for the future of our County.”
Penn Center Heritage Days
H e i d i H a r r i n g t o n , M.D.
T
o provide state-of-the-art reconstructive and cosmetic surgery services to residents of the Lowcountry, Beaufort Memorial has added Heidi Harrington, M.D., to its medical staff. A board-certified and fellowship-trained plastic surgeon with two decades of experience in plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, Dr. Harrington will lead the hospital’s new Beaufort Memorial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics practice in Okatie.
Prior to joining Beaufort Memorial, Dr. Harrington trained in plastic and reconstructive surgery and aesthetics in Southern California, then spent 12 years in New England working in both private practices and hospitals, launching her own practice in 2018. Among the many surgical and noninvasive plastic surgery procedures she performs, reconstructive and cosmetic breast, mommy makeovers, body contouring after weight loss, skin cancer reconstruction, facial rejuvenation, and cosmetic injection procedures are her hallmarks.
Serving breast cancer patients is a particular passion for Dr. Harrington. She is skilled in a variety of advanced techniques used in breast reconstruction and pioneered the technique of single stage direct to implant prepectoral breast reconstruction in New Hampshire and Maine, and will now offer this innovative breast cancer reconstruction technique to the women of the Lowcountry.
Board Certified – American Board of Surgery
Fellowships
Breast Surgical Oncology Fellow
Magee Women’s Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA
Research Fellow – University of Pittsburgh
Residency
Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA
Doctor of Medicine
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Bachelor of Science – Ohio University
Drexel
ABOUT Beaufort Memorial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics
Beaufort Memorial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics provides a comprehensive array of reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries, as well as customized aesthetic services. An experienced board-certified plastic surgeon and team of specialists achieve confidence-building results using advanced surgical and nonsurgical techniques for the face, breast and body. The team creates individualized care plans with patients to restore form and function based on each patient’s reconstructive needs and personal cosmetic goals.
In addition to office consultations for patient’s reconstructive and cosmetic concerns, Dr. Harrington and her team will offer office-based minor surgeries, as well as cosmetic procedures such as Botox and volumizing fillers at the Okatie office. More complex surgeries will take place at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.
TO
Pinky Harriott
Attendees listen to the music of Songs of Protest during the 40th annual Penn Center Heritage Days on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Ms. Gardenia Simmons-White, a lifelong resident of St. Helena Island, prepares the Flags of Gullah area by setting out information about each flag during the 40th annual Penn Center Heritage Days on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Staff reports
Port Royal hosting ‘Meet the Chief’ event
The public will have an opportunity to stop by and say, “Hello, to new Port Royal Police Chief Jeff Meyers at a “Meet the Chief” event at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 19 at the Port Royal Library at 1408 Paris Avenue in Port Royal. Coffee and doughnuts will be served.
Meyers was hired in September after Chief Alan Beach’s retire-
Jeff Meyers
ment earlier in the month.
“I am honored to join the men and women of the Port Royal Police Department. It takes an entire town to create a safe place to live, work, and raise a family. I look forward to working with our
residents to ensure we are one community with one mission,”
Meyers said in a press release.
“It is my goal to strengthen community trust by operating in an open, accountable manner with frequent communication. Residents will begin to see changes as our Police Department grows alongside the town’s population. I am eager to meet our communi-
ty members and excited to have the residents get to know me and their incredible officers."
Meyers began his career in South Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. In Ohio he worked undercover narcotics, patrol and ran specialized units such as K9, SWAT, Field Training, Departmental Training and more.
In 2017, Chief Meyers was ap-
pointed as the Deputy Police Chief of the Fort Myers, Fla., Police Department. In Ft. Myers, the Chief was responsible for areas such as recruitment, budgeting, training, evidence and much more.
Meyers is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.
Beaufort Memorial Pulmonary Specialists expands to Beaufort
Staff reports
Beaufort Memorial (BMH) has expanded its Pulmonary Specialists practice to the Lowcountry Medical Group offices at 300 Midtown Drive in Beaufort. The practice will continue to see patients at its existing location in the Beaufort Memorial Okatie Medical Pavilion in Okatie as well.
“The expansion of the Pulmonary Specialists practice represents an important step in BMH’s continued efforts to expand access to quality healthcare in the Lowcountry,” Beaufort Memorial President and CEO
Russell Baxley said in a news release. “Beaufort-area residents experiencing respiratory system disorders will now have excellent, specialized practitioners close to home.”
Board-certified pulmonologist
John Krcmarik, M.D., FCCP, will lead the new office. He will be joined by board-certified pulmonologist Andrew Stevens, M.D., and board-certified family nurse practitioner Shawna Nievierowski, FNP-BC. In addition to see-
ing patients in the practice, all three providers also treat patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.
A graduate of Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine with a Doctor of Medicine, Krcmarik did his postgraduate training at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., completing an internship and residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in pulmonary critical care. Board-certified in both
specialties, as well as sleep medicine, he is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians. Stevens completed his Doctor of Medicine from St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies, graduating summa cum laude. Subsequently, he completed a three-year residency in Internal Medicine at Georgetown University Hospital before completing a three-year fellowship in pulmonary disease and critical
care medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Nievierowski holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Saginaw Valley State University in University Center, Mich. After earning her nurse practitioner degree and several advanced intensive and critical care certifications, she was recruited into pulmonary care where she developed a passion for the specialty that she’s now worked in for more than a decade. To make an appointment with any of the Beaufort Memorial Pulmonary Specialists providers, call 843-707-8040
HELP Of Beaufort Oyster Roast
Free electronics recycling event
The Beaufort County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling will host two free electronics recycling events for County residents Saturday, Nov. 16. They will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at River Ridge Academy at 3050 Raider Drive, Bluffton; and at Beaufort County Public Works at 140 Shanklin Road, Beaufort.
Items that will be accepted for recycling include personal computers, laptops, CRT monitors, LCD monitors, CRT televisions, non-CRT televisions, printers hard drives, miscellaneous electronics (cell phones, tablets, and fax machines).
Items not accepted at this event include microwaves, vacuums, VCRs, DVDs, lamps, etc.
These can be taken to the Convenience Centers for disposal and will not be unloaded at the event.
Citizens are asked to stay in their cars during the event. Staff will unload electronics. Residential only. For residents who would like to schedule a drop off on another date, please click this link. If you
have questions about Beaufort County recycling events, please call the Solid Waste and Recycling Office at 843-255-2736
Beaufort County Assessor hosting community events
Beaufort County Assessor Ebony Sanders is hosting multiple community events at County Library Branches to allow the public an opportunity to meet with her staff and share questions and concerns regarding real property.
Each community event will be from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The dates are as follows:
Hilton Head Branch Library, 11
Beach City Road: Tuesday, Nov. 19 – SCRoom.
St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road: Tuesday, Dec. 3 – Large Meeting Room.
Bluffton Branch Library, 120
Palmetto Way: Thursday, Dec. 5 –
Large Meeting Room.
Lobeco Branch Library, 1862
Trask Parkway: Monday, Nov. 25; Monday, Dec. 16 In the event of an unforeseeable
change in the date, time, or location, the Assessor’s Office webpage will be updated to reflect rescheduling. If you have any questions, please contact Liz Rigg, Appeal/ BAA Coordinator at BAA@bcgov. net or 843-255-2404
Turkey Trot 5K set for Thanksgiving morning
Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry’s annual Turkey Trot 5K will take place in downtown Beaufort at 8 a.m., Thanksgiving Day morning, Nov. 28
Online registration for the race is open until 2 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 26. The link to sign up for the race is https://bit.ly/4hBcoCF. After 2 p.m., Nov. 26, participants can register in person from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., at Grounded Running at 2139 Boundary Street, Unit 108 in Beaufort, and at Freedom Mall on Bay Street in Beaufort on race day until 7:45 a.m. All proceeds from the race will go directly toward building a home for a local family.
The Turkey Trot is the third race in the Beaufort Triple Crown race
series, preceded by the Run Forest Run race in October and the Swing Bridge Run earlier this month.
A construction reminder
IPW Construction Group will continue to perform shoulder closures and temporary lane closures the entire length of Laurel Bay Road in Beaufort. Closures will take place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday, until the end of the year.
During this time, please prepare for and expect minor delays in traffic. Drivers traveling through the area are asked to please be mindful of our traffic control team and the crews working within the area. In addition, the ramp coming off U.S. 21 onto Laurel Bay Road is permanently closed.
County VA to offer End of Life Planning
Seminars for veterans, families Beaufort County Veterans Affairs is hosting End of Life Plan-
ning Seminars for veterans and their families.
These seminars address things veterans and their families can do today to ensure their personal effects are in order. They also discuss Veterans Affairs benefits that surviving spouses may be entitled to receive.
They will be offered at either 9 a.m. or 1 p.m., at convenient locations around Beaufort County: Tuesday, Feb. 18: Lobeco Branch Library, 1862 Trask Parkway, Seabrook.
• Tuesday, May 20: Hilton Head Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road.
Tuesday, May 27: Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street. RSVPs are required for space and resource purposes. Please contact Crystal at 843-255-6880 to reserve your seat. For questions and more information please contact Beaufort County Veterans Affairs at 843-255-6880
– Staff reports
Dr. John Krcmarik
Shawna Nievierowski
Dr. Andrew Stevens
Attendees eat oysters during the HELP of Beaufort Oyster Roast held on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Bay Street Jewelers owners Mark and Terri Stokes view silent auction items during the HELP of Beaufort Oyster Roast held on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Lady’s Island Garden Club Bake Sale
Lady's Island Garden Club members offered passersby an array of cookies, cakes, pies, breads, and even dog treats Saturday, Nov. 10 at their fall fundraiser outside Grayco on Lady’s Island. Asa Aarons Smith/The Island News
Races from page A1
as an option and be prepared to explain why I feel I am the most appropriate choice. I feel accomplished in that regard. The results of the election belong to the people, and I would consider it foolish to be discouraged by the decision. Moving forward it will be important to set aside ego and work to be an asset to not only Mayor Cromer but to Council as we strive to be a civil representation to a community much larger than ourselves.”
Lipsitz agreed with Cromer about the importance of fixing Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
“The Waterfront Park is the number one priority,” said Lipsitz. “We need to identify exactly what is going on, get the solutions and
implement them.”
He said he was glad to be able to continue doing with the projects and direction that City Council has been going.
Gibson, who was not elected to City Council, said that he believes that he ran a good campaign and was obviously disappointed with the outcome, but even more than that he was surprised by how well the incumbents did across the ballot.
He said that what he heard from many members of the community was that they wanted change because they were not happy with how the incumbents were running the government, but the results on Election Day told a different story.
Gibson said that he hopes that the mayor and city council members are receptive to listening to what the
community has to say.
“I hope that they will be receptive to listening, like truly listening, not just the minimum amount that you have to do to have a properly held public meeting, but really listening to some of the people who are trying to point out things that they think are important and integrate those into their solutions to the challenges that are facing the city right now,” Gibson said.
City Councilman Mitch Mitchell was not able to be interviewed before press time, and City Council candidate Julie Crenshaw did not respond to a request for comment.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
Cecile Dorr, left, and Teege Culp entice potential buyers to try some sweets at the Lady's Island Garden Club fundraiser Saturday, Nov. 10 outside Grayco on Lady’s Island. Asa Aarons Smith/ The Island News
Second Lowcountry PRIDE Festival a success
Staff reports
The second annual Lowcountry PRIDE Festival was held Saturday, Nov. 9 at Live Oaks Park in Port Royal, and according to the group, it was a success.
The festival which featured local vendors, a bounce house, and booths supporting local nonprofit organizations, was hosted by Lowcountry PRIDE, which is a nonprofit organization that serves the LGBTQIA+ community in Beaufort County.
Angela Wright, of Lowcountry PRIDE, believes the festival was attended by more than 1 000 people this
year, with a steady crowd of at least 300 at any given time.
“We are so grateful for the tremendous support for today’s event,” Wright said. “This year we had more vendors, more nonprofits, and more positive support overall. Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated the diversity of our community with love, joy, and kindness. The atmosphere of today’s event was proof that love always wins.”
For more information about the Lowcountry PRIDE, go to www.lowcountrypride.org.
Escape from page A1
medical research at the facility and according to the company’s website they breed monkeys and provide nonhuman primate products and bio-research services worldwide.
Police continue to warn residents in the area to lock their doors and windows as a safety measure.
The Yemassee Police Department has asked the public to help track down the monkeys by calling 911 immediately if one is spotted, but residents are asked not to interact with the monkeys.
“Residents are strongly advised to keep doors and windows secured to prevent the animals from entering homes,” said the Yemassee Police in a statement. “If you spot any of the escaped animals, please contact 911 immediately and refrain from approaching them.”
Authorities are working with staff members and the research center to try and locate the escaped monkeys by using thermal
LEGAL NOTICES
area.
NOTICE OF FILING TO THE DEFENDANTS ABOVE-NAMED: TAKE NOTICE that the Lis Pendens, Summons and Complaint were duly filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Beaufort County, South Carolina, on the 7th day of July, 2023, and the Order of
dants named herein, to foreclose a lien filed by Dataw Island Owners Association, Inc., against Real Estate Investments, LLC, , recorded October 28, 2022, in Lien Book 152 at Page 2128, in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Beaufort County, South Carolina. The following is a description of the subject property, to-wit: Lot 768, Phase II, Dataw Island, St. Helena Island, Beaufort County, South Carolina TMS R300 005 00A 0267 0000 SUMMONS TO THE DEFENDANTS ABOVE-NAMED: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your answer thereto upon the subscribers at their offices, 611 Bay Street, Beaufort, South Carolina, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof, exclusive of the date of such service, and if you fail to answer the Complaint within such time, the Plaintiff in this action will apply to the Court for the relief demanded therein. TUPPER, GRIMSLEY, DEAN & CANADAY, P.A. By: s/James A. Grimsley III James A. Grimsley III (SC Bar #2328) Attorneys for the Plaintiff P.O. Box 2055 Beaufort, South Carolina 29901 (843/524-1116) jimgrimsley@tgdcpa.com Beaufort, South Carolina June 30, 2023
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF BEAUFORT IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS CASE NO.: 2023-CP-07-01344 (Non-Jury)
DATAW ISLAND OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.,
Plaintiff, vs. TAWAIN WATTS; GREGORY M. FIELDS AND MARY LOU M. FIELDS; CAROLINA HERITAGE, LLC; CRC INDUSTRIES, LLC; DATAW ISLAND CLUB, INC., Defendants.
NOTICE OF FILING
TO THE DEFENDANTS ABOVE-NAMED:
TAKE NOTICE that the Lis Pendens, Summons and Complaint were duly filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Beaufort County, South Carolina, on the 7th day of July, 2023, and the Order of Publication was duly filed in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Beaufort County, South Carolina, on the 30th day of October, 2024.
LIS PENDENS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an action has been commenced by the Plaintiff against the Defendants named herein, to foreclose a lien filed by Dataw Island Owners Association, Inc., against Derrin Ferguson, recorded October 28, 2022, in Lien Book 152 at Page 2131, in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Beaufort County, South Carolina.
The following is a description of the subject property, to-wit: Lot 677, Phase V, Dataw Island, St. Helena Island, Beaufort County, South Carolina. TMS R300 005 00A 0340 0000 SUMMONS TO THE DEFENDANTS ABOVE-NAMED:
YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action, a copy of which is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your answer thereto upon the subscribers at their offices, 611 Bay Street, Beaufort, South Carolina, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof, exclusive of the date of such service, and if you fail to answer the Complaint within such time, the Plaintiff in this action will apply to the Court for the relief demanded therein.
TUPPER, GRIMSLEY, DEAN & CANADAY, P.A.
By: s/James A. Grimsley III James A. Grimsley III (SC Bar #2328) Attorneys for the Plaintiff P.O. Box 2055 Beaufort, South Carolina 29901 (843/524-1116) jimgrimsley@tgdcpa.com
Beaufort, South Carolina June 30, 2023
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE
Barony Beach Club Owners' Association, Inc. v. BARBARA L COOK PO BOX 1180 SHINGLE SPRINGS CA 95682-1180 (“Owner”) Contract number 8675050 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that according to the Notice of Sale recorded in the Register of Deeds Office for Beaufort County, South Carolina, Daniel C. Zickefoose, as Trustee/Attorney and Eck, Conley & Richardson, PLLC, 4000 Faber Place Drive, Suite 300, North Charleston, SC 29405 (“Creditor/Lienholder”), will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, outside the Beaufort County Government Center, 100 Ribaut Street, Beaufort, SC 29902 beginning at 10:00 a.m. on December 2nd , 2024, the following described Property: AS TO:
BARBARA L COOK
An undivided one fifty-first (1/51) fractional interest in Unit No. 9432, respectively, Barony Beach Club Horizontal Property Regime, lying situate and being on Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, South Carolina, and being more particularly shown and described by reference to the Master Deed, establishing the said Horizontal Property Regime, being dated March 8, 1999, and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Beaufort County, South Carolina, on March 11, 1999 in Deed Book 1146 at page 526; as amended from time to time, and by reference to that certain plat entitled "As-Built Survey of Barony Beach Club Horizontal Property Regime" said plat prepared by Terry G. Hatchell, S.C.R.L.S. #11059, said plat being dated March 3, 1999, and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Beaufort County, South Carolina, in Plat Book 69 at Page 65, as may be further revised from time to time. AND ALSO, all of the rights, privileges, easements, and common areas appertaining to the above-described property as set forth in the Master Deed and By-Laws of Barony Beach Club Horizontal Property Regime. AND ALSO, all rights, title, interest and privileges extending to Time-Sharing Interest Number(s) 9432-S-46 in each of the respective aforedescribed Units, as contained in that certain Time Sharing Declaration,
and were recaptured roughly six hours later.
The escaped monkeys have garnered attention not only in South Carolina, but nationwide. The primates were also the subject of several jokes featured on late-night programs like Stephen Colbert, Saturday Night Live and Jimmy Kimmel.
Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard said that the monkeys are too young for testing and are disease-free.
The captured monkeys have been checked over by veterinary technicians and veterinarians and all seem to be in good health.
The search for the monkeys will continue until all have been recaptured and in a statement to the media, if they are not able to capture them with traps they will use tranquilizers.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
Rd, Beaufort, SC 29902, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on December 2nd , 2024, the following described Property: AS TO: HAMILTON S. OVEN AND ELIZABETH R. OVEN An undivided one fifty-second (1/52) fractional interest in Unit No. 5535 respectively, SurfWatch Horizontal Property Regime, lying situate and being in Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, South Carolina, and being more particularly shown and described by reference to the Master Deed, establishing the said Horizontal Property Regime, being dated June 17, 2004, and recorded in the Land Records for Beaufort County, South Carolina, on June 22, 2004 in Deed Book 01976 at Page 0001, as further amended from time to time, and by reference to that certain plat entitled "Plat of Phase 1, 2 & 3 SurfWatch Horizontal Property Regime", said plat prepared by Surveying Consultants, Inc., Terry G. Hatchell, S.C.R.L.S.#11059 , said plat being dated July 15, 2005, and recorded in the Land Records for Beaufort County, South Carolina, in Plat Book 108 at Page 5, as may be further revised from time to time ("Plat"). AND ALSO, all of the rights, privileges, easements, and common areas appertaining to the above-described property as set forth in
Penny Orr, owner of Art Play and Orr Counseling, dances with a rainbow ribbon during the Lowcountry PRIDE Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Port Royal. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Gavin Grubbs, 16, Brea Parker, 16, and Temperance Grubbs, 15, all from Beaufort, dance in unity and celebration during the Lowcountry PRIDE Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Port Royal. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
imaging cameras and setting up traps in the
This is not the first time that primates have escaped from the Alpha Genesis facility. In 2016 19 monkeys escaped from the
Katrina Fernandez of Ludowici, Ga., and her family walk along Old Sheldon Road on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 hoping to catch a glimpse of the 43 monkeys that escaped from Alpha Genesis research facility in Yemassee. Fernandez said she was “bored,” so she decided to take her family on a field trip to look for the monkeys. As of Monday, officials say 30 of the 43 monkeys bred for medical research that escaped a compound in South Carolina have been recovered unharmed. Amber Hewitt/ The Island News
Teams available to help Beaufort County residents navigate FEMA assistance Promotion Time
Staff reports
As part of continued efforts to recover from Hurricane Helene, Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are visiting homes in Beaufort County and canvassing the area to help local residents with their FEMA applications. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are visiting homes in areas impacted by #Helene to help Beaufort County residents apply for assistance and assess any emerging needs. Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are in Beaufort County to: Help residents apply for assistance. Assess and report critical needs.
Monkeys
from page A1
morning.”
“I had 43 cups of coffee this morning.”
See what I mean. That will affect your day.
We got an inkling how serious things really were when it was updated the next morning that there were 40 escaped monkeys. Eventually, a more accurate count of 43 was released.
Imagine that employee’s next job interview.
“Well, why did you leave your last place of employment?”
“I accidentally set several monkeys free.”
“Several?”
“Well, … 43.”
(At press time, 32 of the 43 monkeys had been recovered safely with 11 still on the loose.)
Unlike the last mass escape from Alpha Genesis — 19 monkeys in 2016, all recovered by the end of the day — the world has taken notice. It seems everyone is talking about the monkeys.
ABC. NBC. CBS. CNN. The New York Times. NPR. Saturday Night Live. Rolling Stone, Stephen Colbert. Jimmy Kimmel.
Twitter … I mean X … was going ape.
“This is literally the plot for Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” “Did not have this on my 2024 bingo card.” “I’ve seen this movie and now it’s happening.”
All over social media, everyone was talking about the monkeys.
Nathan Callender lives on Lady’s Island. He owns Dustbone, a small company that makes T-shirts, hats and
Learn more about disaster assistance teams at https://bit.ly/40QCoDU.
The quickest way to apply for disaster assistance is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App or mobile devices or calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select https://bit.ly/4fub43a.
bumper stickers. And he’s the artist for Shellring Ale Works in Port Royal. Callender, doing what artists do, thought he’d have a little fun with the monkey business and designed a T-shirt. Pictured on it is a nefarious-looking monkey, wearing a labcoat, sneakers and a stethoscope and the words “Lab Monkey 5K Freedom Run, Nov. 6 2024 Yemassee, SC, Hosted by Alpha Genesis Research Facility.
The T-shirt took off, posted and shared all over Facebook and sold at Dustbone.com. (At least for a guy that makes his T-shirts in his garage.) Callender has almost 400 preorders for the shirt with about half coming from outside of Beaufort County.
But Callender said something initially didn’t sit right with him.
“All this was … it’s a time of self reflection … and then it didn’t feel right doing it without giving something back,” he said.
So Callender is giving $10 from every $25 shirt he sells to the Hampton County Animal Shelter.
“I figured Yemassee is in Hampton County and I should help out,” he said.
Then things got even crazier.
“Nick said, ‘Hey, why don’t we do a real run?’” Callender said.
Nick was Nick Borreggine, owner of Shellring Ale Works. Callender agreed.
“It’s rare that an opportunity presents itself to do some good,” Callender said. “It just took off. It just really resonated with people.”
Borreggine got with the folks at Grounded Running
to set up a race. It’s scheduled for 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 17 and will start and end at Shellring.
The race will cost just $20 and runners will get a Shellring beer and one of Callender’s T-shirts.
Runners are encouraged to wear costumes — monkeys, lab workers, bananas — and there will even be a contest.
Stephen Noble, of the Beaufort Track Club, will run the race dressed as a monkey, and whoever can finish the 2-mile course ahead of him will win a prize.
“It’s been fun man. It’s just fun,” Borreggine said. “The way that (Callender) took the current news and made that jump to the freedom run. People just share memes all day long. It definitely has been a welcome distraction.”
And it’s still for a good cause — $10 from each race fee will go to Born Free USA, a national charity that is dedicated to rehoming monkeys from various situations.
“When it comes to animal testing, I mean, it’s 2024, we’ve come so far, there’s got to be better ways of doing things,” Callender said.
And Borreggine and Callender agreed this has been a welcome distraction, given the state of current events.
“If we can’t get together and put our differences aside to help some dang monkeys …,” Callender said. “I guarantee you, there’s going to be monkeys of all different political persuasions running side-by-side, next to each other on Sunday.”
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
Deputy Chief Andre Massey, recently promoted, is pinned by Deputy Chief Ron Wekenmann of the Port Royal Police Department on Wednesday, Nov. 6, during the Port Royal Town Council Workshop. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
What’s the best time to eat dinner?
A study shows that
You’ve heard the saying: “You are what you eat.” But what about when you eat?
Your schedule is jam-packed with school drop-off, work meetings, after-school activities, and everything in between, making it hard to sit down to a meal consistently day after day.
Does the time of day that you eat meals factor into your overall health and wellness? And if so, what’s the best time to eat dinner? What about breakfast and lunch?
“Our schedules make it challenging to eat dinner at a reasonable time,” recognizes registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. “And it’s leaving us scrambling for what to eat and what we can grab on the go. In some cases, it can lead to disordered eating patterns.”
What’s the best time to eat meals?
Zumpano says it’s a personal decision that depends on any medical conditions you might have, as well as your health and wellness goals.
Even if you have a habit of eating three square meals a day, a change can be enough to throw off your eating habits. For example, your kids could have a choir performance smack dab in the middle of dinner time or you’re behind at work and skip lunch, which may lead to you making unhealthy food choices later in the day.
In fact, a 2022 study shows eating later in the day increases your risk for having obesity.
“The later we eat, the hungrier we get, which can often lead to quick and unhealthy meal options,” notes Zumpano. “If we plan ahead, we can have a healthy dinner ready or at least thought through an on-the-go meal, meaning that you made time to stop at the salad bar instead of the drive-thru.”
If you’re looking for further guidance here are some recommendations:
eating a late dinner can increase your chance of having obesity
Breakfast
Not everyone is a breakfast person—and that’s OK. But if you do eat a morning meal, eat breakfast within the first hour to hour-and-ahalf after you wake up.
And what type of breakfast should you eat? We think you know the answer (sorry, chocolate croissant). But it bears repeating.
A protein-based breakfast is recommended. Egg whites with a turkey sausage or chicken sausage is a healthy start. Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with berries or nuts for breakfast are also good options.
Scrambled tofu is a great plantbased breakfast plate. Include fiber rich foods to your meal. If you’re going to have eggs, throw in some greens, sauteed veggies, black beans, or salsa. Limit or avoid added sugars because they can lead to a spike in your blood sugar, then a drop, which causes you to search for more sugar for energy. Sugar is addictive for most people—if you start your day off with something sweet,
you’ll fight that sugar craving all day long.
Lunch
A good rule of thumb that Zumpano likes to follow is to space your meals four to six hours apart
Like breakfast, you want to focus on having a lunch meal that mainly consists of fiber and protein. Think about a salad with grilled chicken and chickpeas or a hearty bowl of bean and vegetable soup with turkey meatballs. A whole-grain wrap, filled with cabbage slaw, avocado, edamame beans and tuna, is also a great option.
A lunch filled with protein and fiber can help you over the 2 or 3 o’clock hump where energy levels tend to plummet,” says Zumpano. “If your meal is too high in carbohydrates, fat or sugar, that can leave you feeling sluggish.”
Snacks in between
To snack or not to snack? You’re feeling hungry and all you want to eat are some potato chips or a can-
dy bar to tide you over until your next meal. So, what do you do?
“Snacking is often unnecessary if you are eating enough at mealtimes,” says Zumpano. “But if you had a lighter meal, skipped a meal, or didn’t have time to finish your meal, healthy snacks can help prevent overeating at the next meal for some people. Mindless snacking lead by cravings of salty or sweet often results in high amounts extra calories in the form of processed food.”
So, if you’re going to snack, snack smartly. Opt for a piece of fruit with a handful of nuts.
Before you eat that snack, pay attention to your hunger cues. Are you snacking out of boredom? Or because you want a distraction from work? If you determine you’re truly hungry, then have a healthy snack.
Dinner
While it can be hard to fit into your schedule, there’s something to be said about eating dinner earlier
in the evening—at least three hours before your bedtime.
An earlier dinner gives you a good amount of time to digest your food and allows your blood sugar to properly rise and fall after dinner. This ensures you’re not going to bed with a full belly or skyrocketing blood sugar. In fact, people who eat an earlier dinner often report better sleep.
If you must have a late dinner, there’s no need to stress. Don’t be overly concerned with the timing. Just try to make better choices on what you eat. Keep it light in starch and fat, especially when it’s getting close to bedtime. If you’re consistently going to eat late dinners, consider making your lunch your largest meal that can carry you through to dinner. Then, choose a lighter dinner so you’re not overconsuming calories.
Another tip if you’re eating dinner later—get moving to help speed up digestion.
“If you’re eating dinner and going straight to bed, that’s going to slow down the digestion process,” states Zumpano. “Any moderate amount of movement is going to help with digestion.”
Bottom line?
When it comes to when and how you eat your meals throughout the day, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach.
“It really should be tailored and personalized to you,” Zumpano emphasizes. “The number one thing you want to keep in mind is what you’re eating: Are you consuming enough protein and fiber at your meals? Are you snacking on whole foods? But the timing of those meals can vary based on you and your schedule.”
Taking supplements with biotin can cause inaccurate lab test results
Biotin, or vitamin B7 plays an important role in your overall health and well-being. And while biotin supplements can be a healthy addition to some people’s routines, they can come with a downside, too.
Family medicine practitioner Matthew Goldman, MD, talks about the side effects of biotin supplements, and why it’s important to stop taking any supplement containing biotin before having certain laboratory tests.
Negative side effects of biotin
Biotin is typically considered to be a safe supplement. It’s water-soluble, which means that what your body doesn’t use passes through your urine.
Although rare, biotin may cause these side effects:
• Allergic reaction (typically resulting in skin rashes)
Nausea
Cramping and abdominal pain
But the biggest drawback?
High levels of biotin can interfere with the accuracy of certain common lab tests. Meaning, if you take a supplement with biotin and then get bloodwork and other lab tests to rule out, say, a thyroid condition (or a host of other tests), the results may not be accurate.
Biotin and bloodwork
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety alert warning about the risks of biotin affecting lab tests. Affected tests include those used to diagnose conditions such as:
Thyroid disease Heart disease
Pregnancy
Anemia Cancer
“High levels of biotin can lead to falsely high or low results on lab tests that use biotin-streptavidin technology, which is common in several lab tests,” Dr. Goldman reports.
Here’s why it happens. Many labs use immunoassay-based screening methods for these tests. It’s a testing method that measures the presence and concentration of a small molecule in a solution. If you have too much biotin free-floating in your system, it can throw these tests off. In other words, the biotin in your system can replace what tests are measuring for in the solution and create false readings. Results may appear falsely low or falsely high, depending on the specific test-
ing method. And lab results affected by biotin supplements aren’t always obvious to your healthcare provider or the lab conducting the test.
Because biotin can interfere with lab tests, it can lead to misdiagnosis or inappropriate management of medical conditions,” Dr. Goldman emphasizes. When to stop taking biotin before lab tests
The typical recommendation is to stop taking biotin at least 72 hours before having tests done. But that guid-
ance can vary depending on the test to be performed and how much biotin is in your supplements.
“If you’re concerned about how supplements might affect future or previous lab results, speak to a healthcare provider and the lab performing the test. Let them know about any medications and supplements you take,” Dr. Goldman advises. “Making sure everyone is on the same page can help ensure you receive accurate lab results and get the best care.”
The good news is that biotin that comes from foods rather than supplements isn’t likely to affect your lab results.
“Biotin-rich foods typically don’t contain excessively high amounts of the vitamin,” Dr. Goldman reiterates. “Overconsumption is only a concern with supplements, particularly at high doses.”
What’s more, biotin deficiency is rare. And while you may think a bottle of
supplements will give your hair or nails a healthy boost, the science on their effectiveness is limited. Skip the supplements by boosting your biotin levels naturally by eating these biotin-rich foods, like beef liver, eggs, and canned salmon.
How much biotin is too much?
Even relatively low doses of biotin supplements can affect lab results. But the higher the dose, the greater your risk. Even the biotin content found in common multivitamins can interfere with lab tests,” Dr. Goldman states. “Higher doses, like the amounts found in supplements for hair and nail health, are more likely to cause issues.”
Source: https://health. clevelandclinic.org/biotin-side-effects# msdynttrid=wnGrjtCcmBtm4CPWp1Fe zNkS0FbC3uHeO0GiU8o4wn8 Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.
HCM in young adults and student athletes
What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heart condition that causes the walls of your heart to thicken. In many cases, it can also cause the heart walls to stiffen, which reduces the amount of blood that can flow into your heart and be pumped back to your body with each heartbeat.
HCM is the most common genetic heart condition, and it can affect people of any age. An estimated 1 in 500 people have HCM, although a large percentage of those cases remain undiagnosed.
There are two major forms of HCM. Obstructive HCM is when the thickened heart walls block or reduce blood flow. With nonobstructive HCM, the heart muscle is thickened but blood flow is unaffected.
Understanding HCM and talking to your doctor about any HCM symptoms or hereditary history can help you stay on top of the condition and prevent complications.
Why HCM is dangerous for young adults and athletes
HCM is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes. SCD disproportionately affects Black athletes and is more frequently linked to competitive sports that involve sudden movements, like football or basketball. Most people show no signs or symptoms before SCD.
Symptoms
The symptoms of HCM can vary. Some people don’t experience any symptoms, while others primarily feel symptoms during exercise or exertion. Symptoms can also worsen over time.
Symptoms may include: Chest pain, especially with physical exertion
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Dizziness
Light headedness
Fainting
Arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat)
Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs and abdomen
HCM can also cause other health problems. People with HCM are at a higher risk of heart conditions like atrial fibrillation, stroke and blood clots. It can also lead to heart failure and sudden cardiac death.
If you have HCM, you may need to make lifestyle changes, like limiting your physical activity. HCM can also lead to long-term complications, which can make it more difficult to function and reduce your quality of life. HCM is a genetic condition, so
it’s important to know your family’s heart-health history, which can help your doctor with a diagnosis and help you catch it early. Find out if anyone in your family has been diagnosed with HCM, heart failure or cardiac arrest, and let your health care team know. If someone in your family has been diagnosed with HCM, it’s important for all first-degree relatives, including children, siblings and parents to get checked for HCM. If someone in your family has HCM, your entire family may want to consider genetic testing, as it can help catch HCM early and inform and guide any at-risk members of your family.
What to do if you have symptoms
Talk to your doctor if you struggle with any of the major HCM symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest pain or heart palpitations, fatigue, or fainting.
Diagnosis
A cardiologist or pediatric cardiologist will diagnose HCM through a physical exam, medical and family history and specialized tests.
An echocardiogram is one of the most important diagnostic tests for HCM. It lets your doctor check the thickness of your heart muscle and see how well blood is flowing through the heart. Your doctor will also probably listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope for a swishing or whooshing sound, which could indicate a
problem with blood flow through your heart.
Treatment
If you aren’t experiencing symptoms, you can manage HCM by staying active, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a normal weight, getting good quality sleep and not smoking. Prioritizing a hearthealthy lifestyle can help you prevent complications and other heart conditions, like stroke or heart failure.
There’s one disease-specific medication available to help treat HCM symptoms. Mavacamten, which was approved by the FDA in 2022, is used to treat the obstructive form of HCM for people who have symptoms. Your doctor may also help you manage symptoms through other medications and both surgical and nonsurgical procedures.
Living with HCM
People with HCM can enjoy a long and healthy life. It’s vital to consult your health care team if you experience symptoms or have a family history of HCM. An early diagnosis and proper management can lead to the best outcomes.
Source: https://www.heart.org/en/ health-topics/cardiomyopathy/what-iscardiomyopathy-in-adults/hcm-in-youngadults-and-student-athletes. AHA’s HCM awareness and education in Athletes is made possible in part by a grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation.
Nurse practitioners provide quality primary and specialty care
Special to Care magazine®
The second week of November is National Nurse Practitioner Week, dedicated to honoring NPs for their important role when it comes to comprehensive, compassionate patient care. Beaufort Memorial joins health care systems all over the U.S. to celebrate their vital roles as primary care providers, health educators and highly-trained nurses committed to their community.
It’s no secret that the population in the Lowcountry is growing—and so is the demand for quality health care.
South Carolina is feeling the effects of a national phy-
sician shortage; by 2036, the U.S. is projected to face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians, with 20% of its current physicians at retirement age and 22% rapidly approaching it, reported the Association of American Medical Colleges in March. The shortage in the supply of doctors paired with the population growth and increased demand for health care services is where advanced practice providers like nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) enter the picture.
“Both NPs and PAs receive advanced training to perform a wide range of pre-
ventative and acute health care services,” explained Dr. Kurt Gambla, Beaufort Memorial vice-president and Chief Medical Officer. “Both can diagnose and treat common health problems, order and interpret imaging tests and lab work, prescribe medication, refer patients to specialists and manage chronic health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma.”
While under the supervision of a doctor, NPs and PAs usually have their own panel of patients and always have the option to consult or refer complex cases to their supervising physician or a special-
ist. This team approach improves access to health care for our community.
To be licensed, both NPs and PAs need a minimum of a masters degree and a number of clinical hours working with patients—as well as pass a licensing exam. They are highly-trained health care professionals capable of treating most common ailments.
While the demand for medical care—in the Lowcountry and in the U.S. as a whole—has increased, a growing number of primary care physicians and specialists are relying on advanced practice providers to assist.
Patients can usually get an appointment with an NP or PA quicker, and with the advanced practice provid-
ers handling routine complaints, doctors are able to spend more time on complex cases.
Beaufort Memorial Hospital Nurse Practitioner Mary Beth Donovan. Photo courtesy of Beaufort Memorial Hospital
“Wisdom” – Piece No. 48.
Submitted photo
Tapestry of Life to raise money for HELP of Beaufort
By Mike McCombs
The Island News
The Tapestry of Life Art Show and Fundraiser, sponsored by The ARTS of Port Royal, is set for noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, and will benefit the HELP of Beaufort.
The show, to be held at 1404 Paris Avenue in Port Royal, will feature a collection of more than 100 small-format pieces of art available for purchase by the public, starting with a “minimum suggested donation.”
The more money the show raises, the more funds go directly to HELP of Beaufort.
Sheree Richnow is the project curator and organizer of the show.
“I wanted to be able to give back to one of our underfunded charities in this are,” she said. “The more we can raise, the better. We’re hoping to raise a few thousand dollars.
Richnow said this would be the first of many events, and art was already being generated for the next event in the spring, which would likely benefit another local charity.
“Once we have enough art, we’ll repeat the show,” Richnow said.
To attend Saturday’s show, RSVP at https://bit.ly/48Lg40w.
There's plenty of parking available, and there's no charge to attend.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
Then you have to come and hear singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Zoë Lewis. You love intriguing and funny stories? Then you have to come and hear singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and verbal acrobat Zoë Lewis.
You like energetic, expressive, humorous entertainers? Then you do have to come and see — well, you know: Zoë Lewis.
Where? On Fripp Island.
When? Sunday, November 17
“Equal parts musician and story teller, this British transplant is blessed with the uncanny ability to uncover the extraordinary beauty in the seemingly ordinary.” This is how the Boston Globe described Zoë’s performances.
The New York Times refers to her songwriting, her stories and her show antics in their laudatory review: “A gorgeous writer — so evocative, tender and thoughtful. And a mesmerizing performer.”
And in the San Francisco Bay Guardian, the reviewer raves about the "masterful combination of song, performance and artistry with a contagiously positive attitude and free spirit. Probably one of the most charismatic performances I’ve ever seen.”
How many singers have you heard who can play eight instruments or more? For all I know, Zoë has mastered the keyboard, guitar, ukulele, washboard, accordion, harmonica, spoons and bicycle bells. And she can stomp her feet rhythmically. So you understand why she is known as “a band in a body.” A gifted songwriter, she has released ten albums of original material. She has also toured with such celebrities as Judy Collins, Pat Benatar, Richie Havens, and Indigo Girls.
Zoë claims she was a musician when she was born. She learned to play the piano when she was four years old. She couldn’t read music, so she played by ear, by watching her piano teacher’s hands and im-
itating her. Zoë soon became “obsessed with music,” she admits.
When her parents took her on vacation to Cornwall, “I took a drawing of a piano keyboard with me and I kept playing it in my head.” She was also always creating songs; and when she was 14, she won a talent show for a song she called “Lazy Afternoon.”
“Playing all these strange synthesizers” in a Brighton punk band became boring after a while, so Zoë moved to London to join a ninepiece Latin pop band called Avanti. Zoë was only 20 years old then, but she was ready to experience anything having to do with musical performance.
Aside from learning from her band members, she took jazz workshops and adult education classes in pantomime, juggling and other circus arts.
“I learned off people who went to school,” she said. “Or I would stand behind other piano players and watch their hands.”
And she developed her theatrical performing style at open mics.
After a couple of years, Zoë got
restless. She departed London and traveled around the world, visiting more than 70 countries, and learning countless new musical genres.
After about a decade, she came to the United States. Inspired by Bob Dylan songs and Jack Kerouac novels, she jumped freight trains. Yes, you read this right: She jumped trains, just like Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.
“It was romantic,” said Zoë.
“I had a book of beat poets in my bag.” She learned hobo songs, and she mastered the harmonica, because “you can’t jump a freight train with a piano.”
Finally she settled down in Provincetown, Mass., where she has been living now for almost 30 years. The town features in her recent musical: “A Slice of Ptown,” the second musical she has written about her chosen home town. It’s not surprising that Zoë is known there as “Provincetown’s Jazzy Zen Vaudeville Vagabond.”
Zoë has also played at countless music festivals, teaches musical workshops, entertains on Oliv-
Conroy Center to host
ia cruises and takes her show to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, every winter. You can learn more about this amazing musician’s fascinating life during her show on Fripp and at the reception afterwards. Zoë’s presence on stage is truly mesmerizing. She might be spinning plates atop a stick while introducing a song about her childhood on the south coast of England, about her global travels, or about her life in her beloved Provincetown. Her musical style embraces an array of genres, from gypsy jazz to Latin tunes, swinging folk, world beat grooves and more. And her lyrics, her quirky storytelling, and her theatrics are spiced with a huge dose of humor. Believe me, you don’t want to miss this concert. Zoë Lewis will perform on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 5 p.m. at the Fripp Island Community Centre at 205 Tarpon Boulevard. The concert is sponsored by Fripp Island Friends of Music (FIFOM) and supported by the S.C. Arts Commission. Attendees get a free pass at the Fripp gate. Tickets at the door are $30 for adults and free for students thanks to the Peg Gorham Memorial Fund. You are invited to join the musician at a complimentary reception after the performance, catered deliciously by Harold’s Chef Services. Do you have questions? Do you want to become a member of FIFOM to save money on tickets and support FIFOM’s missions? Email or text Vanessa Peñaherrera at vandy116@gmail. com or 704-807-0255. And go to frippfriendsofmusic.com.
An Evening with Nancy Murray
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening with memoirist Nancy Murray, author of “No Experience Necessary,” at 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15 at the Conroy Center at 601 Bladen Street in Beaufort.
Books will be available for sale and signing at the event, which is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so those interested may want call 843-379-7025 in advance to reserve a seat.
In “No Experience Necessary,”
Murray shares the insights, pit-
falls, and strategies that she gleaned along her journey toward meaningful employment.
Her stories prove that even socalled nowhere jobs can be crucial steps to not only establishing a career, but to discovering ourselves.
Nancy’s workplace tales span a colorful spectrum, from selling speakers from a seedy van to driving a posh limo; from performing
as a professional clown to financial advisor. With each job she profited in ways beyond a traditional paycheck.
Some might consider this a cautionary tale, but it’s also a field guide for anyone preparing to fill out their first job application, not to mention a humorous flashback for those who recall the trials and tribulations of the workplace all too well.
Murray is a poet, playwright, and storyteller. Her first memoir, “One Child for Another,” was published by 11th Hour Press, and was recog-
nized by Baltimore Magazine as one of the Ten Best Reads in 2015 Her storytelling was showcased by the Women of the World Festival in Baltimore, Md.
Murray’s plays and poetry have been produced and published in various venues and presses including, Ireland’s HCE Review, The Maryland State Poetry and Literary Society, and in multiple anthologies. Her most recent publication, a poetry collection called “The Colors of Fear,” was published by Cyberwit Press. She teaches compositional writing at
the Community College of Baltimore County and hosts a series of poetry workshops at the Arts Lab of South County, Md.
Windhorse featuring art of Louis Bruce
Staff reports Port Royal’s Windhorse Gallery & Marketplace will be hosting a new exhibit featuring the works of local artist Louis Bruce. The show will run from Sunday, Dec. 3 through Thursday, Dec. 21 and invites art lovers, locals, and visitors alike to experience the creative spirit of the Lowcountry through Bruce’s art. The exhibit showcases a collection of Bruce’s latest works, each piece an exploration of the rich landscapes, textures, and cultural influences that define our region. Whether capturing the beauty of coastal vistas or the depth of Lowcountry life,
Bruce’s art tells a story of place, identity, and emotion.
“We’re thrilled to host Louis Bruce's latest exhibit,” Windhorse Co-Founder & Creative Director Katy Perrin said in a news release. “His work perfectly embodies our passion for craftsmanship, artistic expression, and community. At Windhorse, we strive to create a space where creativity thrives and where visitors can experience the richness of our local culture in a unique and inspiring way.”
The exhibition is open to the public during Windhorse’s regular retail hours (11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Wednesday;
UPCOMING EVENTS AT WINDHORSE
Holiday Tasting – Friday, Nov. 15 • Monthly Wine Club
& Drop-in Tasting (Third Thursday of every month) –Thursday, Nov. 21 Caviar Soirée & Silhouette Experience: An Evening with Clay Rice – Friday, Nov. 22
11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday). Visitors can also make appointments for a more personalized experience. For more details and ticket information, visit www.windhorsegalleryandmarketplace.com/classes-workshops.
Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Zoë Lewis will be at Fripp Island Community Centre on Sunday, Nov. 17. Photo provided.
Nancy Murray
7 books banned in SC public schools
5 of books reviews by state had been returned to shelves by Beaufort
By Delayna Earley The Island News
Almost a year after Beaufort County wrapped up its own book review process in reviewing books that some in the community deemed inappropriate for school libraries, the South Carolina Board of Education has voted to ban its first seven books.
Even though Beaufort County community members, educators and parents participated in a review process that lasted longer than a year and more than $7 000 to decide if 97 books that were submitted as in appropriate, a
new rule allowing the state to remove books with descriptions of sexual conduct from public schools in S.C. The board decided unanimously on Tuesday, Nov. 5, to ban the books “Damsel” by Elana K. Arnold, “Ugly Love” by Colleen Hoover, “Normal People” by Sally Rooney and four books by Sarah J. Maas.
Of the seven books banned by the board, five had previously been reviewed and returned to school libraries in Beaufort County – Damsel and the four books by Sarah J. Maas.
The committee reviewed 11 books total and decided that three of the books – “1984” by George Orwell, “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare – would not be banned and one book – “Crank” by Ellen Hopkins – was postponed to be reviewed on a later day.
Claire Bennett, who is a co-mentor to DAYLO in Beaufort County, said, “DAYLO continues to have concerns about the regulation’s broad language, the Board’s willingness to overturn the decisions of communities like Beaufort that
have reviewed and returned many of these books to circulation, and of course, the impact this will have on students.” Bennett continued to say that as an organization, they trust the trained school librarians of the state to curate school library collections, and they trust students and their families to choose their own reading materials.
“I’m angry. I’m scared. But I won’t be silent, and I won’t back down,” said Bennett. “That’s something that ‘Damsel’ and books like it taught me … Support your students and their right
County
to read. Leave ‘Damsel’ in high school libraries where it belongs, and censorship does not.”
Candace Bruder, spokesperson for the Beaufort County School District (BCSD) said that the district is mandated to follow the law, despite the decision that had originally been made regarding the books in Beaufort County.
Delayna
for The Island
Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
State sending K-12 schools $2M to lock up student cellphones
Money is part of $20 million in grants DOE distributing to school districts
By Skylar Laird SCDailyGazette.com
WEST
COLUMBIA —
Public schools districts
will receive nearly $2 million in state tax dollars to keep students’ cellphones locked up during the day, according to Department of Education data.
The funding came from $20 million in the state budget for school safety projects. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the Board of Education approved how it will be distributed. Altogether, 67 school districts — including two charter districts and the Department of Juvenile Justice’s district — received some portion of the grant money.
This was the second year the Legislature gave $20
million to the Department of Education with the directive of giving it to schools to improve safety. It was the first time, however, that money came in conjunction with a new rule barring students from using their cellphones during the day.
By January, every school district must adopt a policy prohibiting students from using cellphones that is at least as strict as the one the state Board of Education passed in September. If districts don’t comply, they risk losing state funding.
The state board, which the Legislature directed to come up with a policy, left most of the details on implementation and enforcement up to local school districts.
That means implementation will look different across the state. Students might have to keep their phones in their backpacks or lockers, or even leave them at home, depending on a district’s policy.
Five school districts are using state money for
pouches to lock up students’ phones. Another 14 said they are using it to buy other storage, such as designated lockers or cubbies where students can keep their devices during the school day, according to department data.
The Department of Education, which fields requests from districts for the money, considered the new cellphone rule a safety issue because students can easily bully each other online, and because phones might distract students from listening to teachers and administrators in the case of an emergency, state Superintendent Ellen Weaver said Thursday.
“We know that when there is a situation happening in a school, the most import-
ant thing is that that student be fully focused on the adult who is getting them to safety,” Weaver told reporters. “Not distracted by a screen and not videotaping, but getting them to safety is the number one priority, and then they can look at their phone.”
About $5 9 million more of the grant money will go toward installing locks on classroom and building doors in 21 districts. That’s the highest amount the state awarded for a single purpose, according to department data.
Across the state, 39% of teachers reported that their classroom doors didn’t lock from the inside, according to a September survey of Palmetto State Teachers Asso-
ciation members. That number was down from last year, when 41% of teachers said the same thing. Funding from school safety grants likely helped with that drop, said the association’s lobbyist Patrick Kelly.
The state Department of Education plans to ask for another $20 million to continue helping schools buy safety equipment this coming budget year, Weaver said.
Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and Courier’s Columbia bureau. S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Riverview Charter School seeking nominations for Board members
Staff reports
Riverview Charter School (RCS) is accepting nominations for its Board of Directors. RCS is seeking five Board members, each to serve a two-year term from January 2025 through December 2026
Three of the Board members will be seated through the election process and the remainder appointed by the currently seated
board. The plurality of the vote will identify the first three candidates to be seated on the board.
Six current Board members will be returning to serve the second year of their two year terms.
Following the election, the Riverview Board of Directors will then select additional candidates from the nomination pool for appointment to the board.
The Board Nomination and Election process and timeline is as follows: Nov. 22: Nomination deadline.
The Board seeks a breadth and depth of experience and specific skills in education, facilities, finance, fundraising, legal, business, human resources, public relations and marketing and previous governance experience (nonprofit or corporate).
• Dec. 13: Deadline for receiving votes is 6 p.m. Dec. 16: Announcement of election results at regularly scheduled board meeting.
For questions or more information, contact Board Chair Kimberly Dudas at kimberly.dudas@riverviewcharterschool.org.
Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist
Packet/The
You have the right to know what’s happening in your community.
Public notices – information local governments are obligated to provide citizens – are required to be published in local newspapers to provide a public record that’s accessible to everyone.
Public notices keep you informed about your government. But, in some states legislators are trying to keep public notices from appearing in local newspapers. This severely impacts government transparency and, in turn, limits the public’s right to hold them accountable for their actions.
Let your state legislators know that you value being able to access notices in your newspaper and that they are worth the investment.
SPORTS&RECREATION
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Beaufort Academy’s Nych Underwood (15) runs the ball during the first round of the SCISA 1A State Playoffs at Beaufort Academy on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Beaufort Academy won, 23-20, advancing to the state semifinals Friday at Williamsburg Academy. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Wilson Hall beats JPII
LowcoSports.com
The Golden Warriors’ defense kept them in it all night, but the offense couldn’t muster quite enough to pull off the upset of the top-seeded Barons on the road. Daniel Snyder (12 tackles, 3 TFL), Carson Hurst (12 tackles, 2 TFL), and Sebastian Slusne (10 tackles, 3 TFL) anchored the strong defensive effort for JPII, which held Wilson Hall to field goal attempts three times, but Jackson Bonser connected on all three. Alan Wolf rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown, and Connor Brown connected with Jackson Sanders for a 31yard touchdown pass.
Beaufort Academy’s Dietrich Shuford (13) zips past his opponents during the first round of the SCISA 1A State Playoffs at Beaufort Academy on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Beaufort Academy won, 23-20, advancing to the state semifinals Friday. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Eagles fight back to edge Bobcats
SCISA 1A playoffs: Beaufort Academy advances to face Williamsburg Academy
By Tim Alonso LowcoSports.com
Senior quarterback Dietrich Shuford mustered some magic and Beaufort Academy’s defense came through with a big play to lead the Eagles to a 23-21 comeback win over visiting Carolina Academy on Friday in the first round of the SCISA 1A playoffs.
The game was a back-and-forth battle that came down to a fumble, a poor snap, and a last-minute safety, with the Eagles showing a spark at the end. With their well-balanced and efficient offense as well as their strong defense, the Eagles continue their journey through the playoffs with their sights set on the SCISA 1A championship.
The game started off pretty quietly, as each team was trying to figure out what worked for them, and the first half ended tied at 7 Beaufort Academy put together a touchdown drive on its first possesion in the second half, but Carolina Academy responded with 14 consecutive points to take the lead at 21-14
Then Shuford took over, capping a long scoring drive with a touchdown run and
getting the ball right back with an interception on defense.
Beaufort Academy took over in the red zone hoping to seal the win, but a fumble put the ball back in Carolina’s possession — but not for long. A poor snap on the 1-yard line resulted in a safety that put Beaufort Academy back on top and allowed the final minute to wind down.
Shuford rushed for 171 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and went 13-for-19 passing for 243 yards and a score to lead the Eagles. The Bobcats limited BA star Nych Underwood to 56 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, but he also caught three passes for 81 yards. Jace Paulk had five catches for 101 yards, and Devin Fripp hauled in a touchdown pass.
Sumner Pingree had a team-high 13 tackles, Fripp and Shuford each added an interception, and the Eagles (8-4) forced three fumbles, earning a trip to Williamsburg Academy for the SCISA 1A semifinals.
Thomas Heyward hosts Dorchester Academy in the other semifinal, with the winners meeting for the SCISA 1A title at noon on Nov. 23 at Charleston Southern.
Warriors look to change postseason fortunes
By Justin Jarrett LowcoSports.com
The Whale Branch Warriors are back in the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season, but after six straight seasons seeing at least the second round, Jerry Hatcher’s team is trying to snap a streak of two consecutive playoff defeats.
The good news for the Warriors is they won’t see Lake View on the other sideline this time around.
Whale Branch (4-5) opens the Class 2A playoffs at home against Kingstree on Friday, and despite a lackluster regular season by Seabrook standards, the Warriors rallied in region play and find themselves in a favorable matchup with the visiting Blazers.
The Warriors were perennial fixtures in the second round and beyond from 2014 through 2021, but they lost 4321 at Lake View two years ago, and the Gators stunned them 33-28 in Seabrook to facilitate another early exit a year ago.
A host of Whale Branch defenders, including I’veon Watson (55), pile on Ridgeland quarterback Taishaun Smith (16) in a victory earlier this season at Whale
The Blazers (4-6) started 0-4 but won four of their last six with the two losses coming by six points each, and they’ve scored 36 or more points four times in their last six contests.
Eagles, Dolphins face tough draws
Battery Creek locked up its Class 3A spot long ago, while Beaufort High was one of the last at-large teams in the Class 4A bracket, and both face uphill climbs in Friday’s first round.
The Dolphins (3-6) have struggled since losing quarterback Chase Olsen to a bro-
Whale Branch’s defense turned in one of its best efforts of the season in a 21-14 loss to region champion Barnwell to end the regular season. The Warriors need the defense to show up again Friday, because they’ve had trouble generating much offense outside of designed runs from quarterback Jermon Bowers.
ken collarbone for the second straight season, and they have a tough task at Dillon (8-2), which has won four straight.
The Eagles’ season hasn’t gone as expected, derailed by injuries and inconsistent play, but Beaufort (2-8) gets a chance to salvage something — albeit a longshot. The Eagles travel to top-seeded Hartsville (8-1-1) for Friday’s first round.
Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette for 6½ years. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.
SCISA FOOTBALL ROUNDUP
By Abraham Kenmore SCDailyGazette.com
Record number of South Carolinians vote in 2024 election
COLUMBIA – A record number of South Carolinians cast a ballot in the general election, the State Election Commission announced Thursday, Nov. 7
The Commission estimates
2 557 000 voters participated in the election, about 24 000 more voters than the last presidential election four years ago.
“South Carolina’s historic turnout reflects the deep commitment and passion of our voters and the increased accessibility made possible by our new early voting process,” said Howard Knapp, executive director of the Commission, in a news release. “We are especially grateful for the dedication of our poll workers, whose tireless efforts are the foundation of secure and accurate elections.”
The total percentage turnout was 75%, according to the release. That’s just under the record set in 2008 when 76% of all voters cast a ballot. In the last presidential contest in November 2020, just over 72% of voters participated.
This was the first presidential election in South Carolina with true, no-excuse-needed early voting under a law passed in May
SC company recalls meat, poultry products due to possible listeria
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Yu Shang Food, Inc, a Spartanburg, S.C., establishment, has recalled approximately 4 589 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products out of an abundance of caution. These products may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The ready-to-eat meat and poultry items were produced from October 21 to October 27 2024. These products have “used by” dates ranging from 21-AUG-2025 through 27-AUG-2025. You can view the full product list
at https://bit.ly/3YYPuxz, as well as the product labels at https://bit.ly/3YHKHPV.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-46684” or “EST. M46684” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide and available for purchase online.
The problem was discovered after FSIS performed routine testing and follow-up activities of finished product produced by Yu Shang Food, Inc. on October 21 2024, that confirmed the product was positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Consumption of food contaminated with L. mono-
cytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators/ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these prod-
ucts are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www. fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can send an email to yushangchicken@gmail. com or contact Ling Li, Yu Shang Food, Inc. Plant Manager, at 408-857-0901 Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-6746854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda. gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis. usda.gov/eCCF/.
SC governor appoints new Medicaid agency director
By Skylar Laird SCDailyGazette.com
COLUMBIA — The state Medicaid agency’s chief of staff is set to become the new director, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Wednesday, Nov. 7
Eunice Medina will take over after former director Robby Kerr retired Nov. 1. The state Senate must officially confirm her appointment. The 43-year-old has spent three years managing staff and programs for the agency. Previously, she worked as a bureau chief for
the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, where she oversaw the state’s Medicaid care plans, according to her resume.
“With her expertise in Medicaid and proven leadership at the executive level of the agency, she will help lead a seamless transition,” McMaster said in a statement. “I am grateful for her willingness to serve in this critical role.”
State legislators helped advise McMaster on his decision, including Senate President Thomas Alexander, according to a Wednesday news release. Medina will helm the agency that provides health insurance for more than 1 million poor and disabled South Carolinians. With more than 1,300 employees, the Department of Health and Human Services is one of the state’s largest agencies. Its budget accounts for 15% of the state’s total $14 5 billion spending plan for state tax dollars, not including federal aid.
“She has a heart of service, of putting those citizens that need service first, while at the same time being a protector of taxpayer dollars here in South Carolina,” the Walhalla Republican said in a statement.
Kerr has twice served as director for the agency, once from 2003 to 2007 during Gov. Mark Sanford’s tenure and again from 2020 until this year.
Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal
issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for
“The agency has developed a culture of commitment and purpose while cultivating a leadership team that I believe is unparalleled in South Carolina,” Kerr said in a statement. “There is no one more prepared than Eunice Medina to lead that team. Her extraordinary knowledge, her dedication to service, and her values will serve South Carolina well.”
2022. A significant majority – 58% – voted early in person, with 38% of people voting on election day and 4% voting absentee. Both early voting and Elec-
tion Day appeared to go smoothly, although there were some minor issues.
A scuffle at a polling place in Orangeburg during early voting
over a “Let’s Go Brandon” hat made headlines. On Election Day, five polling places in McCormick County lost power, according to Patrick Moody, the election direc-
tor, but voting managed to continue uninterrupted.
Abraham Kenmore previously covered elections, health care and more for the S.C. Daily Gazette. He previously wrote for The Augusta Chronicle, where he reported on Georgia legislators, military and housing issues.
Voters line up at Calhoun Academy of the Arts in Anderson before polls opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Paul Hyde/Special to the S.C. Daily Gazette
Eunice Medina
Racist texts referencing slavery sent to Black college students
By Jessica Holdman SCDailyGazette.com
The FBI is investigating racist text messages sent this week to Black college students nationwide, including students from at least four South Carolina schools.
The federal law enforcement agency issued a statement Thursday saying it “is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.”
Students at the state’s two largest colleges — University of South Carolina and
Clemson University — as well as students at Claflin University, a private historically Black college in Orangeburg, and the College of Charleston have reported receiving the texts that tell recipients they were “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation.”
In a message to students Thursday, Claflin university police said the hoax message was “designed to disrespect and instill fear and anxiety” but that students were not in immediate danger.
Attorney General Alan
Wilson said his office has not received any complaints directly from students, but he condemned the message, saying his office would forward any information it might receive to the FBI.
“These messages are vile and deplorable,” Wilson said in an emailed statement. “Whoever sent them is only trying to divide us and we must stand together against this kind of hatred.”
Attorneys general in other states, including Louisiana and North Carolina,
have launched state-level investigations.
Clemson reported that its university police department is investigating the matter. College of Charleston, Claflin and USC reported they’re working with state and federal law enforcement.
Other states where students have reported receiving the texts include Missouri, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Tennessee.
In Tennessee, an alert from officials at Fisk University, a historically Black
college near downtown Nashville, said they believe the messages are “likely the work of an automated bot or malicious actors with no real intentions or credibility.”
In Missouri, students receiving the viral message included the 17-yearold son of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones. The mayor’s father then posted it on X, adding it’s not funny.
Margaret Huang, president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, called the messages “a public spec-
Drought returns to SC after record-dry October
S.C. Department of Natural Resources
All of South Carolina is in the initial level of drought after a record-dry October, the S.C. Drought Response Committee decided Wednesday, Nov. 6
The state was declared droughtfree after rain from Tropical Storm Helene at the end of September, but the state has received little to no rain since then. Many stations reported less than .1 inches of rain for the entire month.
The National Weather Service station at Columbia Metropolitan Airport matches its driest October on record, with only a trace of rain, tying 1963 and 2000. The National Weather Service Charleston station received only .03 inches, which ranks as the second driest on record behind 2000, when only a trace was reported.
“We needed a couple of weeks of dry weather after Helene’s heavy rain so that flood waters could subside and agricultural fields could dry out,” State Climatologist Hope Mizell said. “But we didn’t need four weeks of no rain combined with above normal temperatures.”
With rain in the near forecast, the committee considered postponing a vote. Members decided to proceed with the drought declaration, recognizing the impacts of the extended dry period on agriculture and the heighted concern for wildfires.
The S.C. Department of Agriculture explained that growers welcome somewhat dry conditions during harvesting time, which can help avoid heavy equipment being stuck. However, excessive dry conditions can lead to risks that include fire to equipment and crops.
“Grazing animals are suffering in these conditions due to lack of quality forages, and lack of the ability to plant any cool-season forages,” said Agriculture Outreach Director Sam Quinney, with the Department of Agriculture.
“With hay crops being affected earlier this year by a flash drought, and now lack of planting abilities for cool-season forages, producers will be forced to sell animals due to the lack of available forages for the winter season. We continue to pray for rain as the ag community not only needs it but relies on it for the future of their operations.”
The long dry period and high temperatures that occurred in October led to dry fuels and made it easier for wildfires to ignite. In October, wildfire occurrence and the total acres burned across the state was higher than the S.C. Forestry Commission’s 10-year av -
erage. The Forestry Commission responded to 146 wildfires that burned 518 acres.
“While much of the timber that was damaged as Hurricane Helene moved through the state has not dried out enough to burn, the debris has made it more difficult
tacle of hatred and racism that makes a mockery of our civil rights history.”
“Hate speech has no place in the South or in our nation,” she said, calling on national leaders to condemn “racism, in any form, whenever we see it.”
Jessica Holdman writes about the economy, workforce and higher education. Before joining the S.C. Daily Gazette, she was a business reporter for The Post and Courier. S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest statefocused nonprofit news organization.
to access wildfires,” said Forest Protection Chief Darryl Jones, with the Forestry Commission. “The rain we received already this week, along with what is expected in the next few days, will improve conditions in the short term, but the potential for wildfires will increase quickly if we have a few days of higher temperatures without more rainfall.”
The S.C. Department of Environmental Services reported no drinking water supply problems. South Carolina’s reservoirs are near target levels and, while some groundwater levels have lowered slightly, most groundwater levels are in the normal and above normal range in the agency’s monitoring network, according to Alexis Modzelesky, a hydrologist with the Department of Environmental Services. While streamflows are declining, the state is entering a time of year with less demand and lower evaporation, she said.
The committee is hopeful the expected rain will bring much-needed relief without any adverse effects to the state. The next Drought Response Committee meeting is scheduled for Dec. 4
Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of
It takes a nation of dummies to hold us back
My apologies to the editors for the letters that the headline will provoke.
Most of the writers will not read past the headline. They will make their own interpretations and extrapolate to fuel rage sufficient to transform them into what radio host Charlemagne tha God dismissively referred to as “broadband bullies” and “keyboard killers.”
But I stand by it because it is my opinion (to which I’m entitled) that a lot of people who voted for the returning former president aren’t what they want to appear to be.
They want to be seen as informed voters acting on principle. Patriots. Compassionate conservatives. Christian warriors fighting for God’s ordained favorite nation. They are none of these.
They point to inflation, blaming President Biden and the Democrats for failing to address the problem quickly enough or to acknowledge it at all. Explaining his support for the former president, Philadelphia resident Miguel Garcia told CBS News, “Prices went up, food went up, everything went up.”
Which is true. Some of that is the general nature of prices over
time, and some, which folks like Garcia seem to care less about, is price-gouging to pad corporate profit margins and the residual effects from the former president’s previous tariff war.
The president-elect has promised new, higher tariffs, and said he will launch a mass deportation effort that undoubtedly will affect many of the people who perform the low-paying, back-breaking labor that undergirds the American economy. Get ready for even higher prices, Miguel, and make sure your papers are in order.
They say they want to “make America great again.” That’s dubious enough of a goal that even Senate stalwart Mitch McConnell criticized it, quoted in an upcoming memoir as saying, “The MAGA movement is completely wrong.”
I ask you, how does it help
America to hand authority over it to a man carrying on back-channel communications with its biggest enemy? How can he defend the country “against all enemies, foreign and domestic” when he is sucking up to its foreign enemies and cutting deals with its domestic enemies to earn their votes?
Some supporters said they didn’t appreciate the tone of the Democrats’ message, like the Facebook commenter who suggested Democrats should drop their “hate” and be “more positive.” For the sake of the friend whose timeline she wrote that on I stayed cordial, but I truly wanted to say to her, “Heifer, you voted for Donald Trump!”
You cannot vote for a man who campaigned on how “stupid” the people are who disagree with him; who threatened to “execute” Liz Cheney, his former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other of his administration members who dared call him the fascist they witnessed him being; and who called Joe Biden a senile old “r—d” and Kamala Harris a “b—h,” and then turn around and lecture people about civil discourse.
They want to protect the sanctity of life by making abortion illegal in almost all circumstances.
“... it is my opinion (to which I’m entitled) that a lot of people who voted for the returning former president aren’t what they want to appear to be.”
TERRY MANNING, on the disconnect between image and reality in American politics
Never mind the dangers prochoice advocates warned about before and after Dobbs, that women across the country would die if they were denied access to essential healthcare. Those warnings have come true, but hey, when you call yourself “pro-life” who’s to say a few deaths aren’t worth it to remind women their bodies aren’t their own but are instead sacred vessels dedicated to the greater good of maintaining
the proletariat?
Podcaster Joe Rogan urged the incoming president to ignore “haters” and focus on unity. In other words, to not do any of the things he did in his first term and has sworn to do again. But in trying to mitigate his blame for endorsing the President-elect, Rogan purposefully is dodging the real point: the former president is the biggest hater of all.
This man who told his rally crowds, “I am your retribution,” is just that. He is his supporters’ middle finger to anyone who didn’t vote for him. To anyone who took his threats seriously. To anyone who can fashion empathy for others. To people who cared enough to research the issues and understand the stakes.
So when I see that one definition of “dummy” is “a counterfeit or sham,” to me that fits a lot of the people who voted for the hell we’re all going to be going through for at least the next two years. If you find other definitions of the word more applicable, that is your prerogative.
Terry E. Manning is a Clemson graduate and worked for 20 years as a journalist. He can be reached at teemanning@gmail.com.
The most difficult promise to keep
Many years ago — before the earth had completely cooled — I was a senior (at The Citadel) required to write a thesis in order to graduate. My topic — “The Political Cartoon and the Election of 1932” — was proving troublesome.
A classmate, Ken Tucker, was writing his thesis on the coming invasion from Central America. I thought it was nonsense. But it seems Ken was prescient; although premature; about 50 years ahead of his time.
Let me be clear about the fact that Donald Trump was not my candidate — many know I’m an old, unreconstructed liberal who’s sclerotic, stenotic brain still clings to a “share the wealth” mentality.
Nevertheless the people have spoken; and at least 51% of the electorate want a dramatic change in the way that our government deals with those crossing our Southern border. The first item on Trump’s to do list will be illegal migrants; and may involve round-ups and removal to transient camps somewhere in the Nevada desert. One envisions vast tent cities and a non-stop shuttle to San Salvador. All of which reminds us of the “internment” of the Japanese-Americans in World War II — an internment we now regret. But we all understand that this South to North migration is not unique to the United States. This is a problem that effects Western Europe — especially Britain, France, and Germany. It is a problem that dominates po-
On October 23, I drove from Beaufort to Augusta, Ga., to join a Disaster Response team from Northside United Methodist Church (NUMC) in Atlanta, the church where I was confirmed eons ago. Downed trees along the way into town hinted at what awaited, but as I neared my destination, Marvin United Methodist Church, on Wheeler Road, I drove into what looked like Augustageddon.
In all directions, ravaged trees had damaged or destroyed homes and crunched vehicles. I located the church where I would meet the Atlanta group early the following morning then I drove to my friend’s home where I would spend the next three nights.
One month ago, after Helene wreaked havoc, I wanted to help. My sister in Atlanta gave me the name of a member of NUMC, Mark Brown, who was heading up a team of relief workers from various churches in Atlanta. Mark began doing disaster relief some-
litical debate in Italy, Austria and Hungary. It is a problem that fuels anger and indignation in most of the world lying below the Equator.
In Europe, the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea create a barrier to migration from Africa. But hundreds of thousands of immigrants die in the dunes, drown in the ocean or are otherwise killed on their way to Europe. Incredibly some somehow survive the trip, arrive dehydrated and penniless, and live in the shadows around Naples and Paris.
In France, there are some who believe that France created this problem when it colonized Western Africa; and that France then removed oil, uranium and cocoa from former colonies like Congo, Senegal and the Ivory Coast. And, along the way, the French also harvested artifacts like masks, sculpture, ceremonial swords and beaded helmets
M.Z. THWAITE
time after Katrina hit Louisiana, and he has built teams of relief workers ever since.
Always receptive to new volunteers, Mark welcomed me to his already trained group. I was puzzled that our start date in Augusta was one month after my initial contact with Mark, but as I drove from Marvin Methodist to Augusta’s historic district, the reason for the delay became obvious. The damage was so extensive that it took weeks to clear roads to allow emergency tree removal equipment ingress and egress.
Driving down Wheeler Road, a main thoroughfare, was like driv-
that were thereafter installed in various museums where they were admired by Picasso and Apollinaire.
One particular museum — Musee du Quai Branly on the banks of the Seine — now houses three hundred thousand pieces of art in a new building devoted to Africa, Asia and other places that once were part of the French Colonial Empire. Recently, a young woman, Mati Diop, finished-up a film that tells the story of some of these artifacts.
Julian Lucas, writing in the Nov. 4 New Yorker, says, “Her new film, a fantastical documentary called “Dahomey” chronicles the return of the so-called Dahomey treasures, comprising 26 of the many art works that French troops seized in the 1890s while subjugating the kingdom. (A newspaper of the time crowed that the vanquished natives, whose ‘painted gods’ had failed to defend them, ‘wouldn’t miss
the wood.’)” But in 2018 Emmanuel Macron made it clear that he wanted France out of Africa.; and he agreed to return the 26 treasurers to Benin.
“Diop’s film follows them (the 26 pieces) from Quai Branley to a hero’s welcome in Cotonou, the country’s largest city, where they are discussed by students at a local university after exhibition at the Presidential Palace.
“‘I cried for fifteen minutes,’ one student says after seeing the show. Another declared, ‘What was looted more than a century ago is our soul.’”
In recent years, certain African nations have charged that climate change is also the responsibility of the “North.” They say the droughts, floods and the advance of the Sahara (into neighboring countries) is the fault of the “Industrial North,” who pump millions of tons of CO2 into
Augustageddon
ing through a tunnel, trees piled higher than my car on both sides of the road. Knocked down power lines looped low and lay in the road and gave me a sense of the surreal atmosphere that greeted residents the morning after the storm. That short drive convinced me that my decision to pitch in and help had been a good one. Augusta is our neighbor, and she needs our help. At 7 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 24, I joined the rest of the team for breakfast at Marvin UMC. We all wore yellow neon T-shirts with a North Georgia Early Response Team emblem and our names on strips of duct tape on the front. Being new to the team, Mark explained the jobs: pullers, cutters, and a fork-lift driver. The crew handled the tasks like a well-oiled machine; by the time we left one home and went on to the next, we’d left a homeowner with a yard he or she could see, and six-foot piles of tree debris on the curb to be picked up later by contractors.
Before we began each yard, Mark introduced the homeowner to our team. Survivors wanted to tell their stories, so we listened. Enid, an Army veteran, cooked Puerto Rican chicken stew, Pollo Guisado, for us. One of her daughters had been awakened when a tree dropped on the roof over her bedroom, and she was covered in sheet rock.
The next-door neighbor, Patrick, huddled with his wife and five children while the storm ravaged the large trees around his property. Another survivor, Connie, told us that she had lost her husband not long ago, so she was alone when the trees started coming down. As Connie helped us drag debris to the curb, she’d tear up and thank us for coming to her aid. Over three days, we moved trees from at least six homes, and met gratitude, thanks, and prayers at every turn. What kept running through my head once I returned home and was away from all that mayhem was do unto others. You
the atmosphere. And, of course, they want compensation for this negligence, reparations for the industrial revolution, and this fuels more fear in the “North.”
The repatriation of illegals in the United States was the centerpiece of the Trump campaign. It fueled the anger that got many of Trump’s supporters to the polls on Tuesday. It was an issue that Harris tried to deflect by saying that Trump torpedoed legislation that would have solved the problem. Apparently that deflection didn’t work.
Of the various promises made by Trump, this is the hardest, the most difficult to keep. How he deals with this problem will be watched by Western Europe.
Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. He can be reached at cscottgraber@gmail.com.
know the rest.
Reverend Scott Parrish, Missions Specialist with the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church stopped by the sites frequently. He shared how he finds those who need help: https:// www.crisiscleanup.com. FEMA is removing debris from roads with claw trucks, but FEMA can’t do it all. The demand is overwhelming; volunteers are needed. These are our neighbors, folks. We could be hit the next time, so do what you can this time. It will take months to handle this cleanup, so don’t think you missed your opportunity in Augusta. Money sent to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) goes to disaster relief. Better yet, gather your able-bodied friends and join a relief team. Your help is needed.
M.Z. Thwaite, author of the Tidewater suspense series, is resident of Beaufort and can be reached at mzthwaite@gmail.com. Her website is www.mzthwaite.com.
TERRY MANNING
SCOTT GRABER
The monkeys we all needed
Like much of the world, my mind was caught up in a whirlwind over the election. The uncertainty felt as heavy and oppressive as the humidity in the South.
After accidentally watching the news, pundits convinced me that the world would end no matter the outcome. Election Tuesday would undoubtedly turn into a disastrous Wednesday, with our hopes for a less divided country crashing down around us.
With bated breath, I stayed awake an entire hour past my excruciatingly mature bedtime of 9 p.m. As
OCHERIMIE CRANE WEATHERFORD
tempting as it was to continue propping one eye open at the time while nervously devouring anything with an unhealthy caloric content, Mr. Sandman proved a formidable opponent. Wednesday arrived much like any other Wednesday,
n Tuesday evening, around 11, I decided to go to bed after watching the incoming results of the presidential election. Nothing was definitive at that point, but I had an uneasy feeling that I was watching the slow meltdown of democracy as we know it.
Strangely enough, I did not have a problem going to sleep. I knew that I had done what was within my purview: write consistently about my concerns, and vote.
As I sat with my morning coffee on Wednesday, I found that my apprehension from the night before was well-founded. I felt a deep sadness, but was not surprised. That sadness was even more enhanced by the text I received around 10 a.m., from my younger granddaughter who is 24 It simply read, “What’s the matter with this country?”
And that is a question that cries out for an answer, one that I am not sure I can successfully explain.
Prior to the election itself, many people stepped forward, people who knew and had worked with Trump, to warn the nation that this man is a danger to democracy. These were not just folks on the other side of the political fence, but rather high ranking military officers who had reason to know. These were true conservatives who recognized that Trump had somehow kidnapped the Republican party of Ronald Reagan and turned it into a machine of lies and retribution.
with slightly more impact than most. Wednesday is often considered the less adventurous of the weekdays, like the middle child. It was not as mold-breaking as Monday but far less entertaining than Friday.
However, the Wednesday after election day has its moment to shine. Instead of the standard "Hump Day" references, this day brings more than water cooler discussions.
Raised in the Deep South, second only to talking back to your mother, discussing politics is as acceptable as pretending football is just a sport. Voting is as personal
as the sins we swear we don't commit.
Peacefully navigating the post-election public is akin to ridding your back porch of mosquitoes. You can use whatever tool you have, but it won't solve the problem. November 6, regardless of the outcome, was sure to be a minefield of missteps. Then it happened. The one thing 99% of South Carolina residents didn't see coming the day after an election gave us all something to talk about other than who hates who. Forty-three Rhesus macaque monkeys escaped a research center in Yemassee, S.C.
Nothing can change a subject like the opportunity to catch a freedom-fighting monkey. Instead of debating red versus blue, with the seemingly accidental swing of a door, we find ourselves divided differently.
Some of us cheer our distant relatives on, while others are determined to detain the tiny anarchists; however, we all can't help but snicker at least a little.
On November 5, we scream Republicans or Democrats.
On November 6, we scream, “run, monkey run!” or notify the authorities immediately. Of all the things I had on my list of things to fear on November 6, monkeys weren't one.
No political views have been implied or insulted. Before you prepare to respond with criticism of this article or its author, please understand that its purpose is to lighten a heavy atmosphere, promote common ground among the divided, and boldly proclaim the importance of freedom for all primates.
Cherimie Weatherford is a long-time real estate broker, small business owner, wife and mom in beautiful Beaufort. She is the Director of Operations and Programs for the Freedman Arts District.
What’s the matter with this country?
Those who recognize the evils of Project 2025 stepped forward and laid out in clear language what adoption of this would mean for our country, starting with the demolition of the Department of Education. After all, banning of books seems to be popular lately.
What’s the matter with this country?
Abortion was clearly an issue. Incidents occurred as recently as last week that underscore the fact that women are being denied critical health services. They are being forced to carry a non-viable pregnancy because those in decision-making positions think like Donald Trump. It’s a travesty to abort the baby, indeed it is murder; yet murdering the mother passes the litmus test.
What’s the matter with this country?
Whatever rationale on the part of Trump supporters drove them to vote as they did, they, as well as we who did not vote for him, must recognize this: he will make amassing unchecked power his basic priority; he has told us as much. Constitutional checks and balances be damned. His inten-
tions regarding the Constitution were made very clear. Fair-minded federal prosecutors and judges don’t stand a chance. How many have already been verbally in the Trump cross-hairs?
At this point I have no illusions about the president-elect and how he intends to govern. I learned during his first term, and even when he left office, that he has no respect for the law or the traditions of democracy.
Sadly enough, neither does the rest of the world have these illusions. Even the tyrants of the world, who must surely be rubbing their hands in glee, know where he leans and how far they can go to enjoy his favor. How Ukraine must be anguishing, knowing their brave fight will have been for naught.
And what is to become of the Republican party? What happens to all of the true conservatives who have devoted their political lives to what surely must be considered ethical tradition? I have said before that while I do not adhere to many of their beliefs, I do accept a prevailing morality, something that is sadly absent in the “new brand” of Republicans.
If all seems lost, perhaps we can invest some small hope in this. Members of the new Congress will have a quandary confronting them. Trump will put names before them that they can quash if it is apparent these are unqualified or extreme. Or they can fall into line as so many have done. It remains to be seen whether or not these congres-
sional members can muster the courage to do what is right. If not, the results will be felt for decades to come.
However, the real responsibility for keeping our values intact lies with the voters. Should the President-elect make good on his devastating promises, these must have a spotlight shown on them. Furthermore, the media must keep due diligence, making sure they are well-known through repetition. Remember, there are midterm elections two years from now, and the world will be watching.
You, too, should have no illusions about Donald Trump and how he will govern. After all, we have seen Act One of this drama. In a Greek tragedy, the "denouement" refers to the final part of the play where the plot is unraveled, conflicts are resolved, and the story reaches its conclusion. We will
wait to see who the protagonist of this drama is, if indeed there is a protagonist.
And so, my dear granddaughter, I cannot answer your heartfelt question of what’s the matter with this country. I wish I could. We can only pray that what lies ahead can be corrected, when necessary. I understand your concern, and I want what is good for you as you make your way through this life. Remember this when you feel distraught: the females in our family are not quitters, and that includes you. We will do what we can within the law. It will take guts, no small amount of savvy and so much love; we have all of these and so we will meet the challenge.
Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”
Fight the dimming of American democracy
The Charleston City Paper
The United States got off the path of freedom and opportunity on Tuesday, Nov. 5, with the reelection of Donald Trump for a second term as president.
A slim majority in swing states, captivated by his cult of personality, empty promises, isolationism, fear, racism and stream-of-narcissistic blathering, tapped Trump the felon to lead the nation for the next four years into what may become a new reckless governing experiment.
Tuesday’s election will be remembered as a sad day for America — a day the country’s bipartisan legacy of moving forward shifted backward, to how things were in the past. And for many — particularly the young, infirm, poor and immigrants — the next four years will be scary. Trump’s threats of authoritarianism, inward-turning policies, lies and retribution will continue to cause chaos across the nation. Trump is a narcissist, not a healer-inchief, as he showed in his first term with poor man-
agement of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In fact, the 2024 election of Donald Trump and his congressional allies must have the Founding Fathers reeling. And veterans who died for freedom on battlefields across the world must be gobsmacked with tears in their eyes. The cause they championed — ensuring freedom to empower all Americans to have seemingly limitless opportunities in our republic — is less certain because of what’s likely to come out of a Washington dominated by
the seething, MAGA-fueled GOP cult of Trump.
Among domestic questions: Will punitive tariffs cause everyday Americans to pay thousands of dollars more per year for imported goods, as economists predict? Will the GOP limit reproductive health care even more? Will Social Security face cuts? Are mass deportations of immigrants on the horizon? These would not be questions had Tuesday’s outcome been different.
But the questions don’t stop at the border. Will America’s allies, disappoint-
ed in Tuesday’s results, pull away? Will the United States stop fueling freedom efforts by Ukranian patriots as they try to kick out Russian invaders? Will the country be drawn into a new global war? Will China retaliate somehow?
As tornadic as national politics are now, state and local political affairs should be less chaotic — at least until the impact of Trump’s new policies start trickling down.
Democracy dimmed across America on Tuesday. Let’s keep pressing to keep the lights on during the next four years so we get back onto the real path of freedom.
Charleston City Paper is an award-winning weekly newspaper in Charleston, S.C.
As we swim through the churning waters of democracy over the next four years, we must use all of our constitutional powers — including the powers of the minority — to protect our freedoms so that we can kick out the bums in 2028 To do less is to dishonor almost 250 years of American leadership.
CAROL LUCAS
ART
Budding Artist
After-School Art Club
4 to 5 p.m., or 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.,
Mondays/Wednesdays or Tuesday/Thursdays, Happy Art Studio, 10 Sam’s Point Way, Beaufort.
Ages 8 to 13. Painting, drawing, clay or crafts. Visit www.happyartstudio.net.
CALENDAR
Yemassee Police Department
Unity Prayer Breakfast
8 to 9:15 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 14, Yemassee Community Center, 10 Mixon Street, Yemassee.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks
9 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 31, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort. Presented by Beaufort Area Hospitality Association.
Beaufort Oyster Festival
Saturday, Jan. 18 & Sunday Jan. 19, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort.
50th Beaufort Charities Festival
Friday & Saturday, Feb. 28 & March 1, Live Oaks Park, Port Royal. Live entertainment Friday and Saturday nights. Oyster roast all day Saturday.
Lowcountry Food Truck Festival
11 a.m., Saturday, April 5, 1404 Paris Avenue, Port Royal.
Karaoke with Melissa
8 p.m. to midnight, Tuesdays, Highway 21 Bar, 3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.
Karaoke with Melissa
7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
9:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Rosie
O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with either Parker or Eric.
Trivia with Tom –
Bricks On Boundary
7 p.m., Every Thursday, Bricks on Boundary, 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.
Karaoke at Willie’s
8 p.m., Thursdays, Willie's Bar and Grill, 7 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Saint Helena Island. Come and showcase your singing talents or just enjoy the performances. For more information, visit www.GullahLove.com.
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.
Habersham Farmers Market
3 to 6 p.m., Fridays, Habersham Marketplace. Vendor roster includes B&E Farm, Cottonwood Soap, Flower Power Treats, Hardee Greens, Megs Sweet Treats, Vitamin Bee, Lady’s Island Oyster Company, Pet Wants.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
9 p.m., Fridays, Highway 21 Bar, 3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Lt. Dan.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew
9:30 p.m., Fridays, Rosie
O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Parker.
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.
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
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Town of Yemassee Christmas Tree Lighting & Christmas Party
6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 19, downtown Yemassee. Activities include hayrides, refreshments, pictures with Santa, bingo, painting and more.
DANCE
The Beaufort Shag Club
A
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.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew 7 p.m., Saturdays, The Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd., Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with Lt. Dan. Come early at 6 p.m. for Steak Night.
Eric’s Karaoke Krew 9:30 p.m., Saturdays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with Eric.
Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud
9 a.m. to noon, 1st Saturday each month, Port Royal Farmer’s Market, Corner of Ribaut Road & Pinckney Blvd, Port Royal. Free. DAYLO Students and other volunteers will read to young children, who are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animals.
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.
CHRISTMAS
Lowco Gardeners
Christmas Market
3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 30, Lowco Gardeners, 1 Marina Blvd., Beaufort. Shopping 3 to 5:30 p.m.; Tree
lighting 5:30 p.m.; Movie 6 p.m.
Pictures With Santa 9:30 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, Dec. 14, Port Royal Farmers Market Gazebo. Sponsored by the Beaufort Garden Club. Adults, Children, Grandchildren or Pets.
Christmas Movie Night Meets Night On The Town 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6, 1301 Bay Street, in front of the Best Western, Beaufort. Movies include The Grinch and Disney’s The Santa Clause. Bring your own chairs. Free hot chocolate and popcorn.
Sponsored by Stokes Honda Cars of Beaufort; Harvey & Battey, Attorneys at Law; and The City of Beaufort
13th annual Nativity Celebration 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6 and 7; Noon to 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 8, First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort, 1201 North Street. Public is welcome for this free community eventcelebrating the Christmas story with more than 150 nativities from around the world.
Christmas Extravaganza With The Cox Team 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15, 1304
Paris Avenue, Port Royal. Crafts, treats, bounce house, face painting, Santa & Mrs. Claus and more.
Sponsored by Stephanie Cox, The Cox Team, EXP Realty and Melanie Ott with Gateway Mortgage Group. Family, friends, clients, associates — let’s get together for a fun afternoon spreading holiday cheer.
6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, AmVets Club, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free lessons for members from 6 to 6:30 p.m. We also host a dance the second Saturday of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. Lessons will run September through May only. Visit our FaceBook page (beaufortshagclub) for current events.
EMPLOYMENT
Veteran Job Fair 3 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 20, Building 12, Technical College of the Lowcountry, 921 Ribaut Road, Beaufort. Register at https://bit.ly/4hFO6r9.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
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.
BEMER Circulation Therapy
10 to 11 a.m., Fridays via Zoom. Already own a BEMER? Never heard of it but curious? Join to ask any questions about this leading-edge German technology that enhances blood flow 30% in 8 minutes. Sessions are designed to support those who have their own unit but everyone is welcome. Brought to you by BEMER Specialist -- Human & Equine, Elizabeth Bergmann. Text 410-212-1468 to get the Zoom link. Free.
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-of-the-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, self-guided walking tours with a smart phone, exhibits in the history center, and docent-led tours. For more information visit www. fortfremont.org or contact Passive Parks Manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@bcgov.net.
LIBRARY ACTIVITIES
“Lego” With Lego 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., every Tuesday, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. Ages 5 and up. No registration required. Come see our new and improved Lego Club. Choose one of our new Lego kits and get going. Call 843-255-6540 for more information.
Career Navigator
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., every Tuesday, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Free one-on-one resume writing and job application assistance with a Career Navigator from Palmetto Goodwill. No appointments necessary. For more information call 843-255-6458.
Bridge Club 11 a.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Beginning September 18. The first session is for beginners new to the game, and following sessions will provide some instruction and we will learn as we play. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843-255-6458 for more information.
Mahjong Club 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fridays, Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street. All levels of players are welcome. Feel free to bring your own mahjong sets. Plan to meet every week. For more information, call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843-255-6458.
MEETINGS
Zonta Club of Beaufort 6 p.m., 4th Tuesday of each month, Smokehouse, Port Royal.
Rotary Club of Sea Island lunch meeting 12:15 p.m., 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Social gathering every 3rd Tuesday at 5:30 pm, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information, visit www.seaislandrotary.org.
Rotary Club of Sea Island social gathering 5:30 p.m., 3rd Tuesday of each month, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information, visit www.seaislandrotary.org.
Beaufort Rotary Club Noon, Wednesdays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Catered buffet lunch, followed by a guest speaker. Prospective members welcome. For further information and upcoming speakers, please visit website www.beaufortrotaryclub.org.
The Beaufort Trailblazers –A Volunteer Group 8 a.m., first Thursday each month, Herban Marketplace, Beaufort. Anyone interested in supporting or building off-road/dirt/ wilderness mountain biking/jogging/walking trails near is encouraged to attend. For more information, call 843-575-0021 or email universitybicycles@hotmail.com.
Emotions Anonymous International local group meeting 4 p.m, Thursdays, via Zoom. Emotions Anonymous International, (EAI), is a nonprofit program designed to help people with emotional difficulties. It has a chapter in the Lowcountry and members want others who feel the need to know they are welcome to participate. There is no charge to participate. They are based on the 12 steps and 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and follow a specific format designed to provide the support and tools for navigating life’s painful difficulties. All are welcome. Anyone interested in participating may contact the group via email at EALowcountry@gmail.com or call or text Laurie at 252- 917-7082. For more information on EAI visit www.emotionsanonymous.org.
Rotary Club of the Lowcountry 7:30 a.m., Fridays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, Sea Island Parkway, Lady’s Island. A light breakfast is provided before the program. For further information and upcoming speakers, please visit our website at www.lowcountryrotary.org or contact our President, Bob Bible at reconmc@aol. com or 843-252-8535.
MUSIC
Deas Guyz
7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 29; Willie's Bar and Grill, 7 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Saint Helena Island. $35. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information and tickets, visit www.GullahLove.com.
Habersham Third Fridays Music on Market 5 to 8 p.m., third Friday of the month, Habersham Marketplace.
OUTDOORS/NATURE
The Coastal Birds of Hunting Island
The Beaufort Tree Walk Lady’s Island Garden Club invites you to take a meandering walk through the Historic “Old Point” and enjoy some unique and noteworthy trees. The “Walk” takes about an hour, is a little over a mile starting at the corner of Craven & Carteret streets in Morrall Park and concluding in Waterfront Park. Booklets with map and information about each tree are available free at the Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street.
RUNNING/WALKING
Lab Monkey Freedom Run
2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 17, Shellring Ale Works, 1111 11th Street, Port Royal. $20 entry fee. Race begins and ends at Shellring. Fee includes shirt and a beer. Costumes – monkeys, lab workers, bananas – are encouraged. A local legend Monkey will be on the course with plenty of shenanigans and malarkey. Any runners who beat the Monkey to the finish line will receive a wild prize. Catch the Monkey is a fun run for walkers, joggers, competitive and non-competitive
R8M to register.
Habitat for Humanity Turkey Trot 5K 8 a.m., Thanksgiving Day morning, Thursday, Nov. 28, downtown Beaufort. Online registration for the race is open until 2 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 26. The link to sign up for the race is https://bit.ly/4hBcoCF. After 2 p.m., Nov. 26, participants can register in person from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., at Grounded Running at 2139 Boundary Street, Unit 108 in Beaufort, and at Freedom Mall on Bay Street in Beaufort on race day until 7:45 a.m. All proceeds from the race will go directly toward building a home for a local family. The Turkey Trot is the third race in the Beaufort Triple Crown race series, preceded by the Run Forest Run race in October and the Swing Bridge Run earlier this month.
SALES (Estate, Garage, Rummage, Yard) Large Estate Sale 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 14 through Saturday, Nov. 16, 79 Wade Hampton Road, Lady's Island. Furniture, small appliances, tools, electronics, household items. Call 928-710-1169.
SEWING/QUILTING
American Needlepoint
Guild Meeting 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1st Tuesday each month. The Hilton Head Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild welcomes anyone, beginner or experienced stitcher, who is interested in needlepoint to join us for stitching, learning and fellowship. For more information, please contact us at hiltonheadislandchapter@needlepoint.org.
Embroidery Guild of America Meeting Second Tuesday of every month, Palmetto Electric Community Room, Hardeeville. The Lowcountry Chapter of the Embroidery Guild of America welcomes anyone, beginner or experienced stitcher, who is interested in any type of embroidery including needlepoint, crossstitch, surface and beaded embroidery, hardanger, bargello, sashiko, etc., to join us for stitching, learning and fellowship. For more information, please contact us at lowcountrychapter@egacarolinas.org.
Autumn Exhibit of Embroidery Techniques
2 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 9, Lobeco Branch Library, 1862 Trask Parkway, Lobeco. This time is for an Artist Meet & Greet. The Lowcountry Chapter of the Embroidery Guild of America is hosting an Autumn Exhibit of Embroidery Techniques through mid-November. Refreshments will be served at the Meet & Greet. Drop in to meet the artists behind the creative pieces on display. For more information, please contact the llbrary at 843-255-6479 or beaufortcountylibrary.org or the Embroidery Guild at lowcountrychapter@egacarolinas.org.
2:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, Hunting Island Nature Center. An educational talk with Rebecca McCollam, the Shorebird Stewardship Director for the Friends of Hunting Island. Learn how to identify common coastal birds, the challenges they face, and what we can do to help them. Space is limited, contact FOHIConservationOutreach@ gmail.com to reserve a seat.
Respecting and appreciating our military
President Reagan in a radio address to the nation in 1983 is quoted, “Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they’ve suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.”
In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a cease fire was declared as the signing of the Armistice effectively ended World War I. (The armistice, after initially expiring after 36 days, was extended several times. A formal peace agreement was reached only when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919.)
A year later, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 as Armistice Day for the soldiers who survived as they marched in hometown parades. However, the first celebration using the term “Veterans Day” occurred in Birmingham, Ala., in 1947. Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, organized a National day to honor all veterans which included a parade and other festivities.
In 1954, president Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation changing the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. A law passed in 1968 to change the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October.
It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its original date. The Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act was passed in 2016 Though I did not serve in the
military, I’m proud of my son, who is a Marine and then later served with the Department of Homeland Security. He is now a police officer at a Veterans Healthcare facility. Neither my father nor my grandfather served, but on my mother’s side of the family, it’s quite a different story. My mom’s father served in World War I, and her three of her brothers served in Korea, from which, sadly, one did not return. My Uncle Kenny, at only 20 years old, was killed on the battlefield.
As a chaplain for a veterans retirement facility, and it’s an honor to spend quality time with the many fine men and women of our nation’s armed forces. In this month of remembrance, I believe it’s important to not only respect and preserve their amazing accomplishments in battle but to also appreciate who they are as individuals.
I remember visiting a man named Edward Hicks several years ago who willingly stepped forward when his country needed him the most. He was only 22 and had just married his lovely bride, Mary Lou, four months earlier. He received the call to join the frontline and bravely responded to what would be known around the world as “Operation Overlord.”
I recently read a story about a soldier, Pvt. 1st Class Roman Davis, who served with U.S. Army intelligence in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan. They were essentially in a black zone, which means if you venture outside of the wire, most likely someone is going to die or be wounded. They were tracking key targets such as Osama Bin Laden for over a year.
“I remember during that difficult time being incredibly homesick and just lost, if you will, in the middle of a hostile environment,” Davis said.
One day, a U.S. Blackhawk helicopter flew over their location and dropped a few bright yellow mail bags. The sergeant, who called Davis “Peaches” because he
Reasons for Faith
was from South Georgia, yelled, “Peaches, you have mail.” It was a box from home.
He cut it open, and removed layers of aluminum foil, and discovered his mamaw had sent him a huge sour cream pound cake.
“I’ve seen her bake many of these cakes and give them away as gifts, they are my favorite,” Davis said. “So, here I am 7,000 miles from home, and my grandmother’s pound cake is now sitting in front of me. My team is staring at it, so I pulled out my combat kabar and cut it into 12 massive chunks. As I tasted it … I cried. Sitting there on that dreary mountainside it could not have tasted more fresh or delicious as it would have in her kitchen. And,
A Leap of Faith Choosing to Believe in God
Would you jump from a plane without a parachute?
If you are in a plane high in the sky, it would be crazy to jump out without a parachute. Even if you were convinced that this was a good idea, such an action would fly in the face of all available logic. There would be no reason to expect to survive.
This is how many people imagine faith.
Religious faith is commonly misunderstood today to be merely a feeling or a preference, something that has nothing to do with reason or evidence. In such a case, belief in God would require a blind leap of faith, as apparently irrational as jumping out of a plane without a parachute.
What if you had a good parachute?
Suppose you are standing in the plane with a working parachute. It is engineered for a person of your size and weight, and you have been trained in its use. Knowing all of these things, jumping can be seen as a reasonable course of action. You have every reason to expect that, should you jump, you will land safely. But even with all of this evidence, at some point you still have to make the choice: will you jump?
There are good reasons for faith in God.
In this series of faith messages, we have been exploring some of the reasons for faith in God. Persuasive arguments can be made from observations of the universe, such as its existence from nothing and its apparent fine-tuning. Important evidence can also be found in human nature, such as the laws of morality and the yearning we experience for something beyond this world. These clues each have their limits, but taken as a group they have a cumulative effect and carry weight.
Faith and reason are meant to go together.
for that one moment … I felt so loved, even though I was lonely and cold, that cake warmed my heart. It was just like Mamaw was hugging me.”
We will never forget, not only those who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice and especially the ones who did. President John F. Kennedy in his 1963 Thanksgiving proclamation on November 5 declared, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is to not just utter noble words but to live by them.”
Billy Holland is an ordained minister, a certified chaplain and Christian author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.
Reasons for Faith Message 7 of 8
In the traditional Christian understanding, faith and reason are meant to support one another. We use our intellect to look at the evidence, and this can open our hearts to help us receive the gift of faith. We can see that faith in God is actually quite reasonable, not contrary to common sense or science at all. But at some point, we still have to choose to make the leap of faith. We have to choose to believe in God and begin a new life with him.
Why not ask God for the gift of faith?
We cannot make the leap of faith on our own power; faith is a gift we receive from God. If you are unsure whether God exists, why not ask him to reveal himself to you? You can pray a simple prayer, such as, “God, I don’t know if you are real, but if you are, please help me to know you.” Even though you will probably not experience a miraculous sign or a voice from heaven, God will gradually reveal himself to those who seek him. If he does not exist, you lose nothing, but if he does exist, you gain a treasure beyond price.
BILLY HOLLAND
How an SC teen went from homeless to the Marine Corps
Lexington County sheriff’s deputy helps an unsheltered teen find a new career
By Skylar Laird SCDailyGazette.com
COLUMBIA
an option for all of them to escape homelessness, but it is one potential path, Sanders said.
After Brian Gilbert graduated from Marine Corps basic training, he greeted the Lexington County deputy who had arrested him months earlier with a hug.
Deputy John Sanders booked Gilbert into the county’s detention center on charges of shoplifting from a grocery store deli before discovering the then-18year-old high school senior was homeless and struggling to get food. Sanders, a U.S. Army Reserve member, thought a military enlistment could be the way to get Gilbert on a better path, he said in a news release commemorating Veterans Day.
During the 2020-2021 school year, nearly 12 000 public school students were homeless, according to the most recently reported data by the state Department of Education. About a quarter of those students were unsheltered, meaning they were living in parks, campgrounds or cars, according to the department.
Joining the military isn’t
Gilbert was one such case. He didn’t have a job. He rarely went to school. He was living in the woods behind a shopping center in the town of Gilbert. A military enlistment could help get him back on his feet, the deputy said.
“From my experience with the military, you’re fed, you get a place to sleep and you get paid for it,” Sanders said. Sanders wasn’t sure whether Gilbert would want to join, but when he mentioned the Marines to the teen, Gilbert agreed to meet with a recruiter.
So, after helping clear Gilbert’s shoplifting charges, Sanders called Sgt. Brent Latham, a Marine Corps recruiter.
“I at least wanted to give him a foot in the door and see if he ran with it,” Sanders said.
After meeting at a coffee shop, Latham brought Gilbert back to the office to talk about the teen’s goals. Gilbert didn’t know what he wanted to do, he told the recruiter.
But when Latham brought up the Marines, Gilbert was on board.
“I was like, ‘You know what, let’s just go for it,’” Gilbert said in a sheriff’s department video.
Gilbert passed the mental and physical exams required to enlist, and Latham
signed him up for 13 weeks of basic training on Parris Island, where about half of all Marine Corps recruits train each year.
Sanders and Latham both came to see him graduate in May.
Gilbert “was grinning ear to ear,” Sanders said. He hugged Sanders and
thanked him for his help. Latham, too, thanked Sanders for calling him.
“It took one phone call from a deputy to a Marine Corps recruiter to get someone from a terrible situation in the woods to where he’s at now, in a full career with a salary,” Latham said. “One phone call can absolutely
make a difference.”
Latham was not surprised to see Gilbert succeed. After all, the teenager was bright and enthusiastic despite his difficult circumstances, Latham said.
“Brian was outgoing. Brian was smart. Brian wanted to succeed,” Latham said.
Gilbert, now a Marine Corps private, moved onto advanced engineering training at Camp Lejeune military base in North Carolina. He is learning to be a utilities systems technician, a job that involves installing and running utilities in the field, such as power generators, showers and air conditioners. He’s considering pursuing a bachelor’s degree, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
“I mean, this is way better off than I thought I would be,” Gilbert said.
Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and Courier’s Columbia bureau. S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
What veterans need to know about public disability benefits questionnaires
According to the VA webpage titled “Compensation-Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs)” found at https://bit.ly/4861vmz, DBQs help collect necessary medical information to process veterans disability claims. Veterans can use these forms to submit medical evidence from their health care providers. This information helps to support veterans’ claims for disability benefits.
There are 68 DBQs listed at the “VA DBQ” webpage. The DBQ process involves four steps: (1) Access the form online. (2) Have your healthcare provider complete the form; (3) Save a copy for your records; and (4) Submit the form to VA.
The VA directs veterans to have their health care provider fill out and submit the appropriate forms for their claimed conditions. Both VA healthcare providers and private physicians are eligible to complete DBQ forms. When a private doctor fills out a DBQ, it's essential for the veteran to ensure that the physician is aware of the VA's specific criteria and requirements for disability evaluation.
A DBQ is not required for every VA disability claim, but it can be instrumental in expediting the claims process and improving the accuracy of the disability evaluation. By providing detailed information on the specific condition and its impact on the veteran's health, a DBQ can significantly improve and assist the evaluation process. It offers a “standardized way” for healthcare providers to supply the VA with critical medical evidence, which can lead to faster decisions and more accurate disability ratings.
While veterans can still pursue claims without a DBQ, having one completed by a qualified healthcare provider can enhance the claim's clarity and comprehensiveness. I must admit that this veterans’ advocate has never used a DBQ with any of my more than 20 service-connected disability claims. However, I have always included
signed doctor and/or medical specialist (Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist, Chiropractor, Dentist, etc.) statements with each claim.
I used every possible form of evidence I could muster to prove I had a service-connected injury, wound, illness, disease, condition, and HAZMAT contamination/ exposure that was caused by military service, or worsened by my military service, or was caused by my military service and showed up after I retired from the military.
I used multiple Lay Witness Statements (spouse, battle buddies, etc.), military medical records and personnel records, detailed descriptions of symptoms, Line of Duty Investigation Reports, Accident Reports, Enlisted Efficiency Reports, Officer Efficiency Reports, pictures of battle damaged hellos I flew, pictures of my wounds, my VA medical records, civilian medical records, medical articles, medical books (like Touched With Fire by Kay R. Jamison), medical study reports, unit historical records, Operational Hazard Reports, interviews with doctors, lists of medications, and everything I could assemble to support my claims and the hundreds of claims of veterans I assisted.
The detailed and standardized format of DBQs does help in providing consistent and comprehensive medical evidence, allowing the VA to make informed decisions. Veterans should discuss the DBQ with their healthcare provider to ensure it is filled out accurately.
The VA does not pay or reimburse any expenses or costs incurred while completing or submitting DBQs.
In most instances, veterans are entitled to a no cost disability examination by the VA. In some instances, the VA may determine an additional disability examination is required to complete the claim. If an exam is scheduled, the veteran must report for the examination.
If filing through a Benefits Delivery at Discharge or Integrated Disability Evaluation System, military members/veterans must complete the Separation Health Assessment DBQ - Part A. You can find the Separation Health Assessment DBQ - Part A at https://bit.ly/4etMQ7H.
You can find the Guidance for Separation Health Assessment DBQ - Part A at https://bit. ly/4ev8lF4
All clinician information blocks at the bottom of the forms must be completed. Also, the clinician filling out the form must sign and date it.
Use a VSO Veterans can find S.C. County VSOs at https://bit.ly/3qbLVSL. Find Georgia VSOs at https://bit. ly/44KMVA7. Veterans can search for VA-accredited representatives (VSOs, Attorneys, and Claims Agents) nationwide at https:// bit.ly/3QnCk5M or https://bit. ly/3QnCk5M. Veterans can also search for VA-accredited representatives (VSOs) at VBA Regional Offices at https://bit.ly/3WQp0e3
The bottom line Use DBQs to help answer every VA question and meet every VA requirement about your eligibility for disability compensation. Make an appointment with your local VSO. Have your VSO explain your state and federal veterans’ benefits. Have your VSO represent you and help you file for your veterans’ benefits and services. Assemble every piece of evidence that you can muster to support your claim. Read all of the references below.
naires (DBQs), https://bit. ly/4861vmz. VA Disability Compensation https://www.va.gov/disability/. Eligibility (Requirements for VA Disability Compensation) https://www.va.gov/disability/ eligibility/.
• How to File a VA Disability (Compensation) Claim, https://bit.ly/3wYGMRJ. Types of Disability Claims and When to File, https://bit. ly/3m6K3M9 Evidence Needed for Your Disability Claim, https://bit. ly/3w6YGAN. Fully Developed Claims Program, https://bit.ly/3CTtFV0 Standard Disability Claims https://bit.ly/3Z7UGNg. File Additional Forms for Your Disability Claim, https://bit. ly/3XgpDxU Supporting forms for VA claims, https://bit.ly/3KPYQ7I.
• Submit a Lay or Witness Statement to Support a VA claim, https://bit.ly/3YNARMi. Submit an Intent to File, https://bit.ly/3UMOwlK. VA Office of Inspector General FRAUD ALERT DBQ Fraud Schemes), DBQ fraud schemes include attempts to obtain payment from veterans for assistance with getting DBQs completed by physicians and filing the related claim, even though free services are offered through VA and its accredited individuals, https://bit.ly/4g18Sjx. VA accredited representative FAQs, https://bit.ly/3TcLOoK. Separation Health Assessment DBQ/Part A, https://bit. ly/3O2PSF1 Guidance for Separation Health Assessment DBQ/Part A, https://bit.ly/4ev8lF4 Authorization to Disclose Information to the Department of Veterans Affairs VA Form 21-4142, https://bit. ly/3O4uy2c and VA Form 21-4142a.
General Release for Medical Provider Information to the Department of Veteran Affairs, https://bit.ly/4fl4yeJ. VA Compensation (Claim Exam In formation), https:// bit.ly/4fsZDZl.
• VA Claim Exam (C&P Exam), https://www.va.gov/ disability/va-claim-exam/. Get Help from a VA-accredited Representative or VSO, https://bit.ly/3WwDXmN. Find a VA-accredited Rep or VSO, https://bit.ly/4g9yGdW. About VA Disability Ratings, https://bit.ly/3N2Cnns. Current Disability Compensation Rates, https://bit. ly/3ZnUuu0 Disability Compensation Effective Dates, https://bit. ly/3ZjtTxy. VA M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, https://bit. ly/3YXZPKh.
38CFR Part 3 Compensation and Pension, https://bit. ly/3YZVK8t.
38CFR Part 4 Schedule for Rating Disabilities, https:// bit.ly/3YYZqr4
“How to File a VA disability Claim,” The Island News articles 1 and 2, Aug 16 and 23 2023, https://www.yourislandnews.com and click on Military.
“What Veterans Should Know about VA Claim Exams,” The Island News articles 1 thru 4, Nov 15, 22, 29, 2023 and Dec 5, 2024, https://www.yourislandnews. com and click on Military.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War
LARRY DANDRIDGE
Pvt. Brian Gilbert poses at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina on Aug. 15, 2024. Lance Cpl. Zachary Candiani/USMC
SERVICE DIRECTORY
ATTORNEY
Christopher J. Geier
Attorney at Law, LLC
Criminal Defense & Civil Litigation
16 Professional Village Circle, Lady's Island Office: 843-986-9449 • Fax: 843-986-9450
chris@bftsclaw.com • www.geierlaw.com
AUDIOLOGY & HEARING
Beaufort Audiology & Hearing Care
Monica Wiser, M.A. CCC-A
Licensed Audiologist
38 Professional Village West, Lady's Island monica@beauforthearing.com www.beauforthearing.com | 843-521-3007
Hear the Beauty that Surrounds You
The Beaufort Sound Hearing and Balance Center
Dr. Larry Bridge, AU.D./CCC-A 206 Sea Island Parkway, Suite 31, Beaufort thebeaufortsound@gmail.com www.thebeaufortsound.com | 843-522-0655
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SPECTACULAR PUBLIC AUCTION!
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