Since May 2005 PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID CHARLESTON, SC PERMIT NO. 137 POSTAL PATRON
Volume 21 • Issue 5
Isle of Palms Advances Hate Crime Ordinance with Unanimous Vote By Theresa Stratford The City of Isle of Palms City Council voted unanimously in support of an amendment to an ordinance on offenses against public peace. The amendment would add regulations on hate intimidation and haterelated crimes. A second reading of the ordinance will be addressed at a later date. The ordinance is intended to protect Isle of Palms residents and visitors from acts motivated by bias based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or economic status. Isle of Palms took the initiative to enact the ordinance in response to South Carolina being one of only two states in the nation without official hate crime legislation. Other area municipalities that have recently passed similar hate crime ordinances include North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Summerville. The goal is to send a message that hate crimes will not be tolerated in these communities. Violators would be subject to a $500 fine and/or imprisonment for up to 30 days. Community service may also be imposed. Restitution to the victim would be authorized as well. South Carolina was ranked second lowest for hate crime reports in the United States in 2024, according to a study by High Rise Financial. The study found the state averages 1.14 hate crime incidents per 100,000 residents. Alaska had the lowest rate. Although the number of hate crimes in South Carolina is relatively low, municipalities like Isle of Palms hope that enacting ordinances against these acts will continue to deter perpetrators. Supporters hope that as more municipalities adopt hate crime legislation, others across the state will follow suit. It has been 10 years since the hate crime at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, where nine people were killed during a Bible study. Polly Sheppard, a survivor of the tragedy, continues to advocate for hate crime laws in South Carolina. The effort is also advancing at the county level. Richland County was the first in the state to enact a hate crime ordinance. State Rep. Wendell Gilliard has also pushed for hate crime legislation. On the 10th anniversary of the Mother Emanuel shooting, he noted that 78% of South Carolinians support a statewide hate crime law. Hate crime laws in communities, supporters say, help turn tragedy into positive change.
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August 8, 2025 Picture Provided by Sullivan’s Island Fire and Rescue
Truck Found Submerged Off Sullivan’s Island; Driver Detained and Facing Multiple Charges By Christian Senger On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at approximately 10 a.m., officers with the Sullivan’s Island Police Department detained an adult male near Fort Moultrie. The individual was later transported to MUSC for a medical evaluation. That night, the department said it was contacted by a commercial trucking company reporting that one of its drivers was missing and had not made contact. The company’s tracking software last showed the vehicle’s location near the Benke-Lowe Boat Landing in the 900 block of Osceola Avenue. After reviewing the coordinates provided, officers determined the truck was likely sub(Continued on page 5) merged. Further investigation confirmed the previously detained individual
Municipal Election Information for Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms By Christian Senger The municipal election for Sullivan’s Island Town Council and Isle of Palms City Council will be held Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. The candidate filing period for those seeking to run on Sullivan’s Island is currently open and will close Aug. 21. The filing period for Isle of Palms opens at noon Friday, Aug. 29, and will close at noon Tuesday, Sept. 8. Candidates must be residents of the town or city in which they are running and must be registered voters in Charleston County. All candidates—whether running for the first time or seeking re-election—must submit a Statement of Intention of Candidacy form or, for Sullivan’s Island, a petition. They are also required to file a Statement of Economic Interest (SEI), a financial disclosure form submitted to the South Carolina Ethics Commission. A filing fee must also be paid. Candidates running for Sullivan’s Island Town Council must submit a petition signed by at least 5% of the town’s registered voters. According to the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections (BVRE), there are 1,718 registered voters on Sullivan’s Island as of this publication—meaning a minimum of 86 valid signatures is required. BVRE recommends collecting more than the minimum, as some signatures may be deemed invalid due to voter ineligibility or incorrect registration. Isle of Palms candidates can file at Isle of Palms City Hall, located at 1207 Palm Blvd. Sullivan’s Island residents can pick up an election packet and petition forms from Town Clerk Bridget Welch at Sullivan’s Island Town Hall, 2056 Middle St. For more information about the November election, visit scvotes.gov or chsvotes.gov. Candidates interested in advertising with The Island Eye News may contact Lynn Pierotti at lynn@luckydognews.com.