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APRIL 27–MAY 3, 2023
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Marine recruit dies at Parris Island
(COMMSTRAT). “We were excited to open the base to the public and provide them with an airshow after not having one for the past four years.” Typically, MCAS Beaufort hosts an airshow every two years, but the last airshow to be held in Beaufort was in 2019. The show that would have been held in 2021 was canceled due to the coronavirus. “Last year was the first full airshow season that we have had since COVID-19 hit, so it is such a great feeling to be able to get back out this year,” Cmdr. Alex Armatas, flight lead-
By Delayna Earley The Island News There have been no new details released in the death of 21-year-old recruit from Decatur, Ga., on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. In a press release issued on Wednesday, April 19, officials said that Pfc. Noah Evans died during a physical fitness test. Evans was a recruit assigned to the Mike ComPfc. Noah pany, 3rd Recruit Evans Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment. He was posthumously made a private first class. Evans’ cause of death is currently under investigation, according to the release. His death was also confirmed by Beaufort County coroner David Ott. According to The Daily Mail, a celebration of life ceremony will be held for the young soldier with visitation at the family’s home in Ellenwood, Georgia all week. On Friday, there will be a viewing and a wake at Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home followed by the funeral on Sunday at First Iconium’s Baptist Church and burial at Kennedy Memorial Gardens. This is the fourth death that has occurred at Parris Island in the past two years. Pfc. Dalton Beals, 19, of Pennsville, N.J., died of hyperthermia in June 2021 while completing the Crucible, which is the last part of a recruit’s training at Parris Island. The Crucible is a physically
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Lt. Amanda Lee climbs into her cockpit before the Blue Angels’ demonstration during the Beaufort Air Show on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in Beaufort. Lee is the first female to pilot one of the Blue Angels F/A-18 jets as part of the demonstration team. Delayna Earley/The Island News
Back in Blue
MCAS Beaufort Airshow makes soaring comeback By Delayna Earley and Bob Sofaly The Island News BEAUFORT – The MCAS Beaufort Airshow returned to Beaufort this past weekend, attracting an estimated 100,000 spectators. The airshow was held on Saturday and Sunday, April 22 and 23, at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, and despite some initial concern about the weather on Saturday, visitors came out in droves to view the aerobatics demonstrations, precision parachuters, military aircraft demonstrations and static aircraft exhibits. While tickets were available for purchase to get into the box seating
VIDEO Follow this link or go to https:// youtu.be/_ lsnKQS8Kg8 for video from Sunday’s airshow.
closer to the flight line, the event was free for the general public to attend. “We had a larger turnout on Sunday, we believe the potential rain did affect Saturday,” said Gunnery Sgt. Robert Dea, Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (SNCOIC) of Communication Strategy and Operations
St. Helena CPO update passes Council’s 2nd reading Large development could happen even if changes are adopted
By Mike McCombs The Island News Two down, one to go. Once again, in front of a packed County Council Chambers, the Beaufort County Council voted, on second reading, to adopt changes to St. Helena Island’s Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO). This time
by a vote of 8 to 2. According to the meeting’s agenda, this was the public hearing and second reading of an ordinance for text amendments to the community development code (CDC): Article 3, Division 3.4, Section 3.4.50 – Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO); Section 3.4.10 — Purpose; and Division 3.1, Section 3.1.70 — Land Use Definitions, Recreation Facility: Golf Course, to update definitions, regulations, and standards in the Cultural Protection Overlay Zone.
In simpler vernacular, the Council voted, on second reading, to adopt changes in the language that is meant to clarify, if not strengthen, the Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO), the goal of which is to guard against over-development on St. Helena Island and protect a way of life for what remain of the Gullah/Geechee people. The change in language clarifies, among other things, the definition of a golf course, The vote on the first reading at
the April 10 County Council meeting was 10-1. The potentially updated CPO language does not directly pertain to developer Elvio Tropeano’s planned gated community and golf course (or three six-hole golf courses) on Pine Island and at St. Helenaville, but to pretend the two are not related is folly. Virtually everyone involved — County officials, Council members, local residents vocally opposed to the development, as well
as those in favor of the projects — have conflated the two separate but closely related topics. Even should the CPO, strengthened or not, prevent the culmination of Tropeano’s plans for development of the culturally and environmentally sensitive land in question, County Administrator Eric Greenway has made it clear in the recent past that the developer would be well within his rights to
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City of Beaufort holds ribbon-cutting ceremony for their newest park.
Bridges Prep’s boys soccer team completes perfect region run.
Robert Smalls’ Tarrance takes flight with Blue Angels.
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