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APRIL 4–10, 2024
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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Loper will face ethics hearing
WANT TO GO? What: Robert Smalls 185th birthday celebrations • Event 1 Who: Hosted by Rev. Kenneth Hodges and the Beaufort Republican Women’s Club
Ex-parks and rec director faces five counts of using her office for financial gain
When: 11 a.m. Where: Tabernacle Baptist Church, 901 Craven Street Cost: There is no charge for the event, but donations to the Harriet Tubman Memorial Fund are accepted.
By Delayna Earley The Island News Former Beaufort County Parks and Recreation Director Shannon Loper will attend a hearing in October 2024 in Columbia to answer for five counts of Use of Official Position to Obtain Economic Interest, according to a letter sent by the S.C. State Ethics Commission. The letter was sent to a complainant — known to The Island Shannon News but who Loper wishes to remain anonymous — stating that the State Ethics Commission has determined that there is probable cause to convene a formal hearing into the matter. The complainant filed several complaints with the State Ethics Commission about Loper in 2023 — this letter is in response to one of them. The five counts that Loper faces are: • Using her position to obtain economic interest for a family member by authorizing payments to her son, Dawson Loper, totaling $1217. • Using her position to obtain economic interest for a family member by authorizing pay-
• Event 2 Who: Anita SingletonPrather, aka Aunt Pearlie Sue, and the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce When: 5 to 8 p.m.
Robert Smalls was born in April 5, 1839, in a cabin behind his owner’s house at 511 Prince Street in Beaufort. He later became a Civil War hero and a career public servant. Public domain
Where: Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce, 711 Bladen Street Cost: Free and open to the public
Let’s have a party … or 2 Community invited to celebrate Robert Smalls’ 185th birthday in Beaufort
From staff reports
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lack or white, young or old, Republican or Democrat – it’s a day so big in Beaufort, just about everyone should be celebrating. Friday, April 5 marks the 185th birthday of Beaufort’s Civil War hero Robert Smalls, and the community is honoring the legacy
of the man whose name has become part of everyday life in the Lowcountry. First, there is a birthday celebration scheduled for 11 a.m., at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 901 Craven Street. The public is cordially invited to the event sponsored by Rev. Kenneth Hodges and the Beaufort Republican Women’s Club. Smalls founded the
PRESORTED PERMIT NO. 97 BEAUFORT, SC 29902
Republican Party in South Carolina. S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson will be the Keynote speaker, and Riverview Charter School will make a video presentation. There is no charge for the event, but donations to the Harriet Tubman Memorial Fund are accepted. Cake and punch will be served.
SEE PARTY PAGE A6
SEE ETHICS PAGE A4
Beaufort to Safe Harbor: ‘Not interested’ City Council unhappy with company’s proposed Downtown Marina expansion
By Delayna Earley The Island News Safe Harbor Marinas is likely not happy with the reaction that their expansion project received from Beaufort City Council members during the recent council work session. During the March 26 work session, Safe Harbor Marinas presented plans to expand the footprint and investment at the existing downtown Beaufort marina. The proposed $27 million dollar project would double the number of slips at the dock from 76 to 146,
and linear dock footage would increase from 2,880 to 4,263 feet, which safe harbor says would help with tides and make it safer. The existing dock system would be replaced with a larger floating dock system. Safe Harbor Marinas has already invested $840,000 in the existing facilities and they want to fix, replace and expand the marina, per their understanding of the lease they signed with the City of Beaufort in 2019, to try and attract more people to come and utilize the Safe Harbor facility, bringing
them into the downtown area to shop in the stores and eat in the restaurants. Council members and members of the public who spoke during the meeting were in agreement after hearing the proposal from Safe Harbor – they are not interested in expanding the dock and want to keep any improvements contained within the current dock footprint. All the council members agreed that they think that expanding the dock will not only obstruct the
Photo of the Downtown Marina in downtown Beaufort. Photo courtesy of SEE HARBOR PAGE A7 Safe Harbor Marinas
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Audit raises red flags about Beaufort County procurement code, P-Card system.
Don’t bet against him: Pringle’s winding path leads from Seabrook to Final Four.
Thibault Gallery showing off work of animal artist Sipper in April.
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