POSTAL PATRON LOCAL
AUGUST 11–17, 2022 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
Green Space Sales Tax referendum will go to county voters By Tony Kukulich A new tax expected to raise $100 million to preserve open space will be decided by voters after the Beaufort County Council approved a referendum to place the measure on the November ballot. If approved by voters in the fall, the Green Space Sale Tax will institute a 1% sales tax that will remain in effect for two years or until the $100 million cap is reached, whichever comes first. The vote came during Monday night’s County Council meeting. The referendum was scaled back significantly from its original form. A motion put forth by District 2 Councilmember Paul Sommerville reduced the term of the referendum from four years to two years and reduced the cap from $300 million to $100 million. “(The referendum) is intended to meet growth pressures at their root where significant development is being approved,” said Jessie White, South Coast Office Director for the Coastal Conservation League. “The green space bill is essentially a way
SEE GREEN PAGE A5
PRESORTED PERMIT NO. 97 BEAUFORT, SC 29902
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
BACK TO SCHOOL
Beaufort Academy opened the school year Tuesday morning, Aug. 9, welcoming 325 students and 55 teachers and staff back to Lady’s Island campus. Third grade teacher Mary Donahue shows her 11 students how to fill in homework assignments in their calendars Tuesday morning at Beaufort Academy. Beaufort County public schools will reopen Monday, Aug. 15.
Welcome back
Beaufort Academy gets 2022-23 school year underway Staff reports / Photos by Bob Sofaly
Digging into the early history of Beaufort Archeological search for Stuarts Town underway in The Point neighborhood By Tony Kukulich After a ceremonial start to the search for Stuarts Town in June, the real archeological work in the weeklong effort to locate the 17th-century Scottish settlement got underway in earnest Monday, Aug. 8. The team is led by Chester DePratter, Ph.D., from the University of South Carolina and Charles Cobb, Ph.D., from the University of Florida. "This is the initial search for the remains of a colony that lasted only two years,” Depratter said. “We will be digging a couple of hundred small holes totaling 400 to 600 square feet in an area of about 40 acres. We hope to show that The Point was occupied in the 1680s, and if we are extremely lucky we will find remains of a burned Stuarts Town house in one of our small shovel tests. No matter what, we will document the multiple periods of occupation in The Point over the past three centuries.” Stuarts Town got its start in November 1684 when 51 Scottish settlers seeking an opportunity to practice religion freely landed on Port
SEE HISTORY PAGE A5
Beaufort Academy welcomed 325 students and 55 teachers and staff members back to its Lady’s Island campus Tuesday morning, Aug. 9, getting the 2022-23 school year started. BA was the first school to start the school year in The Island News’ coverage area of northern Beaufort County. Bridges Preparatory School and Riverview Charter School were to open Wednesday Aug. 10, while Beaufort County Public Schools open Monday, Aug. 15. John Paul II Catholic School in Okatie opens, Tuesday, Aug. 16, and Holy Trinity Classical Christian School starts Wednesday, Aug. 17. Beaufort Academy is going through a few changes this academic year, though they began last year. Longtime BA administrator Carol Ann Richards is the new interim Head of School, replacing Dan Durbin. Richards has been at Beaufort Academy for more than 14 years, most recently overseeing the Preschool and Lower School, along with the learning services curriculum. Her first position in 2008
Beaufort Academy welcomed back more than 300 students. was as a Learning Specialist for Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School students. “Beaufort Academy is an important part of this community, and I am committed to doing all I can to lead us in
Amy Melville, head of the Upper School English Department at Beaufort Academy, checks her “to do” list one more time Thursday, Aug. 4, as she gets ready for the first day of school scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 9. Melville said she left her classroom in good shape when school let out.
the right direction,” Richards said in a release from the school. “I have complete support from our faculty and staff so I know that we will be successful in creating a better and brighter future for our students. Please know that my door is always open, and your voice will be heard. Thank you for your support as well as we move forward in achieving our goals." Also, Kristi Black returns to BA as Middle and Upper School Division Director with more than 32 years experience in education, including eight years at Beaufort Academy. Black has taught Kindergarten through 8th Grade. During her tenure at Beaufort Academy, from 2004 to 2007, she was Lower School Director where she led teacher observations, student discipline, curriculum, admissions, mentore Lower School teachers, parent conferences, report cards, along with assisting in special programs and events. “My education career has taken me many places, and I am happy to be back home at BA,” Black said.
Chris Love, Upper School science teacher at Beaufort Academy, is busy putting up aids regarding three levels of critical thinking as he gets ready for the first day of school. Love said, students who learn critical thinking in problem solving can use those skills later in everyday life.
SPORTS
MILITARY
INSIDE
Area schools open football practice; season kicks off late August.
SC VA Medical Center ER PAC Team earns Outstanding Service Award.
PAGE A12
PAGE A15
Lowcountry Life A2 News A2–5 Legal Notices A4 Health A6–7 Education A8 Arts A9
Voices A10 Faith A11 Sports A12 Local Events A13 Military A14–15 Directory A16