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FEBRUARY 29–MARCH 6, 2024
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Sinise brings Lt. Dan back to Beaufort
Ernie Denov, bass player for the Lt. Dan Band, and Gary Sinise play together in a concert at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort on February 23, 2024, in Beaufort. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
By Delayna Earley The Island News It has been 30 years since Gary Sinise traveled to Beaufort to play the role of a wounded Vietnam War veteran named Lt. Dan, a role that would ultimately influence the rest of his life. At the time, Sinise was not a well-known actor, having only done a few movies and mostly theater work, and while he knew that the movie Forrest Gump had the potential to be great due to a fantastic cast, screen play and direc-
tor, he had no idea just how much that role would change his life. “Back in those days I was kind of anonymous, people didn’t really know what I was doing,” Sinise said. “So, Forrest Gump changed all that and being honored for that and other films that I’ve been in, that’s wonderful and it gave me the opportunity to come back and visit and say hello to everybody.” He has been back to the Lowcountry since filming that movie in the early 1990s, but this time he was back in Beaufort to be hon-
ored with a Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award at the Beaufort International Film Festival (BIFF). Sinise received his award on Saturday, Feb. 24, at USCB’s Center for the Arts, and the award was presented to him by his longtime friend Jonathan Flora, who worked with Sinise years ago on a documentary about the Lt. Dan Band and Sinise in 2011 as he traveled to play for enlisted men
SEE SINISE PAGE A6
Roll the credits!
Beaufort International Film Festival raises the bar in film selections
Anthony Grasso and Maggie Alexander pose for a photo just before the award ceremony at the Beaufort International Film Festival on Feb. 25, 2024, at USCB’s Center For The Arts. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
By Delayna Earley The Island News In a whirlwind of films, movie stars, concerts, directors, old friends and new, the 18th annual Beaufort International Film Festival (BIFF) has come to an end. The annual film festival was held at USCB’s Center For The Arts in downtown Beaufort beginning on Feb. 20, 2024, with the opening night reception and concert featuring Marlena Smalls and the Hallelujah Singers and concluded on Feb. 25 with the Awards Presentation. While every year has been special, according to Ron Tucker, President of the Beaufort Film Society and co-director of BIFF, this year was by far the best festival that they have had. Tucker said that roughly 12,000
SEE CREDITS PAGE A5
Haley wins Beaufort County, still routed by Trump in SC By Mike McCombs The Island News There was no fairy tale ending in the South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary on Saturday, Feb. 24 for former S.C. Governor Nikki Haley. Predicted to lose by more than 30 percentage points to former president Donald Trump, Haley did better than expected, but still lost by roughly 20 percent. But in Beaufort County, maybe Haley knew what she was do-
ing visiting the INSIDE county four times Statewide since early Decoverage of the South cember. Not only Carolina did Haley turn Republican in a strong showPresidential ing in Beaufort Primary, Page A9 County, she won the county. Statewide, the number of primary voters fell short of the GOP prediction of one million at 756,922, but turnout was good, nonetheless … 23.34%.
Trump topped his former U.N. Ambassador, 59.79% to 39.52%. But that was hardly the 36-point margin the latest Winthrop polls had predicted. In Beaufort County, the results were decidedly different. Haley came out on top of Trump, 55.43% to 43.88%. And it wasn’t because Trump voters didn’t show up. In fact, the county’s voter turnout was higher that the state’s overall turn-
Voting was steady during Saturday’s Republican Presidential Primary. Poll workers said it never got crowded, but there was a steady stream of voters throughout the day. Pictured here are Howard and Beverly Barnett of Port Royal casting their vote. As of noon, 150 people in Port Royal 1 and 2 had SEE HALEY PAGE A6 cast their votes. Bob Sofaly/The Island News
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Leap Day births at Beaufort Memorial’s Collins Birthing Center.
Battery Creek's Gunnar DeGroat wins second consecutive gold.
Beaufort Art Association set for 6oth annual Spring Art Exhibit.
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