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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
BOE will rule on 9 more book appeals LIZ FARRELL
This is why I was dreading this trial
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WALTERBORO bout five years ago, I covered a murder trial in Ridgeland. A young mother of three was strangled to death by her boyfriend. When law enforcement arrived, they found her two sons huddled behind a dirty mattress propped against a wall. Her infant daughter was crying out for her. The boyfriend admitted to getting violent with the woman but denied killing her. To show the jury just how brutal and inhumane her death was — how indisputably intentional it was — prosecutor Hunter Swanson from the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office counted out 30 long and painful seconds on the clock, a fraction of the time this man had held his hands around the woman’s neck before she died. At any moment he could have stopped, Swanson said. But he chose not to. The woman’s sister and friends sat shoulder to shoulder and became so distraught and angry at one point that the judge had to warn them to stay calm. After finding the boyfriend guilty, the jury remained in the courtroom to hear his sentencing. One juror sat with her arm around another who wept. When the foreman talked to me afterward, he too became emotional. I cried for most of the drive home.
The 1748 silver cup and cap awarded in gratitude to British Capt. Joseph Hamar for protecting Port Royal and Beaufort. Photo courtesy of the Historic Beaufort Foundation.
Hamar’s Cup comes home
HBF buys one-of-a-kind artifact commissioned by ‘Gentlemen of Port Royal’ By Mike McCombs The Island News
protective services around Beaufort and Port Royal. It is a one-of-a-kind artifact distinctly tied to Beaufort’s history that, despite its importance, almost nobody even knew existed. “None of the historians knew about the cup,” HBF Executive Director Cynthia Jenkins said. “They knew about Hamar and the Adventure … but it’s been in private hands all these years.”
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t’s not the holy grail. But relative to the history of Beaufort, it’s not far off. On January 23, the Historic Beaufort Foundation (HBF) successfully bid on an historic silver cup and cap commissioned in 1748 and presented by “the Gentlemen of Port Royal” to British Capt. Joseph Hamar, commander of His Majesty’s ship Adventure, for
SEE FARRELL PAGE A5
Hamar’s Cup was given to Sotheby’s to auction by a family on New York City’s upper east side, according to Jenkins, and someone tipped her off about its existence. Jenkins said HBF bid on the silver cup and cap in partnership with a number of donors who contributed to a special fund for the purchase. She declined to
SEE CUP PAGE A4
By Mike McCombs The Island News The Beaufort County School District’s (BCSD) book review wheels keep turning. At least one of the two original complainants have appealed the review committee’s decisions for each of the nine books returned to circulation in some fashion after the committees’ Thursday, Jan. 19 meeting. Neither of the original complainants — Ivie Szalai or Mike Covert — appealed Committee 10’s decision to remove It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover from circulation in the BCSD. It will remain out of circulation in the district for five years, according to policy. The decisions on the other nine books — all appealed by Szalai — went as follows: Committee No. 7: Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur – returned to grades 9-12 only. Committee No. 8: The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell – returned to grades 9-12 only. Committee No. 9: Looking for Alaska by John Green – returned to grades 9-12 only. Committee No. 11: Impulse by Ellen Hopkins – returned to grades 9-12 only. Committee No. 12: Glass by Ellen Hopkins – returned to grades 9-12 only. Committee No. 13: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous – returned to grades 9-12 only. Committee No. 14: Crank by Ellen Hopkins – returned to grades 9-12 only. Committee No. 15: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher – returned to circulation. Committee No. 16: The Poet X by Elizabeth Aceveda – returned to grades 9-12 only. Covert did not appeal the decisions of Committees 15 and 16. The fate of these nine books will ultimately fall to the Board of Education. While a date to decide the
SEE APPEALS PAGE A5
DragonBoat Beaufort looking hard for a home
Nonprofit needs dock space to continue paddling program, outreach
DragonBoat Beaufort’s paddling program is supposed to start in March. But without dock space, that won’t happen. Photo courtesy of Sun City Photography Club.
the organization itself needs a helping hand. Greg Rawls, a Beaufort artist, has been a member since the nonprofit started 10 years ago. He’s done all the jobs, he said. President, vice president, race director, By Mike McCombs board of directors. The Island News Rawls says DragonBoat Beaufort, Over the past 10 years, Dragon- a nonprofit partner of the CommuBoat Beaufort has lent a big hand nity Foundation of the Lowcountry, to help area cancer survivors. Now, is soon to be homeless if the orga-
nization can’t secure dock space from which to operate. According to Rawls, the group started its paddling program for cancer survivors and supporters a decade ago out of the former Port Royal Landing Marina until it was bought by Safe Harbor. The group then moved temporarily to a private dock in Cottage Farm until it
SEE HOME PAGE A3
ARTS
VOICES
SPORTS
INSIDE
A ‘romantic’ night of music from Beaufort Symphony Orchestra.
Jim Dickson: If you keep building it, they’ll keep coming.
Changing of the guard at Beaufort Academy: Clifford steps down; THA’s Shuford hired as football coach.
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Lowcountry Life A2 News A2–5 Arts A5 Health A6–7 Voices A8 Faith A9
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