FEBRUARY 6–12, 2025
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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
USDA cites Yemassee facility for 22 monkey deaths
An image of research monkeys taken from the Alpha Genesis Facebook page. Photo from the Alpha Genesis Facebook page
By Delayna Earley The Island News The research facility that was forced into the spotlight in November 2024 after 43 monkeys escaped from the Yemassee location is now facing federal scrutiny for not following animal welfare laws regarding a separate November incident that resulted in the death of 22 monkeys. Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center on Castle Hall Road in Yemassee has been cited with a “critical” violation by the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service after 22 monkeys died due to faulty heating units in the “outdoor housing facilities” on Nov. 22, 2024. The inspection report, which was released publicly almost two months after the incident was inspected, states that a night husbandry team member was doing evening rounds when they saw many primates down in a field cage. The employee acted quickly, according to the report, and was able to save 32 of the affected 54 mon-
keys, but 22 died. Necropsy and histopathology findings on the deceased primates showed that the animals likely died from exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) gas. The USDA’s report says that “shelters provided with auxiliary heating that are unable to safely provide warmth can result in adverse health impacts, stress and extreme discomfort of the nonhuman primates housed therein.” The report continues to say that the shelter must provide heat to
SEE MONKEYS PAGE A4
County Council votes to release emails to Ethics Commission
Chip Peterson, center right, of Riverside Smoke BBQ from North Augusta, helps a woman with her barbecue sauce during the 2023 Bands, Brews and BBQ event in Port Royal as John Johnson, also of Riverside Smoke BBQ looks on. Bob Sofaly/File/The Island News
Bands, Brews & BBQ is back
Popular Port Royal festival makes its return after a year off, change in leadership By Mike McCombs The Island News After skipping a year for a transition in leadership, Bands, Brews & BBQ makes it’s return to downtown Port Royal on Valentine’s Day weekend. The event, for years a fundraiser for the Friends of Caroline Hospice (FOCH), is now being put on by the nonprofit Zonta Club of Beaufort. According to Marie Larson, President of the Zonta Club, the event changed hands in October or November of 2023. Larson said that LaNelle Fabian, the Director of Community Engagement with FOCH told her, “The Board (of Directors) had decided
put on a successful event in 2025. Initially, Zonta was partnered with HELP of Beaufort, but HELP backed out, and Zonta leaders made the decision to go ahead. “Toward the end of January, they decided they no longer wanted to participate in this,” Larson said. “Instead of postponing it, we decided to go forward.” Despite the hiccups, Larson is confident the event will be as good they didn’t want to do it anymore. as ever. She said she had to let it go.” Larson said there are 16 cook Zonta, which raises money for teams registered for the S.C. Barbescholarships and to assist other non- cue Association-sanctioned event, profits, made the decision to cancel the 2024 event in order to gather resources to have the best chance to SEE BANDS PAGE A5
By Delayna Earley The Island News Continuing with County Council’s promise for transparency going forward following a change in leadership, Council made the decision to unanimously vote to cooperate with a subpoena from the South Carolina Ethics Commission. Following the executive session during their regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 13, Councilman David Bartholomew made a motion to waive attorney-client privilege to release emails between council members, county administration and staff members that were sent between June 2021 and August 2023 pertaining to legal advice that was received from county attorneys as well as outside council. Council members unanimously voted to pass the motion. Current Council Chair Alice Howard, after she was voted into the role 6-5 over former Chair Joe Passiment in January, told The Island News that the Council is committed to cooperating and maintaining transparency going forward in hopes of earning back and keeping the trust of Beaufort County constituents. County spokesperson Hannah Nichols said that initially the county opted to retain its attorney-client privilege as it related to matters that were under investigation, but when the second request was made, administration brought the subpoena to council to allow them to decide if they wanted to waive privilege or not. While the details of the subpoena were not disclosed, there have been at least nine separate complaints filed alleging unethical behavior by Beaufort County employees since early 2023. So far, only one, former Beaufort Parks and Recreation Director Shannon Loper, has been cited for an ethics violation. In total, there were three
SEE ETHICS PAGE A7
NEWS
STATE NEWS
EDUCATION
INSIDE
Internet, cellular phone outages plague Beaufort area Monday.
Nuclear revival: Gov. McMaster wants SC to ‘usher in a nuclear power renaissance.’
TCL receives $1 million from Jasper County for workforce training center.
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Marsh madness saturday, march 15 Oysters | brews | bbq 4-7pm
Live music with the Cluster Shucks
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