POSTAL PATRON LOCAL
FEBRUARY 9–15, 2023
WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
PRESORTED PERMIT NO. 97 BEAUFORT, SC 29902
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Board again supports decisions of book committees By Mike McCombs The Island News Once again Tuesday evening, the Beaufort County Board of Education reaffirmed the work of its book review committees. But there were a few hiccups this time. The school board, however, eventually voted 7-2-1 to uphold the decisions of Committees 7 through 9 and 11 through 16 from the Thursday, Jan. 19 meeting at Okatie Elementary School, returning all nine of those books to the
shelves in some fashion. The decisions of those nine committees had each been appealed by at least one of the two original complainants — Ivie Szalai or Mike Covert. Of course, neither appealed the decision of Committee 10, which was to remove It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover from circulation in the Beaufort County School District. It will remain out of circulation in the district for at least five years, according to policy.
The reviews of the other nine books are now complete and the results are 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. Szalai had appealed all nine books. Covert appealed all but the decisions of Committees 15 and 16. Board member Rachel Wisnefski (District 7) originally made the motion that the board “concurs with the findings of the Jan. 19 book review committees.”
SEE DECISIONS PAGE A5
Blackstone’s Café opened in 1991, and has been a favorite of the breakfast and lunch crowd in Downtown Beaufort ever since. A wellknown tradition at the restaurant, the staff and patrons recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at 8 a.m. Photos by Delayna Earley/ The Island News
LIZ FARRELL
Puppets keep pot boiling
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WALTERBORO ost murder trials in South Carolina stay on the docket for years before they’re adjudicated — some longer than five years. The trial of Alex Murdaugh came just six months after charges were filed. Six months! Murder trials in South Carolina don’t typically last longer than a week. The trial of Alex Murdaugh is now smack dab in the middle of its third week. And there’s no end in sight … As of Tuesday afternoon, 36 witnesses have testified in front of the jury — just 14 percent of the more than 250 expected to take the stand. More than 400 items have been entered into evidence. One of the six alternate jurors has already dropped out for health reasons. The attorneys are showing signs of fatigue. Those watching from home have lost sight of the narrative. And it’s not clear to anyone what the outcome will be when the jury — which hasn’t been taking notes — finally sits down to consider a miniseries’ worth of evidence and testimony. This is what a seven-figure defense team can buy you. Sometimes it seems as if this trial has become a Battle Royale, and to win it, Team Murdaugh’s only goal is to be the last one
SEE FARRELL PAGE A6
Blackstone’s Café gets a new owner By Delayna Earley The Island News
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BEAUFORT lackstone’s Café has a new owner. Jake Higgins has purchased the iconic restaurant from owners Lou and Annamaria Gaudio. Higgins, who owns several businesses in Beaufort including the Highway 21 Drive-In, wanted to buy this business to help preserve the heritage of the historic restaurant and others like it in the area. Blackstone’s Café was originally opened in 1991 by Roger Blackstone Alley. Higgins will be the third owner of the restaurant in the more than 30 years that it has been open.
Alley began a tradition of asking the patrons and staff to say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at 8 a.m., which is one part of Blackstone’s Café’s heritage that Higgins plans to keep. “So much of BeauJake fort keeps changing Higgins as they build new restaurants and stores, but we also need to protect what is already here,” Higgins said, “This is Beaufort’s heritage.” Blackstone’s Café is currently open for breakfast and lunch.
VIDEO For a short video related to this story, follow this digital link or visit https://youtu.be/ TyBQnh6yXv0.
Delayna Earley lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She spent six years as a videographer and photographer for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette before leaving the Lowcountry in 2018. After freelancing in Myrtle Beach and Virginia, she joined The Island News when she moved back to Beaufort in 2022. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
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INSIDE
Dataw couple, Jerry and Barb Devisser, embarks on ‘joint venture.’
Spring sports kick off at Beaufort High School and Beaufort Academy.
Tickets on sale as the Beaufort Film Festival approaches.
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