January 15 edition

More than 350 in Beaufort protest killing by ICE

By Mike McCombs

The Island News

More than 350 people gathered

Saturday, Jan. 10, in front of Beaufort City Hall at the intersection of Boundary Street and Ribaut Road to protest the Wednesday, Jan. 7 killing of 37-year-old Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis.

The “ICE Out For Good” protest in Beaufort was held on short notice — word began to spread about the event on Thursday night — as part of a National Day of Action touted by organizers “to demand justice, accountability and an end to deadly ICE lawlessness and cruelty.”

Like the smaller weekly Monday protests, as well as the larger “No Kings” protests that saw more than 1,000 people turn out each time to demonstrate in June and October, the “ICE Out” protest was supported by a number of organizations, including the Democratic Party, Indivisible Beaufort, and several others.

Beaufort’s Ben Barnes had previously been on the fence about taking part in any of the previous protests. According to Barnes, 65 Good’s killing was “kind of the tipping point.”

“You live in a country for 65 years, you grow up working your whole life, and everything goes

pretty good,” Barnes said. “And now, I have to protest my government? That's why I'm here. I mean, they're shooting [Americans]. … I absolutely don’t like the direction things are [going in] here.”

Barnes said it’s a mistake to characterize him as a liberal or a Democrat, that he grew up basically politically independent.

“I still am. But you know, there's also right and wrong,” Barnes said. “[My] dad's a preacher. I grew up a preacher's kid, and you know, what sticks in your mind is what's good. Yeah, it’s good to walk humbly, love justice, you know, practice

A

By Adrian Ashford

Jay Byars, and Jenny Costa Honeycutt — have elected experience as county council members.

Aw shucks, it’s time!

6th annual Beaufort Oyster Festival set for this weekend

By Mike McCombs

The Island News

There have been some bumps in the road this year, but the 6th annual Beaufort Oyster Festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 16 and 17, at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort, and according to organizers, things are going really well.

“Things are going great,” said Ashlee Houck, Executive Director of the Beaufort Area Hospitality Association, organizer of the Oyster Festival. “We've had a few little hiccups, of course with the downtown [street] closure but we've pivoted. That's what we do within our organization. We make lemonade, you know, when we're handed lemon.

“[The 5K] has been pushed up farther on Bay Street, so there are

no issues there, and everywhere else has accessibility like the marina parking lot and throughout downtown. The fence, of course, is up in Waterfront Park, so you know you can't access the promenade, but that's no issue. You can still see the beautiful water and it's more about the oysters than it is anything.”

The oysters

Once again, the Beaufort Oyster Festival will feature 100% locally harvested oysters, other Lowcountry seafood and local food vendors, and local beer by Shellring Aleworks.

“Sutton Construction they always do our fire roasted authentic local oysters,” Houck said. “Mike Sutton

14 ANNOUNCED

One Democrat has political experience as a former county chair. Another Democrat ran for the seat unsuccessfully two years ago. On their websites and in conversations with the S.C. Daily Gazette, most Republican candidates put a heavy emphasis on border security and reducing the national debt. Some called for hardline policies to curtail immigration. Alex Pelbath, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Air Force who lives in Mount Pleasant, supports President Donald Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship. Tyler

LOWCOUNTRY LIFE & NEWS

The “burning of the green” at Habersham, captured here by Ron Callari, refers to an annual Epiphany tradition at The Parish Church. It’s a spiritual event where Christmas trees are burned, coinciding with Epiphany (January 6). The burning represents purification, renewal, and the transition from the festive Christmas season to the solemnity of Lent and the Spring awakening, and coincides with an oyster roast. To submit a Lowcountry Life photo, you must be the photographer or have permission to submit the photo to be published in The Island News. Please submit high-resolution photos and include a description and/or names of the people in the picture and the name of the photographer. Email your photos to theislandnews@gmail.com.

VETERAN OF THE WEEK WILLIE SWAN

Protest from page A1

right, practice goodness and ... take care of your neighbor. … People individually are doing that, but, you know, our government doesn’t doesn't seem to be in favor [of that]. They feel like it's better to divide us.”

Beaufort’s Chad Rentz, 49, said taking part in the protest was important to him for the sense of human connection it provides.

“Honestly, like, I've really been struggling. I've been struggling with what's going on. It's been heavy and [there have] been, lots of tears, lots of sadness, and I need this. Like, I need it!” said the Lowcountry Montessori teacher originally from Greenwood. “I don't know how much demonstrations like this actually do for change, but what it does for me is it connects me with other hu-

American Legion Beaufort Post 207 brings you Willie Swan 70, who joined the United States Marines here in Beaufort in 1974 as a 17-year-old. After Boot Camp at Parris Island and Infantry training at Lejeune, he was assigned to a unit there with which he deployed to Guantanamo Bay,

man beings who are like minded like me. And for me, I need to see my community. I need to see the people around me who believe in good so that I can kind of be OK, especially in these times.”

Rentz said he believes — and he’s scared — that the violence coming from ICE against civilians, U.S. citizens or not, will not just continue, but escalate.

“We just funded this secret police, and it's just gathering some momentum. Like, they're just getting it together. They're just figuring out ice and how it's going to impact, what they can do to destroy our communities.” Rentz said. “And … they're completely funded, more funded, than any other law enforcement agency in the United States. They have more money.

“And, like our Vice President said, he said that they have absolute immunity. Absolute immunity. Can you imagine the

Cuba, providing security, and made a Mediterranean Cruise on USS Boulder (LST-1190), visiting Morocco, Spain, France and Italy. He returned to Lejeune and underwent dessert training at Twentynine Palms. He was released in 1978 as part of the post-Vietnam draw down and went to work for

unchecked power of an officer on the street with absolute immunity? And what that person is going to do and how he's going to take it out on others? I guess it's really like opening Pandora's box, and I think we're in for a world of hurt. I really do.”

Aside from the number of protesters, the most visible difference between this and previous protests in the same location was the quality of law enforcement officers in the vicinity. At most of these events, the Beaufort Police have a couple of officers present. This time, the police presence approached double digits, including Chief Stephenie Price.

There were no incidents, according to the police.

Though it’s impossible to accurately interpret the intent of blowing horns, the majority of passers-by seemed to show solidarity with the groups gathered behind the sidewalks at the inter-

a plumber. He then began a 30year career with his own plumbing company.

– Compiled by John Chubb, American Legion Post 207 For Veteran Of The Week nominations, contact jechubb1@gmail.com.

section. But there were the occasional obscene gestures or expletives directed at the protesters.

“From my experience, … people who are wanting to interject in that way, like, they're not open,” Rentz said. “They're not wanting to have discussions. They're not willing to hear or see what's going on. So I just don't have time for that. I don't give it much energy.”

One motorist in a foreign sedan slowed considerably and repeatedly told protesters to, “get a job.”

“Well, I mean, you know, a flip response would be, I do have a job,” Barnes said. “But the other thing is, you know, … you do you, I'll do me. And I'll do what I think is right. You do what you think is right. If you can sleep, cool.”

Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.

Accounting April Ackerman april@ aandbbookkeeping. com

Billing questions only.

January 15

2008: A report is released ending the investigation by the Navy into the April 21 2007, crash of the No. 6 U.S. Navy Blue Angels McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornet during the final minutes of the air show at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. The lone fatality was the pilot, Lt. Commander Kevin "Kojak" Davis. Eight nearby residents were injured, and millions of dollars worth of private property damage were caused by the crash. The report states that when LCDR Davis pulled back into a 6 8-G pull, he lost control of the aircraft due to G-force-induced

Loss Of Consciousness (G-LOC).

January 16

1865: U.S. Army Gen. William T. Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, appropriating the Sea Islands and coastal lands for freedmen. Gen. Rufus Saxon was given the task of assigning the head of each family 40 acres and the temporary use of a horse or mule, likely the origin of the expression “40 acres and a mule.”

January 17

1711: The Lords Proprietors chartered the “building of a town to be called Beaufort

Town” in honor of the new Proprietor, Henry Somerset, the Duke of Beaufort. The town was “to be located on the Port Royal River on Port Royal Island.” The Port Royal River was later renamed the Beaufort River.

January 19

1907: The Great Fire of Beaufort, allegedly started by three young boys hiding in a barn to smoke a cigarette, burned more than 40 houses and businesses in Beaufort and did more than $150 000 of damage – roughly $5 million in today’s dollars.

– Compiled by Mike McCombs

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‘Cradle of Secession’ theme for HBF Winter Lecture Series

Staff reports Beaufort as the cradle of secession will be the focus of Historic Beaufort Foundation’s long-running Winter Lecture Series that launches Friday, Feb. 6, at USCB’s Center for the Arts in downtown Beaufort.

This year, highly-regarded professors John McCardell, Larry Rowland and Stephen Wise will be featured each night of the 2026 series.

"For the past four years, our Winter Lecture Series has drawn hundreds of history enthusiasts each year to learn about Lowcountry and South Carolina history from three of the most engaging experts in the field," HBF Executive Director Lise Sundrla said in a news release. "Not only do they know their facts, but they share the information in a storytelling manner that brings our history alive."

This year’s topics center on the theme of “Beaufort, the Cradle of Secession, 1790-1860”:

Friday, Feb. 6 – South Carolina and the Idea of Nullification

WANT TO GO?

Who: Professors John McCardell, Larry Rowland and Stephen Wise

Beaufort

Tickets: $30 per night for HBF members, $120 for full series; $35 per night ticket for nonmembers, $140 for full series; $20 per night ticket for full-time students with valid student ID, $80 for full series. Visit https:// historicbeaufort.org/ to purchase tickets online.

Thursday, Feb. 12 – “Calhounism”

Thursday, Feb. 26 – The Bitter

Fruits of Manifest Destiny

Thursday, March 5 – An “Irrepressible Conflict?”

All lectures run from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the USCB Center for the Arts at 805 Carteret Street in Beaufort.

Tickets

Tickets are available online and are expected to sell quickly.

Tickets prices are as follows:

$30 single night ticket for HBF members or $120 for full series.

$35 single night ticket for non-members or $140 for full series.

$20 single night ticket for full-time students with valid student ID and $80 for full series.

If available, tickets can also be purchased on site the night of each event. Doors open at 4:45 p.m. and the lectures start promptly at 5:30 p.m. Visit https://historicbeaufort.org/ to purchase tickets online. All sales are final.

About the lecturers

John McCardell graduated from Washington and Lee University and earned his PhD in history from Harvard University. For his dissertation, “The Idea of a Southern Nation,” he earned the 1977 Alan Nevins Prize by the

Dr. John McCardell

Society of American Historians. McCardell served as vice-chancellor of Sewanee: The University of the South from 2010 until June 2020 Larry Rowland is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History for the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, and previously held roles with USC as Professor of History and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College in New York and both his Master’s degree and Doctorate from the University of South Carolina. He has authored numerous books and articles about South Carolina and the Sea Islands. Stephen Wise is the curator of the museum for the Marine

Dr. Larry Rowland

Dr. Stephen Wise

Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University, his Master’s degree from Bowling Green State University, and his PhD from the University of South Carolina. He has written and edited several books and articles including “Lifeline of the Confederacy: Blockade Running During the Civil War,” and “Gate of Hell: The Campaign for Charleston Harbor.”

About the Historic Beaufort Foundation

Historic Beaufort Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit education foundation created to preserve, protect, and present sites and artifacts of historic, architectural, and cultural interest throughout Beaufort County, South Carolina. For more information, visit historicbeaufort.org.

Beaufort Memorial to host free seminar on solving hip, knee pain

free seminar will be led by Dana Aiken, RN, total joint and spine coordinator at Beaufort Memorial, who will discuss treatments and services that can help you regain mobility and get back into action.

The seminar will dig into the causes of pain in your hips and knees, as well as treatments ranging from conservative to surgical, including exercises, medications, injections, physical therapy and joint replacement.

This hour-long class, “Solving Hip and Knee Pain,” will be held from 2 to 3 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29, at the Port Royal Medical Pavilion classroom at 1680 Ribaut Road and will include a question-and-answer portion as well.

Beaufort Memorial has expanded its women’s health services with the addition of a board-certified OBGYN. Dr. Tempest Allen has joined Beaufort Memorial Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialists, bringing over 25 years of expertise in gynecology, obstetrics, and advanced surgical care to the practice.

An Ohio native and daughter of a pediatric nurse, Dr. Allen has had a lifelong passion for medicine. In high school, she shadowed a local OBGYN and even assisted in a delivery—an experience she says left her “hooked” on a career in obstetrics.

She comes to the Lowcountry from Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she earned recognition as “Best OBGYN in Kalamazoo” while practicing at Bronson Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialists. She also served as an assistant clinical professor at Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.

Dr. Allen, who sees patients in Beaufort and Okatie, specializes in menopause management, infertility, and endometriosis. She has performed more than 1,000 robot-assisted gynecologic surgeries and brings extensive experience in minimally invasive procedures, myomectomies, endometriosis treatment, and pelvic reconstruction.

“Joint pain doesn’t have to limit your life,” said Aiken. “This seminar will help participants understand what’s at the root of their hip and knee pain and explore the wide range of comprehensive treatments available, from lifestyle changes to cutting-edge surgical techniques.”

While the seminar is free, space is limited and registration is required. To learn more or to reserve your spot at the Jan. 29 seminar, visit BeaufortMemorial.org/SolvingJointPain.

BMH expands emergency mental health services with new ER unit

Addition ensures secure evaluation, assessment during psychiatric emergencies

Special to The Island News

The Beaufort Memorial Pratt Emergency Center has undergone a $1 9 million expansion designed to improve access to critical mental health services for patients experiencing psychiatric emergencies in Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper Counties.

The new Evaluation and Assessment Unit, attached to the hospital ER, uses the nationally recognized “EmPATH” model (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing) to provide behavioral healthcare in a safe, therapeutic setting. The unit helps reduce the length of time mental health patients spend in the ER, improving safety and overall outcomes for both patients and staff.

Construction began in February 2025 and was completed in December.

“Beaufort Memorial is evolving alongside the community, adapting how we deliver compassionate care to our patients experiencing mental health crises,” Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell Baxley said in a news release. “By expanding our emergency department’s abilities with this unit to further deliver specialized psychiatric care, we are improving access,

safety and outcomes for our community when it matters most.”

Expanding services

The Evaluation and Assessment Unit was funded entirely through grants and philanthropic support to the Beaufort Memorial Foundation. The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) awarded $1 6 million for the project, making Beaufort Memorial one of only 13 healthcare systems statewide to receive funding for an emergency

department unit dedicated uniquely to behavioral health crises.

Additional support included $150 000 from the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, $24,000 from Women in Philanthropy, $10,000 from the Coastal Community Foundation and $100 000 in gifts from private donors.

How the unit works

The quiet, secured unit includes two private patient care rooms, a consultation room and a recliner

bay – an open area with comfortable seating designed to promote a calm atmosphere, reduce feelings of confinement and support patient-centered care.

Patients arriving at the ER are evaluated by care coordinators and a specialized medical team. Those who require a more controlled, therapeutic environment are then transferred to this unit for more focused mental health treatment tailored to their individual needs.

The EmPATH model, developed by emergency psychiatric expert Dr. Scott Zeller, emphasizes rapid assessment, treatment and stabilization in a calming environment, allowing patients to access appropriate care more quickly than in a traditional ER setting.

“The model allows us to care for patients in a way that is more therapeutic, respectful and overall more effective than a traditional ER setting,” said LeeAnne Smith, MSN, RN, Beaufort Memorial Director of Behavioral Health Services. “The elements of this new unit help de-escalate crisis situations, improving safety for both patients and staff by providing a dedicated space and allowing our team to focus on meaningful, individualized care.”

A community partner

Beaufort Memorial is the only hospital currently serving Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton Counties with an inpatient mental health unit. The 18-bed unit provides care for adults aged 18 and older.

The hospital also serves as the sole psychiatric healthcare provider for the Beaufort County Detention Center, providing evaluation and treatment to an average of 60 inmates each day.

The new Evaluation and Assessment Unit reinforces Beaufort Memorial’s commitment as a community hospital system to expanding access to essential mental health services in the Lowcountry – ensuring patients can receive timely, high-quality care right in their own community, without requiring travel to Savannah or Charleston.

“As this area’s community hospital, Beaufort Memorial has a responsibility to meet the ever-changing needs of the people we serve,” Baxley said. “This unit strengthens our commitment to providing comprehensive mental healthcare and a safe, secure environment for these patients, ensuring that they receive the care they need, closer to home.”

Shellring New Year’s Oyster Roast

Oyster from page A1

has has been doing this for us every single year for the past five years, and you know he does the wet burlap sacks and all that so we're really excited for that. And then we have Sea Eagle. They’re local waterman, they go out they get the oysters they bring them in and then, of course, they cook them, steam them, fry them up and do them every other way.”

There will be other food vendors and food trucks, as well, and something new.

“We got something really cool this year” Houck said. “We’ve got the Culinary Institute of the South coming in with the Technical College of the Lowcountry. They're gonna be there Saturday. We’s got Mother Smoking Good, Food Savvy, so we are covering all the bases whenever it comes to food. All of them will have some oyster dishes, but we're also gonna have corn dogs, turkey legs, barbecue, some various soups … so we’re covering all the bases on on food.”

Tickets

You can pre-purchase your tickets and skip the lines — tickets will be ready for easy pickup at Will Call at the festival. Tickets can be used as currency at the festival to purchase food, oysters, beverages and swag.

The pans of roasted or steamed oysters are 20 tickets or two for 30 tickets. Tickets are $1 apiece, plus applicable fees if ordered online at https://bit.ly/49zlcpd.

Judging Of course, there’s a judging element to the Festival. On Saturday morning at 11, the judges will get together at Saltus River Grill and begin judging submitted local oyster dishes.

“This is a 100% local festival,” Houck said. To participate in the festival, you have to serve oysters that are from water surrounding Beaufort County.”

Each participating vendor will prepare an oyster dish to submit, and then the judges will do the official tasting there from about 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.. Around 2 p.m., organizers will announce a winner.

This year’s Beaufort Oyster Festival judges are Cathy Martin,

Editor at Southpark Magazine; Patricia King, Savvy Traveling; Tom Petaccia, an unpretentious palate; and travel journalists Cele and Lyn Seldon.

Oyster Boogie 5K Run

Start the festival at 8 a.m., Saturday with the annual Oyster Boogie 5K, a USATF Certified 5K Race. Beginning and ending at the intersection of Bay Street and Newcastle Street, the race is run through downtown Beaufort and across the Woods Memorial Bridge, enjoying the views of the magnificent Beaufort River.

All ages and running levels are welcome. The cost is $40. The race is supported and management by Grounded Running. Signup at https://bit.ly/4jHygOa ends Thursday, Jan. 15 at 4 p.m.

Coastal Expedition boat tours

Coastal Expeditions will offer an Oyster Festival Ecotour from the Downtown Beaufort Marina at 10 a.m., Saturday. On the hour-and-ahalf cruise, guests will learn about the oyster and the salt marsh estuary. Tickets are $40 per adult and $20 per child and are available at https://bit.ly/4bunQPI.

Cornhole Tournament

Participants must bring their own partner for the double-elimination tournament that begins at noon on Sunday. Cost is $60 per team, cash on site. Rain or shine, there is a covered area if needed.

Sign ups begin at 11 a.m., bags fly at noon. Bring your own bags or some will be provided. All skill levels welcome. RSVP via scoreholio.

Live music There will be live music throughout the duration of the Beaufort Oyster Festival.

Saturday schedule 10 a.m. to noon: Southbound 17 — High-energy country and Americana to start the day.

Noon to 2 p.m.: Black Lion Reggae — Feel-good reggae rhythms by the waterfront.

2 p.m. to 5 p.m.: The Deckhands Band — Coastal rock and favorites to close out Day 1

Sunday schedule

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Campfire Tyler — Acoustic vibes with a Lowcountry flair.

1 to 3 p.m.: Boondockers — Country, rock, and crowd favorites to wrap up the weekend.

3 to 5 p.m.: Sean Hickey — Crowd Favorites.

A reminder the event is rain or shine. There are no refunds, no coolers allowed, and no smoking. Well behaved pets, however, are welcome.

Houck says a successful event would mean “some decent weather, and I would say at least 5,000 people throughout the weekend.”

“A successful oyster roast for me is I want our local businesses to benefit. … We we don't hold a craft fair or anything with educational vendors there. We have our food vendors that are serving up the oysters and all the yummy food. We have great entertainment, but we also push people to go take the oyster boat tour with Coastal Expeditions. We also push them to go shop on Bay Street, in Port Royal, and throughout town. Explore the area. Whether you're a local or you're a tourist, we want you to get out, and that is why this festival was founded.”

McCombs is

Wonders of Wintering Birds

JANUARY 23-24, 2026

Join us for an educational evening to discuss the Wintering Birds of The Carolina Bight. Featuring a roundtable discussion with topics ranging from what food is best in the winter for birds, the role of native plants and the important work being done on Pritchards Isl and.

Lowcountry Dinner

Multiple Keynote Speakers Nature Tours

SCDES to hold community meeting on Lady’s Island landfill odor

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services will host a community meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, at Coosa Elementary School, to update residents on its ongoing investigation into persistent landfill odors reported in parts of Lady’s Island.

According to SCDES, the meeting will provide an overview of the agency’s odor investigation and response efforts in the Telfair, Royal Pines and surrounding neighborhoods, followed by time for questions from community members. Staff from Coastal Waste & Recycling, LLC, which operates the nearby landfill, has been invited and is planning to attend to respond directly to resident concerns.

Why the meeting is being held

The meeting follows months of odor complaints from residents who say strong, unpleasant smells

Congress from page A1

ment in nearby neighborhoods to track odor-related gases and identify trends tied to weather conditions or landfill activity. SCDES has previously noted that environmental factors — including heavy rain events — can contribute to odor migration if landfill cover or slopes are compromised.

What residents can expect next

NJ Senator Booker to visit Beaufort

Staff reports Sen. Cory Booker (D) of New Jersey will visit Beaufort on Sunday, Jan. 18, as part of the South Carolina Democratic Party’s “On the Road With Senator Cory Booker” tour.

During the tour, Sen. Booker will join state and local Democratic leaders for a series of events and conversations with South Carolinians focused on the challenges facing working Americans under Trump and Republicans’ policies, in particular, the skyrocketing cost of health care. At the events, Booker will discuss the importance of organizing everywhere in order to confront the moral moment America is facing right now, and the urgent need to stand up for affordable health care.

— often described as sulfur-like or sewage-related — have affected daily life, sometimes entering homes and waking people during early morning hours. Residents have reported the odors across multiple neighborhoods, prompting repeated complaints to state regulators. In response, SCDES opened an investigation to determine the source, frequency and potential causes of the odors and to evaluate whether landfill operations are contributing to off-site impacts.

Dykes of Bluffton, a Marine Corps veteran, told the S.C. Daily Gazette he’d like to ban or halt most immigration of any kind.

Byars and Cunningham highlight their desire to preserve the Lowcountry’s natural resources.

Cunningham, who sits on Beaufort County Council, says on his campaign website that his top local priority is protecting the Lowcountry’s waterways and coastline.

Byars, on Dorchester County Council, calls himself a “conservative conservationist.” He told the Gazette he wants to emulate Teddy Roosevelt, his favorite president, by protecting public land and national parks.

Many candidates are pitching voters on their non-polarizing style.

What the investigation has included SCDES has said its response has involved a com-

bination of site inspections, odor assessments and air monitoring in areas closest to the landfill. The agency has required the landfill operator to submit formal odor assessment and odor abatement plans, outlining steps being taken to reduce off-site odors.

The agency has also deployed monitoring equip-

SCDES officials say the Jan. 26 meeting is intended to share current findings, explain next steps in the investigation, and hear directly from affected residents. The agency has emphasized that community feedback remains a key part of its response as monitoring and enforcement efforts continue.

The meeting is open to the public.

Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.

Doors will open to the public for Booker’s Beaufort appearance at 1 p.m. The exact time and venue for the event will be announced. Booker originally scheduled a Beaufort event in November but was forced to postpone.

Booker last visited Beaufort in April of 2019, when he held a rally at Whale Branch Middle School while campaigning for the Democratic nomination for President in 2020

website, she describes herself as the proud daughter of Puerto Rican parents and wife of an Army veteran. The other two Democrats are political newcomers. Their platforms include creating a single, government-provided health insurance system funded by taxpayers that covers all residents nationwide.

The 1st District had a Democratic congressman in not-too-distant memory: Joe Cunningham flipped the seat for a single term before Mace ousted him in 2020

After the 2020 census, the district was redrawn to favor Republicans. Mace won re-election in 2024 with over 58% of the vote against a Democratic challenger she barely acknowledged.

on but was released after Trump pardoned him among more than 1 500 others convicted for their roles. He told the S.C. Daily Gazette he pleaded guilty just to get a deal but “never touched” an officer.

election to the House. In 2024, Smith voted for a law that moved it from the state Department of Public Safety to SLED.

“Mark Smith will join President Trump to bring us into a golden age,” Smith, the CEO of McAlister-Smith Funeral Homes, said in the video.

Cost of living

Deford, a Democrat, said he believed border security and immigration were among the top issues in the 1st district. He said he intercepted drug shipments and defended U.S. borders when he worked for the Coast Guard. Unlike most Republicans in the race, he criticized Trump’s immigration crackdown and the administration’s recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Almost all candidates emphasized the rising cost of living as a problem they want to help solve.

Dan Brown, a Bluffton Republican who works at a Land Rover dealership, said he decided to run when he first saw his baby son’s ultrasound.

“I just want him and everyone of his generation and the generations after that to grow up and live in an America that gives all the opportunities that I and my generation have had,” Brown said in an interview.

“When the conversation becomes more about focusing on clickbait that’s going to generate some cheap donor ads, that’s where things really start going off the rails,” said Byars. “I tell people all the time: some of my best friends are left-leaning, left-thinking Democratic folks,” he said. “We can have a conversation, we can debate seriously, and then we can go grab a pizza and a beer afterwards.”

“Too many politicians chase headlines instead of fixing real problems, and that’s not who I am,” Honeycutt, a lawyer on Charleston County Council, began her statement to the Gazette.

Republican Justin Myers, a Navy veteran who lives in Charleston and owns a moving business, has repeatedly called for unity across parties on his campaign Facebook account. Last month, he applauded California Gov. Gavin Newsom for praising Turning Points co-founder Charlie Kirk, who was killed last September while debating college students in Utah.

The four Democrats include Mac Deford, a Coast Guard veteran and Charleston-area attorney who ran for the same seat in 2024 and lost his party’s primary by 3 percentage points. Mayra Rivera-Vázquez is a retired paralegal and former chair of the Beaufort County Democratic Party. On her

The S.C. Daily Gazette called each candidate that has filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission and reached 11 of the 14 candidates who publicly announced their bids.

Immigration

Many Republicans cited mass immigration as one of the top issues they want to address in Congress.

In a statement to the Gazette, Pelbath said families were being “crushed” by both higher prices and open borders. His campaign website says he wants to solve those problems by deporting every immigrant not legally in the United States and bringing jobs home.

Pelbath piloted the last American plane out of Kabul when American troops withdrew from Afghanistan, The Post and Courier reported.

Dykes, a 27-year-old salesman, said in an interview that the rising cost of living and mass immigration were the “two biggest issues” impacting people in the Lowcountry area. He said he supports solving both problems through mass deportations and ending all work visas for noncitizens.

Dykes pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement during the U.S. Capitol riot that followed the “Stop the Steal” rally five years ago.

The FBI arrested him in July 2023. He was sentenced a year later to 57 months in federal pris-

“These things can all be true: Maduro is a thug. America must lead. And we cannot lead the free world by breaking our own laws and bypassing Congress,” Deford wrote on X.

Six of the Republican candidates have publicly praised or supported Trump’s capture of Maduro on social media.

Dykes appeared to take a different approach: He recently retweeted a 2019 post from Trump that reads “The Endless Wars Must End!”

Republican Jack Ellison of Charleston wrote on social media that Trump should have gotten congressional approval.

“Maduro is a criminal — the head of a corrupt regime that has trampled democracy, destroyed its economy, and driven millions to flee. That needs to be stated plainly,” wrote the Army veteran. “But how the United States responds matters. Any serious action — military, economic, or diplomatic — must have the support of Congress and the American people. Acting without that legitimacy weakens our position and our credibility abroad.”

Smith, who replaced Mace in the state House, officially launched his bid last August to replace her in the U.S. House.

His campaign launch video prominently featured Trump. In his video, Smith touted his support in the Legislature for state income tax cuts and a special immigration enforcement unit at the State Law Enforcement Division. The unit existed prior to his 2020

He, Smith, and Honeycutt call for reducing the national debt and cutting government spending as a way to make life more affordable in the Lowcountry.

Charleston physician and businessman Dr. Sam McCown said in an interview that America was facing an “affordability crisis,” as he criticized the cost of health insurance. McCown encouraged the use of Health Savings Accounts, as a U.S. Senate GOP plan seeks to do, saying that will give consumers more choice.

He also said the health care industry is over-regulated and called for policies that would limit lawsuits and potential payouts. Doctors often order exams patients don’t need just to protect themselves from a potential lawsuit, he said, and that drives up cost.

Democrat Matt Fulmer, a Hilton Head waiter, advocated for getting rid of private insurance and transitioning to a system where everyone gets health insurance from the government. He told the Gazette he’s not dissuaded by advice that Democrat candidates in Republican-leaning districts should “not rock the boat” with their policy ideas.

“I think that strategy is a lot more appealing when people are doing well,” Fulmer said. “When people are experiencing this level

of economic pain, they are looking for big solutions.”

Democrat Max Diaz, a 25-yearold Hanahan mechanic, told the Gazette he also wants a single, government-provided health insurance program.

One issue has bipartisan appeal in the field: stopping large investment firms from buying up single-family homes.

Last Wednesday, Trump announced he wants to ban the practice.

Democrats Diaz and Fulmer, as well as Dykes, the pardoned Republican, like that idea. They advocate for proposals that would tax or stop investment companies from buying single-family homes or apartment complexes.

McCown, Smith, Pelbath, Deford, Byars, Rivera-Vazquez, and Diaz have reported campaign donations through September. McCown had the most cash on hand — over $1 million — after putting in $865 100 of his own money.

Adrian Ashford covers campaigns and elections for the

Dividend-paying stocks: pros and cons

Provided by Wells Fargo Advisors

A dividend is a portion of a company’s profit that’s paid to shareholders. That means dividend-paying stocks may provide a source of income. But they can also carry some degree of risk.

So, what do investors need to consider when it comes to dividend-paying stocks? In this Q&A, Austin Pickle, senior wealth investment solutions analyst with Wells Fargo Investment Institute, provides important information for investors to keep in mind.

1. What are the potential benefits of dividend-paying stocks?

“One of the big benefits is that these stocks may provide a more reliable income stream compared to some other investment options,” Pickle says.

Companies tend to issue dividends on a routine basis, such as quarterly or semi-annually, which may create a dependable income stream. Another benefit? The

stocks can yield some favorable tax treatment.

“It’s going to depend on your tax situation,” Pickle says, “but in general, you may have a relatively lower tax rate for dividends compared to income gained by selling investments.” As long as the dividend-paying stock meets IRS requirements for a qualified dividend, the dividend is taxed at the lower long-term capital gains tax rate instead of being taxed as regular capital gains income. “So an investor could receive income from a dividend-paying stock without selling the stock and have a lower tax bill compared to that of a non-dividend-paying stock, which must be sold to receive income,” he says.

2. Who should include dividendpaying stocks in their portfolio?

Many types of investors have the potential to benefit from dividend-paying stocks. “But these stocks may be more valuable for investors who are a bit older — maybe those in retirement or close

to retirement who really value a more reliable income stream,” Pickle says. “I think they’re typically beneficial from a diversification perspective, especially when interest rates are low. Dividend-paying stocks tend to have an inverse relationship with interest rates: When interest rates go down, you may see some of these dividend-paying stocks perform better.”

3. What are the risks associated with dividend-paying stocks?

“Firms can reduce or cancel their dividends — especially during times of economic uncertainty and times of crisis,” says Pickle. “And there’s still the risk that dividends could be cut periodically, even without the trigger of a crisis event. And if tax rates change, it could mean you’d pay more, as well.”

Explore your options with professional advisors

Pickle stresses that investors should discuss the pros and cons of dividend-paying stocks with a financial advisor to help make

sure they fill a need within an individual investment portfolio and make sense for a specific financial situation.

“You should also talk to your CPA or tax professional to make sure that you understand what the tax consequences are for your particular situation,” he advises.

Equity securities are subject to market risk, which means their value may fluctuate in response to general economic and market conditions, the prospects of individual companies, and industry sectors. Investments in equity securities are generally more volatile than other types of securities. There is no guarantee that dividendpaying stocks will return more than the overall stock market. Dividends are not guaranteed and are subject to change or elimination.

Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. is a registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.

Wells Fargo & Company and its affiliates do not provide tax or legal advice. This communication cannot be relied upon to avoid tax penalties. Please consult your tax and legal advisors to

Wreaths Across America Retirement

NEWS BRIEFS

Congressional candidate Fulmer to speak at NOB Democratic Club meeting

The Northern Beaufort County Democratic Club (NOB Dems) will meet Thursday, Jan. 15 at 6 p.m., at the Old Grace AME Chapel at 502 Charles Street in downtown Beaufort. The guest speaker will be Matt Fulmer , candidate for Congress for South Carolina’s 1 st Congressional District.

Guests and first-time attendees are welcome. Ample free parking is available.

The NOB Dems, along with several other groups, rally together every Monday at 4 p.m. in front of the Beaufort City Hall to exercise their 1st amendment rights to speak up for democracy and defend the Constitution. If you wish to add your voice in support, bring a sign (no vulgarity), stay behind the sidewalk, and off the median.

Mayer to speak at Jan. 17 meeting of Indivisible Beaufort

Emily Mayer, Senior Manager of The Ford and Ford Group, will be the featured speaker at the next Indivisible Beaufort meeting to be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 17 at the St. Helena Branch Library at 6355 Jonathon Francis Sr. Road on St. Helena Island.

The meeting topic will be “Book Banning and Censorship in South Carolina,” as South Carolina leads the nation in the number of state-mandated book bans. Mayer, a former special education teacher, holds a master’s degree in educational policy and has long been a champion for equitable public education and inclusive community initiatives. She is now the Senior Manager at The Ford and Ford Group, where she leads efforts in legislative strat-

egy, community outreach, and day-today operations.

Mayer has also been a leading voice and an active participant in the battle against book banning as a leader of FABB (Families Against Book Bans).

The event is free and open to the public.

Board of Elections hosting community forums

The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County will be hosting several Community Forums in the months leading up to the June Primary Elections.

These meetings will be open to the public and are held at locations across Beaufort County.

Topics include: How to Register/Who Can Register to Vote Upcoming Elections

What is on the Ballot

What voters can expect at the polls

Absentee Voting Early Voting Sample Ballots Poll Workers And More

Dates and Locations of Forums:

• Thursday, January 22 6 p.m., Main Voter Registration Office, 15 John Galt Road Beaufort, S.C. 29906

Thursday, February 19 6 p.m., Bluffton Library, 120 Palmetto Way, Bluffton, S.C. 29910

Thursday, March 19 6 p.m., St. Helena Library; 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island, S.C. 29920

Thursday, April 9 6 p.m., Hilton Head Island Library, 11 Beach City Road Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926

For more information, please contact Jean Felix at 843-255-6954 or via email at jean.felix@bcgov.net.

Friends of Fort Fremont meeting, lecture to be held

Jan. 23

Col. Seanegan Sculley, Professor and Director of West Point's Digital History Center, will give a talk titled "Creating the Interactive Digital History of Fort Fremont," at 2 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23 at the St. Helena Branch Library. The event is free and open to the public.

Following a short business meeting, Col. Sculley will discuss the study's progress following a cadet and faculty visit to Fort Fremont in July 2025 and subsequent research which focused on homeland coastal defense at Fort Fremont at the turn of the 20th century. The end product will apply state-of-the-art technology to bring history to life through digital animation.

Beaufort TEA Party meeting

Jan.

26

South Carolina GOP Chair Drew McKissick will be the guest speaker when the Beaufort TEA Party meets from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 26 at Bricks on Boundary at 1422 Boundary Street.

As we kick off the 2026 Election Season, McKissick will outline what to expect in the months ahead.

Candidates for office, and their representatives, have also been invited to attend with their promotional materials. The public is invited to join, mix and mingle as they meet these individuals and learn their platforms

Tax season opens Jan. 26

The SCDOR will begin accepting 2025 Individual Income Tax returns on Monday, Jan. 26 2026, consistent with the date announced by the IRS.

Returns are due April 15, 2026. For your South Carolina return, if you both file and

pay electronically by May 1, 2026, you will not be subject to penalties or interest.

Questions about how South Carolina conforms with the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act? Refer to https://bit.ly/49yzdDJ.

The SCDOR will begin processing returns Feb. 2 2026 to allow employers time to meet the Jan. 31 W-2 submission deadline.

CFL accepting nominations for Community Impact Award

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry (CFL) is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Joan and Wade Webster Community Impact Award. Established in 2022 by CFL, with the generous support of Joan and Wade Webster, this award recognizes an individual within CFL’s service territory that has made a recent, significant positive impact in the Lowcountry through volunteering with an organization, nonprofit, or for a cause. The nominee must be a resident of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, or Jasper County. This award is not a lifetime achievement award — it is designed to recognize an individual who is currently volunteering with an organization, nonprofit, or for a cause. The award recipient will receive a $10,000 grant to bestow to a charitable organization or organizations based in CFL’s service territory. The following groups of people are ineligible to receive the award: current board and staff of CFL, individuals who are paid staff of a nonprofit, and elected officials.

The deadline to submit nominations is Jan. 21 2026. The award will be presented at the CFL Annual Community Meeting on March 18 2026 at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. To access the online nomination form, please visit cf-lowcountry.org or bit.ly/44a6VO5

– Staff reports

USCB Center for the Arts hosting exhibit

Don’t miss ‘Confederate Currency: The Color of Money’ through Feb. 15

Staff reports

The USCB Center for the Arts and the South Carolina Artisan Center is presenting “Confederate Currency: The Color of Money,” an exhibition by artist John W. Jones, through Sunday, Feb. 15 in the Center for the Arts gallery. The exhibit is on loan from the collection of Drs. Sshune and Harold M. Rhodes, III. Through powerful visual language, Jones examines the historical and symbolic role of Confederate currency, exploring themes of value, labor, race, and memory. The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on how money

Who: Artist John W. Jones

What: ‘Confederate Currency: The Color of Money’ When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays through Sunday, Feb. 15, and on weekends during performances. Where: USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret Street, Beaufort

Cost: Free and open to the Public Opening Reception: 4 to 5:30 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 18.

More information: Go to USCBCenterForTheArts. com

functions not only as an economic tool, but also as a cultural artifact shaped by history and ideology.

This timely exhibition offers an opportunity for thoughtful dialogue and deeper understanding of the past and its lasting impact on the present.

Center for the Arts gallery is located at 805 Carteret Street in historic downtown Beaufort. The exhibition is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on weekends during performances.

For more information, visit the USCB Center for the Arts website gallery page. WANT TO GO?

The public is invited to a reception on Sunday, Jan. 18 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. USCB

ARTS BRIEFS

‘Natural Wonder: The Ultimate Stevie Wonder Experience’ in Beaufort

For one night only on Friday, Jan. 16, the iconic sound of one of the greatest entertainers and music legends of all time will come alive on stage in an unforgettable live experience in Beaufort when Gabriel Bello brings Stevie Wonder’s timeless music to the USCB Center for the Arts stage with “Natural Wonder: The Ultimate Stevie Wonder Experience” — a powerful, high-energy celebration spanning more than five decades of legendary hits.

Seats are limited, and demand is high. Fans of Stevie Wonder, classic soul, R&B, funk, and unforgettable live music won’t want to miss this one-night-only experience. Tickets are on sale at uscbcenterforthearts.com. Ticket prices are $45 for adults; $40 for seniors/ military and $35 for students.

‘The World is Our Oyster’ — Beaufort Art Association hosting January/February show

“The World is Our Oyster” is the theme for the Beaufort Art Association’s January-February show of featured artists, which will explore the beauty of the Lowcountry. Maritime art of all kinds will be showcased. The new show celebrates treasures of the Lowcountry coastal paradise — plenty of marsh and boats and birds and seafood — with different artistic interpretations in many styles and mediums.

More than 60 local artists will also be exhibiting new art throughout the gallery. Jewelers, potters, sculptors, wood workers, textile artists, and painters of all mediums will be represented.

The show is free and open to the public and runs through February at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery located on 913 Bay Street in downtown Beaufort. For hours and more information, visit beaufortartassociation.com.

Poet Davis hosting workshop

Chaplain and poet Will Davis (“Tethered Wrds”) will lead a community workshop on reflection and restorative writing as opportunity to breathe again, speak truth, and let go of what has weighed you down.

This workshop is an invitation to speak life back into those places, to honor the parts of you that were stretched or wounded in the process. Words can be used as swords by hurt, but they can also become a shield, a balm, and a path toward healing. Come ready to write, release, and rebuild.

This is an in-person writers workshop, held at the Pat Conroy Literary Center at 601 Bladen Street in Beaufort on Saturday, Jan. 17, from 10 a.m. to noon. Event is limited to 15 participants with advance registration; free to attend. Please call 843-379-7025 to reserve your spot.

Coastal

Discovery

Museum highlights Hilton Head's legendary Round Table Artists

The Coastal Discovery Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is hosting a retrospective exhibition, “It's Thursday! Artists of the Round Table,” celebrating 15 prominent local artists who gathered weekly at The Red Piano Gallery from the 1970s through 1994 to share ideas and projects that nurtured Hilton Head Island’s growing art community. The exhibit will be on view through March 23 2026

This retrospective brings together approximately 80 works from private collections and new museum acquisitions. The Artists of the Round Table include Aldwyth, Ralph Ballantine, Joe Bowler, Danielle DeMers, Joe DeMers, Ray Ellis, Elizabeth Grant, Walter Greer, Tua Hayes, Katy Hodgman, Louanne LaRoche, Allen Palmer, Marge Parker, George Plante, and Coby Whitmore

The museum is offering free curator’s tours of the exhibit on the following dates: Thursday, Jan. 22, at 1 p.m.; Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 11 a.m.; and Saturday, March 14, at 11 a.m.

– Staff reports

Eagles 2nd at Warrior Slam

LowcoSports.com

Beaufort High’s wrestling team went 4-1 and finished runner-up to Class 5A pow-

er St. James on Saturday at the Warrior Slam Duals at Whale Branch Early College High School.

Colton Freeman, Jaden Priester, and Jessob Paris all went 5-0 on the day for the Eagles, and Priester collected his 100th career win in the championship match

Sand Sharks’ Kilminster shows clutch touch

LowcoSports.com

When Alejandro Ralat graduated after his one year running the point for the USCB men’s basketball team, coach Ron Fudala knew he had a big role to fill.

Everyone associated with Sand Sharks basketball is thrilled he found Evan Kilminster to fill it.

Evan Kilminster

The passfirst point guard from Australia via College of Charleston called his own number at the buzzer on two occasions last week, each time delivering an improbable game-winner to lift USCB to a pair of key Peach Belt Conference wins.

Kilminster drained a fallaway jumper from the right corner just ahead of the horn Wednesday to give USCB an 83-82 win over Flagler in The Cove, and he followed it up with another turnaround jumper on the final possession of a 77-75 win at Columbus State on Saturday, helping the Sand Sharks climb back within a half-game of the league leaders.

Kilminster played 40 minutes in Wednesday’s overtime contest at home, finishing with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists and scoring both the tying bucket that forced overtime and the game-winner. Against the Cougars, Kilminster put up 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists and again delivered the winning shot.

The USCB women held off Flagler for an 82-74 win on Wednesday before falling 7975 at No. 19 Columbus State.

The Sand Sharks play at Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday before returning home to face North Georgia on Saturday.

against St. James.

The Eagles were back in action Monday with a Region 6-4A match at Bluffton, falling 50-25 as Beaufort had to surrender forfeits at four weight classes due to injuries and illness.

Local wrestlers qualify for sectionals

Three junior varsity wrestlers and 14 middle school wrestlers from Northern

Beaufort County placed in the top five in their weight classes Friday and Saturday at the Area 9 Qualifier, earning them the right to advance to Saturday’s Coastal Sectional at Summerville High School.

Bridges Prep had a strong showing in the middle school tournament with seven wrestlers advancing and leading the Bucs to a third-place finish among 18

teams. Nico Mercado (102) and Camdon Russell (106) claimed titles, while Thatcher Hartmann (80), Lane Duckett (88) and Garrett Torres (135) finished third, and George Scott (114) and Dominic Kromm (126) placed fifth. Caleb Wetherington was fourth at 175 in the JV division.

John Paul II had a school-record six wrestlers advance, including four in

the middle school ranks with Nick Kessinger taking the 114-pound title, Jack Duncan (102) and Everett Thiesen (108) placing second, and Ben D’orazio (102) taking third. Harrison Millard (175) placed third, and James Del Mazo (106) was fifth in the JV tournament.

Robert Smalls Leadership Academy had two wrestlers advance in the middle school division with Nick

Lanz winning gold at 145 and Jayden Fields placing fourth at 285, and Lady’s Island Middle School’s Lorenzo Communale placed fifth at 80 pounds. The top four placers in each weight class Saturday will advance to the Carolina Invitational — the de facto state tournament for middle school and junior varsity

Comprehensive women’s health screenings for every stage of life

Special to The Island News

Women often manage their family’s healthcare needs, and, in the process, they may neglect their own. Prioritizing your health is essential – especially because regular screenings can detect problems early, when treatment is most effective.

“Regular screenings can identify many types of cancer in early, more treatable stages,” said Dr. Tiffany Bersani, a board-certified OBGYN at Beaufort Memorial Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialists. “They can also reveal signs of serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes.”

Screenings you need in your 20s and 30s

It’s common for young women to skip annual wellness visits. But regular screenings can help prevent minor health issues from developing into major problems.

According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and other leading organizations, the screenings you need during these decades include:

Anxiety and depression screening. Your provider will ask questions about your mental health during your annual exam.

Blood pressure screening. You should get your blood pressure checked every three to five years.

Cervical cancer screening.

Starting at age 21 and until age 29, women should have a Pap test every three years. Between 30 and 65, women should have Pap and HPV testing every five years or a Pap-only test every three years.

• Cholesterol screening. Starting at age 20, women at high risk of heart disease need this simple blood test every five years.

Diabetes screening. Starting at age 35 (or earlier for women at high risk), you need a simple blood test to check for diabetes every three years.

• Sexually transmitted infections and HIV screening. If you are sexually active and have had more than one partner in your life, you need chlamydia and gonorrhea screenings, as well as at least one HIV test.

Women at increased risk of breast cancer or colorectal cancer may need to start screenings in their 30s. Your Beaufort Memorial provider can help you assess your risk and determine when to start screening.

Screenings you need in your 40s and 50s As we get older, our bodies change and are more susceptible to certain health conditions. This

is why it becomes even more important to keep up with regular health screenings and checkups. Your provider can reference your personal health history to help detect small changes in your health.

The following screenings are recommended throughout your 40s and 50s:

Blood pressure screening.

Women 40 and older should be checked for high blood pressure at least once a year.

Breast cancer screening.

Beginning at age 40, women need annual mammograms to screen for breast cancer.

• Cervical cancer screening.

Regular HPV or Pap screening tests should continue every three to five years.

• Cholesterol screening. All

How to prep for your colonoscopy

Special to The Island News

It’s the test most people don’t even want to think about, let alone have.

But routine screening colonoscopies — usually every 10 years from age 45 to about 75 — can stop colorectal cancer in its tracks.

“The evidence is overwhelmingly positive that colonoscopies are effective in preventing colon cancer and identifying patients who have colon cancer without any symptoms of colon cancer, when it’s easily cured by surgery,” says Dr. John Crisologo, a board-certified gastroenterologist at Beaufort Memorial Lowcountry Medical Group.

Colonoscopies are considered the gold standard for colorectal cancer screenings, though there are other options. During a colonoscopy, a doctor inserts a long, flexible tube inside your rectum and colon. The scope has a light and a tiny camera. During the procedure, suspicious growths, called polyps, can be removed and then tested.

Because it usually involves some level of sedation and a pain reliever, the procedure itself isn’t the part most people dread. It’s the preparation the day before, which calls for a liquid diet and laxatives to clean out your bowels.

Here are a few tips to make your colonoscopy prep easier:

Get a head start

Your doctor will probably suggest that you cut back on fiber in your diet a week or two before the test. That’s because fiber that isn't easily digested — found in foods such as nuts, whole wheat, brown rice and fruit skins — may make prep more difficult. In addition, if you’re prone to constipation, take a laxative for

a few days before starting the day-before prep. “A little extra effort will lower your chances of having inadequate prep,” Dr. Crisologo says.

Adjust for health issues

If you have diabetes, take anticoagulants for conditions such as atrial fibrillation, or have other chronic health problems, talk to your doctor ahead of time about ways you might need to customize your prep. And if you had a heart stent inserted or a hip replaced recently, wait six months before having a routine colonoscopy. Older adults or those with mobility issues might want to have someone around to help during prep or consider a bedside commode.

Use soothing ointment Colonoscopy prep causes diarrhea, which can cre-

ate anal discomfort. After every bowel movement, Dr. Crisologo suggests putting a dab of petroleum jelly or balm on the sensitive area. It’s the grown-up equivalent of preventing diaper rash.

Good prep matters It may be tempting to cheat on your colonoscopy prep, but don’t do it. Careful prep makes a colonoscopy more effective. Adequate preparation helps ensure no fecal matter is left behind that can conceal lesions or polyps, especially smaller ones. Prep done well means not having to repeat the preparation process all over again for a second test.

Even more important, you’re giving your physician the best possible view of your colon. Two good reasons to prep, and prep well!

women should start screening for high cholesterol by age 45 and continue regular screening at least every five years if results are normal.

• Colorectal cancer screening. At age 45, you should have your first colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer. If it is normal, you need another one at age 55. If your test finds precancerous polyps or other areas of concern, you will need screenings more frequently.

• Diabetes screening. Continue monitoring your blood sugar at least every three years.

• Lung cancer screening. If you are a former or current heavy smoker, low-dose CT scans to check for lung cancer

are recommended annually starting at age 50 Osteoporosis screening. Talk with your provider about whether to start bone density scans to check for osteoporosis in your 50s.

Screenings for 60 and beyond

Comprehensive women’s health care is crucial as you enter your 60s. All women need a bone density scan for osteoporosis at age 65. You should also continue with regular screenings for diabetes and heart disease as long as you are in good health and according to your own personal risk factors.

Your provider may recommend stopping certain cancer screenings later in life. As we age, our overall health and risk factors may change, and some screenings may no longer be necessary or appropriate. It is important to discuss your individual health needs and risk factors with your health care provider to determine the appropriate age to stop cancer screenings.

“We are here to help you navigate cancer screenings, stay up to date on vaccinations, look for signs of heart disease and prediabetes, and provide other preventive care services,” Dr. Bersani says. “We can also answer all your questions about birth control, pregnancy, menopause and everything else.”

Managing winter

By Katie Durden, DNP, PMHNP-BC Beaufort Memorial Sea Island Psychiatry

Depression that strikes in the late fall or wintertime and eases in the spring and summer could be a sign of seasonal affective disorder, or “SAD.”

the same symptoms each year, try to get ahead of it by planning out a schedule in advance to keep active and engaged.

This type of depression shows up more frequently in people who live far from the equator, like in the U.S., where there is less direct sun exposure year-round. Cold, bleary days can make a lot of people feel sad and tired in the winter, but SAD is more than that — it’s a form of clinical depression.

People with SAD may experience symptoms such as:

Feelings of hopelessness

Having consistently low energy

Difficulty concentrating

Sleeping too much

Overeating and gaining weight

Social withdrawal

Medication, vitamin D, psychotherapy and light therapy might help alleviate symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Here are a few tips to manage SAD: Enjoy daylight as much as possible. The lack of sun exposure is part of what triggers SAD. Exposure to daylight can lessen your symptoms. Try getting out for a walk during daylight hours, sit by a window or use a light that mimics sunshine (full-spectrum light).

Be proactive. If you tend to experience

Eat healthily. Look for hearty, low-calorie recipes to replace comfort foods. Focus on treats made from seasonal fruits like apples and pears instead of cookies and cakes. Stay active. Just as it does for other forms of depression, exercise can help with SAD too. Other ways to be active are volunteering for a local cause, joining a club or planning a get-together with friends.

Keep a journal. Writing about your thoughts, feelings and concerns can have a positive effect on your mood. Take 15-20 minutes each evening to reflect on the day. This may also help you sleep if you find you often lay awake ruminating.

Spend time with your friends and family. Let them know how the season is affecting you so they can offer support.

Seek professional help. If you continue to struggle with feelings of depression, you should speak with your primary care provider. They can work with you on treatment and determine if you'd benefit from the help of a mental health professional. Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, has been shown to be an effective treatment for SAD, and may have more long-term benefits than light therapy — daily use of an artificial bright lamp — or antidepressant medication.

Katie Durden, DNP, PMHNP-BC, is

By Skylar Laird SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA — In South Carolina, 16- and 17-yearolds can’t smoke, open a credit card or vote, but they can get married under a law some legislators and advocates are trying to change.

Until 2019, a loophole in state law allowed judges to issue marriage licenses to children of any age if they were pregnant or gave birth, allowing thousands to get married over the course of two decades. A law passed that year made clear that only those 16 and up could get married, with parental permission.

But as more states do away with underage marriage altogether, some are pushing South Carolina to set a firm floor of 18 years old.

Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto is trying again to get a bill he’s proposed during every two-year ses-

SC bill would allow only adults to wed

Current SC law requires citizens to be 16 to marry

sion since 2019 past the finish line. The proposal didn’t get a hearing during last year’s legislative session. “I think that (marriage) is one of the biggest decisions anyone will ever make,” the Orangeburg Democrat said. “It should be done by someone whose mind is fully developed.”

Teenagers don’t magically wake up more mature on their 18th birthday than they were at 17, said Alex Goyette with Tahirih Justice Center, who advocates for bills raising the minimum marriage age.

But 18-year-olds have more opportunities than 17-year-olds. As someone who’s considered an adult by law, an 18-year-old can hire a lawyer and sign other legal documents on their own. Finding an apartment is easier, as is finding a full-time job, Goyette said.

“That’s really important for someone who is trying to resist an unwanted marriage or to leave an abusive situation,” he said.

Since Delaware became the first state to set a minimum age of 18 for marriage in 2018 15 states have followed suit, according to the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit center, which works to protect women from violence and help victims. Five of those states did so within the past year.

South Carolina is one of 20 states that allows people as young as 16 to get married. Six states allow marriage as young as 15 or don’t have an age limit at all, according to the advocacy group.

The biggest challenge the advocacy group faces is time. Bills about their states’ legal marrying age generally aren’t among legislators’ top priorities, making it more dif-

ficult to get a hearing scheduled amid the frequent chaos of a part-year legislative session, Goyette said. But the issue is an important one, with the potential for far-reaching impacts, he added.

Girls married before turning 18 are more likely to face domestic abuse than their counterparts, according to studies Tahirih Justice Center compiled. Marrying young often separates girls from support networks they might otherwise form through school, friends and family, making it more difficult for many to get help, Goyette said.

Underage brides are also less likely to finish high school or attend college, more likely to live in poverty, and more susceptible to long-term mental and physical health problems, according to the nonprofit.

“This, obviously, has devastating lifelong harms,” Goyette said.

Between 70% and 80% of marriages that include someone under the age of 18 end in divorce, the advocacy group found.

“These are not the foundational lifelong partnerships that we like to think of when we’re talking about a marriage,” Goyette said.

As more states raise the legal age for marriage, Goyette worries people may start traveling to South Carolina to take advantage of its comparatively lax laws about marrying underage, he said.

Some of South Carolina’s neighboring states have already approved stricter laws.

In Georgia, marriage is limited to those who are 18 and older. Tennessee and Florida both have age floors of 17. North Carolina also has a minimum marriage age of

16, but its law includes more safeguards, including allowing the other spouse to be no more than four years older and requiring a judge to evaluate whether the marriage “serves the best interest” of the person under 18 South Carolina’s law does not include such safeguards that could prevent some unwanted marriages, Goyette said. As long as a minor’s parent signs off, any certified official can issue a 16-year-old a marriage license in the state. “Until every state moves on this issue, kids across the United States are in danger,” Goyette said.

Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and

Dominion Energy seeks rate hike for 2nd time in 2 years

By Jessica Holdman SCDailyGazette.com

COLUMBIA — Customers of South Carolina’s two large, private power companies could see their electric bills go up in 2026 — the second time in two years that utilities have hiked base rates.

It has been 16 months since Dominion Energy’s South Carolina customers last saw their rates increase. Now, the Virginia-headquartered company is headed back before state utility regulators seeking to raise base electric rates again.

If approved by the state Public Service Commission, residential customers who use 1 000 kilowatt-hours a month — considered the industry standard — would see another $20 tacked on to their current monthly bill, Dominion’s regulatory manager John Raftery told the S.C. Daily Gazette. That would take average bills from about $157 a month to just shy of $177, starting in July 2026

This does not include potential increases for cost of fuel, which can be added to bills along the way.

Dominion’s ask comes on the heels of rate hikes approved for Duke Energy customers across the Upstate and Pee Dee. And electricity costs have been

on the rise nationally, not just in South Carolina. Utility rate increase requests and approvals totaled more than $34 billion in the first nine months of 2025, according to PowerLines, a nonprofit focused on lowering utility bills. That’s almost double the $16 billion in requests and approvals over the same period in 2024

The national average price of electricity rose faster than inflation in 2025, and government forecasters at the U.S. Energy Information Administration expect that will continue through this year. But the increases have not hit as hard in South Carolina and many other Southeastern states when compared to the West Coast and Northeast.

Dominion is asking for the increase, which would bring in $332 million more annually from all 820,000 customers it serves across the Lowcountry and Midlands. Utility officials say that will help cover $1 4 billion worth of investments made to the utility’s South Carolina system since March 2024

That includes:

$500 million spent on the lines that carry power directly to people’s homes and businesses; $270 million spent on large

transmission lines that move power around the state;

$515 million on power plants and hydropower produced at Lake Murray; and $120 million on Hurricane Helene recovery.

Utilities’ annual spending on the network of poles and wires that deliver power to customers has nearly tripled over the past two decades, according to U.S. Department of Energy data, as large portions of the electric grid near the end of their 50-year life spans. As climate change drives more frequent storms, fires, heat waves, and cold spells, companies also are having to do more to make the grid more resistant to natural disasters.

Some of those improvements to the transmission lines and a coalfired power plant near Goose Creek are required by federal energy and environmental regulations, said Keller Kissam, president of Dominion’s South Carolina operations.

Others replace smaller, aging plants that are six decades old and hydro equipment that hasn’t been updated in nearly a century, Kissam added.

Dominion’s spending over the last two years is nearly equivalent to the $1

years prior. Kissam pointed, in part, to the rising cost of copper, steel and aluminum — all of which goes into the parts and components the utility uses in its power lines and equipment. The company also has added 23,000 new customers in that time.

“I would rather fight a Category 4 hurricane than file a rate case,” Kissam said. But the company also is collecting less than half of the 9 94% rate of return regulators allowed it in 2024. That rate of return is how Dominion attracts investors willing to front the capital the company needs for construction, Kissam said.

Dominion is, in turn, asking regulators to up that return rate to 10 5%

Duke Energy

As for Duke Energy, the average residential customer in the Pee Dee will see their bill rise by about $11 a month — from $154 to $165 for 1,000 kilowatt-hours of energy — starting in February. State utility regulators signed off on the rate hike on Dec. 12

The increase for customers in the Upstate, approved Dec. 31, is far less — less than $1 more per month on average starting in March. But

those customers still have a bump that has yet to take effect from a previously approved rate hike. That increase of $6 42 per month for the average residential customer comes in Aug. 1, 2026

In all, Duke has about 857,000 customers in the Palmetto State.

As part of the deal, Duke will set aside funds, raised from investors, for customers who need help paying their bill when facing financial hardship — $750 000 annually for two years in the Pee Dee and $1 5 million annually for two years in the Upstate, according to the South Carolina chapter of the AARP.

Duke also agreed to take part in a petition asking regulators to review how large energy users — those that consume 50 megawatts or more — are charged for producing the power they require. The provision is aimed at the growing number of large data centers and manufacturing operations coming into South Carolina.

In turn, regulators are allowing Duke a 9 99% rate of return.

Jessica Holdman writes about the economy, workforce and higher education. Before joining the SC Daily Gazette, she was a business reporter for The Post and Courier. S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

VOICES

Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of The Island

The world turned upside down

Friends I have talked with in the last few days all express similar sentiments.

“I don’t recognize this country,” and “what is the world coming to?” To quote a phrase used at the time of the American Revolution, it seems we are living in a world turned upside down. To me, the recent tragedy in Minneapolis and the response to it are wrong way up.

When did Americans decide that it is acceptable and even laudatory to block the police from conducting their often-dangerous operations? Some would not consider ICE to be police, but their mission is to enforce the immigration laws of the United States.

People might consider those laws to be unfair and wrong. We have mechanisms for changing that: vote for people who will change those laws. Complain to your Congress people loudly and often. Deciding that you will get together with like-minded mothers you meet at your child’s progressive school in “ICE Watch” to “document and resist” is not a prescription for a healthy life.

Several northern and western cities have declared themselves sanctuaries for immigrants who did not come here legally. The porous border of the Biden ad-

ministration allowed thousands of truly wicked criminals, gang members, and ne’er do wells to infiltrate the country along with millions of others who came looking for opportunity or safety.

ICE seeks to remove the child molesters, rapists, murderers and lately, alleged crooks who swindle massive sums from federal programs. Perhaps Renee Nicole Good’s ICE Watch wanted to keep people around who might introduce her six-year-old son to child rape. Perhaps she felt that Somali immigrants have a right to steal billions of dollars. We can only guess that she thought she was right in staging a protest that got her killed.

Many have claimed Renee Good was an observer. Her SUV was perpendicular to the curb, halfway across the road. As Megyn Kelly said, “If you place your vehicle perpendicular to oncoming traffic, ten out of ten

times, you will get arrested.”

The partner, Rebecca Good, was videotaping from the curb as Renee sat in her idling car waiting for what — a confrontation?

One commentator thought they were creating content, a video to show how dastardly ICE agents are. Whatever their motives, it all went wrong when Renee disobeyed a lawful order to get out of her car.

Obviously, Renee never watched cop shows. When the police — and ICE are police whether the Antifreeze wants to admit it or not — tell you to get out of the car, turn off the engine, and get out of the car. The job of the police is to investigate and stop crimes. Obstructing police operations and disobeying their orders are crimes.

Clear facts of the actual shooting will come to light. Long ago, the Basic Law Enforcement Training director at one of the colleges where I worked explained that the police are trained to shoot until the threat stops. I question which bullet hit Ms. Good. Could the agent have stopped after one shot? Was the first shot the one that killed her? That the agent who shot her had been dragged by an illegal man in a car six months before resulting in significant injuries to the agent’s arms

and legs certainly played into his response to an SUV suddenly coming in his direction.

Now, even the Minneapolis Teacher’s Union is calling for ICE to leave the city. This union and the city’s mayor seem to forget that there is an ongoing investigation into what appears to be fraud of huge proportions. It seems that the state of Minnesota has not done anything about warnings of fraud for years. As the Somalis are immigrants — some legal, probably some not — it appears that an appropriate federal agency to pursue them is ICE.

One could conclude, the mayor, the teachers’ union and the wishy-washy governor would prefer the status quo of massive fraud. Possibly there is much more to this story which the shooting in Minneapolis now conveniently obscures. Too many questions could be asked, such as how did Rep. Ilhan Omar go from a net worth of $400,000 when she entered Congress in 2019 to a current net worth of $30 million?

Following the death of Ms. Good, and the wounding in Portland, it is certain that attacks on ICE — or any other police force — will result in bad things happening to those who see themselves

Renee Nicole Good — remember her name

Much has been written about the tragic killing of Renee Good, and I have to believe much more will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. Every person commenting has an opinion, one that is, more often than not, reflective of his or her political ideology. In what is a very tragic situation, I suggest we sit back, take a deep breath, and look at the facts. While I agree that it is difficult to remove the emotional aspect of this, namely that a 37-year-old mother of three, a college graduate of Old Dominion University, and an award winning poet was shot in the face three times. We must try to make sense of what happened.

In searching through several articles, I found there were common facts that emerged. One is that she was there as a “legal observer” which then went on to define this as a volunteer who monitors police and security forces at protests and operations.

It was Good’s wife who spoke to this, initially saying, “On Wednesday, Jan. 7, we stopped to support our neighbors,” appearing to reference an anti-ICE protest that had been taking

place before the shooting. Now this is where the situation becomes dicey in that “he-said-she-said.”

My guess is that you have already formed your own opinion, but I want to provide some perspective, based upon the remarks of those who have dealt with such problems.

I am not going to address at great length any of the details we already know. What I am going to provide are the words of former law enforcement officer, Kramer Hammy, who spoke to the issue of where the authority of ICE begins and ends. I found this to provide much-needed clarification:

"As a former officer, let me make something clear: ICE agents are not police officers, deputy sheriffs, or troopers. They are not local/ state law enforcement. They are not federal criminal law enforcement. They have an

incredibly limited scope of authority, and that scope of authority exists in detaining and arresting, with probable cause and/or signed warrants, those investigated and suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.

“They cannot just pull anyone over for a traffic violation or because their car is in a place they don't want it. They have no authority to pull people over for anything other than immigration enforcement -- and even then that involves probable cause, such as a known vehicle of someone they have been tracking, or a warrant. On very rare occasions they have the legal authority to pull someone over if they are threatening the lives of others, but that was not happening in this case. They do not have the training nor the authority to pull anyone else over. They cannot arrest legal citizens. They cannot detain legal citizens without probable cause to believe they might not be legal. They have zero authority to be attempting to force entry into a vehicle.”

Perhaps the saddest, certainly the most disgusting part of this was the President and his team immediately rushing to justify what

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Ode of Thanks

The day began fine, a trip to the store. Then on to the Post Office, nothing more.

Stamps I did buy, and now drive back home. Things to go there, no time to go roam.

Looking in the car window, my eyes opened wide. There was my cell phone and car key locked inside!

Two miles from home, spare key on a shelf. I needed a ride to get it myself!

Perhaps down the block, the Police Station’s there. They could open the car door, or had know-how to share.

Then there on a red jeep parked under a tree, Its scarlet and gold stickers meant something to me!

happened, and in doing so, vilifying this young mother. They put forth outright lies which were subsequently disproven by video footage, taken not from just one angle but from many.

What strikes me as most heinous is the footage showing Renee Wood smiling and saying, “I’m not mad at you, dude.” And then that smile is erased by three shots to her head. Not one but three. Not to her tires but into her face!

Some will argue that she was mocking ICE earlier. To those I ask,”Does this justify killing her?” Are you so thin-skinned that words drive you to kill? If so, then you should never be a part of the goon squad that ICE has apparently become. I suppose it was just a matter of time until something like this happened. Some who are familiar with ICE recruiting say real training is lacking and that their tactics are reckless, that they are being encouraged to believe the rules don’t apply to them.

This travesty is further besmeared by the FBI takeover of the investigation, shutting out local investigation. Minnesota prosecutors, however, have announced they would

You asked what was it that caught my eye? Red and gold stickers with “Marine” and “Semper Fi”!

A dog, German Shepard, with a coat black as coal, Sat in the jeep, he was ready to roll.

So I spoke to the driver, described to her my plight

About needing a ride to my home and back to this site.

With a pat to her dog’s head, much to his delight, She replied, “No one left behind, isn’t that right?”

Off we went down the road, the jeep it just flew. Driven by a Marine, one of the “Few.”

I’d served in the Fifties, so long ago. She more recent, late 1990’s, that I do know.

We spoke of our lives, our years in the Corps. That’s a subject that’s never ever a bore.

as social justice warriors. It is also certain that most media outlets will report inaccurate stories about ICE. For example, media recently reported that ICE had raided a daycare center. ICE agents were pursuing two illegals who had criminal histories. The illegals drove into a shopping center and ran into a daycare, thus endangering children by trying to use them as shields. This brings me back to my initial question. Do folks think they are justified in any action because they consider the current, duly elected President of the United States, to be at best a dictator and at worst Adolf Hitler? They have certainly heard politicians and celebrities malign the President with such vitriolic language. Do they think they are justified in their version of vigilante justice because they believe Orange Man bad?

Maybe I watched too many westerns as a kid where I learned it isn’t a good idea to take the law into your own hands. “I think, therefore I’m right” can get you killed.

been a dingbatter in North Carolina and an upstater from New York.

be conducting their own independent investigation. Unfortunately, they lack critical information possessed solely by the FBI. Knowing this, how can we not believe a cover-up is at hand if they refuse to release this information?

Comments flew thick and fast immediately after the incident, many disproven. Said one, “This woman intentionally blocked ICE and refused their lawful orders.

The video clearly shows her wheels spinning as they were pointed directly at the ICE agent.” I can only respond that you see what you want to see.

The President called her a "professional agitator" who "violently, willfully, and viciously" ran over an ICE officer. I’ll leave it to you, dear reader, to assess the validity of that one.

Many of us have watched the clip that was recorded from across the street, with the footage starting just minutes before the deadly shooting unfolded. Interpretations vary with each observer. Federal agents could be seen approaching Good’s car while passers-by shouted nearby.

Good was seen waving other cars past her during

the standoff. Then there is the actual physical encounter as seen on video. What sticks with me, however, is what the ICE agent said and did after shooting Rene Good. He called her an ‘f-ing bitch’ and upon her running into a car as a result of her wounds, he walked up to her car and then walked away. Furthermore, he entered his own car and drove away. Interesting reaction. By the way, I must point out that his comment was that of a conservative ICE agent, not a foul-mouthed liberal. But I digress! Perhaps the words of Old Dominion University President Brian O. Hemphill say it best: “This is yet another clear example that fear and violence have sadly become commonplace in our nation. Indeed, this tragedy reflects the deep strain being felt in countless communities across our nation. As citizens, it is our duty and right to call upon leaders and officials to restore civility in all facets of our lives.”

Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”

Born and raised in this state, she’s a local for sure. I’m from Wisconsin, settled here via Marine Corps detour.

She trains working dogs, she spoke with a passion. Giving me a ride, she showed her compassion.

The drive was short and within a minute, I had my spare key and grabbed a hat to go with it.

So, back out I went, got into my seat. A lick from her dog, guess that was a greet!

Proud of the years we spent in the Corps, I’m sure we’ll meet again and reminisce some more.

So, from my heart, “THANKS” I do send To Natalee, my new-found MARINE friend.

– Charlotte M. Ayers, Beaufort

VOICES

Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of The Island

The political impact of simultaneous contrast

more lives are lost.”

In the worlds of art and perception, there’s a phenomenon known as simultaneous contrast. It basically means that a color surrounding another may change the way the brain perceives the interior color.

Imagine, for example, two magenta squares. One is surrounded by forest green. The other is surrounded by orange. The magenta in the middle is the exact same color — but the way we see these interior colors generally is different because the magenta surrounded by orange looks like a darker red — even though it’s actually not if you remove the surrounding green and orange squares.

Our brains are processing the interior colors differently, leading to the illusion that the colors in the middle are different. But they’re not.

Today, the concept of simultaneous contrast has political implications. Two divided and partisan groups looking at the same thing — say, a federal ICE agent shooting through a windshield and killing a woman in

Minneapolis — are seeing things differently. And this is the kind of continuing conflict that is tearing America apart.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he was meeting with President Donald Trump on Wednesday and they looked at video footage of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three.

“We viewed the footage of the assault on the ICE officer and the eventual defensive shooting of the woman who tried to run him over.

We watched the video several times with the president. I am told the officer who was struck by the vehicle is recovering in the hospital,” Graham said in a statement.

“This could have easily been prevented by complying with the officer’s command. If an officer lawfully asks you to exit a vehicle but you do not comply and then strike that officer with a vehicle, you may get shot. The takeaway for me is simple. If you try to run over a law enforcement officer with your vehicle, it is at your own peril.”

But many who watched videos didn’t see the ICE agent get hit by the vehicle.

Here’s what U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., said in a statement:

“This morning, a masked ICE agent shot and killed an unarmed woman in Minneapolis as she sought to leave. This was an unjustifiable act of violence.

“ICE has been wreaking havoc in our communities under Donald Trump’s direction, and today an American lost her life as a result. There must be accountability and justice, and the Trump Administration must cease these reckless ICE activities that are undermining public safety before

Two South Carolina leaders, one Republican and one Democratic, saw the same incident and drew different conclusions. It’s the political phenomenon of simultaneous contrast at work.

If you keep all of this in mind, perhaps you may want to consider some other conclusions:

1 The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

Let’s gather all of the facts before drawing partisan conclusions – despite what we think we see. Federal authorities like U.S. Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem may have rushed to judgment and into the world of spin by immediately pointing a partisan finger of blame at the dead woman.

2 Minnesotans understandably are upset because of the continuing presence of ICE agents in their state. It’s probably a good idea to question why they are there and whether they’re causing more problems than not.

3 Federal investigators aren’t doing themselves any favors by excluding Minnesota law enforcement officers from participating in the investigation. That’s the kind of thing that starts people talking about cover-ups.

The shooting in Minnesota is a tragedy and should never have happened. Now, everyone needs to go into time out, breathe and pause. And make sure the investigation is transparent so we can know the full range of what happened.

Otherwise, people who saw the video — and believe they witnessed a woman get attacked by an agent (not the other way around) — may start questioning the veracity of the Trump administration on other issues. And that could have big political consequences at the midterm elections.

Andy Brack is editor and publisher of the Charleston City Paper and Statehouse Report. Have a comment? Send it to feedback@statehousereport.com.

Time to respectfully evict Calhoun, Hampton from Washington

While I breathe, I hope. South Carolina’s motto, as always, hurls us headlong with joy and optimism into the New Year.

My hope for 2026 is that state leaders address our state’s real problems this year and nudge us further toward a modern and prosperous state that works for everyone.

My hope is that state leaders grapple with the cost-of-living challenges we face, fix the rotten roads and bridges, close the teacher-shortage gap, expand health care coverage, tackle rising insurance rates, promote vaccination, avoid nuttiness (banning “chemtrails,” really?), and extend a more generous hand to our most vulnerable citizens.

And here’s another idea fit for the New Year: It’s time for us to remove the dusty statues of John C. Calhoun and Wade Hampton III from the U.S. Capitol.

Every state in the nation contributes two statues to the National Statuary Hall Collection to reflect the finest values of the people of our states.

Our two statues, Calhoun and Hampton, represent South Carolina to all Capitol visitors. They represent our state to the world. But

these are two of the worst people represented by statues in the U.S. Capitol.

The stony visage of Calhoun, the fierce advocate of slavery, has scowled over the halls of the Capitol building since 1910. The statue is currently located with others in the Capitol Crypt, suitable for a dead philosophy.

Hampton, the white supremacist and slaveholder, has resided with mutton-chopped extravagance in the U.S. Capitol since 1929

They’ve dwelled in the Capitol at public expense for too long. Time for a respectful eviction.

What brings this to mind is a recent inspiring story out of Virginia, which removed its Robert E. Lee statue from the U.S. Capitol in 2020

Just last month, Lee was replaced with a statue of teenage civil rights activist Barbara Rose Johns.

The gutsy Johns famously led a 1951 student strike against school segregation, which contributed to the

Brown v. Board of Education decision. Johns now stands with George Washington in the Capitol.

The statue of Lee, commander of the Confederate States Army, was moved to a Virginia museum.

The symbolism couldn’t be clearer: Virginia chose a message of aspiration and racial equality over honoring the racial strife and bloodshed of the past. The Old Dominion embraced the New South.

For South Carolinians concerned about local Confederate statues, it’s worthwhile to note that Virginia in removing Lee from the Capitol has not removed statues of Lee from across Virginia.

The Calhoun and Hampton statues also belong in museums to place them in a balanced historical context.

Statues in public places are not neutral historical records. They’re public endorsements. They represent our shared values, those we hold dear, not those we find morally abhorrent.

Calhoun and Hampton are worthy of devoted study but not worthy of public veneration.

Better angels

If Virginians can find the courage to express the better angels of their nature, South Carolinians can, too.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

AI is here to stay

Frank Knapp is right to raise concerns about artificial intelligence. The pace of change is extraordinary, and the instinct to protect consumers is a healthy one.

But we should also be practical about the limits of what state-level regulation can accomplish. AI is not a contained, domestic technology. It is global, decentralized, and increasingly open-source. Any rules passed in South Carolina will bind only responsible companies — not the actors most likely to misuse the technology.

That is why many researchers and industry groups are focusing less on restricting AI itself and more on provenance: the ability to verify whether content was created by a human or a machine. Watermarking, cryptographic signatures, and traceable metadata are not perfect solutions,

This idea is not too farfetched: In 2020, Charleston City Council took the bold step of removing a statue of Calhoun from Charleston’s Marion Square.

Calhoun, who died in 1850, was perhaps the most prominent and strident defender of slavery and white supremacy in American history.

Unlike some of the founders of our nation who called slavery a “necessary evil,” Calhoun argued in an 1837 Senate speech that slavery was a “positive good” — that it was beneficial, morally justified, and the proper foundation of a stable society. He also insisted that racial hierarchy was natural and desirable.

These ideas today are loathsome to South Carolinians.

Calhoun, a powerful orator, was not just a slaveholder. He was, in many respects, the chief theorist of slaveholding and an architect of the nation’s slide toward Civil War.

Hampton, for his part, was a Confederate lieutenant general and one of the most prominent slaveholders in the Southeast.

His successful 1876 campaign for governor coincided with widespread intimidation and violence against Black voters, most notably by the Red Shirts,

but they begin to provide a way to help people distinguish authentic vs. synthetic information. And there are emerging standards (C2PA, Content Credentials) that will help. The real threat is not the regulated AI used by Frank’s constituents. It is shadow AI — offshore, anonymous, unregulated systems that will generate political persuasion, deepfakes, and targeted manipulation without any disclosure at all. These are the tools that will shape elections, markets, and public trust unless we prepare for them now.

If we want meaningful protection, we should focus on steps that are within reach, including:

1 Require provenance for AI-generated political and commercial content.

2 Support national standards for watermarking and authentication.

a paramilitary group that supported Hampton.

Historians connect the Red Shirts to the Hamburg Massacre and Ellenton Riot. Estimates of the resulting deaths range from 30 to more than 100 Black South Carolinians.

As governor (1876–1879), Hampton rolled back Reconstruction gains and paved the way for Jim Crow laws, excluding Black South Carolinians from meaningful power for generations.

But who could replace these two old Democrats, Calhoun and Hampton, in the U.S. Capitol?

That question will offer a lively future discussion among South Carolinians.

A few names I’d suggest: Robert Smalls, Ronald McNair, Ernest “Fritz” Hollings, Charles H. Townes, John Laurens and Septima Clark.

Redeeming qualities

Supporters of the status quo point out that Calhoun and Hampton, despite the gravity of their moral failings, possessed redeeming qualities.

Historians such as Merrill D. Peterson and H.W. Brands give Calhoun credit for being a brilliant if flawed thinker for developing such concepts as nullification and expressing concerns about the tyranny of the majority.

Calhoun served for decades — as congressman, senator, secretary of war, secretary of state, and vice president — and was widely regarded in his time. Hampton, for his part, was revered by past generations of South Carolinians for his bravery, personal honor and humane treatment of civilians during the Civil War. That said, the two were fiercely and irredeemably on the wrong side of history, defending the greatest injustices our nation has ever known. Weighed in the balance, they’re found wanting.

Calhoun and Hampton do not represent a modern, economically vibrant and increasingly diverse South Carolina that’s striving toward greater unity and harmony.

Isn’t it time we present the best version of our great state to the world?

Paul Hyde is a longtime journalist and teacher in the Upstate. He worked 18 years for the Greenville News as a columnist, editorial writer, education reporter and arts writer. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Clemson and Harvard universities. He has written for the Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News and USA Today, among other publications. He currently is a regular contributor to the Greenville Journal, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Classical Voice North America.

3 Invest in public digital literacy so citizens can recognize synthetic media. AI is here to stay. Our safeguards will be strongest when they account for both the promise of responsible AI and the challenges posed by systems operating outside any rules.

– Kyle Roblee, Saint Helena Island

From a Carol Lucas ‘fan’

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Carol for "Are those tears real?" Your "critic's" comments have troubled me for months but I didn't have the words to banish this from my consciousness. Because of your responses, I no longer feel alone and hijacked.

– Sarah Kauffman

VOICES

Editor’s Note: The opinions of our columnists in the Voices section are not necessarily the opinions of The Island

Oil,

‘it is the devil’s excrement’

For those of us who write a weekly column — perhaps I should say those of us who try to write a weekly column — there is a problem that occurs from time to time. Occasionally there is tectonic, life-altering news that overwhelms every other topic. Moon landings, Diana’s death in Paris, nuclear-plant meltdowns are events that grab our attention and make everything else, at least for a time, unimportant.

Last week, we learned that U.S. troops descended on Caracas, Venezuela, and removed President Nicolas Maduro and his wife from their bedroom. Our troops shot their way through a cohort of Cuban mercenaries and transported the dazed couple to the Iwo Jima, variously described as a “battleship.”

This middle-of-the-night abduction was described in detail by Gen. Daniel “Raizin” Caine; and in follow-up comments our President added that we were going to “Run Venezuela”

SCOTT GRABER

and, further, “We are going to be taking a tremendous amount of wealth out of the ground.”

“You just can’t make this stuff up …”

This news made my intended column on the theologian, John Philip Newell, completely irrelevant. As I watched Secretary of State Marco Rubio further explain what Trump really meant by “Run Venezuela,” I wondered if there was some way to make a connection between Maduro and the former Scottish priest, John Philip Newell. Newell does not believe in Original Sin — he doesn’t believe that what Adam and Eve did in the Garden was transmitted to the rest of mankind.

Newell also believes there

is a “sense of sacredness in every human being,” and getting in touch with that sacredness is our primary duty.

But, somehow, I doubt that Original Sin, or a “sense of sacredness” were items of interest to Maduro or his wife as they took possession of their respective cells at the Brooklyn Detention Center.

But if we, as a people, believe any part of the notion that there is some divinity within each of us, perhaps we should be thinking about the Venezuelan people and how they are going to be fed in the next few years.

Currently Venezuela imports soybeans, corn, wheat and rice — most of what they eat. Their agricultural output is the smallest in South America, accounting for less that 5% of their GDP.

In his news conference Donald Trump focused on the rebuilding of Venezuela’s oil rigs and exploration of new fields — and said that oil giants Exxon Mobile and Chevron

will do this rehabilitative work.

Although 30 million gallons of currently extracted oil will be delivered to the U.S. shortly, Bob McNalley (speaking on the PBS News Hour) says that “Big oil is years down the road.”

But wait, Mr Trump also said Conoco Phillips and Exxon will be compensated for the “takings” and the verdicts that came out of Nationalization of the oil industry in 1976. The United States will also be compensated for our costs and our current damages. And then there is the restructuring and repayment of Venezuela’s existing $160 billion debt.

When do these repayments start?

Some may remember that things were going pretty well for Venezuela until 2000 when Hugo Chavez decided to divert a big part of the oil revenues into social programs.

Then Hugo got into more political trouble, deciding to divert even more oil revenue into social programs,

“Ten years from now, twenty years from now, you will see, oil will bring us ruin … it is the devil’s excrement.”

JUAN PABLO

PEREZ ALPHONSO, Venezuelan Oil Minister, 1976

all of which led to overspending and the highest inflation rate in the world.

All the while the oil drilling infrastructure was rotting, rusting in the field.

Eventually Venezuela turned to bad actors — Cuba, Iran and China — for immediate fiscal relief but giving them deep discounts when selling their heavy, syrupy crude.

I’m guessing this beleaguered country, which has

Trump pushes us closer to breaking point

Igenerally am not a person who traffics in conspiracy theories, but there apparently was a lot of truth behind the years of accusations leveled against Jeffery Epstein and his client files.

Yes, there was a lot of abuse of young women and girls. Yes, there is a cabal of elites protecting the guilty at the expense of the innocent. But are any of us still hopeful the victims will be liberated from the weight of justice denied? Do we really think the whole truth will surface?

In both cases, I think the answer is “no,” because of the concerted effort to cover up any wrongdoing that might be associated with the current occupant of the White House.

I have already read reports about victims committing suicide and a newborn being drowned. If that’s what is in files that were “redacted," what the heck is still out there?

I used to think Donald Trump ran for president because he was ticked off that President Barack Obama mocked him at the 2011 White House Correspondents

Dinner. And maybe that inspired his first term, but wouldn’t it be something to find out Trump ran for a second term so he could block the release of the Epstein files?

For the record, I don’t think that would qualify him as any kind of evil genius. A survival instinct like that is gut-level, practically reptilian.

I imagine even Trump is surprised at the ancillary gains he’s enjoyed, such as filling his coffers with billions and putting his children in positions to make their own fortunes. He knew if he protected his rich friends’ profit margins, they would do little to impede his actions in areas that matter more to us in the workingclass.

Others who turned a blind eye to Trump’s worst efforts include his Cabinet members, fellow members of the Republican Party, Supreme Court justices, much of the right-wing media sphere, and of course the core group of supporters who remain doggedly devoted.

Even if we never learn all the details in the Epstein files, we still know something broader is wrong with this man and his influence on our nation. We know that something’s broken, and we know it needs to be fixed.

And while I am stunned at how nonchalant many if not most people are about a lot of what would have been politically fatal — or criminally liable — missteps for most other public figures, I am encouraged that pushback against Trump seems to be gaining momentum.

Lower courts, even judges appointed by Republican presidents including Trump, are pushing back against his administration’s blatant disregard for the Constitution and individual rights of due process.

Isn’t there something worth writing about besides Trump

Former supporters are acknowledging on social media how they overvalued the pig in a poke that is the Trump presidency.

What remains of the Washington press corps is being challenged to call out the lies, the hypocrisy, and the corruption, and to explain them in ways that are harder to rebut or dismiss.

The biggest payoff from last year’s “No Kings” demonstrations might have been that they served as a clarion call to many Americans that a lot of other people feel the same way about Trump’s authoritarian tendencies.

When a board Trump appointed added his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, entertainers canceled shows in droves, even when it cost them financially.

The annual TV special that was a seasonal delight for many drew all-time low viewership with Trump as its host.

The White House is planning to stage campaign-style rallies to energize the base ahead of the midterms, because the sentiment

no industrial base other than oil, will need some serious help in the short run to feed its people.

I’m thinking that in the long run they will require a modified, modern day Marshall Plan — funded by the U.S. — with which to diversify their economy.

“What the U.S. needs to do is implement a form of a Marshall Plan,” said Orlando Ochoa, a Caracas-based economist ( Wall Street Journal, 1/5/26).

While Trump and the remaining Maduroites try to figure out the damages and compensation and deliveries of what little oil there is now, there should be food assistance — just like the food we gave the Japanese after World War II. In 1976, Venezuelan Oil Minister Juan Pablo Perez Alphonso said, “Ten years from now, twenty years from now, you will see, oil will bring us ruin … it is the devil’s excrement.”

Scott Graber is a lawyer, novelist, veteran columnist and longtime resident of Port Royal. He can be reached at cscottgraber@gmail.com.

seems clear: People are tired of Trump.

But just because people are upset doesn’t mean they will do the right thing or for the right reasons.

MAGA’s latest uproar is a planned boycott of this year’s tax season. They say they are tired of paying taxes that turn into aid for foreign countries or immigrants they view as freeloaders.

Last time, it was Haitians in Ohio eating pets; this time it’s Somalis in Minnesota stealing funds meant for childcare. The goal is the same. Point hatred toward a minority group and away from the president, his controversies, and his failures.

The shooting death of Renee Nicole Good at the hands of an ICE agent in Minnesota might prove to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Maybe this time people will see the inevitable tragedy of Trump’s efforts to dehumanize his enemies while he pimps out his supporters.

Terry E. Manning worked for 20 years as a newspaper journalist. He can be reached at teemanning@gmail.com.

As a regular reader of Carol Lucas’ Op-Eds in The Island News, I have to say of the last one (Jan. 8-14 2026) “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” Hamlet, Act II, scene II. Surely based on her many years in the teaching profession, there are other things in her life that are important and worth writing about besides Mr. Trump. I suspect that she has a rich history of accomplishment and wonderful memories of bringing learning to the hundreds of children who she has known over the years. We all have a beloved teacher who made a difference in our lives, even the ones who brought us kicking and screaming to Shakespeare.

– Jim Dickson, St. Helena Island

Join Us for Sunday Morning Worship at 8:30 & 10:30

81 Lady’s Island Drive Pastor Steve Keeler (843) 525-0696 seaislandpresbyterian.org

LOCAL MILITARY

Nearly 40 years on Parris Island

You can read the first five articles in this series in The Island News archives –go to https://www.yourislandnews. com and click on Military.

Pancreatic cancers

The VA webpage “Presumptive Cancers Related to Burn Pit Exposure” confirms that the VA considers these pancreatic cancers presumptive: Exocrine pancreatic cancers (including adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, colloid carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma) and Neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer. Warning: This is not a complete list of presumptive pancreatic cancers, and neither are the following lists complete lists.

Reproductive cancers (Female)

The VA considers these female reproductive cancers presumptive: Breast, paraurethral glands, Cervical, Ovarian, Uterine, Vaginal, and Vulvar cancers.

Reproductive cancers (Male)

The VA considers these male reproductive cancers presumptive: Penile, Prostate, Testicular, and Urethral cancer.

Respiratory cancers

Respiratory cancers are any cancers found from the area of the nose to the space between the lungs and beneath the chest wall (the pleural space). These cancers include cancers of the bronchus, larynx, lung, pharynx, and trachea.

Respiratory cancers (Bronchial cancers)

The VA considers these bronchial cancers presumptive: Adenocarcinoma, Large-cell carcinoma, and Squamous cell carcinoma.

Laryngeal cancers

The VA considers these laryngeal cancers presumptive: Adenocarcinoma, Chondrosarcoma, Glottis, laryngeal neuroendocrine, subglottis, or supraglottic neoplasm, Lymphoma, Plasmacytoma, Sarcoma, and Squamous cell carcinoma.

Lung cancers – Non-small cell lung cancers

The VA considers these nonsmall cell lung cancers presump-

tive: Adenocarcinoma, Carcinoid tumor, Large cell carcinoma, Pleomorphic carcinoma, Salivary gland carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma (epidermoid carcinoma), and Unclassified carcinoma.

Small cell lung cancers

The VA considers these smallcell lung cancers presumptive: Combined small cell carcinoma and Small cell carcinoma (oat cell cancer).

Other lung cancers

The VA considers these other lung cancers presumptive: Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung, Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung, Sarcomoid carcinoma of the lung, and Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung.

Nasopharyngeal cancer

The VA considers these nasopharyngeal cancers presumptive: Keratinizing undifferentiated carcinoma, Non-keratinizing undifferentiated carcinoma, and Squamous cell carcinoma.

Paranasal sinus/nasal cavity cancer

The VA considers these paranasal sinus and nasal cavity cancers presumptive: Lymphoma, Melanoma, Neuroendocrine carcinoma, Plasmacytoma, and Squamous cell carcinoma. The VA also considers these rare paranasal , sinus and nasal cavity cancers presumptive: Adenocarcinoma, Adenoid cystic cancer, Fibrosarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, Leiomyosarcoma, Olfactory neuroblastoma, and Rhabdomyosarcoma.

Pharyngeal cancers

The VA considers these cancers presumptive: Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma, Keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, and Non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma.

Oropharyngeal cancers

The VA considers these throat cancers presumptive: Lymphoepithelioma, Lymphoma, Minor salivary gland tumors, Salivary gland cancer, Squamous cell carcinoma, and Tonsillar cancer.

Trachea cancers

The VA considers these cancers presumptive: adenocarcinoma of the trachea and squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea.

5 steps to claiming burn pit service-connected disability

1 Understand that Veterans can claim service-connected disability claims for: Problems (medical conditions/disabilities/injuries/) they had before they entered the U.S. Army that were worsened (Aggravated) by military service.

Service-connected disabling medical conditions, wounds, injuries, illnesses, traumas, scars, military sexual trauma, and events that happened while they were in the military.

Service-connected disabilities (illnesses, worsening conditions, complications, etc.) that show up after you are discharged or retire from the military.

Service-connected disabilities/conditions for secondary conditions (there are hundreds of secondary conditions), like migraines caused by TBIs.

Service connection from hospital care, medical or surgical treatments, or examination by a VA medical professional or facility, or due to participation in a program of vocational rehabilitation. See 38 U. S. Code 1151 (rare situation).

2 Make a list of your service-connected injuries and health conditions.

Make a list of your service-connected conditions and disabilities that are caused by a service-connected wound, injury, illness, trauma, event, scar, or secondary condition. Include, for each disability, the symptoms (pain level), severity, and frequency

of the problem. Include, for each problem, the medications, treatments, aids/medical devices you use to treat/ cope with the injury or illness.

3 Call your local VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer and make an appointment to appoint your VSO to represent you and guide you through filing your claims. Each county in South Carolina and (or region in some cases) in every state has a Veterans Affairs (Service) Office. For example, the Beaufort County, S.C. Veterans Service Office has three locations and can be reached at 843-2556880. You do not have to use a country VSO; you can use the VSOs collocated at VBA Regional Offices, the VSOs working directly for Veterans Service Organizations (American Legion, VFW, VVA, etc.). Follow the VSO’s instructions on what forms, evidence, and support documents to assemble and bring with you.

4 Do your homework.

The more you know about service-connected disability claims, the better your claim will be, the better the chance your claim will be approved and faster, and the more you can help your VSO with preparing and submitting your claim. Read the information at www.va.gov and in these articles.

5 Assemble your evidence. Assemble your evidence and supporting documents, including your DD214s, your Records Brief, your military medical records (those pages that confirm your original wound-injury-illness-traumaevent-scar-etc., VA Medical Records, Civilian Medical Records, Military Awards, and military personnel records (Purple Heart, OERs, EERs, etc. that confirm service in each country and wounds/ injuries/illnesses/traumas, etc.), accident reports, line of duty investigations, OHRs,

pictures, Disability Benefits Questionnaires for each medical condition, Lay Witness Statements, and NEXUS letters.

If you do not have your military medical, dental, and personnel records, or DD214, request them from the National Archives (or Military Holding Facilities). Write your VA file number in the top right-hand corner of every page of your claim and supporting evidence. Keep a copy of every page of your claim and evidence. Don’t give away the originals.

6 Enroll in VA Healthcare.

If you are already enrolled, that is great. However, you must see your VA Primary Care Provider once a year, or you may be disenrolled and must re-enroll. If you are enrolled, make an appointment with your VA Primary Care Provider and get treated for whatever service-connected disabilities you plan to claim. This way, when the Veterans Benefit Administration sends you for a Compensation and Pension (C&P) Exam, you will already have been diagnosed and treated for that condition. You can ask your doctor, Physician’s Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, or other VA Specialist (Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist, etc.) to write you a NEXUS Letter connecting your condition to your military service.

7 Follow the advice of your VA-accredited VSO.

This concludes this series. Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot,

ART Budding Artist After-School

Art Club 4 to 5 p.m., or 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., Mondays/Wednesdays or Tuesday/Thursdays, Happy Art Studio, 10 Sam’s Point Way, Beaufort. Ages 8 to 13. Painting, drawing, clay or crafts. Visit www.happyartstudio.net.

BOOKS Books Sandwiched In Noon to 1 p.m., Mondays, Jan. 26, 2026 through March 2, 2026, USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret Street, Beaufort. An active community leader discusses a book that has had an impact on the presenter, with questions and discussion to follow. Free to attendees through generous community sponsorships. Free parking. Our 39th season will showcase the following six experts and notable community leaders speaking about books that inspire them:

• Jan. 26: “Leading Change” by John P. Kotter. Presented by Frank Rodriguez, Superintendent, Beaufort County School District.

• Feb. 2: by Dan Ariely. Presented by Capt. Tracy R. Isaac, Commanding Officer, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Beaufort; Commanding Officer, Naval Support Facility Beaufort; Director, Naval Hospital Beaufort.

Feb. 9: “Shrimp Tales: Small Bites of History” by Beverly Bowers Jennings. The book’s author will join Captain Craig Reaves, commercial shrimper and owner of CJ Seafood, to discuss the featured title and its related topics. Book signings will follow the session.

Feb. 16: “The Empty Space” by Peter Brook. Presented by Libby Ricardo, MFA, University of South Carolina at Beaufort Associate Professor of Theater and Interdisciplinary Studies; Program Coordinator for Interdisciplinary Studies.

• Feb. 23: “A Sand County Almanac” by Aldo Leopold. Presented by Andrew Bridges, President and CEO, NEMOURS Wildlife Foundation.

• Mar. 2: “Me & Patsy Kickin’ Up Dust: My Friendship with Patsy Cline” by Loretta Lynn. Presented by Amanda Brewer Dickman, Director, Beaufort County Library.

CALENDAR

Beaufort Charities Annual

Two-Day Oyster Roast

5 to 10 p.m., Friday, March 6 and noon to 10 p.m., Saturday, March 7, Live Oak Park, 904 14th Street, Port Royal. Friday’s ticket price ($40) includes live entertainment, Frogmore Stew, steamed oysters, plus unlimited beer and wine souvenir cups available for purchase. Saturday’s ticket price ($50) includes live entertainment, the annual oyster roast, unlimited beer and wine souvenir cups available for purchase, two live auctions (3 and 6 p.m.) and a free kids zone. A two-day ticket is available for $85. Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/49jecyd.

Karaoke with Melissa

7:30 p.m. to midnight, Mondays, Tomfoolery, 3436 17 Market, Habersham, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Karaoke with Ali

9 p.m. to midnight, Tuesdays, Luther’s Rare and Well Done, 910 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort. With DJ Ali.

Karaoke with Melissa

7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd, Beaufort. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with either Parker or Eric.

Trivia with Tom –Bricks On Boundary

7 p.m., Every Thursday, Bricks on Boundary, 1422 Boundary St, Beaufort. Free. Team trivia event, win house cash and Beer Bucket prizes! For more information, visit https:// rb.gy/o9nhwe.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

7 p.m., Thursdays, Amvets Post 70, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free. Public is welcome. Enjoy Karaoke. Dinner will be available.

Bluffton Night Bazaar –a Lowcountry Made Market

5 to 8 p.m., first Thursday of each month, Burnt Church Distillery, 120 Bluffton Road. A highly curated selection of accessories, clothing, home goods, custom gifts and more by local artists and makers.

Habersham Farmers Market

3 to 6 p.m., Fridays, Habersham Marketplace. Vendor roster includes B&E Farm, Cottonwood Soap, Flower Power Treats, Hardee Greens, Megs Sweet Treats, Vitamin Bee, Lady’s Island Oyster Company, Pet Wants.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9 p.m., Fridays, Highway 21 Bar,

WHAT’S HAPPENING

3436 Trask Pkwy, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Lt. Dan.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew

9:30 p.m., Fridays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy Karaoke with Parker.

Karaoke with Melissa

7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Fridays, R Bar & Grill, 70 Pennington Drive, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

Port Royal Farmers Market 9 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, year round, Naval Heritage Park, 1615 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Rain or shine.

You will find fresh, local, seasonal produce, shrimp, oysters, poultry, beef, pork, eggs, bread and cheese, as well as plants, ferns, camellias, azaleas, citrus trees and beautiful, fresh cut flower bouquets. There are prepared food vendors serving barbecue, dumplings, she crab soup, crab cakes, paella, coffee, baked goods, bagels and breakfast sandwiches. No pets allowed. For more information, visit http://www. portroyalfarmersmarket.com/, visit @portroyalfarmersmarket on Facebook or call 843-295-0058.

Slip and Splash Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays, Battery Creek Pool, 1 Blue Dolphin Drive, Beaufort, and Bluffton Pool, 55 Pritchard Street, Bluffton. $5 per person. Stay busy for hours climbing on our inflatable challenge track.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew 7 p.m., Saturdays, The Beaufort Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd., Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with Lt. Dan. Come early at 6 p.m. for Steak Night.

Eric’s Karaoke Krew 9:30 p.m., Saturdays, Rosie O’Grady’s, 2127 Boundary Street, Suite 2, Beaufort. Free. Enjoy karaoke with Eric.

Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud 9 a.m. to noon, 1st Saturday each month, Port Royal Farmer’s Market, Corner of Ribaut Road & Pinckney Blvd, Port Royal. Free. DAYLO Students and other volunteers will read to young children, who are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animals.

Karaoke with Melissa

8 p.m. to 12 a.m., 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month, Peaceful Henry’s Cigar Bar, 181 Bluffton Road, Bluffton. Enjoy food and drinks during Karaoke with Melissa.

DANCE

Lowcountry Shaggers

6 to 9 p.m., Mondays, Albergotti Grill, Holiday Inn, 2225 Boundary Street. Shag lessons with Tommy & Sheri O’Brien and others. Occasional ballroom and once-a-month line dancing. Beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com of email lowcountryshaggers@aol.com.

The Beaufort Shag Club

6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, AmVets Club, 1831 Ribaut Road, Port Royal. Free lessons for members from 6 to 6:30 p.m. We also host a dance the second Saturday of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. Lessons will run September through May only. Visit our FaceBook page (beaufortshagclub) for current events.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

BEMER Longevity Technology

9 a.m., Wednesdays via Zoom. Seen the buzz on “life span VS health span?” Want to grow better, not older? Haven’t heard of BEMER yet? Come for Q&A about how this longevity-enhancing medical device can enhance your health, fitness and overall well-being in just 8 minutes, 2 times a day. Offered by BEMER Specialist - Human & Equine, Elizabeth Bergmann. Text 410-212-1468 to get the Zoom link. Free.

Rooted Beaufort Yoga classes

5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Thursdays, Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal; 9 to 10:15 a.m., Whitehall Park or Pigeon Point Park. Rooted Beaufort is a collective of local Yoga teachers who host outdoor yoga classes and donation-based events with proceeds being donated locally on a rotating basis.

HISTORY Beaufort History Museum at the Arsenal

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, 713 Craven St, Beaufort. General Admission for Adults $8, Seniors $7, Active Duty Military and College Students with ID $5. Children/Teens younger than 18 Free. Explore and experience more than 500 years of Beaufort History with knowledgeable docent guided tours.

The Historic Port Royal Museum

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or upon request, Thursdays through Sundays, The Historic Port Royal Museum, 1634 Paris Ave. The museum features the turn-of-the-century businesses and industries of Port Royal: Shrimping, crabbing, oystering, the railroad, the school and the mercantile. Great gifts featuring local artists are available. For more information. vis-

it www.portroyalhistory.org, email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail. com or call 843-524-4333.

Tour Historic Fort Fremont Dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday, The Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land’s End Road, St. Helena Island. Free and open to the public. The History Center is open Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m., Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Visitors can learn about the fort’s history during the Spanish-American War through interpretive signs, self-guided walking tours with a smart phone, exhibits in the history center, and docent-led tours. For more information visit www.fortfremont.org or contact Passive Parks Manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@ bcgov.net.

LIBRARY ACTIVITIES

“Hidden Gems” Book Club

3 p.m., third Monday of each month, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island. Free. So many books, so little time. St. Helena staff have uncovered some great titles to get you started on your “hidden gem” journey. Join us for lively discussions and coffee or tea. No registration required.

Career Navigator

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., every Tuesday, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Free one-on-one resume writing and job application assistance with a Career Navigator from Palmetto Goodwill. No appointments necessary. For more information call 843-255-6458.

Bridge Club

10 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843-2556458 for more information.

Mah Jongg Open Play

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursdays, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island. Already know the basics of this fun and popular tile game? Join others for open play – all materials supplied. Cards may be purchased at nationalmahjonggleague.org.

Mahjong Club

9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Fridays, Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street. All levels of players are welcome. Feel free to bring your own mahjong sets. Plan to meet every week. For more information, call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843-255-6458.

MEETINGS

UAP/ET/Experiencer

Weekly discussion Group

7 to 8:30 p.m., 2 Habersham Park House, Habersham, Beaufort. Free and open to the public. Questions? Please email ncloring@icloud.com.

Lady’s Island Business & Professional Association

8 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 13, Beaufort Realtors’ Association Headquarters, 22 Kemmerlin Lane, Lady’s Island. Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner will be the featured speaker. Stop by for coffee and conversation concerning the community.

Northern Beaufort County

Democratic Club

6 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 15, Old Grace AME Chapel, 502 Charles Street, Beaufort. Guest speaker will be Matt Fulmer, candidate for Congress for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District. Guests and firsttime attendees are welcome. Ample free parking is available.

Indivisible Beaufort

11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 17, St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathon Francis Sr. Road, St. Helena Island. Emily Mayer, Senior Manager of The Ford and Ford Group, will be the featured speaker. The meeting topic will be “Book Banning and Censorship in South Carolina,” as South Carolina leads the nation in the number of state-mandated book bans. Mayer, a former special education teacher, holds a master’s degree in educational policy and has been a leading voice and an active participant in the battle against book banning as a leader of FABB (Families Against Book Bans). The event is free and open to the public.

Beaufort Lions Club

6 p.m., first and third Monday of every month, St John's Lutheran Church, 157 Lady's Island Drive, Beaufort. For more information, visit thebeaufortlionsclub@gmail.com or follow on Facebook/Instagram/ Nextdoor.

PFLAG Savannah –

Beaufort Peer Group

6:30 p.m., first Tuesday of every month, Fellowship Hall, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort (UUFB), 178 Sams Point Road, Beaufort. Free. The group will be moderated by Rick Hamilton and Kay Carr. The provides advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, family, peers, and allies in the Lowcountry. The peer group provides a safe and strictly confidential environment for LGBTQ+ individuals, their families, friends, and allies to discuss

the challenges faced in coming out or being out in neighborhoods, the workplace, school, or church. The organization offers resources for counseling, educating, and advocating to achieve an equitable, inclusive community where every LGBTQ+ person is safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved. Minors under the age of 18 are required to come with an adult parent, guardian, or mentor. Additional information about peer groups, membership, donations, and volunteering is on the website www. PFLAGSavannah.org and on Facebook.

Beaufort Chapter of America’s Boating Club 6 p.m., 2nd Tuesday of most months, at various Beaufort/Port Royal venues. Regular meetings begin with a Social, followed by Dinner and often include an exciting Guest Speaker from the Lowcountry. For Meeting Information or Educational Opportunities, please contact Paul Gorsuch, Administrative Officer at admino@beaufortboatingclub.com . Boat ownership is not required, however a passion for safe responsible boating is mandatory.

Zonta Club of Beaufort 6 p.m., 4th Tuesday of each month, Smokehouse, Port Royal.

Rotary Club of Sea Island lunch meeting 12:15 p.m., 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Social gathering every 3rd Tuesday at 5:30 pm, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information, visit www.seaislandrotary.org.

Rotary Club of Sea Island social gathering 5:30 p.m., 3rd Tuesday of each month, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information, visit www.seaislandrotary.org.

Beaufort Rotary Club Noon, Wednesdays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Catered buffet lunch, followed by a guest speaker. Prospective members welcome. For further information and upcoming speakers, please visit website www.beaufortrotaryclub.org.

The Beaufort Trailblazers –A Volunteer Group 8 a.m., first Thursday each month, University Bikes, Beaufort. Anyone interested in supporting or building off-road/dirt/wilderness mountain biking/jogging/walking trails near is encouraged to attend. For more information, call 843-575-0021 or email universitybicycles@hotmail. com.

Parents Alienated By Their Adult Children 10 a.m., Thursdays & 6 p.m., Fridays, Lowcountry Outreach Center, 80 Lady's Island Drive, Beaufort. This is a 12-step support group for Parents Alienated By Their Adult Children and is based on the international group, Parents Alienation Advocates (PA-A). Contact Marye Jo Hartley or Greg Hartley at 703966-2014 for more information.

Emotions Anonymous International local group meeting 4 p.m, Thursdays, via Zoom. Emotions Anonymous International, (EAI), is a nonprofit program designed to help people with emotional difficulties. It has a chapter in the Lowcountry and members want others who feel the need to know they are welcome to participate. There is no charge to participate. They are based on the 12 steps and 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and follow a specific format designed to provide the support and tools for navigating life’s painful difficulties. All are welcome. Anyone interested in participating may contact the group via email at EALowcountry@ gmail.com or call or text Laurie at 252- 917-7082. For more information on EAI visit www.emotionsanonymous.org.

Al-Anon Beaufort County 7:30 p.m., Thursdays, 80 Lady’s Island Drive in Beaufort. “Do you worry about how much someone drinks? Is it affecting your life? You are not alone. Al-Anon Beaufort Serenity Group offers help and hope. Join the group in Beaufort, or visit the Lowcountry page at https://bit. ly/3HvksaF for more times and locations.

Rotary Club of the Lowcountry 7:30 a.m., Fridays, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady's Island Dr., Ladys' Island. Catered breakfast from local chef. Speakers weekly. Occasional social events replace Friday mornings, but will be announced on our website, www.rotaryclubofthelowcountrybeaufort.org.

MUSIC Campfire Tyler 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sundays, The Fillin’ Station, Lady’s Island.

Lowcountry Wind Symphony rehearsals 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, Beaufort High School Band Room. The Lowcountry Wind Symphony, a 65-member concert band, invites

new members. Woodwind, Brass, Percussion. Open to adults and talented high school youth. For more information, email director@lowcountrywindsymphony.com or call 843-304-0543.

Live entertainment 7 to 11 p.m., Wednesdays, Luther’s Rare and Well Done, 910 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort.

Chris Jones 7 to 11 p.m., Thursdays, Luther’s Rare and Well Done, 910 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort.

Habersham Third Fridays

Music on Market 5 to 8 p.m., third Friday of the month, Habersham Marketplace.

Live entertainment 9 p.m. to midnight, Fridays & Saturdays, Luther’s Rare and Well Done, 910 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort.

OUTDOORS/NATURE

Free boating inspections

Get a free vessel safety check by local members of the America's Boating Club of Beaufort. If your boat passes, you will receive a VSC decal to mount on your boat that will be visible to other boaters and maritime law enforcement personnel. Email Safety@beaufortboatingclub.com.

The Beaufort Tree Walk Lady’s Island Garden Club invites you to take a meandering walk through the Historic “Old Point” and enjoy some unique and noteworthy trees. The “Walk” takes about an hour, is a little over a mile starting at the corner of Craven & Carteret streets in Morrall Park and concluding in Waterfront Park. Booklets with map and information about each tree are available free at the Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street.

Tours of Hunting Island Every Tuesday, Hunting Island State Park, 2555 Sea Island Pkwy. Free, park entry fees apply. Sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For more information call the Hunting Island Nature Center at 843-838-7437.

RECYCLING

Computer recycling program

St. Andrew by the Sea Methodist Church, 20 Pope Avenue, Hilton Head Island. St. Andrew by the Sea has started a program where your trashed computer is wiped clean of all data and recycled to Missioncentral.org — a 100% charity cause.

SEWING/QUILTING

American Needlepoint Guild

Meeting

10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1st Tuesday each month. The Hilton Head Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild welcomes anyone, beginner or experienced stitcher, who is interested in needlepoint to join us for stitching, learning and fellowship. For more information, please contact us at hiltonheadislandchapter@ needlepoint.org.

Embroidery Guild of America Meeting

Second Tuesday of every month, Palmetto Electric Community Room, Hardeeville. The Lowcountry Chapter of the Embroidery Guild of America welcomes anyone, beginner or experienced stitcher, who is interested in any type of embroidery including needlepoint, cross-stitch, surface and beaded embroidery, hardanger, bargello, sashiko, etc., to join us for stitching, learning and fellowship. For more information, please contact us at lowcountrychapter@egacarolinas.org.

SPORTS/GAMES

ACBL Duplicate Bridge Club

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Carteret Street. Events will be held weekly. Contact Director and Club Manager Susan DeFoe at 843-5972541 for location.

Charity card game

3:30 p.m., first Tuesday of each month, Mangiamo‘s Pizza, 2000 Main Street, Hilton Head Island. The Hilton Head liberal men’s group is sponsoring a free social/charity event with a fun, easy to learn card game. A percentage of the money spent on food and drink goes to the charity of our choice. Come socialize, have fun, and support a good cause. Reserve a spot by texting Dave Desjardins at 202-460-5286.

Bridge Club 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays, Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Beaufort Branch Library at 843-2556458 for more information.

Beaufort Masters Swim Team

6 to 7 a.m., Monday through Friday, Wardle Family Port Royal YMCA. Coached practices. Ages 18 & older, all skill & speed levels, no prior swim team experience needed. Visit lowcountryswimming.com for more information.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

ATTORNEY

Christopher J. Geier

Attorney at Law, LLC

Criminal Defense & Civil Litigation

2048 Pearl Street, Beaufort, SC 29902

Office: 843-986-9449 • Fax: 843-986-9450 chris@bftsclaw.com • www.geierlaw.com

AUDIOLOGY & HEARING

Beaufort Audiology & Hearing Care

Monica Wiser, M.A. CCC-A Licensed Audiologist 38 Professional Village West, Lady's Island monica@beauforthearing.com www.beauforthearing.com | 843-521-3007

Hear the Beauty that Surrounds You

The Beaufort Sound Hearing and Balance Center

Dr. Larry Bridge, AU.D./CCC-A 206 Sea Island Parkway, Suite 31, Beaufort thebeaufortsound@gmail.com www.thebeaufortsound.com | 843-522-0655

CHIMNEY SERVICES

CLASSIFIEDS & GAMES

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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AUCTIONS ADVERTISE YOUR AUCTION in 80 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Your 25-word classified ad will reach more than 1 5 million readers. Call Randall Savely at the S.C. Newspaper Network, 803-750-9561

FOR RENT

Brick, 3 b.r., hardwood floors, large front and back yards. On St. Helena Is. Call 803-838-2253

HELP WANTED – DRIVERS

ADVERTISE YOUR DRIVER JOBS in 80 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Your 25word classified ad will reach more than 1 5 million readers. Call Randall Savely at the S.C. Newspaper Network, 803-750-9561

NOW HIRING Hiring Smiles! Pleasant Point Golf Course is hiring multiple positions. Join us but don't hesitate! For inquiries email GMPleasantPointGC@gmail.com.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE

Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-844-7750366 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

TELEVISION & INTERNET SERVICES

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Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-877-542-0759

VACATION RENTALS

ADVERTISE YOUR VACATION PROPERTY FOR RENT OR SALE to more than 1 5 million S.C. newspaper readers. Your 25-word classified ad will appear in 80 S.C. newspapers for only $375. Call Randall Savely at the South Carolina Newspaper Network, 803-750-9561

YOUR AD HERE

Looking to advertise your business, announce a yard sale, or share other classifieds? Contact Amanda Hanna (amanda@lcweekly.com) or Sasha Horne Hirshout (sasha.theislandnews@gmail. com). It’s an easy and affordable way to reach thousands of local readers right here in the Lowcountry.

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BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

*2nd Wednesday, monthly • 6-7 p.m.

CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (all cancers) *4th Wednesdays, monthly • 1-2 p.m.

schedule

Manna from Heaven

The Eucharist Today

What is the center of a church’s worship?

In many Christian traditions, the sermon is the focus on Sunday mornings. The service is primarily the sermon, preceded and followed by music and prayers. In other traditions, the music might be the focus. Both preaching and music are important for Catholics, but these are not our focus. We strive for beautiful music and excellent preaching so that we can more fully enter into the heart of our worship, the celebration of the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is the center of Catholic worship. We celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday in our services, which we call the Mass. At the beginning of the Mass, we listen to several readings from Sacred Scripture, followed by a sermon of modest length. In this way, we prepare our hearts to encounter Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. As the priest prays the Lord’s words at the Last Supper, Jesus works a miracle. Jesus becomes truly present in Holy Communion, giving himself to us in a supernatural manner.

The Eucharist is not a symbol but truly Jesus himself. This Catholic understanding of the Eucharist is not something made up in the Middle Ages. All the way back to the earliest days of Christianity, one finds Christians proclaiming that when they come together to worship, they receive the very Body and Blood of Jesus in what appears to be ordinary bread and wine. In churches founded since the sixteenth century, it has become common to view Communion as a symbol or reminder of Jesus.

This gift has been passed down through the centuries. Jesus gave authority to celebrate the Lord’s Supper to his apostles, who passed it on to other chosen leaders through the laying on of hands. This authority has been passed down through the centuries by this laying on of hands, which is now known as the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Through the ministry of priests who have received Holy Orders in this way, Jesus continues to work the miracle of the Eucharist, feeding his people with the Bread of Life.

Catholics see the Eucharist as our greatest treasure. In most Catholic parishes, people can participate in Mass every day of the week and receive Holy Communion daily. Since we believe that the Eucharist is truly Jesus, we believe that to receive Holy Communion, a person must be Catholic and spiritually prepared. When we receive Holy Communion, we give ourselves completely to Jesus and become one with him, in body and soul. It is the closest union we can have with Jesus this side of heaven.

On our way to heaven, Jesus feeds us with the true manna.

On their journey through the desert on the way to the Promised Land, God fed the Israelites with special bread called manna. As followers of Jesus, we are the New Israel, journeying to our true heavenly homeland. Through the Eucharist, Jesus nourishes us as we travel through the “desert” of this world, helping us to turn away from sin and love him with all our heart. With this heavenly food, Jesus prepares us for eternal life. “Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

(John 6:58)