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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
Parker's settles with Beach family, injured passengers Convenience store chain, Murdaugh sued after boat crash
WANT MORE? From Beaufort to Bluffton and
Hilton Head, The Post and Courier By Thad Moore covers news impacting your The Post And Courier community. Subscribe for more Several lawsuits stemming from local coverage at postandcourier. com/IslandNews. the fatal boat crash that set in motion the downfall of the once-powerful Murdaugh family were settled July 16, ending a yearslong battle ing met a tragic end. over who was responsible when a The crash, which killed 19-yeargroup of teenagers’ night of party- old Mallory Beach, first made Mur-
daugh a household name in South Carolina and began to pull back the curtain on the family’s power. The lawsuits centered on how Paul Murdaugh — the younger son of the now-notorious ex-attorney Alex Murdaugh — got access to beer and liquor and how his parents allegedly enabled him, giving him access to a boat on a cold night despite a history of drinking. The Beach family's attorney,
Search boats, divers and a helicopter search for 19-year-old Mallory Beach of Beaufort on Monday, Feb. 25, 2019 following a boating accident early Sunday morning in Archers Creek. In the background is the Main Gate to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. At far right is part of the bridge SEE CRASH PAGE A4 over Archers Creek where the accident occurred. Bob Sofaly/The Island News
Harris excited to take over Black Chamber By Mike McCombs The Island News Marilyn Harris will be the new face of the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce. The announcement of Harris as the new Executive Director came Friday afternoon, July 15, a little more than two weeks after the Board ended its association with former CEO Larry Holman, his son, Director of Programs and Events Kevin Holman, and his wife, Dominique Tuttle. Harris, who actually assumed the role July 3, will be responsible for all operational duties moving forward Marilyn for the BCBCC, a Harris 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to offering services, educational programs and products to multi-cultural business owners and professionals in Beaufort County and the surrounding communities. It is part of the national U.S. Black Chamber and is dedicated to empowering small, minority-owned businesses. Harris is excited by the challenge. "I am proud to be here at the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce and I am thrilled to get started," Harris said. "The opportunities to support the community are almost unlimited and I am excited to partner with the City, County and community to further
SEE CHAMBER PAGE A5
Riley Donato dances to the Parris Island Marine Corps Band during the Opening Ceremony of the 67th Annual Water Festival on Friday, July 14, 2023, at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort. Delayna Earley/The Island News
Off with a bang
67th Beaufort Water Festival gets underway By Delayna Earley The Island News BEAUFORT – Fireworks, live music and the Opening Ceremony of the 67th Annual Beaufort Water Festival drew a large crowd to downtown Beaufort on Friday night. Commodore James Nutt opened the ceremony by acknowledging those volunteers who have worked tirelessly to put together the beloved outdoor festival, the local dignitaries who have helped to support the festival and the major sponsors of the 10-day event. Entertainment was provided by the
Parris Island Marine Corps Band, who began their show with PHOTOS a string of patriotic tunes, followed by A glance at the people big band, jazz and who make more modern music. this annual The theme for this event special, Pages B1, B3-5 year, Tides of Lasting Memories, speaks to the relationships and fond memories that have been made throughout the almost seven decades since the festival was founded. The festival will continue with daily events until Sunday, July 23.
MORE ONLINE Coverage of additional events and photo galleries from the 67th annual Beaufort Water Festival will be updated throughout the week and linked at the end of this story at www.YourIslandNews.com.
Delayna Earley lives in Beaufort with her husband, two children and Jack Russell. She formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/ The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She joined The Island News in 2022. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
NEWS
SPORTS
WATER FEST
INSIDE
Lolita Huckaby: Water Festival or not, City debate carries on.
Beaufort County all-star teams claim state titles, WS berths.
People pack Waterfront Park during the first four days of the 67th annual Beaufort Water Festival.
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Lowcountry Life A2 News A6 Business A8 Education A8 Sports A9 Health A10–11
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