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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
3 face federal charges after raid in Burton Beaufort County Sheriff’s officers work alongside the FBI during a raid that unfolded on the morning of Thursday, June 5, 2025, resulting in the arrests on federal charges of three individuals — William Omar Heyward, Jr., 44, of Burton; Ishmael Allen Rivers, 26, of Yemassee; and Christopher Andrew Copeland, 26, of Beaufort. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
By Delayna Earley, Mike McCombs and Amber Hewitt The Island News Federal agents, with the help of Beaufort County law enforcement, executed arrest and search warrants in Burton on Thursday, June 5, that led to the arrest of five people — three of which are facing federal charges.
According to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), the effort was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with local law enforcement. Warrants were executed at properties on Eastern Road and
Logwood Path in Burton that resulted in the arrests of William Omar Heyward Jr., a.k.a. “O,” 44, of Burton; Ishmael Allen Rivers, a.k.a. “Ish,” 26, of Yemassee; and Christoper Andrew Copeland, 26, of Beaufort, on multiple federal charges.
SEE RAID PAGE A4
MUSIC FESTIVAL OF THE LOWCOUNTRY
SCOTT GRABER
American medical research hangs in balance
S
ometime in the last century, a virus — long lodged, contented and contained in Malaysian fruit bats — made its way into pigs. In the 1990s, this virus left its porcine host and took up residence in the farmers who tended these pigs. A subsequent study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that this virus — called Nipah — moved by way of bat feces and saliva to the nearby pigs. Then this opportunistic virus made its way to the pig farmers (and others) in Southern Malaysia. The arrival of the Nipah virus is indicated by fever, headaches and vomiting. In some cases there is “respiratory distress,” then seizures and death. The fatality rate is estimated to be between 40 and 75%. Since the outbreak in Malaysia in 1998, there have been annual outbreaks of Nipah in Bangladesh and less frequent outbreaks in Eastern India. Here in the United States we also have an opportunistic virus that is on the move. In our case the “Avian Flu” virus — long lodged in wild birds — has infected domestic poultry, resulting in the culling of millions of chickens in the U.S. The virus has also spread to dairy cattle in 17 states, where it has infected dozens of farmworkers and led to at least one confirmed fatality according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In February of this year, the Trump Administration fired 140
SEE GRABER PAGE A7
One of the festival organizers, Brittany Underwood, performs with her band, during the second annual Music Festival of the Lowcountry on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Tara Frazier, 9, and Logan Middleton, both from Charleston, play a game of cornhole during the second annual Music Festival of the Lowcountry on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
For the second year in a row, country music artist Tony Jackson performs live during the second annual Music Festival of the Lowcountry on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
Juneteenth events in Beaufort coming up
By Delayna Earley The Island News Officially known as Juneteenth National Independence Day, the annual federal holiday to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States, Juneteenth is around the corner on June 19 and this is where you can celebrate the hol-
iday in northern Beaufort County. Starting the weekend before the official holiday, One Community Different Neighborhoods will be holding the second annual Juneteenth King’s Day Unity Parade at 3 p.m., Sunday, June 15, in downtown Beaufort. The parade will follow the traditional parade route, beginning
at Bladen Street to Boundary Street, then moving to Bay Street and back up to Bladen Street. The parade is hosted by Project Freedom 326. Penn Center will celebrate Juneteenth with their second annual free community event “Celebrating Family.” The event will begin at 10 a.m.
and will go until 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, 2025, at Penn Center on St. Helena Island. The event will kick off with an hour-long program filled with “performances of local talent and voices.” The program will begin at
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NEWS
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INSIDE
Historic Beaufort Foundation salutes outgoing director, welcomes new leader.
6 earn Forsyth Scholarships from Rotary Club of Beaufort.
A path forward: Immigrant from Ghana honors dream with service.
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