June 4 edition

The light is back

Hunting Island Lighthouse re-opens after 4-year closure for restoration

By Luke Frazier

The Island News

It might or might not be an obvious inquiry, but it jumped to mind shortly after arriving at Hunting Island State Park on a sweltering Tuesday, May 26 morning.

A group of musicians were setting up to play and the question, “What kind of music goes with grand re-opening festivities at

the iconic Hunting Island Lighthouse?” occurred to me.

The answer, according to Stephanie Askew of the musical group

Lowcountry Strummers, is sea shanties, and soon the ukeleles twanged into the classic shanty “Drunken Sailor.” What was interesting is how well it fit, due primarily to the belted-out chorus of, “Way hay and up she rises, early in

the morning!”

Because that is exactly what all the assembled dignitaries, state administrators, park rangers, preservationists, media types, and lighthouse fans were there to see: a glorious beacon rising 136 feet into the clear blue sky on this long-awaited morning amid the SEE LIGHT PAGE A6

Beaufort voters turn out for early voting

BEAUFORT One highlight from last week’s news was the fact that a record number of registered South Carolina voters went to the polls on the first day of early voting and that held true in Beaufort County.

Fifty-six thousand ballots were cast on Tuesday, May 26, the first day of early voting – 2,278 of those were from Beaufort County. And of that number 2 278, the majority were 1 560 Democratic ballots, 718 Republican.

Going into the primaries, there are 140,749 registered voters in the county.

The significance of that early voting turnout was a key reason state senators, sparked by two of Beaufort County’s leaders, Sen. Tom Davis of District 46 and Sen. Chip Campsen, District 43, were among the 12 Republican senators who crossed over and joined with the Democrats to block the proposed congressional redis-

Candidates share concerns over affordability, growth; divided sharply on immigration, climate policy, insurance reform

By Delayna Earley The Island News

As voters prepare for South Carolina's June 9 primary election, candidates seeking to represent the state's open 1st Congressional District seat largely agree on the challenges facing the Lowcountry but differ sharply on how to address them. The race has drawn a crowded field of Republican and Democratic candidates seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for governor rather than reelection to Congress.

INSIDE Candidate op-eds ahead of the June 9 primary, Pages A11–15

The Island News distributed a questionnaire to candidates appearing on the Republican and

SEE PRIORITIES PAGE A8

tricting map which would have diminished the re-election chances of the state’s only Black democratic senator, Jim Clyburn of the 6th Congressional District . The Senate, after debating for most of the Memorial Day weekend, agreed since the early voting had already begun, it was too late to change the congressional maps. But they agreed to return

Election officials urge voters to verify polling locations before heading to the polls

By

Delayna Earley

The Island News With South Carolina's June 9 primary election approaching, Beaufort County election officials are encouraging voters to double-check their polling locations after several precincts were temporarily relocated and a new precinct was added for the upcoming primary and any runoff election scheduled for June 23

LOWCOUNTRY LIFE & NEWS

Happy 95th birthday to Beaufort’s beloved cat lady, Shirley Parsons! Shirley is the Saturday greeter at St. Helena’s Anglican Church's Treasure House Thrift & More on Boundary Street. On May 30, her volunteer friends threw a surprise celebration complete with T-shirts featuring Shirley and the felines that she so adores and Debbie Covington snapped this photo. Shirley’s birthday was actually Monday, June 1. Pictured from left are Sandy Foster, Edie Rodgers, Cindy Rodgers, Shirley Parsons, Diane Kaufman, Mib Scoggins and Joanne Graham. 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 ARTHUR RANTA

American Legion Beaufort Post 207 brings you Arthus Ranta, 84, who joined the U.S. Air Force in Huntington, N.Y., in 1960. After Basic Training at Lackland AFB, he became an aircraft electrician. He first served at Hickam AFB, Calif., servicing a wide variety of cargo aircraft for 3½ years.

In 1964, he transferred to the USAF Reserves to complete his six-year commitment and began a 27-year career with Trans World Airlines (TWA) working on flight controls, engines and landing gear. In 2006, he moved to Beaufort County and joined AMVETS, DAV and Amer-

ican Legion Post 205. He is a life-long stamp enthusiast (philatelist) helping others collect and trade stamps.

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

NEWS BRIEFS

Deford spending

Thursday’s happy hour at Shellring

Mac Deford, Democratic candidate for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District will be at Shellring Ale Works in Port Royal at 5 p.m., Thursday, June 4 for a relaxed happy hour — grab a craft beer, meet the candidate, and connect with neighbors. With the primary on June 9, hear directly from Deford before voters head to the polls. Bring a friend, bring your questions. RSVP at https://secure.ngpvan.com/-GVRVEdwkC5cotFfQ5y5Q2

Public test of central count scanners for the June 9 primaries

A public test of the Central Count Scanners (Ballot Tabulating Machines) for the June 9 2026, Statewide Democratic and Republican Primaries will begin at 10 a.m., Friday, June 5, 2026, at the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County office, located at 15 John Galt Road, in Beaufort. For more information, call 843-255-6900

Beaufort County Veterans Affairs offering Life Planning seminars

Beaufort County Veterans Affairs is hosting a series of Life Planning seminars for veterans and their families. The seminars will be offered at 10 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., and will be held at the following dates and locations:

Wednesday, June 10 Hilton Head Island Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road

Wednesday, July 15 St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road

Wednesday, September 16

Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Drive

Wednesday, November 18

Burton Wells Recreation Center, I Middleton Recreation Drive

Wednesday, December 2 Hilton Head Island Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road

This seminar specifically addresses things veterans and their families can do today to ensure their personal effects are in order. The seminar also discusses

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

June 4

2021: Pfc. Dalton Beals, 19, dies of hyperthermia on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island while taking part in The Crucible, the physically taxing 54-hour exercise recruits must complete before becoming U.S. Marines.

June 6

1927: Beaufort County Sheriff’s Deputy Elmo Langford is killed while investigating a reckless driving complaint in Grays Hill.

2000: Clarence “C.J.” Cummings, Jr. is born to Clarence Cummings, Sr., and Savasha Jenkins Cummings. Cummings holds numerous Youth and Junior weightlifting national and world records and competed in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo (held in 2021).

The Rotary Club of the Lowcountry inducted Jim Starnes into its membership Friday, May 29, 2026, at Sea Island Presbyterian Church in Beaufort. The club meets Friday mornings at 7:30 at the church. Pictured, from left, are Jim Starnes; Katz Fujino, Jim’s sponsor; and Chuck Raynor, the Membership chairman. Submitted photo

Veterans Affairs benefits that surviving spouses may be entitled to receive. RSVPs are required for space and resource purposes. Please contact Crystal at 843-255-6880

to reserve your seat. For questions and more information please contact Beaufort County Veterans Affairs at 843-255-6880

– Staff reports

2020: The famous Red Piano Too Art Gallery on St. Helena Island closes its doors for the final time. The Gullah Geechee Visitors Center and LyBensons Gallery & Studio now occupy the building.

June 7

1712: The Commons House of Assembly lays out the Parish of St. Helena to include all of then-Granville County.

2020: Around 200 people take part in a march supporting Our Peaceful Protesters and Black Lives Matter from Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park to Beaufort City Hall. The group had been protesting against and marching in protest of the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, by the police in Minneapolis, Minn.

– Compiled by Mike McCombs

Do you value your free hometown newspaper – made by locals, for locals? Free news isn’t cheap. Please help support The Island News!

Donations gratefully accepted at www.yourislandnews.com or The Island

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

Tanner: Seifert cleared of policy violations in Squires investigation

Sheriff explains why investigative records remain unavailable as questions continue over candidate's presence at scene

Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner says Republican sheriff candidate Doug Seifert was cleared of any Beaufort County Sheriff's Office policy violations related to the Sept. 28 2025, incident involving former deputy William “Billy” Squires, while explaining why investigative records connected to the case remain unavailable to the public.

Tanner made the comments during an interview with The Island News following the publication's recent story about a political video that resurfaced footage from the incident commonly referred to online as “Squiresgate.” The video, which circulated through the anonymous Facebook page Beaufort County Citizens for Accountability, questioned Seifert's presence at the scene and renewed public discussion about the incident less than two weeks before the June 9 Republican primary for Beaufort County sheriff.

The video included cellphone footage showing Seifert arriving at the scene while several teenagers were being detained on the ground. Questions raised online largely centered on why Seifert was there, how he became involved and whether his actions that day were reviewed by investigators. According to Tanner, they were.

"When that incident occurred, our Office of Professional Responsibility did an internal affairs

investigation on the incident. Everyone was interviewed, to include Doug," Tanner said.

Asked specifically about Seifert's involvement, Tanner said the internal investigation found no policy violations.

"Based on the internal affairs investigation, Doug Seifert was not in violation of any policies," Tanner said.

Tanner also said he believes the timing and distribution of the video were politically motivated and suggested it likely originated with one of Seifert's opponents or their supporters, though he acknowledged he does not know who created it.

"If it weren't someone running in an election ... what benefit would the video be if it weren't someone trying to create some type of damage against Seifert?" Tanner said.

The sheriff's comments come as voters prepare to choose between Seifert, Joey "JoJo" Woodward Jr. in the June 9 Republican primary. The winner will advance to the November general election and compete to succeed Tanner, who is retiring at the end of his current term.

Woodward denied any involvement in the creation or distribution of the video.

"Neither I, my campaign, nor anyone acting on my behalf had any involvement in the creation, distribution, or promotion of the Beaufort County Citizens for Accountability page or the video it shared," Woodward said in a state-

ment previously provided to The Island News. "To this day I do not know who created it or posted it."

Tanner said the Sheriff's Office conducted its own administrative investigation while the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division conducted a separate criminal investigation into the incident.

The sheriff explained that the two investigations operate under different standards. In a criminal investigation, individuals retain their Miranda rights and may choose whether to speak with investigators. In an internal affairs investigation, employees are compelled to answer questions under what is known as a Garrity warning.

Because of that distinction, Tanner said information gathered during the Sheriff's Office investigation cannot be released while the criminal case remains unresolved.

"So because SLED is not releasing the criminal investigation pending adjudication in court, we cannot release the internal affairs investigation because it has not been adjudicated yet," Tanner said.

The Island News previously submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division seeking all records related to the investigation. The agency released copies of the arrest warrants, which were already public records, but did not release the investigative file because the criminal case has not yet been adjudicated.

Tanner said both the criminal investigation conducted by SLED and the internal affairs investigation conducted by the Sheriff's Office were thorough, but neither investigative file can be publicly released while the criminal case remains unresolved.

The comments largely mirror statements previously made by Seifert, who has acknowledged being present at the scene but has declined to discuss details of the incident while litigation remains pending.

In a public statement released after the political video began circulating, Seifert said he cooperated with both the SLED investigation and the Sheriff's Office internal investigation and was cleared of wrongdoing. He also stated that he is not the subject of any criminal charges or civil litigation related to the incident.

Tanner cautioned that public discussion of the underlying facts remains limited because both criminal and civil cases connected to the incident are still pending.

The incident stems from a confrontation in a Hilton Head Island neighborhood on Sept. 28, 2025 Cellphone videos recorded by the teenagers involved showed Squires, then an off-duty Beaufort County deputy, holding several teenage boys at gunpoint while other armed individuals at the scene assisted in detaining them.

The incident sparked widespread public criticism and ulti-

mately led to criminal charges against Squires and another man, Brian Henry Stahlheber, following the SLED investigation. Multiple civil lawsuits related to the incident also remain pending.

Because neither the SLED investigative file nor the Sheriff's Office internal affairs file has been released, many questions surrounding the incident remain unanswered publicly.

"There is a criminal investigation done by SLED, and a very thorough one, and there's a very thorough internal affairs investigation that was done by us," Tanner said. "The problem for you is you can't get either one."

Tanner also said that while many questions continue to circulate online regarding Seifert's presence at the scene, those questions cannot be fully answered publicly until the pending criminal and civil cases are resolved and investigative records become available.

For now, Tanner said the ongoing criminal and civil litigation prevents further public discussion of many aspects of the case, leaving the courts to ultimately determine what additional information may become public in the future.

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.

First defendant in 2024 shooting death convicted

Staff reports

A 37-year-old Burton man, one of three defendants charged in the 2024 shooting death of their roommate, has been sent to prison.

A Beaufort County General Sessions Court jury on Thursday, May 28, found Erbert Francisco Vargas-Caballero guilty of murder and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime in connection with the shooting death of 26-year-old Jarin Josiel Avila-Chirinos. Vargas-Caballero, a native of Honduras, was sentenced to life in prison. Mary Jones of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecuted the case. In August 2024, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office

Lowdown from page A1

to work on the issue June 10, the day after the primary election.

As Clyburn stated in multiple interviews, the Senators will come back and they’re coming for his district, per directions from the White House.

If you followed the discussion, several compelling arguments were made, including the prediction that a special election for the congressional seats alone, if the redrawn map had been approved and the Congressional races delayed until August, would have cost between $5 3 and $6 million.

The legislators, among all the additions to the redistricting bill, agreed the counties would have to pay the costs for a special election.

In the meantime, we have another week to tolerate the multitude of political signs that litter our landscape. Maybe longer for those races that might end up in a runoff, like the GOP or Democratic governor’s races, which have multiple candidates or the First Congressional District race. Then on to November.

deputies were called to a single-wide mobile home in the Hilanda Drive community after a report of the killing from one of the seven adults living at the residence. Avila-Chirinos’ body was discovered in a ditch in a thickly wooded area near the home. A medical examiner later determined he had been killed by a

FYI: If you’re looking for additional background information about the various candidates, visit Vote 411 or Ballotpedia on your computer. Both have bios on state and local candidates.

County budget talks continue; no news on CFO

BEAUFORT — No news on the “Pinky-gate” drama from the County Council chambers although the council members have had four official executive sessions while another was scheduled for Monday, June 1, to discuss “issues related to the employment of a person regulated by council.”

By the time The Island News rolls off the press, the question may be answered as to what happened with Chief Finance Office Pinky Harriott who suddenly left the county on May 12 in the middle of budget session and after 18 months with the county. But in the meantime, nobody’s talking.

The county public information officer would only confirm she was no longer with the county.

The Council stumbled through first reading of the FY 2027 budget presentation at $203 3 million last week with Administrator Michael Moore juggling the council members’ funding proposals. There is

gunshot to the head several days before his body was discovered.

Jones called 16 witnesses during three days of testimony at the Beaufort County Courthouse. Among them were nine officers, investigators and a DNA analyst from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, as well as a forensic pathologist from

no millage increases although tax revenues are expected to be $11 7 million. Thirty-five new positions are included in the budget.

The band of 11 were also able to give unanimous first reading approval to the school district’s $395 3 million budget which includes no millage increases but is $18 4 million higher than last year. The school budget also includes a $2 500 increases to a starting teacher’s pay to $62,587 as part of their ongoing hiring campaign.

And for those interested in Sheriff’s P.J. Tanner’s request last year for a $3 9 million helicopter to replace the two they already have, the council approved taking $1 95 million from the current budget, probably as a farewell present to the outgoing law enforcement official. Next year’s budget includes $1 1 million for hangar improvements for said helicopter.

Mayor Billy visits council for Seabrook development BEAUFORT — Last week’s Beaufort City Council worksession included a blast from the past, in the presence of former Mayor Bill Keyserling who was there to advocate for the development of 200 areas in the Seabrook area.

the Medical University of South Carolina. Evidence showed Vargas-Caballero arranged to have most of the residents leave the house, then shot the victim in the back of the head while they were away.

Vargas-Caballero had no previous criminal history.

Circuit Court Judge Marvin Dukes handed down the

Keyserling, who was Beaufort mayor from 2008 to 2020 and is still a real estate developer, has been working with the W.H. McLeod family and now a developer who is interested in developing the property.

But following a contentious public debate in 2007 when the adjoining 3,500 acres of Clarendon Plantation was annexed into the city, the McLeod’s withdrew their request for annexation and placed conservation easements on their property.

City Council members, during last week’s discussion, made it clear they weren’t interested in annexing the property. But they also want to hear from county planning officials who have the authority to negotiate any resolution of the conservation easements if the developer chooses to proceed with plans for affordable housing.

Talking about development, Port Royal’s nightmares coming true PORT ROYAL — Speaking of developments, and most of us are, the town of Port Royal continues to be the hot spot.

In addition to Mariners Walk with 123 units and where land is being cleared in front of The Pre-

sentence. He also issued permanent restraining orders barring him from contact with key witnesses. Edwin Humberto Martinez-Ruiz, 35, and Roland Saul Bardales-Rivera, 38, have also been charged in connection to Avila-Chirinos’ death. They are innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

serve on Ribaut Road, there is: Shearwater, with 145 single family homes and two two-story commercial buildings at the foot of the Broad River Bridge and; Carolina Lakes and Overland Reserve, both on Castle Road Road, where no trees have been left standing. Carolina Lakes is 152 single-family units and Overland Reserve, 340

There’s also Zephyr Apartments, near Castle Rock Road but on Gopher Hill Road, where 122 apartment units are already being occupied.

Remember at the 2024 town council planning retreat when the officials expressed concern about 1 500 plus new housing units in the works? They weren’t kidding.

Lolita Huckaby Watson is a community volunteer and newspaper columnist. In her former role as a reporter with The Beaufort Gazette, The Savannah Morning News, Bluffton Today and Beaufort Today, she prided herself in trying to stay neutral and unbiased. As a columnist, these are her opinions. The Rowland, N.C. native’s goal is to be factual but opinionated, based on her own observations. Feel free to contact her at bftbay@gmail.com.

Beaufort County Job Fair set for Saturday at Highway 21 Drive-In

Free community event expected to bring together more than 80 employers, local job seekers

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

Job seekers looking for new employment opportunities will have the chance to meet with dozens of local employers during the Beaufort County Job Fair on Friday, June 6, at the Highway 21 Drive-In in Beaufort.

Hosted by Higgins Family Brands, the free event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 55 Parker Drive and is expected to bring together more than 80 employers from a variety of industries, along with prospective employees from across Beaufort County and the Lowcountry. The event was originally scheduled for an earlier date but was postponed because of weather concerns.

According to Jake Higgins, owner of Higgins Family Brands, the idea for the job fair grew out of conversations with residents and business owners facing economic challenges, as well as a desire to use the drive-in's prop-

erty as a gathering place for the community. "I keep seeing all the people that are going through tough times and the cost of things," Higgins said. "A lot of people want a new job or a second job or just a different job."

Using the Highway 21 Drive-In's 10-acre property, Higgins said he wanted to create a space where employers and job seekers could connect face-to-face rather than through online applications alone. "We got about 85 employers who committed to coming," Higgins said. "We've had over 1,000 messages from residents

and all kinds of people who said they were excited to attend and couldn't wait to see the opportunities."

Employers expected to participate range from military recruiters and law enforcement agencies to private businesses, cleaning companies, car dealerships, real estate professionals, pool companies and retail employers. Higgins said the goal is to showcase a broad range of opportunities for people at different stages of their careers.

In addition to meeting with employers, attendees will have access to

free hot dogs, drinks and admission. The event will also feature music, bounce houses, games and a dedicated children's area.

Higgins said the family-friendly setup was intentional.

"We wanted to take away the burden of trying to watch your kid when you're trying to grab an application and talk to a business recruiter," he said.

For those planning to attend, Higgins encourages job seekers to come prepared with resumes, necessary documents and a professional appearance.

"I would tell anyone, bring your best. Look your best," Higgins said. "Really make your first impression."

He said one of the advantages of an in-person job fair is the opportunity for employers and applicants to meet one another directly.

"Every decision in a company, an agency or a corporation is made by a human being," Higgins said. "A simple first

impression can make a difference."

Beyond helping people find jobs, Higgins said he hopes the event serves as a way to strengthen the community by connecting residents with new opportunities and helping local employers find qualified workers.

"We're not going to arrest ourselves out of our problems in society," Higgins said. "But as employers and business people and good exampled people, we can encourage others to be their best."

If the event is successful, Higgins said he hopes to continue offering similar opportunities in the future whenever there is a need to bring employers and job seekers together.

The Beaufort County Job Fair is free and 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.

Parris Island drill instructor found dead in Florida

Staff reports

A drill instructor assigned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island was found dead in Florida over the weekend.

Sgt. Albert Haynes II, a drill instructor assigned to Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, was found deceased in a hotel room on Saturday May 30, in Starke, Fla.

Sgt. Haynes was on Temporary Additional Duty (TAD) conducting a poolee function event with Recruiting Station Jacksonville at the time of the incident, according to a media release from MCRD Parris Island Communication Strategy and Operations (COMMSTRAT). The incident is under investigation by the Bradford County Sheriff’s Department in Florida. The U.S. Marine Corps is cooperating with the authorities.

The 24-year-old Haynes, of Austin, Pa., was married with no children. His Military Occupational Specialties were Field Artillery Cannoneer and Drill Instructor.

Haynes had completed the Field Artillery Basic Course (USMC School of Artillery, Fort Sill, Okla.) and Drill Instructor School (MCRD Parris Island). Haynes awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (x2), the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (x3).

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• Core and ancillary services, like lab, imaging, and breast health, all in the same building

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• Access to promising clinical trials

Staff reports

Freedman Arts District announces major expansion

Nonprofit acquires properties for Arts, Crafts & Culture school campus

The Freedman Arts District is expanding its campus in Beaufort’s Northwest Quadrant in a big way.

The nonprofit announced Monday morning, June 1, that it had acquired the properties at 1407 King Street and 600 Wilmington Street, and those properties, essentially two adjacent city blocks, would be the future home of the Freedman School of Arts, Crafts & Culture.

According to a media release, the school “will be a catalyst for creative opportunity, cultural preservation, and community revitalization in Beaufort.”

The King Street property is the old Beaufort County government building and is currently vacant. The Wilmington Street property houses the Beaufort Health Department, which will continue to lease the space until an anticipated move.

devices and in front of our friends and family.”

creative professionals.. The nonprofit’s revolving fund program has already revitalized five buildings in the district, and there are two more under construction.

“This campus will continue our successful programs of being a place where ideas are shared, traditions are preserved, businesses are launched, artists are empowered, and community is strengthened,” Weatherford said. “We are building something that will serve Beaufort for generations to come. We invite the community to dream with us, help shape this vision, and become part of creating something truly extraordinary.”

“We are happy to join The Pat Conroy Literary Center, The Center for Culture and Commerce and United Church Museum in the emerging cultural hub,” the organization’s media release reads.

Cherimie Weatherford, Executive Director of the

The campus growth is significant from the Arts District’s building on Duke Street and represents an ambitious investment in arts, crafts, cultural preservation, and creative workforce development.

Freedman Arts District, told The Island News she anticipates the school to be a place where artists and craftsman can have a dedicated space for their work, where visitors can watch and learn, and where teaching and inspiration can happen.

“This acquisition is about much more than buildings,” Weatherford said in the

media release. “It is about creating opportunity. It is about investing in people. It is about preserving culture while building a stronger future. We have seen Beaufort embrace a place where creativity, craftsmanship, history, and community can thrive together. Art is more than decorative, it’s connective. Arts gets us off our

The hope is that the school will facilitate workshops, classes, exhibitions, artist residencies, demonstrations, cultural programming, and hands-on learning experiences, celebrating both traditional and contemporary creative practices while helping ensure valuable skills and cultural traditions are preserved for future generations.

Also, a cornerstone of the Freedman Arts District’s long-term vision includes the development of affordable housing including opportunities for staff, instructors, visiting artists, artists-in-residence, and

The Freedman Arts District will continue working with community leaders, artists, educators, businesses, and residents to shape a campus that reflects the unique character, history, and aspirations of Beaufort. Additional details regarding campus planning, fundraising efforts, partnerships, volunteer opportunities, and future development phases will be announced in the coming months.

Man charged with attempted murder released on bond after May shooting

Surveillance footage helps investigators identify suspect in alleged vehicle-tovehicle shooting

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

A Beaufort man charged with attempted murder in connection with a May 24 shooting in Port Royal has been released from jail after posting bond, according to court records.

Deonte Trevon Blake, 29, was arrested May 28 by the Port Roy -

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sand and sea.

The assembled listened to five speeches, clapped politely, sweated a bit, and, if they talked to the right people, learned a few things.

The Hunting Island Lighthouse was built in 1859, blown up in 1861 by Confederate forces, rebuilt in 1875, moved more than a mile inland in 1889 to escape erosion, and closed in February 2022 for repair and restoration. Now visitors can once again trudge (in the best of ways) up all 167 steps to the observation deck.

The major restoration project took longer than four years, and cost more than $4 million. State appropriations provided most of the money, so Rep. Shannon Erickson (R-124) of Beaufort County and Chair of the House Education and Public Works Committee, is a good friend for any lighthouse in need to have. Erickson was glad to be there.

“It’s really exciting for me, I’m the nerdy state

al Police Department following an investigation into a reported vehicle-to-vehicle shooting near the intersection of 16 th Street and Richmond Avenue.

According to the Port Royal Police Department, officers responded to the area at approximately 10 : 50 a.m. May 24 after receiving reports of shots fired from a vehicle. Officers later located the victim and determined the victim's vehicle had been struck by gunfire from

park girl,” Erickson gushed, “[The Lighthouse] can withstand a lot because of her structure, but every bit of it is a work of art. This is one of those legacy moments.”

Duane Parrish, Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, agreed with Erickson’s sentiment. He noted the fact that the Lighthouse is a landmark for so many people, signaling they have arrived at the coastal beauty of the Lowcountry, and early in the appropriation process that produced a realization.

“This [restoration] is going to be expensive, but you know what? It’s worth it,” Parrish reflected, “It’s just one of those things that you need to invest in from a state perspective.”

From a technical perspective, the work was challenging for both Huss Construction and Bennett Preservation Engineering, a company based in Charleston that has experience working on 11 other lighthouses.

Craig Bennett of the engineering firm pointed out a historical reality.

“Oddly enough, the stairs in lighthouses were meant for one lighthouse keeper,

another vehicle. The suspect fled the area immediately after the shooting.

With assistance from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and the Beaufort Police Department, investigators canvassed the area and reviewed surveillance footage. Police said Town of Port Royal CCTV cameras helped officers identify the suspect vehicle. Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified Blake as the suspect.

According to court records, Blake was charged with attempted murder, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, pos-

carrying a 40-pound can of oil,” he drolly mused.

Now they must be prepared for thousands of visitors climbing on the metal treads and grabbing onto the handrails. This becomes a factor, according to Andrea Williams, also of the engineering firm, for this specific lighthouse.

“Instead of being fully brick masonry all the way to the top there are cast iron sheets around the exterior, built to be taken apart and moved,” she explained, “Our goal is to mostly make it seem like we were never here. We want to be really sensitive to the historic fabric.”

Joy Raintree, Director of State Parks, was also in attendance at the ceremony. She mentioned sensitivity of a different kind that offers perspective when you step out onto the deck of the tallest man-made structure in Beaufort County.

“[There is] a reverence in the moment. … It’s probably as high up and as freestanding as I've ever been. Standing up there, man, you feel pretty small, and a breeze down here feels a little bit different than a breeze up there. And to be at the level of birds flying around. … It

session of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and breach of peace of a high and aggravated nature.

Police obtained arrest warrants on the day of the shooting, according to the department's release. Blake was taken into custody four days later and booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center.

General Sessions Court records show the charges were filed May 29. Court records also show surety bonds were posted June 1 through a commercial bonding company, and detention center records indicate Blake was released the

same day.

Police have not released additional details regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including whether anyone was injured. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Port Royal Police Department.

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.

puts you in your place in a good way.”

So after all the sandblasting, repainting, cast iron repairs, construction puzzles, engineering considerations and raising of the pile of cash it took, what is left is a simple and joyful celebration of history and vision.

Park Manager Kirby Brady pointed out the food trucks and trailer where a

virtual reality tour is available for those who can’t climb and smiled as she thought of the hordes of upcoming visitors.

“It's a part of our history, and it's really just kind of a mascot of the state. A lot of people have been coming to Hunting Island for years and years, so it's exciting to give this back to them.” And what all the attend-

ees were given on this morning of renewal, besides toe-tapping sea shanties, was the opportunity to gaze up in wonder, take a deep breath, and start climbing. Luke Frazier is a writer and award

in

Staff reports

Music Festival of the Lowcountry back for Year 3

Free, all-day celebration of music, community set for Saturday

The Music Festival of the Lowcountry is proud to announce its highly anticipated return for 2026 bringing a full day of nonstop live music to Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort, South Carolina.

The free festival will take place from 1 to 10 p.m., Saturday, June 6, and promises an unforgettable experience for music lovers of all ages.

Now in its third year, the festival continues to grow as a signature Lowcountry event, featuring two stages of continuous performances that showcase a diverse lineup of talent from across genres and backgrounds.

This year’s headliners include Creedence Revived, a world premiere tribute band; Campfire Tyler, a beloved local sensation; and Lloyd Diamond performing as James Brown, delivering

Priorities

an electrifying tribute to the Godfather of Soul. In addition to headliners, festivalgoers can enjoy

a rich variety of musical styles, including mariachi, rock, southern rock, country, jazz, and more — staying

true to the festival’s mission of inclusivity and artistic diversity.

From the very beginning,

cantly on the role climate change should play in addressing coastal flooding, resiliency and infrastructure challenges.

Democratic primary ballots, asking them to address issues including affordability, growth, infrastructure, flooding, homeowners insurance, immigration, federal spending and congressional redistricting.

Due to space limitations in the print edition, this article highlights major themes and policy differences that emerged from the responses. Complete questionnaires from participating candidates are available online at yourislandnews.com.

Affordability emerges as dominant concern

While candidates often disagreed on policy solutions, there was broad agreement that affordability has become one of the Lowcountry's biggest challenges.

Candidates from both parties pointed to rising housing costs, insurance premiums, grocery prices, healthcare expenses and traffic-related impacts tied to rapid growth throughout the district.

Republican candidate Jay Byars, a member of Dorchester County Council, argued that affordability has become one of the defining issues facing residents.

"The American Dream needs to be affordable again," Byars wrote while discussing housing costs and homeownership opportunities for younger generations.

Democratic candidate Matthew Fulmer took a different approach, arguing that broader economic and political systems are contributing to affordability challenges.

"America is designed to advance the people who are already furthest ahead at the expense of everyone behind them," Fulmer wrote, identifying the influence of money in politics as a root cause of many economic concerns.

Beaufort County Councilman Logan Cunningham also pointed to affordability tied to growth, saying families are being squeezed by rising housing costs, insurance premiums, traffic, taxes and everyday expenses while infrastructure struggles to keep pace.

Alex Pelbath, a Mount Pleasant pilot and Air Force veteran, similarly identified infrastructure and cost of living as the district's top concerns, arguing that growth, taxation and inadequate planning have contributed to affordability challenges.

Other candidates, including Cindy Wagers Riley, Mac Deford, Mayra Rivera-Vázquez, Mark Smith and Francina Dantzler, similarly identified affordability and cost-of-living concerns among the district's most pressing issues.

to the

are available

Immigration remains a major dividing line

Immigration and border security produced some of the clearest differences among candidates.

Republican candidates generally called for stronger border security and increased immigration enforcement.

"We need to secure the border," Cunningham wrote, advocating for stronger enforcement, additional border patrol resources and expanded use of technology.

Pelbath voiced support for President Donald Trump's immigration policies and continued deportation efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, arguing that "every state is now a border state."

Daniel Brown called for Congress to codify the Remain in Mexico policy, while Wagers Riley advocated for increased border security staffing and enforcement efforts. Byars argued illegal immigration has contributed to affordability pressures by increasing demand for housing and services.

Democratic candidates generally paired support for border security with broader immigration reforms.

Deford called for a system that is "secure, humane, fair and efficient," while Rivera-Vázquez advocated for comprehensive immigration reform alongside enforcement measures.

Max Diaz offered perhaps the most distinct position among respondents, arguing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be dismantled and certain responsibilities reassigned to other agencies.

"We can have both, and we should demand both," Deford wrote of balancing border security with immigration reform.

Climate change and flooding draw contrasting responses

Candidates also differed signifi-

Several Democratic candidates explicitly connected Lowcountry flooding and rising insurance costs to climate change.

"We have to recognize manmade climate change is real," Fulmer wrote while advocating for investments in renewable energy and climate-focused infrastructure projects.

the vision for the Music Festival of the Lowcountry was bigger than any one genre or crowd. Organizers set out to build something that reflects the true spirit of the Lowcountry — a vibrant mix of styles, cultures, and stories. Over the years, festival stages have come alive with everything from bagpipes and drum lines to country, rock, jazz, pop, and alternative. Every set, every note, every performance weaves another thread into the fabric of the community.

WANT TO GO?

Who: Featured performers

Credence Revived, Campfire Tyler and Lloyd Diamond as James Brown

What: Music Festival of the Lowcountry 2026

When: 1 to 10 p.m, Saturday, June 6

Where: Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort

Admission: Free. For more information: Contact Brittany Underwood at j.p.signaturegroup. events@gmail.com

Today, that same promise remains at the heart of the festival: to celebrate local talent, create shared experiences, and remain open and accessible to all. Thanks to generous donations and community partnerships, the festival continues to be completely free to attend, while offering professional sound, staging, and lighting across two dynamic performance stages.

system and additional assistance for homeowners facing rising costs.

Beyond the music, attendees can enjoy a selection of local food vendors, including Mother Smoking BBQ, Sassy Sweets, Palmetto Popcorn, Food Savvy, and more; bringing the flavors of the Lowcountry to life alongside the sounds.

Rivera-Vázquez supported capping annual premium increases and expanding affordability assistance, while Fulmer argued for stronger state or federally backed insurance and reinsurance programs.

Republican candidates generally focused on reducing risk through mitigation projects and market-based reforms.

ing affordability, healthcare costs, wages and economic inequality, while supporting targeted federal investments to address local challenges.

Infrastructure and economic growth remain shared priorities

One issue that generated significant agreement among candidates was infrastructure.

Diaz similarly identified climate change as one of the district's most significant longterm challenges and called for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.

Republican candidates generally focused on infrastructure improvements, flood mitigation and resiliency projects without emphasizing climate policy.

Charleston County Council member Jenny Costa Honeycutt highlighted flood mitigation, stormwater infrastructure, drainage improvements and beach renourishment projects as priorities.

Cunningham, Mark Smith, Sam McCown and Wagers Riley also emphasized drainage improvements, flood-control projects, infrastructure investments and reducing federal permitting delays.

Despite differing approaches, candidates across the political spectrum generally agreed that coastal communities need additional resources to address flooding and infrastructure concerns associated with continued growth.

Insurance crisis prompts varied solutions

Rising homeowners insurance premiums, a growing concern throughout Beaufort County and the coastal region, generated a wide range of responses.

Several candidates called for reforms to federal insurance programs.

"The National Flood Insurance Program is broken," Deford wrote while advocating reforms to FEMA's Risk Rating 2 0

Honeycutt emphasized increasing competition among insurers and reducing risk through infrastructure improvements. Wagers Riley called for greater transparency and competition in insurance markets, while Cunningham advocated for additional flood mitigation projects and reforms to FEMA and federal flood insurance programs.

Candidates from both parties pointed to traffic congestion, flooding concerns and growth-related infrastructure challenges throughout the district.

Several specifically referenced the U.S. 278 corridor, Highway 170, evacuation routes, bridge improvements and drainage projects as priorities.

Byars suggested Congress should explore "creating a federal backstop to help with catastrophic losses" while also considering additional market reforms. Pelbath proposed allowing homeowners to deduct a portion of their insurance costs from their federal tax bills.

Spending and debt divide candidates

Federal spending, inflation and the national debt also emerged as recurring themes throughout the questionnaire.

Several Republican candidates, including Brown, McCown, Byars, Pelbath and Smith, linked rising costs to federal spending and mounting national debt, arguing that Congress must exercise greater fiscal restraint. McCown described affordability as being worsened by what he called Washington's "reckless spending," while Brown identified the nation's debt as one of the country's most significant long-term challenges.

Democratic candidates were generally more likely to focus on hous-

Cunningham highlighted improvements to U.S. 278, Highway 170, U.S. 21, Highway 46 and key evacuation routes. Deford pointed to the U.S. 278 and S.C. 170 corridors as critical transportation needs, while Pelbath argued the district's military installations and port infrastructure justify additional federal investment in Lowcountry roads and bridges.

Candidates also frequently referenced the importance of protecting the district's military installations, tourism industry and environmental resources. While they differed on the appropriate balance between economic growth and environmental protections, most agreed those sectors remain critical to the Lowcountry's future.

"I do not care who gets credit if the people get results," Cunningham wrote when discussing bipartisan cooperation and infrastructure priorities.

While candidates offered differing visions for the district's future, most agreed the Lowcountry faces significant challenges tied to affordability, growth, infrastructure and quality of life.

20th Beaufort River Swim set for Saturday

Event likely to again set participation record

By Mike McCombs

The Island News

When the Beaufort River Swim goes off for the 20th time Saturday morning, June 6, on the Beaufort River, it looks like it will once again be a record-breaker, participation wise.

Nancy Kirk, Director Of Marketing and Development at Beaufort-Jasper YMCA in Port Royal, said on Monday, June 1, that there were 232 participants registered, already enough to surpass the 225 participants in the 2019 race and approaching the 250-participant cap. At the same point last year, there were 202 participants registered.

Registration was to close at 8 p.m., Wednesday, June 3

The race is the chief fundraiser for the Wardle Family YMCA’s Learn to Swim Program.

The day’s events include the 3 2mile competitive Beaufort River Swim, a 1-mile Swim and 5K Road Race after either swim distance. There is a relay option, as well, where one person swims and a second person runs the 5K.

Local Masters swimmer Chris Reed came up with the idea of the

the 19th Annual YMCA Beaufort River Swim & Run on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Amber Hewitt/File/The Island News

River Swim, and it was brought to life by then-YMCA board member

Pete Palmer, with help from Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry CEO, Michael Bostwick. From Day 1, the purpose of the race was to fund the Learn to Swim program. While the number or participants now approaches 250, the first race featured 30 swimmers.

The race starts at the marina in Port Royal (or at Beaufort Memorial Hospital for the 1-mile swimmers) and concludes at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park (the Beaufort marina parking lot).

The Wardle Family YMCA emphasizes that proceeds from the event directly support water safety in a coastal community where

swimming is a critical life skill.

According to a media release, in 2025, the Beaufort River Swim raised $28,400, contributing to $30 600 in scholarship assistance provided by the Wardle Family YMCA. That same year, the Y taught 955 local individuals to swim, including 288 who received free or reduced-cost lessons.

Defending champions

Last year’s male and overall champion was then-14-year-old Jack Shave of Hilton Head Island, who finished his first 3 2-mile Beaufort River Swim with a time of 52:56

The female champion was fellow Hilton Head Island teen Piper Lucas, who finished in a time of 53:14

Race logistics

The Beaufort marina parking lot is the end point of both swims. This is the staging area for swim and run events. Competitors should look for directional signage for check-in to receive a timing chip and be marked up. Parking is free until noon.

Check-in begins at 6 a.m., and the 3 2-mile competitive swim starts this year at 8:30 a.m., with

the Fun Swim starting at approximately 9 a.m..

YMCA staff will transport via bus all swimmers to their respective starting points (Safe Harbor Port Royal Marina for the 3 2Mile swimmers and the Beaufort Memorial Hospital dock for the 1-mile swimmers). The last bus for the 3 2-mile swimmers leaves the Beaufort Marina at 7:30 a.m.

Award presentations will be held at the downtown marina parking lot area immediately after the 5K ends.

The Beaufort Search and Rescue Squadron will be providing the primary safety for the event.

DNR will have boating traffic cut off along the route. A fleet of kayakers and other safety vessels will monitor the course to ensure the swimmers’ safety.

Awards presentation will be held two hours after the swim start for swimmers and two and a half hours after the swim start for swim/runners at the Downtown Beaufort Marina parking lot area.

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

BCSO assists ICE in Friday immigration operations

Staff reports ICE conducted operations in Beaufort County on Friday, May 29, according to a release from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the release, the BCSO, “assisted ICE –Homeland Security in a coordinated immigration enforcement operation conducted under the Federal 287(g) Program.”

The operation was conducted in cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal

Operations (ERO) and also assisted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), under established federal immigration enforcement authorities.

Lt. Danny Allen, spokesperson for the BCSO could not confirm any specific

details but did say that operations were conducted throughout the county, north and south of the Broad River.

According to the release, the operation focused on locating and apprehending individuals who had previously been ordered removed

from the United States by a Federal Immigration Judge and who had failed to comply with those lawful removal orders.

BCSO personnel assisted federal authorities by providing operational support, officer safety coordination, and logistical assistance during the operation.

ElizabEth “liz” (bEtty) (MuMs) EntwistlE

July 12, 1935 – May 26, 2026

Port Royal

Born and raised in Portland, Ore., until married life took her to the west coast of California and to the desert of Corrales, N.M., where she lived, raised her children, and retired. In 2006 she made the move to Port Royal, where she fell in love with saltwater life once again but this time on the East Coast.

Liz Entwistle passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours, after an enjoyable day of reminiscing about old times with her three boys and their families. She was a strong woman and lived vivaciously. She loved music, loved the Beaufort International Film Festival, and loved to dance, even in her 90s. Most will remember her dancing in her "ZOOMER" chair to almost every music performance or festival Beaufort or Port Royal had to offer.

Liz was widely loved, and she widely loved. Her three sons meant the world to her, and every time any of us would visit, she would introduce us to all, every time. She was a proud momma and even prouder wife.

Liz was preceded in death by her love and light, William (Bill) Entwistle; her mother, Ruby Engle; her mother-in-law, Margret Entwistle; sister Sondra; and her newly found father, Halton Aaron Stephens. She leaves behind her three sons, Bill Entwistle (Partner Luis), Mike Entwistle (wife Rebecca) and John Entwistle (wife Paula); Five grandchildren Celio, (wife Nikki), Michael, Brittney, Ashton (wife Savannah) and Aaron; Three great-grandchildren Elenore Rae,

Haven Emilia and Hunter; newly found and already treasured brother Dennis; Sisters Penny (daughter Shannon) and Junia (daughter Serena and great niece Selma). The family asks in Lieu of flowers to please consider donating to The Beaufort International Film Festival in her honor at https://bit.ly/4viyY9d.

EllEn GravEs

Feb. 13, 1925 – May 22, 2026 Port Royal

Ellen Bertha Goethe Graves, 101, widow of Harold L. Graves, Sr., of Beaufort, S.C., died Friday, May 22 2026 in Sprenger Healthcare of Port Royal, S.C. Funeral services were held on Friday, May 29 2026 at The Baptist Church of Beaufort with burial in the churchyard. Reception followed in the Green Room at the church.

Mrs. Graves was born on Feb. 13 1925 in Bluffton, S,C. She was the youngest daughter of 13 children, to the late Horace Edward Goethe and Martha Beverly Goethe.

She worked for United Telephone Company for three years before getting married on Dec. 21, 1945, and began her affiliation with the Baptist Church of Beaufort in 1955. Bertha served in many volunteer roles for the BCoB including summer migrant programs, Bible school, schools for special children, Wednesday night dinners, and she was in charge of the nursery up to the 5-year-olds for many years.

Bertha was also a long time volunteer for Help of Beaufort.

Surviving is one son, Harold "Lefton" Graves, Jr., one daughter, Gloria G. Williams ( Tommy Gay); three grandchildren: Kristie Graves Lewis (Keith), Lori Graves, and Shannon W. Shetrone (Michael); five great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a daughter, Dorothy Lois Graves, and all of her 12 siblings.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Baptist Church of Beaufort.

april patricia hoGan

Feb. 27, 1975

Beaufort

April Patricia Hogan, 51 of Beaufort, S.C., passed away at her residence in Beaufort.

A Rosary Service will be held at 12:30 p.m., Monday, June 1, 2026, at St. Peter's Catholic Church with a Memorial Mass following at 1:30 p.m. The family will have a reception at the Church following the services.

April was born on Feb. 27 1975 in Beaufort, S.C., to Patricia Lynne (Richard) Hogan Gates and the late Kevin George Hogan. She spent many years as a hospice nurse with Friends of Caroline, where she was cherished by both coworkers and patients. April loved rescuing and caring for animals, relaxing at the beach, gardening, and traveling. We will always remember her radiant smile, joyful laugh, and generous spirit.

Survivors include her mother, Patricia Lynne Gates of Beau-

fort; her sister, Michelle Yun of Murfreesboro, Tenn., married to Michael Yun, with children Anna, Phillip, and Elle; and her sister, Angela Brown-Sampson of Beaufort, S.C., married to Francis Brown-Sampson, with children Adriana, A’lana, Aaliyah, and August. She is preceded in death by her father: Kevin George Hogan. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Palmetto Animal League Adoption Center at http://www. palmettoanimalleague.org. Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family.

pat Franklin McGarity Dec. 9, 1933 – April 23, 2026 Beaufort

Pat Franklin McGarity, 92, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan died on Thursday, April 23 at his home in Beaufort, South Carolina. Pat was born to Lescar Caldwell McGarity and Dorothy Brown McGarity on Dec. 9, 1933 in Monroe, Ga. He grew up in both Monroe and Anderson, S.C. He was a graduate of Monroe High School and an Eagle Scout. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Georgia Tech where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Immediately upon graduation he joined the Ford Motor Company where his career spanned 38 years. His Ford career took him to Mexico City, Mexico; San Paulo, Brazil; and Michigan where he retired as Manager Design Staff.

He is survived by his wife, Suzanne, his daughters, Megan

and Christine, and his son, Charles, his grandsons, Joshua, Michael and Stephen, his granddaughters, Carolina, Teresa, and Jessica and his sister, Jan. He is predeceased by his brother, Michael and his son, Ernst.

Pat was an avid traveler. As a teenager he had the opportunity to travel throughout Mexico and the United States from the east to the west coast including Alaska. Later in life he traveled extensively throughout South America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Pat enjoyed restoring antique and classic cars. He was a member of the Early Ford V8 Club (adviser) and Antique Automobile Club of America. He served as a board member of the Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance.

Pat served several years on the boards of Nemours Wildlife Foundation and AMI Kids Beaufort.

Pat enjoyed sailing and was a member and Past Commodore of the Old Club, Harsens Island, Michigan and the Grosse Pointe Club, Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He also enjoyed his membership in the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club.

A Funeral Service is scheduled for 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, at St. Helena Anglican Church, 507 Newcastle Street in Beaufort, S.C. Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family.

NEWS & EDUCATION

Battery Creek celebrates 146 graduates in Class of 2026

By Delayna Earley

Island News

The

Battery Creek High School cel-

ebrated the accomplishments of 146 graduating seniors during commencement exercises held May 28 on the school's campus, marking the culmination of years of academic achievement, leadership, athletics and community involvement.

The Class of 2026 adopted the motto, "Every Ending Brings A New Beginning ... And We Did It!" as graduates crossed the stage and prepared to take the next step in their lives.

Members of the graduating class earned a combined $987,000 in scholarship awards. Academic achievement was a hallmark of the class, which included the school's Top Ten graduates, seven Senior Scholars and 76 students who graduated with Seals of Distinction.

The class also demonstrated success in advanced academic programs. Five students earned associate degrees while still in high school through dual enrollment opportunities, allowing them to begin their college careers with significant coursework already completed.

Following graduation, 45 students plan to attend four-year or two-year colleges, while 40 gradu-

Dolphins earn nearly $1 million in scholarships while preparing for college, careers and military service

ates will pursue technical or trade programs. Another 13 graduates have committed to military service.

Beyond academics, the Class of 2026 was heavily involved in extracurricular activities and service organizations. Thirty-nine student-athletes graduated this year, while seniors also participated in groups including the National Honor Society, Student Council, Student Lead Team, HOSA, Inter-

act and Students Against Destructive Decisions.

Battery Creek Principal Dr. Rodney Graves praised the graduating class for both its accomplishments and character.

"I am incredibly proud of this graduating class," Graves said. "Not only for their resilience, but also for their brilliance and their steadfast support of one another and the Dolphin community."

Graduates also reflected on the perseverance that helped them reach commencement day.

"Don't ever give up, because while everyone is counting you out God is counting you in," one senior said when asked what advice they would offer others and how they viewed the future.

As the Dolphins turn the page to a new chapter, the Class of 2026 leaves Battery Creek High School with a legacy of academic achievement, leadership and determination, while carrying forward the lessons learned during their time as students.

be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.

Spanish Moss Trail celebrating in June

National Trails Day is Saturday, June 6

Staff reports

National Trails Day is Saturday, June 6, National Trails Month lasts all of June, and the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail are inviting the Lowcountry community and visitors to the area to step outside, get moving and connect with nature this month to highlight the importance and value of Trails.

"We are incredibly proud of South Carolina, Beaufort County, the City of Beaufort and the Town of Port Royal for collaborating with the national celebration of Trails for the entire month of June,” Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail Executive Director Dean Moss said in a news release. "The Spanish Moss Trail, like other Trails around our beautiful country, has

Place from page A1

become a happy place that connects our community like no other. Whether you are biking to work, walking your dog, or taking in our spectacular Lowcountry water views, the Spanish Moss Trail offers a beautiful experience open for all to enjoy year round.”

Celebrations kick off Saturday, aligning with the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day – a country-wide initiative to advocate for, maintain, and enjoy public trail spaces. South Carolina General Assembly, Beaufort County, City of Beaufort and the Town of Port Royal are all officially recognizing June as “Trails Month.”

To honor both National Trails Day and Trails Month, community members are encouraged to explore the Spanish Moss Trail throughout June. Families are encouraged to kick off their

The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections announced the changes in May. The relocations are temporary and apply only to the June 9 primary and June 23 runoff election.

The changes affect voters in the Sheldon area, on Lady's Island, on St. Helena Island and in portions of the Chechessee and Riverbend communities.

Election Day voting will take place Tuesday, June 9, with polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Voters must cast their ballots at their assigned precinct on Election Day. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in a primary race, a runoff election will be held June 23 Early voting is underway and continues through Thursday, June 5. Early voting centers are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections office, the St. Helena Branch Li-

summer by enjoying the newly designated national Kids in Parks TRACK Trail. This one-mile experience, just for kids, starts at the Depot Trailhead with a map, custom activities, a StoryWalk and Little Library. The Friends will also be highlighting Trail facts, safety reminders, and native wildlife spotlights on social media all month long.

How to celebrate with the Spanish Moss Trail • What’s New on the Trail? The Downtown Beaufort Connector, the Ribaut Road Crossing into Port Royal, and the Kids in Parks TRACK Trail starting at Depot Trailhead Six Trailheads/Parking Access: Westvine, Broome, Depot, Beaufort Plaza, Roseida and Clarendon

brary, the Bluffton Branch Library and the University of South Carolina Beaufort's Hilton Head campus. Voters are required to present a valid photo ID before casting a ballot. Acceptable forms of identification include a South Carolina driver's license, a South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles-issued photo identification card, a voter registration card with a photograph, a military identification card, a Veterans Affairs identification card or a United States passport.

Election officials are encouraging all voters, even those whose precincts are not among the temporary relocations, to verify their polling location before Election Day by using the South Carolina Election Commission's "Find My Polling Place" tool or by contacting the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections at 843-255-6900 The changes include several temporary polling place relocations as well as the creation of a new precinct in the Chechessee area.

Share Your Experience: Use the hashtags #SpanishMossTrail, #NationalTrailsDay, and #SCTrailsMonth on social media Keep It Beautiful: Honor the Spanish Moss Trail by practicing “Leave No Trace” principles – dispose of waste properly and ensure pets remain leashed. Many Trail users even pick up trash they

Temporary precinct changes

New Precinct

Chechessee 1 & 3 → Thomas C. Barnwell Administration

Building

Sheldon Area

Sheldon 1 → Elijah

Washington Medical Center

Sheldon 2 → Booker T. Washington Community Center, 182 Booker T. Washington Drive, Yemassee

Lady's Island • Lady's Island 1A → Grace Chapel A.M.E.,

see along the way. Know Before You Go: The Trail is a 10+ mile, paved, non-motorized, multi-use Trail open dawn to dusk with a speed limit of 15 MPH. Only pedal-assist Class 1 E-bikes are allowed. No other motorized vehicles or e-bikes are permitted. Dogs must be leashed and pet waste must be removed (pet-waste stations available). For cyclists, please stay at or below 15 MPH at all times and alert pedestrians by saying “Passing on your left” • Visit us, Support our Work and Download the Free App: SpanishMossTrail.com and free mobile app is Spanish Moss Trail Mobile Guide

VOICES

Editor’s

A Lowcountry voice for the Lowcountry

Iwas born in Colleton County Hospital, raised in rural Dorchester County, educated in South Carolina public schools, and built my career serving patients and families across our state. My roots run deep in the Lowcountry. As we say around here, I'm "from yeh, not a come yeh."

Like many families in Beaufort County and across South Carolina's First Congressional District, mine believes in simple values: don't lie, don't cheat, don't steal, be nice, and make your mama proud. Those principles guided me growing up on a small farm near Rosinville, S.C., and they continue to guide me today as I seek the honor of representing our district in Congress.

Life on a farm teaches lessons that Washington could use more of. We learned hard work, self-reliance, and responsibility. My father often said we had "more grit than quit." Problems weren't someone else's responsibility. You figured them out. You worked together. You got the job done. Today, too many Americans look at Washington and see the opposite.

Endless political fighting. Excuses instead of solutions. Partisan games instead of leadership. The people of the Lowcountry deserve better.

I’m an advanced practice registered nurse specializing in psychiatric medicine. I earned my nursing degrees from the University of South Carolina and spent my professional life caring for patients and helping families navigate difficult challenges. Nurses learn to listen before they speak, evaluate facts before making decisions, and focus on solving problems. Those skills are in short supply in Congress, but they are exactly what we need.

Like many Lowcountry families, ours has experienced both opportunity and hardship. My husband and I lived overseas in Indonesia, England, and France during international work assign-

ments before returning home to raise our children. We chose to return to South Carolina because we wanted our children to grow up with the same values and sense of community that shaped us.

Today, our son serves in the U.S. Air Force, and our daughter is pursuing graduate studies abroad. Their accomplishments remind me of the promise that still exists in America when families, communities, and schools work together to create opportunities.

As I travel throughout Beaufort County, I hear common concerns from voters regardless of age, profession, or political affiliation.

Families are struggling with the rising cost of living. Inflation may have slowed, but prices remain too high. Homeowners are being squeezed by rapidly increasing insurance premiums. Retirees who worked hard their entire lives are worried about protecting their savings. Small business owners are concerned about regulations, labor shortages, and economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, traffic congestion continues to

worsen throughout the Lowcountry. Roads that once handled local traffic are now overwhelmed by rapid population growth. Residents spend more time sitting in traffic and less time with their families. Congress should prioritize infrastructure investments that improve mobility, strengthen hurricane evacuation routes, and support responsible growth.

I also believe we must address our nation's fiscal challenges. Washington's spending habits have contributed to inflation and saddled future generations with unprecedented debt. Fiscal responsibility is not simply an accounting exercise; it is a moral obligation. Every dollar wasted by the federal government is a dollar that could have remained in the pockets of hardworking taxpayers.

At the same time, protecting the Lowcountry's future requires preserving the natural resources that make this region special. Beaufort County's economy depends on tourism, recreation, military installations, and environmental assets that support jobs and quality of

life. These priorities are not in conflict. We can encourage economic growth while being responsible stewards of our beaches, waterways, marshes, and wildlife.

I support practical conservation efforts, coastal resilience projects, improved stormwater management, and policies that help communities prepare for hurricanes and flooding. These are not partisan issues. They are common-sense investments in the future of our region.

I also believe Congress must fulfill its most fundamental responsibilities: securing our borders, supporting our military, caring for our veterans, and protecting the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution. Americans deserve a government that enforces the law, respects taxpayers, and puts citizens first.

Most importantly, I believe elected officials should remain connected to the people they represent. Too often, politicians go to Washington and forget where they came from. I never will.

My roots are here. I was born here. I was raised here.

I chose to return here to raise my family. I spend my time enjoying the same things many of you do— fishing, crabbing, boating, exploring our history, and appreciating the beauty of the Lowcountry.

South Carolina is not simply where I live. It is who I am.

The challenges facing Beaufort County and the First District are significant, but they are not beyond our ability to solve. We need less political theater and more practical leadership. We need representatives who understand our communities, share our values, and are willing to work every day to make life better for the people they serve. That's the kind of leadership I will bring to Congress, and I would be honored to earn your support.

Cindy W. Riley, who is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Vanderbilt University, is an advanced practice registered nurse specializing in psychiatric medicine. She has worked as a nurse for 38 years in Georgia, Virginia, Washington state, Indonesia, and in the Lowcountry. She can be reached at cindywriley@gmail.com.

I would be honored to earn your vote

As a Daniel Island resident and fourth-generation Lowcountry native, I don't just represent our area — I grew up here, built my business here, raised my family here, and have spent my life working to make our community better.

The Lowcountry is where I learned the values of hard work, faith, personal responsibility, and service to others. As a small business owner, husband, father, and State Representative, I've seen firsthand both the opportunities and challenges facing families across our region. Today, too many hardworking families feel like they're falling behind. The cost of groceries, gas, housing, insurance, and everyday necessities continues to rise while Washington keeps spending money we don't have. That's not sustainable.

I believe affordability isn't a political talking point — it's a kitchen-table issue. In Congress,

I'll fight for lower taxes, fiscal responsibility, American energy independence, and common-sense policies that help families keep more of what they earn and build a better future for their children. At the same time, our district continues to grow, and our infrastructure must keep pace. Anyone who sits in traffic on Highway 17, I-26, or I-526 knows exactly what I'm talking about. From congestion and flooding to drainage and public safety concerns, the Lowcountry needs leaders focused on practical solutions, not political theater.

In the State House, I've helped

secure nearly $1 billion for infrastructure improvements across South Carolina because roads, bridges, drainage projects, and flood mitigation aren't partisan issues — they're quality-of-life issues. I'll continue fighting for investments that support responsible growth while protecting taxpayers.

Since launching this campaign, I've been humbled by the incredible support we've received from every corner of the district. Nearly 80 local, state, and federal leaders, along with organizations like the National Rifle Association, have endorsed our campaign because they know my record and understand my commitment to conservative leadership. Relationships matter. Whether it's working with local officials, law enforcement, business owners, community leaders, or fellow legislators, getting things done requires bringing people together. That's how I've approached public service, and it's how I'll serve in Congress.

For the past six years, I've had the privilege of serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives, after previously serving on Mount Pleasant Town Council. My record is clear, consistent, and easy for voters to evaluate. I've fought to cut taxes, support law enforcement, defend the Second Amendment, protect our communities, and stand up for the conservative values that make South Carolina strong.

I've also worked to protect South Carolina from growing foreign threats by sponsoring legislation to ban Chinese ownership of our farmland. When the Charleston Housing Authority sold affordable housing properties to developers, I stood with residents and demanded answers.

When I see a problem, I don't look the other way. I step up and fight to fix it.

I'm especially proud to have sponsored the largest income tax cut in South Carolina history. I've

worked to protect South Carolina families, defend our way of life, and hold government accountable. Those aren't promises. They're results.

The people of the First Congressional District don't need another politician making excuses or offering empty slogans. They deserve someone who has already proven he can deliver and who will be ready to go to work on Day One. I won't claim to be perfect, and I won't get every decision right. But I can promise you this: I'll always be accessible, accountable, and willing to fight for the people of the Lowcountry. I'll work every day to protect our values, strengthen our communities, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger South Carolina than the one we inherited. I would be honored to earn your vote.

Mark Smith is a Republican candidate for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.

Leadership built on service, not politics

For more than 20 years, I have had the privilege of serving the people of Beaufort County, not from the sidelines, but in the field, inside this Sheriff’s Department, alongside the men and women who put on the uniform every single day. Over those two decades, I’ve worked patrol, investigations, K9 operations, and leadership roles that have allowed me to see every corner of this county and every challenge that comes with protecting it. And one thing becomes very clear after 20 years: There is no “one-size-fitsall” approach to serving Beaufort County. The priorities of families North of the Broad are not always the same as the priorities South of the Broad and rightfully so. The needs

of a parent in Bluffton navigating explosive growth and traffic concerns may look very different from the needs of a lifelong resident in Sheldon, St. Helena, or Beaufort focused on preservation, access to services, safety, and community trust. But every resident deserves the same things from their Sheriff: Professionalism. Presence. Accountability. And leadership they can trust. That trust is earned over time.

It’s earned by showing up at 2 a.m. when fami-

lies are having the worst night of their lives. It’s earned through hurricanes, missing children, tragic accidents, narcotics investigations, community meetings, and very difficult conversations. It’s earned by working with people, not talking at them.

I’m not running for Sheriff to create noise or division. I’m running because I believe Beaufort County deserves experienced leadership that can keep this agency moving forward while staying grounded in service to the people.

As a husband and father, public safety is not political to me. It’s personal. I understand what it means to want your children safe at school. To want deputies who are respected and supported.

To know that when you call 911, someone competent, trained, and prepared is

coming to help.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office today is a highly advanced and professional organization. We operate specialized units and services that many people may never see firsthand, but they matter every day, from the Real Time Crime Center and forensic services lab to marine patrol, school resource officers, crisis negotiations, victim advocacy, SWAT, aviation, K9s, and emergency management. These resources matter because modern policing requires more than simply reacting to crime. It requires preparation, technology, coordination, communication, and people who know how to lead under pressure.

But no matter how advanced law enforcement becomes, the heart of this profession still comes down

to people.

The deputies serving this county deserve a Sheriff who understands the demands of the job because he has lived it. The citizens of Beaufort County deserve a Sheriff who can remain calm in difficult moments, make decisions with integrity, and rise above politics when the responsibility is too important for ego.

That is the kind of leadership I will bring to this office. I love this county. I believe in the people who serve it. And I still wake up excited about the responsibility of protecting it. Not because the job is easy … but because it matters!

Beaufort County is growing rapidly. The challenges facing law enforcement are changing rapidly too. We need leadership with the experience to manage those challenges, the energy to

meet them head-on, and the humility to remember who we work for.

If elected Sheriff, I will continue building a department that prioritizes professionalism, transparency, innovation, and community trust -- while never losing sight of the people behind the badge and the people we serve. Because at the end of the day, being Sheriff is not about politics. It’s about responsibility. And I’m ready for it.

Doug Seifert is a candidate for Beaufort County Sheriff and a veteran law enforcement professional with more than 20 years of experience serving and protecting communities. Seifert is seeking to bring experienced leadership, accountability and an energetic approach to public safety to the Sheriff’s Office. He can be reached directly at SeifertForSheriff@gmail.com.

VOICES

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

Serious times require serious decisions

Hello Beaufort

County citizens, serious times require serious decisions. This upcoming Democratic primary is about making a responsible choice. A choice that allows the best opportunity to win in the general election in November.

Currently, we see the efforts to disenfranchise voters, dismantle voting rights, and divide our community. This election gives the voters in District 121 a choice between proven leadership versus promises. In this primary election, experience matters; Rivers is the responsible choice.

While serving all the citizens in District 121 since 2016, I have been committed to providing resources, funding and sponsoring legislation that becomes law.

This session, I sponsored House Bill 4477 relating to Heirs Property that the

IGovernor recently signed into law. I have introduced a Cursive Writing Bill; Bill H.4913, establishing the second Saturday in November as Penn Center Heritage Day and Bill H.3142, making May 13 Robert Smalls Day in South Carolina.

I have co-sponsored many other bills that became law. In addition to funding provided by our Beaufort delegation, I have secured funding for the Sheldon Township, MLK Park Upgrades, Penn Center, Altitude Academy, Beaufort Youth Conference, the Original Gullah Festival

and the Extra Mile Club, as well as securing funding in Colleton County.

Before I was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives, I served on the Beaufort County School Board for 18 years. I am an ordained minister. I have served as Chaplin for the S.C. Democratic Caucus and the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus. I am the current Chair-Elect of the S.C. Legislative Black Caucus.

I have served on numerous boards including Beaufort County Recreation Commission and Parks and Leisure Board. I have served as a Beaufort County Poll Manager. I am a public servant. I am married to Lisa Rivers. I am a father and grandfather.

I grew up on St. Helena Island, Seaside Road working on our family farm. I am a product of Beaufort County public schools. I enlisted in the military

delayed entry program at Beaufort High School. I am a retired veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where I worked in accounting, managing hundreds of millions of taxpayers dollars.

I studied Business Management at the Community College of the Air Force, Community College of Philadelphia, DeKalb Community College, University of South Carolina and the Technical College of the Lowcountry. I also studied Religious Studies at the University of South Carolina. I am an Honors graduate from Claflin University in Organizational Management. I also graduated from Technical College of the Lowcountry with a degree in Computer Assisted Design and Drafting.

I also graduated from DeVry Institute of Technology; Atlanta, receiving a degree in electronics. I then worked at Scientific

Atlanta as an electronic engineering technician in the Research and Development division, building prototypes and various data communications, satellite, and cable systems electronic equipment. I then moved back home to be with my aging mother.

Experience matters.

The responsible choice in this election is the choice between a candidate with promises and another with a proven record with receipts. Accountability requires a record to evaluate.

Beaufort County citizens, I strongly believe that we must prepare our students for the work force of tomorrow. We must prepare them to compete globally. We must also be committed and concerned about protecting our beautiful environment and culture. We must remember the past as well as prepare for the future.

As we continue to move

forward, I am humbly and respectfully seeking to continue serving and representing all the people in District 121 I the S.C. House of Representatives. Given the privilege, as well as the opportunity, to continue serving, I will continue to work to make sure that all voices are heard and always keep the best interest of all the people of District 121 the top priority. Thank you for your prayers and support. Experience matters. We are all in this together as we move forward together. Your District 121 strong voice in the S.C. House of Representatives, Michael F. Rivers. Vote Michale Rivers on June 9, Character, integrity and respect. Already in the fight, ready for the next round.

Ukraine would be a pillar of NATO

t is Saturday, and I have my coffee, a slice of sourdough toast, a view of the yard with its ever-present carpet of Magnolia leaves. This morning I am following the Battle of Kostiantynivka (kon stan tin eef kuh).

Kostiantynivka is a city — was a city — located in Eastern Ukraine where the Ukrainian 28th Mechanized Brigade has managed to keep Russia’s 70th Motorized Rifle Division at bay since October of 2025

Today we learn that elements of the 70th Motorized Rifle Division have worked their way into the suburbs of Kostiantynivka; and small Russian units have infiltrated to the zinc plant in the center of town. Journalists, podcasters and bloggers tell us that Kostiantynivka is the first of four “fortress belt” cities.

All of which reminds us that 84 years ago — in this same month — Germany’s Army Group Don was pushing through eastern Ukraine on its way to Stalingrad. That effort was opposed by more than one million Soviet soldiers,

OSCOTT GRABER

many of whom were Ukrainian, together 800 tanks and 13,000 artillery tubes — the Soviet army was always big on artillery.

The street by street fighting in Stalingrad was bloody — maybe 200 000 killed on the German side; 500 000 on the Russian — and most historians saying this was the turning point in World War II.

I don’t doubt that Vladimir Putin knows more about Stalingrad than any historian in Russia; and he prays nightly to his patron saint — Joseph Stalin — for the strength to continue his fight to bring Kostiantynivka back into the loving arms of Mother Russia.

I believe that Putin believes he is entitled to this ravaged

city where drones have taken his tanks out of the equation. Now, small, five-man groups of Russian soldiers creep through the darkened streets in an effort to avoid the drones. This is a costly strategy — the total Russian death count (in Ukraine) is somewhere between 350 000 and 500 000 dead.

But what, we wonder, does it take to send wave after wave of soldiers into the increasingly accurate sights of the FPV (First Person View) Kamikaze drone operated by the young Ukrainian men of the 28th Mechanized Brigade?

And what kind of man is willing to take, say, 1,000 killed in a single day? Robert E Lee?

Lee saw 1 500 killed at Antietam — a battle that lasted about 12 hours; Grant lost more than a 1 000 men on the first day at Shiloh. And yes, Napoleon sent 11,000 to their deaths at Waterloo. Dr. Allen Hamilton is a doctor and professor at the University of Arizona and has written about the chemistry of empathy — empathy being the emotion that

might make one pause before sending 350,000 Russian men to their deaths.

Dr. Hamilton says empathy is a neurological function where we see pain in another and our own neurons mirror that pain. Yes, our own neurons give us a dose of the angst we are seeing.

But as we age we are bombarded with images of disease, disaster and often our mirroring neurons go numb; stop functioning; and that allows us to walk past the poor, the homeless or, in Putin’s case, send young men to their deaths. We only feel annoyed when we hear a baby crying on a crowded airplane; no longer do we have any compassion for the parents who are trying to quiet the screaming child.

Could it be that Vladimir Putin lost his own, pain-mirroring neurons a long time ago and is annoyed, actually enraged, when his army of conscripts and convicts fail to fight themselves into downtown Kostiantynivka?

Some know that I read the Wall Street Journal’s opinion writer, Holman W Jenkins, Jr., who says

Russia is “burning through its current victim-recruits faster than it can replace them, with no solution in sight as long as Mr. Putin keeps insisting on Potemkin offensives to maintain the illusion of military progress on the ground.”

“This means the war is effectively over in the sense that one big push from the Russian side to win is no longer imaginable.”

“Today talk about whether Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO has been supplanted by talk about whether NATO will be allowed to join Ukraine — whose fighting experience and surging domestic defense industry wouldn’t just be an asset to the Western alliance but a pillar of it.”

If there’s no “last big push” left in Putin’s playbook, we are left with an eventual Panmunjom-like parley where Ukraine gives up some of its land in exchange for some kind of membership in NATO and the European Union.

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

Protect the Lowcountry we love

ne of the best drives in America has got to be the drive along U.S. 17 through the ACE Basin and then entering the watershed of the Port Royal Sound. Everything about this drive exudes quintessential Lowcountry: grand live oaks, salt marshes across the horizon, and beautiful waterways worthy of a Pat Conroy novel or 10 American conservation was born out of a moment of shock. When Theodore Roosevelt first visited Yosemite Valley, he was confronted not just by its grandeur, but by the damage already being inflicted on it by unchecked industry and commercial exploitation.

That experience helped ignite a conservation movement that would eventually lead to the creation of our national parks and a belief that some places are simply too valuable to lose. Roosevelt understood something

JAY BYARS

fundamental: once natural beauty is destroyed, it cannot be rebuilt.

The Port Royal Watershed, where the Broad, Colleton, and May rivers converge, is just one of those irreplaceable places. Spanning more than 1 600 square miles of marshland, forests, rivers, and wildlife habitat, it is not only a crown jewel of the Lowcountry, but one of the most unique estuarine systems on the east coast containing more than 100,000 acres of salt marsh which comprises one-third of the saltwater marsh of South Carolina. It is exactly the kind of

place Roosevelt would have fought to protect and we should do likewise.

Growth is both a challenge and an opportunity across the Lowcountry. We need growth to have economic opportunities for our families but it needs to be targeted and responsible. Economic development matters. Jobs matter. Progress matters. Conservation is not about opposing business or industry outright. It is about setting priorities. It is about recognizing that some assets, once lost, are gone forever.

The natural beauty of the Lowcountry is one of those assets. You can build another industrial park. You can expand infrastructure elsewhere. You cannot recreate a pristine marsh, a vibrant river system, or a centuries-old ecosystem once it has been fragmented or degraded. Protecting special places like the ACE Basin and Port Royal

Sound is not anti-business. It is pro-legacy. That is why federal conservation working with local partners of these places must become a national priority. We should be aggressively pursuing federal funding to preserve and enhance this landscape, while partnering with state and local governments to ensure smart, sustainable stewardship. This is precisely the type of place federal conservation dollars were meant to protect. Protection of private property balanced with public access must be central to that effort. People do not truly understand the value of nature unless they experience it firsthand. Walking a beach or a trail, casting a line for redfish, and sitting in a duck blind at sunrise are the moments that remind us of the irreplaceable wonder of what God has blessed us with. Responsible access builds appreciation, and appre-

ciation builds long-term protection.

We also need to invest in youth education programs that connect the next generation to our land. Using federal resources alongside state and local support, we should be teaching kids how to live with our land, not just on it. They need to understand its beauty, its fragility, and the permanent consequences of neglect. Stewardship is learned, and the future of the Lowcountry depends on who we teach to care for it today.

Roosevelt understood this lesson through experience. On one buffalo hunt early in his life, he witnessed vast herds stretching across the plains. It was an awe-inspiring symbol of American abundance. Years later, on another guided hunt, he shot a single, lonely buffalo. The contrast haunted him. In a single generation, America’s greatest mammal had

been nearly erased, and no amount of regret could undo it. He wept as he realized that some things could never be undone.

Our Lowcountry beauty is worth fighting for. We can protect it now, or we can tell stories later about what it used to be. For the last 16 years on Dorchester County Council, I have fought to protect special places in Dorchester County and beyond and I will continue to work in Congress to protect our natural beauty while balancing improving our much-needed infrastructure and the protection of the pristine beauty of what God has blessed us with.

Jay Byars is a candidate for Congressional District 1; has been a Dorchester County Councilman since 2011; and is a family man, a businessman, and a lover of the great outdoors. When asked about Jay Byars in a recent interview, Darth Vader stated emphatically, “The Force is strong in that one.”

I intend to return the favor

Public service has defined my life.

I served the Lowcountry in the United States Coast Guard, enforcing federal law on the waters, securing our port, protecting our waterways, and pulling people out of the ocean who needed saving.

After I left active duty, I used the GI Bill to earn my degree from The Citadel and my law degree from Charleston School of Law. I built a career here, am raising my family here, and have spent the better part of two decades putting that education and that service to work for Lowcountry communities.

As Associate General Counsel for the Town of Mount Pleasant, I advised town leaders navigating an unprecedented COVID public health crisis while working on environmental protection and public safety.

As General Counsel for the Town of Hilton Head Island, I helped lead the town's flagship workforce housing project, which is now under construction. I worked to create a community development corporation for the Gullah Geechee community, an organization that provides legal and financial resources to families

The debate over Pine Island and the Cultural Protection Overlay on St. Helena Island has become one of the most important land-use issues in Beaufort County. It is also one of the clearest tests of whether county government will stand by the rules communities relied on when those rules become inconvenient to development interests.

For those who have not followed the issue closely, Pine Island is a proposed development on St. Helena Island that has raised serious concerns because of its location within the Cultural Protection Overlay, commonly called the CPO. The CPO is a special land-use district created to help protect the cultural, rural, and environmental character of St. Helena Island, including its historic Gullah-Geechee communities.

That context matters.

This debate is not simply about one project, one property owner, or one ordinance. It is about whether a community has the right to shape its own future before that future is decided for it.

I believe it does.

St. Helena Island is not

fighting to hold onto land their ancestors were promised. And when FEMA tried to shortchange Hilton Head on critical beach renourishment funding, I fought back and recovered millions for our community. That is the work I know how to do. That is what I will take to Congress.

The people of the Lowcountry are paying more for everything, and Washington is making it worse. Gas, grocery and construction costs are all up. Small businesses are watching their supply chains collapse in real time. The cause is tariffs which are a tax on American families. The people paying that tax are not the president's donors. They are the families filling up cars and shopping carts in Beaufort and Bluffton and Hilton Head Island.

The administration's decision to go to war with Iran without congressional authorization has made the cost of living more expensive. Energy prices respond to conflict. Our military families bear the consequences of decisions made without the deliberation the Constitution requires. The executive branch does not get to make war on its own. That is not a partisan position. It is the law.

Meanwhile, the corruption is impossible to ignore. The administration is trying to give $1 8 billion to convicted felons, including individuals with direct ties to the president's political network. The president's family has promoted a cryptocurrency scheme that has generated enormous personal wealth.

I will seek a seat on the House Oversight Committee. That committee has the authority to investigate executive branch conduct, compel testimony, and demand accountability. It is where this work needs to happen, and I intend to do it.

I am also asking Beaufort County voters to look carefully at one of my opponents, Nancy Lacore. As Chief of Navy Reserve, she signed the memo cancelling

DEI programs and eliminating sexual harassment and retaliation protections for the 60,000 sailors under her command. That decision helped pave the way for the politicization of our military that Pete Hegseth has since accelerated. The Trump-Hegseth agenda degrades military readiness and puts our national security at risk.

The large majority of Lacore’s campaign funding comes from outside South Carolina, including from billionaire donors with direct financial interests in AI data centers. That matters here in Beaufort County, where a proposal to site a massive data center in the ACE Basin is already raising serious concerns about one of the most ecologically significant and irreplaceable landscapes on the East Coast.

She has lived in the Lowcountry for less than a year. The challenges facing Beaufort County, from heirs' property and Gullah Geechee land rights to coastal flooding and workforce housing, are not issues you absorb in a few months. They are issues you work on for years.

Beaufort County has already had nearly six years of absent and negligent representation from

Culture isn’t a variance

a blank slate. It is not just another piece of land waiting to be maximized, marketed, and transformed. It is a living community with history, family land, churches, farms, waterways, neighborhoods, and traditions that cannot be recreated once it is lost. The residents who have spoken out about Pine Island and the CPO are not reacting to change in the abstract. They are responding to a very real concern that the island’s identity and rural character could be weakened one exception at a time. That concern deserves to be respected.

The CPO did not appear out of nowhere. It came from experience. St. Helena residents saw what happened on other Sea Islands, especially Hilton Head Island, where development pressure dramatically changed the character of the island over time.

Nancy Mace, a congresswoman who treated this district as a platform and its people as an afterthought. We cannot afford to send someone to Washington who is still getting their bearings here.

The Lowcountry does not need a manufactured politician parachuting in with talking points written by consultants in Washington. It needs someone who has spent the last 16 years here, who has sat across the table from FEMA and fought for what this community was owed, who has worked with Gullah Geechee families trying to hold onto land that is rightfully theirs, and who helped put workforce housing in the ground on Hilton Head Island when it would have been easier to do nothing.

Washington is full of people who arrived there to find themselves. I am running because I already know who I am and what I am here to do. The Lowcountry raised me as a professional and as a public servant, and I intend to return the favor.

Mac Deford is a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and Lowcountry attorney. He lives in Mount Pleasant with his wife, Caroline, their son, Willie, and yellow lab, Duke.

Hilton Head was once home to deeply rooted Gullah-Geechee community. Families lived on land connected to generations of history. But as the island transformed into a resort destination, rising land values, rising taxes, gated communities, golf courses, tourism, and development pressure changed the landscape permanently. Some families were able to hold on. Most were pushed out, priced out, or forced into long fights to protect land their families had owned for generations.

That history is not ancient. It is recent enough for people here to remember.

And that is exactly why St. Helena has tried to take a different path.

The CPO represents a community saying clearly: we have seen what unchecked development pressure can do, and we do not want that future imposed here.

That does not mean every concern raised by property owners should be dismissed. Property rights matter. Clear rules matter. Fair application matters. If parts of the CPO need to be clarified, Beaufort County should clarify

them. If language needs to be tightened, it should be tightened. If the ordinance can be made stronger and more legally defensible, then the County should do that work.

But there is a major difference between strengthening an ordinance and weakening it.

Too often, debates like this are framed as though cultural preservation and property rights cannot coexist. I reject that premise. Beaufort County already regulates land use in countless ways. We have zoning districts, overlays, setbacks, density limits, stormwater rules, environmental protections, and design standards. We accept those rules because land-use decisions do not affect only the person holding the deed. They affect roads, drainage, neighboring properties, public services, natural resources, and the broader character of a community.

The CPO is no different in principle. It simply recognizes that St. Helena Island is unique and that the consequences of getting land-use decisions wrong there are especially serious.

Pine Island became so contentious because many

residents saw it as a test of whether the CPO actually means what it says. If a project can move forward despite conflicting with the intent of the overlay, then what message does that send to the next developer?

That is not a small question.

If Beaufort County makes exceptions for one “special” project, every future applicant will ask why their project should not receive the same treatment. Over time, that is how protections are hollowed out. Not always through one dramatic vote, but through a series of exceptions until the original purpose no longer matters.

That is why the County should not retreat from the CPO. It should strengthen it.

If the ordinance has weak points, fix them. If its language needs to be clearer, make it clearer. If enforcement needs to be more consistent, make it consistent. If the County believes the purpose of the CPO is worth defending, then it should make sure the ordinance is written, applied, and enforced in a way that can withstand serious scrutiny.

The answer is not to abandon the CPO. The answer is to make it clearer, stronger,

more consistent, and more defensible. This matters beyond St. Helena.

The decisions made over the next few years will shape Beaufort County for decades. Growth pressure is not going away. Development interests will continue looking for opportunities. Land values will continue rising. Communities that wait until the bulldozers arrive to decide what they value often find themselves too late. St. Helena tried to decide earlier. That should count for something.

County Council should listen to the residents who have been raising these concerns for years, respect the purpose of the CPO, and defend the principle that some places are worth protecting before they are changed forever. Because once St. Helena loses what makes it special, no ordinance, lawsuit, or campaign promise will ever bring it back.

Michael

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

Stewardship is the answer

When my family chose Beaufort County, we did so for all the countless reasons others do: community, natural beauty, small businesses opportunities, and where hospitality still exists as does a feeling, despite constant change, this place values people who call it home. Those qualities are worth protecting and are the reason I’m running!

As a retired Marine officer, I've spent much of my life leading people, managing resources, and making decisions where consequences mattered greatly. One lesson followed me: leadership is stewardship. I am this type of leader.

A leader is entrusted with immense value which does not belong to them. A strong leader leaves the organization stronger, healthier, and more prepared for the future than when it was found. The same principle applies to county government.

Beaufort County faces tremendous growth. People continue to move here, businesses invest, and new projects emerge. All this activity proves Beaufort County is a special place to live, work, and raise a family.

Such attributes, however, pose the challenge to ensure growth is shaped by thoughtful planning, responsible investment, and rigorous accountability. In this regard, I will advocate for a comprehensive inventory of existing and approved but not yet built developments. The County must ensure full understanding of the impacts of existing commitments on infrastructure, public services, quality of life, history and culture prior to allowing more growth. Growth is inevitable. It, however, must never jeopardize Beaufort’s unique history and culture.

Every corner of Beaufort has a story just as every oak tree has tales it could recount. Our historic communities, cultural landmarks, natural landscapes, and local

traditions are foundations of our identity. Preservation is about protecting this special place for future generations and doing so sympathetically.

Irresponsible growth crosses political, geographic, and economic lines. Longtime residents worry that Beaufort County is changing too quickly. New residents demand local government plan conscientiously. Businesses seek economic opportunities all while preserving the character which attracted customers and employees in the first place.

How will residents trust that promises made today become tomorrow’s results? Stewardship is the answer.

Throughout my military career, clear objectives and available resources informed each mission.

Stakeholders provided input; plans were created; and measurable objectives were critical, each mission was evaluated afterwards against those measurable objectives. Our county government must operate with the same discipline.

Residents must not wonder how tax money is being spent. Clear connections must be presented between investments and outcomes and then measured. Projects must be prioritized based on need, not politics. Leaders must focus on solving problems before problems turn into crises. I am this type of leader.

Families across Beaufort County are pressured by rising housing costs, higher property taxes, and an increased cost of living.

Government must manage taxpayer dollars with the same rigor

families use to manage household budgets.

Fiscal responsibility requires demonstrating existing resources are managed effectively and efficiently and producing the promised outcomes. Taxpayers cannot be asked to contribute more when existing money is not being used properly.

Keeping more money in residents' pockets starts with disciplined leadership, transparent budgeting, and a commitment to ensure every public dollar is accounted for. I am this type of leader.

Stormwater infrastructure is one example. Many residents rarely think about drainage systems until they fail. These systems protect homes, businesses, roads, and property values. As our county grows, infrastructure, which was adequate years ago, may prove insufficient tomorrow. Addressing needs requires planning, foresight, and a willingness to tackle issues proactively and before

they become expensive and more disruptive.

The same principle applies to transportation, public safety, and community services. Our objective must be to create communities where growth strengthens our quality of life rather than diminishes it. Leaders must listen before speaking; gather facts before making decisions; and evaluate proposals based on long-term benefits rather than short-term political pressure.

Leaders must understand public trust is earned. Trust is earned through transparency, personal and professional accountability, and accessibility long after Election Day. I am this type of leader. When elected to County Council, I will leverage the same leadership philosophy which guided my successful military career: listen carefully, ask questions, evaluate the facts, and decide based on what best serves the people who entrusted me with responsibility.

Beaufort County's future is

Steady, informed, accountable leadership

bright. We have extraordinary communities, dedicated residents, and tremendous opportunities ahead. Yet, we are on a precipice. The task before us remains to ensure future generations inherit the same sense of heritage which brought so many of us here in the first place.

That is stewardship. That is leadership. I am this type of leader and will deliver for the people of Beaufort County. I am respectfully asking for your vote in the District 4 Primary on June 9, 2026

Thomas Grygowski is a Republican candidate for Beaufort County Council’s District 4, which includes Port Royal, Mossy Oaks, Shell Point, Spanish Point, and parts of Parris Island. Thomas and his wife have lived in Beaufort for 16 years. They have two daughters. Thomas is a retired Marine and most recently served as Officer in Charge – Airframes Division at Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron at Beaufort’s Marine Corps Air Station where he oversaw 80 employees. Thomas is a historian and pursuing his law degree.

My name is Mary Jeans Otto, and I am running for Beaufort County Council. I moved to Beaufort County 19 years ago and have been a resident of the 5th District for 16 years. The 5th District spans from Sun City, along Highway 170 to Habersham.

I have been married for 20 years to Gary Otto, a PGA member and General Manager of a local golf and country club. I grew up in a rural farming community in Minnesota and I am one of eight children. I hold a Master’s Degree in Tax Accounting and a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation. I worked as a tax researcher and accountant for Ernst & Young and own Jeans Otto Real Estate, giving me firsthand experience with business, finance and the impact overdevelopment has had on our community.

I support a moratorium

I am running because Beaufort County is experiencing rapid, unchecked growth that is outpacing our infrastructure. Roads, water systems, sewer capacity and environmental resources are all under increasing pressure. I support a temporary moratorium on new development until these core needs are addressed and growth can be managed responsibly.

Transparency, government accountability

accountability. In some cases, public notice signage is hidden, obstructed or is not posted at all, resulting in residents only learning about projects after decisions are already well underway. This undermines transparency and erodes public trust.

To protect community character, I support reforming or removing Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) that allow large-scale land clearing to create smaller, high-density lots. I support strict limits on clearing and would require natural buffers and roadway screening for new commercial and residential developments to preserve the rural and natural character of our communities.

I admire the work of Charles Frazier and his appreciation for the natural beauty and heritage of the South Carolina Lowcountry. I am concerned Beaufort County may become another Myrtle Beach.

I support stronger coordination with SCDOT, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services and Jasper County to ensure transportation, water, and environmental impacts are fully considered before approvals are made. I also support requiring developments to meet their fair share of infrastructure costs, including roads and school impacts, before moving forward.

Residents deserve, and should demand, a government that is open, transparent, and accountable. Too often, decisions are made without meaningful public input and concerns about backroom dealings have weakened trust. Our zoning and planning processes must prioritize residents and long-term community needs, not disproportionately favor developers.

The County decision making process needs to be more accessible to the public. The county should post Planning Commission, Zoning Board, staff meetings, and County Council agendas on social media, including Nextdoor, so residents can access information early in the process.

I also support extending public notice periods from 15/30 days to 90 days so residents have adequate time to review proposals and obtain necessary FOIA information. This will help ensure the public can make informed decisions, participate meaningfully in the process and provide feedback before major decisions are finalized.

Right now, portions of the public notice responsibility have been shifted from the County to developers, creating inconsistency and reducing

Public notice responsibilities must rest solely with the County, not developers, to ensure consistency, fairness, and full public awareness of every proposed project.

I oppose the Pine Island development

Pine Island is a pristine, historically significant island that should be protected and preserved in its natural state. I strongly oppose any development that would alter its character, increase density, or compromise its environmental and historical integrity and I will not support rezoning or approvals that move in that direction. I support the County’s ongoing litigation against the developer.

Preservation of wetlands Wetlands are diminishing at an alarming rate. Currently, private contractors, hired and paid by developers, determine wetland boundaries and delineations without consistent, onsite, independent or government verification. I support independent, third-party

“I am not pro-development or anti-development; I am pro lifestyle, and our lifestyle is in jeopardy. My focus is responsible growth, transparency, and protecting the long-term livability of District 5.”

oversight of environmental evaluations, including wetland delineations, to ensure accuracy, transparency, and to prevent conflicts of interest.

I also support policies encouraging requiring that any traded, purchased or sold wetland mitigation credits be obtained or sold locally to help preserve and protect wetlands within Beaufort County. This will help ensure that our wetlands are protected here, at home, and are not traded away to other counties outside our region.

Community experience, commitment Over the past year, I have studied Beaufort County ordinances in depth and engaged directly in local planning issues. I have fought worked to push back against increased density and commercialization on Callawassie Drive which has given me a deeper un-

derstanding of how county processes work and how important public involvement is in Beaufort County. I am not pro-development or anti-development; I am pro lifestyle, and our lifestyle is in jeopardy. My focus is responsible growth, transparency, and protecting the long-term livability of District 5 I have not taken money from developers, builders, or special interests. Nobody has purchased my voice, my vote, or my principles. I work for the people of this county. If elected, I will bring steady, informed, and accountable leadership focused on residents, not special interests. I look forward to earning your vote and listening to the people of District 5

Iam not a career politician. I am a physician, successful businessman, a husband, a father, Eagle Scout, and a Christian conservative who believes Washington has lost sight of the people it is supposed to serve.

For all of my life, I have worked outside of politics. I have cared for patients, started businesses, managed budgets, worked with families facing difficult medical decisions, and seen firsthand how government red tape can make life harder for the people who can least afford it. I have also seen what happens when bureaucrats and politicians make decisions without understanding the real-world consequences for families, veterans, small businesses, doctors, patients, and taxpayers.

That is why I am running for Congress.

Washington is broken. That’s not just a campaign slogan. It’s the reality that South Carolina families are living every day. Families are paying more for groceries, housing, gas, insurance, utilities, and everyday essentials. Small businesses are being squeezed by higher costs and more regulation. Parents are worried about what their children are being taught. Seniors are concerned about whether Washington can be trusted to protect the programs they paid into. Patients are frustrated by a healthcare system that too

often puts paperwork, mandates, and bureaucracy ahead of people.

And while families are forced to make tough decisions around the kitchen table, Washington keeps spending money we do not have.

Washington spends too much, wastes too much, borrows too much, and holds itself accountable too little. We see rampant fraud and abuse throughout government programs.

Families in South Carolina have to live within a budget. Washington should too. Every world power in history that has taken on the debt/ GDP that we have, has collapsed with hyper inflation. If we collapse, then China rules the world. Reckless spending has consequences. It drives inflation. It weakens our economy. It passes debt onto our children and grandchildren. It makes America more dependent on foreign creditors and gives our adversaries the upper hand. Every dollar fraudulently spent in Washington is a dollar taken from the hardworking

taxpayers who earned it.

That is why I support cutting wasteful spending, reducing the national debt, and protecting taxpayers from politicians who believe every problem can be solved with more spending and higher taxes.

We need to follow the constitution and push power out of Washington and back to the states where it belongs. The proof is all around us. For years, Americans have been voting with their feet, leaving high-tax, overregulated blue states and moving to conservative red states because they want lower taxes, safer communities, better schools, more freedom, and a government that respects their values. Conservative states are leading the way and Washington should learn from that success, not stand in the way of it.

But spending is only part of the problem. Washington is broken because too many career politicians have forgotten who they work for.

Members of Congress should not go to Washington to enrich themselves, trade stocks on inside information, or build lifelong political careers while the country falls deeper into debt. Public service should be about service, not personal gain.

I support term limits for members of Congress. I support banning politicians from insider trading. I support strengthening ethics laws and holding elected

officials accountable to the people they represent.

We do not need more career politicians who know how to work the system. We need leaders willing to change it.

As a physician, I also know how badly Washington interference has damaged healthcare. Patients and their doctors should be making healthcare decisions together. Not the politicians, bureaucrats, insurance companies, or federal agencies that treat patients like numbers on a spreadsheet.

I have seen how regulation, red tape, and top-down control drive up costs and limit choices. I have seen doctors spend more time dealing with paperwork than patients. I have seen patients frustrated by a system that is too expensive, too complicated, and too disconnected from their needs.

We need more transparency, more choice, less bureaucracy, and a healthcare system that puts patients and doctors back in charge. We should reject socialist healthcare schemes that would give Washington even more control over personal medical decisions.

We must restore trust in our elections. Election integrity should not be controversial. Every legal vote should count, and voters should have confidence that our elections are secure, transparent, and fair. I support strong voter ID laws, clean voter rolls, and com-

mon-sense reforms that make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.

America is the greatest country in the world, but greatness is not guaranteed. It must be defended, renewed, and passed on.

That means securing our border, standing with law enforcement, and stopping the flow of fentanyl into our communities. It means restoring American energy independence, supporting our military and veterans, and ensuring America leads the world in innovation, technology, and national defense.

I am running because I believe Washington needs a conservative prescription.

Term limits. A ban on congressional insider trading. Lower spending. Less debt. Secure elections. Supporting our veterans. Invest in smart infrastructure. Healthcare freedom. Parental rights. Get men out of girls sports. Stop the woke agenda. Strong borders. And a government that remembers it works for the people. South Carolina does not need another career politician. We need real-world experience, conservative principles, and the courage to clean up Washington. That is why I am running for Congress, and that is the fight I am ready to take on.

Dr. Sam McCown is a Republican candidate for the 1st Congressional District. Learn more at Sam

LOCAL MILITARY

MCRD Parris Island Change of Command

Dandridge continues to rally support for Fisher House Charleston

Staff reports

As the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center’s need for a second Fisher House grows, W. Larry Dandridge, veterans’ columnist for The Island News, continues to speak publicly and raise money for Fisher House Charleston, through the wonderful Friends of Fisher House Charleston, Inc., the 501c3 charity that raised the $4 5 million dollars that purchased the land on which Fisher House Charleston is built.

A Friends of Fisher House Charleston Ambassador of Goodwill

Dandridge has been an Ambassador of Goodwill for the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center’s Fisher House and for The Friends of Fisher House Charleston, Inc., since 2012

Dandridge, a U.S. Army (retired) Lt. Colonel, is a well-known advocate for military service members, veterans, and their families. The Ralph Johnson VA and the VA VII Region awarded Larry the “Commendation of Meritorious Service” on Feb. 28 2025. Gov. Henry McMaster awarded him South Carolina’s highest award for public and selfless service, “The Order of the Palmetto” in November of 2024

The S.C. House of Representatives recognized him through “House Resolution 5224”, dated Feb. 13, 2020, for his dedicated and selfless community and veterans’ service. And Fisher House Foundation, Fisher House Charleston, the Friends of Fisher House Charleston, the Charleston Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Chapter, the Charleston and Coastal Carolina Association of the Army (AUSA) chapter, the Ralph H. Johnson Volunteer Office, and Charleston Chapter of the

$90 000 (estimated) for Fisher House Charleston.

Speeches, appearances credited for large donations

Of more significance, Larry’s speeches and book signings have been credited with being the stimulus that encouraged increased donations of money, labor, supplies, transportation, lodging, and other services and goods needed to make the Fisher House Charleston what it is today -- the busiest (highest occupancy rate) and best operated Fisher House!

Fisher House Charleston, Inc., PO Box 1678, Charleston, SC 294021678. If you would like an interesting briefing on The Friends of Fisher House Charleston and Fisher House Charleston, contact Edward Dolan, Operations Director at The Friends of Fisher House Charleston, by phone at 843-797-3636 or by email at Edward.dolan@friendsoffisherhousecharleston.org.

National Aging in Place Council have each recognized Dandridge with service awards.

Dandridge served early on as a key fundraiser with the Friends of Fisher House Charleston, Inc., the charity with a 96% rating on Charity Navigator (May 24 2026), where he was responsible for contacting Veterans Service Organizations, patriotic organizations, and others to raise $4 5 million to buy the land on which the Fisher House is built and to raise more than $550,000 to refurbish the historic carriage house behind the current Fisher House Charleston.

‘Blades of Thunder (Book One)’

Dandridge wrote an award-winning, action-packed, and popular (more than 250 five-star reviews) military history novel, ‘Blads of Thunder (Book One),’ that was published in 2015 to help raise money for the Fisher House Charleston. Since his book was published, its sales, and Larry’s more than 200 speeches and book signings have raised more than

Most of the donations in honor of Dandridge’s tireless volunteer work are made to The Friends of Fisher House Charleston, Inc., which uses the funds for necessary goods and services not covered by appropriated funding, such as lodging when Fisher House Charleston is full. Dandridge is credited with convincing over 200 organizations and hundreds of individuals in SC, GA, and NC, as well as across the nation, to donate to Fisher House Charleston, both directly and through the Friends of Fisher House Charleston, Inc.

Some of those organizations include Veteran Service Organizations, Patriotic Organizations, Exchange Clubs, Rotary Clubs, over 100 Senior Living Communities, City/County Senior Centers, News Media organizations, Knights of Columbus Chapters, and others.

Fisher House Charleston

The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center's Fisher House Charleston is a beautiful, 18-suite, home away from home for the families of veterans receiving care at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System. The Fisher House provides temporary lodging in a comfortable, relaxed setting, only a few blocks from the medical fa-

cility. Guests can stay at the Fisher House at no cost for as long as their loved one is hospitalized.

Reservations: Families seeking Fisher House lodging should contact the veteran’s social worker or VA provider for a referral. Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare have a Primary Care Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) assigned to them that includes a social worker. Volunteer and donate: To learn how to support veterans’ families at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Fisher House, either as a volunteer or with a donation, read the information at https://www.va.gov/ charleston-health-care/programs/ fisher-house/ and contact the Fisher House at 843-805-8200 Checks should be payable to the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System Fisher House, with the memo section of the check indicating: Fisher House.

Volunteer and donate, Part 2: To make donations to The Friends of Fisher House Charleston, Inc., go to www.friendsoffisherhousecharleston.org and donate online, or make a check payable to Friends of Fisher House Charleston, Inc., and send it to Friends of

Still raising money: Despite his residual and severe pain from his wounds to his back, neck, head, ankles, right hand, and left jaw, in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969, and his exposure to Agent Orange, which has caused major health problems, Dandridge continues to raise money for Fisher House Charleston. In the past three months, Dandridge has given speeches on Fisher House Charleston, VA Healthcare, the helicopter war in Vietnam, and his award-winning book, at which each organization pledged to make a monetary donation directly to The Friends of Fisher House Charleston, Inc. Those organizations include:

1 The Capital Rotary Club, Raleigh, N.C.

2 The Templeton Senior Living Community, Cary, N.C.

3 Salista Senior Community, Durham, N.C.

4 Walton Wood of Cary, NC, Senior Luxury Living Community, Cary, N.C.

5 Capital Oaks Retirement Community, Raleigh, N.C.

6 Walton Wood Lake Boone Senior Community, Raleigh, N.C.

Larry plans to keep raising money for The Friends of Fisher House Charleston, and he has volunteered to help the Durham, Va., Medical Center bring a Fisher House to that facility. He currently has four more organizations on his calendar for speeches.

LOCAL MILITARY

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, 05 June 2026

Recruit Training Regiment • Commanding Officer, Colonel A. P. Bariletti

3rd Recruit Training Battalion • Lieutenant Colonel B. L. Tye Commander of Troops, Captain B. C. Peregrin • Parade Adjutant, 1stLt Travis Hardy Company “L”, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion • Captain B. C. Peregrin Drill Master • Staff Sergeant T. H. Washington

PLATOON 3032

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt R. P. Jernigan

PFC Allison, Aidan J.

PFC Amezquitajenner, Joseph F.

PVT Atkinson, Bryan H.

PVT Atterburyjacobsen, Christopher S.

PVT Bland, Justin T.

PVT Carosainez, Fabian

PVT Costa, Chad T.

PVT Craig, Cameron A.

PFC Darby, Latrell T.

PVT Davis, Joshua D.

*PFC Farrenkopf, Tristan T.

PFC Faulkner, Bradley A.

PVT Fenrich Ii, Francis D.

PFC Forrester, Jacob D.

PVT Golden, Gregory M.

PVT Greenman, Jayson M.

PFC Hernandez, Carlos

PFC Hildebrand, Reece A.

PVT Jackson, Tanner L.

PVT Johnson, Hunter K.

PVT Linsey Jr, David M.

PFC Mear, Zachary A.

PVT Minchala, John X.

PVT Navakuku, Ryott A.

PVT Parker, Jesse O.

PFC Perezcruz, Brian A.

PVT Perezdelacruz, Edwin J.

PFC Rivera, Justin E.

*PFC Rodriguez Iii, Juan A.

PFC Rodriguez, Alayn A.

PVT Ruckart, Andrew G.

PVT Sartor, Jayce D.

PFC Sluder, Dalton A.

PVT Starling, Hayden P.

*PFC Sutton, Dylan M.

PVT Vasquez, Joseph A.

PVT Walker, Holden N.

PVT Walls, Charles T.

PVT Wheeler Ii, Robert G.

PFC Wilcox, Joshua R.

PVT Woodie, Sebastian V.

PLATOON 3033

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt C. K. Hyatt

PVT Adan, Joshua

PVT Ajanel, Bryan N.

PVT Aleman Montiel, Jose J.

PVT Alford, Jaelyn M.

PFC Allen, Landen B.

PFC Brown, Travis C.

PVT Carcases Tamayo, Jasiel

PVT Carrillo Alvarez, Jose L.

PVT Caulkins, Brad W.

PVT Chambliss, Jacory J.

PFC Espinosa, Abel G.

PVT Fam, Elijah W.

PVT Fernandez, Daniel T.

PVT Fultz, Gavin D.

PFC Geyer, Davis C.

*PFC Glass, Michael A.

PVT Gomezlazo, Diego J.

PVT Henderson, Jahlyle L.

*PFC Johnson, Brayden K.

PFC Jones, Jaron C.

PVT Joseph, Dylan R.

PVT Kimrey, Noah T.

PVT Mahir, Abdulhakeem H.

PVT Malpica, Isreal E.

PVT Martinez Martinez, Josias C.

PVT Mazzola Silveira, Christian D.

PFC Melendez Jr, Luis A.

PVT Mesner III, Richard E.

PVT Nelson, Giovanni F.

PFC Nemec, William C.

PVT Norton, Kevin Z.

PVT Orona Troche, Tyron D.

PFC Rendon, Daniel G.

PVT Sanchezcastro, Jake L.

PVT Saunders Jr, Joshua A.

PFC Serrat Socarras, Jan S.

PFC Shaum, Nicholas J.

PVT Stratton, Tyler D.

PFC Timpner, Preston B.

*PFC Tully, Gideon J.

PVT Turner, Jonathan A.

PVT Wingate Jr, Torey J.

PLATOON 3034

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt M. A. Muhammad

PVT Agee, Matthew T.

PVT Albin, Tyler J.

PVT Bowling, Peyton H.

PFC Busgith, Ejaz R.

PFC Cosmelopez, Alan J.

PFC Faleroperez, Steven

PVT Foley, Hunter R.

PFC Galdamez, Adrian E.

PFC Gallmon, Nathaniel J.

PVT Gaonacajamarca, Anthony M.

PVT Gordon, Aden A.

PFC Goosens, Tyler K.

PVT Griffin, Lawrence B.

PFC Howe, Frederick W.

PVT Hull, Jaylen D.

*PFC Jackson, Deacon A.

PVT Knepp, Jayce C.

PVT Larramendibalmori, Marcos S.

PVT Loorits, Mathias

PVT Lopezrubi, Marcio S.

PVT Lugoalvarez, Joestefan Y.

PVT Matunda, Emmanuel S.

PVT Menendezjimenez, Fabio S.

PVT Moody, Jameel R.

*PFC Morrin, Dane W.

PVT Mossa, Youssef S.

PVT Pruitt, Quentin J.

PVT Regan III, Joel H.

PVT Rivera, Alexander J.

PVT Saleh, Abdulatif

PVT Schraderprice, Kaden A.

PVT Sharp, Samuel G.

PVT Shaw Jr, Terence C.

PVT Shuman, Michael B.

PFC Sunkara, Govind S.

PVT Thompson, Devon T.

*PFC Torres, Michael

PVT Walker, Benjamin I.

PVT Wright, Jakuavius N.

PFC Yocgabriel, Fredy A.

PLATOON 3036

Senior Drill Instructor Sgt J. A. Perez

PVT Altala, Hady

PVT Aurelio, Atairjunior D.

PVT Bartolongarril, Luis P.

PVT Benitez, Roman M.

PVT Bernard, Hunter E.

PVT Braman, Kanye C.

PVT Catheline, Aiden A.

*PFC Compail, Samuel N.

PVT Contreras, Adan

PVT Cruvinel, Luka

PVT Cruz, Joaquin

PVT Dubon, Josue D.

PVT Espinoza, Anthony G.

PVT Evans, Kyle B.

PVT Ford Ii, Jeffrey A.

PFC Fraser, Andrew J.

PVT Frederick, Landon W.

PVT German, Adam J.

PVT Giles, Justin D.

PVT Guerrier, Marek J.

PVT Hidalgo, Juan

PVT Hester, Jackson R.

*PFC Houston, Marcellus J.

PVT Jackson, Swade T.

PVT Jones, Andrew P.

PVT Leontacuri, Pedro F.

PVT Loveland, Hunter D.

PVT Marquez, Adrian A.

PFC Martinez, Edgar A.

PVT Medeiros, Jacob D.

PFC Myers, Alexander J.

PVT Pazpaniagua, Matthew A.

PVT Pomales, Justin

PFC Prado, Jacob

PFC Reich, Braiden N.

PVT Richter, Brian K.

PVT Sanchez, Mateo I.

PVT Sibblies, Lloyd A.

PVT Sorcia, Mike A.

PVT Thompson, Logan C.

*PFC Vanwinkle, Nicholas P.

PFC Vereker, Michael

PVT Zairi, Fatmir

PLATOON

3037

Senior Drill Instructor SSgt J. J. Fejfar

PVT Anderson, Brady C.

PVT Boucher, Caleb J.

PFC Cline, Tristen D.

PFC Cordova, Hunter A.

PVT Coreasmenjivar, Michael F.

*PFC Daniels, Isaiah D.

PVT Davidmelendez, Ediel

PFC Dragonnagel, Aiden A.

PVT Dunlop, Cameron A.

PVT Edmonson IV, Rae A.

PVT Egbert II, Ronald J.

PVT Elvirgarcia, Yester J.

PVT Erattuabraham, Ethan

PVT Espinoza, Kelvin A.

PVT Frisco, Connor J.

PVT Gomez, Jorge L.

PFC Hernandezcruz, Emanuel

PFC Hidegfoldi, Krisztian L.

PVT Josebaltazar, Mateo

PFC Kirchmann, Zachary A.

PVT Lopezlopez, Yudel M.

PVT Marlow, Tyler M.

PVT Martinezromero, William

PVT Matamorosflores, Owen A.

PVT Mcnally, Patrick B.

*PFC Mcnamara, Lucas G.

PVT Moore, Deandre J.

PVT Mouangkhoua, Maddox P.

PVT Neuman, Abraham

PVT Noe, Lukas R.

PVT Osborne, Noah R.

PFC Payne, Caleb D.

PVT Perez, Ronny E.

PVT Pritchard, Uriah D.

PVT Pu, Robert S.

PVT Rosenberg, Dylan K.

PVT Savi, Bruno

PVT Songer Jr, Dane G.

PVT Vandyke, Luke T.

PVT Welsh, Austin J.

*PFC Wilcox, Joshua C

PLATOON 3038

Senior Drill Instructor

SSgt B. M. VanTuyl

PVT Adams, Riley J.

PVT Alsip, Leighton M.

PFC Blancopena, Vincent L.

PVT Bowers, Trevor H.

*PFC Campisi, Michael R.

PVT Castanedagarcia, Jonathan

PVT Chu, Elton

PVT Coccia, Nicholas A.

PVT Concepcionhernandez, Willyfer

PFC Cortezanorios, Fredy

PVT Cuevas, Emmanuel

PVT Decker, Caleb L.

PVT Derby, Andrew L.

*PFC Domagola, Anthony J.

PVT Foels, Logan O.

PVT Gay, Jacob H.

PVT Gordon, Shaiem A.

PVT Gutierrezpoma, Raul A.

PFC Hackett, Clayton J.

PVT Hewitt, Shane D.

PVT James, Alecxander M.

PVT Jimenezcaballero, Erick D.

PFC Lee, Yeongyu

PVT Mccarthy, Myles G.

PVT Mongerodriguez, Diego

PFC Moore, John L.

PVT Morgan, Jalen M.

PVT Mughal, Shabaan

PVT Navidadfuentes, Cristopher S.

PVT Occilas, Gino

PVT Penarandamena, Brian J.

PVT Peralta, Paul R.

PVT Perez, Kevin D.

PVT Rosas, Kevin

PVT Roth, Rogeralexis A.

PVT Santiago, Alexander F.

PVT Serranopfeifer, Onix S.

PVT Smith, Quentin R.

PVT Sterner, Owen D.

PVT Trahan, Cole M.

PVT Vazquez, Giovanni

*PFC Williams, Noah M.

PVT Yancey, Tomarrio A.

*Denotes Meritorious Promotions

CLASSIFIEDS & GAMES

CARTOON

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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

HELP WANTED – DRIVERS

ADVERTISE YOUR DRIVER JOBS 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

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE

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TELEVISION & INTERNET SERVICES

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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, 803750-9561

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.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

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

After years of perseverance and dedication, the time has finally come to enjoy the rewards of your hard work. Whether you’re preparing for college or entering the workforce, Future Scholar can help you take the next step toward your goals.

Funds in a Future Scholar account can be used for a wide range of expenses, including:

CancerSupport

BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

Second Wednesday of the Month | 6 – 7pm*

ALL CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

Fourth Wednesday of the Month | 1 – 2pm*

Beaufort Memorial Medical and Administrative Center

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*Meeting schedule subject to change and may be impacted by holidays.

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Tips for Daily Prayer

Thirty Minutes of Prayer?

How a priest learned to pray

“You need to give God thirty minutes each day.”

I sat there with the other new arrivals to the seminary, ready to begin studies for the priesthood. I was surprised. Our professors were telling us that, in addition to the hour of community prayer we had together throughout the day, we each needed to set aside a half hour of quiet time with the Lord. Wasn’t an hour in the chapel enough, I thought?

Until that point, my prayer life wasn’t very strong.

I would offer a small prayer as I rolled out of bed, thanking God for the new day, and a similar short prayer as I was about to go to sleep. I would offer little prayers from time to time during the day, thanking God or asking for help. But I had never developed the habit of giving a significant part of each day to God.

I decided to give it a try.

Even though I’m not a morning person, I went into the chapel half an hour before the morning prayer service began. I sat there quietly, saying hello to Jesus and talking to him about my experiences so far in the seminary. After a while, though, I started getting antsy. Surely the thirty minutes were almost up? It felt like I had been praying forever! But glancing at a clock, I saw that only five minutes had passed!

I kept showing up.

Our professors had told us that prayer would probably be tough at first, but it would get easier as we practiced. After a few weeks, ten or fifteen minutes would pass by before I started feeling antsy. Eventually, the entire half hour would start to pass by without me even realizing it. I discovered I was really starting to look forward to this daily prayer time, and when I missed it for some reason, I felt off all day long.

Now I can’t imagine a life without daily prayer.

I have been trying to grow and deepen my daily prayer life ever since. I receive great peace from spending time with the Lord. If I wasn’t being faithful to my daily prayer time, there’s no way I could have strength for my ministry as a priest. I still need a lot of growth, and I still struggle with distractions, but I am so grateful for this daily time with Jesus.

“I wish I had started praying years ago!” I hear things like this all the time as pastor of St. Peter’s. As people begin a daily habit of prayer, they start to see the fruit in their lives and they wish they hadn’t waited so long! Even if you start with 10-15 minutes of quiet time, I hope that you are giving God an opportunity to fill your heart in daily prayer!