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COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
MIKE MCCOMBS
Honoring our fallen should be a yearround task
S
oon, the gatherings and happenings of the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, though still fresh on the mind, will be headed for our stack of memories, slowly fading. When the grill has been cold for days, any leftovers are likely already gone from the fridge, and those of us that enjoyed a long weekend on the water or out of town are home again and have spent several days back at work, it may seem like the time to look forward to the next holiday, our next celebration, our next vacation. Instead I want to linger on this one for a while. Decoration Day begot Memorial Day. A day to recognize and honor the Americans before us who paid the highest price in service of their country. The ultimate sacrifice. They died for us, so that we may be free. So how do we honor those men and women? What do we do to celebrate such a somber occurrence? Given the celebrations, laying of wreaths and parades, do we do enough? How can we repay them?
SEE MCCOMBS PAGE A4
Three-year-old Ja’siah Mathews of Jacksonville Fla., waves as the parade marches past him during the Memorial Day parade in Beaufort on Monday, May 26, 2025. Amber Hewitt/File/The Island News
Honoring those who gave all
This weekend’s activities include parade, ceremony at Beaufort National Cemetery, ‘Decoration Day’ performances, Gullah Festival, Flags In & Flags Out Staff reports Once again, it’s the time of year when, as Americans, we pause to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation and our freedoms, as Monday, May 25 is Memorial Day. Of course, the event most affiliated in people’s minds with
Memorial Day in Beaufort is the annual parade. The Beaufort County Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, will put on the annual Memorial Day parade beginning at 10 a.m., from the corner of Adventure and Boundary streets. Lineup of all
groups, floats and individual participants begins at 9 a.m. The parade route starts in front of Beaufort National Cemetery, will head down Boundary Street, curve onto Carteret Street, turn right onto Bay Street, and eventually
SEE ACTIVITIES PAGE A5
Video questioning Seifert’s CFO Harriott no role in ‘Squiresgate’ longer employed by incident circulates online Beaufort County By Delayna Earley The Island News Beaufort County’s Chief Financial Officer, Pinky Harriott, is no longer employed by the county, county officials have confirmed. The news began circulating on social media Wednesday morning, May 13, with at least one county council candidate publicly questioning the timing of the move as the county remains in the middle of budget discussions for the upcoming fiscal year. When reached by The Island News on Wednesday, Beaufort County Public Information Officer Hannah Nichols confirmed Harriott’s departure in a brief statement. “All I can confirm is that Ms. Harriott’s employment with Beaufort County ended on May 12,” Nichols said. The county did not provide any additional information regarding the circum-
stances surrounding Harriott’s departure, though The Island News has learned she was terminated. Harriott was selected as Beaufort County’s Chief Financial Officer in NovemPinky ber 2024 after previously Harriott serving as the county’s budget director before later taking a position with the University of South Carolina Beaufort. In her role as CFO, Harriott oversaw the county’s budget and procurement finance divisions and had recently been leading presentations and discussions surrounding Beaufort County’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget. Just days before her employment ended, Harriott presented the county’s proposed budget during a special-called Finance,
SEE EMPLOYEE PAGE A10
Anonymous political video targets candidate for sheriff ahead of June 9 Republican primary
By Delayna Earley The Island News An internet video is raising questions about the role a candidate for BeauA still from a video showing fort County Sheriff played Doug Seifert of the Sept. 28, in a September 2025 incident in which a Beaufort 2025, “Squiresgate” incident County Sheriff’s Office on Hilton Head Island. [BCSO] deputy, allegedly A politically charged vidunder the influence of alcoeo targeting former BCSO hol, held a group of teenage investigator Doug Seifert, boys at gunpoint.
a Republican candidate for Beaufort County Sheriff, is circulating on social media ahead of the June 9 primary, reigniting public discussion surrounding the Sept. 28, 2025, incident in which former deputy William “Billy” Squires held several teenage boys at gunpoint after accusing them of vandalizing property in his Hilton Head Island neighborhood and possessing a weapon. The video was shared by an anonymous Facebook page called “Beaufort County Citizens for Accountability,” though it
SEE VIDEO PAGE A6
NEWS
ELECTION
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INSIDE
SC legislators celebrate planned monument 164 years after Robert Smalls’ escape from slavery.
Republicans, Democrats host competing rallies ahead of primary.
Wrinkles, be gone: Dermal fillers offer minimally invasive option.
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Lowcountry Life A2 News A2–10 Business A10 Voices A11 Election B1–2
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