Island Connection - May 13, 2011

I n s i d e t h e I s l a n d C o n n e c t i o n . . .
page 5 Beach Safety DemoS page 17 ReaDing the LineS page 2 muSeum on SeaBRook?
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4
3
7
How clothing
helped build
a home
By Kristin HacKler
A
t 10:59 a.m. on Tursday, April
28, a line of women stood in front
of the Berkeley Electric building
on Maybank road, patiently waiting for
someone to unlock the doors. Te moment
the second hand hit 11, a volunteer from
Habitat for Humanity swung open the
double doors and in moments, the neatly
arranged room was a whirlwind of blouses,
dresses, shoes and purses, all either being
tried on or snatched up.
“Tere were about thirty people waiting
at the door when we opened, “ smiled Sea
Island Habitat for Humanity Volunteer
Coordinator, Anne Myers. “We always
wonder if people will know about and
come to the sale.”
And they did. Either by word of
mouth, reading it in the newspaper or
just wondering what all the activity at
the Berkeley Electric building was about,
literally hundreds of women – and even a
few men – found their way to the annual
Habitat Clothing Sale to beneft this year’s
Women Build project.
“I found out about the sale through
James Island Presbyterian,” said sale
attendee, Dottie Coleman. “I’m from
James Island, so it wasn’t really that far out
of my way. Tere are some great clothes
and they seem to be selling well.”
So well, in fact, that Habitat raised
more than $2300 toward the $60,000
needed to complete this year’s Women
Build home.
“I’ve been looking forward to this since
last year’s sale,” smiled Younges Island
resident, Beth VanNorte. “Te clothes
are right up my alley, though I am buying
mostly for my granddaughter.”
Volume 5 Issue 2 May 13, 2011 FREE
Since May 2007
Habitat continued on page 6
1
st
annual
Sandcastle
Yard Sale
May 7, 2011
While there only about 10 booths set up for the frst annual Sandcastle
Yard Sale on Kiawah Island this past Saturday, May 7, more than 100
attendees took the time to puruse the sellers’ many items. All booths
reported good sales and look forward to next year’s event.
www.islandconnectionnews.com
Financials
Revenues for the month stand at
$74,628.80 against a budget of $62,876,
and expenditures are $3,737.42 below
budget, coming in at $60,660.92.
Compared to last year-to-date, the town
is $3,403.15 ahead of last year, and above
budget by $24,924.57, “Which pleases
me,” said Mayor Bill Holtz. “Hopefully
we’ll have some funds left over at the end
of all this with which we can do some
wonderful things.”
Supporting a helipad at Roper St.
Francis
As promised during last month’s Kiawah
Council meeting, the fundraising team
from Roper St. Francis arrived at the
Seabrook Council meeting to discuss their
eforts to raise $2 million to have a helipad
installed on the roof of the downtown
hospital.
Roper St. Francis currently utilizes the
roof of the President Street parking garage
along with MUSC. Te problem is that
the use of the helipad requires the factoring
in of an additional 15 to 20 minutes for
an ambulance to transport a patient from
the roof, across the street, through trafc
and to the hospital for treatment. With a
helipad on the roof of Roper St. Francis,
a patient could simply be removed from
the helicopter and whisked down the
elevator to the emergency room or cath
lab. Dr. Patrick Kelly explained how vital
those extra minutes are in the case of
a cardiac arrest or stroke. “Tese times
make a signifcant diference,” said Dr.
Kelly. “Time is heart, muscle and brain
cells.” He further described how even
short increments of ten minutes can
exponentially increase your risk of death
following a stroke.
“What would you like the town to do?”
asked Councilman Sam Reed.
“We need you to be in support of it,
and we’re looking to members of the
community for philanthropic dollars,”
replied Dr. Kelly.
Te helipad, the team explained, will
need to be built entirely with funds
donated by the community, and one of the
biggest areas of expense is running enough
water to the roof to put out a fre in case of
an emergency; a feature which is required
by law for rooftop helipads.
Te team has also identifed several
locations on both Kiawah and Seabrook
which could be used to collect patients
for transport to Roper St. Francis via
helicopter. Tey stressed that they’d like to
have the helipad in place by the 2012 PGA
tournament, if at all possible.
For more info on the helipad capital
campaign, contact Angie Ping at Roper St.
Francis at 789-1617, or email angela.ping@
rsfh.com.
Petitioning for the Greenway
Councilman Sam Reed reported on
the Roads committee, noting that they
are continuing to receive updates from
the consultant engaged by the Kiawah
Island Community Association. “People
on Johns Island are the key,” said Reed.
“We need to get their support for the
Greenway.” Maurice Washington, KICA’s
roads consultant, is currently circulating
petitions in support of the Greenway,
and he has reported that the people he
is dealing with “are becoming more and
more convinced that the Greenway is in
their best interest.” To show their support,
Reed stated that Kiawah and Seabrook
residents should also sign a petition
showing their support of the cross island
road. “At some point, we may be asking
people if they’re willing to put their name
on a piece of paper,” said Reed.
Cost a factor in preserving the Johns
Island Museum
Te Johns Island Museum is a small,
20 by 30 foot schoolhouse built in the
mid-1800s, and while it has stood in a
few locations around the island over the
years, its most recent home has been on
the back of the former Rosebank produce
stand property. Since the stand was taken
down in January of this year, owner
Betty Stringfellow has asked the Town of
Seabrook if they would like to take over
this little piece of island history. Te only
caveat is that it has to be moved, and the
estimated cost of the move is climbing
faster than the Council would like.
Over the past month, Town Administrator
Randy Piece has been working to collect
estimates on the aspects of the move,
and a consultation with the Oswalt
Moving Company determined that the
actual move itself could be done for
less than $30,000 barring unforeseen
circumstances. However, other costs will
2 May 13, 2011
The Island
Connection
lynn Pierotti
publisher
[email protected]
Kristin Hackler
managing editor
[email protected]

swan richards
senior graphic designer
[email protected]
lori Dalton
sales manager
[email protected]
Blake Bunch
reporter
[email protected]

contributors
robert Bohrn, Jr.
Farmers’ almanac
scott Fister
captain James Ghi
captain chad Hayes
Paul Hedden
Bob Hooper
Grace lesueur
erika ludolf
sam reed
sc DHec
Dr. James sears
Jennifer Woody
Published by
lucky Dog Publishing
of south carolina, llc
P.O. Box 837
sullivan’s island, sc 29482
843-886-neWs
Future deadlines: May 18 for
submissions
Op-Ed articles and letters to the editor do not
necessarily refect the opinion of
Lucky Dog News or its writers.
Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC
Publishers of Island Eye News,
The Island Connection and
The Folly Current.
Ci v i c Cal endar
KIAWAH ISLAND TOWN HALL
21 Beachwalker Drive
Kiawah Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9166
Fax: 768-4764
SEABROOK ISLAND TOWN HALL
2001 Seabrook Island Road
Seabrook Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9121
Fax: 768-9830
Email:
[email protected]
JOHNS ISLAND COUNCIL
Meetings are held at the Berkeley
Electric Co-op located at 3351
Maybank Hwy, Johns Island.
Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113
CHARLESTON COUNTY COUNCIL
4045 Bridge View Dr, N Charleston
958-4700
CITY OF CHARLESTON
75 Calhoun St.
724-3745
Seabrook Town Council – April 26, 2011
SI Council continued on page 7
Monday, May 16
Kiawah Island Board of Zoning
Appeals
4pm - 5pm
Town Hall Council Chambers
Tuesday, May 24
Seabrook Island Town Council
All Town Council meetings will be held
at 2:30pm at the Town Hall unless noted
otherwise on the Town bulletin board.
Monday, May 30
Te Town Ofces of Kiawah and
Seabrook Islands will be closed for
Memorial Day.
Tuesday, May 31
Kiawah Island Ways and Means
Committee meeting
9am
Kiawah Island Municipal Center’s 2nd
Floor Conference Rm
Wednesday, June 1
Seabrook Island Planning
Commission - work session
All Planning Commission meetings will
be held at 2:30pm at the Town Hall
unless noted otherwise on the Town
bulletin board.
Kiawah Island Planning Commission
3pm - 5pm
Town Hall Council Chambers
Thursday, June 2
Kiawah Island Arts Council
3pm - 5pm
Town Hall - 2nd Floor Conference Rm
Monday, June 6
Kiawah Island Environmental
Committee
3pm - 5pm
Town Hall - 2nd Floor Conference Rm
John’s Island Museum
Kiawah Island Council – May 3, 2011
KI Council continued on page 4
One active Exchange Club
By saM reeD
T
he Kiawah-Seabrook Exchange Club continues to be quite active in our
local community. In addition to recently wrapping up advertising sales
for their annual telephone directory, the Exchange Club also recently
co-sponsored a very successful frst annual 5K-10K race on Seabrook Island in
conjunction with the Bohicket Marina. Over 200 runners participated in this
inaugural event on Saturday, April 23.
Te advertising sales for the telephone directory generated approximately
$140,000 this year, and all of the funds raised will be used to support local
charities and educational activities.
More good news is that Club membership has risen to 90 active members,
and future programs include speakers on topics such as: safety and security on
Seabrook Island, the coming PGA championship on Kiawah Island, ftness, you
and your computer, politics and government, and a visit by Charleston County
School Superintendent Nancy McGinley.
Te club also continues its practice of recognizing and honoring outstanding
student leaders in local high schools.
Upcoming events include two Club-sponsored bus trips to hear the Charleston
Symphony Orchestra after dinner at the Seabrook Club for members, spouses,
and invited guests in November and next February.
Contact Frank Carrese at 768-9472 or e-mail [email protected] for club
membership information.
Public Hearing for Ordinances 2011-12
and 2011-11
Starting at 1:30 p.m., the Kiawah Council
held a public hearing for two ordinances
which would receive their second and
fnal vote during the upcoming council
meeting. Ordinance 2011-12 was
addressed frst, concerning the approval
of the town’s 2011/12 budget. Several
residents arrived to speak about the
new budget, and all thanked the town
for the time and efort they put into
compiling and reviewing it. In particular,
they all applauded the inclusion of a
designated amount to pay for a study on
invasive plants. “Te studies which the
town has done in the past have paid big
dividends for the island,” said resident Jim
Chitwood. “I expect this will provide an
understanding [of invasive plants] that will
help other organizations with them, as
well. I think this could be a real service to
the community.”
“Not since the Kuwaitis came to the
island have we done a plant study,” said
Donna Windham, the Executive Director
of the Kiawah Conservancy. “It is valuable
information to make land and habitat
decisions.” Dave Achey, Director of Land
Management for KICA, agreed. “Te
town has always been a terrifc steward of
land and wildlife, and this survey is just a
continuation of a great efort.”
Te second public hearing, held for
ordinance 2011-11: an ordinance to
prohibit yard debris from being disposed
of in plastic bags as it will no longer
be accepted at the Bees Ferry landfll,
had no speakers and the discussion was
closed. “It will be rocky for a while, but
we’ll get accustomed to it in time,” said
Environmental committee chairman, Dr.
Greg VanDerwerker.
Regular Council meeting
Clarifcation on debris disposal site
Councilmember Fran Wermuth asked for
clarifcation on whether or not the Town
formally advertised for a debris disposal
site as the language in the minutes had
been changed, and Town Administrator
Tumiko Rucker stated that they had
not. However, the Town did work with
Charleston County and researched
locations qualifed for that specifc use.
Te minutes were approved after the
correction.
Citizen’s Comments
Rich Tomas, who formally requested a
copy of all town correspondence regarding
the Johns Island Greenway during a
specifc period of time through the
Freedom of Information Act, stated that
the Town, after several weeks, had yet to
fully comply with his request. His main
objection was that he had received very
little from Dr. Paul Roberts, an island
resident who served as a road consultant
for the town for several months. “It’s
hard to believe he didn’t generate any
correspondence in his role,” said Tomas.
Kathy Parks, a resident of Old Dock
Road on Kiawah, brought up four issues
with the council. First, she stated that the
local government can and should be fully
transparent to its citizens, especially in
regards to their “pushing the idea of the
Sea Islands Greenway.” And in regards to
recent news coverage, that does not seem
to be the case. Secondly, she pointed out
that, even though the Greenway is being
touted as a hurricane evacuation route,
the current evacuation route from the
islands is down Main Road and Highway
17 South to Walterboro. “Te Sea Islands
Greenway goes in the other direction and
would not help us, Seabrook or Johns
Island in case of an evacuation,” she said.
Tird, she stated that the road consultant
hired by the Kiawah Island Community
Association, Maurice Washington, has
been contacting churches along Bohicket
and Main roads, presuming that their
churches are in the line of a road widening
[if and] unless the Greenway is built.
“County Council has not voted to widen
Main, Bohicket or River roads,” she
asserted. “Instead, they have voted to
seek grant money to invest in intersection
improvements and the like on Johns
Island.”
Lastly, Parks noted that she recently read
an article in the Island Connection about
the fragility of our oyster beds, noting that
increased water runof is one side efect
of more roads and more rooftops. “More
roads and more rooftops across Johns
Island will have an impact on our quality
of life and if safety improvements can be
achieved with less pavement than new
roads, I think we should support that.”
Second reading of Ordinance 2011-02:
plastic bags for yard waste collection
Councilmember Greg VanDerwerker gave
the second reading of ordinance 2011-12,
which prohibits the use of plastic bags for
the disposal of yard debris. Te ordinance
is set to go into efect at the same time as
the County ordinance, which is set for
June 30, 2011. Council approved second
reading unanimously.
National Bike Proclamation Month
“We can’t have a council meeting without
a proclamation,” smiled Mayor Steve
Orban, before reading a proclamation
declaring May 2011 as Bike Month on
Kiawah. Te proclamation notes that there
are more than 22 miles of bike trails on
Kiawah, and that the League of American
Bicyclists and independent cyclists
throughout the state are promoting greater
public awareness of bike use.
Suburban Disposal FY2012 Request for
Increase
Suburban Disposal has asked the Town
to consider their request for a 3.2% CPI
or $33,700 increase for their sold waste
collection services as of July 1, 2011. Te
request is based on the most recently
published average 12 month CPI for the
southeast region. Of note, the current
proposed budget from Suburban Disposal
includes an estimated 2.5% increase and
the request would equate to an additional
$7,700 in solid waste costs for a total
additional collection cost of $33,700.
“We had a budget work meeting and
plugged 2.5% in as of May 1, and then
got the latest CPI which turned out to
be 3.2%, so we need to adjust up by
$7,700,” Mayor Orban explained. Council
approved the adjustment unanimously.
First reading of Ordinance 2011-03: FY
2011-12 Budget
Town Treasurer Kenneth Gunnells stated
that all notable changes from the previous
year and workshop changes have been
included in the new budget, and the
$7,700 approved for Suburban Disposal
will be included for the second reading.
Councilmember VanDerwerker noted that
he recused himself from the vote to donate
funds toward the Kiawah Natural Habitat
Conservancy, stating his reason is that his
wife is an employee of the organization.
Councilmember Wermuth also asked that
the Council include a clearer enacting
clause at the end of ordinances, referencing
the phrasing used in ordinance 2011-02.
Council approved the frst reading of the
www.islandconnectionnews.com
May 13, 2011 3
4 May 13, 2011
www.islandconnectionnews.com
budget as written, and the enacting clause
will be changed for second reading.
Fund Balance Policy
Gunnells explained that this policy change
simply breaks the fund balance down so
the fnancial statements can be read more
easily, separating the obligated items from
the non-obligated items. No numbers
have been changed, it’s just easier to see
what funds have been set aside for what.
Te policy is also required, so the council
approved the new format unanimously.
Greenery Landscape contract renewal
Town Administrator Tumiko Rucker
stated that the Greenery, which handled
the maintenance and planting around
the new bike path and Kiawah Island
Parkway, has asked for a 12 month
extension of their 18 month contract.
Council approved the contract
modifcation unanimously.
Greenbelt Agreement
Administrator Rucker was also happy
to announce that the Town has received
$120,361 of transportation sales tax
funding for urban greenbelt areas in
order to make repairs to several natural
areas around the island. Areas include
the fshing access point at the Kiawah
Parkway bridge, improvements to the
fshing pier of Beachwalker Drive and
the extension of the walking trail from
Beachwalker Drive to Beachwalker Park
with pervious material. Tis is the frst
time greenbelt funds have been approved
to be used in such a manner.
Before voting on the greenbelt funds
agreement, however, Councilmember
Fran Wermuth stated that she had not had
time to go over the agreement and asked
to be able to read it before approving,
noting that, as Rucker stated earlier, “the
document has been reviewed extensively
and many changes were made as the Town
is the frst recipient of the use of these
funds for modifcations.”
Councilmember Charles Lipuma stated
that they had discussed the issue on
previous occasions and Orban noted that
the funds have already been approved for
engineering. Wermuth continued to state
that she would like to look at it before
voting. Council approved the contract 4 to
1, with Wermuth dissenting.
Environmental Report
Councilmember VanDerwerker reported
that the Palmetto Pride Roadway and
Marsh Cleanup was a great success, with
large numbers of people showing up from
both the Resort and KICA. “Tere were
almost too many people and too little
trash to clean up,” VanDerwerker smiled.
He also stated that the committee received
a presentation from the Department of
Natural Resources regarding their oyster
shell recycling programs, especially their
new program wherein oyster shells are
hung in bags from dock so that young
oysters can attach to them. Te seeded
bags are then scattered in depleted beds
to help them rebuild. Te College of
Charleston will also be starting their
amphibian and reptile study on the island
soon, and VanDerwerker noted that
it’s a good opportunity “to see what we
have and involve the public.” Te turtle
patrol will be meeting soon to discuss the
current sea turtle sesason, and fnally, the
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
evaluation of the Town Hall building
is moving along and they are looking
forward to speaking with an architect
about the next steps in improving ADA
access to Town Hall.
Arts Council report
More than 600 people attended the
Piccolo Spoleto preview on May 1 at Holy
Spirit Catholic Church, Councilmember
Charles Lipuma stated, and the
Charleston Pro Musica group and the
Gennero Jazz ensemble were applauded
with standing ovations.
Public Safety report
Councilmember Wermuth stated that
the Public Safety committee is currently
looking into a request from the Beach
Patrol to ban pedestrian trafc on
emergency access points.
External Afairs report
Councilmember Al Burnaford reported on
both the recent meeting with the KICA
roads consultant and the town Planning
Commission. As for the roads consultant,
Maurice Washington gave the supervising
committee an update on his progress as he
continues to work closely with the people
on Johns Island. Te Planning Commission
is continuing to look into the existing codes
and ordinances in the West Beach area,
where older at-grade homes are being torn
down and retroftted to modern codes.
“Tese are small lots … and the concern
brought up by Councilmember Lipuma
is that as they bring these at-grade homes
up for re-dos, they have to meet a required
existing code to be raised 14 feet, which
makes for a totally diferent community
view and atmosphere,” said Burnaford.
“So we’re making sure that no existing
standards – other than the ones required
– need to be changed.” All of the Planning
Commission meetings on the subject are
open to the public, he noted, and they will
be holding several workshops and hearings.
Town Administrator’s Report
Town Administrator Rucker stated that
they recently found that the town is
ineligible for the municipal insurance
program due to the Kiawah Island
Parkway bridge’s location within the
municipality, so they are currently
discussing insurance with Wells Fargo.
Tey hope to receive a complete
assessment by the end of May.
Rucker also congratulated Robert
Edgerton of the town Beach Patrol, for
receiving certifcation as a beach vehicle
operator from the Coast Guard, and noted
that the annual beach meeting for all
beach personnel and Beachwalker County
Park will be held this Friday, May 13.
A food map, Rucker noted, has been
mailed to all residents on the island as part
of their compliance with the town’s rating
system in order to receive discounts on
food insurance policies. If any residents
have any questions concerning the map,
they are welcome to call Rucker at Town
Hall, or Charleston County.
Also, as hurricane season ofcially
opened on May 1, Rucker announced that
they are in the process of organizing this
year’s Disaster Awareness Day, once again
in conjunction with the town of Seabrook
Island. Tere will be several new speakers
this year, as well as prizes and outdoor
displays.
Lastly, Rucker noted that the town’s
comprehensive fnancial report has again
been recognized by the Government
Finance Ofcers Association (GFOA), and
commended Treasurer Gunnells on all his
hard work. On a personal note, Rucker
also stated that she recently received her
Credentialed Managers Certifcation from
ICMA, the result of an eight year wait
and extensive work. Tere are only 1208
members across the United States.
Mayor’s report
Mayor Orban noted that Te Prinella
Haygood Memorial Tennis Championship
is scheduled for May 13 - 15 at Kiawah
Island Resort’s Roy Barth Tennis Center.
It will beneft Roper St. Francis Cancer
Care, as well as Haygood’s two young
sons. “I commend the Resort for pursuing
this kind of endeavor,” said Orban.
FOIA response to Mr. Richard Tomas
“In the interest of transparency, we have
put our response to Mr. Tomas on the
table and have no further comment,”
said Mayor Orban in regards to Richard
Tomas’ request for town correspondence
related to the Sea Islands Greenway
project.
Councilmember VanDerwerker asked
about a portion of the town’s response, in
which they stated that Dr. Roberts only
needed to send his correspondence from
the time he was a road consultant for the
town, which was indicated as April 6,
2010, through February 1, 2011. However,
VanDerwerker noted that there were
several documented instances in which
Dr. Roberts was referred to as the town’s
road consultant up until late March of this
year. “Te whole issue brings up the issue
of records and how communications and
the contract between the town and Dr.
Roberts should have been available,” said
VanDerwerker. “We should look into how
we’re managing this thing.”
Town Attorney Dennis Rhoad stated
that Mr. Tomas made an interesting
point, and the town should consider
their communications and how they
keep their communications, but he stated
that he saw nothing in the FOIA that
prohibits any of the Councilmembers from
sending personal emails from personal
email accounts. He noted that Tomas
specifcally indicated that Councilmember
Burnaford had deleted his personal emails,
but that act was not in violation of the
FOIA. “My advice to all of you and Dr.
Roberts is, whatever documentation you
have that responds to Mr. Tomas’ request,
you should provide it,” said Rhoad.
Citizens’ comments:
Rich Tomas once again stood to state
that he is now hoping to receive further
disclosure, and noted that he was
“disappointed that it took this much efort
to get something which should be freely
available and if I don’t get it, I will look
into other venues to remedy that.”
Kathy Parks also stood to reiterate her
points from earlier, and stated that she,
as well as several other Kiawah residents,
would like to meet Maurice Washington,
and asked if the Council could arrange
some sort of meeting with the residents
of the island. Orban reiterated that
Washington is employed by KICA and
Burnaford suggested that Parks call him to
set up a meeting.
Lastly, Dr. Paul Roberts stated that he
“would be more than happy to talk to
anyone at any time about the Greenway
and why it makes a lot more sense than
just fxing the other stuf.”
KI Council continued from page 3
May 13, 2011 5
www.islandconnectionnews.com
T
he organizers of the frst annual Bohicket Marina-Kiawah Seabrook Exchange
Club 5K-10K race held on Seabrook Island this past Saturday, April 23, called
the event “a rousing success.” Te races were managed by Te Extra Mile, a
Charleston running organization accredited by the United States Track Association.
Exchange Club members Pat Welch and Jim Tilson, ably assisted by Exchangites
Jim Shaw, Chuck Fox, John Reynolds, Mike Morris, Jim Bannwart, and Alan
Armstrong, were key organizers. Tey were joined by Seabrookers Nic Porter and
Max Willis.
More than 50 volunteers manned the intersections and water stations, and helped
make the races safe for participants and spectators alike with minimal disruption on
Seabrook roads.
Tere were ofcially 237 registered runners, ranging in age from 8 to 89 and
representing several states. It was fun for all, but a few looked a bit weary at the end.
However, almost everyone expressed a desire to participate again next year. First time
visitors to Seabrook were favorably impressed by the new amenities and the beauty of
the host island.
Seabrook race a success
By saM reeD
Photos by Russell DaRnell.
E
ach year, the United States Lifesaving Association sponsors National Beach
Safety Week in an efort to remind beachgoers to use caution in the aquatic
environment. Tis year, National Beach Safety Week will be held May 23
through 30, with safety demos hosted by Charleston County Parks and Recreation
at their three beach park locations on Saturday, May 28. Te objective of National
Beach Safety Week is to make citizens aware of the need to be safe while in and near
the water. Tis objective stresses the following:
· Learn to swim.
· Swim near a lifeguard.
· Swim with a buddy.
· Check with the lifeguards.
· Use sunscreen and drink water.
· Obey posted signs and fags.
· Keep the beach and water clean.
· Learn Rip Current safety.
· Enter water feet frst.
· Lifeguards are your friends.
CCPRC provides lifeguards at the three county beach parks and at the Folly
Beach Fishing Pier in an efort to reduce the number of beach accidents. Te agency
employs around 50 lifeguards to keep the county beach parks at Isle of Palms, Folly
Beach and Kiawah Beachwalker safe. Nevertheless, an informed public is essential to
maintaining adequate levels of beach and water safety.
Beach-goers and the general public are encouraged to attend and watch a series of
demonstrations at Stand 42 at Kiawah’s Beachwalker Park this Saturday, May 28.
For more information contact Cole Tomas at 886-3863 or [email protected].
Learn your beach safety for
National Beach Safety Week
saFety DeMOs On tHe BeacH May 28
6 May 13, 2011
Even though the room was flled to the limits with
clothing items, shoes, purses and jewelry, Outreach
coordinator Pricilla Quirk noted that all of the items came
from only about 25 women.
“Tey just spread the word and the clothes started
coming in,” Pricilla was happy to report.
“Tis is a great thing; they have some really nice pieces,”
said Wadmalaw Island resident, Telma David, who found
out about the event from a friend. “It’s the frst I’ve heard
about it, but I think it’s wonderful.”
In total, Sea Island Habitat went through more than
1500 clothing and fashion items donated to the event.
Te 2011 Sea Island Habitat for Humanity Women
Build took place in Joeva Cove of of Bees Ferry Road in
West Ashley this past May 7 through 13, where Habitat
will be building 10 homes this year. Te home is being
built to EarthCraft certifcation standards and will include
“green” technologies such as an ICF block foundation,
tankless hot water heater, and a high SEER HVAC unit.
To date, female volunteers have built more than 1,800
Habitat houses nationwide during National Women Build
Week. Locally, Sea Island Habitat for Humanity has built
11 Women Build homes. Tis will be their twelfth home.
For more information about Sea Island Habitat for
Humanity and the Women Build project, visit www.
seaislandhabitat.org or call 768-0998.
What’s Hot
Camping safety
provided by the St. JohnS Fire & reScue department
C
amping is a great activity which allows us to
experience the great outdoors, but regardless of
whether you use a tent, RV, or are attending a
summer camp, the rules for camping are essentially the
same:
Be prepared. Know how and where you will be •
camping so you can bring the appropriate supplies.
Always let someone know where you will be and
when to expect you back.
Once you arrive at the site (camp site, summer camp •
cabins, etc.), survey the area to become familiar with your surroundings. Make
sure the area is clear of potential hazards such as poison ivy, ant hills, or an area
that may be prone to fooding.
Keep the site clear of food and debris. Dispose of leftovers and trash properly. •
Do not store food in your tent.
Proper equipment should include a frst aid kit and a way to contact emergency •
assistance.
Do not attempt to interact with the wildlife. Be aware of your surroundings as •
some species will attack out of fear. If you do encounter wildlife, leave the area
slowly and fnd another route to travel.
Do not go out on your own. If you must go out on your own, let those are with •
you know where you are going and when you will return to the camp site. A set
of walkie-talkies may be helpful if you are outside of a cell phone service area.
Campfres are the number one camping danger. Over the past few weeks there •
have been several signifcant forest fres in the state. As with any fre, they start
small. Here are a few guidelines for camping fres:
Check on the weather conditions before you leave. Tey may not be appropriate •
for fre during the trip.
Te fre pit should be deep enough so that the fre is contained, and ringed with •
large rocks.
Do not build a pit near any foliage, trees, or anything which could catch fre and •
spread.
Keep the fre as minimal as possible. •
Do not allow the fre to go out on its own. Put the fre out with water/dirt and •
make sure it is out. Embers can be picked up by a wind gust and start a fre in
an area near your camp site, placing you in danger.

Tese fre safety tips are provided by the St. Johns Fire & Rescue Department and
Captain James T. Ghi, St. John’s Fire Prevention Specialist. For more information on fre
safety tips, contact Captain Ghi at [email protected] or call 296-8392.
Habitat continued from cover
T
eam Energy, LLC, wants to know: Are you the Biggest Energy Loser on the
Sea Islands? Lucky Dog Publishing, along with Team Energy, is encouraging
readers to participate in a contest to win a free energy audit and post-
improvement energy audit, compliments of Ace Preferred Inspections. Along with the
audit, winning homeowners will receive $1,500 in energy improvements for their home
from each of the following Team Energy members: Air Max, Foam Tech Professionals,
Terence McKelvey Contracting & Remodeling and Solar TEK Energy. Once the
improvements are complete, the winning homeowners will be able to monitor their
energy usage with a free circuit-level energy monitoring system, which includes an
iPod Touch, provided by One Zone Solutions. Tis prize package is worth up to
$8,500! Second and third place winners will receive a free energy audit.
In order to win, send an email to [email protected] with the
following information:
the amount of your power bill (kwh for electricity & therms for gas) for 1.
February, March and April, 2011.
the square footage of your home (the home must be a minimum of 2,000 2.
square feet to enter).
A 250 word description of why you should win. 3.
Applications will be accepted until May 29, 2011.
Decisions of the judges are fnal and binding. In the event there are not enough
eligible entries, not all prizes will be awarded. If a winner is not able, for whatever
reason, to accept his or her prize, then Team Energy reserves the right to award the
prize to another homeowner. Te winning homeowners will have 60 days to redeem
their prize and initiate energy improvements to their home. Te winner must also be
willing to appear in all marketing materials related to the promotion including, but
not limited to, Lucky Dog Publishing Newspapers and Team Energy’s website and
Facebook page.
Friends and family of Team Energy members and Lucky Dog Publishing staf members
are not eligible for this promotion.
Are you
The Biggest Energy
Loser?
Win $8500 in enerGy eFFiciency
iMPrOveMents tO yOur HOMe!
May 13, 2011
7
include the clearing and preparation of the
schoolhouse’s new location, along with fll
soil to raise the lot for drainage and to built
it above base food elevation, building a
foundation, reconnecting the electric and
HVAC and minor repairs that might need
to be done. All told, the cost for these items
alone would run around $50,000.
“I just don’t think Town Hall will spend
$100,000 to put a museum on our land,”
said Mayor Holtz. “We would spend
$20,000 or $30,000, but it’s not our
intention to spend $100,000. We would
like to see it preserved and not go to rot,
but Angel Oak or one of those places is
probably better suited for people to go see a
museum.”
“In abstract, having a museum here
is a great idea,” said Councilman Terry
Ahearn, “but the reality is, will it attract
the most people and how much will it
cost?” He then suggested that the Bohicket
Marina consider moving it onto their
property, as they have a good amount of
trafc there.
Resident Alan Armstrong protested the
discussion of considering other locations
for the schoolhouse, pointing out that it
would be a shame to lose something like
this. “Te Council has been talking about
making Seabrook more attractive,” said
Armstrong. “Tis could become a center
for culture and history and wildlife. I think
it would add a great deal to the island. We
would all kick ourselves in the behind for
letting this opportunity pass. Let’s see if we
can fnd a way to say ‘yes’ to this.”
Peter Hubbard, president of the Seabrook
Island Natural History Group, also stressed
that their group would be happy to handle
the general and day-to-day maintenance of
the building.
“What I need is an organized letter
from the Natural History group saying
what you will do to take care of this, not
just an indication of support,” Holtz told
Hubbard. “Te town just can’t run a
museum efectively with only two full time
staf members and one part time. Tere’s
a lot of responsibility in this thing; it’s not
simplistic.”
While the Council did not make any
decisions either way on whether or not
to accept and move the old schoolhouse,
Holtz closed the discussion by stating that
the Council will continue to look into the
issue. “It’s not a dead issue. We will gather
the facts and when we have them all, we’ll
vote. It’s not a case of not wanting to do it,
it’s the wherewithal to do it.”
Community Relations report
Councilman Terry Ahearn gave a quick
update on the Visibility committee, stating
that they will once again be holding
Kiawah Days on Seabrook following
the success of last year’s campaign. In
2010, more than 400 cars visited on the
designated Wednesdays to tour Seabrook
with the help of several volunteers.
In terms of advertising Seabrook Island,
Ahearn announced that they have fnalized
the design of a full page ad to run in the
June edition of Southwest Airlines’ in-fight
magazine. Tanks to the help of Seabrook
resident John Burns, the ad features a
beautiful shot of a couple horseback riding
on the beach, and lists some of the many
features of Seabrook Island below, along
with a link to the town website. “We’re
hoping for the best and we’ll fnd out,”
Ahearn smiled.
Island Communications
Councilman Jerry Cummin reported that
they are looking into ways to make the new
town website’s community calendar more
active, and are hoping to get more out of
their marketing company than a quarterly
report. However, they have been receiving
good reactions from people concerning the
new website. Another aspect of the website
which they are hoping to emphasize is
the utilization of an “emergency” button
which residents can click to get the
latest information on dangerous weather
and other emergency situations. “We’re
working on that and will report on it,”
said Cummin. Lastly, Cummin was also
happy to report that the March 23 meeting
of the Charleston Visitor’s Bureau at the
Island Clubhouse was a great success, and
thanked Katie Chapman for her help in
putting the event together.
Ready for the Earthquake Drill
Councilman Rob Savin stated that
the Council and the island’s CERT
(Community Emergency Response Team)
were ready for the county-wide earthquake
drill that coming Tursday, and that the
CERT members would spend the day
looking for pre-planted “emergency”
situations around the island. “Tey won’t
know where they are and they will have to
report back by shortwave radio,” said Savin,
noting tha they would also be testing their
radios with the county, as well as testing
the satellite radios. Afterward, the disaster
recovery council would meet at Red’s Ice
House to discuss how they felt about the
practice drill and what improvements they
could make in order to be more efective in
an actual situation.
“I appreciate Rob working on this,” said
Mayor Holtz. “Te number one thing we
have to do is communicate.”
Signs, signs, everywhere a tasteful sign
Ordinance 2011-04: An Ordinance to
Amend Sections 8 and 12 of the Town’s
Development Standards ordinance to
allow for tasteful signs to be placed in
the Bohicket Marina passed frst reading
unanimously. Te town Planning
Commission has worked on the wording
of the ordinance for three months, and
Holtz stated that he knows the shop
owners at the marina are anxious to get the
ordinance approved. A public hearing on
the ordinance will be held just before the
next council meeting in May.
Transferring election authority to
Charleston County
While the Council unanimously approved
the frst reading of ordinance 2011-03:
an ordinance to transfer authority for
conducting municipal elections to the
board of elections and voter registration
of Charleston County, it was found
that Charleston County requires three
readings and an approval from the justice
department before they could take over
authority. Terefore, the efective date
has been changed to January 1, 2012, so
that the town will be able to handle the
upcoming November elections. Council
approved the change and second reading
unanimously. In related news, the Council
also unanimously approved Beverly
Baird to replace Eugene Corrigan on the
Municipal Election Commission for a term
to expire on December 31, 2013, so that
she could handle the November elections.
Seabrook Water Utility requests to
borrow $1.3 million for equipment repair
While the Seabrook Water Utility would
like to request a loan of $1.3 million
from the Water Quality Revolving Fund
Authority to repair and replace several
pieces of equipment around the island, it is
required by law that the town of Seabrook
sign of on the loan, as well. “We pass the
resolution, then they apply to the state and
they pass an ordinance to allow the loan,”
Holtz explained. “Te Water Commission
is responsible for paying it back.”
Joe Hall of the Water Utility stated that
there are four items they are looking to
address with the loan, all of which had
been explained during a previous Ways and
Means meeting. Te Council members
were content with the repairs Hall
described, except for one. Councilman
Savin asked about the water disinfection
process which uses a chlorine to sodium
hypochlorite reaction. His concern, he
stated, was the quantity of residual sodium
left in the efuent water, which is currently
used to water the golf course.
Hall stated that it would be less than
500 parts per million and it would have
very little efect on the grass. “No matter
how you slice it, you’re putting more salt
on the golf courses,” said Savin. “Tat’s my
position as a microbiologist. If the Water
Commission is willing to take the liability
that what they are going to do will not
harm the golf courses, and that they will
take care of the golf courses if something
happens to them and will not raise rates if
they have to fx it, then I’ll support it.”
Hall pointed out that the Water
Commission currently meets all standards
for using chlorine, and that this particular
process was recommended to them. “We
will investigate it and if it does any harm,
we’ll take it out of the project,” he assured
the Council.
Holtz asked that, if they went ahead with
the resolution, that Hall report back to
them with their fndings before fnalizing
the loan and Hall agreed. Council
approved the resolution with Councilman
Savin abstaining.
Town Administrator’s Report
Town Administrator Randy Pierce
thanked John Tompson of the Seabrook
Island Property Owners Association for
helping to get the word out about the
earthquake drill, and stated that the frst
annual Bohicket/Seabrook 5k and 10k
went very well. His only recommendation
for next year, he said, was to stop trafc
in both directions because some runners
were spilling over into the oncoming
trafc lane. “We’d stop trafc maybe fve
minutes at most,” he said. “We just don’t
want someone to get pushed or trip into an
oncoming car.”
Concerns over the concrete rubble pile
Before closing the meeting, Mayor Holtz
stated that he has contacted Buddy Darby
in regards to the pile of concrete rubble on
the bike path side of Seabrook Island Road
as you approach the front gate. Te pile,
he said, is what’s left of the River Course
building after it burned down last year.
“We’re waiting for him to come back to us
and if he doesn’t contact us in a week, then
we’ll go to the county about it,” said Holtz.
SI Council continued from page 2
8 May 13, 2011
www.islandconnectionnews.com
The music of Miles Davis
PrOvi DeD By eri n FOrnaDel,
cHarlestOn Jazz OrcHestra
T
he Charleston Jazz Orchestra, Charleston’s own resident big band,
continues its 2011 season with Te Music of Miles Davis on
Saturday, May 21, starting at 7 p.m. in the Charleston Music Hall,
located in downtown Charleston at 37 John Street.
Te Charleston Jazz Orchestra ends the frst half of its 2011 season
with yet another change in direction. Conductor and artistic director,
Charlton Singleton, is following the swagger of the Swing! Swing! Swing!
performance of March 26 with the modernity of the music of Miles Davis.
One of the major innovators in the jazz tradition, Davis was a seminal
performer and bandleader, and an artistic and commercial success over
the course of fve decades. Bluesy, enigmatic, and sometimes modal small
ensemble works that were either played, composed or popularized by him
have been adapted for the twenty-piece CJO, including arrangements by
Singleton and colleagues Mark Sterbank and Robert Lewis. Familiar songs
such as “All Blues” and “Blue in Green” from Davis’ classic 1959 record
album, Kind of Blue, are on Singleton’s program for the evening.
Following his penchant for authenticity, Singleton has decided to lead
of the second set of the concert with a recreation of the famous Miles
Davis Nonet which consists of nine pieces, including French horn and
tuba; a unique ensemble which help popularize his landmark record, Birth
of the Cool, in 1957. Tat album unleashed what has come to be known as
cool jazz or West Coast jazz.
Te Charleston Jazz Orchestra is a twenty-piece band consisting of some
of the fnest jazz musicians in the Charleston area. All have extensive resumes
and have performed with various groups around the globe. Now in its third
season, CJO continues to refne its sound and cohesion. It has become
frmly established in the Lowcountry, earning the moniker ‘Charleston’s
Resident Big Band.’ Te orchestra debuted in 2008 under the name and
direction of Charlton Singleton, the band’s conductor and artistic director,
and has been expanding its audience ever since. Te orchestra’s diverse
members and talent allow its programming to encompass various styles
of music, from blues to swing, pop, Afro-Cuban, Latin, Great American
Song-book, sacred, and of course, straight ahead jazz.
Te Music of Miles Davis will be performed in two
sets with an intermission. Adult admission is $30 in
advance, $40 day of show. Senior admission is $25
in advance, $35 day of show. Student admission is
$20 in advance, $30 day of with a valid student
ID. Tickets are available online at www.theJAC.
org; at www.etix.org; in person through the
JAC Box Ofce, 185-C St. Philip St.,
Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m.; and by telephone at
641-0011.
G
reen is somewhat of an oxymoron when talking about computer parts, but you
can do lots of things to help with the end products once they are no longer
useful. Te best thing to do is to have them re-used by professionals.
One way to be green with your old computer is to have a professional (such as myself )
begin by removing all your information from the hard drive and formatting it so no one
can get to your personal information. Once this has been accomplished, the desktop
or laptop can either be donated to Goodwill or a similar organization. Look for a place
which states that it will dispose of the materials in a green or earth-friendly manner.
Professionals will often take a certain amount of “waste” to be re-used. Many internal
pieces of computers are outdated and are not reusable in a product that could be sold,
but can be used for training purposes, donations, etc.
Te biggest problem with discarded computers is what happens to the ones that
are shipped overseas to other countries. Tese places often have lax environmental
standards, and the machines are usually broken down for silver and other precious
metals with no protection for either the people or the environment.
I hope this helps you with your decision on what to do with your computer when it
comes to the end of its life.
I look forward to hearing your questions
and helping you out. Computer-related
questions can be emailed to rentabob@live.
com. I will respond with answers here in
this column or personally. I aim to provide
helpful information for your computer
ailments from meltdowns to simple one
button questions. If you need immediate
assistance, you can always call me, Rent A
Bob at 822-7794.
cOMPuter cOrner
Going green
By BOB HOOPer, a.K.a rent-a-BOB
Welcome the summer
MeMOrial Day Music at FresHFielDs
By Grace lesueur
K
ick of the summer and honor America’s military men and women at
Freshfelds Village’s Memorial Day Weekend Concert Series. A free,
nightly concert will be held at the Village Green from 6 until 9 p.m.
From Friday, May 27, through Sunday, May 29.
Te nation’s frst Memorial Day was celebrated in Charleston in 1865, and
now guests can head out to Freshfelds for a long weekend of music, family and
patriotism.
May 27: Men of Distinction - Back by popular demand, Men of
Distinction’s live performances ofer one of the most diverse repertoires in the
industry. On any given night you will hear them perform beach music, rhythm
& blues, soul, country, and big band/swing material. One of their specialties is
audience participation. Trough careful song selection and skits, they allow the
audience to become a part of the show.
May 28: Congdon & Company - Te group is led by John Congdon, and
they perform a variety of tunes from pop to rock and roll, rhythm & blues, jazz
and beach music.
May 29: Te 69 Ramblers - Formed by David Toma, longtime Charleston
musician and native, this band pays homage to three of the main American
musical genres; blues, rock and Americana. Tey promise a powerful stage
delivery and an exciting blend of music.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase during the concerts, so bring
a beach chair or blanket and enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend Concert Series,
presented by Kiawah Island.
Freshfelds Village is located on Johns Island between Kiawah and Seabrook
islands. With over 60 locally owned shops, galleries, restaurants, services and
businesses, Freshfelds has something for all ages and price ranges. Visit www.
FreshfeldsVillage.com, www.facebook.com/FreshfeldsVillage or call Guest Services
at 768-6491 for more information.
8 8 6 - 6 3 9 7
w w w . L u c k y D o g N e w s . c o m
Dig up more customers
with all three
Lucky Dog publications
I s la n d Eye News - serving Sullivan’s & IOP
I s la n d Con n ect ion - serving Kiawah & Seabrook
Folly Cu r r en t - serving Folly Beach
T
a
k
e

a

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a
g
e
Johns Island Regional Library
3531 Maybank Highway, 559-1945
Hours:
Monday – Tursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Wee Reads (under 24 months with adult)
Mondays: May 16 & 23, at 10:30 a.m.
Time for Twos (2 – 3 years old with adult)
Tuesdays: May 17, 24 & 31, at 10:30 a.m.
Preschool Storytime (3 – 6 years)
Wednesdays, May 18 & 25, at 10:30 a.m.
Family Storytime (all ages)
Tursdays, May 19 & 26, at 6:30 p.m.
*Access 2007 Basics (adults/young adults)
Tuesday, May 17, from 10 a.m. – 12:30
p.m.
Please note longer class time.
*PowerPoint 2007 Basics (adults/young
adults)
Tuesday, May 24, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
*Publisher 2007: Create a Flyer (adults/
young adults)
Tuesday, May 31, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

*All computer classes are free. For more
information please call 559-1945 and ask
for the Reference Department. Class space is
available for 8 participants per session.
Early Literacy Station (up to 11 years)
May 1 - 31
Fun activities based on the South Carolina
Day by Day Family Literacy Activity
Calendar.
Te Arts Trivia Contest (grades 6-12)
May 1 - 31
Afternoon Café (grades 6-12)
Tuesday, May 24, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Facebook Focus (grades 6-12)
Wednesdays, May 18 & 25, from 4:30 –
5:30 p.m.
PLAY: Preschool Adventure Zone! (4 to
6 years old)
Friday, May 13, at 10:30 a.m.
PLAY with Dad: Doggy Town
Storytime! (all ages)
Saturday, May 14, at 11 a.m.
Saturday Movie Fun: Nanny McPhee
Returns (all ages)
Saturday, May 14, at 2 p.m.
Rated PG; 109 minutes.
Sea Islands Book Club (adults)
Tuesday, May 17, at 2 p.m.
Join us to discuss Olive Kitteridge by
Elizabeth Strout. Copies may be obtained
from the Reference Desk.
Wii Tennis (grades 6-12)
Tuesday, May 17, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
PLAY: Family Storytime! (all ages)
Tursday, May 19, at 6:30 p.m.
PLAY with Dad: Island Stories (all ages)
Saturday, May 21, at 11 a.m.
Student Art Reception and Poetry
Reading (all ages)
Saturday, May 21, from 11 a.m. –
12
Club Anime! (ages 12-19)
Saturday, May 21, from 2 – 5:30 p.m.
PLAY: Family Storytime! (all ages)
Tursday, May 26, at 6:30 p.m.
PLAY: Book Explorers Study Butterfies
(up to 6 years old)
Friday, May 27, at 10:30 a.m.
PLAY with Dad: Doggy Town
Storytime! (all ages)
Saturday, May 28, at 11 a.m.
YA Reading Bufet (grades 6-12)
Tuesday, May 31, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Display
Student Art Exhibit
May 1 – 31
St. John’s High School student artwork,
highlighting Advanced Placement Studio
Art candidates Lauren Harrison and
Samantha Frierson, will be on display.
Copyright Farmers’ Almanac 2011, www.farmersalmanac.com
Gardening by the Moon
From the Farmers’ almanac
May 2011
13th-15th Excellent Time For Planting Corn, Beans, Peppers, And Other
Aboveground Crops. Favorable For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant
Flowers.
16th-17th First Day Excellent For Planting Aboveground Crops. Second Day
Favorable For Carrots, Beets, Onions, Turnips, And Other Root Crops. Both
Days Good For Planting Cabbage, Lettuce And Other Leafy Vegetables, And For
Planting Seedbeds. Second Day Good For Transplanting.
18th-20th Do No Planting.
21st-22nd Plant Late Beets, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, And Other Root Crops.
23rd-25th Kill Plant Pests On Tese Barren Days.
26th-27th Favorable Time For Planting Late Root Crops. Also Good For
Vine Crops Tat Can Be Planted Now. Set Strawberry Plants. Good Days For
Transplanting.
Fri day, May 13
Governor’s Cup Billfsh Tournament
Join Bohicket Marina for the 2011 South
Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfsh Series.
Held May 11-14, participants will battle
it out ofshore for big game fsh. Dinner
an live music nightly. Weigh-ins on Friday
from 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 5
to 7 p.m. Award ceremony at 8:30 p.m.
on Saturday. For more info, visit www.
bohicket.com or www.govcup.dnr.sc.gov.

Seabrook Garden Club – last meeting for
the season
Te fnal meeting of the 2010-2011 SI
Garden Club will be held at Te Lake
House with social time beginning at 9
a.m. and the meeting at 9:30 a.m. Today’s
speaker is Jo Ann Breland, Superintendant
of Horticulture for the City of Charleston
for 25 years. Please join us as we wind up
the year with another fantastic speaker.
Saturday, May 14
Legare Farms Spring Picnic
Join Legare Farms for an old fashioned spring
picnic with hamburgers, garlic bratwurst dogs,
corn on the cob, potato salad and homemade
ice cream. Musicians are welcome to bring
their instruments, kids their games and
baseballs, and ladies their summer hats. 4 p.m.
to 7 p.m. $25/adults, $10/children 5 – 14.
2620 Hanscombe Pt. Road. 559-0763 or visit
www.legarefarms.com.
Wilderness First Aid
Tis intensive 2-day hands-on certifcation,
taught by Wilderness Medical Associates
at James Island County Park, covers how
to deal with medical emergencies in the
wilderness, at summer camp, or on the trail.
Pre-registration required. May 14-8 a.m. to
6 p.m. Course # 24582. Fee: $220.
Sippin’ Saturdays at Irvin-House
Vineyards
Drop by Irvin-House Vineyards and the
Firefy Distillery on Wadmalaw Island for
an afternoon of sweet tunes, local food, and
Irvin-House muscadine wine every Saturday
through the end of May. 1 to 5 p.m. Tis
Saturday, enjoy music by Southern Flavor
Bluegrass and food from Home Team BBQ.
6775 Bear’s Bluf Road, Wadmalaw Island.
559-6867 or www.charlestonwine.com.
Monday, May 16
Food for Tought with Mary Alice
Monroe
Kiawah Reads and the POPS Book Club
present novelist Mary Alice Monroe, who
will discuss her just-released novel, Te
Butterfy’s Daughter. 12 noon at Kiawah’s
Sandcastle. Purchase in advance at Indigo
Books or at the event, which is open to the
public. $15 per person for the luncheon. For
more info, call 768-3875.
thurSday, May 19
Yappy Hour at the Dog Park!
Dog lovers, after a long day at work, pick
up your pooch and join us for Yappy Hour
at the James Island County Park Dog
Park from 4 to 7 p.m. with live music by
Charleston’s own Unkle Funkle. Beverages
will be available for purchase. Free with $1
park admission. For more info, call 795-
4386 or visit www.ccprc.com.
Master Naturalist Sampler
Would you like to take our Master
Naturalist course but don’t have the time?
We now ofer half-day sessions where
you can spend time outdoors with Keith
McCullough, CCPRC naturalist and lead
instructor of Charleston’s Master Naturalist
Program. 9 a.m. to 12 noon at Lighthouse
Inlet Heritage Preserve. Course # 24813.
Fee: $12. Call 795-4386 for more info, or
visit www.ccprc.com.
Saturday, May 21
Armed Forces Day
A day to recognize, venerate, and honor our
military forces.
Sippin’ Saturdays at Irvin-House
Vineyards
Drop by Irvin-House Vineyards and the
Firefy Distillery on Wadmalaw Island for
an afternoon of sweet tunes, local food, and
Irvin-House muscadine wine every Saturday
through the end of May. 1 to 5 p.m. Tis
Saturday, enjoy music by Kristi Starr and Gary
Hewitt, and food fromJack’s Cosmic Dogs.
6775 Bear’s Bluf Road, Wadmalaw Island.
559-6867 or www.charlestonwine.com.
Student Art Reception and Poetry
Reading at Johns Island Library
Students from St. John’s High School will
be reading poetry from the school’s art and
literary magazine, Islander Lines. Artwork
by students featured in the magazine will
be on display during the reading and in the
library for the month of May. 11 a.m. to
noon. 3531 Maybank Highway. 559-1945
for more info.
Sunday, May 22
3rd Annual Charleston Yacht Afair
Your admission allows you to tour some
of the East Coast’s most exclusive yachts,
sample the local cuisine from top chefs,
enjoy a live band and open bar, and
participate in a silent auction. From 5:30
to 9 p.m. on the MegaDock at Te City
Marina . Tickets are $85 for individuals or
$160 for two. www.CharlestonYachtAfair.
org or 740-6793.
tueSday, May 24
11th Annual Fore Our Needy ECCO Golf
Tournament
Tis golf tournament to sponsor East
Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) will
be held on the Ralston Creek Course at the
Daniel Island Club. 1 p.m. shot gun start/
captains choice. Range opens at noon. Box
lunch. Dinner and awards immediately
to follow the tournament.$175 per person,
$700 per foursome, hole sponsors $750. For
more info, email [email protected]
or call 416- 7123 to register.
Fri day, May 27
Memorial Day Concert Series at
Freshfelds Village
From 6 to 9 p.m., enjoy music by Men of
Distinction in the Freshfelds Village Green.
Bring a blanket and chair to this family-
friendly event! Free and open to the public,
this event is sponsored by the Town of
Kiawah Island. For more info, visit www.
FreshfeldsVillage.com or call Guest Services
at 768-6491.
Tea in St. Joseph’s Garden
Te Daughters of St. Paul will again host
complimentary tea in their garden at the
back of Pauline Books and Media Center,
243 King St., Charleston this Friday,
May 27 - Saturday, June 11 (closed on
Sundays), 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Mullet Hall Open Trail Ride
Bring your horse, camping gear, and
supplies for two nights of camping and
trail riding on 20 miles of beautiful,
wooded trails. Stalls available for horses.
Pre-registration required by the Friday
of the trail ride. To register or for more
information, call 795-4386. May 27 – 29,
12 p.m. (Fri) to 4 p.m. (Sun). Course #
24945. Meets at: Mullet Hall Equestrian
Center on Johns Island. Fee: $45
May 13
Island Connection Calendar May 27
12 May 13, 2011
F
ishing and dolphin watching has
been spectacular over the last few
weeks, and water temperatures are
continuing to rise, encouraging action
from fsh and humans, alike.
Dolphins are beginning to feed
regularly as larger mullet are showing up
in the creeks and inlets. Tey seem to be
fairly stressed after this long, cold winter,
but should settle into more traditional
patterns soon. Teir behavior seems
diferent this year as compared to years
past. Lack of fsh could be a reason, or
increased boating trafc in their home
waters could also be a contributing factor.
We will keep a close eye on this over the
next few months and keep you all posted.
We are also anxiously awaiting the
arrival of several calves within the Kiawah
river pod! Te pod currently numbers 19
individuals, which include three juveniles
born last spring. We are hoping for several
healthy babies to join the group soon!
Red fshing has also been absolutely
unbelievable. We have been catching
large numbers of signifcantly-sized fsh
very regularly. Te fsh have preferred
quartered blue crabs and GULP shrimp
and crab. Te fsh are hanging in the
traditional spots; mud fats and oyster-
laden banks. Te fsh have been holding
together in fairly large groups with schools
of 20 to 30 being seen regularly. Many of
the fsh are over 30 inches, but most are in
the 25’-30’ range.
We have also had a lot of success
catching sheepshead around the many
docks and pilings in the area. Tey have
been biting on fddler crabs and clams,
with the latter being the most productive.
I have found MUSTAD kahle hooks to
be very efective at hooking these crafty
bait stealers. We have caught several in the
eight pound class!
If you are interested in booking a
charter with us, I highly recommend
making your reservations soon. We are
booking up quickly for the summer and
space is limited. Join us for your ultimate
outdoor adventure!
Until next time, share your love of the
outdoors with someone you love, and we’ll
see you on the water!
Captain Hayes, a South Carolina native,
is a seasoned naturalist and fshing guide.
A graduate of Presbyterian College with a
degree in Biology, he is a former Fisheries
biologist with the S.C. Department of
Natural Resources and host of the “South
Carolina Wildlife” television show. His is
also ESPN’s 2006 Ultimate Outdoorsman.
His knowledge of local history,
ecology, dolphin behavior and
fshing techniques will provide
hours of enjoyment for you and
your family or group. Captain
Hayes is USCG licensed and
insured. For more information,
call the Kiawah Charter
Company at 276-1832,
visit their website at www.
kiawahchartercompany.com
or email Captain Chad at
captainchad2007@yahoo.
com.
vieW FrOM tHe Water
A fne month for fshing
By caPtain cHaD Hayes
May 13, 2011
13
www.islandconnectionnews.com
S
ales of Seabrook Island homes dropped in the frst quarter compared to the same
period last year as the market braces for what may be a second dip in the island’s
real estate market.
Five single family homes were sold from January through April through the
Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service (MLS) compared to 11 in the frst quarter
of 2010. Te number of condos/villas/townhomes (CVT) also declined from 12 sold in
2010 to 10 during the frst three months of this year.
Quarter-to-quarter prices have also continued to slide in recent quarters, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2. Te median sales price for single family homes in this frst quarter was
$569,900, and for CVT it stood at $306,000. Te price per square foot for homes was
at $215.92 compared to CVT at $233.17.
One reason for the decline on sales prices is that among the fve single-family homes
sold, two were distressed sales (e.g., short sale, foreclosure), as were three of the twelve
CVTs. Further, the improvement of the ratio between the sales price and seller’s original
asking price coupled to the reduction of average Days on the Market (DOM), as shown
in Figures 3 and 4, suggest that successful sellers are those who have priced properties
to refect a strong buyer’s market. Finally, more houses entered the market during this
frst quarter (n=61) compared to the same period last year (n=41), further contributing
to the disequilibrium between buyer and seller.
As of the beginning of May, there were 219 homes for sale on Seabrook with a
median listing price of $499,900 and a range of $134,700 to $3,800,000. Te average
cumulative DOM was 408. At the rate of current sales, it would take more than three
years to liquidate this inventory; a balance is considered one with about six months of
inventory.
Tese and other data (more 1Q data are available at www.searspartners.com) coupled
to national sales trends suggest that, at best, Seabrook Island market recovery remains
several years away.
James T. Sears, PhD, is a real estate analyst
at Sears & Partners (www.searspartners.com)
and works as a Realtor and Broker through
AgentOwned Realty, where he specializes in
residential real estate, investment properties,
and property management. He can be
reached at [email protected].
real estate
Seabrook market may take years to recover
By JaMes t. sears, PHD
James T. Sears.
14 May 13, 2011
www.islandconnectionnews.com
Ti de Char t
May 13 - May 26
4:41am/5:31pm
5:42am/6:30pm
6:41am/12:50pm
7:37am/8:20pm
8:32am/9:13pm
9:25am/10:04pm
10:18am/10:55pm
11:09am/11:45pm
12:02pm
12:35am/12:54pm
1:25am/1:47pm
2:14am/2:41pm
3:04am/3:34pm
3:54am/4:25pm
11:00am/11:43pm
11:56am
12:43am/12:50pm
1:40am/1:43pm
2:33am/2:35pm
3:25am/3:26pm
4:16am/4:16pm
5:06am/5:07pm
5:56am/5:58pm
6:45am/6:51pm
7:34am/7:46pm
8:23am/8:44pm
9:58am/9:32pm
10:02am/10:38pm
Date High Tide Low Tide
Hurricanes, storms, etc., are NOT included in the predictions.
Tidal current direction changes and tide time predictions can be
very diferent. Tide predictions are PREDICTIONS; they can be
wrong so use common sense.
May 13
May 14
May 15
May 16
May 17
May 18
May 19
May 20
May 21
May 22
May 23
May 24
May 25
May 26
Source: saltwatertides.com
Friday, May 13
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Sports-a-palooza: Ages
3-11, 8:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.
Knit Fit: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Stepping Stones: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah KNO: Kiawah
Kampout: Ages 5-11, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Pickup Games: Volleyball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 14
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Scales & Tails:
Ages 3-11, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Knit Fit: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Suncatchers: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Wickets & Wine: 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah KNO: Sanctuary Splash
Bash: Ages 5-11, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Pickup Games: Soccer: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 15
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pickup Games: Basketball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Monday, May 16
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Block Party: Ages 3-11,
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Pickup Games: Volleyball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
tueSday, May 17
Kamp Kiawah: Pirate Trails & Tides:
Age 3-11, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pottery Painting: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Tye Dye: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Pickup Games: Basketball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
WedneSday, May 18
Kamp Kiawah: Mission Impossible:
Ages 3-11. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Glass Fusing: 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Stepping Stones: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Pickup Games: Soccer: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
thurSday, May 19
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Kiawah Day:
Ages 3-11, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Knit Fit: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Tye Dye: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Pickup Games: Basketball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday, May 20
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Sports-a-palooza: Ages
3-11, 8:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.
Knit Fit: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Stepping Stones: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah KNO: Kiawah
Kampout: Ages 5-11, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Pickup Games: Volleyball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 21
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Scales & Tails: Ages
3-11, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Knit Fit: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Suncatchers: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Wickets & Wine: 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah KNO: Sanctuary Splash
Bash: Ages 5-11, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Pickup Games: Soccer: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 22
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pickup Games: Basketball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Monday, May 23
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Block Party: Ages 3-11,
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Pickup Games: Volleyball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
tueSday, May 24
Kamp Kiawah: Pirate Trails & Tides:
Age 3-11, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pottery Painting: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Tye Dye: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Pickup Games: Basketball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
WedneSday, May 25
Kamp Kiawah: Mission Impossible:
Ages 3-11. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Glass Fusing: 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Stepping Stones: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Pickup Games: Soccer: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
thurSday, May 26
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Kiawah Day: Ages 3-11,
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Knit Fit: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Tye Dye: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Pickup Games: Basketball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday, May 27
Turtle Tracks: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah: Sports-a-palooza:
Ages 3-11, 8:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.
Knit Fit: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Stepping Stones: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Kamp Kiawah KNO: Kiawah
Kampout: Ages 5-11, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Pickup Games: Volleyball: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
KIAWAH ISLAND RECREATION
Open Daily frOm 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. call 768-6001 for more info
Anglers asked to release
Spotted Sea Trout
By the Sc Dnr
B
ack-to-back cold winters have
decimated spotted sea trout
and the S.C. Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) is
calling for fishermen to voluntarily
practice catch and release to protect
the remaining spawners until
September.
DNR sampling from nine South
Carolina estuaries shows a consistent
and dramatic decrease in the number
of spotted sea trout, the lowest
population recorded in 20
years. DNR continues
monthly monitoring of sea trout
and other recreationally important
species to document status, trends,
abundance and size.
Most fish sampled were below the
legal limit of 14 inches. Trout spawn
from spring throughout summer in
South Carolina.
After a similar cold-related kill in
2001, it took trout five years to fully
recover. Current legal minimum
size limit and creel of 14 inches
and 10 per person per day remain
unchanged.
golf
May 13, 2011 15
We left of in the frst installment of “Te Ball
Begins” with Union ofcer Abner Doubleday’s
frst cannon shot fred from the Union forces in
possession of Fort Sumter.
B
efore this shot was fred, the people
and soldiers of Charleston were a bit
unsettled by the lack of any return
fre from the Union troops at Fort Sumter.
Some women witnessing the bombardment
from the Battery at the city on Charleston’s
tip were in tears. Southern fre-eater Edwin
Rufn, after fring a shot from each one of
the Confederate Batteries on Morris Island,
was also becoming a bit anxious.
“I was fearful that Major Anderson did
not intend to fre at all,” he stated. “It would
have cheapened our conquest of the fort, if
efected, if no hostile defense had been made
— and still more increased the disgrace of
failure.”
Te other soldiers fring upon Fort Sumter
were also feeling a bit un-chivalrous by the
silence of Fort Sumter’s cannons. But fnally,
Captain Doubleday’s cannonball skipped of
of its target and bounded down the beach (this
cannonball was chased down by Southern
soldiers, in search of that iron ball that was
the frst shot from Fort Sumter) of Morris
Island. Te Confederates felt a sigh of relief as
the two combatants began an Artillery duel
that commenced the Civil War.
Even through the ferce cannonade,
there was a bit of humor on both sides of the
bombardment. Confederates in Fort Moultrie
commented on every cannonball that struck
the fort. When a bale of cotton was struck by
a cannonball, a soldiers exclaimed, “Cotton
is going down!” When a ball hit the fort’s
bakery, scattering loaves of bread, a gunner
yelled, “Bread is going up!”
Inside of Fort Sumter, a Confederate
shot came near to Captain Doubleday’s ear,
striking the masonry wall behind him. “Te
ball seemed to bury itself in the masonry a
foot from my head, in a very unpleasant
proximity to my right ear,” said Doubleday.
“Tis is the one that probably came with Mr.
Rufn’s compliments.”
Later on, during the engagement,
Doubleday bantered with another Union
ofcer. “What in the world is the matter here,
and what is all this uproar about?” questioned
the ofcer. Captain Doubleday replied,
“Tere is a trifing diference of opinion
between us and our neighbor opposite, and
we are trying to settle it!”
For hours, the iron few in both directions
between the two combatants. And then things
got hot! Te Confederates at Fort Moultrie
had a ‘hot shot’ furnace. Tis furnace was
used to heat up solid shot cannonballs to a
red hot, fre-causing temperature. When
this was fred into the enemies’ position, any
wood that it came into contact with would
catch fre, and rapidly at that. When Fort
Sumter was frst designed, then built, it had a
new feature in fortifcation development. Te
barracks for the soldiers and ofcers was fre-
proof. Tis was accomplished by building the
structure itself out of brick, but there was one
faw in the construction of these “fre-proof
barracks”: the interior was made of wood.
At 8 a.m. on the morning of April 13, the
soldiers were still trying to make an attempt
to defend their positions. But a “hot-shot,”
as those red hued cannonballs were called,
struck the fre-proof barracks inside of Sumter
and set them ablaze. As soon as this blaze was
extinguished, another would embed itself in
the barracks and the blaze would again erupt.
When the Confederates saw the smoke rising
from the fort, they would increase their fre
on the blazing fort.
A Southern correspondent at Morris
Island wrote, “We saw red fames piercing
the top of Sumter’s barracks. Te sight
inspired new confdence in our men, and the
bombardment immediately became more
ferce than at any previous time; the bombs
few so thick and fast that we could see them
exploding in groups over the faming fortress
... the fre blazed furiously, sweeping away the
whole line of barracks on the south side of
Sumter.”
By 10 a.m. the fort was an inferno, with
over one-ffth of the fort engulfed in fames.
Te fre was also out of control, and making
its way to the make-shift powder magazine
on the ground foor of another barrack.
Inside of that magazine were three hundred
barrels of black powder, with much of it
lying loose on the foors of the barracks from
the action of the day before. Soldiers were
ordered to begin rolling the barrels of powder
out of the make-shift magazine. All of this
while under heavy fre from the opposing
Confederates. Ten, Fort Sumter began to
fre on itself. Cannonballs that earlier had
been placed in diferent points throughout
the lower casement for easy access began to
explode because of the sparks from the fres
that were burning all around the fort. Te
Confederates, again seeing the distress at the
fort, doubled their fre.
Major Anderson gave the order to dump
the barrels of powder, save fve, over the walls
into the sea. But as the barrels were heaved
over the fort’s side, another problem arose.
It was low tide, and the broken barrels of
black powder were high and dry, piled up
against the outside walls of the fort. Te
Confederates, upon seeing this, began to
fre at the powder outside of the fort. Tey
fnally found the range for a direct hit on the
loose powder and a huge explosion, enough
to shake the wharfs in the city of Charleston,
showered the beleaguered fort with chunks of
brick and burning timbers. Sumter’s gunners,
even under these horrendous circumstances,
kept up their cannon fre.
At 12:48 p.m., a shot from Fort Moultrie
shattered the fagstaf of Sumter. Te
Confederates, thinking that the Federals
HistOry
The Ball Begins: Part II
By rOBert e. BOHrn Jr., HistOrian anD antiquarian, sea islanD relics
History continued on page 16
16 May 13, 2011
www.islandconnectionnews.com
were admitting defeat, roared and shouted that the fort had
surrendered. But then Lt. Hall raced across Sumter’s parade
ground and rescued the fallen stars and stripes. He improvised
a fagpole and replaced the fag atop the fort.
But the Confederates, seeing the fag down, sent Colonel
Wigfall to see about the terms of a possible surrender. Meeting
with Major Anderson, Wigfall said, “You have defended your
fag nobly, sir. It is madness to persevere in useless resistance.
You have done all that is possible for men to do. General
Beauregard wishes to stop this fght and asks of what terms
you will evacuate the fort.”
Major Anderson very well knew his position, and it was
not a good one, with fres burning out of control inside of the
fort and threatening to ignite 275 barrels of black powder.
His men were exhausted and hungry, and had been under
constant fre for over 33 hours. Two shells a minute were
being fred at his fort, and he was outnumbered 100 to one.
In his heart, and in his mind, he knew that Colonel Wigfall
was right.
“I have already stated my terms for evacuation to General
Beauregard’s early ofer,” said Anderson. “Instead of leaving
the fort on noon of the ffteenth, I will go now.”
Wigfall replied, “Ten I understand you will evacuate
the fort upon the same terms proposed to you by General
Beauregard?” Anderson replied, “Yes, Sir, and upon those
terms alone.”
Using a hospital sheet, he replaced the United States
fag with the surrender fag atop the fagpole. With this,
the celebration for the Confederates began. Te peeling of
Charleston’s church bells signaled to the Charlestonians that
the battle was over, without the loss of a single life on either
side.
On Surrender Sunday, as it was called, a paper wrote, “Bells
chiming all day, guns fring, ladies waving handkerchiefs,
people cheering, and citizens making themselves generally
demonstrative. It is regarded as the greatest day in the history
of South Carolina.”
Major Anderson, before leaving Fort Sumter, ordered a
100-gun salute to the fag he and his men so bravely defended.
At 2 p.m., the frst salute shot was fred. Te entire contingent
of Federal soldiers that manned Sumter stood at attention with
tears in their eyes as the battered Stars and Stripes was lowered.
Shot after shot rang out over the now silent Charleston harbor.
But on the fring of the seventeenth shot, there was not one
explosion coming from the cannon, but two.
Te gun had prematurely fred when Private Daniel Hough
placed a powder cartridge into the cannon that had not been
properly wet sponged after the previous fring of the gun. Te
powder bag was ignited by pieces of a burning cartridge still
afame in the muzzle of the cannon. Ten, a swift breeze from
this explosion rained sparks onto full cartridges lying next to
the cannon and detonated them, causing a second explosion.
Private Hough was killed instantly, having his right arm
completely blown of. Five other soldiers were also injured,
with one of those wounded, Sergeant Edward Galway, later
dying in a Charleston hospital. Major Anderson became
extremely upset at this needless loss of life, and cut short his
salute to ffty shots instead of one hundred.
At 4 p.m., Major Anderson, with the United States fag he
so steadfastly defended folded under his arm, led his men out
of Fort Sumter as his band played “Yankee Doodle.”
Te ball was now most certainly opened. And it did not
slow or close for four years of bloodshed that ran rampant
in a country embraced in the deadliest war ever fought by
Americans on American soil.
Lest we forget.
150 YEARS AGO IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
May 3 through May 14, 1861
compiled by Paul Hedden, Historian, J&G tours
R
umors of an impending blockade and chaotic
troop movements keep Charleston and the
Lowcountry preparing for “a war of everlasting
glory.” A sense of strength, confdence, and preparedness
is expressed in stating totals of arms and ammunition
now in possession of the Southern Movement. Te
efcacy of the threatened blockade is discounted with the
seizure of 290,000 weapons and the previous purchase
of 417,000 arms since South Carolina seceded from the
Union, plus 200,000 revolvers. Tis does not include the
arms owned by the states of Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas,
Kentucky, Maryland and Virginia, which will increase
the number by at least one million. Another two million
arms are thought to be in private hands.
May 4, 1861 - An editorial in the Mercury states that the
war is not going to be much of a drain upon the country,
because the money spent by the government on the war
will be put in circulation among our own people.
May 6, 1861 - Rumor circulates that a blockade squadron
is of the Charleston Bar.
May 13, 1861 - Active preparations, under the command
of PGT Beauregard, continue to increase defenses along
the seaboard. Orders have been issued from headquarters
for the immediate organization of the 9th Regiment,
SCV, made up of citizens from the parishes and districts
of the S.C. coast. An inspection tour, principally to Port
Royal and Edisto, will receive proper attention.
May 14, 1861 - Te USS Niagara is visited by Robert
Bunch, Esq. Her British Majesty’s Consul, where he is
received with every courtesy, and where every matter
in relation to the blockade is satisfactorily explained.
All neutral vessels now in the port will be allowed a
reasonable time to depart, but nothing further will be
allowed to come in. A feet of eight or ten sails is expected
of Charleston in a few days when the blockade will be
rigidly enforced all along the coast.
History continued from page 2
www.islandconnectionnews.com
May 13, 2011 17
Photo by eRic hoRan
Fox Pups at Old Field, May featured photo in Eric
Horan’s 2011 calendar.
May Photo of the Month: Fox Pups at Old Field
By eric HOran
F
ox Pups at Old Field is the result of a feld tip from my friend, Marvin Bouknight,
a staf naturalist at Old Field Plantation in Okatie, South Carolina. He called
one morning, excited to tell me about a new litter of pups beginning to make
aboveground appearances at their resident Red Fox den. He invited me along for his routine
visit to the den on his way home. In the late afternoon light and covered in camoufage,
I stretched out fat on the grassy median of a two-lane residential road with my tripod-
mounted 500mm lens. Marvin staked out our photo territory with two bright orange
cones and a street sign which stated, “QUIET PLEASE – WILDLIFE ACTIVITY,”
providing just enough hope that
friendly residents might neither stop
to chat nor run over us. Tis exposure
captures the moment in which two
pups surfaced. Tey soon relaxed and
carried on with their evening romp
around the neighborhood as Marvin
and I headed home to our own dens.
Red Foxes live around the world
in diverse habitats and adapt well
to human environments. Tey are
legendary for their intelligence and
cunning ways, and hunt year round
for small mammals, rodents, and fruits
and berries; mostly at night. Living
among humans, they also dine on our
garbage and pet food. Females often
use the same den for several years and
will produce anywhere from two to 12
pups each year.
To see more from Eric Horan and to
fnd out about his Lowcountry Wildlife
Photo Safaris, visit www.southernlight.
biz.
A
long with an amazing art work display, students from St. Johns High School
will be displaying their literary talents as well with a reading on Saturday, May
21, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Johns Island Library as part of the launch
for this year’s Islander Lines, the schools arts and literary magazine. Islander Lines
features both writing and artwork from students selected through a blind jury process.
Tis year, the following students’ works were selected for publication: Dazja Anderson,
Erica Bannister, Darrius Clark, Derrick Clark, Tevin Frazier, Lauren Harrison, Keith
Williams, TreAna Saunders, Rebecca Robinson, Jarysse Hamilton, Kashe’ Hamlin,
Jakeem McNeil, Curtrina Ladson, Jessica White(with Alayah Hamlin and Avriel
Taylor), Demetria McClair, Latarsha Green and Velvett Simmons.
Tis is also the frst year that the school yearbook staf
will be producing the magazine under the direction of Editor
Dazja Anderson, and Assistant Editor, Keith Williams.
Islander Lines magazines sell for $3. For more information
on the reading, call the Johns Island Library at 559-1945.
Artwork will be up at the library for the full month of May.
Te Johns Island Library is located at 3531
Maybank Highway.
Listening to some Islander Lines
st. JOHns HiGH scHOOl reaDinG
tHis saturDay, May 21
Students reading at the 2010 Islander Lines magazine release.
www.islandconnectionnews.com
18 May 13, 2011
T
his is a continuation of our April 29
gardening on the islands article. To
read the guide in full and to print
out a year-round planting calendar for the
islands, visit www.IslandConnectionNews.
com
Growing your own vegetables is one
small way in which you can gain a little
control over your survival. If you think
about it, everything that makes your life
comfortable and survivable comes from
a source completely out of your control.
Our personal relationship to the world is
largely dependent on structures we barely
acknowledge. Fuel, water, and electricity
are delivered to us via tubes, wires, and
networks that are generally beyond our
comprehension or control. We consume
these amazing gifts as assumed rights and,
sadly, take them for granted.
Growing a vegetable garden returns to
you some modicum of independence and
connectedness. Gardening makes you feel
more at home, wherever you live, as you
become more in touch with the weather,
the seasons, the soil, micro-organisms
and ultimately, your natural and social
environments. And, if you are what you
eat, and what you eat is what you grow,
then you are what you grow.
Fertilizers and Soil Amendments
Te best fertilizer I’ve ever seen was a
product I used to buy by the truckload
in New Mexico. A meat packing plant
would take the manure, blood, and ofal of
slaughtered cows and make an exceedingly
powerful, composted fertilizer out of
the lovely blend. It was so infused with
ammonia and nitrogen (hot) that it peeled
all the paint out of the back of the pick-up
truck that I left it in over a weekend. Te
stuf made plants explode, and I gained an
intense respect for the power of nitrogen
in growing vegetables. It was so ‘hot’ that
you had to be careful with over-application
to not ‘burn’ the plants.
I now use composted chicken manure.
It’s hotter than cow manure and comes
in bags at Lowes (Black Hen brand). It
takes around seven bags to fertilize my
400 square foot garden for planting.
Composted cow manure is okay, but in
bag amounts, you’re not really getting
much nitrogen for your money. Also,
the composted cow manure I see for sale
is often sandy. Cows don’t eat sand, so
what’s the deal? You don’t want to use
un-composted horse or cow manure, as
these can have seeds present that you’d
have to weed out later. Dead fsh dug
into the soil under tomatoes can produce
excellent growth.
Before planting, I amend the soil with
epsom salt (magnesium sulphate), bone
meal, and lime. During the growing
season, especially the summer season,
it’s very efective to apply foliar feedings
(direct application on the leaves) of fsh
emulsion. You can get a garden sprayer
and the fsh emulsion at Lowes. We often
see a signifcant diference just a few days
after application. Apply fsh emulsion once
a week without a threat of over-fertilizing.
If you are starting plants indoors and see
your tomatoes or peppers turning yellow,
reddish, or sickly, usually a good shot of
fsh emulsion will turn them around.
You can compost your non-meat,
grease, and yard waste and add it to your
beds at planting. Composting isn’t hard.
A simple bin can be made of four pallets,
nailed together into a square and leaving
one side removable. Put in the waste
and turn the pile over every month or
so. Te bottom of the pile will generate
rich compost full of worms and nutrients
that you can add during your next round
of planting, or place it around existing
plants.
Mulch
Mulch cools the soil in summer,
suppresses weeds, maintains an even,
moist soil environment for healthy root
development, and reduces your water bills.
It’s a critical factor. Along with automatic
watering, mulching is the backbone of
easier gardening.
Timing is important with mulching.
When planting in the spring for your
summer garden, the soil temperature
will still be fairly cool, if not cold. If
you mulch right when you plant your
tomatoes, peppers, etc… your soil will
still be cold and the plants will just linger
(especially peppers) till the soil warms up.
Leave the plants un-mulched for two to
three weeks to let the sun heat the soil and
spur growth. It’s a timing issue though,
as the longer the garden goes un-mulched,
the more weeds will emerge. Usually I
have to hoe a small crop of weeds under
before mulching.
During fall planting, wait again after
planting to mulch; not because of soil
warmth, but because the fall planting is
usually of small seeds and you want the
plants to grow up a bit so that the mulch
doesn’t cover up the un-germinated seed
beds. Wind can blow mulch around and
cover your emerging seedlings.
With greens that we mow and eat - like
escarole, arugula, mesclun, and lettuce -
we’ve learned to use pine needle mulch.
We fnd the expense of buying a couple
bales of pine needles worth it, because
cleaning pine needles is much easier than
cleaning small pieces of leaves out of a
bowl full of clipped greens.
It’s truly wonderful that live oaks,
contrary to most all other trees in our
country, shed their many skinny, mulch-
friendly leaves in the spring. Tis nicely
coincides with spring planting. Other
trees drop their leaves corresponding to
fall planting times. Tis means we have
a steady supply of great mulch available to
us during key planting/mulching times.
Cool, huh?
My other gardens were in the desert,
where quality mulch was difcult to
come by. Yeah, the beach is great, our
surrounding environment is wonderful,
and the presence of a liberal, tolerant
mood has been quite fun, but the free bags
of mulch on the side of the road have been
my personal defnition of paradise. \
Still to this day, when I collect bags
of fufy, soft, and weed-free leaves in my
pick-up, I can’t help but feel afection and
extreme gratitude toward my neighbors
for their hard work in collecting and
packaging our free mulch.
Pests
Tere are quite a few non-toxic or less
toxic options for dealing with local pests.
Cultivating Sanity
HOW tO GrOW a year-rOunD eDiBle GarDen On tHe islanDs, Part ii
By Michael Dietrich
Garden continued on page 19
www.islandconnectionnews.com
May 13, 2011 19
I tend to only plant vegetables that are easy
to grow organically. Squash, for example,
can be difcult for me to grow organically
due to vine borers, so I don’t grow it.
Slugs can really take over and do a lot of
damage. It’s gross to cut up a cabbage and
fnd a bunch of slugs living inside it. Tere
are great non-toxic products (“Sluggo”,
“Escar-go,” etc...) that kill slugs using iron
phosphate in bait form. With bi-annual
applications of this bait, you can erode the
population of slugs down to a minimum.
Te various caterpillars (cabbage
loopers, fall army worms) that show up
in a garden can generally be controlled
with a bacterial organic pesticide called
BT (Bacillus thuringiensis). Be fast with
caterpillars the minute you see them.
Cabbage loopers tend to be a bit more
resistant and will likely need repeated
treatments. BT comes in dust and
concentrated liquid. If using dust, get the
highest percentage of BT you can buy.
If you can, fence of your garden. Pets
and squirrels can dig around your garden,
which they tend to do right after planting
when the soil is loose. You can get repellant
that smells like cinnamon and garlic that
works decently. I’ve tried sulfur dust with
good results. It may help suppress slugs,
as well.
Generally, if you are attentive, you can
apply pesticides after you see evidence of
insect damage, heading of a crisis where
you lose whole plants. An exception to
this is with emerging seedlings. Tey can
look beautiful one second, then be gone
or snipped in half and lying sadly on the
ground the next. Like a grizzly bear that
takes a bite out of the fatty belly of a salmon
and rejects the rest of the fsh, cutworms (I
think the least ethical of insects) stop to
nibble only on a sprout’s stem, after
which they continue down their
path of baby-killing destruction.
Tis is the one moment where
I happily use a non-organic
pesticide — mole cricket
bait (carbaryl). Harvest
is long after application,
and since the bait can be
applied away from the
plant itself, I’m okay
with using carbaryl (a
known carcinogen but
fairly quick to degrade)
in this fashion.
I’ve never used
Spinosad, but I
hear this fairly new
organic pesticide is very
efective for a variety
of pests. Bill at Hyams
recommended this to me.
(Bill’s a great resource, with an
enormous amount of gardening
knowledge).
Quoting Wikipedia, “Te active
ingredient is derived from a naturally
occurring soil dwelling bacterium
called Saccharopolyspora spinosa,
reportedly collected from soil in an
abandoned rum distillery on a Caribbean
Island in 1982.
If you have any questions or gardening
experiences of your own you’ d like to share
with the author, you can reach him at
Michael@southeastpathology.
com
Garden continued from page 18
To download
as a pdf of
this wheel visit
IslandConnectionNews.com.