PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID FOLLY BEACH, SC PERMIT NO 27
Folly Beach’s Newspaper
Vol. 1 Issue 7
January 23, 2009 w FREE
A bleak future for Redbays By Ali Akhyari
O
n January 13, Laurie Reid of the South Carolina Forestry Commission, along with Billy McCord of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR), spoke to the Folly Beach City Council about an epidemic known as Laurel Wild Disease (LWD) which is being spread by a foreign beetle and quickly killing Redbay Laural trees. The tree is very ecologically important, McCord says, as a source of food for many animals, housing for others, and a stabilizing factor on our barrier islands. For a particular species of butterfly, it is the only tree in which it will reproduce. As a native plant, it naturally thrives in our marine environment and is able to survive flooding and strong winds, keeping soil in place during extreme weather. According to McCord, about 30-40% of the lots on Folly Beach have at least one Redbay Laurel. However, the tree is of little economic value, which has put a damper on the possibility of federal funding to help curb the problem. Strategies, such as the organized removal and handling of infected trees, are expensive for individuals and municipalities alike. “The USDA really couldn’t care less about it,” Mayor Carl Beckmann stated. Reid added that the South Carolina Forestry Commission is focusing its funding on research in lieu of slowing the spread. With or without State and Federal dollars, Reid and McCord stressed the importance of implementing a management strategy as soon as possible due to the beetle’s natural cycle. During the colder winter months, the beetles, in all different stages of see Redbay on page 4
I N S I D E
Goapele on page 5
Snow on Folly on page 8
Fluoridation on page 9
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January 23, 2009 Put your best food forward
Woody’s Pizza
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n my mind, any place that posts a sign stating, “Get your Woody serviced here” insists on a surefire good time. Woody’s Pizza epitomizes what a good dining experience should be: cozy atmosphere, exceptional food and the friendliest of staff and patrons. The food and beverage business claimed Woody’s proprietor Todd Webb long ago. For the majority of the last two decades, he donned the black pants and white shirt in some of Charleston’s finest of fine dining establishments, including McCrady’s, a restaurant which was recently recognized as one of the top 10 restaurants in North America by Opinionated about Dining. But one sunny April, about six years ago when the 39 Center Street location became available, Todd left the land of fine dining, pulled the trigger on his dream of a neighborhood pizza joint and the rest … history. The simple menu consists of pizzas, subs, salads and a full bar. If you crave pizza, try The Woody. It’s Todd’s version of a supreme: pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, black and green olives, a tomato based sauce and a mozzarella/provolone cheese mix. The delightfully thin crust combined with a perfect amount of cheese and sauce rates this, hands down, as one of the best I have ever eaten and I mean in my life. Two things I know—a good burger and a good slice of pizza. I will now make the drive from Sullivan’s Island any time my pizza beast growls from within. If you are leaning more towards a sub, wrap your hands around The Goodfella. This heated sub loaded
By Becca Finley with honey baked ham, prosciutto, pepperoni, provolone, mayo and a housemade vinaigrette will warm your cockles: the bread is sinfully soft and fresh and the sweet and savory choice of meats delights the taste buds. Add the Greek salad to compliment anything you may order. The color palate of the salad excites the eyes and the addition of banana peppers adds a wonderful surprise to the traditional version of the Greek salad. The balsamic housemade vinaigrette that is drizzled on both The Goodfella and the Greek salad has as an interestingly sweet twist. Try and guess what the ingredient is or better yet, ask the staff yourself when you go in. Woody’s hosts a trivia night on Thursdays and starting in the Spring, check out music on the deck featuring bands like the Stono River String Band. Hours of operation are 11am-11pm Sunday thru Thursday, 11am-midnight Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit the web site www.dowoodyspizza.com or call 843-588-0088. Fun Fact: Todd’s favorite band is The Pixies and he is currently reading The Art of Racing in the Rain. Becca Finley is a freelance writer and marketing/branding specialist www. bayoulogic.com who recently moved to Sullivan’s Island from Dallas, Texas.
F
Photos by Courtney Jarrard
(above) Left to right: Owner Todd Webb with employees Alanna Chandler and Charles Smith (left) The Woody, the pride of the establishment.
Kick it to the curb
olly Beach residents now have an option to buy new, conforming trash receptacles from the City. While residents are not required to purchase the cans, which cost $75, there are many benefits. According to City Administrator Toni Connor-Rooks, the new cans are easier to handle, more sanitary, more aesthetically pleasing, and can hold more garbage. The new cans are also less dangerous to workers, making injury less likely. Service will also be more efficient with the new cans. They are designed to work with the new trucks that the City has
purchased, which can lift the receptacles with mechanized arms. Steve Robinson, Director of Public Works, says the first truck was purchased about 14 months ago when restaurants were required to use the new receptacles. Since then, the City has purchased a couple more trucks to service the rest of the island. The $75 cost of a new trash receptacle can be paid all at once, in monthly payments of $6.25 in association with their utility bill, or $18.75 quarterly. For more information or to purchase a can, contact the Public Works Department at 588-2447.
Folly Beach residents can purchase new trash receptacles which are safer, easier to handle, and easier on the eye for $75.
www.follycurrent.sc
January 23, 2009
3
civic
City looks at expansion Lynn Pierotti Publisher
[email protected]
Staff Report
T
he City Council had a hard time agreeing on how to accommodate their Public Safety Department, which has outgrown their facilities. Mayor Carl Beckmann emceed a presentation to highlight the reasons for expansion and why the City should build an addition to the Fire Station. According to a “needs assessment”, square footage needs to be increased by 6,200 square feet to accommodate their needs. Currently, the City has 9,200 square feet of space. All Council members seemed to agree that the expansion is necessary. The transfer to a new City Hall, which was built in 1997, resulted in a decrease in area by 300 square feet. It was the result of “champagne dreams and a beer budget”, according to Beckmann. Furthermore, the number of City employees has increased significantly since then, cramping the amount of workspace available. Beckmann made a hard sell for building a second floor on the fire station to the tune of $1.8 million. The new space would add 5,000 square feet to the Fire Station, 1550 square feet to the bay area, 760 square feet for a mezzanine, and 860 square feet for a connector between the fire station and City Hall. Beckmann added that construction costs are at an all time low, making this the best time to make the move. He added that the project could be done without raising property taxes, if $800,000 were taken out of reserve funds as a down payment. However, it was noted that the removal of those funds would result in the loss of $32,000 of interest to the city every year. The annual debt service
would be $89,667 under this plan. But other options were considered as
Mayor Carl Beckmann made a hard sell for
building a second floor on the fire station to
feet of space and would cost $36,000 to make the kitchen and lounge compliant. Furthermore, the City would have to compete with all the other organizations that currently use the Community Center for their meetings, in addition to the fact that there would be no space for a jury room or office for the clerk or judge since court is held in the Council chambers. Fire Personnel would move into the Council chambers and it would cost about $270,000 to renovate. However, Stormer presented another option at the meeting which would move the police department off the island to another piece of City owned property. The cost to add 5,000 square feet of space would be about half of the estimate to add onto the fire station. However, Public Safety Director Terry Boatwright stated it was not a good idea to divide the department. While many cities have separate police and fire departments, Folly Beach has a combined Public Safety Department. Furthermore, the departments are relatively small and officers often have to come back to headquarters. While Folly Beach now consists of the area up to the Piggly Wiggly, the concentration of activity is on the island itself. Moving the police away from the epicenter of activity is a bad idea, according to Boatwright. Council members Stormer and Tim Goodwin argued that there was simply not enough money to do anything at this time. “I’m not convinced you can do this without raising taxes,” Goodwin said. “I think moving forward on anything right now is not a good thing.” He added that the City had to take money out of their reserve fund to balance the budget last year and that taking an additional $800,000 out in order to build an addition the Public Safety department is something the City should not do. “We can’t keep doing that,” he said. The City Council finally agreed to focus on building the $1.8 million addition while not actually proceeding with the project until March, when the City will have a better idea of how much revenue they will be seeing in the coming year. There are many options within that plan that can bring the cost down and the Council will examine the choices in the coming months.
the tune of $1.8 million. well and the Mayor presented them side by side. There was an option to rent space from Prudential and Avocet. According to the presentation, renting from Prudential would cost $4,017 a month ($48,204 a year) with a gross increase in space of 3,000 feet over two floors. However, this space is not handicap accessible. The Avocet option, however, is handicap accessible in addition to having an elevator. The total cost would be $7,600 per month ($91,200 a year), according to Beckmann. Both options would put the City in competition with other private businesses for space, he pointed out. Furthermore, he stated that renting would be throwing money away versus building their equity and assets by adding on to the City’s property. Another option, offered by Council member Dave Stormer, was to use the Council chambers for additional space and move their meetings to the recently renovated Community Center. This option would add only 1200 square
What a relief
Y a r d sal e b e n e fits r e li e f f u n d Rose Hardware will be hosting a community yard sale on February 28 to benefit the Folly Beach Relief Fund. Anyone who wants to set up and sell property for their own personal needs is welcome to join the sale. Also, anyone who would like to donate items for the purpose is welcome to do so. Come by or contact Rose Hardware ahead of time if you would like to participate in any way. All sorts of hardware and supplies will be available at the yard sale in addition to any other materials being sold and brought by others. In addition there will be a 15%-off sale at Rose Hardware during the yard sale. The Folly Beach Relief Fund is kept at City Hall for people needing emergency assistance. The yard sale will go from 10am until 2pm at Rose Hardware. The store is located next to the Post Office on East Indian. You can also call for more information at 885-9650.
Ali Akhyari Editor
[email protected] Kristin Hackler Managing Editor
[email protected] Swan Richards Graphic Designer
[email protected] Brittany Urbach Reporter
[email protected] Richard Brendel Advertising
[email protected] Becca Finley Copy Editor/Reporter
[email protected] Interns Jennifer Millar Bridget Hinkebein Bri Horahan Ashley Anderson • Contributors David Farrow Becca FInley Mia Burmeister-Laws Cortney Ness Brittany Urbach Published by Lucky Dog Publishing of South Carolina, LLC P.O. Box 837 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 843-886-NEWS Future deadlines: January 28 for submissions. The Folly Current, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lucky Dog Publishing of South Carolina LLC, is a free, independent newspaper published every two weeks and is for and about Folly Beach. Copies are mailed free of charge to every active mailbox in our coverage area and are also available at area businesses and by subscription to non-islanders. Subscriptions are $30 per year for non-residents and are available by sending a check to Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC, P.O. Box 837, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482. Contributions of information, pictures and articles are welcomed and are used according to space limitations and news value and cannot be returned except by special request. Our editorial content is primarily dedicated to the area of distribution; ad space is open to all businesses who want to reach the Folly Beach market. Complete ad creation is $50, however, changes of up to 30% of the original ad are included at no extra cost. All advertising rates are listed at www. islandeyenews.com under “advertising”.
Civic Calendar Tuesday, January 27 Folly Beach City Council 7pm
Monday, February 2 Planning Commission call City Hall for times
Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC Publishers of The Folly Current, The Island Eye News and the Island Connection.
www.follycurrent.sc
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January 23, 2009
Heat up your winter The Charleston Fire Department Wives Club has put together a calendar with some of Charleston’s bravest! It features 15 of Charleston’s Firefighters. The calendars are on sale for $20 and 1/2 of the proceeds are going to the MUSC Children’s Burn Center. The other 1/2 will go towards events that the Wives Club sponsors for the department. For more information or to purchase a calendar contact Rachel Sheridan at
[email protected] or 843-860-4383.
Redbay from page 1 development, are hiding out within the tissues of the infected tree. As the weather gets warmer, the adult beetles begin to leave the infected trees in search of new, healthy trees. In order to have the biggest impact, it is imperative that any strategies be implemented before the beetles start leaving the trees in en masse. McCord has identified a lot within the known area of infection on Folly Beach which could, ideally, be utilized as a burn zone. During these crucial winter months, the City, with the help of residents, could cut down infected trees and bring them to this spot to burn them in a hot, controlled fire. This could drastically reduce the number of beetles, which might slow the spread of the disease while research is being conducted. However, it will require the teamwork of the island’s residents. The City Council is attempting to move quickly on this problem in order to take advantage of these cold winter months when the beetle is lazy. Mayor Beckmann urged the Council to develop a strategy and have a plan before January is out. Furthermore, he plans to discuss the matter with Kiawah and Seabrook Islands, who have already been dealing with the issue for some time. In the meantime, there are things you can do as individuals: 1) Be sure to identify any tree before cutting it down and/or removing it. If it is a Redbay Laurel, contact the City or the South Carolina Forestry Commission for instructions. 2) If you suspect a tree is suffering from Redbay Laurel Disease, contact the City or the South Carolina Forestry Commission for confirmation and further instructions. 3) Participate in seed collection. In order to preserve this species of tree, the South Carolina Forestry Commission
is collecting and harboring seeds from Redbay Laurels and individuals can participate. For information on proper methods, identification, and forms, visit: www.fs.fed.us/r8/foresthealth/laurelwilt/ index.shtml 4) Don’t cut down healthy Redbay Laurels. It is imperative to save as many as possible and, as evolution would have it, there may be some trees that have a natural resistance to the fungus. It would be terrible to unwittingly kill a tree that could hold the key to this problem. Unfortunately, the outlook is grim. It only takes one beetle, only 2 millimeters in length, to kill an entire tree. If that was not enough, even though the beetles are asexual in nature, meaning they come in male and female varieties, they can still reproduce asexually. However, by working with the City and environmental agencies, you can help save our precious trees by following the instructions above. Keep a look out for flyers and mailings from the City for future planning and prevention.
Healthy leaves of the Redbay Laurel.
PetsPetofHelpers the Week Hi, my name is Abbi and I’m almost four years old and I’m looking for a very special home. I’m feral, so I need a very patient owner, and to be in a home where my socialization needs can be met. Come find out more about me! Spayed, vax, chip, Fee.
Hello! My name is Freddie. I’m a five year old, male, Terrier mix. I was brought in to Pet Helpers because my owner died and no one wanted to take care of me. I am super laid back. I get along with other dogs and I’m housebroken. I’d love a forever home with someone who will love me and give me attention. Come check me out! Neutered, vax, chip, fee. Pet Helpers is located at 1447 Folly Road, James Island. Hours: Mon – Fri from 11am – 6pm and Sat from 11am - 5pm. Closed: Sundays and Holidays. For more information, please call 843-795-1110.
www.follycurrent.sc
January 23, 2009
5
Music
Play some Goapele By Cortney Ness
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ell folks, that one special time of year that you either love or hate is approaching, and for those of you who have someone special to spend this day with are probably trying to come up with ideas for a romantic evening, right? Well let me help you out a bit, at least with the music! You should definitely go with some music that will “set the mood”. You will probably want some soft jams, particularly from the sensual, soulful genre, and in that case, I highly recommend Goapele. Based in Oakland, California, her name is pronounced Gwa-pa-lay, and she has been on the music scene since 2001. This singer/songwriter released her first single ‘Closer’ in 2001, and after it topped the charts from San Francisco to Baton Rouge to D.C., she collaborated with a few others and produced her first album in 2002 called Even Closer under their independent record label,
Skyblaze Recordings. Two years later, the independent label was picked up by Columbia/SME Records, which led to the expansion and re-release of her album in 2004. She then collaborated with her original artists and producers and released Change it All, an album focusing on social and political activism; a result of her dissatisfaction with the 2000 and 2004 elections. Her lyrics tell of her own and others’ experiences, and, while staying true to the signature style of her first album, she uses her second album as a chance to branch out and take aesthetic risks such as in the song ‘Love Me Right’. Her songs are indeed romantic love ballads, but they are also songs that have been politically and socially inspired. In fact, the production of Change It All led to the website ChangeItAll.org, which was founded by Goapele and Skyblaze Recordings. It is an online community that provides a forum for the open-minded and those seeking change, and informs
visitors of political and social “change-makers”, both past and present. When all is said and done, you just cannot go wrong with the jams of Goapele for this Valentine’s Day. Her tunes are smooth and flow through your speakers like a soft breeze with the occasional gust of wind to break the flow, adding a sense of rushing to the moment. Her lyrics are fresh and edgy and her voice is comforting and melodic. Her songs ‘You’, ‘Closer’, ‘Don’t be Shy’, and ‘Love Me Right’ are all great songs for creating that intimate atmosphere for you and your special someone. So visit her Myspace page at www.myspace.com/ goapelemusic or her website at www. goapele.com and download her music.
Then, when February 14 rolls around, all you will have to do is dim the lights, light some candles, and set your iPod to Goapele’s tunes.
Historic and Island Homes
Vanishing island homes, part two By Mia Burmeister-Laws
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recently visited with Folly Beach Mayor Carl Beckmann, Jr. and City Administrator Toni Connor-Rooks to discuss historic homes and both are interested in preserving the face of Folly Beach while promoting progress. Mayor Beckmann pointed out that, “We encourage our residents not to tear down, but to remodel and add on; the reasons being that the cottages are small to begin with and they represent the essence of Folly Beach. We have encouraged many residents to renovate the exterior of their homes and add on to the back instead of tearing down the whole building. That way, you still see the small cottage, even though it’s been added on to. When people do that, it keeps the essence of Folly intact”. With this statement in mind, I spoke with Christopher Liberatos, an architect with Fairfax, Sammons Architects on Broad Street in downtown Charleston, and asked him what historic cottage
homeowners should consider before renovating? He replied that one should hire an architect that works well with small houses and can make the most of the space you have. “I recently had a client who wanted an eat-in kitchen and they thought that they needed to add on to their house to get one,” said Liberatos. “But with better planning of the space they had, we found they already had the room to expand and we saved the expense of an addition”. He went on to explain that if an architect you’ve hired recommends gutting a house, you should get a second opinion before going forward. Materials should be considered as well, said Liberatos. Lowcountry beach climates can be extremely harsh on building material. When looking for exterior trim, hardwoods and cypress will last much longer than softwoods, which tend to only survive a couple seasons in the salty beach winds. If you have an old cottage with original interior paneling or
Planet Follywood - 588-7380 Fridays and Saturdays – Dan Clamp Chill & Grill - 588-2392 1/23 Reid Stone and Friends 1/24 Graham Whorley 1/28 The Hawkes 1/30 Reid, Rusty, Ward from Sol Driven Train 1/31 Justin Burke from Jupiters Garden Folly Beach Crab Shack - 588-3080 Tuesdays Trivia Night Wednesdays Dave Grunstra Fridays Howard Dlugasch Saturdays Jesse Prichard
bead board, you should retain as much of it as possible. “if it’s lasted this long, it will certainly be more robust than new wood,” Liberatos explained. “Also, keep in mind that mildew thrives in this area, so avoid any materials that could act as ‘food’.” Finally, like many old buildings built before air conditioning, sea island cottages were built to catch breezes and most rooms would have at least two windows or “exposures”. “I lived in one cottage on Sullivan’s Island that had three main rooms, each with three exposures,” said Liberatos. “so it was well ventilated. If you must add on, try not to block another room’s exposure, and try to make it livable without air conditioning”. H i s t o r i c districts are what
Surf Bar - 588-2009 Sundays Dangermuffin Mondays Graham Whorley Sand Dollar - 588-9498 1/23-1/24 Jeannie Wiggins
Folly music scene www.follycurrent.sc
you make of them. They protect the creative, the unique, and the elegant qualities of our past while encouraging tasteful growth and inspire that warm feeling of “coming home”. What drew you to the islands? Send your emails to Mia@realestatemia. com or call (843) 810-1000. Let me know what you would be interested in learning more about. You can also view this article at any time on my websites at www. historicandislandhomes.com or www. realestatemia.com.
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January 23, 2009
A tropical snow Folly Beach was the scene of an interesting, meteorological phenemenon that resulted in a snow storm which was completely isolated to 307 Shadow Race Lane. Upon some investigation, the phenomenon turned out to be Tim Dowd, owner of 307 Shadow Race Lane. Dowd, a 6 1/2 year resident via Ohio, is very familiar with snow. Last year, when temperatures dipped below freezing, he recalled thinking, “it’s cold enough for snow”. The ski slopes of Ohio don’t depend on Mother Nature to dump inches of the white stuff, he thought. Instead, they use huge snow blowers to provide skiers with powder when its not falling from the sky. That’s when Dowd
wondered how exactly the process works. He discovered snowathome.com, a website that explains how to make your own snowblower which is a relatively simple contraption made up of a specialized piping system, available at the website, an air compressor and pressure washer. But in addition to the equipment, temperatures need to be below freezing and the humidity has to be right. It only happens a few times a year on Folly, but if he could only take advantage of those times when weather conditions are ripe... This year it happened on January 17. Dowd’s family and neighbors awoke to about 7 inches of snow in the
front yard and driveway. The result was a short lived winter wonderland. “I didn’t know if it would work,” Dowd said. “I just wanted it to work so bad.” With a huge grin and unstoppable laughter, he was as excited as his 4 1/2 year-old son Max, who was throwing snowballs and “sledding” down the driveway on a boogie board. A lot of other neighbors and their kids came out to enjoy Dowd’s winter gift which included cinnamon buns by a backyard fire. Many of the children had never seen snow before. Some opted to stay with the familiar swingset while others braved the mystery and enjoyed the snow. “That’s what it’s all about,” Dowd says.
January 23, 2009
9
A fluoride through the Lowcountry
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ost people are unaware that when they are drinking tap water, they are most likely drinking unnecessary chemicals that are purposely added as part of a public health program. While this is not a secret, it is certainly not a well known fact. As a result, citizens are unknowingly allowing their government to pump their bodies with chemicals whose safety is still being debated. Every time a Lowcountry resident ingests tap water, they may actually be ingesting a poison thanks to something called “fluoridation”. In November of 2008, Charleston Water Systems (CWS) began a major overhaul of its water system, including the replacement of its cracked “day tank”. The day tank holds the amount of water needed for one day of service and is where the chemicals are added. As a result, the tank prevents the entire water supply from being tainted in the event of an accident, such as an overdose of chemicals. Because of the overhaul, CWS announced that the fluoridation of tap water would cease until repairs are made. According to Andrew Fairey, Chief Operating Officer at CWS, the return of fluoridation could be as late as July. But while CWS may consider this a temporary disruption of service, for the rest of us it could be considered a respite. Fluoride is an independent element, meaning it can not be broken down into simpler parts and still be able to retain its properties. Fluoride has been proven to improve oral health, mostly by strengthening tooth enamel when it is applied directly to the teeth. If you inspect the ingredients on your toothpaste, you’ll notice that the active ingredient is most likely sodium fluoride and the process of brushing your teeth applies this fluoride directly to your teeth. Fluoridation, on the other hand, is the addition of fluoride to your drinking water so that it is ingested instead of applied topically. About 0.2 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride can naturally be found in water. CWS quadruples that amount by adding 0.6ppm for a total of 0.8ppm. The amount ingested by CWS customers is within the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) recommended range. Fairey says that CWS depends on entities such as DHEC, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the American Dental Association (ADA) to research fluoride and dictate its safety. These entities say fluoridation is effective and should be instituted. In fact, Fairey says DHEC gives awards to municipalities for fluoridation. According to Fairey, fluoridation’s main purpose is to improve the overall oral health of the population. In particular, it is directed at low-income areas where people are less likely to have dental insurance or visit the dentist on a regular basis. However, the program is large scale which results in the fluoridation of everyone within the service area. Fairey points out that Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Folly Beach, Kiawah Island, Seabrook
By Ali Akhyari Island, the majority of Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, West Ashley, Daniel Island, Cainhoy and many other incorporated and non-i nc or porated areas all receive fluoridated water from CWS. It is important to look at this from a distance to get an appreciation for what is going on. The government is medicating its citizenry, most of which is ignorant to this action, by putting a chemical in the public water supply in hopes of improving oral health. We are being forced to ingest a chemical any time we use our tap water in most of Charleston County, regardless of whether we have dental insurance, use good oral hygiene habits, or any of the reasons Fairey noted that fluoridation is imposed on a population. This would be a fine practice and our governments could easily be praised if fluoridation could comfortably be accepted as frosting on an already wonderful cake. However, Fairey himself pointed out that debate on the matter has been waged since fluoridation began in the 1940s. This very fact shows that there has not been a consensus on whether fluoridation is effective and if any amount of ingestion is even safe. In fact, the ADA recently proved that ingesting fluoride does have negative consequences. According to Mothering. com, the ADA recently sent out an e-mail alert to its members, stating that fluoridated water should not be ingested by children under one year of age. “Infants less than one year old may be getting more than the optimal amount of fluoride if their primary source of nutrition is powdered or liquid infant formula mixed with water containing fluoride,” the e-mail stated. That’s a bit of an understatement since the “optimal amount” was later stated as being little to none. A negative impact of ingesting too much fluoride known as “fluoridosis” was the reason for the warning. Fluoridosis actually causes the yellowing of teeth and the weakening of tooth enamel. Ironically, the same chemical that claims to improve oral health actually degrades it in higher levels of ingestion. There does not seem to be the same relationship when it is applied topically, such as with toothpaste. Hardy Limeback, a member of a 2006 National Research Council panel on fluoride toxicity, and former President of the Canadian Association of Dental Research states, “Newborn babies have undeveloped brains and exposure to fluoride, a suspected neurotoxin, should be avoided.” One has to wonder why we would use a chemical with so many unknown risks
when there are much safer ways to go about it. Dr. Arvid Carlsson, a recent Nobel Laureate in Medicine, points out that there is no reason to take the risk of ingestion. “ I n pharmacology, if the effect is local, it’s awkward to use it in any other way than as a local treatment,” Carlsson says. “I mean this is obvious. You have the teeth there, they’re available for you, why drink the stuff?” Even the CDC pointed out that the advantages of fluoride are observed mostly when applied topically as opposed to ingesting it. There is a lot of research out there that suggests ingesting fluoride can cause any number of health issues, including low sperm motility, lowered intelligence, tooth decay, and many other things. Fairey, however, points out that there is just as much, if not more, research showing that fluoridation is an effective oral health tool and safe in the prescribed amount. While Fairey points out that fluoridation is aimed at the impoverished with poor oral health, there are counter studies that show there is no relationship between fluoridation and improved oral health in many of these areas. There are studies that examine many different populations with different levels of fluoridation without any changes that can be attributed to fluoridation. The debate goes back and forth. One simply needs to pick a side and find an authority that backs up that position, such as DHEC. Any large-scale improvement in the oral health of a population can not be attributed to fluoridation. Think about it. How does one prove a hypothesis? In middle school we learned about the scientific method and how to conduct an experiment properly. Any experiment of value has to be controlled. We could
www.follycurrent.sc
compare populations that don’t have fluoridated water to those that do. However, because the active ingredient in toothpaste is sodium flouride, it would be impossible to attribute any difference to fluoridation since most people use toothpaste on a regular basis and we know the fluoride in toothpaste is responsible for improved oral health. Fairey says they are well aware of the risks associated with fluoridation. One has to ask though, why take the risk if it is obviously not completely safe and its effectiveness can not be proven? This is not like the inconsistencies that say eggs are good for you one year and bad the next. We get to choose if we eat eggs and what kind of eggs we eat. Our public water supply, though, is something most of us are dependent on and something that is supported with our tax dollars. It is necessary. A governing body should generally err on the side of caution when it comes to the safety of its citizens. That does not seem to be the case with fluoridation. It is irresponsible to pick and choose which studies to give credence to and which agencies you listen to. Because reputable agencies in our own country debate fluoridation’s value and safety, there is no reason for Charleston County to spend $100,000-$150,000 per year to put a potentially dangerous chemical in our water. Most of us, unaware that fluoride is even being put in our water, aren’t being given a fair chance to make a decision about what we put in our own bodies. It is obviously dangerous enough that infants should not ingest it at all. Higher doses are dangerous to adults and can affect a child’s development. Our drinking water should be safe for everyone. Why add a chemical that is obviously dangerous to at least a portion of the population and possibly the rest of us? Wouldn’t it be a better idea to perhaps, put a tube of toothpaste in a person’s mailbox with a pamphlet about oral hygiene? Right now, we haven’t been given a fair choice. I know I wasn’t asked if I wanted to drink fluoride. Were you? For more information visit: fluoridealert. org, mothering.com, fluorideaction.net.
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From December 31 to January 11 December 31- A vehicle with four occupants was pulled over for following another vehicle too closely on 171 near Mariners Cay. The officer discovered a couple of empty beer bottles and a bottle of rum that was 3/4 empty. Further investigation turned up a pipe with “marijuana residue” in the glove box. All four occupants were arrested. January 1- A resident of East Cooper Avenue called police after he returned home at about 1:09am to find an unknown woman passed out on his couch. He admitted he had left the door unlocked. Police removed the woman and attempted to contact someone to pick her up, but were unsuccessful. Officers determined the woman to be a danger to herself and, therefore, placed her under arrest and charged her with public drunkenness. January 2- It was reported that several lights had been removed from the Christmas displays at the Folly Beach City Park. January 2- During patrol, an officer noticed a vehicle parked in the roadway and facing the wrong direction and discovered the owner was at 307 West Ashley. The officer knocked on the door and smelled marijuana when it was
January 23, 2009
Police Reports
opened by Subject 2. She permitted the officer to come inside and was greeted by two other subjects inside. The officer was “pointed” to a 1.6 gram bag of marijuana that was weighed by subject 3 and noticed several bottles of various alcohols. Subject 1, who was 19 years old, took responsibility for the marijuana and alcohol. All three received citations and left the scene.
January 3- A woman filed a report after attempts to have her vandalized car taken care of by the perpetrator, who turned her down with threats. On October 23 of 2008, she says, the subject was at the Sand Dollar Social Club and appeared “agitated”. He walked outside and began punching and kicking cars, one of which belonged to the complainant. She decided to approach the subject after she received an $1800 repair estimate who, in response, asked if she “knew who he was” and stated that he has “killed someone before”. She wanted the report on file for possible repairs and a restraining order. January 3- A resident reported that her golf cart had been stolen and described the cart to officers. The next day, Folly Beach Police received a call that the golf cart had been seen at a residence on Teal Avenue and that an individual had been identified driving it. Contact was made with the individual who was arrested without incident.
January 4- At 10:36pm, officers responded after being flagged down at the end of East Ashley in reference to a bloody and belligerent man. The subject, a 17 year-old, had a large gash on his forehead, and was leaning against a truck whose windshield had been knocked out and was lying on the hood. The subject’s father was trying to calm him down as the subject tried to get anyone nearby to fight him. As an officer approached and told him to calm down, the subject threatened to stab the officer in the throat. The subject was advised that he was under arrest. He tried to elude officers and then tried to hit the officer who was attempting to detain him. The subject was handcuffed with help from the father and received medical attention from first responders for the gash on his head. The subject bent a rear door of the police car while being carried to the hospital after repeatedly kicking and continued to be uncontrollable from the hospital to the drunk tank he ended up in. January 10- At some point during the previous night, the complainant reported that his license plate had been stolen from his 2005 Honda Civic. January 11- An officer clocked a vehicle traveling 51 mph on Center Street leaving Folly Beach and conducted a traffic stop at 12:05am. The officer observed the smell of alcohol on the driver while
asking for her license and registration. She admitted to drinking a few drinks as the designated driver for the evening. The officer conducted a field sobriety test which the driver promptly failed. The driver was arrested and later registered a .19 blood alcohol level on a breathalyzer. She was charged with speeding and DUAC. January 11- Three police officers responded to a call regarding a fight in progress at a local restaurant/bar at 11:55pm. Upon their arrival, they witnessed a guy being thrown out the door with several other people telling him to get out. The officers were told that the man who started the fight was still inside and had grabbed the guy’s face who was just thrown out. Upon entering the business, officers observed the 6’3” instigator still trying to fight other people and one officer pulled out his taser, put it in the small of the man’s back, and ordered him outside. The man complied and was put into handcuffs. He began revealing his intoxication by cursing at the police and acting, generally, as if he were drunk. The subject was arrested and taken away without paying his bar tab which totaled over $100 because the bartender had taken the man’s identification instead of a credit card to hold the tab open. The man who was originally thrown out was given a ride to his residence on Folly Beach.
The pace of place
M
y name is David Farrow. Some of you might remember my column, “Do You Know Your Charleston?” that ran in a lot of other newspapers for six years at the turn of the century. Some of you might remember my tours of downtown Charleston. Most of you probably don’t have a clue as to who I am. That’s okay; together we are about to embark on a journey into history. Those of you old geezers who remember me will be curious to learn that I am back from Georgetown, SC, where I wrote a weekly column for a couple of years. It wasn’t the same. It wasn’t Charleston. It wasn’t you.
By David Farrow We have shared memories, you and I. We go back to watching the girls riding horses at sunset on the beach of Sullivan’s Island; we remember being surfer dudes listening to WAPE on Folly; we recall listening to the Tams at Art’s New Seaside on the Isle of Palms and the long, dangerous drive back over the two-lane Cooper River Bridge. We remember the drive-in theaters like the Magnolia and the North 52. A quick story about the North 52 drive-in which could be seen from the train station: There was a line of pine trees that obscured the screen from the station until there wasn’t. I can recall being nine or 10 years old,
waiting for the East Coast Champion with my father. Somebody knew nothing about the dearth of trees lining the station and began to show “blue” movies (This was a Navy town. Today, you’d see the same thing on basic cable, but in 1960, girls were loath to show their knees except at the beach – I’ve never figured that out). My father went ballistic. It was handled. The next time we were there, a wall separated us from the salaciousness. I remember the stories of U-boats in our harbor, which, despite naysayers, I maintain was possible to this day. I still have the pictures of the submarine nets in Coburg Creek. I remember jumping off the Ben Sawyer Bridge with Taylor Silcox and Ted Deas when we were 17, as if we had good sense. I recall the story of the policeman who claimed he was on that bridge during Hurricane Hugo. The bridge broke from its moorings and the drawbridge began spinning like a top with the public servant still on it. The allegation is that the man timed the whirls so that he could spin off onto the Mount Pleasant side of the causeway. Good television, but I have never bought it. I was one of the first bartenders out at Kiawah in 1976. The only dwellings at the time were the inn and a couple of cinderblock houses. One afternoon, a woman from Ohio was golfing and hit her ball into one of the many lagoons and she
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innocently stuck her hand in to retrieve it. Living in the Lowcountry is like living in New York. You better figure it out pretty quickly lest the line that separates the quick from the dead dissolve. Anyone from the area can tell you that golf balls look just like alligator eggs. The hapless tourist was bitten. Apparently, she was more shaken up than hurt. The next day, my favorite headline of all time appeared on the front page with a file photo of a gator’s jaws wide open. It read: Renegade Alligator Bites Woman. My thought was, “What a shame! A perfectly tamed alligator has gone postal. How will the family take it?” Many of us grew up watching Charleston remain what author Elizabeth Verner Hamilton described as a “raft going nowhere and we couldn’t have been happier”. It was a different place, a different pace, a different time and space. Stay with me as we meet the “been ya’s.” Rejoin me on my quest to preserve a memory as a fly in amber. As for all my old readers, welcome back. Thanks for having me back in your lives again and tell everyone who might give a rat’s behind to e-mail me. History is like divorce. There are three versions: his, hers and the truth. Together, let’s see if we can paint a mosaic our grandchildren will cherish. Barring that, let’s have a little fun. David Farrow can be reached at info@ luckydognews.com.
January 23, 2009
Surfing
11
Cold water swimming not just for polar bears
W
hen the air is cool and the water temperatures are chilling, don’t be afraid to grab your surf board and plunge in …. just make sure you’re wearing the proper cold weather gear to keep you from freezing to the bone. Most people, inside and outside of the surfing community, are well aware of wetsuits, regardless if they know how they work or not. However, wetsuits are not the only option for staying warm when water temperatures plunge in the winter. Drysuits are another option that give you some say-so in how warm or cold you’re going to be. Drysuits are an excellent way to protect yourself from those frigid waters, as you can wear insulating clothes underneath and they won’t get wet. If the water is unbearably cold, you can put on a heavy sweatshirt, long johns, and sweats beneath your drysuit, says Adam Von Ins, manager of Air in Mount Pleasant. The revolutionary technology of drysuits allows surfers to experience excellent rides with a full range of motion, clean streamline dives, and a light weight feel. During Charleston’s winter months, Von Ins says there are typically more
By Brittany Urbach
wetsuit sales than drysuit sales. If you’re in the market for a wetsuit but itching to get in the water now, wetsuits can be worn with booties and gloves for extra thermal protection. However, even if you’ve got all the gear to jump into the water and tear it up yearround, you can’t make the swell appear. No matter how bad you want to surf, if the
waves aren’t there, all you can do is dream of the day Poseidon dies and you can run to get elected to get the “god of the sea” seat. However, if waiting for an immortal, character out of Greek mythology to die seems like to long of a wait, there might be an option to classic surfing. If you’re looking to take on a new sport during this season, consider windsurfing,
Quote of the Past Two Weeks:
I
don’t
mind
talking, I
just
don’t like having conversations
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kite boarding, or paddle boarding. Paddle boarding is a relatively new sport, says Von Ins. Local surf companies are beginning to carry the equipment necessary to go paddle boarding. Many of the paddle boards seen on the market today are manufactured by windsurfing and surfing companies. “There are a lot of paddle boarders that come out when the wind and waves are down,” says Von Ins. “When winds at 20 knots or greater, you’ll see a lot more windsurfers out there.” For those interested in trying paddle boarding, it’s an excellent spin on traditional surfing. “Stand up paddle boarding is kind of like standing on an oversized surfboard that’s been shaped for stability so you can paddle at slower speeds,” says Von Ins. It’s also a great way to exercise and will work muscles you didn’t know you had. If there’s a soft spot on you, stand-up paddle boarding will find it. There’s no excuse not to be in the water during winter with all the revolutionary technology out there and fantastic new sports to try. Don’t be afraid to get wet this winter season.
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Fitness
January 23, 2009
Why Tri?
A
s the New Year approaches, most of us furiously decide on resolutions that will enhance our current overall life health, whether it is oriented toward relationship stimulation, spiritual growth, physical fitness or financial empowerment. How often have you heard: I will exercise everyday; I will spend more time with my kids; I will limit my cocktails to the weekends only? With hopeful anticipation and true faith, we dig into the positive start of our new year. Setting such lofty goals for ourselves can be a source of disappointment when we falter and waiver from them. All this being said, I have decided to take on a triathlon for my New Year’s resolution. I, like so many, am one of the New Year’s resolution-challenged. In fact, I do not think I have ever stuck with any resolution I have made on any New Year’s Day, but this time I am determined, focused and resolute. I am committing to complete the East Cooper Coastal Triathlon. I am not going to lie … I am scared to death. I have never remotely participated in the sport of triathlon. I was a runner, but have been remiss about following a consistent running plan over the past year. Last year at Christmas, under much duress,
By Becca Finley was the first time I sat on a bike since I huffed it around my old neighborhood when I was 12 in Louisiana. And do we even need to begin to laugh about the swimming? My abilities consist of knowing how to do it. And to top it off, I am desperately claustrophobic and the mere idea of goggles and a wetsuit paralyzes me to a point I can not even begin to verbalize. So, why would I put myself through the agony of taking on this feat? Because I need to. Because there is no greater sense of self than when you complete something that is truly unimaginable to yourself. But my true life line is the “how” part of “how am I going to accomplish this?” A team of accomplished personal trainers, motivationalists and physiologists will guide and push me through the process. First step … I trek over to Tempo Indoor Cycling for a metabolic assessment
with Kyle, which concludes through very scientific means (VO2 testing), that what my body is accomplishing and burning on its own is not much. Yikes! My metabolic rate is 17% lower than it should be and I apparently am not eating enough to truly feed my body. Are you aware that you need a certain number of calories for your body to work healthily? I need to intake 1500 calories per day in order for my body to not eat itself ,which seems absurd to me that a 5’2”, 110 pound woman would need this much food. However, now I have learned that your brain controls what organs (order from most to least important: brain, lungs, liver and kidney, muscles) get nourishment and what isn’t being fed essentially gets eaten. Moral of the story is this: I am allowing my muscles to be eaten by my brain. Tomorrow, I meet with Heather of Synergy Fitness for a whole new way to look at food and what is necessary to keep
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my body fueled, healthy and ready to rock-n-roll. Monday, Heather analyzes my body fat ratio (not sure I am ready for this reality) and I start strength training. Then, Kyle will delve into the very specific path I must follow to accomplish this triathlon in the time frame allotted. So, for the next four months, I will be sharing with all of you the trials and tribulations of this huge lifestyle commitment I am undertaking. Hopefully, it will inspire you to try something new and follow through with your own goals. Please follow us on this journey, or get inspired and join me. We’ll be here for the next four months in all your Lucky Dog Publications. Drop me or the paper a line to share your tips training for triathlons. Next issue: meet the trainers and 1st 2 weeks of training. Becca Finley is a marketing and branding specialist (www.bayoulogic.com) who recently moved to Sullivan’s Island from Dallas, Texas. Trainers include: Heather Carper, manager/personal fitness specialist at Synergy Fitness (www.synergyfitnessinc.com); Brian Devlin, BS, owner of Synergy Fitness; and. Kyle P. Radakar, MS, owner of Tempo Indoor Cycling (www.tempoindoorcycling. com) and certified Cooper Institute Physical Fitness Specialist.