The Island Eye News

Since May 2005

Starting our 5th year serving our communities!

Sullivan’s Island

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Isle of Palms

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May 29, 2009

Goat Island • Dewees Island

PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID CHARLESTON, SC PERMIT NO 437

Volume 5 Issue 2

Sullivan’s Middle Street welcomes its newest residents by Megan McNamara

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s the temperatures climb in Charleston, it’s time to kick back, enjoy the ocean breeze and indulge in an icy treat or two. Fortunately, Sullivan’s favorite one-stop shop, the Heron Grocery, has reopened its doors just in time for the summer rush. Snowcones, ice cream, cold drinks, and the upcoming deli at the newly reopened Heron are drawing crowds of locals and beach-going tourists alike. Missed terribly after its sudden closing in December 2008, the Heron now has a new look and feel thanks to owner Heather Holbrook’s seamless melding of modern convenience and old-fashioned decor. The Heron held a soft opening on May 1, but despite the low key approach, lines of children and parents clamored in throughout the day for penny popsicles and rainbow sno cones. The colorful ice treats have been a best seller for the shop, second only to “the best island hot dog around”. Need beer? birthday candles? Forgot to grab laundry detergent at the grocery store? This little shop’s proprietor aspires to meet all of your last minute and beach bound needs.   A local resident, Heather says she could not be happier with her new business on the island. “I love seeing the same faces two or three times every day. People keep coming in, telling me that its just so ‘happy in here’. The community support has been astonishing.”  Possibly the only place around that still sells candy for a dime, the old-fashioned general store feel of the Heron is inviting to a wide array of customers. The character of the store still resonates from the days see Welcome on page 4

Inside Island Eye

IOP welcomes Bergwerf page 5

Lifeguard challenge page 6

IOP Recreation page 21

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May 29, 2009

Civic

A sandy request

Residents ask town for beach nourishment funds By Ali Akhyari

Photo by barbara bergwerf

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wning a home on the front beach is a dream come true for some residents. Being able to see the sun rise over the ocean from your living room or hearing the waves lap on the beach as you fall asleep is a daily blessing for a select few. However, that blessing has turned into a nightmare for some front beach homeowners on our barrier islands. Last year, a conglomeration of residents, homeowners, Charleston County, the State of South Carolina and the City of Isle of Palms paid nearly $10 million to renourish the Wild Dunes beach area where sandbags were the only objects keeping the ocean from washing underneath homes at high tide. At the request of affected property owners inside Wild Dunes, the City put themselves on the hook for about 20 percent of the $10 million price tag. Now, the Town of Sullivan’s Island finds itself in a similar situation. While some residents of Sullivan’s Island complain because their beach front home now has a small forest in front of it because of land accretion, others are upset over a beach that has disappeared before their eyes. According to Cotton Harness, a lawyer speaking on behalf of the affected property owners, 12 homes are in the line of fire of cyclical erosion. Harness presented the plight to members of the Sullivan’s Island Town Council on May 19. He stated that he was currently in litigation with the State regarding the Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) office in an effort to get sandbags

Sandbags being removed from Wild Dunes in May of 2008.

on the beach. The sandbags, he says, would prevent further erosion and protect the properties. However, permission has not been granted. While Harness fights the legal battle to use sandbags, he wants the Town to help with an interim plan. Harness presented the Town with two options. First was a $6 million renourishment project whose cost would be spread around like the Isle of Palms project. The second idea, however, was the one which he considered to be the best option. The plan would enlarge the groins that currently exist in the erosion area to create “T” groins which would strictly limit the egress of sand from the interior area. Sand would then be taken from another part of the island and used to fill in the eroding beach. The total cost would be approximately $1 million. Harness asked the Town to pay for the nourishment and

to allow sand to be taken from another area of the island. It was admitted that renourishment would have to be done over again on occasion as the sand would continue to erode. Furthermore, he noted that the new groins might actually impede a potential shoal that would attach itself and rescue the beach in the future, according to natural cycles. Because of the proclaimed critical nature of the erosion in the area, Harness told the Council, “If we’re going to do this, we need to do it this year.” Already the Town has struggled to deal with budget shortfalls in this depressed economy and the Council only recently increased business license fees in a partial effort to offset the shortfall. Being a major financial partner in a $1 million project for 12 homeowners might translate to a bite that is too large for the Town to

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chew. However, they may not even have the opportunity to decide. Harness, who actually worked for the OCRM as a legal expert in the past, argued that it is illegal to use sandbags and questioned how the Isle of Palms was able to do it in the past. However, the OCRM’s website is very clear that it is not illegal to use sandbags, properties just have to be in imminent danger and emergency orders have been given. If conditions are met, the OCRM can permit the use of sandbags. Furthermore, the OCRM states that erosion control measures like groins can actually accelerate erosion. As a result, their policy on these structures is very clear: “South Carolina applies a strict regulatory position where these structures [groins] are concerned. No new erosion control structures are allowed seaward of the setback line. Functional erosion control structures may not be enlarged, strengthened or rebuilt, but may be maintained in their present condition.” The plan presented to the Council makes no attempt to hide the fact that erosion control measures are being enlarged. Bill Eiser, who is most often involved in these local projects on behalf of the OCRM, did not respond to questions about the sandbags or whether the plan would even be considered by our publication deadline. However, Harness did suggest to the Council that Eiser was very eager to help protect the affected properties. The OCRM would have to approve of every aspect of the proposed plan before any work could begin.

May 29, 2009

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Civic

Sullivan's Town Council Staff Report

A friendly goodbye Everett Presson, who will be absent from the Town Council’s next meeting in June, took a moment to say goodbye during his last meeting as a member of the Council. “It’s been a quick four years,” Presson said. “I’ve never worked with a finer group of people than this Council.” He went on to refer to his fellow Council members as good friends and praised the various department leaders for their work. Mayor Carl Smith spoke on behalf of Council and referenced Presson’s efforts to make Sullivan’s Island better before coming onto the Council. He stated that Presson raised money to get the accreted land the designation it needed when there wasn’t any available and praised his efforts to make Sullivan’s Island the first municipality in South Carolina to pass a smoking ban. “It’s been a pleasure serving with you,” Mayor Smith said. Presson said he looks forward to spending more time with his family now that he is no longer obligated to do the work of a member of Council. He seemed satisfied, saying it had been his goal to make Sullivan’s Island stand out as the friendliest government in America. “I think we did it,” he said. Drunk with fear One resident complained to the Council about the drunkenness and party atmosphere that seems to occur in the commercial district after hours. She referenced an instance of extreme drunkenness where a police officer caught an individual who had fallen down several

Isle of Palms 886-6428 www.iop.net

Tuesday, June 2 Public Works Committee 4pm 1303 Palm Boulevard Public Safety Committee 5pm 1207 Palm Boulevard

Thursday, June 4 Livability Courty 5pm 1207 Palm Boulevard Tuesday, June 9 Real Property Committee 4pm

times on the way to his vehicle and allowed the man to contact a friend who picked him up. She alluded to Sullivan’s Island garnering a reputation of being soft on public drunkenness, which is attracting a particular element to the island. She was worried that someone was going to be killed if drunken behavior was not punished. However, there are only two or three officers on duty at a time and an arrest takes one officer off the island for several hours. Mayor Smith responded that the Town could not afford to hire any more police officers at this time. Furthermore, he admitted that the Town had instructed the police force to be more “considerate” and friendly because people were complaining that they were too strict. A bump in the road The Council announced that plans to repave Middle Street have been put on hold. The project was being done by the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) and was supposed to be begin a couple of months ago. In fact, the Town’s Water and Sewer Department conducted its work on some pipes crossing Middle Street in order to be finished in time for the DOT to do its work. However, a lack of funding is being blamed for the DOT’s inability to follow through. The Town plans on meeting with Secretary of Transportation Buck Limehouse as well as State Representative Mike Sottile on the matter sometime in the future.

ed that he is in the process of evolving public notification into the texting era. Chief Howard is getting the Town involved in a program so that residents can register their cell phone numbers with the Town and be notified by text for any number of reasons. They would have the ability to include pictures and possibly video, if relevant. He says the application is being processed at the current time. Contact Town Hall for more information. Ordinances The Council passed second reading of Ordinance 2009-02 which gives the Zoning Administrator the authority to approve certain minor projects, alterations, and design changes to previously issued certificates of appropriateness. It will allow some people to avoid the Design Review Board and increase efficiency for smaller projects. They also passed first reading of ordinance 2009-04, which amends the Town’s smoking ordinance to comply with a Federal mandate.

1207 Palm Boulevard

Board of Zoning Appeals 5:30 1301 Palm Boulevard Recreation Committee 5:30pm 24 28th Avenue

Wednesday, June 10 Planning Commission 4:30pm 1301 Palm Boulevard ------------------------------------------Sullivan's Island 883-3198 www.sullivansisland-sc.com Monday, June 1 Budget Public Hearing

Publisher of the Island Eye News, The Island Connection and The Folly Current.

Lynn Pierotti Publisher [email protected] Kristin Hackler Editor [email protected] Swan Richards Graphic Designer [email protected] Ali Akhyari Assistant Editor [email protected] Brittany Urbach Reporter [email protected] Chelsea Langan Advertising [email protected] Interns Jennifer Millar Bridget Hinkebein Bri Horahan • Contributors Barbara Bergwerf Emily Coleman Daniel Culpepper SC Dept. of Natural Resources David Farrow Jack Little Sarah Harper Richard Hricik Megan McNamera Mary Pringle Sarah Reynolds Published by Lucky Dog Publishing of South Carolina, LLC P.O. Box 837 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 843-886-NEWS Submit your letters to the editor to: [email protected] Future deadlines: June 3 for all submissions.

BTW :-) Police Chief Danny Howard stat-

Civic Calendar

L u cky D og Pu bl i sh i n g of S C , L L C

6pm 1610 Middle Street Committees of Council 6pm 1610 Middle Street

Tuesday, June 2 1st Day of Summer Trash Schedule Wednesday, June 10 Planning Commission 6:30pm 1610 Middle Street Thursday, June 11 Board of Zoning Appeals 7pm 1610 Middle Street

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The Island Eye News, 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 the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Goat Island and Dewees Island. 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 Island Eye News 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.sc under “advertising”.

May 29, 2009

4 Welcome from Cover when it was known as Gruber’s Wishing Well, but with a fresh style and brighter colors.  “The interior reflects the warmth, style, and all-around good feeling that is part and parcel of Heather’s personality,” says Emily Abedon, a good friend of Heather’s and daily customer. “My kids were talking about the candy wall for weeks before the Heron was open for business.It has delivered their sweet dreams. I’m just plum-crazy for the plumcolored floor!”  Enticingly cozy but with better flow of space thanks to the recent gutting and reconfiguring of the interior, the store incorporates quaint and unexpected pieces  most notably, the can’t-miss-it blue cash register ,circa 1898.     Heather’s husband, Tim, helps her manage the after school, rushhour swarm from 2:30 to 4:30pm. The Holbrooks are delighted that summer is only days away, and say they are looking forward to filling lots more tummies full of tasties, every day from 7am to 8pm. If you’re in the mood for something a little more “stick to your ribs” for dinner however, a

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five-minute walk down Middle Street offers “the best barbecue” in Charleston. Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ opened on Thursday, May 21, in the old Bert’s bar location. Its laid-back, rustic atmosphere, enhanced by its live music and versatile menu, aims to respectfully commemorate the Bert’s that the locals knew and loved.  The Southern hospitality, excellent food and diverse musical entertainment offered by the Home Team’s other location in West Ashley, which earned local awards including Best Jazz and Blues Club, Best Bar Staff, and Best Barbecue from the Charleston City Paper last year, will be in keeping with the Sullivan’s venue, as well. Known for its pulled pork barbeque and ribs, the menu also has a vegetable platter and a kids menu for ages 12 and under. Their southern sides are aptly named “pinch hitters,” and include mac n’ cheese, collards, creamy grits, potato salad and a “vegetable of the day”. Its combination of nightly entertainment and lip-smacking food promises to provide both residents and visitors a reason to head to Sullivan’s downtown area. 

On the same street is another new kid in town: Marsh Winds Executive Suites. Local resident Loren Ziff, who developed the property, says the elements  that define the building’s interior -  twenty-four offices, four conference rooms, and communal fax and printing areas - offer an idyllic, work-life balance that goes hand-in-hand with its barrier island location. "It’s got wrap-around porches, it’s a block from the beach, it’s across the street from the playground and the gym, and its only minutes from great food,” Loren explains. “There is even parking for golf carts and bikes. Yet inside, it maintains a serious approach to business.”  Laid-back luxury is the overall style of the interior, with bamboo floors and tropically-inspired furnishings by local company Bauer International. Several tenants recently moved in to the offices, which rent between $800 and $1000 a month -  a price that includes furniture, aroundthe-clock controlled access, and wireless internet service from anywhere on the property, including the decks.  The name “Marsh Winds” may seem obvious, given its

Brown Contractors brings business to Sullivan’s Island

he concept of “love where you live” has become an increasingly popular theme as the housing market struggles to readjust itself and homeowners are accepting the fact that their equity might not be going up as fast as it might have two years ago. Instead of dreaming of the next new home and what features it would have that their current home lacks, homeowners are considering ways to make their current home the home of their dreams. That’s where Jay Brown and Brown Contractors come in. A resident of Sullivan’s Island, Jay Brown made the decision recently to bring his business to Sullivan’s, taking up shop in one of the tucked away offices above Station 22 Restaurant. Specializing in high end custom homes and renovations, Brown Contractors has custom projects in Downtown Charleston and several ongoing projects on the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island and Kiawah Island. Although they’re known for their home building, Brown Contractors also

offers their services with smaller projects. “We don’t just have to build a five million dollar home,” said Louie Gambrell, project supervisor. “Our background and specialization is in high end construction and remodeling. We do renovations with innovation.” Brown Contractors is especially proud of their design team, which has assisted with high end renovations for many of their new homeowners with everything from complete home design to building a new front walkway to replacing a front door. “We do landscaping, hardscaping, outdoor kitchens and living environments, permeable and pervious pavers … really, any improvement you’d like to make to your home, we can do it,” said Gambrell. As a certified LEED green builder, Brown Contractors can also help with any eco-friendly improvements, including certified wind mitigation inspections, a service which can lower an island homeowner’s insurance by as much as a third.

Contractors or to receive a free estimate on your next project, contact Jay Brown or Louie Gambrell at 270-4201 or drop by the office at 2205 Middle Street, Suite 204, Sullivan’s Island.

For more information on Brown www.islandeyenews.com

location. However, there is a personal story behind its origins.  Mrs. Ziff’s grandparents’ beloved beach house in Garden City Beach, SC, was called Marsh Winds, and the sign even uses the same  font as the original lettering from their house.  Loren recently described his original vision for Marsh Winds to a local resident who was touring the newly-opened office building. “It’s a place to be comfortable in a business suit, flip flops and shorts, or both,” Loren explained, adding that, “its a place for tenants, residents, and neighbors to congregate and build relationships.” Loren was delighted at the resident’s response. “He called it ‘A business spa’,” said Loren. “‘A place where serenity and serious commerce come together.’ I thought that was an apt description of the kind of job perk that accompanies an office in the middle of a barrier island paradise.”

Letter to the Editor Dear editor, I want to wish you continued success with the Island Eye News! I was quite surprised to read that you are just starting your 5th year. It seems to me that you have been part of our island life for years! You certainly have created a niche for us islanders and I look forward to having the Island Eye News in my mailbox every other week for years to come. Thank you for being that special resource. Sincerely, Diane Oltorik IOP

Send your letters to the editor, concerns, discussions and stories to: [email protected]

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May 29, 2009

Isle of Palms welcomes Bergwerf to City Council

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n May 19, the Isle of Palms formally welcomed their newest City Council member to the team. Barbara Bergwerf, who ran against Ron Denton for former Council member - now Mayor - Dick Cronin’s seat, won the election with 446 votes, or 57.03% of the votes. Of the 3,333 registered voters on the Isle of Palms, 785 (23.55%) turned out for the Isle of Palms special elections on May 12. When asked about her victory, Council member Bergwerf had this to say: I have been involved in community issues since moving to the Isle of Palms, but deciding to run for the City Council seat vacated by Dick Cronin was a huge decision: a decision made easier with the

Mayor Cronin swears in Barbara Bergwerf while Catherine Malloy (friend and campaign manager) facilitates.

support of my family and friends. The campaign was a very positive experience and something totally new to me. I was able to meet our citizens face to face and discuss their hopes for the island. I was able to make new friends and reconnect with old friends from Wild Dunes to Breech Inlet. If I have come away from the campaign with one thing, it is that our citizens want the feeling of “community”. Yes, we welcome tourists, but Isle of Palms is our home and we need to build on our sense of community, strengthen our neighborhoods and encourage our business community to market this island as a “wonderful place to live”. Since Election Day a little over two weeks ago, I haven’t had a great deal of time to sit back and enjoy the victory. I have already attended several Barbara's friends celebrate her victory during her post election party. meetings in my capacity as member of the City Council. Our island faces many challenges with the downturn in the economy and I look forward to helping our community navigate through these troubled times. I will be an accessible Council member and encourage interaction with the residents and business community. While I enjoyed discussing issues with those I met while campaigning, I am looking forward to even more discussions now that I am serving on City Council.

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May 29, 2009

Bikini Bash is back

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he Budweiser Bikini Bash kicked off on Sunday, May 17, at The Windjammer on the Isle of Palms. The contest will run every Sunday afternoon for 13 weeks and is being sponsored by Budweiser, Bud Light Lime, 95SX and the Charleston City Paper. Along with the bikini contest, a variety of live musical artists will play each week. Contests begin around 5:30pm with musicians taking the stage at 7pm. Participants will enter the contest on the day of the event and will be judged by the audience. Each week, a finalist will be selected and will receive $500. There will also be a “wild card” contest for the girls that don’t win each week, where fans can vote online with 95SX. The online winner contest will receive $250. The grand prize winner will receive $4,000 and two flyaway concert trips from 95SX and the second place runnerup will win $1000. Total cash prizes for the Budweiser Bikini Bash are $12,250. Contestants must be at least 18 years old to enter. For more information visit www.windjammeriop.com or e-mail windjammer@comcast. net.

Bikini Bash calendar:



Sunday, May 31: Round #4. Musical guests: The Pop Machine. Sunday, June 7: Round #5. Musical guests: Stoneking. Sunday, June 14: Round #6. Musical guests: The Head Shop Boys. Sunday, June 21: Round #7. Musical guests: Cowboy Mouth (tickets are $15 – available at etix.com or at the Windjammer). Sunday, June 28: Round #8. Musical guests: Lefty at the Washout (outside stage at 7pm), The B Foundation (inside stage at 8pm), Mike Pinto (outside stage at 9pm) and BALLYHOO (inside stage 10pm. Saturday, July 4: Round #9. Musical guests: Playlist (starting at 10pm. Tickets $8 - available at etix. com or at the Windjammer). Sunday, July 5: Round #10. Musical guests: Playlist.

Calling all lifeguards Provided by Sarah Reynolds,

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Mount Pleasant Recreation Department

n June 26, lifeguards from the Charleston area and throughout South Carolina will come together to compete in a challenge to showcase, test and honor lifesaving skills. The 12th Annual SCRPA Lifeguard Competition will begin at 8:30am in Mount Pleasant and continue in the afternoon on Folly Beach. Teams will consist of three or four accredited lifeguards and can be registered up to the day of the event. The event will feature pool events at the R.L. Jones Center in Mount Pleasant followed by beach events beginning at 1:30pm at the Folly Beach County Park. Mount Pleasant Recreation Department Aquatics Coordinator Jeff Garrard, who is helping to organize the event, remarks that the competition is not only a fun experience for the participating lifeguards, but also provides fitness and skills training for the guards in addition to building camaraderie. “The guards form a bond from practicing together for the competition which carries over to their workplace,” said Garrard. “And the actual training they do in preparation for the competition builds their lifesaving skills and in turn increases their expertise

and knowledge at the pool or beach.” Pool events at the R.L. Jones Center include Spinal Injury Management, Brick Tow Relay, 50-Yard Sprint, Submerged Deep Water Rescue with CPR, 500Yard Swim and 100-Yard Relay events. Beach events at Folly Beach County Park will include Run-Swim-Run, One-Mile Run, Beach Flags and Active Rescue events. Lunch will be served in between the two series of events. An awards ceremony will immediately follow the competition, with awards given to first, second and third place teams. To qualify to compete, all participants must be certified through an accredited agency and provide proof of certification. Teams must be composed of three to four members, with at least one male and one female on each team. Entry fees are $50 per team and proof of certification must be furnished with the registration form. Interested teams may register or request more information from MPRD Aquatics Coordinator Jeff Garrard at 884-2528. Day-of registration will be available at the R.L. Jones Center from 8 - 8:30am.

PHOTOS BY Sarah Reynolds

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Mount Pleasant Recreation Department lifeguard Dave Johnston, center, dives to retrieve a flag from the sand before other competing lifeguards during one of the beach events of the 2008 SCRPA Lifeguard Competition at Folly Beach County Park.

www.islandeyenews.sc

May 29, 2009

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The Wood Stork

A Piccolo FANTASY

By Sarah Harper

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Carol McGill and Randy Walker enjoy Carol's art at the Real Estate Studio on King St.

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ullivan’s Islander Carol McGill is, once again, leaving her artistic mark on Charleston via the 2009 Piccolo Spoleto festival. McGill won the 2008 “Vanishing Landscapes” Spoleto competition and the 2005 Cooper River Bridge Run design competition, and from now through June 13, McGill’s talent will be on display at the Real Estate Studio, 214 King Street, in the form of her latest installation “Charleston green: FANTASY”. McGill credits her grandchildren for giving her the “world exploration” theme as the inspiration for this show. You might notice them, tucked into a mermaid’s posture alongside a splashing dolphin or loggerhead turtle. “Imagination and the joy of life are the heart of a child,” she says. The precious imagination of a child is the ethereal gem you can hope to find while exploring McGill’s explorations. “These images are painted on Charleston Green backgrounds.

Each canvas is treated to many coats of house paint, mixed to that perfect shade that recreates the shutter and joggling board color of so many downtown houses,” McGill explains. “The creatures that dwell on these canvases were studied, photographed, drawn and birthed in oil with consideration to texture and vibrancy. The style is bold, loose, almost sculpting these beings into existence while being sure that their personality shines through.” The show is a kaleidoscope of nature, living and breathing, with images coming from our marshes and waterways as well as exotic locales whose representatives were found at the Columbia Zoo. The beautiful studio space on King Street, just steps from the Charleston Place Hotel, was donated by Randy Walker of Dunes Properties. Carol McGill will be among her art work at the Real Estate Studio on Sunday afternoons from 2:30-5:30pm.

he Wood Stork has been federally classified as an endangered species in the US since 1984. Its numbers in the U.S. began to plummet in the 1960s due to habitat loss in the everglades and other wetland loss in the southeast. Wood Storks stand at almost four feet tall and can weigh up to 10 pounds. They are easily recognized in flight, since they fly with their necks and legs extended and have black primary (flight) feathers. They are specialized feeders who forage in shallow, murky water and rely on touch, not sight, to capture minnows and small invertebrates. They begin breeding at the age of

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three or four and nest in rookeries alongside ibises, herons and anhingas. I took this photograph at a rookery at Dill Plantation on James Island, where three small ponds with islands make ideal breeding grounds for the Wood Storks. The Department of Transportation is planning to extend I-526 and two of its possible routes fall within Dill Plantation, which is owned by the Charleston Museum. One route is almost directly over the Heron Pond where this photo was taken. Hopefully, the Endangered Species Act will preclude construction along these two routes.

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Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series kicks off at Edisto Marina

May 29, 2009

provided by the SC Department of Natural Resources

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won for a 29.4-pound dolphin catch aboard “KiKi.” Second place for Outstanding Youth Angler: Buster Murdaugh for reeling in a 26.8-pound dolphin aboard “Blacksheep”. The “Blacksheep” also successfully tagged and released 11 dolphin, earning then 550 points towards the Blue Water Conservation Award. For more information on the South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series, contact Wally Jenkins at (843) 953-9835 or [email protected], and Amy Dukes at (843) 953-9365 or [email protected]. Visit the Web site at http://govcup.dnr. sc.gov/ to learn more about the South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series and to keep up with this year’s standings.

PHOTO BY SCDNR

he South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series launched the 2009 edition May 13-16 at the annual Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament. This year commemorates the 21st season of the Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series, a program coordinated by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that has accomplished much towards the promotion and enhancement of marine resources conservation, most notably the 100 percent release rate of billfish caught and released during the 2008 Series. For the 2009 season, the Series consists of four tournaments along the South Carolina coast, concluding July 25 with the Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament.   Despite small craft advisories that prevented fishing on day one, the weather was excellent for both Friday and Saturday for the 27 boats participating in this Series tournament. Wally Jenkins and Amy Dukes, Series program coordinator and tournament coordinator respectively, said that the fishing was excellent. “The hospitality extended to the fleet and enthusiastic support of the citizens and leaders of Edisto Beach helped kick off what is likely to be a great year for the Series,” said Jenkins. Jenkins and Dukes recorded 13 billfish caught and released by participating anglers during the tournament, including 11 blue marlin and two sailfish. In addition, a total of 355 dolphin were landed during the weekend. However, no tuna or wahoo were landed.

Edisto Marina Billfish Tournament awards:  Outstanding Billfish Boat: “Miss Magnolia”, owned and captained by Tram Colket. Anglers caught and released two blue marlins, accruing 1,200 points. “Miss Magnolia” also earned top honors as the Outstanding Billfish Conservationist boat for tagging and releasing both marlins. Second place for Outstanding Billfish Boat: “Blue Sky”, owned by Greg Smith. Steven Crammer captained the boat which caught and released a blue marlin on Friday. Third place for Outstanding Billfish Boat: “Fin Addict”,

owned and captained by Danny Massalon. Angler Tara Asbill caught and released a blue marlin and also earned the honor of being designated Outstanding Lady Angler. Second place Lady Angler: Kasey Dantzler aboard “Dough Boy” won with the release of a sailfish, while Kym Harrington on “My Time Out” came in third for the capture of a 19.2-pound dolphin. Outstanding Dolphin: “Rapid Pace,” owned by Sam Schirmer and Trey Banks and captained by Schirmer. Angler Trey Sires landed a 52.6 pound dolphin to earn top honors. First place for Outstanding Youth Angler: Will Gould

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2009 S.C. Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series dates: May 27-30 - 42nd Annual Georgetown Blue Marlin Tournament contact Ricky Ferdon 546-1776 [email protected] or www. georgetownlandingmarina.com July 8-11 - HMY/Viking MEGADOCK Billfishing Tournament contact McKenzie Estes 577-7704 [email protected] July 22-25 - Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament contact Bryan Richardson 768-1280 [email protected]

May 29, 2009

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Turtle nesting season begins

urtle nesting has begun! The first Loggerhead nest was found on Cape Island near McClellanville on May 7. Every year, the number of loggerhead nests fluctuates because a different group of female turtles return to our beaches to lay eggs. An individual turtle may lay two to six nests at two week intervals from late May to early August on the Isle of Palms or Sullivan’s Island. Each nest contains an average of 126 protein-rich eggs, so this effort greatly reduces her nutritional stores. For that reason, she will probably skip one to three seasons until her body is capable of producing 600 plus eggs again. Those of us who are volunteers for the SC Department of Natural Resources always look forward to the expert prediction of Sally Murphy, former SC Sea Turtle Coordinator. Her method incorporates previous years’ nest numbers, factoring in how many turtles should return and how many should be joining the nesting population, etc. Last year was a high year for our state’s nests with 4,500. This year, Sally predicts about 3,200 nests

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By Mary Pringle

statewide. Our Turtle Team had 30 nests in 2008, so if we use Sally’s formula, we should be in the low 20s in nest numbers this season. We’ve had everywhere from 10 to 56 nests in recent years. It may be possible that the renourishment project in Wild Dunes lowered our numbers slightly and raised Dewees Island’s nests slightly because turtles would be likely to avoid the lights and heavy equipment on the beach all night. So it is possible that we will be in the mid to upper 20s in nest numbers this year. The beach is in good condition for nesting, with the wide expanse of new sand between 53rd Avenue and Ocean Point on the Isle of Palms. The southern section had some “scarping” or erosion from the tide causing steeply chopped off dunes during the fall and winter storms, but the natural process of sand blowing up the beach has nicely repaired the dunes in most places. On Sullivan’s Island the sandbar offshore appears to be slowing attaching itself, and the tidal gully near Station 26 now has no outlet to Breach Inlet and is enclosed.

On May 7, we had our orientation and welcomed 33 new volunteers. Two of them are already Aquarium Sea Turtle Volunteers as well – truly devoted to turtles and part of a large crowd who helped with the release of 320 lb. loggerhead female “Debordieu” at the County Park on the Isle of Palms on May 2. We were also happy to welcome Betsy Brabson and Jeff McClary and many of the sea turtle volunteers who came down the coast to see “their turtle” Deb released. On Friday, May 15, our beach patrol began, and we will be out there at dawn looking for tracks and new nests. This will continue until August 15 with nest protection duties extending into late September and perhaps

early October. Let’s hope for a good year with lots of nests. Unfortunately, the season has also begun with turtle strandings - eight of them for us as of May 12. The total reported in SC by May 12th was 26, with 57 for GA, and 99 for NC. All of ours were dead when they washed ashore. This included three loggerheads, three green sea turtles, and two Kemps Ridley. Three had propeller marks from boat strikes. If you ever come across a stranded sea turtle, dead or alive, or sea turtle tracks that have not been reported, please call the police non-emergency number at 886-6522 or Mary Pringle at 8868733. Let’s hope for a good year with lots of loggerhead nests!

Lend a hand this summer

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By Jack Little

ast Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO) needs summertime volunteers to help meet the needs of their clients. Volunteers are needed to interview clients, stock shelves and pack grocery bags, sort clothes and assist clients with shopping and clothing selection.   Greg Never, volunteer coordinator, says, “A lot of our volunteers are from the north and return home during the summer months. We are in an urgent situation to fill their places for the summer. Summer is normally one of our busiest times during the year to give out food, since children are home from school and they do not benefit from the free lunch programs. We expect to see more demand than ever because of our current

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economic situation.” ECCO is also extending its hours of giving away emergency food on Tuesday evenings until 7 pm to help those who cannot come in during working hours. Normal hours of service are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday mornings from 9 am to noon.   ECCO is dedicated to helping those in our community who are in tough economic situations. Since its inception after Hurricane Hugo, its services currently include assistance with emergency food and financial assistance for rent and utilities. It also provides clothing, prescription assistance, furniture, medical and dental care. Interested potential volunteers may contact Greg at 849-9220 or gnevers@ eccocharleston.org.

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May 29, 2009

Global warming and hurricane season A love affair

T

By Ali Akhyari

he southeast coast of the United States affords its residents luxuries which people from all over the world travel here to experience. The lush marshlands, the salty breeze and the unique ocean views are the idea of paradise for many. But all the benefits of coastal living come with a price. Hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and coastal residents are very aware of the Lowcountry’s potential for disaster as this date comes and goes. This is especially true in 2009 as we approach the 20 year anniversary of Hurricane Hugo. On the back drop of that disastrous storm, it has never been more imperative to be prepared for hurricane season; and part of being prepared is being aware. Every year, people turn to various sources for a hint of what to expect out of the Atlantic Ocean. William Gray, of Colorado State University, is one of the most popular and ana-lyzed hurricane forecasters in the United States. Along with his protege, Philip Klotz-bach, he has spent many years analyzing data and developing models that are de-signed to reflect an understanding of tropical storm activity in the Atlantic Basin, the most inconsistent tropical storm corridor in the world. Fortunately, the odds seem to be in favor of an average hurricane season, as opposed to the above average year that was correctly predicted last year. According to Klotzbach and Gray, there is a 67% chance of one or more tropical storms hitting the East Coast of the U.S. this year. That is up 17% from last year. Gray says there is a 60% chance of at least one category 1-2 hurricane making landfall (up 16% from last year) and a 45% of at least one category 3-5 hurricane making landfall (up 14% from last year). Last year, there were six major storms while Gray predicted nine. Despite the great amount of research and analysis Gray introduces into his predictions, even he says that it is impossible to accurately predict with any certainty what the Atlan-tic has in store for us this early in the season. However, statistics do not lie and the numbers

show a huge decrease in major hurricanes (category 3, 4, or 5) making landfall in the eastern United States over the last 43 years, compared to the previous 43 years. From 1923 to 1965, there were 24 major hurricanes to hit versus just 7 from 1966 to 2008. This phenomenon has many people asking “why”. The most popular theories have pointed to global warming. Famous personalities like Al Gore have paraded the theory in front of the public and shown that an increase in tropi-cal storms and hurricanes is exactly what many scientists predict will happen in con-junction with global warming. Hurricanes get their massive amounts of power from warm tropical waters. So it stands to reason that warmer water equals more fuel for hurricanes. Mark Saunders, professor of climate prediction at the University College London, recently published his research in the journal Nature which suggests a correlation between

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increased water temperature and increased hurricane activity. This explains why 2005 was a record breaking year for hurricanes and why 2007 saw relatively few. Saunders’ study focused on a band of water from around Puerto Rico and Northern South America to the coast of Africa where Atlantic hurricanes are born. His study sug-gests that with every one degree Fahrenheit increase in water temperature, hurricane activity will increase about 50 percent. In 2005, the average water temperature in this region was 1.4 degrees higher than nor-mal. That year there was a total of 28 named storms and 13 hurricanes. However, in 1971, when water temperatures were the coolest they have been in recorded history, there were only 13 named storms and six hurricanes. While Saunders’ study focused solely on water temperature correlations, he admits that changes in wind patterns ac-tually have a larger impact on hurricane activity than water temperature. A recent study conducted by the federal government uses this last fact to suggest that global warming may actually decrease the number of hurricanes we see. Wind shear, a change in wind speed or direction, is a crucial factor in the development of hurricanes, which is why El Nino and La Nina shifts are so closely watched during hurricane sea-son. Shifts between El Nino and La Nina change wind shear over the Atlantic. Increased wind shear disrupts hurricane formation, resulting in fewer hurricanes. Chunzai Wang, a research oceanographer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), states that an increase see Hurricanes on page 22

May 29, 2009

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Mr. Gator’s homecoming

veryone writes ‘kerplunk’ when Ole Mr. Gator to Hungry Mr. Gator. Today, the Mr. Gator series is accepted something falls into the water,” throughout South Carolina as history and said author Julie McLaughlin to science books as they describe all of the the room of first graders at Sullivan’s Island Elementary as she described a page in her book Mr. Gator’s up the Creek. “And my editor told me to come up with something else. So I walked down to the pond by my house and threw a handful of rocks into the water. And do you know what I heard? The first rock sounded like ‘splish’ and the second sounded like ‘plop’. So in the book, when the turtles jump into the water, they go ‘splish’ and ‘plop’.” The children giggled, but soon quieted down as McLaughlin finished the rest of her story, then dimmed the lights for a film about how she wrote the Mr. Gator series. Even though each school visit is a thrilling experience for children’s book author Julie McLaughlin, coming to Sullivan’s Island Elementary on Wednesday, May 20, was especially exciting as it was, in a way, a homecoming for her. McLaughlin taught at Sullivan’s Island Elementary for 17 years before retiring and taking on the full time job of children’s book author. In fact, the very first “edition” of the Mr. Gator series Hungry Mr. Gator, was written for Author Julie McLaughlin with the Mr. Gator series. her students as a project in how to tell a story bodies of water in the State, as well as the about their life experiences. She still carries wetlands. All three of her books - Hungry Mr. around that first edition, written and colored Gator, Mr. Gator’s Up the Creek and Mr. Gator in with bold magic marker and pencil edits Hits the Beach – were illustrated in beautiful where she changed the title of the book from individual water colors by her dear friend and

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11

neighbor, artist Ann Marie McKay. “You get two for the price of one,” McLaughin smiled, “a great story and exceptional South Carolina watercolors.” In the film, McLaughlin runs into McKay painting beside the creek that meanders behind their homes. McLaughlin pointed to the landing where McKay had set up her easel. “Do you recognize that?” She asked. The kids shouted, “yes!” as they realized the artist was standing on the rocky banks where Mr. Gator sunned himself in the book Hungry Mr. Gator. Always the consummate teacher, McLaughlin wrapped up her presentation by showing the children a real alligator’s head and reminding them that alligators are real animals in the wild. “Never feed alligators!” She said. “If you give them food, they won’t be scared of you anymore and they might start to think that you look pretty tasty, too.” She also told them not to swim where alligators might be in the water, as alligators have bad eyesight in murky waters and might think that you’re a fish. And finally, she said that, even though baby alligators are cute, don’t touch them! Their mother is surely close by and they are very, very protective. For more information about author Julie McLaughlin, visit www.legacypublications. com. The Mr. Gator series is available at Barnes & Noble, through Amazon.com and in bookstores throughout the state.

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Friday, May 29 Folly Moonlight Mixer From 7pm – 11pm, local DJ Rob Duren will spin the hottest oldies and beach music around.  Advance tickets are $10 and $8 for Charleston County residents.  If available, tickets purchased on-site are $10.  Only 600 tickets will be sold for this event.  No refunds or exchanges.  Call 795-4FUN or visit www. ccprc.com for more information and additional Mixer dates.

May 29, 2009

Saturday, May 30 Living history at Fort Moultrie On the weekend of May 30-31, members of the Tramp Brigade Organization of Historical Interpreters will present a series of living history programs at Fort Moultrie demonstrating garrison and soldier life in 1859. The fort is open daily, 9am to 5pm. Regular admission $5/family, $3/adult, $1/seniors.

Folly Beach Wahine Classic May 30-31 – High tide 2pm. For more info, call Nancy Hussey at 843-343-4047 or email  [email protected].

Wednesday, June 3 East Cooper Caregiver Education Session From 9:30-10:30am at All Saints Lutheran Church, 2107 Hwy. 17 North, Mt. Pleasant.  This month’s  session will feature Dr. David Oyster, Periodontist, DMD, MS, from Sewee Dental Care, who will speak on the importance of good oral care and how to accomplish this when caregiving for an older adult.  For more information, call Ginger at 810-5576. Piccolo Spoleto Goes to the Beach presents The Wizard of Oz At the Isle of Palms Recreation Center from Wednesday, June 3 – Saturday, June 6. Doors open at 6:30pm and the show begins at 7pm. Admission is $5: children 6 & under are free. Advance tickets are on sale at the Recreation Center: #24 28th Avenue, Isle of Palms. 886-8294.

Thursday, June 4 Book Signing & wine and cheese reception Do Old Dogs Dream Author Harold J. Creel, Jr. will be signing books at Pet Helpers from 7pm – 9pm. Pet Helpers, 1447 Folly Road, James Island All evening proceeds benefit the rescue and care of Pet Helper’s senior canines. The Grey Muzzle Foundation, a national organization, will be on hand to share information on the care of senior dogs. Body, Mind & Spirit for Dogs and their People Dogs of all breeds – and their well behaved people - are invited to attend a special Wild Heir Labrador Rescue (WHLR) benefit from 6 to

Is l a nd E y e

May 29 9pm at Fetch Doggy Day Care at 1990 Ashley River Road in West Ashley. For further info, visit www. wildheirlabradorrescue.org.

Friday, June 5 I Do! I Do! Isle of Palms resident and director of Sprinkles Entertainment, Kirk Sprinkles, presents the Spoleto theater performance “I Do! I Do!” June 5, 6 & 7. 8pm. (3pm on June 7) at the Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Charleston. Tickets are $25, $23 for seniors/students. Ticket Web www.ticketweb.com. Broadway Performing Arts Studios 881-7006.

Saturday, June 6 Wheelin’ Sportsman Event, Catfish Roundup     A fishing event for disabled men, women and children of all ages, the Wheelin’ Sportsmen of the National Wild Turkey Federation bring back the Annual Low Country Catfish Roundup. Bring anyone and anything that you need to spend time in the outdoors. Free food and refreshments for participants. 8-12pm. Pre-registration is requested; for more info and to register call Sewee Center at 928-3368. Free National Trails Day, Volunteers Needed for Event The Backpacker store is seeking volunteers to help refurbish a campsite and do some trail maintenance in the Francis Marion

MoNday Night

tuesday Night

All You Can Eat Creek Shrimp Come fill up on fried Creek Shrimp, coleslaw and hushpuppies for $9.95

Kids Night Bring in the family and kids enjoy .99 meals from our kids menu and and family movies on the big screen for the littles ones

Thu

8pm join best ke

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Live Bluegrass e

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May 29, 2009

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- June 13 National Forest as part of National Trails Day on June 6. The group will meet at Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center in Awendaw before proceeding to the campsite. The Backpacker will provide lunch and hold a raffle for prizes from the store. Call to signup at 849-3482. Carolina Lady Anglers “Fishing for the Cure” The Carolina Lady Anglers are pleased to announce the date for the 12th annual “Fishing for the Cure” inshore tournament. The tournament will be held at the Charleston Maritime Center with a 4pm weigh in. Entry fee will be $30 per angler. Youth anglers 12 and under is $10 per angler. Entry forms can be mailed to P O Box 13141, Charleston, SC 29422. For more info, please e-mail [email protected] or visit www. carolinaladyanglers.org. Leslie McCravy 5K Run to Benefit Pet Helpers Come out for a morning run to help raise money for Pet Helpers in memory of Leslie McCravy. Start and finish by the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier, Folly Beach; race begins at 8am. Cost: Early - $25 through June 1 includes t-shirt. Late - $30 after June 1st includes t-shirt while supplies last. Register at www.pethelpers.org or www.active.com Trident Literacy 1st annual Ride-A-Thon This motorcycle charity run’s goal is to raise $20,000 to support literacy, especially at Trident Literacy’s new Goose Creek location. The event begins and ends at 205 Goose Creek Boulevard, Creek-

13 side Square Shopping Center. Bikers will leave at 12pm and return by 3pm. Cost to register is $15 per bike, and $5 per passenger. Riders may get more information and register online at www.tridentlit.org, or call 747-2223.

Sunday, June 7 4th annual Tricounty Cancer Survivors event At the Charleston Elk Lodge off Cosgrove Avenue. Please register online at www.tricountysurvivors. org or by calling 873-9929.

spin the hottest oldies and beach music around.  Advance tickets are $10 and $8 for Charleston County residents.  If available, tickets purchased on-site are $10.  Call 795-4FUN or visit ccprc.org.

Saturday, June 13 4th Annual Hydrangea Festival From 10am – 4pm, visitors may take a leisurely self-guided tour among the several acres of hydran-

14th Annual Sea Island Habitat for Humanity Golf Benefit This event is all about fun with a shotgun start, putting contest, hole-in-one challenge and great prizes! Come build a house with a golf club at the beautiful Osprey Point Golf Course. Contact Christa Lewis at 843-768-0998 x 111 or [email protected] for more details! 11 am @ Osprey Point Golf Course, Kiawah Island.

Friday, June 12 National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation Golf Tournament The Tri-County Fire Chief’s Association and the St. Johns Fire Department are holding a golf tournament to raise funds for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation at Oak Point Golf Course and with a shotgun start at 9am. The cost is $85.00 per golfer. Application and sponsorship forms can be obtained from either Battalion Chief Wayne Carter, a.carter@ stjfd.org, or Fire Chief Karl Ristow, [email protected]. Moonlight Mixer Dance the night away under the stars at the Folly Beach Fishing Pier with the return of the popular Moonlight Mixers. From 7pm – 11pm, local DJ Rob Duren will

WedNesday Night

Friday Night

All You Can Eat Crab Legs Alaskan Snow Crab Legs served with salad, coleslaw and hushpuppies for $24.95

Fish Fry Sullivan’s Island tradition, come in and enjoy fried flounder, coleslaw and hushpuppies for $9.95

ursday Night The Bushels

us for Charleston’s own ept Bluegrass secret1

83-5030

le St, Sullivan’s Island elsfishcamp.com

every Thursday www.islandeyenews.com

gea gardens. From 12pm until 1:30pm, enjoy lunch at tables set up next to the hydrangea and rose fields. Lunch is $12, but the advice and tours are free. Rosebank Farms is located at 4455 Betsy Kerrison Parkway on Johns Island, just before the Kiawah/Seabrook traffic circle. For more info, call 768-0508 or [email protected]

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W

Manke visits Birds of Prey

ith over 422 species of birds calling South Carolina their home, telling the differences between one species and another may seem like a challenge to most people. But to one of South Carolina’s leading naturalists, Rudy Mancke, that challenge is a literal walk in the park. Manke’s knack for bird identification, as well as his vast general knowledge of South Carolina’s flora and fauna, was obvious as he lead 75 people on a walking nature tour of the Center for Birds of Prey on May 9. Mancke, who is best known as the host of pubic radio’s ‘Nature Notes’, as well as the former host of the nationally syndicated TV show ‘NatureScene’, enlightened the crowd by pointing out nature at work: from the noise of the male cicadas to the identifiable characteristics of poison ivy. “What is fascinating about Rudy is he takes three steps and finds incredible things at your feet that you normally would have never seen,” said Sullivan’s Island resident and attendee, Beezer Molten. “He finds things that a

May 29, 2009

By Emily Coleman

regular person would probably walk right over and not think twice about.” Molten, who has visited the Center for Birds of Prey on previous occassions, found Mancke’s knowledge of the birds equally fascinating. “Going out to the Center is always a fun thing to do,” he said. “Doing the walk with Rudy made it even more interesting because he was able to explain the environment that the birds naturally live in, as well as tell us about the animals.” Mancke also explained his philosophy on nature as he walked throughout the 152 acres belonging to the Center for Birds of Prey. He explained that the natural world can be broken into three groups: the producers, who make their own food; the consumers, who consume others; and the decomposers, who help break things down. Mancke clarified this process as the great recycling system and added, “Death is part of life, and without death, the recycling system doesn’t work.” Jim Elliott, executive director of the Center for Birds of Prey,

practices this philosophy within the Center’s own program and was delighted to hear Mancke’s talk. “At the Center, we try to engage our visitors by explaining how connected everyone is in making an environment turn, using the birds as an illustrator,” said Elliott. “Rudy makes these same points by using everything he sees, from humans to insects to pine cone,s and even birds in the simplest of ways.” His knack for breaking down the complex ecosystem in layman’s terms engaged the crowd as he explained the reproductive process of the male and female pine cone, noting that, “They come from the same tree, but you’d never put the male pine cone on your mantle piece, as it’s a quarter-inch long squiggly thing.”     As for future Rudy Mancke visits, Elliott has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from those who attended the event. “We are already being asked when he will come back,” said Elliott. “Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later.”

(top) Rudy Manke and Leo Fetter. (above) Examining bugs. (below, left) Manke answers even the littlest questions.

May: Acne skin therapy Acne facial + Acne IPL treatment $175

($350 value)

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May 29, 2009

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15

Golf

Small teachers – big lessons

y golf game has been in a tailspin. A terrorizing nosedive, where the only place I can hit the ball is left and “left of left”. It’s bad enough to endure a round of missed shots, but when expectations are for something far better, and the results achieved are far worse, the chasm between the two gets stuffed to overflowing with anger and frustration. It got to the point that fun and joy were simply absent in my last weekend round and there was a part of me that just checked out and was mentally in the parking lot by the 12th hole. Fast forward a week to Saturday morning at the local swimming pool. My daughters, ages eight and six, were going to try out for the pool’s swim team. Now my oldest daughter, 8, is tall for her age, lithe and naturally athletic. She was excited about the prospects of being on the team and competing. My wife and I assumed she would do well as she had in almost all of her athletic endeavors to date. We were, however, concerned about our youngest, who is not a strong swimmer just by virtue of her age and stature. As the morning approached, we talked with her several times that she might not be able to be a part of the team because of the requirement to swim a full lap unassisted and without touching – a feat we knew she couldn’t accomplish. She repeated that she understood, but we were still worried nonetheless. My wife and I feared that the age-old growing pain where younger sister gets caught in the backwash of older sister was about to rear its ugly head. Having been a younger sibling myself, I know all too well the feeling of being left on the sidelines after being told you’re not tall enough, old enough, good enough, etc., etc. So our eldest daughter jumped in and started off on the first lap of her swimming career and unleashed all of her energy in a crazed sprint. By the time she reached the opposite end of the pool and made the turn, she was gassed. She just had to stop. She stopped several more times, as did many of the others, before she completed her lap.

by Richard Hricik

She quickly emerged in tears - the worst kind of tears - crying not because she hurt herself physically, but because of her ego. She immediately announced that she wanted to go home. When I began to sort out the source of her emotional breakdown and tried to give her some comfort, I realized that she was not upset because she had failed, she was upset because she expected that she was going to jump in and instantly become the female version of Michael Phelps, emerging from the pool to a standing ovation for her performance. My blood pressure went through the roof. She was willing to quit and throw a tantrum right there not because she wasn’t capable, but because it didn’t go as she had expected. I was more than a little angry and through clenched teeth and in a low growling voice, I let my displeasure over her melodrama be known. A different drama played out in the far side of the pool. My youngest sat patiently with all the other 5-6 year olds who were incapable of “competing,” taking turns trying to swim the length of the pool assisted by a kickboard. They each clutched their foam life

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rafts and flung their little legs furiously until they reached the other side. Finally, it was my daughter’s turn and without hesitation she took off for the far end, except that she announced she was going to swim, leaving her kickboard behind. She struggled to swim about 40 feet before she had to grip the side of the pool. She paused, caught her breath, and then kept on going in ever shorter and shorter bursts, pausing only long enough to breathe, but never stopping completely until she reached her destination. She emerged at the far end of the pool wearing a smile that came not from appreciation by me or anyone else, but from deep within her skinny frame, earned from the satisfaction of knowing she tried her best. I was never so proud. Back at home I explained to my eldest why I was upset, how quitting can become a dangerous habit, that there is nothing more self defeating than results-based expectations and there is great honor and reward in effort. I also championed my younger daughter’s feat on the day. The eldest then hugged and congratulated her little sister in earnest. After our discussion ended, I suffered one of the very worst feelings that only a parent can know – the sudden and sickening realization that you are trying to teach your child a lesson that you need to learn yourself, or have simply forgotten. Later that afternoon I spent over two hours at the range and had a practice session like I haven’t had in quite some time. I was focused and purposeful in all of my shots and my form was on the mend. I left drenched in sweat, physically exhausted and wearing a smile I saw earlier in the day in face of my youngest daughter. There is an old Buddhist proverb that says, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Until next time, play well. Richard is a golf enthusiast, local lawyer and part-time writer seeking publication of a novel about golf. Contact him at donseve@ bellsouth.net. ©2009 Richard Hricik.

May 29, 2009

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n a bright spring day in the late 1950s, a family maid and her ward, an energetic little boy with a shock of sandy blonde hair, took a stroll down to White Point Gardens to catch the breeze. Their house wasn’t very far away, no more than a couple blocks, and afternoon strolls were a regular pastime in the warmer months. It was for good reason that the Native Americans called the Charleston Peninsula the land of seven winds, and White Point Gardens, also known as the Battery, is one of the best places on land to catch the cooling cross breezes. While the maid chatted with her friends, the boy played on the stacks of cannonballs and fiddled with the sealed shut firing mechanisms of the Civil War cannons. It was several minutes before the maid noticed he was missing. She leapt from her bench and began searching frantically. “David!” she yelled, “David, come out and quit playing!” As she passed one of the cannons, she heard a giggle. “David, you come out of there right now!” She demanded, but all she got in return was more laughter. “That’s it; I’m coming in after

The man of history you!” She said, and foisted her generous figure into the air and down the cannon’s barrel. In a split second, David was climbing out of the other end, but the maid was stuck, her legs flailing from the end of the cannon. “She got out, but she was mad for a while,” said David Farrow as he wrapped up one of his favorite childhood stories. Personal tales of Charleston’s recent history pepper Farrow’s talks and are a huge selling point for his Downtown Charleston Tours. David is what one would call a “native Charlestonian”, a notable distinction which is not bestowed upon just anyone. The saying goes that you’re not a native of Charleston unless you’ve been here for four generations or more. For example, David’s mother called his father’s family “newcomers”, since they only arrived in Charleston in 1702, while his mother’s family, the Ravenels, arrived in 1686. Because of his deep ties to a city he so obviously loves, David’s stories are infused with littleknown anecdotes and personal tales which draw his listeners much further into the day to day life of early Charleston than your average carriage or walking tour.

“The cocktail party actually began in Charleston,” said David, sharing another rare Charleston tidbit with his listeners. “Northerners used to stay at Yemen’s Hall, as it was the only all-Yankee boarding house in Charleston.” He went on to explain that the Northerners felt slighted that no one threw them dinner parties, as the custom in Charleston at the time was to eat a large lunch and a smaller supper. To appease the agitated Yankees, the Legare family, who lived near Yemen’s Hall at the time, threw an early evening party with finger foods (Southerners, and

David's childhood home.

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17

Charlestonians in particular, are known for eating many different types of foods with their hands) and cocktails. The Yankees were so thrilled with this casual approach to a light dinner that the idea soon spread across the United States. In his spare time, David is also working on his online publication, The Charleston Times, a regularly updated website with both local and regional Charleston News, as well as his blog, davidfarrow. wordpress.com. For more information on his tours, please write to [email protected].

Do You know your charleston

May 29, 2009

19

An informal tea By David Farrow

I

had occasion to go to the First Flush Tea Festival at the Charleston Tea Plantation a couple of Saturdays ago. It was out on Wadmalaw Island, not far from Rockville. As my friend John Trott, whose father lives a stone’s throw from the property, reminded me, the plantation was started as an experiment by the Lipton Company back in the 60s. I want to congratulate the PR departments of “The Bridge” at 105.5 and the tea plantation. The event was a family affair, replete with funnel cakes and attracted thousands of people with young families, as well as senior citizens, out to a great concert on a perfect May afternoon. I went by myself. I sat under a sprawling live oak, its tendrils draping the ground which was splashed with shafts of sunlight, and enjoyed some iced tea and tomato pie, grooved on the music and watched thousands of people parade in front of me. It was an incredible cross-section of Lowcountry humanity, from toddlers to people on walkers,

and all races passing by: everyone from a young girl with green hair and darned attractive nose rings dressed in a manner that one hoped her mother knew nothing about, to women in their 60s, walking erect and proud with a confidence borne only by living life head on. Lawyers and executives dressed casually in polo shirts and khaki shorts, hippies strolled by in jeans and old men with their pants up around their sternums shuffled along. There were an inordinate amount of young parents who knew nothing of the recession. On the whole there was money; not scads of money, but these people were either keeping up with their bills or on their appearances. What struck me the most, though, was that I didn’t know a single one of them. Who on earth were these people? I reflected back some 30 years when I went to the Spoleto finale at Middleton Place. That also attracted quite an eclectic crowd and was certainly a high point of

Hook, line, and sinker

my year. The thing is that even though there were thousands there, you could always find a couple of hundred people with whom you had at least a nodding acquaintance. Not so here. There wasn’t even a faint glimmer of recognition as the procession moved on. Finally, I heard a voice call my name, and I discovered my friend John Trott right behind me. I sat with him and his neighbors, one of whom I vaguely knew, and had a perfectly grand afternoon. Trott was as puzzled and amazed as I at the fact that we didn’t know anyone. I’ve known John for almost 50 years (that’s a little scary) and between us, I would say we have at least a few thousand people with whom we could strike up a conversation. We were bemused. There were a lot of factors: our age, the influx of population, etc., but one thing struck me in the midst of our ruminations under the oaks. The children in strollers will see a totally different world 50 years from now. Not only will every vestige of the Old South be obliterated, but, I suspect the New South will be a memory as well.

K i d s c a t c h i n g s u mm e r f e v e r Provided by Daniel Culpepper

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n the hope of getting the 2009 summer off to a good start for the local youth, kids 16 and under are invited to a free day of fishing at the Folly Beach Pier on June 6. The Folly Beach Anglers Fishing Club and the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Department are teaming up to sponsor a free day of fishing as well as a tournament at the Pier for local kids in recognition of their first Saturday out of school. Don’t worry if you or your child is inexperienced! Plenty of volunteers will be available to help you catch fish.

Prizes will be awarded for the biggest fish in each of the following categories: Girls 12 and under, Boys 12 and under, Girls 13-16 and Boys 13-16. Fishing rods will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own if they have them as supplies will be limited. Don’t miss this opportunity to toss a line in the water, have some fun and spend some quality time at the beach at no cost. For more information, contact Daniel Culpepper at [email protected] www.islandeyenews.com

Half a century from now, I have serious doubts that we will be celebrating Confederate Memorial Day or Carolina Day on the Battery, despite the best efforts of my contemporaries. There simply won’t be enough people to care. Those two Charleston holidays – one signifying great victory, the other ignominious defeat – will be replaced by other more relevant occasions celebrating other victories. The events leading up to the commemorations will not even be mentioned in the history books. It didn’t matter that grand afternoon. Given the events unfurling in all of our lives, I suspect it soon might, but as John and I stood eating boiled peanuts and laughing, there were enough distractions to not think about the “uncertain” future (when on earth was it ever certain?). Reality was Shawn Mullins, iced tea, laughs with an old friend and a sterling afternoon in May. Sometimes, that’s as good as it gets. Want to read more? Visit David Farrow’s blog at davidfarrow. wordpress.com.

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May 29, 2009

LDC Lucky

Pinewood Derby champions

Dad CluB

Is your dad a lucky dad? If so, send us your story about him for our June 12 "Father's Day" issue, and if you're our lucky winner we will run your story on the front page! Send your submissions to [email protected] or drop it by our office at 2205 Middle Street, Suite 202 above Station 22 Restaurant. For more info call 886-NEWS(6397).

Grace Runza’s Peace Project By Grace Runza

Today I would like to tell you about my peace project for my school. I go to East CooperMontessori Charter School in I'on. At our school, each child is asked to do a year long peace project for our community. The one I chose this year was good dental health. I asked my dentist, Dr. Randy, to come speak to the whole lower elementary and tell them about taking care of their teeth. He and his assistant, Katy, came to our school on May 4. Below, you will see a picture of our school with Dr. Randy. We are also taking donations of toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss etc. for a mission trip to Mexico to give to children who do not have any. If you are interested in donating, please contact my mother, Denise, at [email protected] I really like my school and enjoy working on this type to project that helps other people in need. Grace Runza, 7 years old, is a resident of the Isle of Palms and a student at East Cooper Montessori Charter School.

Congratulations to this year’s winners at the Pack 59 Cub Scout Pinewood Derby! First place for Best Speed on Track went to Mason Suggs, First Place for Best Car Design as selected by the scouts went to Jackson Holbrook and Rivers Ulmer won Judge’s Choice.

Eye Spy

Do you know what this is?

Kids, send your guess for this week’s Eye Spy to info@ luckydognews.com. Please include your mailing address with your submission. The winner will receive a coupon for a free ice cream at Café Medley on Sullivan's Island.

No on guessed last week's Eye Spy! It was a cannon on top of Ft Moultrie. Send your guess to info@luckydognews. com or call 886-6397. www.islandeyenews.com

IOP Recreation Center #24 28th Avenue 886-8294 www.iop.net

Isle of Palms Rec Center

No Middle School Dance in May! A limited number of theme dances and activities will be offered throughout the next school year.

Summer Camps:

Anthony Johnson Basketball Camp June 22 – 26 Ages 5 – 15 years old 9am – 4pm $180 registration fee $125 ½ day for 5 & 6 years olds Campers may bring a lunch or purchase lunch from canteen. More healthy lunch in 2009! Spaces limited Girls Volleyball Camp July 6 – 10 Ages 10 – 15 years 9am – 12 noon $125 registration fee Spaces limited Lacrosse Camp July 27 – 31

Ages 7 – 15 years 9am – 12 noon $125 registration fee Register now!

Soccer Camp: ages 5 & 6 August 3 – 7 9am – 12 noon $125 registration fee Register now! Soccer Camp: ages 7 – 13 August 3 – 7 9am – 3pm $200 registration fee Campers should bring a bag lunch. Register now! Theatre Camp August 3 – 14 Ages 9 – 16 years 9:00am – 12:00 noon $150 registration fee Must register by June 12 Piccolo Spoleto Goes to the Beach presents The Wizard of Oz Wednesday – Saturday June 3 – 6, 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm) $5.00 admission – children 6 and under admitted free

Poe Library events

1921 Ion Ave Sullivan’s Island 883-3914 Hours: Mon & Fri: 2 - 6 Tues, Thur & Sat: 10 - 2  Edgar Allan Poe Library summer reading schedule Summer story times Tuesdays at 10:30am Story time with Ms. Nana Thursdays at 10:15am Story time with Ms. Patty

Summer specials Thursday, June 4, at 11:30am Create your own ‘kooky cookie’ Come celebrate the beginning of The Summer Reading Program and get those creative juices flowing by making your very own kooky cookie. Saturday, June 6, at 10:30am Summer crafts with Grace Dunbar’s “Do It Yourself Arts and Crafts”. Get a head start on that special Father’s Day gift with Ms. Grace. Thursday, June 11, at 12noon Clay Day at the Poe. Mold a masterpiece in clay with local potter, Dale Roof. Call ahead to reserve your lump of clay. Tuesday, June 16 at 12 noon Ms. Matilda’s sweet grass demonstration. Come see a local artist weave her magic and listen to Gullah stories. You’ll get to try your hand at this vanishing art form and take a souvenir when you leave. Tuesday, June 23 at 11am The Plantation Singers perform Sing along with Plantation Singers as they pay us a visit to celebrate summertime in

the south. Tune up those vocal cords, because audience participation is appreciated! Thursday, July 2 at 12 noon Star Spangled Arts and Crafts Three cheers for the Red, White and Blue as you decorate your very own flag to wave for the 4th of July. Tuesday, July 7 at 12 noon Build a Book with Mr. Zack Enjoy the stories of Robert Munsch and create a book of your very own. Tuesday, July 14 at noon Totally Turtle Day. Mary Pringle of the Lowcountry Turtle Team will be on hand to share the story of ‘Cara the Turtle’ and to tell us all about sea turtles. You’ll be able to make your own turtle to take with you. Tuesday, July 21 at 11:30am Not a Box. What can you do with a box? Join us for stories, songs and games centering on what creative things can be done with just a simple box. Children will make their own box puppets. Tuesday, July 28 at 12 noon Produce the Perfect Pet. Ever want your own pet but parents always said no because pets are too much work? Well here’s your chance to make your own pet (out of a rock!) Thursday, July 30 at noon “Say So Long” Celebration. Come join us for music, merriment and cool refreshments as we celebrate the end of another successful summer reading program.

Advanced tickets on sale at the Recreation Center.

25. Ages 12 years and older $35 registration fee for June

3 on 3 Soccer Tournament Saturday, June 13 Ages 9-12 years, 13 and 14 years, 15 and 16 years and 17 years and older. FREE if teams register by Wednesday, June 10. Check-in at 10am.

Total Body Challenge Tuesday – Fridays 8am – 9am $ 7 walk-ins or sign up for six week sessions. Prices vary. Aerobic and exercise class that provides different challenges each day!

IOP Beach Run Saturday, July 18, 8am $12 registration before June 26 $15 registration starting June 27 Fun Runs: ages 14 years and under, 9am $5 registration before June 26 $7 registration starting June 27 T-shirts guaranteed to the first 200 that register (adults & children). Awards given to top 3 male and female in each age category and overall winners. Children in the Fun Run will be given ribbons for participation. NEW THIS YEAR: Runners will use the newest chip technology for an official timed run. Packet Pick up will be held Friday, July 17, from 3pm – 6:30pm at the Windjammer. 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament July 25 – 26 Ages 16 years and older $35 per team (3 or 4 members) Captains meeting 12 noon Games begin at 12:30pm Register now: teams limited Adult Softball Tournament Monday, July 27–Saturday, August 1 Ages 16 years and older $150 per team (up to 12 players) Captains meeting 6pm Games begin at 6:30pm Register now: teams limited Line Dancing Fridays beginning June 5 1:30pm – 2:30pm $2 per class This is not your traditional country line dancing. Registration not required. American Red Cross Pet First Aid Saturday, June 27, 9am – 12 noon or 1pm – 4pm $45 registration – includes materials. Techniques taught for Cats and Dogs only! Register now, must have a minimum of six participants Youth Tae Kwon Do Saturdays 9am – 10am Ages 6 – 11 years $30 monthly registration fee Students allowed to register in June, September and January ONLY! Salsa Thursdays, 7:30pm-8:30pm Begins June 4 and ends on June

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Canasta Tuesdays 11:30am – 2:30pm FREE. Come out and join in a game! Registration is not required. Yoga Tuesdays & Thursdays 12:30pm – 2pm $10 walk–ins $80 for six week session Sports Conditioning Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:15pm – 6:15pm $7 walk-ins $40 for six week session Evening Yoga Mondays & Wednesdays 5:30pm – 6:30pm $7 walk-ins $60 for six week session Saturday Yoga Saturdays, 10am – 11am $7 walk-ins $30 for six week session Mat & Floor Wednesdays 1:45pm – 2:45pm Ages 50 years and older $10 per class Tae Kwon Do: 12 years and up Lower Belts Mondays: 6:30pm–7:30pm Wednesdays: 7pm- 7:45pm Brown & Black Belts Wednesdays: 7:45pm - 9:15pm Saturdays: 10am-12 noon $35 for monthly registration Jump Start Monday – Friday, 9am-12 noon (children must be four by September 1, 2009) Holidays and teacher workdays follow Charleston County School calendar and City of IOP Holiday schedules. Sign up for two, three or five days a week. Prices based on number of days attending. SPACES STILL AVAILABLE!

Tournament Runner Up: Carolina Professional Builders. (front page) Money Man Pawn was this year’s Tournament Champions! Congratulations to the entire Cal Ripken League. It was a  fun and competitive season!

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Police reports for Sullivan's Island for the month of April: 04/01/09: A vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. In the course of conducting the stop, it was learned that the driver’s license was suspended. The subject was arrested and lodged into the Charleston County jail. 04/04/09: An officer responded to a complaint of loud noise coming from a residence. As the officer approached the house and started to knock on the door, he observed a subject lighting a marijuana pipe. The officer knocked and the subject ran into the kitchen area and then came to the door. When confronted with what the officer saw, the subject turned the pipe and his marijuana over. The subject was cited and released. 04/06/09: Officers responded to Jasper Blvd. in reference to a medical call. On arrival, the Hurricanes from page 10 of one degree Celsius in water tempera-tures in the Indian and Pacific Oceans increases wind shear by up to 10mph in the Atlantic. Wang’s study was based on observations and records of landfall hurricanes in-stead of computer models. However, critics say Wang used poor data that was rejected by the Nobel Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Furthermore, he only studied hurricanes that make landfall in the U.S., which can be as few as 10 percent of all Atlantic hurricanes. That panel has already stated that man-made global warming has likely already increased hurricane activity. However, Klotzbach says that global hurricane activity has not increased at all over the past 30 years in relation to warmer ocean temperatures. He says that the only area where hurricane activity really fluctuates is in the Atlantic, which he attributes to

Police Blotter

May 29, 2009

officer observed a subject sitting on a motorcycle with cuts to his hand and foot. It was learned that the subject was on the motorcycle and struck the curb and fell off the motorcycle. 04/18/09: A complainant reported that someone entered her yard and opened a chicken coop and killed nine chickens and injured one. 04/17/09: A complainant reported that a subject who she had made a police complaint against had called her several times and showed-up outside her residence, calling her. The complainant requested that the subject be placed on trespass noticed. 04/19/09: An officer observed a subject fighting with a security personnel at Poe’s. The officer responded and tried to break the fight up after identifying himself as an officer and tried to pull the two apart. The subject turn and

looked at the officer and elbowed the officer in the chest. The subject was subdued, arrested, and lodged into the Charleston County jail. 04/19/09: A complainant reported that her i-Pod was missing from Sullivan’s Restaurant. 04/22/09: Officers received a report that a subject was threatening to hurt herself. Officers responded and located the subject who was evaluated by EMS and was transported to the hospital for further evaluation. 04/25/09: A vehicle was stopped for traffic violations. While conducting the stop, it observed that there was an open bottle of liquor in the back seat. The driver also showed signs that he had been drinking. After further testing, the subject was arrested, processed, and lodged into the Charleston County jail. 04/25/09: Officers assisted the Isle of Palms with several large

underage drinking parties. 04/27/09: A complainant turned in an old weapon previously owned by a family member who had passed for destruction. 04/28/09: Officers responded to a disturbance between neighbors about dog defecation. 04/28/09: An officer responded to a disturbance between a mother and son in reference to the juvenile drinking beer. 04/28/09: Officers responded to a report that a complainant had heard noises outside her residence that she believed someone was trying to get inside the residence. The area was searched with negative results.

the mul-ti-decadal increase in the Atlantic Ocean thermohaline circulation (THC). Ocean salinity, not global warming, is what drives this mechanism, according to Klotzbach. According to their data, the number of major hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean was only about 1/3 as many from 1970 to 1994 as they were from 1945 to 1969, when the earth was actually experiencing a small cooling cycle and the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were significantly lower. He suggests that increased hurricane activity in the Atlantic is a cyclical event. When comparing the recent increased activity since 1994 to activity from 1950-1964, the numbers are basically the same, although water temperatures (and fa-shions) were cooler in the 50s and 60s. Researchers on both sides of the global warming fence use different sets of data and details to support their arguments. As the debate continues, it is apparent that the rela-tionship between hurricane

activity and global warming is too poorly understood to make a firm conclusion. In the meantime, Mother Nature is content with continuing her work behind a few shrouds of mystery. Regardless of what prediction or theory you choose to follow, one thing is certain: The South Carolina Lowcountry is right in the line of fire for Atlantic hurricanes. It is important to be prepared. For a wealth of emergency information, visit www.charlestoncounty. org. Click on “Departments”, then “Law Enforcement/Public

Safety” to find information on emergency management and preparedness. Also, check out the www.scprepares.org website for emergency number lists, emergency kit preparation, tips on handling pets, as well as methods for dealing with disasters from tornadoes to biological emergencies. Detailed information on Klotzbach and Gray's predictions can be viewed at http://hurricane.atmos. colostate.edu/Forecasts/

Name that ’cane 2009

There are six lists of names that rotate every year for naming hurricanes. Names are typically removed from the lists each year as significant storms names are retired, like Hazel (1954), Fifi (1974), Hugo (1989), Andrew (1992) and Katrina (2005). Three names were retired from the 2008 Atlantic season. Hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma will be replaced by Gonzalo, Isaias and Paulette and will be in rotation in 2014. Gustav first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in Haiti before striking Cuba as a Category 4 and finishing up in Louisiana as a Category 2. Gustav was responsible for 112 lives, mostly in Haiti, and causing $4 billion worth of damage in Louisiana. Hurricane Ike struck the Turks and Caicos Islands and Great Inagua Island in the Southeas-tern Bahamas on September 7 as a Category 4, before hitting Cuba followed by Galves-ton, Texas as a Category 2. Ike killed over 80 people and caused an estimated $19.3 billion in damage. Since tropical cyclones were

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first named in 1953, 70 names have been retired, the first two being Carol and Hazel in 1954. Paloma was the second strongest November hurricane on record, reaching Category 4 status before hitting Cuba and destroying an esti-mated 1400 homes and causing $300 million in damage. The naming of hurricanes has been traced back to a tradition in the West Indies where storms were named for the Catholic Saint’s Day on which they landed. Hurricanes are named alphabetically, although the letters “Q” and “U” are always left out and the lists only go to “W”. If the list is used up for the year and storms are still forming, the storms are then named alphabetically from the Greek alphabet, Alpha to Omega.

2009 Hurricane Names Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, Erika, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Joaquin, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor, Wanda

May 29, 2009

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IOP welcomes new police officer

t’s a rare and wonderful feeling to grow up knowing that there is only one job you ever want to hold. For Wesley Funsch, that job was to be a police officer. Funsch graduated from Wando High School in 2004 and spent his summer working for Beach Services on the Isle of Palms. That fall, he took off for Clemson University and returned four years later to Mount Pleasant with a degree in business management. He began looking for a job as a police officer in the Charleston area, but was surprised when the Isle of Palms asked if he would like to join their team. The IOP Police knew they were getting a great officer in Funsch, but they were still surprised to see him graduate at the top of his class from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and receive the J.P. Strom Award for the highest GPA. Funsch is now working full time with Officer Sharon Baldrick on the IOP Police Force and hopes to attend graduate school, specializing in federal law.

Pete: in memoriam

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by Jane McMackin We had a lucky dog. His name was Pete. Please forgive me for using this space to honor him. He passed away April 19 of cancer. He would have been twelve years old in July. Why was Pete lucky? First of all, for the same reason that we were lucky. He became our dog. As a result, he got to move to Isle of Palms from Minnesota. And he got to travel a lot. He has been to over thirty states and Canada. The back of the station wagon was Pete’s place. He would jump in the back before we were finished packing to make sure that we didn’t leave without him. His favorite place was Colorado, hiking in the mountains. He would cover three times the territory we would, running off the trail after marmots or looking for a cool stream to lie down in. He climbed six fourteeners with us (mountains higher than 14,000 feet). We believe that is where his spirit is now. Pete liked to chase things, especially in his early years. To our knowledge, he has caught two squirrels, a rabbit and a Guinea hen. He came face to face with an alligator once in a lagoon on Capers Island. They stared each other down; we were all lucky when he finally responded to our calls. Pete was lucky when his “sister,” Abbey, came to live with us five years ago. Much smaller than Pete but full of energy, Abbey kept Pete fit in his later years. Abbey found us when she stopped cars crossing Highway 52 (we were coming home from Mepkin Abbey). We scooped her up and she came to live with us. When we walked the two of them around Isle of Palms, people would laugh about the big dog and his little companion. They ask about him now, “Where is the big one?” It feels odd to have just one on a leash. We miss him. He was a great dog. Pete (left) and Abbey McMackin

Officer Funsch receives the JP Strom Award for highest GPA in his class.

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