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Volume 16 Issue 1 FREE April 24, 2020

Sullivan’s Island • Isle of Palms • Goat Island • Dewees Island

IOP residents ROADTRIPS CHARLESTON

can return to
the beach
BY BRIAN SHERMAN
ISLAND EYE NEWS MANAGING EDITOR

I
sle of Palms residents returned to the
beach April 21, but social distancing will
remain in effect, groups will be limited to a
maximum of three and most of them will only
be able to use the sandy expanse to exercise.
At a special meeting April 20, the IOP
Council voted 6-3 to reopen the beach, in
anticipation of Gov. Henry McMaster’s plans
to rescind the order that closed it March
30 in an effort to contain the spread of the
COVID-19 coronavirus. Just moments after
the Council meeting came to a close, the
governor announced that as of April 21, local
governments would be able to decide whether
to tear down the signs keeping people from
accessing the beaches at Isle of Palms,
Sullivan’s Island, Edisto Beach and Folly
Beach.
McMaster also said some retail businesses
would be able to open their doors again.
On April 17, he said public boat ramps and
landings would again be available to South
Carolina residents. The Awendaw Creek Trail.
At its April 20 meeting, the IOP Council
chose to take no action on the city’s ban
on short-term rentals, which remained in THE ELUSIVE FEELING
effect through April 30. After hearing from
South Carolina Department of Health and OF CALM AND SERENITY
Environmental Control Regional Public
Health Preparedness Director Raymond AWAIT YOU
Barteet and Dr. Edward O’Bryan of the
Medical University of South Carolina, the
Council continued its policy of limiting access BY CAROL ANTMAN
to the island between the hours of 7 a.m. and FOR THE ISLAND EYE NEWS
7 p.m.

T
The motion to reopen the beach, but
only for activities such as running, walking,
biking, surfing, dog walking “and other
recreational activities consistent with social
distancing,” was presented by John Moye
and amended by Susan Hill Smith to permit
people who are disabled or suffering from
serious health conditions to be able to sit on
the beach. Her original amendment included
the elderly, but Council members apparently
didn’t want to define the term “old.”
The motion was opposed by Ryan
Buckhannon, who saw no reason to require
he Japanese have a lovely tradition: forest
bathing. It’s beautifully described in an
excerpt from this poem by Betsy Hughes:
You stand beneath this canopy of trees,
surrender will, hold still. You close your eyes
and listen as the rustling of the leaves
and lapping breeze-blown waters tranquilize.
Inhaling deeply, you can breathe the smell
of dew-damp soil, the scent of pungent pine,
organic emanations. All is well.

IOP Beach continues on page 3 Roadtrip continues on page 7

The silo in the ACE Basin.

HELPING LIGHT ONE LIGHT THE

NEIGHBORS CANDLE NIGHT
page 6 page 9 page 12
www.islandeyenews.com
2 April 24, 2020
CIVIC
Message from the mayor – Thanks for keeping us safe
I
would first like to express my sincere gratitude for your willingness
to adhere to the latest measures implemented by Gov. McMaster
and the Isle of Palms City Council in an effort to keep our
community safe from COVID-19. This is a difficult time for all of us as
we adjust to this “new norm” of going about our daily lives.
As the City of Isle of Palms continues to practice stay home/work
safe guidelines due to COVID-19, we continue to work with local,
regional, state and federal officials as well as health authorities to
remain safe. Together we embrace the new normal to help mitigate the
coronavirus, as we each do our part to support our local businesses,
navigate back to a firm economy and eventually get Isle of Palms back
to work safely.
The City of Isle of Palms continues to coordinate with the South
Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC),
the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Charleston County Emergency
Management Division, town of Mount Pleasant and Town of Sullivan’s
Island and discuss proactive measures and policies for the pandemic
that we are all facing and to collaborate on our path forward. Our No.
1 priority is the safety and health of our citizens and employees.
The City of Isle of Palms has been tasked with making tough
decisions that have not been taken lightly. Every choice has been
carefully evaluated to ensure that the impact of the coronavirus on
our community and staff is minimized.
To ensure you are getting the necessary information for your
family’s health and livelihood, we continue to provide much-needed
information on the City’s website and Facebook page. As of today, the
City has provided 16 updates on our website regarding our response
to the COVID-19 pandemic.
City Council has had multiple emergency meetings to constantly
take in new information from health officials and take action to
protect our community from this threat. The City of Isle of Palms has
taken and implemented the following actions to protect and mitigate
the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in our community:
1. Suspended normal Council and committee meetings and allowed
electronic meetings;
2. Temporarily suspended the plastics ban to help our local
businesses transition to take-out services only due to lack of
paper take-out packaging available;
3. All deadlines imposed by the City are suspended until July 15;
4. Authorized the administrator to enact a plan to ensure continuity
of city services;
5. City Hall and the Recreation Center are closed and all special
events canceled until further notice;
6. Any gatherings of 10 or more people are prohibited;
7. Access to the island is limited to residents, property owners,
service workers, contractors and health care providers between 7
a.m. and 7 p.m. until April 30.
8. New check-ins for short-term rentals, hotels and any other
overnight accommodation are prohibited from March 26 through
April 30.
As discussed above, the City of Isle of Palms continues limiting
access to the island to those who either live or work on the island via
a checkpoint at the foot of the IOP connector. Our Police Department
has been working in conjunction with Sullivan’s Island and their
checkpoint on the causeway and allowing access to residents from
both communities, which are connected by the Breach Inlet Bridge.
On March 31, 2020, the governor’s Executive Order 2020-16
instructed all public accesses to beaches and waterways to close
immediately. This order does not apply to beachfront property owners
who have private beach access paths. Please do not attempt to
illegally access the beach by trespassing on private property.
Isle of Palms City Council held another emergency meeting on April
13 to discuss extending the current prohibition on short-term rentals
past the current deadline of April 30. At this meeting, Council heard
from Dr. Edward O’Bryan, an emergency medicine physician at MUSC
and executive director of MUSC Health Solutions, who advised that
it may be beneficial to delay taking action on any extensions of these
regulations to see how the steps our region is taking to flatten the
curve are playing out. City Council understands the financial impact
the mitigation efforts are having on our local businesses and wants to
return to normal as quickly as possible, but not at a cost of human
life. We met again on April 20 to re-evaluate.
The Ways and Means Committee held a budget workshop to
discuss our plan going forward. The City is evaluating the essential
projects that must continue as planned, such as the major renovation
of the Public Safety Building. Other projects may be delayed as we
recover from the financial impact this pandemic is having on our
community. Our main industry is tourism, and we have greatly
benefited from tourism revenue for many projects. Two-thirds of our
island are non-resident owners who pay 6% in property taxes, and
Mayor’s message continues on page 3
April 24, 2020
letter to the editor
Dear Editor,
In these uncertain times we
are all living in, I hesitate to
write a letter about anything
really. … but at the core of this
is our integrity and collective
humanity. So here it goes. …
I watched the Town Council
“special meeting” via Zoom on
April 6 after I received a frantic
email from Bachman Smith,
Sarah Church and Sydney Cook
urging me to watch it.
The takeaway was this.
Sarah, Bachman and
Sydney caused a good deal of
unnecessary upset to residents
by circulating false information
regarding the nature of the
meeting via their email.
The fact is, the meeting took
place to discuss a preproposal
with no obligation for a National
Fish and Wildlife Foundation
$125,000 resiliency grant.
emergency and it does not feel
like an appropriate time to have
these discussions” regarding the
grant. Bachman Smith stated,
“We are living in the middle
of a global pandemic under a
state of emergency at the state
level and the town of Sullivan’s
Island. … now is not the time
to barrel forward.” Yet they also
knew that the grant had a filing
deadline and by not actively
engaging in the matter, their
inaction was in essence a pocket
veto of the grant itself. The
residents of the island should
see this entire charade for what
it was – a political ploy.
How do we know it was a
ploy? A mere 14 hours later in
an “emergency” Town Council
meeting, both Bachman Smith
and Sarah Church voted to pass
an ordinance for Council and
all boards and commissions to
3
met three days later to
review a second application
for an extension on an
“accessory dwelling unit
exception.”  Clearly, that is
a critical state of emergency LUCKY DOG
matter . … oh wait. … it’s not.  
Having family working on PUBLISHING
of SC, LLC
the front line of COVID-19, I
take extreme offense to both The Island Eye News
Bachman Smith and Sarah The Island Connection
Church using COVID-19 as a SiP Magazine
pretext to shoot down a grant
“Where to” Map
application or anything else.
Spreading fake news, Lynn Pierotti
shunning free money and using lynn@luckydognews.com
the pandemic as an excuse to publisher
deny a grant that would benefit
every resident because you are Brian Sherman
personally against it is clearly ieneditor@luckydognews.com
a pathetic political move. Have managing editor
the courage to face the issue
openly and honestly with your Jennifer Tuohy
fellow Council members for the jennifer@luckydognews.com
betterment of Sullivan’s Island contributing editor

Typically, these grants are carry on with business as usual. and remember that resiliency
Swan Richards
focused on strengthening … a complete turnaround from is about recovery, in any time senior graphic designer
the coastal community their positions the evening prior frame.
infrastructure in order to protect and their email. Alejandro Ferreyros
coastal communities.   As a result of the ordinance, Kimberly Brown graphic designer

In this case, the grant aligned the Zoning Commission Sullivan’s Island Lori McGee 843-614-0901
with the town’s comprehensive advertising executive
plan regarding resiliency. All letters submitted to The Island Eye News must bear a full name, address and
However, the preproposal had a phone number for verification. Only the author’s name and city will be printed. Christian LeBlanc
fast approaching deadline. Submissions are accepted via email to ieneditor@luckydognews.com or mail to PO. christian@luckydognews.com
At the meeting, Sarah Church Box 837, Sullivan’s Island, S.C. 29482. social media
stated, “My number one concern Letters may be edited for length and readability. The Island Eye News reserves the
on this is we are in a state of right to reject letters that are libelous, unseemly, not individually addressed to The Gregg Bragg
Island Eye News or that have been previously published elsewhere. Charles Claxton
staff writers
IOP Beach continues from page 1
•
people to keep moving on the beach. He said that wasn’t necessary
before the governor closed the state’s beaches and he considered it to CONTRIBUTORS
be “overreach for something that’s not a problem.” Moye disagreed. Carol Antman
“We’ll need this when others can come onto the island. We don’t Susan Carn
want to have to change it in a few weeks. We’re going to have to do this Mary Ferri
to control crowds in the future,” he pointed out. Sabrina Lavender
Mayor Jimmy Carroll and Council Member Jimmy Ward joined Serena Townsend
Buckhannon in voting no, while the measure was supported by Paul Witt
Moye, Smith, Randy Bell, Kevin Popson, Phillip Pounds and Randy
Streetman. •
Barteet told Council members that according to the model favored by
DHEC, the coronavirus reached its peak in South Carolina April 15. He PUBLISHED BY
said it might be possible to relax social distancing guidelines by June Lucky Dog Publishing
1. Dr. O’Bryan, the executive director of MUSC Health Solutions, told of South Carolina, LLC
the Council that the peak might be closer to the end of April but agreed P.O. Box 837
that “there’s going to be a margin of error.” He cautioned that the local Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482
economy should be opened back up gradually. 843.886.NEWS
On April 19, four Lowcountry towns – Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palms,
Edisto Beach and Folly Beach – released a joint statement indicating Submit your letters to the editor to:
that they “remain committed on maintaining safe regional practices.” ieneditor@luckydognews.com
“There is no evidence from medical professionals that indicates that
the threat of COVID-19 in our region has diminished,” the statement
said, adding that all four coastal towns would continue to limit access DEADLINE:
to their beaches.
APR. 29 for our MAY 8 issue
Mayor continues from page 2

half of those are vacation rentals. These are the goose that lays the
proverbial golden egg and they have stopped laying. So now we need
to adjust our budget to accommodate this. Luckily, the City is in a The Island Eye News, a wholly owned
strong financial position and has healthy fund balances to help offset subsidiary of Lucky Dog Publishing of SC
the decline in tourism revenues. However, with hurricane season LLC, is a free, independent newspaper
quickly approaching, we need to be smart in our financial planning published every two weeks and is for and
about the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island,
for the future.
Goat Island and Dewees Island. Copies
Please stay connected with us by visiting the IOP website at www. are mailed free of charge to every active
iop.net and subscribe to the official YouTube account so that you can mailbox in our coverage area and are also
watch all Council meetings from the comfort of your home. available at area businesses. Contribu-
Lastly, while our police, fire, public works and other city staff tions of information, pictures and articles
members cannot stay at home, you can. They come to work for you, are welcomed and are used according to
so please stay home for them. Be mindful of others, stay 6 feet away space limitations and news value and can-
and do not gather in groups of 10 or more. Please thank our staff not be returned except by special request.
and those who supply us at the Harris Teeter, the pharmacy, the Op-ed articles and letters to the editor do
restaurants and our delivery drivers. They are all everyday heroes. not necessarily reflect the opinion of
Lucky Dog News or its writers.
Thank you and please stay safe,
All advertising rates are listed at:
Jimmy Carroll, Mayor
www.islandeyenews.com under “advertising”
Isle of Palms
PAID FOR BY THE KHOURY AND KOBROVSKY FAMILIES
 Helping neighbors
in need
BY DR. SUSAN R. CARN
FOR THE ISLAND EYE NEWS
T
he Isle of Palms Exchange
Club has partnered with
the City of Isle of Palms to
provide a free grocery pickup
and delivery service for online
orders placed at Harris Teeter or
Target.
Through the generosity
of an anonymous citizen,
the Exchange Club recently
received funding to support
a new program to assist at-
risk residents of the Isle of
Palms. The program’s mission
is to deliver food during the
COVID-19 pandemic lockdown,
with a goal of reducing the
risk to our residents as well as
reducing the number of people
in grocery stores.
The program is identifying
participants that need this
service and delivering requested
grocery items directly to the
doorsteps of participating
residents.
The ideal demographics for
this program are individuals
who are 60 or older and those
with health risks. Potential
participants are being collected
from the Isle of Palms emergency
assistance lists, and an online
application is available as well.
Citizens from the emergency
lists will be contacted and given
the opportunity to join the
grocery delivery service program.  
The online application is on
the City of Isle of Palms’ website
at www.iop.net.
Once the application is
submitted, a volunteer from the
Exchange Club will reach out
to the IOP resident to confirm
a delivery time frame or to
help set up an online order.
Observing social distancing, the
grocery order is collected and
delivered directly to the homes
of our participating neighbors.
All delivery volunteers pick
up grocery packages while
wearing a protective mask
and gloves. Participants in the
grocery delivery service program
receive a phone call to notify
them once their groceries have
been delivered.
The IOP Exchange Club’s core
of volunteers for the grocery
delivery service program is being
organized and managed by Kitty
Riley, the chair of the club’s
Community Service Committee.
If you know of an individual in
need, please inform them of this
charitable project and let them
know how they can apply.
Roadtrip continues from page 1
The beautiful natural areas that surround us are beckoning.
That elusive feeling of calm and serenity we all need so badly is
there waiting. Even with many areas closed to the public, these
have remained open and sparsely visited. They’re all within an
hour’s drive.
Best short walk in the forest …
The I’On Swamp Trail is an easy 2.5-mile walking loop in the
Francis Marion Forest. Embankments, some from the 1700s, are
remnants of the patchwork of fields built by enslaved people for rice
cultivation. Interpretive signage describes the history and ecology
of the area. It’s easy and nearby. Directions: To reach the trailhead,
turn left exactly across Highway 17 from the Sewee Visitor &
Environmental Education Center onto Forest Road 228 and drive 2
miles to the parking lot.
Best place to spot birds and alligators …
The South Tibwin trail is about 5 miles long, perfect for a short
bike ride or a long hike. Bird-watchers from around the world
come to this well-managed area of hardwood bottomlands, pine
uplands, tidal marshes and freshwater ponds. A scenic duck
blind is an exciting place to spot alligators while enjoying a picnic.
Directions: From the Sewee Visitor & Environmental Education
Center, take Highway 17 North toward McClellanville for 11.4
miles. Look for the forest sign and iron pipe gate on the right.
Best walk for Lowcountry beauty …
If you want to impress visitors or just need a little reminder of
our gorgeous region, head to the Awendaw Canoe Launch (the boat
launch is under repair and closed as of this writing) at the end of
Rosa Green Road in Awendaw. The trail meanders along Awendaw
Creek, twisting back into the forest over wooden bridges, and ends
at Buck Hall Landing, 5 miles away. It’s the most scenic section of
the Palmetto Trail – which goes across the entire state – that I’ve
found. Rest at one of the little benches along the creek and just
breathe. You can walk as far as you’d like before doubling back or
put another car at Buck Hall and walk the whole 5 miles.
Best place to remember the Swamp Fox …
The longest section of the Palmetto Trail, 47 miles, begins here.
It traverses four ecosystems through the Francis Marion Forest,
including swamps that were hide-outs for the Revolutionary War
hero Francis Marion. It’s a bumpy bike ride or easy walk through
mature long-leaf pine forests and grassy savannas. Walk or ride
awhile and then double back or put another car at Halfway Creek
Campground, about 5 miles away. Directions: Take Highway 17 to
its intersection with Steed Creek Road (S-10-1032). The trailhead
and parking are a quarter mile north of Steed Creek Road.
Best all-day adventure in the wild …
When I have all day and plenty of energy, I take my fat-tire bike
to the Santee Coastal Reserve just north of McClellanville. The
24,000 acres of diverse habitats are managed by the Department
of Natural Resources and the Nature Conservancy for the benefit
of wildlife and birds. You can roam all day by bike or on foot.
Highlights are the Washo Reserve, the scenic boardwalk and the
Cape Trail. It’s gorgeous and highly recommended. Directions:
From McClellanville, travel North on Highway 17 toward
Georgetown. Approximately 3 miles out of McClellanville, turn
right onto South Santee Road. Travel for about 3 miles and then
turn right onto Santee Gun Club Road. There’s an easy-to-miss
sign there pointing down a dirt road adjacent to the St. James
Community Center. Pass the first kiosk and proceed 2.5 miles to
the camping and picnic area where many trails begin.
Best place to be alone in nature …
The huge ACE Basin has remained open to recreation throughout
the pandemic and offers many options for biking and hiking. In
particular, the trails that begin near the Grove Plantation – the
building is closed – are easily accessible and scenic. Take a picnic
and sit by the manse before riding or hiking along grassy, stony
and paved trails. Don’t miss the vine-covered old silo on Silo Road.
Directions: From Charleston, drive south on Highway 17 to SC 174.
Go left and follow the signs to the ACE Basin Edisto Unit.
Gov. Henry McMaster’s stay at home order specifically includes
outdoor exercise as an essential activity. Surprisingly, few folks go
to these places so social distancing is easy. Let the pandemic be
your excuse to discover them. Perhaps like me, you’ll go back many
times. As the breeze-blown waters tranquilize, you can exhale to
the feeling: All is well.
IF YOU GO …
Take: A wide-tire bike, strong bug spray, printed color-coded
maps.
MORE INFORMATION …
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Francis Marion Forest and
Department of Natural Resources.

Roadtrips Charleston highlights interesting destinations within

a few hour’s drive of Charleston, South Carolina, as well as more
far-flung locales. Carol Antman’s wanderlust is driven by a passion
for outdoor adventure, artistic experiences, cultural insights and
challenging travel. For hot links, photographs and previous columns or
to make comments, please see peaksandpotholes.blogspot.com.
April 24, 2020 9

MARY ALICE MONROE CONNECTS

WITH HER READERS

BY BRIAN SHERMAN
ISLAND EYE NEWS MANAGING EDITOR

E
veryone is blessed with the ability to change the world for the
better, help protect the fragile species’ that populate the land,
air and sea and make an important contribution toward saving
the planet. The first step along this extraordinary path is to light one
candle.
That’s the message that Isle of Palms resident and bestselling
author Mary Alice Monroe weaves deftly through each of her novels.
She carefully and resourcefully researches environmental and other
issues before getting down to the business of actually putting words
on paper – figuratively, of course – then relays that information to her
readers through the characters in her books.
“I’m a storyteller,” said Monroe, whose 23rd novel and sixth in the
popular Beach House Series, “On Ocean Boulevard,” will be released
May 19. “By the time the readers are done, they are surprised by how
much they’ve learned. Because emotion is involved, they care. The
reader feels those emotions.”
Though she completed her first novel in 1995, Monroe didn’t
establish the connection between her writing and her concern for
the environment until her husband, Dr. Markus Kruesi, accepted a
position with the Medical University of South Carolina four years later.
They had visited Isle of Palms previously, but a switch clicked on in
her mind when they arrived permanently.
“I felt like I was home. I knew we wanted to live on the island,” said
Monroe, who grew up on the north side of Chicago and also lived in
Milwaukee, New Jersey and the Washington, D.C., area before moving
to Isle of Palms.
Along with her new home came a new way of writing. She did
research to learn all she could about sea turtles. She talked with the
experts, including Sally Murphy at the South Carolina Department
of Natural Resources, who became her mentor and best friend.
And she was a valuable member of the Turtle Team, the resolute
group dedicated to protecting the loggerheads that nest on IOP and
Sullivan’s Island.
“Those were tough years. People weren’t talking about sea turtles.
They weren’t the iconic animals they are today,” Monroe explained.
“But I knew I wanted to set the story on the island and with turtles. I
knew I could make a difference.”
The result of her efforts was “The Beach House,” which eventually
was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie featuring Andie
MacDowell. It’s the first of six novels, so far, in a series that chronicles
the ups and downs of a family Monroe’s avid fans have come to know
well since 2002: the Rutledges. In “On Ocean Boulevard,” the author Mary Alice Monroe.
tackles “the biggest issue facing our oceans today”: plastics.
“It took me years to figure out how to make it touchy-feely enough
A VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR for a novel,” Monroe said.
Mary Alice Monroe’s multistate book tour that was She pointed out that the South Carolina Aquarium, where she is
originally scheduled to coincide with the release of “On Ocean a member of the board, has established a beach sweep program that
Boulevard” has fallen victim to the coronavirus. However, encourages local residents to make a difference by picking up and
she said she is working with bookstores to put together a disposing of plastics and other items with the potential to harm the
virtual tour, and readers can win prizes by visiting her website ocean and its denizens – especially sea turtles. Climate change is
(maryalicemonroe.com) or on Facebook (facebook.com/
maryalicemonroe/) or Instagram (@maryalicemonroe).
Monroe continues on page 15

www.islandeyenews.com
 Isle Be Back
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April 24, 2020
Help for those who are hurting
S T. V I N C E N T D E P A U L O F F E R S A S S I S T A N C E D U R I N G C O V I D - 1 9
R
eaders of The Island Eye
News will be familiar with
the blue and white ad
posted in the paper over several
years, proclaiming “Helping
Parishioners and Islanders since
1989” and listing the phone
number for the Stella Maris
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, or
“SVdP.”
Like East Cooper Community
Outreach, this local charity
was established after the
devastation of Hurricane Hugo.
The Stella Maris chapter is part
of an international organization
founded in the mid-1800s and
helps not only church members
but anyone in need living on Isle
of Palms or Sullivan’s Island.
Knowing the impact that the
COVID-19 shutdown is having on
the many service and tourism-
related workers here on the
islands, the St. Vincent de Paul
board has adapted its procedures
to speed the process to provide
aid. It is hoped that employers
will get this information to
employees who might live
elsewhere as well.
People who need assistance
can call the 24-hour helpline to
leave contact information. Calls
are returned within a day, and
BY MARY FERRI
FOR THE ISLAND EYE NEWS
interviews will be conducted by
phone. All interactions are kept
confidential. Because of the
health crisis, arrangements will
be made for pickup of grocery
or gas cards, or, for those with
greater needs, for online or
phone-in assistance with one
or two key bills. The degree of
help is limited because the full
extent of financial damage to our
community is not yet known. The
society will distribute its assets to
help as many people as possible.
Interviews include some basic
questions about callers’ financial
circumstances, so the volunteers
can determine the nature of their
requests and resources.
“We won’t be able to wipe out
a client’s debt, but we could help
reduce the amount owed and
avoid some late fees accruing
before things open up again,”
explained President Jan Visser.
“We give out grocery and gas gift
cards, if that is the need, but we
don’t give out cash. We arrange
11
direct payments of part or all
of the various bills that we do
cover.”
The Stella Maris chapter has
a constantly updated library
of local, state and national
resources to deal with a wide
variety of problems. The chapter
cooperates with these agencies
and can often help guide clients
through the application process.
Since each chapter covers a
defined geographical area,
references to other St. Vincent de
Paul groups in greater Charleston
will be provided to callers who
don’t live on Sullivan’s Island or
Isle of Palms. Besides geography,
the only qualifying criteria are
demonstrated need of our aid and
a valid ID.
A list of additional chapters has
been printed and is being given
to island business owners for
employees who might be impacted
by the quarantine. The 24-hour
helpline for the Stella Maris
Society of St. Vincent de Paul is
843-814-1229. If you misplace
this article, just find an old copy
of The Island Eye News: It will be
right there in blue and white.
12 April 24, 2020 13

Light the Night Beware of the scammers Virtual pirates

BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER S O M E P E O P L E T R Y T O TA K E A D VA N TA G E O F T H E
L O C A L C O M PA N Y O F F E R S
PA N D E M I C ONLINE TOURS
BY SERENA TOWNSEND
FOR THE ISLAND EYE NEWS
BY PAUL WITT BY SABRINA LAVENDER

I
FOR THE ISLAND EYE NEWS
grew up on donation of sand FOR THE ISLAND EYE NEWS

Y
Forest Trail from Lowcountry

on Isle of
Palms, and every
Christmas Eve we
put out luminaries
as a celebration.
It’s always such
a beautiful and
peaceful sight.
With all the chaos
and uncertainty
of the COVID-19
pandemic, I
thought it would
be a nice way to
bring our community together in honor
of our amazing health care workers
and first responders, and just in time
for Easter and Passover. Also, I know
we’re all going through the stress of
this while socially distanced, but I
thought it would be a great visual for
everyone to see that we’re all in this
together.
I posted about the idea on our
IOP Facebook pages, and it took
flight from there. It was suggested to
create an event page to share, and
quickly we had residents sharing links
to Amazon for purchasing bags and
battery-operated tea lights, as well as a
Mulch for ou probably know that scammers are
residents to help out in force, taking advantage of all
keep their bags aspects of the coronavirus pandemic.
upright with We’ve spotted plenty of bogus cures and
those island treatments, but many of you have told the
breezes.  FTC about straight-up scams, like texts,
It was emails or calls from a “government agency”
amazing to see promising to get your relief money for you.
our community Others have told us about things that could
so unified in be scams – or businesses catching up with
executing this the new reality – like websites that promise
event. Sometimes scarce cleaning products or masks that
island Facebook never arrive or that claim they can solve
groups can be problems related to getting money back for
a hotbed of clashing opinions, but canceled travel plans.
everyone was so onboard with bringing Every weekday, the Bureau of Consumer
this to life.  Protection’s data analysts pull all those
The evening of the event, April 11, reports together to give you a glimpse into
which we fittingly named, “Light the what the data is telling us. You can find
Night,” you could see whole streets lit that report at ftc.gov/exploredata, but let
up with luminaries from end to end me hit a few high points for you here.
of our island. Our wonderful police • From Jan. 1 through April 15, the
FTC received 18,235 reports related to
and fire teams were out with their
lights and horns taking it all in, and COVID-19, and people reported losing
$13.44 million to fraud.
our residents were also able to enjoy
it safely from porches, driveways, • The top complaint categories were
cars, carts and sidewalks. It truly travel and vacations, online shopping,
was a peaceful and beautiful sight for bogus text messages and all kinds of
everyone to be able to enjoy during imposters.
these crazy times.  • While reports of robocalls are way down
overall, we’re now hearing about callers
invoking the COVID-19 pandemic to
pretend to be from the government or
making illegal medical or health care
pitches, among other topics.
• The big states, not unexpectedly,
have submitted the largest number of
reports.
If you’re getting calls, emails or texts, or
you’re seeing ads or offers online, keep a
few things in mind: First, the government
will never call out of the blue to ask for
money or personal information such as
your Social Security, bank account or credit
card numbers. And second, anyone who
tells you to pay by Western Union or Money
Gram or by putting money on a gift card
is a scammer. The government and legit
businesses will never tell you to pay that
way.
You can check out ftc.gov/exploredata to
know what others in the world are seeing. To
keep up with the latest scams and what the
FTC is doing, sign up to get Consumer Alerts.
And please keep reporting what you’re
seeing at ftc.gov/complaint. Paul Witt is the
lead data analyst, Division of Consumer
Response & Operations, Federal Trade
Commission.
I
ts walking tours shut down by the COVID-19
pandemic, Charleston Pirate Tours is now
offering virtual tours online, free of charge to
anyone who wants to watch.
“We’d been planning this project for quite a
while,” according to co-owner Sabrina Lavender.
“We were going to launch the videos in April for
Charleston’s 350th anniversary, but, because of
COVID-19, we decided to start early.”
The pre-recorded tours cover topics including the
general history of Charleston and the surrounding
area, pirate history, ghost stories and Gullah history
and legends. There’s even one on Lowcountry food
that includes Lavender’s own recipe for red rice.
She said depending on the length of the shutdown,
Charleston Pirate Tours might produce additional
videos from the front porch of the Lavender home
on Isle of Palms. Her husband Eric is the pirate who
does Ghostly Tide Tales on the beach for IOP. 
“These are great for entertainment and also a
great option for parents to use for home-schooling,
as all of the videos are relatively short,” Lavender
said.
The tours are posted on Facebook (facebook.com/
pg/charlestonpirate/videos; Twitter (twitter.com/
chaspiratetours); and at charlestonpiratetour.com/
charleston-vlog.
Sabrina Lavender and Doozer the parrot.
April 24, 2020 15
Monroe continues from page 9
another major issue that has felt her literary wrath.
“When I’ve spoken to groups in the last several years,
Headed north
people have looked at me and asked what they can do,” S P R I N G M I G R AT I O N I S U N D E R WAY
she said. “I’m saying to my readers: ‘We have never
needed your involvement more. We need you to light one BY SARAH DIAZ
candle.’” FOR THE ISLAND EYE NEWS
“If I can bring my voice to the issue of climate

S
change, where people don’t face it with fear but with pring migration is underway
determination, I’ve done my job,” she added. in the Lowcountry. I’ve been
Monroe’s pre-writing research also has included listening from my porch
volunteering at the Center for the Birds of Prey in to the great crested flycatchers,
Awendaw before she wrote “Skyward”; learning to weave orchard orioles, chimney swifts
sweetgrass baskets for “Sweetgrass”; and sailing aboard and prairie warblers that have
a shrimp boat for “Last Light Over Carolina,” her novel been arriving over the last couple
about the shrimping industry on Shem Creek in Mount of weeks.
Pleasant. The northern waterthrush in
With the sixth installment in the Beach House series the photo is on its way north to its
about to be released, Monroe already is working on No. breeding grounds, either in Canada
7, a novel that will focus on the next generation of the or in the Northern United States.
Rutledge family, children who have grown to adulthood Northern waterthrush spend their
since “Beach House” was published. As always, family winters in the tropics. Their winter
members will deal with troubled times as they face range spans from Central America
a timely issue that has affected virtually everyone to Ecuador and Colombia.
who lives in or near the Charleston area’s beach Northern waterthrush (parkesia
communities: COVID-19 and the coronavirus. noveboracensis) are similar to their
“It will be about the family’s perseverance, hope taxonomic cousins, the Louisiana
and love in a time of adversity, when the human waterthrush (parkesia motacilla).
spirit shines,” Monroe said. “Like the Rutledges, with They are sometimes difficult to tell
ingenuity, compromise, understanding, acceptance and apart in the field, but there are
community action, we will find inspiration when we look some key defining characteristics.
back as we face whatever challenges come next year.” Louisiana waterthrush have a bold
In addition to her novels, Monroe has written two white supercilium (line above the
children’s books: “Turtle Summer” and “A Butterfly eye) that extends to the rear of the
Called Hope.” She currently is working on a book for head. Northern waterthrush have
second through fourth graders that takes place on a narrow, often muddied-looking
Dewees Island. “The Island,” scheduled to be released supercilium. Northern waterthrush
sometime in 2021, is about three children whose North waterthrush.
often have a yellow wash, but this
unlikely friendship is bound together by Nature. yellow tint only occurs in some individuals.
How long does Mary Alice Monroe intend to keep
writing? At least long enough to convince all of her The Sullivan’s Island Bird Banding Station has put normal operations on hold
readers to light one candle, which, to her, is pretty due to the current situation with COVID-19. For information, you can contact
much forever. Sarah Díaz at sullivansislandbirds@gmail.com.
“I can’t imagine a life without writing,” she concluded.

Breach Inlet
Tide Char t
Date High Tide Low Tide
Apr 24 9:37am/9:44pm 3:27am/3:23pm
Apr 25 10:11am/10:17pm 4:03am/3:58pm
Apr 26 10:45am/10:53pm 4:41am/4:36pm
Apr 27 11:23am/11:35pm 5:22am/5:19pm
Apr 28 12:08pm 6:08am/6:07pm
Apr 29 12:25am/1:02pm 7:00am/7:04pm
Apr 30 1:23am/2:05pm 7:58am/8:08pm
May 1 2:28am/3:13pm 9:00am/9:17pm
May 2 3:34am/4:19pm 10:01am/10:25pm
May 3 4:39am/5:22pm 10:59am/11:29pm
May 4 5:39am/6:20pm 11:54am
May 5 6:36am/7:15pm 12:29am/12:46pm
May 6 7:31am/8:09pm 1:25am/1:37pm
May 7 8:24am/9:00pm 2:20am/2:26pm

Hurricanes, storms etc., are NOT included in the predictions. Tidal

current direction changes and tide time predictions can be very
different. Tide predictions are PREDICTIONS; they can be wrong so
use common sense.
Source: www.saltwatertides.com

www.islandeyenews.com