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Volume 9 Issue 11

September 11, 2015

FREE

Kiawah faces
questions on
staff salaries
HOW DOES
C O M P E N S AT I O N
C O M PA R E T O
SIMILAR TOWNS?
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

F
Beach polo to be played on Kiawah this fall.

Kiawah Cup Brings the Sport

of Kings to the Lowcountry
EVENT BENEFITS RURAL NEIGHBORS ON
JOHNS AND WADMALAW ISLANDS
BY DOUG REYNOLDS
For The Island Connection

he sport of kings is coming to Kiawah Island. On Sunday,

Oct. 11 from 11:45 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Kiawah Cares
Foundation hosts the inaugural Kiawah Cup Beach Polo
Invitational. Tickets are on sale now.
Beach polo is a thrilling, one-of-a-kind experience for
spectators and players alike, and is played in very few areas in
the US, primarily south Florida, Jimmy Bailey, KCF Board
Chair, said. Were excited to bring this unique event to the
Lowcountry.
The event takes place at the Sandcastle Community Center
and beach on Kiawah and begins with the pre-match Pony Club

Dont Drill Lowcountry

Page 4

Cocktail Hour from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Sandcastle

ballroom, where a limit of 150 guests will enjoy sweeping ocean
views overlooking the playing field.
Next, from 1:15 to 4 p.m., the polo match kicks-off on the
beach in front of the Sandcastle. The highly competitive, fastpaced contest will feature both amateur and professional polo
athletes from the Charleston area and beyond, all vying to take
home the cup.
After the match, from 4 to 6 p.m., guests will have an

Polo continues on page 5

Turtle Champion

Page 10

ollowing the May resignation

of Kiawahs longtime Town
Administrator, Tumiko Rucker,
Treasurer Kenneth Gunnells, and the
subsequent forensic investigation into
allegations of misappropriated town
funds, Kiawah is now searching for
replacements for these key positions.
At recent Town Council meetings, an
increasingly engaged electorate has been
asking more and more questions of the
Town, specifically what safeguards are
being put in place to prevent history
repeating itself, and whether the Town is
paying higher than necessary salaries to
its employees.
In an interview with The Island
Connection following the Towns release
of its forensic audit results, Mayor Lipuma
said one of the reasons for not renewing
Ruckers contract prior to the allegations of
financial misconduct, was she had a very
generous contract, and there was a feeling
we should let that run its term.
During the public portion of an
executive session held on August 17, 2015,
Lipuma responded to resident Wendy
Kulicks question about the salary range
being used to court a new administrator
as $90,000 to $126,000. Kulick replied
pointing out the range is potentially higher
than Ruckers previous base salary and
about the same or more than the governor
of South Carolina.
Ruckers base salary was $96,000.

Kiawah Salaries continues on page 8

Fresh From the Farm

Page 13

September 11, 2015

civic

Lynn Pierotti
publisher
lynn@luckydognews.com
Jennifer Tuohy
managing editor
jennifer@luckydognews.com
Swan Richards
senior graphic designer
swan@luckydognews.com
Lori McGee
sales manager
lori@luckydognews.com
Alejandro Ferreyros
graphic designer
alejandro@luckydognews.com
Ralph Secoy
contributing photographer
Staff Writer
Gregg Bragg
Contributors
Doug Reynolds
Stephanie Braswell
Gary Lohr
Margaret Kramer
Arielle Alpino
Roberta Boatti
Barbara Burgess
Maria Gurovich
Geoff Bennett
Andrew Wunderley
Bob Hooper
Dimi Matouchev
Kara Bale
Sarah Reynolds

Seabrook Island Town Council,

August, 2015
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

here was a public hearing

scheduled five minutes before
Augusts meeting of Seabrook
Town Council. Ordinance 2015-08 was
announced but otherwise sat quietly
on its own agenda. The ban on baiting
sharks into swimming areas [and out to
600 feet] seemed such a universally good
idea, the token amount of time allotted
for public comment was perfectly
adequate, more like ample.
Roll call confirmed appearances and
this month, included Mayor Ahearn and
Council Member John Turner. Both had
returned from recent trips but without
the hoped for update on elephant rides,
the subject of mock speculation the last
couple months. Financials for the month
of July were strong, said the mayor.
Revenues displayed an extra $7,000
while expenses consumed $20,5000
less than expected, putting Seabrook
$27,5000 under budget for the month,
and $170,000 ahead of plot for the
year. The route to making the annual
contribution of no less the $200,000 to
the emergency fund looks clear. Credit
for the abundance goes to an increase
in business license fees enacted after the
budget was finalized, said the mayor,
defending councils actions.
Carl Simmons, Director of Charleston
County Building Services was there
with a presentation on House Located
at 1126 Ocean Forrest lane, read the
agenda. He provided a lengthy history
of the issue, was prepared to be flexible
and had options as well; 1. board up the
house or 2. tear it down or 3. whatever
you want. Simmons also indicated
councils decision could be acted on in
a matter of weeks, not months, despite
the lack of clear title which has delayed

action on the abandoned house for eight

years. Noting the prospect of expediency
was probably for the best, since this issue
was the reason for exemplary attendance
from Seabrook residents.
Residents on either side of House
Located at 1126 Ocean Forrest lane,
were present. They said they were angry
about the situation but their pique
didnt show otherwise. Both neighbors
described a structure shy of Adams Family
condition, wide open to the elements. It
isnt getting better with age, said Rick
McDaniel, before describing the wealth
of black mold present and the open shaft
where an elevator had been planned. If a
kid falls down there, you can forget your
budget, warned McDaniel of the well
documented problem. Norman Smith
took a more direct approach saying
simply, Were trying to sell our house
and Im tired of talking about it.
The debate went on for some time with
everyone in radical agreement despite
plenty of details to be worked out. Carl
Simmons was peppered with questions
he seemed prepared for, advising council
on the legal nuances involved. Councils
unanimous decision was a motion to
initiate Final Notice of Demolition
proceedings just in time for a discussion
of curb appeal.
Councilmember Romano reported
meeting with the property owners
association (SIPOA) on August 11. The
Property and Landscape Improvement
Committee discussed ways to embellish
curb appeal. Such discussions are
pertinent in retaining coveted Audubon
Society awards. The survey they initiated
will be finalized this winter and a
response prepared by early next summer.

Civic Calendar

Councilmember
Gregg
advised
attendees the clubs long range planning
committee had met in earlier in August
to complete their survey. Results will be
discussed in September. Gregg reported
next, on the topic of the Public Safety
Committee, John Reynolds, his CERT
team and others had successfully
conducted tests of their emergency
radios. He also said an earthquake guide
would be mentioned in the next SIPOA
newsletter.
Councilmember
Turner
said
representatives of the US Fish and
Wildlife Service were happy enough
with their inspection of the recent
beach re-nourishment project but still
had some concerns. Turner warned of
the need for precision in logs kept by
deputies and beach patrol concerning the
environmentally sensitive area. We need
to follow up on our new beach ordinance
and signs, he said. When asked what
was at stake, Turner reminded council
plans for similar projects in the future
could be impacted by non-compliance
and besides, We are people of our word
and need to document the right things.
Councilmember Ron Ciancio said
Seabrook continued to execute the Make
it Uniquely Yours campaign. The beach
package winner had been and gone. They
were greeted initially by Don Romano
who took pains to be a good host and
gave them a guided tour of the island.
Ciancio continued, saying the winners
of the tennis package were set to arrive
over the Labor Day weekend and though
unscheduled, the golf package winners
had been identified and informed they
had until the end of the year to redeem
their prize.

K iawah Island Town H all

21 Beachwalker Drive
Kiawah Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9166
Fax: 768-4764

Published by
Lucky Dog Publishing
of South Carolina, LLC
P.O. Box 837
Sullivans Island, SC 29482
843-886-NEWS

Tues. Sept. 22

Mon., Sept. 21

Tues, Oct. 6

Seabrook Town Council

Seabrook Town Hall
2:30 p.m.

Future deadlines: September 16

for submissions for the
September 25 Issue

Mon., Sept. 14

Board of Zoning and

Appeals
Kiawah Town Hall
4 - 5 p.m.

Town Council
Meeting
Kiawah Town Hall
2 - 4 p.m.

Tues., Sept. 22

Wed., Oct. 7

Ways and Means

Committee Meeting
Kiawah Town Hall
2 - 4 p.m.

Planning Commission
Meeting
Johns Island Council
Kiawah Town Hall
Meetings are held at the Berkeley Electric
3 - 5 p.m.
Co-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, Johns
Island.
Thurs., Oct. 8
Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113
CERT Team Meeting
Charleston County Council
Kiawah Town Hall
4045 Bridge View Dr, N. Charleston
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
958-4700t

Op-Ed articles and letters to the editor do not

necessarily reflect the opinion of
Lucky Dog News or its writers.

The Island
Connection

Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC

Publishers of Island Eye News,
The Island Connection,
The Folly Current

Environmental
Committee Meeting
Kiawah Town Hall
3 - 5 p.m.

Wed., Sept. 16
Public Safety
Committee Meeting
Kiawah Town Hall
2 - 4 p.m.

Thurs., Oct. 1
Arts & Cultural
Events Council
Kiawah Town Hall
3 - 5 p.m.

Seabrook Island Town H all

2001 Seabrook Island Road
Seabrook Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9121
Fax: 768-9830
Email: lmanning@townofseabrookisland.org

City of Charleston
75 Calhoun St.
724-3745

September 11, 2015

civic

There will be no sweepstakes

next year, said Ciancio. The focus of
future efforts will be cost reduction
and leveraging Charlestons place as
a favorite tourist destination. The
Accommodations Tax, which provides
the funding for such endeavors, comes
with strict mandates on how it is applied.
Seabrooks committee was scheduled
to meet in early September and will
make recommendations which will be
brought before council. One of the items
mentioned for future support was the
Billfish Tournament hosted by Bohicket
Marina.
However,
councilmember
Turner expressed objections unless the
contest was catch and release. Ciancio
was also able to confirm being the
primary sponsor of this years Alan
Fleming Tennis Tournament planned
for the first week in October.
Ciancio gave voice to the emerging
issue of street signs between the Seabrook
gatehouse and the traffic circle. SIPOA
is currently re-engineering all the street
signs inside the gate. He wondered aloud
those outside the gate should be any
different when they already had the look
of a 1950s hotel vacancy sign. Heather
Paton, Director of SIPOA was present
and able to identify Sign Source as their
preferred vendor. This and many topics are
planned for discussion during a meeting
of the Ways and Means Committee
scheduled for mid-September.
The Mayor reported priority one is
the resolution of trash and recycling
contracts. Charleston County wants

arts & events

to work with the town instead of with

SIPOA and is requesting $52/ton to
maintain the current arrangement. He
also said Kiawah had complained about
the loss of a hundred plus wax myrtles
resulting from the beach re-nourishment
project (the cut), and was asking him
for help with cleaning it up and even
replanting. SIPOA volunteers got it
done, he concluded.
Randy Pierce, town administrator,
reported plans to attend a seminar hosted
by the Coastal Communities Association
in Myrtle Beach from September 28-30.
He also asked about continuing extended
hours for beach patrol past Labor Day.
The longer hours are expensive and
not budgeted, said Pierce, but were
indulged because of work on the cut.
Councilmember Turner argued for
keeping the extended hours as both
necessary to giving cooperation with
municipal ordinances and signs a chance
to gel, and as a nod to US Fish and
Wildlife observers. Council responded
by agreeing to keep the extended hours
through September, and until a more
thorough review could be made during
budget reviews.
Miscellaneous items included Jeff
Bostocks claim the utility had cash on
hand for a change of pace, resulting from
the recent bond passage. The meeting
concluded after St. Johns Fire District
representatives said they would love
to help with the demolition of House
Located at 1126 Ocean Forrest lane.

Tid e Char t
Date

High Tide

Low Tide

Sep 11
Sep 12
Sep 13
Sep 14
Sep 15
Sep 16
Sep 17
Sep 18
Sep 19
Sep 20
Sep 21
Sep 22
Sep 23
Sep 24

7:35am/7:52pm
8:18am/8:31pm
8:58am/9:08pm
9:36am/9:43pm
10:13am/10:17pm
10:48am/10:51pm
11:23am/11:26pm
12:00pm
12:05am/12:42pm
12:50am/1:33pm
1:43am/2:33pm
2:44am/3:36pm
3:48am/4:40pm
4:53am/5:40pm

1:23am/1:32pm
2:03am/2:15pm
2:41am/2:55pm
3:16am/3:34pm
3:49am/4:12pm
4:21am/4:50pm
4:54am/5:30pm
5:30am/6:13pm
6:11am/7:01pm
6:58am/7:55pm
7:54am/8:55pm
8:56am/9:56pm
10:02am/10:56pm
11:07am/11:53pm

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: saltwatertides.com

Lowcountry Voices return

TO K I A RT S C O U N C I L S P O N S O R S C O N C E RT
BY STEPHANIE BRASWELL
For The Island Connection

ast January, a capacity crowd was

treated to a spirited performance
by the Lowcountry Voices and the
Charlton Singleton Jazz Ensemble as they
explored the shared legacy and surprising
similarities between jazz and gospel music.
On Sunday, September 27, at 4 p.m., they
return to Holy Spirit Catholic Church to
continue that musical discussion.
Gospel Meets Jazz Meets Gospel II.
Lowcountry Voices, directed by Nathan
L. Nelson, is a diverse North Charlestonbased choral arts organization that focuses
primarily on African-American music with
special relevance to the Lowcountry. LCV
pursues a robust concert schedule locally
and regionally and has just returned from
an appearance at the Lincoln Center for
the Performing Arts in New York City. The
choir will also present one of the opening
week concerts at Charlestons new Gaillard
Center in mid-October.
Trumpeter Charlton Singleton is wellknown in his native South Carolina and
around the world as an acclaimed jazz
musician, composer, and conductor.
Currently, he is the Artistic Director and
Conductor of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra
and leads his own ensembles that vary in
size and style. He has performed throughout
the United States and across Europe.

Mr. Nelson is the Founding Director

of Lowcountry Voices and continues
to pursue his passion for preserving the
cultural legacy and authenticity of AfricanAmerican music. For four seasons (2008
-2012) he was the music director for the
CSO Spiritual and the Associate Director
for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra
Gospel Choir. He served as a vocal trainer
and choir director for many renowned
gospel singers and has shared the stage
with gospel music greats including late Rev.
James Cleveland, Shirley Caesar, Dorothy
Norwood, Daryl Coley, Hezekiah Walker,
and Larnell Harris. He has conducted and
performed in England and Africa and
mesmerized sold out audiences throughout
the Southeast.
When Nelson and Singleton, both
remarkable leaders in their own genres,
join forces in a concert, the result is a
memorable good time!
Lowcountry Voices - Gospel Meets Jazz
Meets Gospel 2. Sunday, September 27,
2015 - 4:00pm - Holy Spirit Catholic
Church. Ticket Release: Kiawah 9/8 Public
9/11, complimentary tickets available at
Kiawah Town Hall 843-768-9166 or online
at
www.kiawahisland.org/specialevents.
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island
Arts and Cultural Events Council.

September 11, 2015

daily

Grassroots group Dont Drill

Lowcountry launches Sep. 15
KEYNOTE ADDRESSES BY CONGRESSMAN
S A N F O R D , S E N AT O R C A M P S E N
BY DON'T DRILL LOWCOUNTRY
For The Island Connection

ur extraordinary coastline is in peril. Dont

Drill Lowcountry is a grassroots movement, led
by Sullivans Island residents who are working
to protect South Carolinas pristine shore from seismic
testing and offshore oil drilling. As the anti-drilling
movement has surged across the Southeast region, Dont
Drill Lowcountry has joined forces with other citizen
groups to form a coalition across South Carolina, Georgia,
North Carolina and Virginia. Don't Drill Lowcountrys
aim is to inform and empower citizens of South Carolina
to ask our elected officials to stop offshore drilling in the
Atlantic.
Don't Drill Lowcountry will hold a Public Rally and
Launch on September 15 with the Keynote addresses
by Congressman Mark Sanford and Senator Chip
Campsen. Hamilton Davis, Energy Program Director
for the Coastal Conservation League, will also speak.
The event is open to the public and begins at 6:30 p.m.
with speakers at 7 p.m.. Drinks provided by Palmetto
Brewing. The event will be held at the Charleston Harbor
Resort Yacht Club, 32 Patriots Point Road, Mt. Pleasant.
Don't Drill Lowcountry began as a small group of
ordinary citizens with a deep love of our extraordinary

coast. In no time, the group formed alliances with

similar groups across the state and up and down the
South Atlantic coast, with a common mission to educate
and advocate residents of South Carolina about the
devastating impact that offshore drilling poses for our
pristine coastline, vibrant tourism industry, spectacular
beaches and scenic coastal towns.

Famous street artist Shepard Fairey has thrown his

support behind Don't Drill Lowcountry by offering his
Paradise Turns graphic to the cause.
Dick Wildermann, a Seabrook Island resident who
worked for over 25 years for the U.S. Department of the
Interiors Offshore Oil and Gas Program, supports the
groups focus on educating the public about the risks
posed by offshore drilling.
The intrinsic value of our natural resources far exceeds
any perceived benefits of offshore oil development. Big
oil may seem to be an economic opportunity, but it has
less appeal when you look under the hood. The activities,
infrastructure, and inevitable pollution associated with
offshore oil would forever transform the Lowcountry way
of life, said Wildermann.
The South Carolina coast has almost universally
come out in opposition to offshore drilling. Twenty
one local jurisdiction in South Carolina have passed
resolutions opposing offshore drilling including the
Isle of Palms, Sullivans Island, the City of Charleston,
Charleston County, Folly Beach, McClellanville, Mt.
Pleasant, Kiawah, Seabrook, Hilton Head, Beaufort,
Edisto Beach, Myrtle Beach, Georgetown and Atlantic

September 11, 2015

daily
Beach. Columbia has also joined in the
opposition.
Congressman Sanford and Senator
Campsen are standing up in support of their
constituents to oppose offshore drilling:
In the case of South Carolina, weighing
the balance between large blocks of
untouched coastal estuarine areas, and in
other parts, an established tourism industry,
against the potential benefits of drilling is
not something that Washington officials are
best positioned to do. In my view, it makes
little sense to even conduct tests when the
states and regions affected will have no say

Some of Dont Drill

Lowcountrys supporters
include:

Coastal Conservation League

The SC Small Business Chamber
of Commerce
Odyssey Board Shop
Sealand Adventure Sports
Shem Creek Fisheries
Dont Drill SC
Surfrider Foundation, Charleston
Chapter
Town of Sullivans Island
Stop Offshore Drilling in the
Atlantic- S.O.D.A. P.O.P.
Oceana
SC Health Connector
Historic Ansonborough
Neighborhood Association
Southern Environmental Law
Center

arts & events

in the process of determining especially

when factoring potential impacts on the
environment, tourism, along with other
risks inherent in the process, Sanford said.
I have observed firsthand the landbased infrastructure necessary to support
offshore drilling. It is not a pretty sight.
It is extensive, dirty and highly industrial.
There simply is no place on South
Carolinas coast appropriate for this kind
of industrialization, Campsen said.
Learn more about Don't Drill Lowcountry
at www.dontdrillsc-lowcountry.org.

Poes Restaurant
Durst Family Practice
Herlong & Associates
Southern Alliance for Clean
Energy Action
Friends of Kiawah River
Hubbard Law Firm
Royal Hardware
The Obstinate Daughter
Beardcats Sweet Shop
Caf Medley
Yo Bo Cantina Fresca
Mickey Williams Studio
Dont Drill NC
Gullah/Geechee Sea Island
Coalition
Gullah Geechee Nation
Protect Our Coast Now
Salt at Station 22
Dunleaveys Irish Pub

Polo continues on from cover

opportunity to mingle with the athletes,
enjoy poolside fare and drinks, browse
select silent auction items, dance to the
eclectic sounds of the Soul Fish Band, and
more at the Sport of Kings Reception.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the
Kiawah Cares Foundation, which works
to improve the quality of life of Kiawahs
rural neighbors on Johns and Wadmalaw
islands.
We didnt just want to host an event
for the benefit of attendees, Bailey said.

We wanted to do something that could

affect the entire community. By doing
this as a fundraiser for the foundation,
we assure that this event will not only
entertain, but will have a positive impact
on our Sea Island neighbors.
Tickets are now on sale for this event
and are going fast To purchase tickets, or
for additional information about the event,
visit kiawahcup.org. Also, visit Kiawah
Cup Beach Polo Invitational on facebook
(facebook.com/kiawahpolo) for updates as
the Invitational draws near.

whats hot

September 11, 2015

SMART911 can save your life

L E A R N M O R E A B O U T T H I S I M P O R TA N T N E W S E R V I C E
AT C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S T H I S W E E K E N D

ave you ever wondered what

would happen if you dialed
9-1-1 and were incapable of
communicating due to an injury, illness,
or even telephone issues? What would
you do if your child was missing from a
local park and you werent able to provide
a detailed description because youre
distraught or occupied looking for the lost
child? Issues like these happen everyday
in emergency services and the key factor
in each response is time. Emergency
responders are on the clock the minute
9-1-1 is dialed and the clock is ticking.
There is a new service available provided
by Charleston County that puts time
back on your side. The service is called
SMART911.
SMART911 is a revolutionary new
service that is provided free to residents
and visitors in Charleston County. The
service helps create a way to provide
life-saving information to emergency
responders at a time that you need it the
most. The first step is to go to SMART911.
com and create a login. Upon logging in to
the system, citizens create a safety profile
and provide information about numerous

September 11, 2015

tennis

Volvo drives into the

Family Circle Cup

BY CHIEF GARY LOHR

For The Island Connection

topics on people in the household. You can profile on their screen along with the
provide as little or as much information as information you submitted. This allows
you desire. Information
for the 9-1-1 Call Taker
about medical history,
to recognize, who you
special needs, pets,
are, where you are, and
access issues, utility
what possible issue you
shutoffs, and much
could be experiencing,
SMART911 is a
more can be entered
even if you cant
revolutionary
into your safety profile.
communicate
or
You can also upload new service that have poor cellular
pictures of family
phone
reception.
is provided free This information is
members, pets, and
your home. The system
immediately relayed to
to residents
then links the profile
emergency responders
and visitors
to your landline and
through
data
in Charleston
cellular phone numbers
terminals while they
that you may use to call
are enroute to your
County.
9-1-1. Multiple phones
specific
emergency.
can be linked into the
Just imagine the time
account so no matter
that could be saved
which number you call
if responders know
9-1-1 from the system
before they arrive to
recognizes the phone
go to the back door
number and your specific information.
for access, or that you are allergic to
The real benefit of the system is what bee stings, or if they were able to send a
happens to the information or profile recent picture of your missing grandchild
after you call 9-1-1. Upon dialing 9-1-1, directly to police officers in the area while
the 9-1-1 Call Taker will see your safety you are still on the phone with 9-1-1. All
of this information helps to save valuable
minutes in an emergency and could make
the difference between life and death.
Smart911 was developed by Rave Mobile
Safety and has won numerous awards for
its innovation and technological advances.
Information is saved into a secure,
national database and is only available
to 9-1-1 Call Takers and emergency
responders when you call 9-1-1. Since the
database is national, Smart911 provides
information to emergency responders
outside of Charleston County who belong
to the system. So your information will
go with you when you travel. Emergency
responders are campaigning across the
county, encouraging citizens to get online
and create their safety profiles. Responders
know the benefit of obtaining accurate
information in order to make split second
decisions to better serve the citizens of
their community.

Emergency responders and 9-1-1

Telecommunicators across Charleston
County are putting together an event
in an effort to promote this important
program and assist individuals in signing
up online. On September 12 from 10 a.m.
until 1p.m., agency representatives from
the Charleston County Consolidated
9-1-1 Center, City of Charleston Fire
Department, City of North Charleston
Fire Department, Town of Mount
Pleasant Fire Department, James Island
Fire Department, Saint Andrews Fire
Department, and the Saint Johns Fire
District will be present in local libraries
around Charleston County to assist
citizens with creating their safety profiles.
The following libraries will be hosting
the event:
Main Library, 68 Calhoun St.
Dorchester Road Regional Library,
6325 Dorchester Road
North
Charleston, SC 29418
James Island, 1248 Camp
Road, Charleston, SC 29412
Johns Island Regional Library,
3531 Maybank Highway, John's
Island, SC 29455
Mt. Pleasant Regional Library,
1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mt.
Pleasant, SC 29464
Otranto Road Regional Library,
2261
Otranto
Road
North
Charleston, SC 29406
St. Andrews Regional Library, 1735
N. Woodmere DriveCharleston,
SC 29407
Battalion Chief Gary Lohr is the
Community Risk Reduction Officer for the
St. Johns Fire District and has served his
community for more than 25 years. The
district provides fire protection to the citizens
and visitors of Johns Island, Kiawah,
Seabrook, and Wadmalaw Island. Chief
Lohr can be contacted at 843.559.9194
or g.lohr@stjfd.org for more information
regarding Smart911.

V O LV O C A R S O F N O R T H A M E R I C A
TO BECOME TITLE SPONSOR OF
CHARLESTON TENNIS TOURNAMENT
BY ARIELLE ALPINO
For The Island Connection

n
August
31
Meredith
Corporation unveiled its new
partnership with Volvo Cars of
North America for the Family Circle
Cup, the largest womens-only tennis
tournament in the world. In conjunction
with Volvo Cars first American plant in
South Carolinas Berkeley County, the
brand will become the title sponsor for the
Family Circle Cup, changing its name to
the Volvo Cars Open.
Family Circles commitment to
womens tennis began in 1973, and
the tournament continues to be a
premiere event on the WTA tour. Our
new relationship with Volvo is a great
opportunity for both of our companies to
build on and celebrate the tournaments
rich history while finding new and
exciting ways to expand and grow its
reach with our marketing partners, said
Tom Harty, President, National Media
Group, Meredith Corporation.

It is a great
honor to become
the title
sponsor of this
world-class
tournament
Lex Kerssemakers
He notes that Volvos decision to create
its first United States production facility
in South Carolina, and to become title
sponsor for the event, will help to ensure
that the tournament and facility along
with its broad range of programs remain
a vital part of the Charleston community
both now and for many years to come.
The tournament aligns with Volvos
core mission and target market. The
luxury-car brand has been built up over
decades, and is one of the worlds best
known and respected companies within
the vehicle industry. Volvo has also been
involved in tennis historically in the past.

It is a great honor to become the title

sponsor of this world-class tournament;
one that like Volvo Cars, celebrates
passion and performance, said Lex
Kerssemakers, President and CEO of
Volvo Cars of North America. As we
are establishing our U.S. manufacturing
footprint in the Charleston area, this is an
ideal way for us to leverage our presence in
the community.
The Volvo Cars Open is truly an
international event for the Charleston
area, with players and fans attending from
across the globe. The tournament averages
90,000 attendees each year and reaches
more than 10 million television viewers
worldwide.
The title sponsorship change is a
natural evolution of our event, said Bob
Moran, General Manger and Tournament
Director of the Volvo Cars Open. We are
an international event with players, fans
and viewers from across the globe. The
opportunity for Meredith to partner with
a world-class brand like Volvo Cars is a
perfect fit.
Moran notes that Family Circle and
Charleston Tennis will continue to market
the event to Merediths 100 million
consumers. The tournament will continue
to be owned and operated by Charleston
Tennis, LLC, a subsidiary of Meredith
Corporation, publisher of Family Circle.
Volvo is a welcome addition to the
tour and the event continues to be a
pioneer in womens professional sports,
creating milestones that over the years
have directly influenced the popularity
of womens professional tennis, said
Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO,
WTA. The tournament has a roster of
past champions that include some of the
biggest names in the history of women's
tennis including Chris Evert, Martina
Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Steffi Graf,
Gabriela Sabatini, Martina Hingis,
Jennifer Capriati, Venus Williams, Justine
Henin and Serena Williams.
The Volvo Cars Open will take place
April 2 10, 2016 on Daniel Island.
Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 15,
2015. For more information on tickets, call
800.677.2293.

daily

Kiawah Salaries continues from cover

According to letters signed by Rucker her
total compensation for 2014, including
salary, overtime, fringes, benefits and
bonuses was over $137,659. The Town of
Seabrook pays its administrator the same
base salary, according to information
obtained by a Freedom of Information
request. The same position on James Island
pays $65,000 (according to apps.masc.sc/
CompensationSurvey/Reports/).
Faye Allbritton, Town Clerk of
Seabrook, makes about $17,000 more than
Kiawahs town clerk. However, Allbrittons
role also includes Seabrooks accounting,
eliminating the need for a treasurers
salary. Former Kiawah Treasurer Kenneth
Gunnells salary for 2014 was $113,549,
according to Rucker.
Residents had raised concern over the
salaries paid to Kiawahs Town staff prior
to the forensic audit. Retired Presiding
Municipal Judge of Hudson County,
N.J. Dennis McGill submitted a series
of Freedom of Information Act requests
to the Town last winter after hearing
that Kiawahs attorney had litigated and
appealed a municipal case, then drafted
legislation, all over a $200 fine. Using
data obtained through that FOIA, McGill
approached council during a town council
meeting last winter and argued the towns
attorney, administrator and treasurer were
over compensated.
The Town [Kiawah] has two retainer
agreements with its attorney. The first
Employment Agreement pays him an
annual salary of $45,000 for a minimum of
30 hours per week. The second, an Office
Space and Services Agreement, [pays
him] an additional $2,057.29 per month
for office space, equipment, supplies and
administrative staff in support of work
[from] his home. How this monthly figure
was arrived at and why it is necessary has
not been explained, nor how those two
retainers add up to $80,000.00 [per year],

McGill said.
For comparison, Seabrook contracts
with Young Clement Rivers LLP for legal
services and has paid $79,000 for those
services over the last five and a half years.
Kiawah also uses YCR for labor and court
cases.
None of these figures reflect overtime
paid to employees. Rucker told McGill in
an email sent February 27, 2015, that her
total compensation included, among other
things, overtime. Recently, The Island
Connection contacted the Town asking
for the amounts paid, rates paid and the
number of hours of overtime worked.
However, councilmember Mary Johnson
responded saying this request for public
information would cost the requester
$165 per hour to fill and would take
approximately 14 hours.
In addition to working overtime at
the Town, Rucker also had two other
jobs outside of her work for TOKI.
Information found at www.citizenaudit.
org in the form of tax documents (form
990 filed by 501 c(3) charities) indicate
Rucker had been working at both the
Sea Island Comprehensive Health Care
and the Sea Island Development Fund in
varying capacities since 2012. Filings for
2013 documented a combined total of 50
hours a week worked and over $56,000 in
compensation.
When asked about these roles, prior
to her resignation, Rucker confirmed her
outside employment saying she was doing
it in her spare time, that the mayor and
council were fully aware of it and that it
had no impact on TOKI or its staff.

daily

September 11, 2015

Charleston Symphony
Orchestra offers special
subscription package
BY MARGARET KRAMER
For The Island Connection

ince 1936, the Charleston Symphony

Orchestra has provided its patrons
spectacular musical experiences,
from symphonic and chamber music
performances to jazz and Latin rhythms.
As it prepares to launch its 2015-16 season
in the newly-renovated Gaillard Center,
the Orchestra is offering a special season
ticket package to new subscribers at a 30
percent discount.
We are delighted to take our place
on the Gaillard Performance Hall stage
and invite the community to join us as
subscribers to our upcoming season,
said CSO Executive Director Michael
Smith. Our special subscription
package, available to new subscribers,
will encompass a lineup of incredible
performances and events available at a
significant savings.
Audiences will witness history by
hearing the CSO, under the baton of the
newly appointed Music Director Ken
Lam, as its never been heard before thanks
to the state-of-the-art acoustics of the new
Gaillard Center Performance Hall.
To celebrate its historic return to
the new Gaillard Center, the CSO is
offering the special season subscription
package from now until September 28,
when individual tickets go on sale. New
subscribers will receive a 30 percent
discount on series subscriptions for
Masterworks and Pops.

A glimpse inside the new Gaillard Center.

All subscribers have first priority for

choosing seats in the new performance
hall, and the same seats will be available to
them the following year. Subscribers also
have pre-sale priority to all of the CSO
special events for the season, including the
Holy City Messiah, Mardi Gras, and New
Years Eve performances.
To take advantage of the subscription
package, visit the CSO box office at 756 St.
Andrews Boulevard, Charleston, SC, 29407,
or call the box office at 843.723.7528, ext.
110. Visit www.charlestonsymphony.org/
new for full details.

September 11, 2015

arts & events

Seabrook Island Artist Guild presents

portraitist Robert Maniscalco
BY ROBERTA BOATTI
For The Island Connection

he Seabrook Island Artist Guild

will
welcome
distinguished
portraitist Robert Maniscalco as
guest artist at its first fall meeting at 3
p.m., September 15 at the Lake House.
Mr. Maniscalco will display examples of
his work and discuss his creative processes.
Since 1980, Robert Maniscalcos
exquisite commissioned portraits and
fine art have become part of over 850
private and public collections throughout

North America. To know about the artist,

you must understand Roberts painting
method is built on the classical painting
traditions of Rembrandt, Velazquez, Hals
and Sargent. Like these artists, Robert
explores the use of light and shadow as
a means of creating mood and achieving
character expressively in his subjects.
Born in Detroit in 1959, he is the son
of internationally renowned portrait
artist Joseph Maniscalco, with whom he

"Artfields Farmer" by Robert Maniscalco.

Correction

The picture Artfields Farmer was misattributed in the Aug. 28 edition

of Island Connection The portrait was by Robert Maniscalco. The Island
Connection regrets the error.

apprenticed during the early 1980s.

He moved to New York City in 1986
where, in addition to his fine art, he
also worked as an actor and director on
numerous stage, film and TV projects. He
returned to Detroit in 1997, after a three
year portrait residency in New Orleans.
In Detroit he founded the Maniscalco
Gallery, which showcased many local
and international artists. As host of Art
Beat, the critically acclaimed and popular
PBS series on Detroit Public Television,
he explored the creative process with his
celebrated guests. He has created two
DVDs on painting portraits, called The
Power of Positive Painting and published
a novel called The Fishfly, a semiautobiography about the artist and his
struggle to resolve his dark past.
Though his creative muse has taken
many forms he has discovered a common
thread which connects them all together.
Robert speaks to the basic need we all
share to communicate aesthetically about
the human condition, particularly the
celebration of mans capacity to overcome
great struggle. He shares his remarkable
path toward personal and professional
growth and creative self-expression in

his book, Point of Art. In addition to his

exquisite portrait art, Robert has created
several bodies of work, including Faces
of China, Italia, and a series of pastels
on velour entitled Chromo Sapient. He
is currently working on a series of Faces
of the Lowcountry, featuring the Gullah
people and the Carolina Lowcountry.
He has recently begun a new series
called, The Quench Project, in which he is
traveling to Haiti and producing paintings
and a companion book, expressing the
Haitian struggle with obtaining fresh
water, in partnership with Water Missions
International.
He is also the Doppelganger of the
artist, NETI, who is that he is not.
Robert currently lives in Charleston,
South Carolina where he continues his
mission and where he is raising his two
wonderful children, Danny and Mary
with his amazing wife Cate.
To learn more about the Seabrook Island
Artist Guild events and membership visit the
website at www.seabrookislandartistguild.
com.

10

September 11, 2015

wildlife

The voice of the turtle

BEAUTSIE ZAHRN, SEABROOK'S TURTLE CHAMPION
BY BARBARA BURGESS
For The Island Connection

The flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing

of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our
land.
Song of Solomon 2:12 King James Bible

eautsie Zahrn is well known on Seabrook Island

for her commitment to the care of the turtles that
occupy our beaches. She has been the head of
Turtle Patrol for many years now, but was involved in
it long before she became one of the main dispatchers.
Turtle Patrol now has 147 members, all of whom are
assigned specific zones on specific days. That makes it one
of the larger volunteer organizations in Seabrook. They
are a group of dedicated people.
Beautsie got into liking turtles very early in her life.
Her family used to own a house on Hilton Head, and
lacking anything to do, she and her brother started
watching the turtle activity on the island. When she
came to Seabrook in 1993, she immediately volunteered
for Turtle Patrol. She met Fred Zahrn here in Seabrook
in 1996; they were married in 1997. Fred took on her
interest in turtles and at first they used to perform all
the tasks related to turtles themselves. But the inventory
started growing. She had 7 nests the first year she walked;
now they average 60 nests a year.
The turtle activities start early in the year. There is
an organizational meeting in late April to get volunteers
organized for the year and fill out the necessary forms
required. The state of South Carolina requires anyone

Beautsie Zahrn near a nest.

PHOTO BY ALLEN DASH

having anything to do with turtles to have an annually

renewed permit from the Department of Natural
Resources. Beautsie is the permit holder for Seabrook
Island beaches so all volunteers work under her permit.
Turtle Patrol volunteers start their days early. Most get
out around 6:15 a.m., and all should be out by 7 a.m.
The season starts on May 1st and ends October 1st. Roles
change as the season progresses. First come the walkers
early in the season who check for crawls from the mothers.
Beautsie says these early crawls look like a Mack truck has
come out of the ocean as it makes an impression about
3 feet wide. The turtle mother is making a hole in the

sand to drop her egg. The walker then calls Beautsie who
is the First Dispatcher for 4 days of the week. Beautsie
calls the first responder who goes to the area with a probe
stick. The nest is then assigned a number. The eggs are
only moved if there is a high tide and the babies would
drown, or if its in the way of a walkway, in which case
the nest is marked and surrounded by tape, so people
have to walk around it. This is indeed compassionate care
of the turtles. They lost 3 nests this year because of rain
and a rising water table. It was a devastating blow to the
volunteers.
There are four turtle patrol zones on the Seabrook
beach that need to be patrolled. They are: Pelican Watch
Beach to Privateer Creek, boardwalk 9 on Pelican
Beach to boardwalk 7, boardwalk 7 to North Beach
boardwalk 1, and North Beach boardwalk 1 to the new
cut on the Kiawah River. Each zone is assigned turtle
patrol members who will walk the zone on a specific day.
Beautsie has a computerized list of all of the members
who walk, what day they walk, as well as their phone
and cell numbers and email addresses. Getting this list
organized as to who wants to walk when, with all of its
related information, is a job in itself.
For the four mornings she is the main dispatcher,
her day starts very early. Beautsie receives calls from
the volunteers as to what activity they have spotted that
morning. All of this information goes into a database
and the information is sent to SeaTurtle.org, which is
automatically forwarded to the Department of Natural
History. All of this record keeping is required by the

September 11, 2015

wildlife

PHOTO BY DAN KING

permit she holds from the state.

As the summer progresses, activities
change. By mid-July, the volunteers have
started looking for baby tracks. By early
August, the mothers have left and the
Turtle Patrol is left to guard the nests of
the hatching babies. In August, they watch
the nests to see if the eggs have boiled or
hatched. This happens at night when the
temperature of the sand has cooled down.
Beautsie says this is quite a sight to see.
From mid July to the first of October
Turtle Patrol continues to keep an eye on
the nests. They now have 18 nests on the
beach they are still watching. When they
see evidence of a nest boiling, an inventory
is scheduled for 3 days later. This allows
the hatchlings to hatch naturally. If there
are live hatchlings left in the nest at the
inventory, they will be helped out, but
they must still have their walk to the
water. They advertise the inventory on
Turtle News and people come to watch
it happening. At this point, Turtle Patrol
members educate the public on how the
turtle process works.
Beautsie feels that the tasks they do to
save the baby turtles and allow them to
hatch is rewarding because you are doing

something to save a threatened species.

Turtles are a threatened species, not
endangered. Beautsie likes to think that
the moms she is seeing today were once
the baby turtles she helped come into this
world safely. She feels that turtles have an
aura about them; you want to help them.
She has had a few close calls. She got
bitten by a turtle once and but for the fact
she was wearing gloves, she might have
lost a finger. She notes that turtles are not
only threatened by people, but animals as
well. Last year there were coyotes on the
beach; this year it's possums.
But all of the hours of work, all the
filing of papers, all the work patrolling
the beach is worth it to Beautsie, who
points with pride, at the turtle charm she
has worn around her neck for years, long
before she got involved with Seabrook
turtle patrol. This is something that
was meant to be. This is a calling that
Beautsie has that she is happy to perform.
She has added so much to our wonderful
island by what she does for the turtles.
Turtle people are special people; they
have a passion for what they do. Beautsie
surely is the Voice of the Turtle here on
Seabrook.

Seabrook Island has hit a record number of loggerhead turtle nests this year.
Nest #75 was a wild nest found by Mike Vinson on Tuesday, September 1.
It was a nest on the dunes that collapsed due to the high tides recently. The
previous record for nests was 74 in 2013. The season isnt over yet and we
will have more babies making their way to the sea.

12

volunteer spotlight

Diane Boyer
BY MARIA GUROVICH
For The Island Connection

Editors Note: Volunteer Spotlight is a column in The

Island Connection highlighting members of the community
who give their time to help others. If you know of a volunteer
who deserves the spotlight email jennifer@luckydognews.
com.

ur Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Volunteer,

Diane Boyer, grew up on a farm in Iowa, went
to college in Sioux City, then graduated from
Northwestern University and the University of Illinois in
Chicago, respectively. She started out as a biology teacher
in high school and college. Later, she made a career change
and got a BSN in nursing and a Masters Degree as a nursemidwife. For thirty years, she taught and worked as a midwife
in inner-city Chicago and internationally in Central America
and Africa before she retired. Her education gave her the
knowledge and skills that enabled her to be helpful to the
women and families she cared for there.
Shes married with two children, has five grandchildren
and a new baby great-granddaughter. For fun, she loves to
read, cook, and host parties.
Always involved in giving back to the community, Diane
was a docent at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago for several years and
has always been very active in her professional organization, the
American College of Nurse-Midwives. Since her retirement,
she has had the time to do more volunteer work. She just
finished a term as Chair of the National Accreditation Board
for graduate programs in midwifery. In addition to teaching
English as a Second Language at OLMCS, she also volunteers
as a nurse at the Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic on Johns
Island. Diane is also active in the Charleston Area Justice
Ministry and in many activities at the Unitarian Church.

September 11, 2015

After retiring, but before moving to Charleston in 2008,

Diane taught ESL in the Chicago area. She recalls, I enjoyed
that [teaching], and looked online for a similar opportunities
here. Teaching small classes of motivated adults who are in
class because they want to learn is a very positive teaching
experience. Through her involvement as a tutor, Diane has
met many great people, including another volunteer who has
become one of her best friends in Charleston.
She strongly believes that education can have the greatest

positive effect and open up many opportunities. Im the

daughter of an Iowa farmer with an 8th grade education,
but I had the chance to get two baccalaureate degrees, two
masters degrees and a PhD, Diane states, with gratitude for
the opportunity.
Perseverance and education enabled her to earn enough
to have a comfortable life and have many interesting life
experiences. Her professional life as a midwife was spent in
inner-city Chicago, with some work in Central America and
Africa. Her education gave her the knowledge and skills that
enabled her to be helpful to the women and families she cared
for there.
She likes to think that the care she gave many women,
especially the many teenagers she cared for, enabled them
to have a positive pregnancy and birth experience. She also
taught many midwifery and nurse-practitioner students, and
take satisfaction in the great work many of them are doing.
I recently encountered a former student of mine who had
just earned her PhD and is doing some important womens
health research. She had kind things to say about the positive
influence I had had in her education and career choices,
smiles Diane.
To those who are thinking about getting involved she
would say Just do it! Youll find that the satisfaction you gain
will be at least equal to the help you provide. There are many
volunteer opportunities available--choose something that is
interesting to you and get involved.
For more information on how to get involved with
Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach contact Maria
Gurovich via phone (843) 559-4109 or email maria.
gurovich@olmoutreach.org.

September 11, 2015

Say farewell to farm

fresh food at Freshfields

PHOTOS BY RALPH SECOY

Freshfields' summer Farmers' Market wrapped up late last month, bringing the season
of weekly markets on the island to a close. The market, which features local certified
organic produce, fresh local meats, cheeses, packaged and prepared food including
jams, jellies, pecans, olive oils, sweets, handmade pasta, will return next year in June.
In the meantime to get your fresh food fix Rosebank's Farm Stand is still operating daily
through Dec. 31 from its new location a little further down Betsy Kerrison Parkway, as is
the Johns Island Homegrown Farmers Market at the corner of Main and Maybank.

13

14

September 11, 2015

fundraising

On the water

Charleston Waterkeeper hosts

Water Ball at the Cedar Room

BY ANDREW WUNDERLEY
For The Island Connection

harleston Waterkeeper is hosting

its 6th Annual Water Ball on
Thursday, September 17, at the
newly renovated Cigar Factorys Cedar
Room. Billed as an Evening Dedicated
to Clean Water the Water Ball in an
inspiring evening that helps remind the
Charleston community why clean water
is a cornerstone of Charlestons unique
culture, history, and lifestyle.
The Water Ball celebrates Charlestons
collective right to clean water by featuring
dishes from some of the nations most
talented chefs and culinary stars. Each
dish at the Water Ball will highlight
Charlestons connection to clean water by
featuring a product from, or inspired by,
its local waterways. Chefs and restaurants
participating in this years Water Ball
include:
Robert Berry - Pancito and Lefty
Sarah Fagan - Butcher and Bee
Vandy Vanderwarker - The
Ordinary
Michael Perez - Indaco
Ryan Welliver - The Cocktail Club
Ben McLean & Ari Kolender Leons
Taylor Garrigan & Aaron Siegel Hometeam BBQ

Chris Stewart - Glass Onion

Reid Henninger - Edmunds Oast
Drew Hedlund - Fleet Landing
Graham Dailey - Peninsula Grill
Todd Mazurek - Salthouse
Catering
John Zucker - Cru Catering
Amalia Scatena - Cannon Green
Thad Stuckey - Oku
Join Charleston Waterkeeper for an
evening dedicated to clean water, good
food, and good friends. Funds raised
throughout the evening will be used to
support Charleston Waterkeepers efforts
to protect and restore Charlestons local
waterways.
Established in 2009, Charleston
Waterkeeper was born from a deep love for
Charleston's local waterways and a belief
in our shared responsibility to protect and
restore those waterways for our community
and for future generations. To learn more
about Charleston Waterkeepers work please
visit: CharlestonWaterkeeper.org

September brings perfect

storm of conditions
BY GEOFF BENNETT
For The Island Connection

With a perfect storm of conditions

in place, anglers can be certain inshore
fishing will really pick up this month. A
combination of lots of bait, cooler water
temperatures and much less traffic on the
water should make for fantastic fishing.
While most people will turn their focus
to football and hunting, fishermen who
save some time for wetting a line will be
well rewarded.
Redfish on the flats have been finicky
and for the most part are spooked by
artificial lures. That being said they
are actively feeding but the right tactic
requires some patience. Weve been setting
up the boat a good ways from the schools
and waiting for the redfish to return to us.
Putting out chunks of blue crab has been
very effective. Use size 3/0 circle hooks
and make sure the hook point comes out
nice and clean to ensure a good hook
set. Its best to leave the rod in a holder
and only pick it up once the drag starts
singing.
Trout and popping corks remain a
perfect match. Trout are feeding more
aggressively and in greater numbers. Even
better, we're starting to catch multiple fish
in the two to three pound range along

with lots of smaller fish. Weve been using

mud minnows as bait almost exclusively as
shrimp just get shredded by bait stealers.
Try throwing artificial shrimp instead
and you'll be pleasantly surprised how
well this works.
Fly fishing can be challenging during
this time of year with water clarity
sometimes minimal. At low tide, however,
you will sometimes have no problem
seeing the redfish as they charge down the
bank feeding on shrimp. Poppers worked
across the surface to imitate fleeing shrimp
can draw explosive strikes and you can
literally watch the reds slash toward the
fly with their backs out of water. It can be
so hard to do when fishing these flies but
always strip set the hook when a fish hits
before raising your rod tip.
See you on the water!
Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston
Charter Fishing providing light tackle and
fly fishing charters. For more information,
call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit
his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.
com or email him at captain@
charlestoncharterfishing.com.

15

September 11, 2015

computer corner

Get your software

for free

BY BOB HOOPER

For The Island Connection

nough of Spyware and what is

wrong with this and that new stuff,
let's talk about some free stuff!
When deciding to add programs to your
computer you have two options, buy
something or opt for a free version.
There are free alternatives to Microsoft's
Office suite, Microsoft's own Office 365
being the latest. There is also "Open
Office," an open-sourced suite of programs
designed to work much like Microsoft's
programs. There are a few options here
including Apache Open Office atwww.
openoffice.org or Libre Open Office
at www.libreoffice.org. Both are fine
alternatives to Office, look very similar to
Office and do basically the same, create
documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoint-like
presentations and databases.
For editing and organizing your
pictures, Picasa (www.picasa.com) from
Google does a good job of helping you
your memories where you can find them.
You can edit them, print them, send them
in an email, etc.
Fotor (www.fotor.com) gets high praise
for its editing ability, plus it has Android
and iPhone apps. GIMP (www.gimp.
org/) is Photoshop-like program for free,
well sort of. It's like the "free" Office
products above, similar but not exactly
the same but for the price you can't beat
it. It does take some getting used to and
is not for the basic user, more for either
the experienced or someone willing to get
really involved with photo editing.
The website www.creativebloq.com/
photoshop/alternatives-1131641
offers
some other paid and free alternatives
for both PC and Macs. Not all free but
very reasonably priced and very good
alternatives to expensive programs like
Photoshop.
OK, just a bit about Malware... there
are many free antivirus programs available
too. A few to consider include Panda Free
Antivirus, Bitdefender Antivirus free,
Ad-adware free antivirus (www.lavasoft.
com/products/ad_aware_free.php)
or
Avast Free. If you are running Windows
7, Microsoft Security Essentials is always
a good choice. For most people these will
do fine, do not fall for the up-sell to the

paid version. If you find that malware is

still causing problems you might want
to schedule an appointment with an IT
professional.
Finally, there are a few great Outlookstyle email programs you can download
onto your computer so you don't have
to use a web browser to check your
email. On Windows 7 or 8/8.1 you can
install Windows Live Mail and use it to
view and send your email just like the
Office program Outlook (not the online
Outlook). It has a calendar and is very
handy for working with email. When
installing Live Mail you will have options
to install other programs that come with
"Essentials" suite, pick what you want.
I would suggest not selecting the Bing
program as it will change your Internet
Explorer settings and home page. In fact
when you install any free program it will
likely come with other programs you
may not want, be sure to click "advanced
install" and uncheck those if you don't
want them.
Another email alternative is from
Mozilla, who makes the Firefox web
browser. Its called Thunderbird (www.
mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird). It's also
similar to Microsoft's Outlook in that in
downloads your emails to your computer
and you view them without going online.
I did not forget the Mac people, but
Macs already come with a lot of free
programs as you've already paid an arm
and a leg! Mac's Mail program is great for
emails, Pages is Apple's Word, Numbers is
Excel and Keynote does PowerPoint stuff.
Use them, they work well on Macs and
if you must have Office then OpenOffice
is available for Macs and it's still free.
Most of the programs I listed for PC's
have Mac alternatives that are also free.
For Malware protection on Mac laptop/
desktops consider using Sophos.
So go ahead and enjoy the free things
in life.
As always if you have questions or need
help you can call or email me, Rent A Bob at
843.822.7794 or email at rentabob@live.
com.

Island Connection Calendar

September 11
ONGOING EVENTS
Charleston Restaurant Week
September 9 - 20, the event, executed
by the Greater Charleston Restaurant
Association, Inc is one of the most
highly anticipated culinary events in the
Charleston area. It is an opportunity
to enjoy the world-renowned cuisine
of the Lowcountry as participating
restaurants offer prix fixe lunch and
dinner menus. For more information
about participating restaurants visit www.
charlestonrestaurantassociation.com/
charleston-restaurant-week.

Mondays

Intermediate Oil Classes

At the Todd & Huff Art Center located
at Bohicket Marina, Wednesdays and
Fridays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Topics include
value work, applying composition elements
to your paintings, edge work, brush and
palette knife use. Painting from still life
and photos. Email toddhuffcenter@gmail.
com for information.
Oil Painting Basics
The Seabrook Island Artist Guild will offer
a two session free workshop. The classes,
taught by Gary Kunkelman, will be held
on September 22 and 24 from 1- 4 p.m. in
the Eagles Nest room at the Lake House.
To sign up contact Gary Kunkelman at
garyk1@comcast.net.
Monday Bridge Group

9 a.m. at the Lake House. The Monday

Bridge Group needs new players. For more
information contact Lori at 843.768.2314
or Ilse Calcagno at 843.768.0317.

Tuesdays

Mah Jongg Practice

1 - 4 p.m. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Tuesday
of the month. Located at The Lake
HouseOsprey 2. Open to all new
players, those returning to the game, and
anyone else who wants a chance to practice
with others who are learning the game.
Contact Helen Thompson at hmtsbsc@
gmail.com.
Bookmobile
The Charleston County Bookmobile comes
to Freshfields Village on the first and third
Tuesday of every month from 10 - 11:30
am. The Bookmobile will be parked in the
lot behind Heges and Java Java.

Wednesdays

Piano Bar Series

Back by popular demand... Piano Bar
Series at the Sandcastle. Relax outside
on the patio with the beverage of your
choice or inside closer to the music. The
Sandcastle will be the happening place at
5 p.m. Island time. Bring the beverage of
choice and any snack to tide you over.
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island
Arts and Cultural Events Council. 5-7
p.m., Wed. Sept. 16, 23 and 30. No
tickets required.

Lake House Yoga

8:30 a.m. Join us for Rise and Shine Yoga
with Patti Romano, formerly known at
Gentle Flow Yoga. Rise and Shine Yoga
is an all-levels practice focused around
finding your days intention, set up yourself
for success and be ready to shine.

Fridays

Friday Indoor Pickleball

12:30 - 2:30 p.m. at St. Christophers
Camp. For further information, please
contact Mary Torello at 843.768.0056.

Saturdays

Homegrown
10 a.m. 2 p.m. Johns Island Farmers
Market. Every Third Saturday at 3546
Maybank Highway Johns Island.
For more information, visit www.
johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.
2015 Sea Island Cars and Coffee
9 - 11 a.m. The third Saturday each month
at Freshfields Village.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Seabrook Island Garden Club
9:30 a.m. First meeting of the 2015 - 16
season. At the Seabrook Island Lake
House. For information on membership
please contact: Cheryl Schumann,
cschumann@seabrookislandrealestate.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

Clean up Betsy Kerrison

Come join Seabrookers as they begin the
end-of-summer clean up of Betsy Kerrison
Parkway at 9 a.m. To sign up, contact
Mary Torello at mary.torello@yahoo.com.
COVAR Meeting
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. The next COVAR
meeting at the Lake House. All
Seabrookers are welcome to attend.
Bohicket Marina-Charleston Running
Club 5/10k Run
Bohicket Marina and the Charleston
Running Club are sponsoring the 5/10k
Run at Seabrook Island; this event will
benefit the Kiawah/Seabrook Exchange
Club and the Charleston Running
Club Charities. To register go to www.
charlestonrunningclub.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
Artist Guild Meeting
The Seabrook Island Artist Guild will
present distinguished portraitist Robert
Maniscalco as guest artist at the monthly
meeting at 3 p.m. in the Lake House.
Dont Drill Lowcountry
6:30 p.m. Public Rally. Keynote addresses
by Congressman Mark Sanford and
Senator Chip Campsen. The event is open
to the public at Charleston Harbor Resort
Yacht Club, 32 Patriots Point Road, Mt.
Pleasant.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Painting Workshop
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Nancy Nowak, Signature
Member of Pastel Society giving workshop
on Ungreening Your Landscapse
Paintings, for pastelists and oil artists
at the Todd & Huff Art Center located
at Bohicket Marina. Focusing on strong
underpainting, shapes, values, color
temperature and edge work. Email
toddhuffcenter@gmail.com for more
information and a schedule.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
Yappy Hour
4 8 p.m. James Island County Park dog
park Free event with park admission! Join
us after work for live music by Dallas
Baker and Friends, on stage in the dog
park. Beverages will be available for
purchase. No outside alcohol or coolers
permitted. Registration not required.
6th Annual Water Ball
Charleston Waterkeeper is hosting its
6th Annual Water Ball on Thursday,
September 17, at the newly renovated
Cigar Factorys Cedar Room. Billed as an
Evening Dedicated to Clean Water the
Water Ball in an inspiring evening that
helps remind the Charleston community
why clean water is a cornerstone of
Charlestons unique culture, history, and
lifestyle. Purchase tickets at TheWaterBall.
org.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Oktoberfest
7 - 11 p.m. Charlestons annual
celebration of German culture is back for
its second year. Join us for the Sam Adams
Oktoberfest at the Bus Shed this fall as we
sample a variety of Sam Adams beers, savor
German grub, sway to the tunes of an
authentic polka band, and test our strength
in the ultimate stein hoisting competition.
Visitor Center Bus Shed, 375 Meeting St,
downtown Charleston. Tickets are $10
in advance, $20 day of. Tickets at www.
asnappyevent.com
Lowcountry Rice Culture Days
Celebrate Lowcountry Rice Culture Days
on Friday and Saturday, September 18-19,
at the Outdoor Educational Center in the
Middleton Place Stableyards. All activities
associated with this event are included
in the price of Gardens and Stableyards
admission. For more information visit
middletonplace.org or call 843.556.6020.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
3rd Annual Barrier Island 5k Run/Hike
St. Christopher is hosting the 3rd Annual
Barrier Island 5K Run/Hike on September
19 this year. This fun, family-friendly event
will showcase the beautiful facilities and
environment that St. Christopher operates
on, which many of you have visited
throughout the years! St. Christopher is

September 27
hosting the 3rd Annual Barrier Island
5K Run/Hike. This fun, family-friendly
event will showcase the beautiful facilities
and environment that St. Christopher
operates on, which many of you have
visited throughout the years. We would
like to encourage any and all residents,
friends, or guests of Seabrook and Kiawah
Islands to come participate with us in this
special event. For more information, please
contact dkalshoven@stchristopher.org, or
register for the 5K at stchristopher.org.
Sunday, September 20
Carolina Green Fair
12 5 p.m. James Island County Park.
Free festival with your park admission
fee ($1 per person). The Carolina Green
Fair features conservation education
through fun and inventive demonstrations,
interactive play and music, and education
shared by experts in their field. Food and
beverages will be available for purchase.
No coolers, outside food, or beverages
permitted.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
Lowcountry Voice, Gospel Meets Jazz
Meets Gospel 2
4 p.m. Holy Spirit Catholic Church,
Ticket Release: Kiawah 9/8 Public
9/11. Complimentary Tickets Available
at Kiawah Town Hall 843.768 .9166
or online at www.kiawahisland.org/
specialevents

Adaptive Recreation Expo

12 5 p.m., James Island County
Park. Try a variety of adaptive sports
like paddling, archery, climbing, and
yoga. Visit vendors to learn about
other recreation opportunities and
watch wheelchair basketball and dance
demonstrations. Pre-registration is not
required, but is encouraged. A chaperone
is required for youth ages 15 and under.
A signed waiver will be required for all
participants. For more information,
assistance with the registration process,
or information on our host hotel call
843.795.4386. Free with regular park
admission fee of $1 per person.
Full Moon Bonfire
8:07 p.m. moonrise. 8:32 sunset. Come on
down for a time of visiting and enjoying
the beauty of Seabrook Island at night.
Well gather just north of Boardwalk 1.
With the completion of the cut and the
abundance of turtle nests near Boardwalk
6, the bonfire will return to just north
of Boardwalk 1. Each person brings
what they want food, drinks, chairs,
and sticks of firewood for a big bonfire.
Nothing will be provided but a beautiful
beach, a bonfire and, hopefully, a full
moon.

18

financial focus

September 11, 2015

Best Response to Volatile

Markets? Stay Calm
BY DIMI MATOUCHEV
For The Island Connection

n recent months, stocks have fallen sharply from their record highs, with one-day
drops that can rightfully be called dizzying. As an investor, what are you to make
of this volatility?
For one thing, youll find it useful to know the probable causes of the market
gyrations. Most experts cite global fears about Chinas economic slowdown, falling oil
prices and anticipation of a move by the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates as the
key factors behind the stock markets decline.
On the other hand, the U.S. economy is still doing fairly well. Employers are adding
jobs at a pretty good clip, wages are rising, home prices are up and overall economic
growth has been reasonably solid. In other words, we are in a vastly better place than
in the period before the Great Recession of 2008 and early 2009, when the financial
markets bottomed out.
Nonetheless, its only natural that you might feel some trepidation over whats been
happening in the financial markets over the past few weeks. So, what should you do?
Here are a few suggestions:
Expect more of the same. Be prepared for more volatility, potentially including
big drops one day followed by big gains the next. Until the factors considered
responsible for the current volatility that is, Chinas slowing economy, low oil
prices and the Federal Reserves decision on rates have been fully absorbed
into the markets pricing mechanisms, big price swings, one way or another, are
to be expected.
Dont panic. The headlines may look grim, but todays newspapers are
tomorrows recycling pile. Volatility is nothing new, and the financial markets
are more resilient than you may think.
Look for opportunities. By definition, a downturn occurs when investors sell
massive amounts of stocks, but it actually may be a good time to buy them,
while their price is down. Look at the most successful businesses and their
products and services. If you can envision these companies still being around
and thriving in ten years, why wouldnt you want to buy their stocks at
potentially lower prices?
Diversify. During the downturn, just about everyones portfolio was affected.
But if yours took a particularly large hit, it might be because your holdings are
over-concentrated in stocks, especially the types of stocks that fared the worst.
You may need to further diversify your portfolio through a mixture of domestic
and international stocks, bonds, government securities, real estate, certificates
of deposit (CDs) and other vehicles. Diversification, by itself, cant guarantee a
profit or prevent against all losses, but it can help blunt the harshest effects of
volatility.
Review your investment strategy. Unless your goals have changed, theres no
reason to revise your long-term investment strategy, even in the face of wild
fluctuations in the financial markets. Still, its always a good idea to review
your strategy at least once a year, possibly in consultation with a financial
professional. You may need to make smaller-scale adjustments in response to
changes in the economy, interest rates, and so on, but dont abandon your core
principles, such as maintaining a portfolio that reflects your goals, risk tolerance
and time horizon.
Investing will never be either risk-free or predictable. But by taking the steps
described above, you can relieve some of the stress associated with volatility and help
yourself stay on track toward your financial objectives.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should understand the
risks involved of owning investments, including interest rate risk, credit risk and market
risk. The value of investments fluctuates and investors can lose some or all of their
principal. Special risks are inherent to international investing, including those related
to currency fluctuations and foreign political and economic events.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones
Financial Advisor.

September 11, 2015

daily

fundraising

19

Migrate to Memminger Charleston County

for the Birds of Prey Lifeguards place 11th
BY KARA BALE

BY SARAH REYNOLDS

For The Island Connection

he third annual Migration to

Memminger fundraiser for the
Avian
Conservation
Center
and Center for Birds of Prey(www.
thecenterforbirdsofprey.org), is scheduled
for October 8, 2015, at Memminger
Auditorium. The evening is a celebration
of the natural world, punctuated with a
wide array of live birds of prey on hand.
Birds are global environmental indicators,
many undertaking an arduous annual
journey over thousands of miles to find
hospitable breeding and foraging habitat.
Migration to Memminger is a nod to
this daunting and inspiring annual
phenomena. A limited number of tickets
will be available for purchase beginning
Thursday, August 27, 2015, but it is
strongly suggested that you register on the
Centers pre-sale list to ensure admission
to the event.
This years migration brings with it
new avian ambassadors as well as a new
platform for interacting at the event.
The Center is offering a simplified and
improved way to enjoy Migration to
Memminger 2015 through a partnership
with Bidr.co (www.bidr.co). Bidrs new
smart phone platform allows attendees to

For The Island Connection

L
register for events, bid on silent auction
items, participate in raffles and pay for
items using their cell phone, and they can
increase their bids with a text message.
Unique raffle items and a stellar live
auction will raise funds to advance the
future of avian conservation in the region.
Admission is $150 per attendee and
tickets will be available online via Bidr.co
(www.bidr.co/events/migration) beginning
August 27, 2015. For advance reservations,
contact the Center for Birds of Prey at (843)
971-7474.

ifeguards from Charleston County

Park and Recreation Commission
recently competed in the United
States Lifesaving Association National
Lifeguard Championships and made their
mark as one of the top lifeguard teams
in the country. The event took place in
Daytona Beach Aug. 6-8.
Overall, CCPRCs team placed 11th
in the country, out of 42 teams in their
division, which consisted of the largest
beaches in the country (based on number
of staff members). CCPRCs team consisted
of 11 members, including four women
- Hannah Craig, Taylor Stubbs, Mary
Stewart Wilson and Peyton Wilson; and
seven men - Bo Blythe, Stephen Fernandez,
Stephen Heyward, Max Hutton, Clark
Noble, John Radel and Anthony Tipton.
The women competitors took home six
individual top 20 awards, with two in the
top 10, as well as five top 20 team awards,
with one in the top 10. The men took home
two top 20 team awards, and seven top 10
individual age group awards.
CCPRC team member Hannah Craig
also competed individually in two events in
the Junior division (under 19) of the national
competition and placed in the top three in

both events, the Run-Swim-Run (2nd place)

and the Surf Swim race (3rd place).
Next year, CCPRC will host the
regional competition for USLA lifeguards,
the South Atlantic Lifesaving Association
Championships, on Folly Beach for the
first time. CCPRC has been staffing
lifeguarded areas since 1976, when they
began lifeguarding the beach at Kiawah
Beachwalker Park. Today, CCPRC
employs about 150 lifeguards at three
water parks, and about 50 lifeguards at
three beach parks (Beachwalker, Isle of
Palms, and Folly Beach County Parks) and
the Folly Beach Fishing Pier. For details on
CCPRC lifeguards and their training, visit
www.ccprc.com/1247/Lifeguards-Safety.
The
United
States
Lifesaving
Association is America's nonprofit,
professional association of beach lifeguards
and open water rescuers. The USLA works
to reduce the incidence of death and
injury in the aquatic environment through
public education, national lifeguard
standards, training programs, promotion
of high levels of lifeguard readiness, and
other means. For more information or for
full results from the National Lifeguard
Championship, visit usla.org.