Wedding & Event Venue Near Beaufort, SC.

By Justin Jarrett

LowcoSports.com

They knew a rematch was coming in the semifinals, but the Beaufort Academy Eagles stayed focused on the task at hand Friday and dispatched Orangeburg Prep with a strong all-around effort.

Devonte Green led the way with 221 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries as the Eagles rolled up more than 500 yards of total offense and cruised to a comfortable win to open the SCISA 2A postseason and set up a second showdown with Colleton Prep on Friday at Merritt Field.

Jaxen Porter added 65 yards and a TD on the ground and had a long catch and run to set up the first of two field goals from Zeke Gonzalez, who added 122 yards from scrimmage and two two-point conversions.

Braydon Dineen gave another standout effort on both sides of the ball to lead the Eagles. Dineen rushed for 74 yards on five carries and completed 6 of 10 passes for 126 yards, including four for 89 yards to Gonzalez. And he added a team-high 11 tackles (two for loss) on defense, but it was Green who carried the bulk of the load and found the end zone three times.

BA’s defense gave up a long touchdown pass in the first quarter but otherwise locked down the Indians en route to a 26-8 halftime lead, and most of the starters were on the sideline when the Indians scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns in a lopsided contest. Tres Delaney collected seven tackles (three for loss) and two sacks, Ediel Gonzalez had five tackles (two for loss) and two sacks, and Tripp Gregory added five tackles (one for loss) and a sack for BA.

Now the Eagles (8-2) get another visit from Colleton Prep (10-1), just three weeks after edging the War Hawks, 20-19, when they stopped a two-point conversion with no time left on the clock.

That time, it gave BA an inside track to the region title. This time, the winner books its spot at Charleston Southern for the SCISA 2A state championship on Nov. 19.

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and the founder of LowcoSports.com. He was the sports editor of the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette for 6½ years. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.

The National Weather Service warned Monday that recently formed Subtropical Storm Nicole will put Beaufort County at risk for coastal flooding, winds over coastal waters, gusty winds, heavy rainfall and dangerous surf.

“Things are going to deteriorate mid-to-late week,” said Steve Rowley, a meteorologist with the Charleston office.

Wind gusts in the county, whipping up to 30 mph inland and 44 mph along the Hilton Head reef, could be felt as soon as Tuesday. However, Rowley said the worst impacts for South Carolina will likely be seen late this week and into the weekend, with coastal flooding as the main concern.

“We’re not going to wait for the arrival of the storm before things get bad,” Rowley said. “Things are going to go downhill because of the interaction of the tropical storm and the high pressure to the north.”

Three weeks before Atlantic hurricane season commences, Subtropical Storm Nicole formed in the southwestern Atlantic on Monday and had winds of 45 mph that morning. Nicole is expected to strengthen as it approaches Florida’s east coast and the southeast United States coast later this week and could reach hurricane status on Wednesday, NWS said.

Meteorologists predict Nicole will move toward Florida’s east coast by Wednesday evening, however the weather service noted that it “will be a large storm and impacts will be felt well away from its center.” That includes coastal South Carolina. Once Nicole crosses the Florida peninsula, whatever is left of the system is expected to take a sharp turn northeast, Rowley said.

Early Monday, the NWS issued a tropical storm watch for the county’s coastal waters, bringing northeast winds with strong gusts and seas of up to 12 feet. To prepare, the service said “mariners should consider altering plans to avoid possible hazardous conditions.”

Coastal flooding will be the worst during high tides, though rainfall count that will contribute will be based on how close the system comes to the coast, NWS said. As of Monday morning, meteorologists forecast that Beaufort County will get an accumulation of 3 to 4 inches of rain between Thursday and Sunday.

A high surf could churn up waves at least 5 feet, which could cause significant beach erosion. Temperatures in the county will also plummet Wednesday, bringing a high of 69 degrees.

Rowley noted that “details are going to change over the next couple of days” regarding Nicole, especially as the storm is expected to take a sharp turn.

This story was originally published November 7, 2022 11:45 AM.

Halloween is just around the corner. Is your family wanting a Halloween event outside of the usual trunk-or-treat experience?

Beaufort County has celebrations dotted around the area, so, if you’re looking for an event that is more adult-friendly, make sure to check with your favorite restaurant or local hangout spot to see if they are getting into the spirit of the holiday.

As for a family-centered Halloween event, here are five family-friendly festivities happening around Beaufort County.

On Friday, head over to Shelter Cove Park on Hilton Head Island from 4-7 p.m. for a free Halloween event. Family members and friends may peruse the pumpkin patch and kids may participate in the Halloween costume contest at 5:45 p.m. Bounce houses, games, train rides, concessions and a rock wall will also be present at the event, held by the Island Rec Center for your family to enjoy. Shelter Cove Park can be found on the island at 39 Shelter Cove Lane.

On Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Beaufort is hosting its annual free Halloween celebration at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park on Bay Street. The whole family is invited to the Oct. 22 festivities and both kids and adults may even wear their costumes to the park to celebrate. DJ Donna Smith will be in attendance leading the merriment and there will be games, prizes and craft tables for all to enjoy. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase food from Cappy’s Farm Fresh Food, Teen Challenge and Blue Sky Italian Ice. Trick-or-treating will begin at 12:30 p.m.

The Trick or Treat Trail at Providence Presbyterian Church on Hilton Head Island is hosting some Halloween fun on Oct. 28 from 6-8 p.m. This free event is located at the south end of the island at 171 Cordillo Parkway on the church grounds and will provide fun for the family with candy stations, activities, prizes, movies, hot dogs, hamburgers and bonfires.

Join the Beaufort County Library System at the Bluffton Branch Library for an all-ages, family-friendly event featuring snacks, games and a Halloween movie (rated PG) on Oct. 29. Located at 120 Palmetto Way in Bluffton, attendees will meet in the large meeting room from noon until 3:30 p.m. Prior to the Halloween Scream, children are invited to attend the Monster Mash at the Bluffton Branch Library from 10-11:30 a.m. to listen to monster stories, show off their Halloween costume, sing spooky songs and create a monster craft.

The Tanger Boo Bash is set for Oct. 29 from 4-7 p.m. at Tanger 1 in Bluffton. This free, family-friendly event is open to all ages with a DJ entertaining attendees at the gazebo, prize opportunities and a costume contest for those who wish to show up, with the added opportunity to take pictures at the photo booth.

This story was originally published October 21, 2022 5:00 AM.

Beaufort County voters will see four questions at the bottom of their ballots on election day, the two biggest of which concern the county’s request for an increase in sales tax to buy land to preserve as green space. Here’s a breakdown of the Green Space tax referendum and two other unrelated constitutional amendments.

If passed by voters, Beaufort County’s Green Space Program will allow the county to buy development rights or total ownership of land it believes is threatened by development and could lead to issues with land use, traffic, public safety, stormwater runoff, water quality or other conservation objectives.

While the Green Space Program has a similar goal as the Rural and Critical Land Preservation Program, a land preservation program that has passed in the county five times since 2000, it is much larger in scope and the money comes from a different source.

Where Rural and Critical is a property tax, the Green Space program is a sales tax. The Green Space program as set forth would collect nearly as much money as the five Rural and Critical programs put together.

Two local questions will be on the ballots for voters in Beaufort County regarding the Green Space referendum.

The wording and what it means:

Question 1A reads:

“Shall a special one percent (1%) sales and use tax be imposed in Beaufort County for not more than two (2) years to raise up to $100,000,000 for preservation procurement for the purpose of procuring open lands and green space by and through the acquisition of interests in real property, located within or outside the boundaries of Beaufort County, such interests to include: (a)the acquisition of fee simple titles;

(b)conservation easements;

(c)development rights;

(d)rights of first refusal;

(e)options;

(f)leases with options to purchase; or

(g)any other interests in real property?”

A “Yes” vote means you will pay an extra one cent per dollar on purchases for two years or until $100 million is raised for the county program. Purchases on groceries, gas and medicine are excluded from the tax.

Question 1B reads:

“I approve the issuance of not exceeding $100,000,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds of Beaufort County maturing over a period of not to exceed two (2) years to fund the procurement of open lands and green space identified in Beaufort County Local Referendum Question lA? lf the Sales and Use Tax revenues are inadequate for the payment of the bonds, the County intends to pledge its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment thereof.”

A “Yes” vote will allow the county to move more quickly, issuing bonds to raise the money and then using the tax money that will come in to pay back those bonds. If question 1A passes but 1B fails, the county could still move forward with the program, just more slowly. If question 1A fails, then 1B becomes moot.

The argument for voting Yes:

Nowhere is land conservation as important as it is in Beaufort County, a growing area that sells its natural beauty as a main attraction for newcomers and visitors. About 50 percent of the county is water, which leaves a limited amount of land to split between development and conservation.

The South Coast Office of the Coastal Conservation League supports the program. “It’s really important that we are growing in the right places and that we’re also balancing that with protecting some of our most sensitive ecosystems,” said its director, Jessie White.

Supporters also like to point out estimates that nearly 40 percent of the money raised would come from part-time residents and tourists, so all of the burden does not fall on full-time residents.

The argument for voting No:

Any tax increase is hard to swallow, but given the current state of inflation and possible worsening conditions, the timing for the request could be better.

Too, the size of the goal — $100 million — might cause people to hesitate supporting a program they might otherwise be willing to support. That hesitation might be exacerbated by the uncertainty around which properties will be bought and protected, although the county has said the Beaufort County Greenprint Plan and the 2040 Beaufort County Comprehensive Plan will be used as “critical documents.” The former maps out areas of the county that are critical for preservation and the latter seeks to create a plan to “balance economic development, resource protection, and growth in a form that creates quality places.”

“The Beaufort County Rural and Critical Lands program has existed since 2002, and they’ve only spent $141 million,” said Councilwoman Alice Howard during the Aug. 8 County Council meeting. “Now we’re proposing to spend $100 million in two years.”

When County Council passed the referendum, Howard was the only one to vote against it. Despite Howard supporting past conservation initiatives, she disapproved of the county buying development rights for projects that may already be approved by municipalities.

“I don’t think this is the right referendum at the right time for Beaufort County residents,” Howard said during the Aug. 8 meeting.

Two statewide constitutional amendment questions seek voters’ permission to move more money into two of the state’s reserve funds.

The wording and what it means:

Amendment 1 reads:

“Must Section 36(A), Article lll of the Constitution of this State, relating to the General Reserve Fund, be amended so as to provide that the General Reserve Fund of five percent of general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year must be increased each year by one-half of one percent of the general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year until it equals seven percent of such revenues?”

The state’s general reserve fund functions as a “rainy day fund,” meaning the money in the reserve is available to cover any budget shortfalls at the end of each fiscal year.

Each fiscal year, which ends in June, 5% of the previous fiscal year’s revenue is put into the general reserve fund.

A ‘Yes’ vote will allow lawmakers to increase the general reserve fund from 5% to 7% of the previous fiscal year’s revenue.

Amendment 2 reads:

“Must Section 36(B), Article lll of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to provide that the Capital Reserve Fund of two percent of the general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year be increased to three percent of the general fund revenue of the latest completed fiscal year and to provide that the first use of the Capital Reserve Fund must be to offset midyear budget reductions?”

If the general reserve fund is used to cover a fiscal year-end shortfall, the capital reserve fund will be used to replenish the general reserve fund. If the general reserve fund is not used to cover a shortfall, then the capital reserve fund can be used for capital improvements like renovating, repairing and expanding state-owned properties.

The capital reserve fund is 2% of the general revenue from the previous fiscal year.

A “Yes” vote will allow lawmakers to increase the capital reserve fund from 2% to 3% of the previous fiscal year’s revenue.

“Are there any minors in here?” parent Joseph Castagnino asked before making his public comment at the Beaufort County School Board meeting Oct. 18.

Then, he read a sex scene from “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins in front of the board, parents and attendees. “Tricks” is a New York Times bestselling novel that tells the story of five teenagers that fall into prostitution.

And, until last Friday, the novel was available at some Beaufort County middle and high school libraries.

Three days after Castagnino’s reading, school administrators started pulling this and 96 other books from all Beaufort County schools, district spokesperson Candace Bruder said Tuesday.

The list includes what could be considered classics such as “ The Handmaid’s Tale” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” The list also includes titles such as “grl2grl” and “Foul is Fair.”

Bruder said a community member provided a list of 97 books the morning after the meeting.

Castagnino said he and other Beaufort County parents sent the board a list of 97 books with “adult-rated content” that they compiled last week.

“There’s a book rating just like there’s a movie rating,” Castagnino said. “That’s where the list of 96 books comes from.”

To compile the list, Castagnino and other parents cross referenced books that had adult ratings with the Beaufort County School Library catalog. Castagnino didn’t say what rating system they used.

District procedure for challenged materials is typically a multi-step process, which involves a parent submitting a formal complaint, conferences between librarians, parents and students, and a “Materials Reconsideration Committee.”

This process is separate from South Carolina’s annual textbook and material review process, where parents can look over material and submit comments.

The district didn’t receive a formal complaint for the 97 materials, according to Bruder.

“Although the district made a Request for Reconsideration of School Library Materials Form available to parents expressing concerns about books, no forms were received by the district,” she said. “However, after hearing concerns regarding some of the books in question, the district decided to temporarily remove books from shelves to undergo a review process.”

In the library catalog the books will show as “in processing” while under review.

“As a district, we have the right to pull materials at any time when concerns are brought to our attention,” Bruder said. “Typically during the review process, the materials are temporarily removed until the process is complete.”

The list of books being pulled and reviewed that Bruder provided is:

1. A lesson in Vengeance

2. All Boys Aren’t Blue

3. All the Things We Do in the Dark

4. Almost Perfect

5. Ask the Passengers

6. Beautiful

7. Boy Girl Boy

8. Breathless

9. Burned

10. City of Heavenly Fire

11. Clockwork Princess

12. Collateral

13. Confess: A Novel

14. Cool for the Summer

15. Court of Frost and Starlight

16. Court of Mist and Fury

17. Court of Thorns and Roses

18. Court of Wings and Ruin

19. Crank

20. Damsel

21. Eleanor and Park

22. Empire of Storms

23. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

24. Fade

25. Fallout

26. Felix Ever After

27. Flamer

28. Forever for a Year

29. Foul is Fair

30. Gabi, A Girl in Pieces

31. Glass

32. Go Ask Alice

33. Grit

34. grl2grl

35. Grown

36. Half of a Yellow Sun

37. Hopeless

38. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

39. I’ll Give You the Sun

40. Identical

41. Impulse

42. It Ends With Us

43. Kingdom of Ash

44. Last Night at the Telegraph Club

45. Layla

46. Leah on the Offbeat

47. Living Dead Girl

48. Lolita

49. Looking for Alaska

50. Lucky

51. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

52. Milk and Honey

53. Monday’s Not Coming

54. More Happy Than Not

55. Nineteen Minutes

56. November 9

57. Oryx and Crake

58. Out of Darkness

59. Perfect

60. Push

61. Ramona Blue

62. Red at the Bone

63. Rumble

64. Scars

65. Shine

66. Skin

67. Smoke

68. Sold

69. Speak

70. Stamped (AD, YA, YD, and for Kids versions)

71. The Art of Racing in the Rain

72. The Black Flamingo

73. The Bluest Eye

74. The Carnival at Bray

75. The Duff

76. The Female of the Species

77. The Fixer

78. The Freedom Writers Diary

79. The Handmaid’s Tale

80. The Haters

81. The Infinite Moment of Us

82. The Kite Runner

83. The Lovely Bones

84. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

85. The Poet X

86. The Truth About Alice

87. The Upside of Unrequited

88. The You I’ve Never Known

89. Thirteen Reasons Why

90. This One Summer

91. Tilt

92. Tower of Dawn

93. Tricks

94. Water for Elephants

95. Wintergirls

96. Yolk

97. YOLO

This story was originally published October 25, 2022 4:41 PM.