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Volume 12 Issue 25 FREE March 15, 2019

Sea level rise

at Our World
lecture series
DISCUSSING
M I T I G AT I O N ,
N O T D E B AT I N G
CAUSES
BY GREGG BRAGG
The Island Connection Sr. Staff Writer

“T
here are two main causes of Sea
Level Rise,” said Dr. Kristina
Dahl during a presentation to
an Our World Lecture Series audience of
approximately 120 at Kiawah’s Municipal
Center on February 14.
The speaker from the Union of
Concerned Scientists (UCS) told
attendees, climatologists have measured
an aggregate increase of 1.4 degrees
Above: Ocean Park. Inset: Rhett’s Bluff. Photos provided. Fahrenheit in temperatures since the
80s. Everything expands when heated,

19th Annual Kiawah including the ocean. Just add water from
melting land ice in Greenland and the
Arctic, and you transform the climate

Island Art and House Tour

change/global warming debate from the
abstract to an observable fact of life along
the coast.
The arc of Dahl’s education culminated
BY CARROLL DUNN in a Paleo-climatology PhD. from the
For The Island Connection Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dahl said she had always assumed a

T
he 19th Annual Kiawah Island Art and House tour
sponsored by Arts, etc. offers visitors a rare glimpse into
the art and architecture of 5 spectacular homes in the
gated community of Kiawah Island. The tour takes place on
Friday, April 5 from 1-5 p.m.
The homes feature unique architectural designs, superb
artwork and spectacular views. Proceeds from the tour benefit
the youth of Johns and Wadamalaw Islands through visual and
performing arts. Arts, etc. also supports the Gibbes museum and
other local arts-oriented organizations.
Advance tickets are $55 each and can be purchased online at
BrownPaperTickets.com (use the keyword “Kiawah”) and at the Kiawah
Island Real Estate office in Freshfields Village. In addition, tickets will be
available at Freshfields Village the day of the tour.
Tickets purchased in advance must be exchanged for a tour
brochure at the Square in Freshfields Village on the day of the
tour. Freshfields Village is located at the corner of Betsy Kerrison
Parkway and Kiawah Island Parkway. Homes are not disability
accessible and children under 12 are not permitted.
Two of the featured tour homes:
Cassique
This beautiful home overlooks marsh grasses and the 17th hole
on the Cassique golf course. As you enter the home into the living
room your eye is immediately drawn to the many large paintings
flanking the walls. which were designed to accommodate the size
of the artwork. Visitors will admire a wonderful collection of art
from renowned artists; Wolf Kahn, Chagall, Charles Dwyer and
Mickey Williams. Beyond the living room, there is a solarium
with a baby grand piano and a large window that overlooks a
beautifully manicured yard. Don’t miss the yard art!
Art & House Tour continues on page 3
career in academics was on her horizon,
but ultimately chose UCS because the
organization’s penchant for applying
science meant making a difference. Albert
Einstein once observed, “If you can’t
explain something simply, you simply
don’t understand it.” Dahl has the knack,
which makes her the perfect candidate to
corroborate a recent study of sea level rise
by the like-named committee on Kiawah.
Riding past the debate over the causes
of rising temperatures, Dahl stuck with
its effects. SLR in the Charleston area has
increased over 5 inches since 1970. If it
continues trending along the same lines, it
Sea Level Rise continues on page 5

For Your Health Martins Return to SC Putting For Paws

Page 9 Page 10 Page 11
2 March 15, 2019
civic

Seabrook Island Town Council

MEETING FEB. 26
Lynn Pierotti
publisher
BY GREGG BRAGG
The Island Connection Sr. Staff Writer
lynn@luckydognews.com

T
he Feb. 26 meeting of Seabrook
Katy Calloway
Island Town Council was called to
managing editor order promptly at 2:30 p.m. Town
katy@luckydognews.com clerk/treasurer Faye Allbritton confirmed
the Mayor’s assumption; the Town had
Jennifer Tuohy complied with all legal requirements for
contributing editor the assembly, and elected officials got
straight to work. Five sets of minutes were
jennifer@luckydognews.com approved with little/no modification as a
medium sized audience looked on.
Alejandro Ferreyros Mayor Ron Ciancio celebrated a
senior graphic designer financial report for the previous month
alejandro@luckydognews.com which boasted $136,000 more revenue
than anticipated. The amount is $96,000
better than the same period last year, and
Lori McGee the mayor attributed the windfall to a
sales manager surge in business licenses equal to 7.1%
lori@luckydognews.com of projections for the year. Expenses also
came in better than expected accounting
for only 2.8% of the annual budgeted
Senior Staff Writer
amount.
Town Administrator Joe Cronin
Gregg Bragg
chimed in to explain the budget would
continue to be expressed as a percentage
Contributors of annual projections, which he argued
Carroll Dunn was a better indicator of performance.
Sarah Perry The arbitrary numbers used in the past
Barbara Radin Fox contributed to a choppy ride last year, and
the use of percentages will paint a better
Joe Siegrist picture of how the year is playing out, he
Norman Powers
suggested. The Mayor tagged back into
Julie Murdock
the conversation to make the point that
despite spending nearly a million dollars
repairing Seabrook Island Rd. last year,
the Town still has $276,000 more than
the previous year, a total fund balance
just shy of $5M, and is still able to transfer
money to the Town’s emergency fund.
Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem
John Gregg said the Club’s Long Range
Planning Committee didn’t meet again
last month, and didn’t know when they
would. Gregg seems confident upcoming
elections/board changes for the group
means there will be a meeting, and is
puzzled by the silence.
Gregg said the Public Safety
Committee met Feb. 11. The meeting
focused on a winter storm preparedness
exercise conducted Jan. 15 and 16. The
disaster sub-committee is already working
to draft provisions/lessons learned,
and they expect the documentation to
be completed in March. The Town’s
Comprehensive Emergency Plan will then
be updated with the new information in
time for hurricane season, Gregg said.
He also expressed disappointment with
the normally reliable Town newsletter for
failing to pass along the Town’s request
for volunteers.
The disaster preparedness team is
trying to build a list of volunteers willing
and qualified to help (e.g. medical
backgrounds, backhoe familiarity,
experience in a commercial kitchen, etc.)
in an emergency. Some events could
render roads impassable and leave the
island isolated and without any sort of
staff available to assist. The Town is still
seeking legal advice on how/if they can
proceed in implementing the idea, but
remain interested in building the list all
the same.
Gregg nodded as he reported the town
sent a check to the Seabrook Island Utility,
and drew a smile from SIU liaison Tim
Morawski. The check represents SIU’s
share of funds reimbursed by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency for costs
incurred as a result of Hurricane Florence.
Seabrook applied for over $28,000 in
relief, of which the federal component
of FEMA agreed to return about
$21,000. The amount does not reflect the
possibility of further reimbursement from
the SC Emergency Management Division
(the state level element of FEMA), which
could increase Seabrook’s total refund.
However, Gregg appeared doubtful as he
announced it.
Councilmember Crane said upgrades
to the Town’s website were nearing the
last, most labor intensive part of the
process. Updating content (About, Town
Government, Town Services, etc.) takes
time. He and his team are also working to
define an editorial process for the Town’s
use of social media; who can/not post,
what can/not be posted, and expects a first
draft in April.
Councilmember Wells opened his
remarks with an apology for the flooding
along Seabrook Island Rd. He said phase
one (a.k.a. the Gatehouse project) was
nearly complete, despite encountering
some hurdles along the way.
“1. The Town’s lack of easements
for drainage outfalls across adjacent
properties and along the property lines on
both sides of Seabrook Island which has
take between 18-24 months to complete.
2. Development of contractual
documents, advertisement and selection
of TRIAD to perform the contract.
3. Approval by OCRM for the
installation of additional flapper gate
valves in critical outfalls nearly a year after
the issue of the basic contract to TRIAD
Engineering,” Wells said. Worse he
concluded; drainage enhancements at the
marina didn’t dovetail with the Seabrook
Island Rd. project as hoped.
Wells also requested volunteers for this
year’s dolphin education program. Wells
pitched improvements to conditions for
volunteers moving into the 2019 season.
A box will be placed near Captain Sams
inlet stocked with chairs, umbrellas, and
etc. The supplies will be stored there to
make volunteering for the program easier
this year than last (e.g. walking 1.5 miles
in the rain to fetch an umbrella will no
longer be necessary, for example). He
also said last year’s 4 hour shifts will be
replaced by 2 hour shifts.
Mayor Ciancio opened his remarks
with a motion to move over $138,000 from
the general fund to Seabrook’s emergency
fund. The new total is just shy of the long

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of South Carolina, LLC Phone: 768-9166
P.O. Box 837 Town of Kiawah Town Council Town of Seabrook Fax: 768-4764
Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 Meeting
Ways & Means
Board of Zoning April 2, 2 p.m. Seabrook Island Town H all
843-886-NEWS Committee Meeting
Appeals Kiawah Town Hall 2001 Seabrook Island Road
Mar. 19, 2:30 p.m.
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Future submission deadline: Planning Commission
Kiawah Town Hall Phone: 768-9121
March 20 for the Meeting
March 29 Issue Town Council Fax: 768-9830
Ways & Means April 3, 3 p.m. Email: lmanning@townofseabrookisland.org
Meeting
Committee Meeting Kiawah Town Hall
Mar. 26, 2:30 p.m.
Op-Ed articles and letters to the editor do not Mar. 26, 2 p.m. Seabrook Town Hall Johns Island Council
necessarily reflect the opinion of Kiawah Town Hall Arts & Cultural Meetings are held at the Berkeley Electric
Lucky Dog News or its writers. Events Meeting Co-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, Johns
Planning Commission
Arts Council Board April 4, 2 p.m. Island.
Meeting
Meeting Kiawah Town Hall Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113
April 3, 1:30 p.m.
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Kiawah Town Hall
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Connection 4045 Bridge View Dr, N. Charleston
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March 15, 2019
civic
sought after and sometimes elusive goal
of at least $2M in the rainy day account.
The Mayor’s diligence means crossing the
threshold before the end of the current
legislative session is just a short putt away.
Ciancio also reminded attendees of
the Town’s plan to replace its auditor, not
because of any deficiency, but as a matter
of good governance. However, the timing
of the change in the face of an RFP would
create an overlap in the fiscal/calendar
year forcing the new auditor to come in
to a work in progress. SITC has decided
to wait until the end of the calendar year
to make the change, and since it budgeted
for more than it is currently paying for
the service, there will be another, small
windfall for the Town.
Town Administrator Joe Cronin had a
lengthy report that opened with details of
changes to beach patrol. More weekends
in March and September will be covered
than last year, as well as every day from
March 31 to Sept. 3, for an additional 16
days more than last year’s contract. Eleven
members of beach patrol were named as
code enforcement officers. Cronin then
moved for and got unanimous approvals
to fund the Lowcountry Marine Mammal
Network’s Dolphin Education Program
for 2019, sell the old jeep, and buy a new
truck.
Tim Morawski reported normal
operations for SIU during the previous
month. The utility operated at a marginal
arts & events
Cassique. Photo provided.
Art & House Tour continues from cover
The spacious kitchen is a gourmet
cooks’ dream. It features a large island
and on the back walls there are two wine
coolers with televisions above to create a
sense of symmetry and balance. Beyond
the kitchen is a gallery solarium that
serves as a study and sitting room with a
fabulous art deco bar.
The master bedroom suite located
on the first floor also features a unique
contemporary design in the bath area.
Throughout the home you will admire
many whimsical furnishings that reflect
the homeowners’ sense of humor.
Ocean Park
Nestled in a quiet cul de sac near the
Ocean Course, this light filled home takes
full advantage of its proximity to Ocean
Park. As you enter the two-story foyer with
its open stairwell and iron balusters, your
eye is immediately drawn to the spacious
and comfortable great room and its adjacent
outdoor spaces. The screened porch is
unframed to allow unobstructed views, while
the deck features a semi-circular pool that
3
loss again, and Morawski warned that
SIU was also in the market for two new
trucks to replace the 23-year-old vehicles
currently in service. He anticipates a cost
of approximately $24,000 for each of the
two vehicles.
There were three measures before
Council for a first reading, and all three
were good news for the Greenspace
Conservancy. Ordinances 2019-01, 2019-
02, and 2019-03 were all approved for
rezoning to conservation districts. 2019-
01; 1146 Ocean Forrest Lane. 2019-02;
2096 Seabrook Island Rd. 2019-03; 2326
Cat Tail Pond Rd.
The three properties were acquired
by the Greenspace Conservancy and the
titles will be transferred to the Seabrook
Island Property Owners Association.
Seabrook resident Dale Leibach
added a spark to citizen’s comment by
resurrecting the issue of Seabrook’s leash
ordinances. He entered a petition into
the record which tallied 100 hundred
signatures so far, and it is still growing.
They are asking for an area for dogs
consistent with the area previously
defined, requesting a formal hearing, and
asking to revisit the electronic dog collar
prohibition passed/clarified last year.
There being no further business, the
meeting was adjourned. The next meeting
of the Seabrook Island Town Council will
be Tuesday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m.
Tid e Char t
Date High Tide Low Tide
Mar 15 3:09am/3:46pm 9:45am/9:56pm
Mar 16 4:21am/4:58pm 10:53am/11:04pm
Mar 17 5:31am/6:04pm 11:55am
Mar 18 6:34am/7:05pm 12:09am/12:52pm
beckons you to sit down and dangle your toes.
Mar 19 7:32am/8:01pm 1:08am/1:44pm
The cook’s kitchen (the homeowner
is a culinary school graduate) features
two La Cornue ranges, one gas and one
Mar 20 8:25am/8:54pm 2:04am/2:34pm
electric, as well as hidden refrigerator and Mar 21 9:16am/9:44pm 2:57am/3:21pm
freezer, pot filler and both quartzite and
granite countertops. A caterer’s kitchen Mar 22 10:04am/10:34pm 3:49am/4:08pm
leads you to the dining room with its tall
wainscoting and welcoming aura.
Mar 23 10:51am/11:23pm 4:40am/4:54pm
The main-floor master suite features an Mar 24 11:38am 5:30am/5:40pm
airy and elegant master bath that includes
a freestanding tub, heated floors and a Mar 25 12:13am/12:26pm 6:22am/6:28pm
steam shower. As you enjoy the view of Mar 26 1:04am/1:17pm 7:15am/7:18pm
the park from the master, be sure to notice
the unique rain chain. Upstairs there are Mar 27 1:57am/2:11pm 8:10am/8:13pm
two guest bedrooms flanking a gathering
room that invites you to sit and relax, as Mar 28 2:54am/3:08pm 9:08am/9:13pm
well as a wine cellar.
Arts, etc. is a charitable 501(c)(3)
Hurricanes, storms, etc., are NOT included in the predictions.
organization of Kiawah and Cassique Tidal current direction changes and tide time predictions can be
women. Its purpose is to raise funds, through very different. Tide predictions are PREDICTIONS; they can be
donations and events, to support the arts wrong so use common sense.
in the greater community and to provide Source: saltwatertides.com
educational and social opportunities for its
membership. Distribution of funds will be
at the discretion of the organization. For
more information visit KiawahArtsEtc.org.
4 March 15, 2019
SC politics: Plastic’s Ban on Ban
H E A R I N G O N S E N AT E B I L L 3 9 4 S C H E D U L E D M A R . 2 0
S
omething to know before visiting
the Statehouse in Columbia; water
from the drinking fountain contains
microplastics.
The National Oceanic Atmospheric
Administration defines the substance
as any plastic debris smaller than 5 mm
(about the size of sesame seed, they say).
Dr. John Weinstein, Chair of the Biology
Department and Professor of Physiology
at The Citadel said during a phone call
on March 8, he was probably the only
person who wasn’t surprised by the
findings in a study he administered for
The Citadel.
“What around us isn’t made of
synthetic materials? Everything is
wrapped in plastic. Tires are made of
rubber and plastic elastomers that deposit
on roads and wash into Charleston
harbor with every rain… [Microplastics]
are everywhere we’ve ever looked; in the
air, Acrtic ice, on mountain tops, beer,
table salt and in water,” said Weinstein.
Weinstein first started looking in
earnest when studying the effects of
microplastics in Charleston’s own back
yard was added to his bailiwick in 2013.
“WISTV’s Paul Rivera first contacted
us about doing the study… so we looked
at reservoirs, surface water and tap
daily
BY GREGG BRAGG
The Island Connection Sr. Staff Writer
water in and around Richland County,”
said Weinstein. College of Charleston
graduate student Sarah Nell usually
works in Weinstein’s lab studying
the effects of microplastics on grass
shrimp. Because of her experience with
the emerging science, Nell was tapped
for the project in Columbia and did a
lot of the fieldwork for the study. Nell
and Weinstein’s findings came at an
interesting time for a couple of reasons.
“The Atlantic” reported in an article
dated Feb. 27 that Newcastle University
professor Alan Jamieson found
microplastics in every single critter
pulled from the Mariana Trench.
The article reads, “The world produces
an estimated 10 tons of plastic a second,
and between 5 million and 14 million
tons sweep into the oceans every year.
Some of that debris washes up on beaches,
even on the world’s most isolated islands.
About 5 trillion pieces currently float
in surface waters, mostly in the form
of tiny, easy-to-swallow fragments that
have ended up in the gut of albatrosses,
sea turtles, plankton, fish, and whales.
But those pieces also sink, snowing into
the deep sea…”
There are also political considerations
when it comes to plastic.
Neither Dr. Weinstein nor Sarah
Nell were comfortable weighing in on
the politics of plastics, but the Coastal
Conservation League’s Land, Water,
and Wildlife Program Director Emily
Cedzo lives for it. She recently touted
the findings in a call to action following
the resurrection of the “ban on [plastics]
ban” in the current legislative session.
Cedzo’s email of Jan. 22 said in part,
“Senators Talley and Climer, both from
the Upstate, are sponsoring Senate Bill
394—a proposal that violates home rule,
and would prevent towns and cities in
South Carolina from passing local bans
on single-use plastics.
“Noticeably missing from the bill? A
clause grandfathering in communities
that have already taken meaningful steps
to address single-use plastic[s including;]
Isle of Palms, Folly Beach, Surfside
Beach, Mount Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island,
Charleston, James Island, Beaufort
County And every single municipality in
Beaufort County.
“We need to call out this bill for what
it is; an industry-backed proposal that is
meant to blunt local progress, and your
right to protect your waterways, wildlife
and public health…”
It is worth noting that Georgetown
should be included in that list, that
Seabrook and most Myrtle Beach area
municipalities are considering ordinances
similar to their coastal brethren, or
that the Small Business Chamber of
Commerce echoed her sentiments.
S0394 is modeled after the House
version of the bill, which failed during the
previous legislative session. Asked who
was behind the resurrection, Cedzo said
many American Legislative Exchange
Council (ALEC) backed organizations
like the SC Retail Association, the SC
Manufacturers Association, as well as
the SC Chamber of Commerce. She also
noted the headquarters of several plastics
manufacturers are located in Hartsville,
SC, and may be contributing to S394’s
reintroduction.
The bill is currently in a subset/
sub-committee of the Labor, Commerce,
and Industry Committee, but will likely
pass to the full committee after a hearing
scheduled for March 20.
Contact information for South Carolina
officials is available at LuckyDogNews.
com.
March 15, 2019
Graphics created by Dr. Kristina Dahl, Senior Climate Scientist, Union of Concerned Citizens.
Sea Level Rise continues from cover
will result in “nuisance/chronic” flooding
during king tides and/or rain events
defined as occurring 26+ times/year, and
will impact a total of 11% (200) of the
homes on Kiawah and Seabrook by 2035.
much of north
america was
covered in
glaciers...the
land sagged
beneath the
weight of the ice
mass, because
they were so
heavy, and now
it’s adjusting.
The figures use projections extracted
from the “intermediate” list of probabilities
(e.g. 2nd lowest) and the picture gets
worse over time, effecting 40% of homes
by 2060, 70% by 2018, and 90% by 2100.
The effects of SLR on real estate values
is another component of science being
applied in a way that resonates. The
same “intermediate” model displays the
loss of nearly $200 million in property
values on Kiawah/Seabrook by 2035, and
5
daily
over $1 trillion in losses by 2060. The when you take people out of the equation, will affect you. There is also a model
accompanying blow to the local tax base it just doesn’t work. There’s no explanation available, which incorporates home values
from forfeited tax revenues precipitated for the increase in temperatures. But across time and over wider geographies
by the losses means municipalities will if talking about cars is going to prevent UCSUSA.org/Underwater.
quickly lose funding sources needed to your community from moving forward or
The Island Connection previously
combat the threat. confuses the issue, don’t do it… There’s reported the findings of the SLR
Asked in an interview if real estate values no longer any debate on causes in the Committee. To summarize, the group
would be better off in municipalities that scientific community, and I wasn’t sure of decorated academics worked for a
about Kiawah. We don’t debate the causes
masked/denied the issue, Dahl expressed year and a half on their own report. It
a preference for those that addressed the so we don’t focus on them, and talking incorporates similar studies done by UCS
problem head on. Miami Beach, Florida, about the effects helps get everyone out of and the National Oceanic Atmospheric
for example, plans to invest $500 million their political silos. So let’s start here, talk Administration (NOAA). The study
to shore up infrastructure. She added that about what’s happening and what we can also cross examines the studies of their
drooping land mass is also contributing to do about it,” said Dahl. peers, and provides long lists of possible
the problem. Another benefit of applied science is mitigation measures.
“Much of North America was covered making SLR models available to the public.
For even more information see
in glaciers... The land sagged beneath the You don’t have to wait until the water is in
the work of the SLR committee for
weight of the ice mass, because they were the garage next time to witness the effects
so heavy, and now it’s adjusting. It sprang of SLR on you personally. You can visit
yourself, KiawahIsland.org/departments/
environmental/floodandsealevelrise/.
back - it’s like a spring [finding its center] UCSUSA.org/RisingSeasHitHome to see
exactly how present and future flooding
after stretching back and forth,” said
Dahl.
The question of adding soil comes into
focus, especially as it relates to the marshes
surrounding Kiawah and Seabrook.
Marshes need room to migrate and can’t
be restricted without killing them off and
exacerbating the problem that adding
fill was intended to solve. This point was
emphasized by Kiawah’s SLR Committee
report.
Dahl indulged the question about
her focus on the effects of warmer
temperatures, instead of its causes. She
said the causes are no longer debated in
the scientific community, and said there
are three primary factors driving SLR: 1.
Carbon emissions – oil, coal, and gas, 2.
Agricultural practices – focus on raising
animals, 3. Deforestation – crippling the
solution for removing CO2.
“Our models take things like volcanoes,
solar variability, etc. into account, but
6 March 15, 2019
daily
Preserve residents
question KICA
BY GREGG BRAGG
The Island Connection Sr. Staff Writer
T
he joy of living on Kiawah has
reached an ebb for residents of
the Preserve. The Kiawah Island
Community Association’s (KICA) budget
for 2019 includes a fivefold increase in the
posh subdivision’s “Segment Assessment,”
which sums to a 50% increase in every
Preserve owner’s annual assessment.
In addition, representatives of a group
of Preserve property owners that is
opposed to the assessment told the Island
Connection that they weren’t notified
until after the Nov. 5, 2018 meeting of the
KICA Board of Directors.
Concerned by the announcement of the
increase, which followed November’s board
meeting, Preserve residents began questioning
the decision immediately. They say they are
frustrated by the piecemeal way responses
came to them from KICA COO James Bailey
and other KICA staff members, specifically a
lack of consistency from KICA and no legally
stated opinion to support the increase.
The group says that cost estimates don’t
add up and seem to vary from one email/
meeting to the next. The increase was agreed
to by the KICA Board without public review
and not as a separate measure but as an up/
down vote on the budget as a whole. It
went into effect with a letter sent to Preserve
residents on Jan. 10, 2019.
The Preserve has been assessed $200 a year
to maintain its signature, split rail fence since
2009. This is on top of the annual assessment
all residents pay. Fence maintenance was used
as part of the justification for an increase of
over $1,000. Article V, section 5 of the KICA
covenants was also invoked. However, Brad
Mcllvain, a retired attorney with several
decades of large-scale litigating experience,
told The Island Connection that he had said
to Bailey it didn’t apply because there had
been no additions in the Preserve, which
Article V deems a requirement.
The decision was deemed “final” by KICA
when Bailey forwarded a letter to Preserve
residents on Wednesday, March 3. The letter
was written for Bailey by Trenholm Walker,
the attorney that represents both KICA, and
the developer. Recipients, including Mcllvain
were surprised by the letter’s claim that a
unique combination of KICA covenants
and separate Preserve covenants meant the
decisions of KICA were final, and could not
be appealed or litigated. The issue has since
evolved into an island-wide concern, because
of the emerging mindset “if they can do it to
me, they can do it to you” as Preserve resident
Gary Rice observed in an email to the Island
Connection.
“The Preserve community is not
objecting because of the dollars involved.
We are objecting because KICA this year
imposed large segment assessments on
two neighborhoods for the first time in the
history of the island and, on Tuesday, not
only asserted unprecedented authority to
issue segment assessments across the island
but claimed such assessments are final and
un-appealable by property owners,” said Rice.
“Such authority, if fully utilized, would
allow KICA to roughly double the amount
of the assessments it takes from property
owners. All of these decisions were made by
KICA behind closed doors and, in our view,
clearly violate the governing covenants. This
is a governance issue,” he continued.
“KICA’s argument that 31 other
neighborhoods already pay more is
misleading. Most of these are condominiums
or similar properties and the fact that they
hire outside landscapers to do landscaping
on their property is no more demonstrative of
KICA’s assessment authority than is the fact
that I, like everyone else, pay a landscaper
to maintain my property. And gated
communities of course pay to maintain their
own common property because residents of
the rest of the island don’t have access to that
common property,” said Rice.
A 5-page letter was sent to all Preserve
property owners on January 26. It was signed
by Brad and Maura McIlvain, Gary and Eileen
Rice, Glenn and Karen Thomson, Richard
and Laura Ames, Steven and Karen Brody,
Randy and Nancy Carleton, Philip and Leila
Cuthbertson, Paul and Andrea Leiman, Gerald
and Pam Levy, Perry and Marlene Molinoff,
and Chester and Christy Murray. The letter,
provides a detailed, step-by-step breakdown of
their concerns and concludes by saying they
could challenge the ruling in court for about
the same cost as the segment assessment. Rice
said the number of calls and offers of support
following the letter is trending upward.
Bailey did not respond to a request for
comment as of this writing.
March 15, 2019
1 6 C O A S TA L C I T I E S D O U B L E D O W N O N S E I S M I C B L A S T I N G F I G H T
BY SCLEP
For The Island Connection
O
n February 28, South Carolina
Environmental Law Project, on
behalf of sixteen South Carolina
coastal communities and small businesses,
is heightening efforts to prevent seismic
airgun surveying that stands to devastate
the Palmetto State’s thriving, multi-billion
dollar tourism, recreation and fishing
industries.
SCELP filed a motion for a preliminary
injunction in Federal District Court in
Charleston, asserting that seismic blasting
will cause irreparable harm and is contrary
to the public interest.
Seismic airgun surveying is a precursor
to drilling off our shores, which every
coastal community along the state, from
North Myrtle Beach to Hilton Head Island,
has opposed. The blasting process sets off
extremely loud, continuous and damaging
levels of noise that could deafen, injure or
kill whales, dolphins, sea turtles and other
iconic marine life. It causes massive damage
to zooplankton, the base of the oceanic food
chain, and dramatically reduces the catch
rates for commercial and recreational fishers.
When SCELP filed its initial lawsuit on
Dec. 11, 2018 in Federal District Court,
it contested the validity of five incidental
harassment authorizations issued by the
National Marine Fisheries Service that
op-ed
SCELP files in Charleston
allow seismic companies to harm and
harass of hundreds of thousands of marine
mammals.
The sixteen municipalities that SCELP is
representing, Hilton Head Island, Bluffton,
Port Royal, Beaufort, Edisto Beach,
Seabrook Island, Kiawah Island, Folly
Beach, James Island, Charleston, Mount
Pleasant, Isle of Palms, Awendaw, Pawleys
Island, Briarcliffe Acres and North Myrtle
Beach, are concerned about the economic
and environmental impacts. The South
Carolina Small Business Chamber, also a
plaintiff in the lawsuit, points to the fact
that seismic blasts drive away fish, whales
and dolphins that help support the fishing
and tourism industries along the coast.
Moving forward with explorations will
have grave consequences for our beloved
coastal ecosystems, which is why SCELP
has asked Judge Richard Gergel to block
companies from initiating seismic tests in
search of oil and natural gas deposits off the
South Carolina coast until he can hear and
rule on the merits of the case.
“The economic damage from seismic
surveying for offshore oil starts on the first air
gun blast,” said Frank Knapp Jr., President/
CEO of the South Carolina Small Business
Chamber of Commerce. “The destruction
from that first blast and all the subsequent
blasts can never be undone. That’s why it
is imperative that seismic surveys not start
while the legal process is ongoing.”
“As Mayor, I recognize the value of our
military and retirement community, and our
attraction as a tourist destination, which will
be put at risk by the proposed seismic blasting
activities. I am aware that the Department of
Defense opposes seismic testing when put
forth in President Obama’s five-year plan
for energy exploration which was in the end
withdrawn by that administration,” said
Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling.
He continued, “Our economy is built on
the value of our natural assets, specifically
the abundant opportunities for recreation
and observation of marine life, alone with
recreational, commercial and sustenance
fisheries. Tourists come here especially
to observe marine mammals and our
businesses depend on our healthy and
vibrant population of marine life, including
dolphins and sea turtles. Our fishermen
depend on the ability to catch fish in waters
off our shores, and commercial fishing still
supports the livelihood for many families,
In addition, we have businesses that
provide fishing excursions and commercial
charters that take people from one of our
three marinas into the City into waters
off our shores. We have major seafood
operations that distribute nearly all locally
caught seafood throughout the State and
beyond. And we have boat dealers who are
dependent upon these businesses, as well
as an estimated 10,000 plus recreational
boaters and three marinas within the City
that serve local and transient boats.”
7
“The members of the Gullah/Geechee Sea
Island Coalition receive funds to continue
their mission through offering ecotourism
and cultural tourism tours, as well as
providing education presentations to various
local and tourists groups. Approximately
75% of our work is reliant on the tourism
industry,” said Queen Quet Marquetta L.
Goodwine, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee
Nation and a native of St. Helena Island.
She added, “The members of the
Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition are
tremendously concerned about the impacts
the proposed seismic testing will have on the
ecology of our fisheries habitat, including
the consequences of many species being
displaced because of the activity. To our
knowledge, seismic gun testing will change
the ecological balance of the waterway in
which it is done. This will cause certain
ocean species to migrate away from the
coast of our Sea Islands.”
“The coastal municipalities and small
business chamber rely on the health and
vitality of the marine ecosystem to support
the quality of life and livelihood of their
residents, as well as their local tourism and
fisheries economies. They have very real,
scientifically-supported concerns about how
seismic blasting will harm marine life, which
in turn will harm tourism, recreational and
commercial fisheries, and the quality of
life of their citizens,” said Amy Armstrong,
executive director of SCELP.
8 March 15, 2019
Respite Care receives $25,000
GRANT SUPPORTS ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA CARE IN CHARLESTON
T
he Roper Saint Francis Physicians
Endowment has awarded a
$25,000 grant to Respite Care
Charleston to support the non-profit
organization’s non-medical services for
those living with Alzheimer’s disease and
related dementia (ADRD). The grant
will support with RCC’s day program for
individuals living with ADRD, including
updated technology, volunteer training
and other program expenses.
daily
BY SARAH PERRY
For The Island Connection
For more than 20 years, Respite
Care Charleston has provided half-day,
community-based programs for
individuals with ADRD, allowing
caregivers the opportunity for
respite and offering participants
therapeutic activities focused on social
engagement. The only service of its
kind in Charleston County, RCC cares
for an average of 45 people per month
at sites in Mt. Pleasant, West Ashley,
Johns Island, James Island and North
Charleston.
“The stress of caring for a loved one
with dementia is immensely challenging
emotionally, physically and financially,
and there are few affordable options for
short term relief,” said Bernie Buonanno,
RCC Co-Chair. “This grant will allow
us to maintain our low program fees
and provide scholarships that ensure no
family is turned away due to financial
challenges.”
The Roper Saint Francis Physicians
Endowment was established by the
Medical Society of South Carolina to
provide grants to improve health, wellness
and access for residents of Berkeley,
Charleston and Dorchester Counties.
For John Holloway, CEO of the
MSSC, the program helps meet an
emerging need for the under- and
un-insured. “The rate of Alzheimer’s and
dementia is rising in South Carolina, yet
few people have insurance to fund short-
term, non-medical care. By supporting
Respite Care Charleston, we’re helping
ensure caregivers have access to affordable
care for their loved ones, sustaining their
quality of life and promoting aging in
place.”
Dementia is an umbrella term that
encompasses a variety of conditions that
impair memory, behavior and the ability
to think clearly due to the death of neurons
in the brain. Dementia symptoms can be
caused by strokes, traumatic brain injury,
Parkinson’s disease or, most commonly,
Alzheimer’s disease. In South Carolina,
an estimated 16.7% of persons 65 and
older have been diagnosed with ADRD,
a much higher rate than the national
average of 10%. As the population in SC
continues to grow, the state is expected
to see a 34.8% increase in Alzheimer’s
by 2025, the 8th highest rate of increase
in the US. Of the nearly 100,000 South
Carolinians with ADRD, approximately
70% live at home with family caregivers.
Respite Care Charleston is a 501(c)3
nonprofit organization dedicated to
providing support and services to those
living with Alzheimer’s disease and related
dementia. For more than 20 years, RCC
has provided support groups, social day
programs, education and other services
to families in Charleston County. RCC’s
trademark of MORE.GOOD.DAYS.
illustrates the commitment to improving
the quality of life for family caregivers and
individuals with ADRD.
March 15, 2019
Dealing with pain
BY BARBARA RADIN FOX
For The Island Connection
M
arch has come in as a lion, as the old saying
goes, and will hopefully leave as a lamb. One
could also hopefully say that about pain and its
treatment.
The number of people who are suffering with pain
seems to have mushroomed over the past several years.
This may be because we have more and more people who
are 60 or older than ever before. Or it could be more
people are being “saved” by medications and surgeries
who would have died as the result of their illnesses or
injuries in the past, but these medications and surgeries
aren’t able to alleviate the pain associated with their
conditions.
Pain happens for many reasons. Numerous people
suffer from orthopedic pain of all types due to
problems with their bones and joints. Others have
some type of nerve related pain, including fibromyalgia,
gastrointestinal pain, pain caused by infections and other
diseases such as arthritis and cancer and so many more.
F O R Y O U R H E A LT H
In recent years, physicians have given their patients
opiates as the quick and effective solution for pain, but as
we are unfortunately finding, the use of opiates is causing
it’s own problems, including death from overdoses or
mixing with other drugs. Some doctors believe that it
is the fault of the patient if they use too much of the
medication, but they do not seem to understand how and
why addictions get started. Actually, historically, doctors
and nurses have had their own addiction problems
starting with morphine and they supposedly “knew
better.”
The good news, though, is that as a result of the very
recent push to not prescribe so many opiates, other ways
to treat pain have appeared. In some cases we can go
back to the basics, such as using moist heat or ice for
some orthopedic pain, or get moving more with exercise,
physical therapy, chiropractic therapy.
New “old” treatment using acupuncture, which has
been in use for 3000 years in Asia is a very effective pain
treatment, even though our “Western Medicine” point of
view doesn’t seem to see the benefits of it and insurance
doesn’t usually pay for it. Acupuncture can be used for a
9
wide variety of conditions from orthopedic or nerve pain
to anxiety or the problems associated with chemotherapy
and radiation.
There is also a way to decrease or eliminate pain by
using a system that utilizes LED lights. Another relatively
new way to reduce or eliminate pain and anxiety is the
use of hemp oil, also called CBD Oil and of course some
states have legalized marijuana for medical use. Hemp oil
products are legal throughout the U.S. because they don’t
contain THC, which causes the “high” in marijuana use
and is considered by some studies to cause neurological
problems with long-term use. (Some hemp oil products
contain trace amounts of THC, but are legal because it
doesn’t cause a “high”).
There are also some medical and surgical procedures
that are gaining pain-relieving results such as dorsal
stimulators and injections, which I will write about in a
future column.
For any comments or questions, please email foxb@
bodyandsoultherapy.com.
10
wildlife
Early Bird: Purple
Martins return to SC
B I R D S I N C A L H O U N FA L L S M A R K S
FIRST SIGN OF SPRING
BY JOE SIEGRIST
For The Island Connection
I
n a sure sign that spring is not far
behind, the first Purple Martins of
the year have been spotted in South
Carolina.
The birds were seen on Feb. 5 in the
small town of Calhoun Falls in Northwest
SC by a Purple Martin enthusiast – one of
many throughout the eastern and central
United States who track and report on the
birds’ annual migration on behalf of the
Purple Martin Conservation Association.
"The Purple Martins arrival in South
Carolina show the birds are making
steady progress northward since they first
made landfall in Florida four days after
Christmas,” said Joe Siegrist, President
of the Purple Martin Conservation
Association. “Tracking the migration
is not only fun, it also provides us with
valuable information that helps inform
our research and strengthen our efforts to
make sure we’re doing everything possible
to sustain the population of these amazing
birds.”
North America’s largest species of
swallow, Purple Martins winter in the
rainforests of Brazil before making up
to a 7000-mile migration north into the
eastern United States and Canada.
The annual migration is a testament
the martins' resilience as well as the
unwavering dedication of thousands of
‘martin landlords’ who maintain multi-
compartment nest 'condos' that are
essential for the birds' survival. Once
widespread in rural America, this species,
that eats billions of flying insects annually,
has been disappearing at an alarming
rate, experiencing a loss of one-third of its
population over the last 50 years.
“The decline seems to be the
combination of a few factors: nesting
habitat loss, competing invasive species,
decreasing prey availability, and climate
change,” said Siegrist. “Over the majority
of the Purple Martins’ range, they are
unable to nest naturally any longer.
Human-provided nest boxes are the only
March 15, 2019
The Purple Martin. Photo provided.
thing keeping the species alive east of the
Rocky Mountains.”
Siegrist says the very survival of the
species is due in large part to scores of
dedicated conservationists who invest
their time, money and hearts into
maintaining housing for the martins.
“The landlords provide critical shelter
for the martins,” Siegrist said. “In return,
they are rewarded with a family-like bond
with the birds who return to the same
colony year after year like clockwork.”
To follow along with the Purple
Martins’ migration and learn more about
how you can help conserve this treasured
bird, visit PurpleMartin.org. In addition,
people interested in learning more about
how to attract and care for Purple Martins
can receive a free booklet by contacting the
Purple Martin Conservation Association
by emailing info@purplemartin.org or
calling 814.833.7656.
Based in Erie, Pa. the Purple Martin
Conservation Association is an organization
dedicated to the conservation of the Purple
Martin through scientific research, state of
the art wildlife management techniques and
public education. The PMCA serves as a
centralized data-gathering and information
source on the species, serving both the scientist
and Purple Martin enthusiast. The PMCA’s
mission is educating martin enthusiasts in
the proper techniques for managing this
human-dependent species.
March 15, 2019 11
arts & events arts & events

Partners for holistic Hallie Hill is Putting for Paws

conservation F U N D R A I S E R A P R I L 1 AT
CROOKED OAKS GOLF COURSE
SINHG AND THE CHARLESTON
BY JULIE MURDOCK
MUSEUM For The Island Connection

H
BY NORMAN POWERS allie Hill Animal Sanctuary is
For The Island Connection set to host its annual Putting for
Paws golf tournament fundraiser

T
he Seabrook Island Natural History
Group is pleased to partner with the
Charleston Museum to welcome
to Charleston Brian Badger, Director of
Conservation for the Cheetah Conservation
Fund, on April 13 at 2:30 p.m. for a free,
public program at the Museum’s Arthur M.
Wilcox auditorium.
Brian Badger is a well-known
spokesperson for the Namibia-based Cheetah
Conservation Fund, the world’s largest
organization dedicated to preserving one of
the world’s most endangered big cats, with
fewer than eight-thousand remaining in the
wild. Namibia is home to the world’s largest
population of free-ranging cheetahs.
“Real conservation is conservation that
succeeds and is sustainable,” Brian says.
“A holistic approach to conservation is the
key to the future of any species, cheetahs
and humans included! CCF is one of the
incredibly few organizations that both
practices holistic conservation and teaches it
to individuals and organizations across the
globe.”
Badger will discuss the concept of holistic
Brian Badger, Director of Conservation for
the Cheetah Conservation Fund.
Photo provided.
conservation in a lively and informative
presentation suitable for both adults and
children.
Born and raised in London, Badger’s
passion for wildlife conservation began
three decades ago working with falcons
and led to a lifelong interest in predators
and large carnivores. He has been involved
in conservation-based field studies of lions,
leopards and tigers in addition to the cheetah.
He joined the CCF staff 18 years ago as
Operations Manager at its international
headquarters in Namibia and now serves as
its Director of Conservation and Outreach.
For more information about SINHG visit
SINHG.org.
on Monday, April 1 on Crooked Oaks
Golf Course at the Seabrook Island Club.
Players are invited to participate in an
18-hole shotgun scramble tournament
including on-course contests and awards.
Following the tournament players will
be treated to a banquet lunch and the
presentation of contest and raffle awards,
in the Atlantic Room of the Seabrook
Island Club.
Players may register foursomes,
twosomes or single players who will be
grouped into a foursome. Registration
includes 18 holes with a cart, tee gifts,
range balls, and on-course contests and
awards. Registration is $600 per 4-person
team or $200 per individual. Hallie Hill
is also seeking sponsors who will enjoy
exposure throughout the tournament,
pre-promotion and online exposure and
complimentary participation at some
levels of sponsorship.
"Our golf tournament is a fun way to
enjoy the gift of giving, providing needed
resources for animals who need our help,"
says Hallie Hill Board Member, Harvey
Loew. “This year's tournament is hosted
at the Seabrook Island Crooked Oaks
course which is both picturesque and
challenging. Should make for a great day."
All funds raised will support the 501c3
animal sanctuary whose mission is to
rescue and care for abandoned, abused or
neglected animals who have no other home
or shelter. An integral factor in Charleston
becoming a no-kill community, Hallie
Hill provides respite and rehabilitation
for dogs and cats preparing them for
adoption, and provides a loving forever
home to those animals who are unable to
be adopted.
For more information about Hallie
Hill Animal Sanctuary and Putting
for Paws, visit HallieHill.com or find
them on Facebook and Instagram at
HallieHillAnimalSanctuary.
 March 15
ONGOING
Mondays
WHAT: Family Trees
WHERE: Walton Hall at St. John’s Parish,
3673 Maybank Hwy.
WHEN: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (beginning August 13)
MORE INFO: Begin exploring the process of
clearing title for heirs’ property by defining the
family tree. For more information or to make
an appointment for an initial assessment call
843.810.1036
WHAT: Charleston Coastal Choir
WHERE: Church of Our Savior
WHEN: 1 p.m.
MORE INFO: Local, mixed community
chorus, open for membership. Season runs
October through March. For information
contact Director of Music, Van McCollum at
404.401.0678 or vanmccollum@bellsouth.net.
Tuesdays
WHAT: Family Oriented Tours and
Activities
WHERE: Nathaniel Russell House
WHEN: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Family tours start on the
half-hour between 10:30 am and 12:30
pm. Docent-led scavenger hunt tours,
historic games and toys in the garden.
HistoricCharleston.org for information and
to purchase tickets for the date and museum
house you would like to attend.
First and Third
Tuesdays
WHAT: The Charleston County Public
Library Bookmobile
WHERE: Parking lot behind Hege’s
WHEN: 10-11 a.m.
MORE INFO: Bookmobile is back the
first and third Tuesdays of the month. The
schedule for the summer is June 19, July 3 &
17, August 7 & 21.
Wednesdays
WHAT: Block-In Art Class
WHERE: Todd & Huff Art Center, Bohicket
marina
WHEN: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
MORE INFO: Class covers line drawing,
drawing with a brush, transparent wash, alla
prima, monochrome value underpaintings,
toning a canvas, working wet into wet,
and glazing. See PatriciaRHuff.com or
ToddHuffCenter.com for details.
WHAT: English Conversation Club
WHERE: John’s Island Regional Library
WHEN: 2 p.m.
MORE INFO: Practice speaking English
with a small group. Beginners to advanced
learners welcome. A children’s program and/or
craft will be provided during the club meeting.
Registration is not required; call 843.559.1945
for more information.
Thursdays
WHAT: Beginning Oil Painting
WHERE: Todd & Huff Art Center, Bohicket
marina
WHEN: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
MORE INFO: Class includes drawing,
composition, color theory and painting
techniques. See PatriciaRHuff.com or
ToddHuffCenter.com for details.
Island Connection Calendar
WHAT: Family Oriented Tours and
Activities
WHERE: Aiken-Rhett House
WHEN: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Family tours start on the
half-hour between 10:30 am and 12:30
pm. Docent-led scavenger hunt tours,
historic games and toys in the garden.
HistoricCharleston.org for information and
to purchase tickets for the date and museum
house you would like to attend.
WHAT: Live Music at The Andell Inn
WHERE: The Andell Inn Hotel, Freshfields
Village
WHEN: 6-8 p.m.
MORE INFO: Relax with cool jazz every
Thursday evening in the lounge of the Andell
Inn Hotel. Drinks and food available. No
cover charge. 843.793.6050. AndellInn.com.
Third Thursday of the
Month
WHAT: Spring Sip & Stroll
WHERE: Freshfields Village
WHEN: 4-7 p.m.
MORE INFO: Visit participating stores
and restaurants during the monthly Sip &
Stroll for special in-store events, sales and
promotions along with sips and light snacks.
Thursdays & Sundays
WHAT: Live Music
WHERE: Forty-Eight - Wine Bar & Kitchen
WHEN: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Featuring 48 wines
by the glass every day. For details visit
FortyEightWineBar.com.
Third Friday of the
Month
WHAT: Homeschool History Days
WHERE: Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St.
WHEN: 10-11 a.m.
MORE INFO: A special program for
homeschooling families. Programs feature
one of our field trip classes, a chance to
go through the Museum, and an activity.
Free with paid admission. To register visit
CharlestonMuseum.org.
Saturdays
WHAT: Johns Island Farmers Market
WHERE: Charleston Collegiate campus,
2024 Academy Rd.
WHEN: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Local farmers, vendors
and artisans, live music, food trucks.
Charleston’s only year-round market.
JohnsIslandFarmersMarket.com.
Third Saturday of the
Month
WHAT: Sea Islands Cars & Coffee
WHERE: Freshfields Village, Kiawah
WHEN: 9-11 a.m.
MORE INFO: This free event will feature
antiques, classics, exotics, concepts and any
other cool cars. Coffee and other refreshments
available for purchase by Java Java Coffee
House. If you have any specific questions
about the event, please contact Bruce
Stemerman at bstemerman@gmail.com.
THURSDAY, MAR. 14-APR. 4
WHAT: CSOL Symphony Designer
Showhouse
WHERE: 16 Rutledge Ave.
WHEN: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 1-4 p.m.
MORE INFO: The house is generously
provided by Wendy and Allen Gibson and
represented by Margaret and Richard von
Werssowetz of Handsome Properties.
Charleston Home + Design Magazine is the
media partner of the 2019 CSOL Symphony
Designer Showhouse. All proceeds benefit
the Charleston Symphony and CSOL Music
Scholarships. $20 advance tickets available
Jan. 14-Mar. 13 online CSOLInc.org. Tickets
at the door will be available beginning March
14 for $25 each.
SATURDAY, MAR. 16
WHAT: The Plantation Singers
WHERE: 5605 Katy Hill Rd., Wadmalaw
WHEN: noon-3 p.m.
MORE INFO: Join local gospel artists and
a taste of the island’s best Gullah cuisine. $15
donation at the door. For info call Bertha
Middleton at 843.557.8408.
WHAT: Barrier Island Environmental
Education (children)
WHERE: Johns Island Regional Library
WHEN: 3 p.m.
MORE INFO: Learn about the local
ecosystem and animals with representatives
of Barrier Island at St. Christoher, and meet
some friendly critters. For more info visit
CCPL.org or call 843.559.1945.
WHAT: Beyond our Backyard – Biking &
Birding the Greenway
WHERE: Meet at parking area for West
Ashley Greenway (McLeod Mill Rd. nr. Main
Rd./SR S 10-20)
WHEN: 7:30 a.m.–noon
MORE INFO: Visit SeabrookIslandBirders.
org or send an email to
SeabrookIslandBirders@gmail.com if you
would like to attend or have questions.
WHAT: SC Native Plant Society SALE
WHERE: Charles Towne Landing
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon
MORE INFO: Arrive early, plants are sold
quickly! Members start shopping earlier!
Volunteers and Master Gardeners on hand
to answer plant-related questions. For more
information visit SC.Audubon.org/events/sc-
native-plant-society-native-plant-sale.
SUNDAY, MAR. 17
WHAT: “Growing the Green” Casino
Night Gala
WHERE: The Island House, Seabrook Island Club
WHEN: 5 p.m.
MORE INFO: Benefit for the Green Space
Conservancy, evening features drinks, food,
music, dancing, live and silent auction. Tickets
available at SIGSC.org.
WHAT: Romantic Interlude with CSO
WHERE: Holy Spirit Catholic Church
WHEN: 4 p.m.
MORE INFO: The Kiawah Arts and
Cultural Event Council presents Ken Lam
and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra
performing music from the Romantic era,
Wagner, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky.
Complimentary tickets available at the
Municipal Center of online at KiawahIsland.
org/events.
MONDAY MARCH 18
WHAT: Pearlstine Theater, Grand
Opening
WHERE: The Pearlstine Theater, 1401 Sam
Rittenberg Blvd.
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. cocktails, 7:30 p.m.
curtain
MORE INFO: “The Pearl,” benefitting
Charleston Stage’s Education Programs,
which reach over 18,000 Lowcountry
youth annually. Performances by Mayor
John Tecklenburg, The Hungry Monks,
The Plantation Singers, Charleston Stage’s
resident acting company and members of
Charleston Stage’s 8 and 9 grade performance
troupe, (featuring Julie Mathias, clarinet).
Tickets $175 per person. To purchase tickets,
contact Sara Berkowitz, at sberkowitz@
charlestonstage.com or 843.647.7363.
WHAT: Learning Together (SIB Birding
on Crooked Oaks Golf Course)
WHERE: Seabrook Island
WHEN: 9–11 a.m.
MORE INFO: Visit SeabrookIslandBirders.
org or send an email to
SeabrookIslandBirders@gmail.com if you
would like to attend or have questions.
TUESDAY, MAR. 19
WHAT: Conservation Coalition Lobby Day
WHERE: Capital City Club, Columbia
WHEN: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
MORE INFO: Join the SC Conservation
Coalition for the 16th Annual Conservation Lobby
Day. NOTE that schedule will be released later and
is subject to change based on the legislative calendar.
Following Lobby Day, join us for our annual Oyster
Roast from 5:30- 8 p.m. at 701 Whaley St. Dress
comfortably for a day of walking and standing.
Most people will be in business casual. For info visit
SC.Audubon.org/events.
WEDNESDAY, MAR. 20
WHAT: SINHG Evening Program
WHERE: The Lake House
WHEN: 7 p.m.
MORE INFO: Dr. Norman Levine, director
of the Lowcountry Hazards Center at the
College of Charleston will explore potentially
dangerous natural events unique to the
Lowcountry. $5 charge for non-SINHG
members. Pre-registration at SINHG.org.
THURSDAY, MAR. 21
WHAT: Seabrook Island Grief Support
Group
WHERE: Eagle’s Nest at The Lake House
WHEN: 7 p.m.
MORE INFO: It takes strength to make your
way through grief, to grab hold of life and to
let it pull you forward. Grieve and share with
people who understand while gaining strength
from each other. New members welcome.
Participants include but are not limited to those
who have lost a spouse as well as those who have
lost a child. For more information contact Mary
Fleck at marybfleck@gmail.com. Non-residents
may register to attend by contacting in advance.
WHAT: Steep Canyon Rangers
WHERE: East Beach Conf. Center
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: The GRAMMY® Award-
winning, North Carolina-based sextet bring
their progressive bluegrass sound to Kiawah
on the heels of the release of their live-recorded
album, Out In The Open. Tickets $10
available Mar. 7 at the Municipal Center or
online at KiawahIsland.org/events.
FRIDAY, MAR. 22
WHAT: World of Wonder: What Lies
Beneath
WHERE: The American Theater
WHEN: 6 p.m.
MORE INFO: The finale of the SC Aquarium’s
2018-19 Holland Lifelong Learning series will
take place March 22, 2019 at 6 p.m. at The
American Theater. The program, titled “World
of Wonder: What Lies Beneath,” will take a
dive into the future of deep-sea exploration
with a keynote by ocean conservationist, Fabien
Cousteau. Following the keynote Dr. Nadia
Drake, a National Geographic Contributor
and science reporter, will lead a panel discussion
of emerging tools and technologies in ocean
exploration. Panelists include: Dr. Dave Ebert,
shark expert and author, Dr. Grace Young, ocean
engineer and aquanaut and Dr. Daniel Wagner,
NOAA expedition coordinator. Tickets $20,
members and students $10.
SATURDAY MARCH 23
WHAT: Backyard Birding at Bridle Trail Drive
WHERE: Seabrook Island, SC
WHEN: 8–10 a.m.
March 26
MORE INFO: Visit SeabrookIslandBirders.
org or send an email to
SeabrookIslandBirders@gmail.com if you
would like to attend or have questions.
WHAT: Friendly Fairy Party (children)
WHERE: Johns Island Regional Library
WHEN: 3 p.m.
MORE INFO: Practice the magic of
friendship! Create your own fairy persona
and participate in fairy-themed crafts and
games. For more info visit CCPL.org or call
843.559.1945.
MONDAY, MAR. 25-29
WHAT: Spring Break Explorers Camp
WHERE: James Island County Park
WHEN: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Kids will spend their
days having a blast doing arts and crafts,
cooperative games, canoeing, and playing in
the dirt...just like you used to do. Fee $225,
ages: 6-10. Visit CharlestonCountyParks.org
for details and registration.
TUESDAY, MAR. 26
WHAT: Waterwise Gardening
WHERE: Johns Island Regional Library
WHEN: 11 a.m.
MORE INFO: Representatives from the
Clemson Extension will explain how to conserve
and use stormwater runoff to support healthy
habitats in the home landscape and protect clean
water in the community through rain gardens,
rainwater harvesting, native plant gardens and
vegetative buffers. For more info visit CCPL.org.
14
financial focus
Own property in an
What should you do
Opportunity Zone?
with an inheritance?
Let’s talk. BY EDWARD JONES FINANCIAL
I can put your property in
For The Island Connection
I
f you were to receive a sizable
front of the right buyers. inheritance, what should you do with
it? This money could help you achieve
some of your important financial goals, so
you’ll want to think carefully about your
choices.
Of course, everyone’s needs are
different, so there’s no one “right” way to
handle a large lump sum. But here are a
few suggestions that may be useful:
Pay off some debts. Depending on the
size of your inheritance, you may want
to consider paying off some, if not all, of
your debts, such as car loans, personal
loans and student loans. You might even
consider paying off your mortgage, but
you may not want to, as you might be able
to get a better return on your money by
investing it. Also, if all your money is tied
up in a house, you’ll typically have less
liquidity than you would get from your
investments.
Contribute more to your retirement
accounts. You may now be able to afford
to contribute more to your 401(k) or other
employer-sponsored retirement plan, as
well as to your IRA. These accounts offer
tax benefits plus an array of investment
choices, so they are excellent ways to build
resources for retirement.
Alejandro J. Ferreyros
(843) 202-9226
alejandro@sanddollarsc.com
Commercial Brokerage
Sanddollarsc.com • (843) 530-8100
2205 Middle St Suite 203 • Sullivan’s Island, SC • 29482
March 15, 2019
Save for college. If you have children,
or grandchildren, whom you would like to
someday send to college, you might want
to put some of your inheritance into a
college savings vehicle, such as a 529 plan,
which provides tax benefits and gives you
great flexibility in distributing the money.
Build an emergency fund. If you haven’t
already built an emergency fund containing
six to 12 months’ worth of living expenses,
you may be able to do so now, using part
of your inheritance. Keep the money in a
liquid, low-risk account, so that it’s readily
available to pay for unexpected costs.
Without such a fund, you might be forced
to tap into your long-term investments.
Above all else, you may want to get
some help. If you don't already have one,
a financial professional can recommend
ways of using the money to help you
meet your goals. For one thing, you could
further diversify your investments, which
is important, because diversification can
help reduce the effects of market volatility
on your portfolio. (Keep in mind that
diversification can’t prevent all losses or
guarantee profits).
And a financial professional can help
you determine how much your plans
could change due to the inheritance. To
name just one possibility, you might be
able to move up your retirement date.
If so, you’d need to adjust many aspects
of your financial strategy, such as when
to take Social Security, how much to
withdraw each year from your retirement
accounts, and so on.
You’ll also need to consult with your
tax advisor, because some inherited
assets, such as an IRA, could have tax
implications.
Your loved ones worked hard, and
probably invested for many years, to
leave a legacy for you. So, to honor their
memory, do whatever you can to handle
your inheritance wisely.
Dimi Matouchev is a financial advisor
with Edward Jones, located at 1517-C
Palm Boulevard, Isle of Palms. For more
information, call 843.886.9229 or visit
edwardjones.com.
March 15, 2019 15