island eye news - march 19, 2010

8/9/2019 Island Eye News - March 19, 2010

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Young investigators page 13 Ready for Easter page 22Lucky Dog found! page 21

I n s i d e I s l a n d E y e

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M rch 19, 2010Volum 5 Issu 23

Since May 2005

S u l l i v n s I s l n d I s l o f p l m s g o t I s l n d D w s I s l n d

FRee

S ullivans Island has always been anideal place to raise a family and hasserved as an island getaway for manythroughout the past 150 plus years. Its cozyrestaurant district and comfortable olderhomes are a direct re ection of the laid-

back southern lifestyle which is so enjoyedon this predominantly residential island.Sullivans Island Fire Chief Anthony Stithhas spent a majority of his life on this greatisland, and his family has been a crucialsupport system in its history. I have knownthe Chief for most of my natural born life.

The extended Stith family, as well as theChief himself, have been integral in myscholastic, athletic, and social endeavors.I recently spoke with Chief Stith about thenew Louis P. Stith Bridge (formerly the BenSawyer Bridge), named after his father who

was a Sullivans Island judge and a founderof the Sullivans Island Fire Department.

We talked about childhood on the island,the ef ciency of the new bridge, and hisfamilys overall contributions to this islandthat so many people call home.

BB: When was your father, Judge Louis

Stith, born? Was his family completelyraised on Sullivans, or were there anyrelatives in Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms,or downtown Charleston?CS: He was born on Station 24 in 1921.He was actually born in the house and itstill stands. My grandmother was bornthere, too. All of the family basicallylived in the same house. Of course,they all lived on the island during thattime, then they got married and movedaround.

a sit-down with th Chi fBy Blake Bunch

Chief continu d on 5More spring coverage on page 11


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2 March 19, 2010

During the Sullivans IslandCommittees of Council meeting onMarch 1, the Council read througha list of recommendations for theCommunity Commercial DistrictPlan. The recommendations weremade by the projects designteam, which consists of UrbanEdge Studio, LS3P AssociatesLtd., SeamonWhitesides +Associates, and Kimley-Hornand Associates, Inc., and areitems that the team members feelcould have a positive impact onthe study area. The team askedthat the Council look over therecommendations to see if theycould be considered or studied to

nd out if their implementation

would have a positive impact onthe Commercial District. Not oneof the recommendations increasedthe size of the CommercialDistrict. Finally, the design teamnoted that before rejecting anyof the ideas, the Council shouldconsider that many of the changes

would be incremental and wouldnot happen all at once.

Over the course of two hours,the Council read through eachrecommendation and createda bucket list of items, listingthem as either yes(the Council

will discuss implementingthese items), no (these items

wont be considered) or up fordiscussion(there was somecontroversy over possibleimplementation). This approachallowed the Council to pick outthe items with general agreementand hash out the details later.

CommerCial DistriCt

BuCket list:

Yes : Create a Commercial Area

Overlay Zoning District (thoughthe Council did not agree onthe actions as outlined in sub-paragraphs a d, which will besent to the Planning Commissionfor further study); Exploreoptions for increasing policepresence / code enforcement inthe commercial area; providea better entry experience onBen Sawyer Boulevard; Plan for

a commercial delivery routing;Utilize a combination of paralleland reverse angle parking tocreate more ef cient parking onMiddle Street and in order todecrease pressure on residentialstreets.

No : Consider cabaret ordinancesimilar to the City of Charleston;Consider a Livability Court tohandle issues of litter, lack of maintenance, etc; Parking ontop of the mound; Modify Station22 from Middle to I'On streetsto prevent through traf c;Consider developing a newNoise Ordinance that addressesampli ed music.

up for DisCussioN: Allowparking on one side of IOn only;Require residential parkingpermits (could be all residentialarea on time-restricted basis);Encourage shared parkingprovisions for off-street parkingat of ce/retail businesses;Explore accommodating golf cart and bicycle parking;

Create a civic node at thecurrent park; relocate TownHall to the commercial district;reduce posted speed limit onMiddle Street and Ben Sawyer;Improvements to the park.

I think this approach is anexcellent method to concentrateon the issues that need furtherdiscussion and therefore narrowdown the focus to a few veryimportant issues, said MayorPro-Tem Mike Perkis followingthe meeting. This approach willallow us to concentrate only onthose items with which there issome agreement.

For the complete Commercial

District Master Plan, visit www.urban-edge-studio.com or the home

page of www.sullivansisland- sc.com. The next Committees of Council meeting will be held at Sullivans Island Town Hall on April 12, 2010 at 6pm. Sullivans Island Town Hall is located at 1610 Middle Street. For more information, call 883-3198.

Sullivans Council discusses CommercialDistrict recommendations

Staff RepoRt


3/27

March 19, 2010 3

Civic Calendar

Isle of Palms886-6428www.iop.net

Tuesday, March 23Public Hearing6:30 p.m.1207 Palm Boulevard

Thursday, April 1Livability Court5 p.m.1207 Palm Boulevard

_______________________

Sullivan's Island883-3198www.sullivansisland-sc.com

Wednesday, March 24Planning Commission7 p.m.1610 Middle Street

Recycle - Wednesday, March 24 - Recycle

Lynn Pierottipublisher

[email protected]

Kristin Hacklermanaging editor

[email protected]

Swan Richardssenior graphic designer

[email protected]

Ellie Smithgraphic designer

Lori Daltonsales manager

[email protected]

Blake Bunchintern

ContributorsDiann Clark

Holly CovingtonSarah HarperIOP Rec DeptCarol Killough

Dimi MatouchevDr. John NelsonDeborah PalmerMargaret Skinner

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P.O. Box 837Sullivans Island, SC 29482

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Submit your letters to the editor to:[email protected]

Future deadlines:

March 24 for all submissions.

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unde adve tising.

Amurder at the Marsh Grassapartments on March 11 inMount Pleasant at 1511 BenSawyer Blvd has exposed someconcerns about communicationprotocol between the MountPleasant police department andour Island departments. One man

was shot to death and a woman was shot and is being treated. Athird man appears to have beenassaulted in the parking lot. He

was treated and released fromthe hospital.

Oscar Manuel Giron-Hernandez, 33, was foundmurdered at the condos slightlymore than a mile from the BenSawyer Bridge at 12:22 p.m.according to Capt Gragg of theMount Pleasant police department.When we contacted the SullivansIsland police department at 2:08p.m. to nd out how they were

handling the unfolding events, we were told they were aware of asituation in Mount Pleasant, but

were not sure what had happened.We contacted the Isle of Palmspolice department at 2:11 p.m.

and were told that they, too, wereaware of something happening inthe vicinity, but that was it.

The Sullivans Island policedepartment had been madeaware of something happening atthe condos by one of their of cers

who passed by as the EMT, reand police were arriving. Theof cer thought the person he hadseen was perhaps hit by a car.It was not until later that they

were made aware by several localnews sources, including ours,that it was in fact a murder withsuspects still at-large.

The Isle of Palms similarlyknew of something happeningin the general area of the bridge.One of their of cers had also seenthe emergency crews respondingin the direction of the Ben SawyerBridge. The IOP of cers assumedit was a car accident until noti ed

by the Island Eye News.We contacted the MountPleasant police and asked whyour police departments werenot immediately noti ed of thesituation. Captain Gragg said at

the time there was no indicationthat any suspects were headed inour general directions. In theimmediate aftermath of a murder

just past our causeway, our twodepartments were not mobilizedto assist Mount Pleasant or toprotect our two entry paths tothe islands because they did notknow what had happened untilnoti ed by news sources morethan an hour and a half later.

Lt Wright of the Isle of Palmspolice department told us thatsince the Isle of Palms policedispatches calls for both islands,both departments are awareof what is happening on bothislands. They have no way to beaware of what is happening inother municipalities unless theyare noti ed. Lt Wright and Chief Howard of Sullivans Island bothsaid that they usually have very

good communication with theMount Pleasant department. Asof Monday, Sept. 15, police aresearching for three suspects.

Dear Editor,

For the past 3 years or more, theissue of protecting the residentialcharacter of the Isle of Palms hasbeen under discussion. WhenI moved here 8 years ago I wasshocked to learn that I was theonly full-time resident on mystreet. I was further shocked

to discover that I lived next to arental house.

More often than not rentersnext door have disturbed thepeace well into the night. In oneinstance a tent was erected and alive band played for a wild partythat resulted in a car runningover my front yard uprooting apalm tree.

My point is I live in a zonedresidential neighborhood. It wouldappear that no attention has beengiven to enforcing the zoninglaws. So the current proposal bythe IOP City Council to limit newrental houses to an occupancy

of 10 or less has given me somehope. That hope is that in thefuture residential neighborhoods

will NOT include rental Mega

Houses with a capacity of "asmany as possible".

I am well aware that the10-person only rental proposalcannot legally be enforced. Ialso understand that one cannotlegislate certain standards. Itcould, however, slow and hopefullyend the building of HUGE Rentalstructures thus preserving theresidential character of ourbeloved IOP.

If there were a better way of eliminating huge houses thatbecome rental mini hotels inzoned residential areas, I would

welcome such a proposal.

SincerelyFrances E. Anderson 8 44th Ave.Isle of Palms

__________________________

Dear Editor,

I am tired of propertymanagement groups and

investors in the large-scale, high-occupancy, commercial rentalhomes arguing that any limitsplaced on occupancy of rentalhomes in residential areas (SR

districts) are a violation of theirproperty rights. There is noprovision in the law that allowsowners to build whatever they

wish regardless of zoning and Ichallenge this group to reveal thespeci c property rights to whichthey refer. For the record, in 1974,these very same issues camebefore the US Supreme Court inBelle Terre vs Boraas with theCourt nding that the enforcement

of single family zoning is neithera takings nor is it a violation of equal protection. In fact, thecourt found that single-familyzoning is more personal andbasic in nature than those of thecommercial interest.

Despite the passage of thelivability ordinances, whichpromote commercial interestsover residential interests, SRzoning has not changed. Whileinconvenient for the commercialreal estate industry, the IOP isstill a residential island withsingle family zoning statutesdesigned to exclude groups of

individuals who contribute tounwanted neighborhood impacts

see Letters on page 4

Letters to the editor...

Shouldnt we know if a murderer is loose?By LyNN PIErOTTI


4/27

(parking, noise, litter, andcongestion problems). As I canpersonally attest, the wholesaledisregard for past zoning hasalready damaged the quality of life for those like me who areunfortunate enough to live nextto a mini-hotel. Importantly,IOP 5-4-14 clearly limits homesin the SR districts to homes for

single families or 4 unrelatedpeople. As per ordinance 7-1-6(b), a high-occupancy, short-term rental home (aka mini-hotel)should fall under the NAICSclassi cation of Tourist Homeand, therefore, is not a permitteduse as per 5-4-32 and 5-4-33. Interestingly, 5-4-37 doespermit a Tourist Home in theCommercial District-- but eventhen it is limited to 6 bedroomsfor guests.

Investors in large short-termrental homes on the island shouldrejoice at the recent motion toincrease the allowable density

in homes located in the SingleResidential (SR) districts to 10people. Clearly, these limits areless than the unlimited occupancylimits wanted by investors

who are accustomed to lack of enforcement of IOP zoning laws,however, the proposed increase isa generous offer considering thecurrent zoning limits. Indeed,as Council woman Bergwerf pointed out, this would allowlarge groups of unrelated visitorsand three generations of typicalUS family to rent IOP properties.

The change should been seen for what it is: a more than generous

compromise to current occupancyrestrictions.

Regards,Rene Dentiste Mueller IOP

____________________________

Dear Editor,

As a nearly lifelong resident of the Isle of Palms, I am disgustedat our Council's thinly veiled

attempt to discourage tourismon our island. Slashing rentaloccupants is absolutely immoralin this economy. The rentalmarket has made the CITY (notneighborhood) of Isle of Palmsprosperous, provided us withgreat amenities and kept ourtaxes low. Ironically, those that

want to change the island movedhere after vacationing themselves.

Now that they have purchased

their piece of paradise, theyseemingly want to make it lessavailable for others to enjoy.Many of these houses were builtfor the purpose of renting tolarge or multiple families. Wehave laws and a court in place toensure these visitors behave whilevisiting. One council member toldme that, where she is from, peoplepark, ride and purchase a permitto visit the beach. Another stateshe doesnt want renters in thehouse next door, but neighbors.

This would lead one to ask whythey did not move to one of thebeautiful NEIGHBORHOODS

in Mt. Pleasant rather than aresort island. Isle of Palms isa city, not a cul-de-sac, and inSouth Carolina, all citizens havea right to enjoy the beaches.

Thank you, S. Johnson Palm Blvd, IOP

___________________________

Dear Editor,

When I bought a lot and built myhouse on Wills Way in 1989, myrealtor, who himself had lived on

Isle of Palms since 1947, allayedmy fears that someday the quietresidential neighborhoods wouldbe overtaken by commercialdevelopment and motels likeMyrtle Beach. He said it couldnever happen on IOP because,except for Wild Dunes and thecommercially zoned front beacharea, the island was zonedsingle-family residential and infact already built-out with singlefamily homes. Being an engineer,I did my due diligence and veri ed

the city zoning ordinances formyself.

Of course there were alwaysthe small J.C. Long houses andother two to four bedroom homesscattered along Palm Boulevardand Ocean Drive that rented tofamilies on summer vacation.

That was ne. The families andrelatively small rental housesblended well with the residentialcharacter of our beach community

and were in most cases welcomedby the residents in view of our single-family residentialzoning ordinances. However,as many have said, change isinevitable apparently even inthe face of strictly worded zoningordinances.

Over the last decade, readilyavailable lending and the housingspeculation bubble incentivizedreplacement of more traditionalhomes with larger and largervacation rental properties. Mini-hotels accommodating 20 to 30people became somewhat the normas investors tried to maximize

rental income to meet mortgagecash ow just long enough to ipit for maximum pro t. Continuedspeculation increasingly drovedevelopment of huge vacationrental houses further intoestablished neighborhoods. Apart from the noise and otherimpacts, the greatest fear of mostresidents was that the neighborshouse next door would be torndown and replaced with a largecommercial rental property. Thefear is still there as soon as theeconomy picks back up.

The so called rental ordinancespassed a couple of years ago

by the former city council stillallow as many as 28 overnightrenters (a stretch under anyonesde nition of single-family) ina 7000 square-foot home, andessentially created a backdoor legalization of commercialvacation rentals in areas thatare still zoned single-familyresidential. Although there hasbeen a lot of miscommunicationabout the currently proposedordinance, it does not change themaximum overnight occupancyon any existing rental properties

they are grandfathered in. Thenewly proposed occupancy limitof ten people will only apply toproperties obtaining a new rentallicense. Likewise, the ordinancein no way restricts anyones rightto build a large house (up to 7000square feet), but in the future theycan only rent it to a maximumof ten people. This should helpease concerns of current andprospective residents that a mini-

hotel might be built next door. The currently proposedordinance is a reasonable,common sense solution thatpreserves the rights of propertyowners to rent their homes whilehelping preserve the residentialcharacter of our island andneighborhoods. My wife, Ann,and I fully support it. It is longoverdue!

Respectfully,Michael J. Maughon, P.E.

Dear Editor,

It was a good Isle of Palmsbeach day Tuesday, February23. That was the date that theIOP City Council voted 6 to 3,approving a motion to limit futureshort term rental occupancy to10. The citizens have waited 3

years for that vote. Five councilmembers and the mayor wereelected in 2007 and 2009 in parton that principle. We are proudof them. Diane and Tom Oltorik Isle of Palms

___________________________

Dear Editor,

The Moultrie News March 3front page story on the motionaffecting short term rentals hasdistorted the facts surroundingthis issue. First of all, the sixcouncil members that votedto limit future rentals to 10overnight guests all campaignedon protection of residentialneighborhoods and were voted inby RESIDENT VOTERS. Statusquo candidates were defeated. Socouncils vote is not out of sync

with the majority of residents, asreported. Many of these residentshave been here since the 90sor earlier and are concernedabout losing neighborhoods tooutsized rental properties in theirbackyards.

Melinda Mitchells reportedconcern at the Feb. 23 meetingthat her propertys rental capacity

would be reduced is not true. The proposed limit would onlyapply to future construction andlicense applications. The currentcode does not change for existingrental properties.

4 March 19, 2010

www . islandeyenews . com

Letters from page 3

see Letters on page 7


5/27

March 19, 2010 5


BB: Childhood on SullivansIsland probably translates intosome very interesting stories.Can you recall any stories that

your father told you abouthis childhood, or anything inparticular about your upbringinghere?CS: Dad was raised by hismother. It was one of thosemysteries of the island. Afterhe was born, his father kind of disappeared. Im not going to sayit was his brother, but his rstcousin, Johnnie Hutchinsonsfather, had gone away, as well.No one ever really talked aboutit so Im not exactly sure. Hetold me about working on thevegetable truck with Guy andthe old fort when all the soldiers

were still here. I was borndowntown, but was raised onthe island. It was a completelydifferent place then. Duringthe summertime we might havehad close to 1,000 residents,but during the winter it wasmore like 300. Everybody kneweverybody, so in that sense it

was a little different than it isnow.

BB: Where was Judge Stithprimarily educated? How was heelected to be a judge?CS: He went to primary schoolon Station 23, and then attendedCharleston High School. Afterthat he enlisted in the Navyduring WWII, serving on adestroyer. Once he was out, herejoined for the duration of theKorean War. He didnt practicelaw, but worked at Esso during

that time, when the Exxoncorporation was in Charleston.He was always working severaldifferent jobs.

BB: When/where were youparents married? How manybrothers and sisters do youhave?CS: Momma was a city girl,and you had to take a ferry toget on the island during thattime, so they were marrieddowntown, and dad wore hisnavy uniform. My two oldestbrothers are Marshall and Paul,and Im stuck in the middlebetween them and my twosisters, Susan and Debbie.

BB: The Judge presided over thisvery peaceful island, but can yourecall any major cases or issuesthat he helped resolve?CS: Dad was always fair. Youknow, after he died a lot of people told stories about how the

judge kept them out of jail. Mostof our friends were probablypretty lucky during this time

since they knew the judge, buthe was always fair. He usuallyhanded out community serviceas punishment to the kids.

BB : Your father helped toestablish the Sullivans IslandFire Department. Its amazinghow much this departmenthas evolved, but aside fromtechnology, what are some majordifferences between the earlydays and today?CS : They established the redepartment in 1948, of whichmy dad was one of the rstvoluntary chiefs. The fort hadmoved out and most of the guys

who lived on the island boughthouses and decided that theyneeded a re department. Thelocation has de nitely changed- we are now located central tothe island but the populationis much larger and so are thehouses. It has changed over the

years quite a bit; more people insingle family residences with notmuch commercial development.I think thats what the peoplehave always wanted, and whatmakes it such a great place tolive.

BB : Your brother Marshall wasmayor of the island during whattime period? Did anyone else in

your family hold public of ce?CS : Marshall was mayorprobably about fteen years, andhad served on council for a whileprior, so he was deeply involvedin island affairs for about 20-25 years. Paul has been inbanking since he graduated fromClemson, and my two sistersteach school; Marshall ownsStation 22 Restaurant, as well.

BB : Your wife, Donna Stith, works at Christ Our King -Stella Maris School; I know your

youngest son Sam is at Clemson,and your eldest, Anthony, andhis wife Melanie are about tohave their third child. How doesit feel to be a grandfather?CS : Yeah, Sam is a PoliticalScience major at Clemson. Asfor being a grandfather, theresnothing like it. Grandparents aremade to spoil kids, as you wellknow, and its a great feeling.

Hopefully Sam will get marriedand have some more someday.Anthony and Melanie have twochildren, Emmie (5) and John(2), and have a third on the way.

BB : It was because of greatpride that the Town renamedthe bridge after your father. Iread a quote in which you saidhe would be embarrassed tohave his name on something;not embarrassed exactly, buthe didnt like to be the causeof attention. Do you thinkhe would be honored that thebridge was kept the way he

wanted, a swing span, and that

his bridge allows more people tovisit the island more frequently?CS : Dad was a real humble typeof guy - he didnt want peopleto make much of a fuss overhim. He was more of a behindthe scenes type of person.My family and I think that itsa source of great honor, dadhaving lived on the island, himhaving served as magistratefor some 44 years or so, andhis establishment of the redepartment. As for the swingspan, I have people telling me

every day that it needs to be ahigh rise. I think its part of thegreatness of Sullivans Islandthat we were able to keep ourbridge. Its a great thing: peopleneed to be able to slow down,roll down their windows andenjoy what they got.

BB : I think this is much-neededin the hectic lifestyles peoplelive today. What elements of theislands past do you see in thismentality? What aspects of thenew construction will make thisbridge more ef cient?CS : S.I. has always maintaineda laid back atmosphere. WhenI was growing up, people wouldcome in from the city to theirsummer homes to relax. That

was the whole part about goingto the island; its so nice to getaway and enjoy everything.

The bridge is updated as far asmechanics go, it looks the same,but a lot of safety features wereadded to it. New electronics

were installed, and I think thebridge should service us well for

the next 60 to 100 to 150 yearsor so.

BB : You currently live in MountPleasant. Could you see yourself living out here again at anypoint?CS : Probably not, prices of residency are high, but thatspart of the charm found outhere. Its a great place to growup and probably wont be com-mercialized anymore than it is.

BB : Having Irish heritage, howdo you feel about the islands St.Patricks Day festivities?CS : My Irish tradition forced me

to take off every St. PatricksDay. I always celebrate on March17, the actual day. We meet up

with the Clearys at Dunleavysand have a couple tighties.

BB : Thanks a lot for your time,Chief Stith. From those readingthis article, as well as myself, wede nitely appreciate all you dofor us!CS : No problem at all.

Chief from cover

Chief Anthony Stith.


6/27

6 March 19, 2010

www.islandeyenews.sc

P lease dont be fooled by theIOPNA! Wow, its of cial,they have moved theircomments to the Moultrie Newsfrom the Island Eye Newspaper!Bravo IOPNA for giving the IslandEye a break from your sameole, same ole. I know I enjoyedreading the Island Eye this week.It is the rst time in years Ihave not had to read about how

your group is single handedlysaving our island. Thank you forsparing us all the self promotion!I, for one, have been a generoussupporter of many causes andcharities over the years andlove the idea of contributing asanonymous. What a novel idea,IOPNA. Do something because

it is right, not because of how it will make a nice photo-op for thelocal paper.

The Save The Island Group thatlater became the IOPNA started afew years ago. They started thisgroup with the mission of saveour island and neighborhoods.

They have now moved so far away

from their original idea that it isscary to many. It sounded likea good idea, right? I mean, whodoesnt want to preserve theirneighborhood?

The problem now is thatthey have fooled people intothinking that they are saving ourneighborhoods when in fact theyare destroying them. Before theIOPNA evolved, there was a senseof community on this island.People spoke to each other andgenerally seemed happy withtheir neighbors. The IOPNA hasdivided this island and it is sadto watch. It has caused neighborsto pick sides and pull apart fromone another. This is not savingneighborhoods, it is destroying

them. People who used to speakto one another now dont. One would have to ask: is this thesense of community that theIOPNA was speaking of?

Council member BarbaraBergwerf was quoted at theFebruary 23 Council meetingas saying All you rich people.

Who exactly were you speakingto, Barbara? Your neighborson Ocean Blvd? Maybe she wasspeaking to the people on PalmBlvd next to the house she wastrying to buy with a roof topdeck. I guess it would be okay tooutlaw rooftop decks as long as

you get yours?Someone asked me why I care,

why I have such a strong opinionabout the IOPNA and what themajority on Council is trying todo. My answer is simple. I lovethe Isle of Palms! It is where myhusband and I met, marriedand brought our children hometo raise. I dont like that thisgroup has come here in the lastfew years and wants to raise

our taxes and take our personalproperty rights away. I have alot of friends on Isle of Palms.Some are young working families

just trying to survive this badeconomy. Some are retired andon xed incomes and cant affordany change in expenses. If theIOPNA majority on City Council

gets their way, we will all haveto pay in higher taxes! Wake up,Council! You are kicking people

while they are down! This is how I see it. The IOPNA

is like a few other political actiongroups I will not name. If theydont have anything to complainabout or a problem, then they failto exist. So sad. Heres a thought.Wake up happy and not readyto ght with your neighbors.Wake up and thank God for thegood fortune to live in such a

wonderful place that people saveall year long to enjoy one week a

year.When I think about community

and a sense of neighborhood, Iremember what my grandmother

used to say, It sure is easierto be nice to others than to bemean.

If the IOPNA would like a guestspeaker at their next meeting,I could ask my 86 year oldgrandmother if she is available.

Dont be fooledBy Holly Covington

Op-Ed


7/27

March 19, 2010 7


Mr. Stones commentspredicting fewer beach visitorsif we control growth is notsupported by the facts. If anything, we will continue to seepopulation pressure in the EastCooper area, so it is appropriatefor City Council to take actionto prevent further abuses. Wehave seen that Isle of Palmsis not immune to speculativedevelopment. I applaud citycouncils leadership in protectingresidential neighborhoods aspromised.

Paul Reddy 404 Merritt Blvd., Isle Of Palms

Dear Editor,

Finally, we have ve councilmembers and a mayor whoresponded to the residents of theIsle of Palms. I thanked eachone of them personally after theCouncil Meeting on February23. I just love that they stoodup for us! Three cheers forthem! Weve been waiting a longtime to get our neighborhoodsprotected from large rentaloccupancy.

Sylvia Sherwood Isle of Palms

Letters from page 4

This image was made duringone of two shows which I co-hosted here in the Lowcountry forDoug Gardner, producer of WildPhoto Adventures, a wildlifephotography show that airs onPBS on Sunday evenings.

For this shot, we visited anactive Brown Pelican rookery inthe Charleston Harbor. As with allrookeries, one must take care notto get too close to nesting birds.Crowding them will disrupt thebirds natural behavior and couldeven push chicks out of the nest.Seabird rookeries, like this one atCastle Pinckney, are protected bystate and/or federal law, whichforbid you to set foot on theisland. We were happy to anchorour boat just off the shorelinein order to safely observe andphotograph these magni cent

birds. Long telephoto lenses aremade for capturing subjects at adistance and we as photographersand good stewards of the natural

world need to use them that way;keeping our distance and notscaring the wildlife by pushing orcrowding them.

This is especially true duringnesting season. Too often, overzealous photographers ignorethe basic rules of eld etiquettein pursuit of the perfect shot. If

we all dont start working withinstate and federal regulations inour wildlife refuges and parks,

we will soon nd ourselves withrestricted access or even lockedout all together. All you have to dois look at the restrictions imposedrecently by of cials at LakeMattamuskeet and Pocosin in

western North Carolina, con ningphotographersto the roads andpaths. This maybe due in part to

an over-worked,short-handed staff which doesnthave time to deal

with photographypermitting, buthaving to deal witha few irresponsiblephotographers mayhave encouragedtheir decision tostrip away these

freedoms for the rest of us. To view Wild Photo

Adventures online, go to www. wildphotoadventures.com.

To see more of Eric Horans work,visit www.southernlight.biz. The Brown Pelican photo is the picture

for March in his 2010 calendar,also available for purchase at www.southernlight.biz.

Photo of the Month: March 2010By Eric Horan

Photo tip:For the best chances tocapture great wildlifephotos, one must do somesimple observation anda little homework. Study

your intended subjectsnatural behavior patternsto determine how to bestapproach them beforetripping the camera shutter.

Try taking your binocularsinto the eld and spend sometime just observing. Interviewa biologist friend or ask onethat works with the DNR orUS Fish & Wildlife Service, oreven sit down at the computerand do some online research.You will be rewarded withnew knowledge and muchbetter pictures.


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8 March 19, 2010


Daily

Held on March 6, Hope on Goat for Haiti took place on Goat Island atGoat Island Gatherings. The weather was perfect for folks to gather andenjoy oysters, good food, music and help the good folks of Haiti. Proceedsfor the event went directly to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and

Development Fund. Music was provided by Cory Webb, Triple Lindy and The Wyatt Garey Band. Special thanks go to the bands, The Isle of PalmsMarina for their generous support, The Barrier Island Eco Tour Crew forthe shuttles and Shane Ziegler and friends for the delicious oystersand sh stew. Other generous contributors to this wonderfulevent included: Publix, Piggly Wiggly, RoyallHardware, The Windjammer andCannon Marine. We appreciateeveryone attending our event.

Together we raised over $5000to help recovery efforts in Haiti.

Goat Island giddyBy Diann Clark

with success


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March 19, 2010 9


S t

. P a t t y ' s o n

S u l l i v a n ' s

M a r c h 1 3

, 2 0 1 0


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Millions of Americans invest in IndividualRetirement Accounts (IRAs) - and with goodreason. An IRA is a great way to save forretirement, and its available to anyone withearned income. Yet, many people dont fully

fund their IRAs each year. That could be acostly mistake - so do whatever you can toavoid it.

Before we get to the funding issue, letsexamine the key bene ts of an IRA:

Tax advantages - When you invest ina traditional IRA, your earnings canpotentially grow on a tax-deferred basis,

which means your money can grow fasterthan if it were placed in an investmenton which you pay taxes every year. Anddepending on your income level, some of

your contributions may be tax deductible.If you have a Roth IRA, your contributionsarent deductible, but your earnings can

potentially grow totally tax-free, provided youve had your account for at least

ve years and you dont start taking withdrawals until you reach 59.Wide choice of investments - You can fund

your traditional or Roth IRA with justabout any investment vehicle available,including stocks, bonds, certi cates of deposit and Treasury bills. You can evenchoose an investment mix that re ects

your long-term goals, risk tolerance andtime horizon.

Clearly, its a smart move to contribute thefull amount to your IRA every year. So, whydont more people do it?

One reason is that many investors maybecome intimidated by the IRAs contributionlimits. You could invest up to $5,000 to yourIRA for the 2009 tax year and for 2010, or$6,000 if youre 50 or older.

These limits can look imposing, especiallyif you think you have to pay the moneyall at once - and pay it around tax time.

Of course, if you can afford to fund your IRA all at once, it may be to youradvantage to do so, because the earlier

in the year you have your IRA funded,the more time it has to potentially grow.

But if you cant write a check for $5,000 in January, why not divide the amount into 12

monthly payments of $416? That amount mayalso pose a challenge to your monthly cash

ow, but its probably far more manageablethan writing that big one-time check.

Making regular investments into your IRA

may also offer strategic advantages. While your monthly payments cant guarantee apro t or protect against a loss in a decliningmarket, they may be able to help youovercome some of the volatility of the nancialmarkets. How? Suppose your $416 monthlyIRA investment goes to buy stocks. Whenstock prices are low, that $416 will buy moreshares; and when prices are high, it will buyfewer shares. Be sure that you consider yourability to continue investing through periodsof low price levels.

If you havent fully funded your IRA for2009, youve got until the tax- ling deadline,

which is April 15, 2010. After that, if youvegot the money to fund your IRA for 2010, do

it as soon as you can, or do it throughout the year. Just get it done. Someday, you may beglad you did.

This article was provided by Edward Jones,located at 1505 Palm Blvd on the I sle of Palms.You can reach them at 886-9229 or visit www.edwardjones.com.

10 March 19, 2010


Financial

Its tax season: is your IRA fully funded?By Dimi matouchev


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March 19, 2010 11


Its spring time, dagum it!

M onday, March 8, was one of the rst truly beautiful days of spring in the Lowcountry, and even though a chilly breezestill whipped its way along the shore, dozens of beachgoersbraved the cool temperatures and spent the day soaking up sometreasured sun. Kayla Carlson and Josh Matheson, visitors fromMinnesota (pictured above spent the day on Sullivans Island,playing in the water and building sandcastles.


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12 March 19, 2010


T he hooded merganser isa diving duck and is thesmallest of all the NorthAmerican Mergansers. They areabout 18 inches long and weigh

about a pound and a half. Thisspecies is found year-round in theEastern United States, includingSouth Carolina. Migratorypopulations are found in Canadaduring the summer and in someparts of the Western United Statesduring the winter. Their long, thinbills are serrated and have evolvedto frmly grasp slippery fsh. Thisspecies will also occasionallyfeed on aquatic crustaceans

and insects. Males in alternateor breeding plumage have adistinctive black-and-white hood,or crest, which can be raised fordisplay or lowered at against the

head. Females are a dull brownand can be easily confused withmales in basic non-breedingplumage. This species nests intree cavities (and sometimes woodduck boxes) and the usual clutchsize is between 5-15 eggs. It isnot that uncommon for more thanone female to lay eggs in a singlenest. One nest was discovered

with a whopping 44 eggs from anunknown number of females.

Hooded MerganserBy Sarah Dargan harper

Hooded merganser.

Art gives back

T he Island Gallerycelebrated The Art of Giving on March 6, anevent created to help raisefunds for Operation Home, alocal non-proft which helpspeople remain in their homesby increasing safety andaccessibility. Wine and cheese

were generously provided bySeels on Sullivans and music

was provided by Daniel Nevins.Funds were raised throughthe sale of art and homemade

jewelry, scarves and purses.


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13March 19, 2010

Haitian Foundation speaksat Exchange Club

By Stacey Streetman-JohnSon

On February 25, 2010,the Isle of Palms ExchangeClub hosted Smith Joseph,the Director of HaitianFoundation for Agriculturaland Rural CooperativeDevelopment. He wasvisiting the USA to bringawareness to the needs of rural Haitian women.

B ear Scouts from StellaMaris Cub Scout Pack 59visited the Isle of PalmsPolice Department on February11 to learn about law enforcementand crime prevention. DetectiveSergeant Dawn Caldwell andDetective Diane Tarr led the boys ina mock crime scene investigation

while Sergeant Patrick Morrisand Deputy Robert Smith fromthe Charleston County Sheriffsof ce demonstrated a mock bombremoval utilizing the Countysradio-controlled robot. RetiredFBI Special Agent William Nettles

provided ngerprint ID kits, PFCSharon Baldrick ngerprintedsome 120 ngers and thumbsand patrol of cer Jeff Swainsuited up as McGruff the CrimeDog. Pack 59 Committee ChairKen Huggins expressed histhanks, stating, Its encouragingto know that the people weveentrusted with the safety of our community are passionateenough about their work to takethe time to make a creative andengaging presentation to our

young citizens. This is exactly what Scouting is all about.

Scouting out theIOP Police Station

Provided By carol Killough

Cub Scouts Pack 59 with McGruff the Crime Dog.

The Isle of Palms Exchange Club president Stacey Johnson (center) honors Bud and Cecily Stack for

their outstanding service the IOP Exchange Club.

G ood service s tacks up

P h

ot

o S B y

S t e v e

S u g g S


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riday, March 19uckin and Shagginjoy oysters for a great cause!om 6 9 p.m. at the Sand Dunesub, Sullivans Island, with musicthe East Coast Party Band. All

oceeds bene t UMRC, a localn-pro t organization Tickets$35 and can be purchased by

ling UMRC at 884-4860.

arleston Internationaltiques Show

arch 19-21, 2010. For antique-vers, this exhibition includes ade range of period furnishings,corative arts, vintage jewelry,rcelains, ceramics, silver andhitectural garden accents frome 17th early 20th century. Theique show will give amateur

d avid collectors a uniqueportunity to purchase andrn more about the rare pieces.r more information, visit www.toriccharleston.org.

aturday, March 20st Day of Spring

e Kayak and Gear Swaparting at 8 a.m. at Sea Kayakrolina, located at 1731 Signalint Road, right off of Folly Road.ng used kayaks and paddling

uipment to sell. Free food,nk, music all day. Informal,e on-land Intro to Kayak Classesoughout the day. 225-7969 oraKayakCarolina.com for moreo.

IOP Ping Pong Tournament1 p.m. at the IOP RecreationDepartment, 24 28th Avenue. Ages7-16 years. Register by calling886-8294 by March 18.

Coastal Exploration Series:Winter Shorebird Identi cation

Join shorebird expert NathanDias, of the Cape Romaine BirdObservatory, at Harbor Islandfor a classroom and eld sessionidentifying winter shorebirds.Following the classroom sessionthe group will venture to beachat beautiful Harbor Island to ID

winter resident shorebirds.Noon to 4 p.m. Register at:

www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/NERR/seminarseries.html. For moreinformation, call 953-9354.

9th Annual Pet Helpers Oyster RoastSet to the swingin sounds of theShakin Martinis and presentedby Rosebank Farms Caf,Fatboys Lowcountry Cooking,and Elizabeth Grace Occasions,enjoy All-you-can-eat oysters,Lowcountry Boil, chili, hot dogs,veggie dogs, and a cash bar. Bring

your dog along and be sure tocheck out the pawsitively purrrfectsilent auction. Tickets are $35/$40at the door, and are available at

www.pethelpers.org, by phone at795-1110 x 11, or at Pet Helpers,1447 Folly Road, James Island.

HALOS Charity Tennis Pro/AmCharleston HALOS invites tennisfans, donors and sponsors to aPro/Am doubles tournament and

Silent Auction March 20-21at The IOn Club in MountPleasant to raise money for theHALOS Summer Camp Programfor abused and neglectedchildren in Charleston County.For more info, contact MikeMorris at 860-0984, or visit

www.charlestonhalos.org.

Jane Austen Society meeting The next meeting of the JaneAusten Society will be at 1:30 p.m.at the Berkeley Electric Bldg., 3351Maybank Hwy., Johns Island. Theprogram is entitled: How and WhyShe Wrote, and it will be led byShirley Bissett and JoAnne Jones.All are welcome. For information,call 768-6453.

Gullah Heritage celebration:Quilting, spirituals, toys, castnets,stories, percussion and woodwork Celebrate Gullah Heritage througha series of free cultural programsat Charles Pinckney NationalHistoric Site (1254 Long PointRoad) every Saturday at 2pmthrough March, 2010. This weeksfeature: Vermelle and AndrewRodrigues, quilting and toys; VeraManigault, sweetgrass baskets;

Julian B. Gooding, African talesand percussion; and Charles C.Williams, castnet making and

woodwork. For more information,call 881-5516 or visit www.nps.gov/chpi.

Sunday, March 21Customer Appreciation Day atCharleston County ParksCCPRC wants to thank its visitors

with free gate admission to RavenelCaw Caw Interpretive Center,North Charleston Wannamaker,Mt. Pleasant Palmetto Islandsand James Island County Parks.Plus, free parking at KiawahBeachwalker Park, Folly Beachand Isle of Palms County Parks,as well as the Folly Beach EdwinS. Taylor Fishing Pier, where

shing is also free for the day! TheMount Pleasant Pier will also offercomplimentary shing on March21, but parking fees still apply. Formore information, call 795-4FUN(4386) or visit www.ccprc.com.

Tuesday, March 2319th annual Methodist Tea RoomMarch 23 26at First UnitedMethodistChurch(corner of

21st Avenue and Palm Blvd, IOP).Lunch will be served from 11:30a.m. 2 p.m. and will featuresandwich and salad favorites

with traditional cheese strawsand delicious dessert. Takeoutorders accepted. The Crafty Ladiesboutique will also be open. Formore info, call 886-6610 or visit

www.iopmethodist.com.

Open Auditions for Charlotte's WebStarting at 6:30 p.m. at the Isleof Palms Recreation Department,located on 28th Avenue. All ages

welcome! No experience needed. The performance will be heldfrom May 27 29 as a part of Piccolo Spoleto Goes to the Beach.Directed by Jimmy Ward of theCrabpot Players. For more info, call886-8294. Thursday, March 25One Love for Haiti Bene tConcertIn the Wando HS PerformingArts Center at 7 p.m.. Tickets forthe show are $5 and will be soldthe night of starting at 6 p.m.Musicians include The Whisperjets,

Tru Colors, Joel Timmons of SolDriven Train, Shane Skidmoreof the Makeshift, Wando SteelDrums and Jazz Band and more.All proceeds will go to Doctors

without Borders and WaterMissions International. For moreinformation, please contact EmilieWoody at 849-2830 ext. 23808.

Charleston Waterkeepers FirstAnnual Water BallAt the South Carolina Aquariumfrom 7-11 p.m. Guests will begreeted by a variety of educationalinstallations. There will be a DJspinning in the Great Ocean Room,and a silent auction. Tickets are$50 at www.thewaterball.org. Formore information, call Natalie

Taylor at 608-9287 or natalie@ charlestonwaterkeeper.org.

Building a Rain Garden in YourOwn Backyard

4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Fort Johnson Marine Center.Speaker David Joyner from

the Clemson Extension will show how

to craft rain gardens in such a waythat is aesthetically pleasing andtake advantage of native plantsthat can survive both very dry andvery wet conditions. The group

will build a rain garden on theFort Johnson campus. Registerat: www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/NERR/seminarseries.html. Formore info, call 953-9354.

Friday, March 26Friday Night HoopsGirls and boys ages 7-12 can havea safe, fun Friday night shootinghoops. Learn proper passingtechniques and basic dribblingskills during drills and games.

The cost is $10 per athlete. Call The IOP Recreation Departmentat 886-8294 to register. Sessionsare from 6 8 p.m. at the Rec.Department on April 23.

Saturday, March 27Absolute Estate andConsignment Auction at PagesThieves MarketPlace your bid on a variety of beautiful antiques and usefulhousehold items at Pages ThievesMarket, located at 1460 BenSawyer Blvd. Auction begins at 10a.m. Arrive early to preview items!For more info, to call the of ce at884-9672.

Beach Lovers Book Club:Sarahs Key

Join the Beach Lovers Book Clubin the Edgar Allan Poe Library at10:30 a.m. to discuss SarahsKey by Titiana De Rosnay. Coffeeand treats will be served. For moreinformation, call the Poe Libraryat 883-3914. The Poe Library islocated at 1921 IOn Avenue onSullivans Island. 33rd Annual Cooper River Bridge RunHosted by the Medical Universityof South Carolina, the CooperRiver Bridge Run provides a world-class 10K race that promotescontinuous physical activity and ahealthy lifestyle through educationand opportunity. The race beginsin Mount Pleasant andcrosses the newArthur Ravenel

Jr. Bridge for a

dramatic nish in historicdowntown Charleston. www.bridgerun.com.

Gullah Heritagecelebration:Quilting, spirituals,toys, castnets, stories,

percussion and woodwork Celebrate Gullah Heritage througha series of free cultural programsat Charles Pinckney NationalHistoric Site (1254 Long PointRoad) every Saturday at 2pmthrough March, 2010. This weeksfeature: Vermelle and AndrewRodrigues, quilting and toys; VeraManigault, sweetgrass baskets;

Julian B. Gooding, African talesand percussion; and Charles C.Williams, castnet making and

woodwork. For more info, call 881-5516 or visit www.nps.gov/chpi.

Sunday, March 2 8Palm Sunday

Romancing the HunleyEvery Sunday at 3:30pm through

June at the Powder Magazine indowntown Charleston. It is three

days after the CSS H.L. HunleyConfederate Submarine Sank theUnion Ship, USS Housatonic.Starring William G. Thomas-Mooreas Dr. Moore, and Diane Scher asthe modern day Lady Reporter,

who travels back in time from 2010to interview Dr. Moore. 45 minuteshow/$15 tickets. For more info,visit www.powdermag.org.

Keepers of the Wild OysterRoast at Magnolia PlantationFrom 1 - 4 p.m. at MagnoliaPlantation. Join us for oysters,chili, live music and a silentauction starting at 1 p.m. Ticketsare $25 and include entrance tothe gardens (children under 10 areFREE). We encourage everyone tocome early, bring your chairs andblankets, and enjoy live music onthe Ashley River while visiting withsome of our animal ambassadors.For tickets or more info, call 636-1659 or 696-4488.

Lowcountry Cajun Festival12 - 6 p.m. Gather your family andfriends and get ready for a full dayof foot-stompin tunes, hot andspicy food, childrens activities,and all around rajin Cajun fun atthis years festival! James IslandCounty Park. For more info, call795-4386 or visit www.ccprc.com.$10 adults/free under 12 years old

with Gold Pass.

Tuesday, March 30Passover

Thursday, April 1April Fools Day

Friday, April 2Good Friday

Saturday, April 3IOP Easter Egg HuntAt the Isle of Palms RecreationDepartment starting at 10 a.m.

SHARP. For children ages 12 andunder. Participants can enjoyEaster candy, pony rides, jumpcastles and ice cream. Differentage divisions will be set up for theegg hunts. This is a free event. Formore info, contact Will McElhenyat 886-8294 or visit www.iop.net. The Isle of Palms RecreationCenter is located at #24 28thAvenue.

Sunday, April 4Happy Easter!

March 19, 2010


March 19, 2010


Is land Eye Calendar March 19 - April 4

883-5030 2213-B Middle St,

www.seels shcamp.com

Bridge Run brunch& lunch specials!

R un in and Refuel .

Spring haS Sprung on Sullivan'S iSland

Brunch specials Sat & Sun starting at 8am.

Come and enjoy the fResh aiR and sunshine on our deck.


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16 March 19, 2010


T he IOP 12U basketball All-Star team played their rst game on Thursday, Feb. 25, against Daniel Island School and defeatedDaniel Island to advance to the second round. In their secondgame, however, the IOP team played the City of Charleston Penninsulaand was defeated in a well-played game.

The IOP 10U basketball All Star team played on Friday, Feb. 26,at St. Andrews Parks and Playground against the City of CharlestonPenninsula. The 10U team was defeated in round one of the all-star tournament, but they are already gearing up for next yearscompetition.

Congratulations to both teams, players and coaching staff for theirhard work and dedication this season!

IOP takes onAll-Star Basketball

Provided by the isle of Palms recreation dePartment

10U All Star Team-Back Row (l-r): Coach Dave Baily, Conner Geddings, Dylan Goulah, Adam Beall, Hartley Depass,Coach Phil Charles.Front Row (l-r): George Charles, Logan Mitchell, Owen Bailey, Will Robertson.

12U All Star Team- Back Row (l-r): Will Bridgeham, Oliver Michaud, Coach Gilles Michaud, Kyle McGue, Price Nimmich Front Row (l-r): Drew Perry, Jordan Capasso, Vivek Pandey, Trey Perry.

MethodistTea Room returns!

T he 19th Annual Tea Room at First United MethodistChurch on the Isle of Palms will be held March 23 26,2010, with lunch served from 11:30 a.m. 2 p.m. Featuredreturning favorites will include black bean and okra soups,shrimp and chicken salad plates, Greek salad plates, shrimpand chicken salad, plus pimento cheese croissant sandwiches;all served with our traditional cheese straws. Homemadedesserts will include old-fashioned strawberry shortcake, fudgebrownie with whipped cream and berry-glazed cheesecake.

The Crafty Ladies boutique will also be open during Tea Room hours. Items for sale will include many unusual items for the home, as well as gifts. Reservations for groups are encouraged,and takeout orders are also accepted. Call 886-6610 for reservations or takeout. First United Methodist Church is located at the corner of 21st Avenue and Palm Boulevard, Isle of Palms.For more info, visit www.iopmethodist.com


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17March 19, 2010


O n Thursday, March 11, theSullivans Islanders Groupgathered at SullivansIsland Elementary School for thesixth presentation in their ongoingseries directed to the promotion of island heritage and the protectionof the islands unique way of life.

The presentation, given by coastalecologist Billy McCord, was heldshortly after the schools PTAmeeting. The pairing of the twoevents was signi cant in thatMcCords talk tied directly in

with the schools future plan of becoming a partial magnet school

with an emphasis on marine andenvironmental science.

During his presentation,

McCord talked about the incrediblevalue of young maritime forestsand how important they are froman ecological standpoint. Asone of the two primary SC DNRparticipants in the developmentof a cooperative managementplan between the CharlestonCounty Parks and RecreationCommission for the undevelopednortheast end of Folly Beachand as a contributor to theof cer DNR letter written to theSullivans Island Town Council toexpress the Departments opinionrelative to the towns AccretedLand Management Plan, McCord

was well-versed on the islandsaccreted land situation and was

happy to discuss how best toprotect this valuable naturalresource. McCord also worked

with the school last year tohelp update their nature trailand developed an interpretivebrochure for the walk.

Past events held by theSullivans Islanders Groupinclude a lecture on air quality in Charleston and the barrierislands by Dana Beach of theCoastal Conservation League;a Loggerhead Turtle talk by Mary Pringle and the Island

Turtle Team; a SullivansIsland Historic Tour withtour guide Roy Williams,author of Images of America,Sullivans Island; an accretedland walk with Dr. RichardPorcher; a land managementtalk with Dave Achey, directorof land management for the

Kiawah Island Community Association, and a bestpractices lecture by KarlOhlandt, landscape ecologistfor the Spring Island Trust.

For more information about the Sullivans Islanders Group, visit www.sullivansislanders.net,

email Karen Coste (cscharlotte@ bellsouth.net) or Larry Middaugh ([email protected]).

Saving the forest for the school

SIES students give a special per formance during the PTA meeting earlier.Jim Ballenger gives an update on SIES during the PTA meeting earlier.


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March 19, 201018

I f you were to spot this little guyin a backyard in Bavaria, yourhost would probably pointto it and exclaim, Schau mal,Erdrauch! (Translation below)

Our little plant is common nowas a naturalizing species in NorthAmerica. It is indeed native toEurope and the Mediterranean,and is now widely foundthroughout the United States;certainly in all of the Southernstates. It is an annual, appearingin the early spring with each plantlasting but one short season. Itsnot very tall and usually grows lessthan a foot. Its fragile leaves aredivided and fern-like, and oftenvery chalky and gray. Because of this, the plants, when abundantenough, resemble a sort of smokyfog cloaking the ground.

The small fowers, which arestarting to appear now, aresomewhat tubular and pink,each with two narrow sepalsand petals, which are purplishtoward the tips. One of the petalsis swollen at the base and forms

what we botanists call a roundedspur. The fowers are able to

pollinate themselves, not relyingon insect visitors. After the plantblooms, small, rounded seed-podsare formed on the stem, each podcontaining a single globose seed.Once spring decides to becomesummer, whether in Europe orAmerica, the little plants are all

dried up and gone, but the tinyseeds are left in the soil, waitingfor the next spring.

This plant, which is relatedto both the poppy and mustardfamilies, has reputedly beeneffective as a medicinal plant.

Tonics made from it have been

used as an eye-wash and asa cure for acne, among otherthings. (Of course, dont take thisas an outright recommendationfor using it.) Whatever medicinalqualities it does have must comefrom the organic compounds(alkaloids) which give its freshstems and leaves a decidedlyacrid, bitter taste.

The plants in bloom are a bright,new indicator of the comingspring. They might be weeds, butthey dont last very long.

Translation? Your southernGerman friend is saying, Lookythere! Earthsmoke!

John Nelson is the curator of the Herbarium at the University of South Carolina. As a public service, USC offers free plant identifcations. For more information about the herbarium,visit www.herbarium.org or call 803-777-8196.

The ghost of spring arrivingBY dr. JOHn neLsOn

[ A n s w e r : E a r t h s m o k e , F u m a r i a o f c i n a l i s ]


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19March 19, 2010


To Mrs. Ingram & Skylars class:

I would rst like to thank you all so very much for writing all those greatletters to me! It was a huge surprise, and I cannot tell you how happy it makesme knowing so many people were thinking about me while I am deployed. It isbecause of friends like all o f you that make me feel so proud of what I do. I amhappy to be here ghting for you!

I like it here a lot. Since I have joined the Air Force, I have seen and experiencedmany new things. Afghanistan is a beautiful country. It is cold here, and wemight even get some snow if we are lucky. I know that sounds crazy, but notall of this place is desert.

I know a lot of you have some questions for me, and I hope I have answered

some of them so far. So before I go, I will tell you a little bit about myself. I am20 years old and I have been in the military for 2 years. I left three weeksafter I graduated from high school to go to basic training. I was very nervous.Almost as nervous as I was when I was on my way here to Afghanistan. I amcurrently stationed in Florida at Hurlburt Field, AFB.

I have a very cool job in the Air Force. I work on jet engines and on C-130s. Ix them when something happens to them, that way the planes can y. When

I get home, I would like to come and visit you all so that I can answer more of your questions and show you pictures that I have taken. My friends here haveread your letters, and they would like to write you sometime.

Well, thats all for now. I am very sorry that I could not answer all of yourquestions. Although, before I forget, we do get some good food here. Nothinglike it is at home, but its good enough for me. Ha ha, no, I do not eat camel, butI have seen them. I even got to ride on one! Oh, and yes, I have my own weapon.Connor was right about what it was. I carry an M16. Good job, buddy!

Anyways, I am safe. We are strong and we are ready to defend ourselves andmore importantly, all of you. Our family and friends back home are our hopeand our joy. We ght because of how much we care. Yes, there are bad peoplehere, but Winston Churchill once said, We sleep soundly in our beds, becauserough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do usharm.

Once again, I want to thank you wi th all of my heart. I never expected to seeso many letters to me. Never in my life have I held my head this high. I wouldgladly do this all again without hesitation. Please take care!

Sincerely,Derek Lescord SrA, USAF

Students reach outto a soldier at warO n March 9, Skylar Taylor, a third grade studentat Sullivans Island Elementary, received a much-anticipated letter from her step-brother, DerekLescord. Not long ago, Skylar and her classmates sentletters to Derek, who is serving in the Air Force inAfghanistan. The students asked Derek several questionsabout his service and what it was like to be in Afghanistan,and in his response, Derek did his best to answer all of the students questions. The day after Skylar received theletter, she took it with her to class to read to the rest of the students. To the right is Dereks reply to Mrs. Ingramsthird grade class.

Derek Lescord.

Recognizing the Daughters of Charleston

Isle of Palms native Colette Harrington isone of those beautifully bright people that

you always remember. Whether you weretalking with her over cocktails or standingbehind her in line at the grocery, you couldprobably recall her face and personalitybefore you could remember the last show yousaw on television: which is why shes pickedthe perfect career. Colette is the creator,

writer, producer and star of WLCNs hit show,Daughters of Charleston.

Launched less than a year ago, Daughtersof Charleston has quickly become WLCNsnumber 1 most downloaded program and hasbeen picked up to air twice weekly on Comcast.

The concept came about after Colette moved

to Charleston from Boston. As she met moreand more people in the Lowcountry, shebegan to observe that Charleston women areunique from women in other places that sheslived.

Theyre very interesting and powerful intheir own ways, said Colette. And I thought,You know, someone should do a show aboutthem.

The concept, Ordinary women do the mostextraordinary things, has carried Colette tosome very interesting places in the Charlestonarea. The Center for Women was one of her

rst stops, and Jennet Robinson Alterman, theExecutive Director of the Center for Women,is a frequent visitor to the show. Shes alsointerviewed Katie Mehle at Pet Helpers on

James Island, The Lowcountry High Rollers

(Charlestons all-girl roller derby team), theLady Cats (cheerleaders for the Bobcatsbasketball team), the Skirt magazine team,and several other notable female characters

whose roles in Charleston society are oftenoverlooked.

Starting "Daughters of Charleston" was nota spur-of-the-moment decision for Colette.Shes been training for it her whole life.

Starting with The Second City training

school in Chicago, Colette joined theScreen Actors Guild and began starringin commercials, several of which airednationally. She soon found that she enjoyed

writing more than acting and wrote a playentitled Marble House which focusedon suffrage and womens rights. The playreceived high marks from women reviewers,but seemed to fall on deaf ears with the malecritics. The male criticism of the play wasinteresting to me because it dealt with thesame prejudices as the play, said Colette,and the relative success inspired her to takethe next step and produce a comedy show inRhode Island. Even though the show onlyaired a few episodes, Colette learned that she

truly enjoyed working behind-the-scenes andfound that she had a knack for editing.Its fabulous, getting to see shows from

all of the angles, Colette smiled. And whenmarriage brought her to the Lowcountry,Colette found her niche with WLCN television.Using her own funds for the rst few episodes,Colette wrote, produced and starred inDaughters of Charleston, putting everythingshe had into the program. Before she knew it,WLCN picked up the show and forgave herremaining debt, and starting Friday, March19, "Daughters of Charleston" can also beseen on Comcast channel 220 on Sundays at10:30 a.m. and Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

For more information and to view the show,

visit ww w.wlcntv.com.

Colette Harrington


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20 March 19, 2010


Matthew Dodds receives his medal from MathFest founder Dr. Roy Boykins

Kids, send your guess for this weeks EyeSpy to: [email protected]

or call 886-NEWS . Please include yourmailing address with your submission.

Do you know what this is? The rst one to send in the correct answer for the Eye Spy will receive a coupon for a free ice cream at Caf Medley on

Sullivan's Island. No one guessed last issues Eye Spy, it was the shutters on ACME Cantina.

Eye Spy

C ongratulations to the thirty 4th and 5th graders fromSullivans Island Elementary who traveled to BlythewoodHigh School in Columbia on Saturday, February 27,to compete in the statewide MathFest competition. MathFest,

which featured both individual and team competitions, broughtin hundreds of students at each grade level and covered allaspects of the math curriculum. Special congratulations go toMatthew Dodds and the teams coach, 4th grade teacher Judy Callan. Matthew nished in the Top 10 among 4th graders andreceived a medal for his accomplishment.

SIES students + state math competition = some reallysmart kids!

SullivanS iSlandElEmEntary tEamS:

4 h g e Taylor Arent, Adam Beall, Lily Conant, Lilly Conley, Hailey Delesline, Matthew Dodds,Maggie Gourdin, Olivia Hill,Hope Leslie, Eli Mustafa, JackNutley, A.J. Schmidt, DerekSereci, Adam Ziff

5 h g e Tess Abedon, ChristopherDiamond-Hettinger, AlexDodenhoff, Baker Leslie, JackMarino, Amber Melsopp,Oliver Michaud, IsabellaMinson, Vivek Pandey, MichaelPsenka, Gaby Stewart, ElliotSuggs, Eden Teichman, SarahWoodberry, Linsey Yarbrough

PHOTO BY: BY Ben Hull

The 2010 IOP Homerun Derby took place on Monday, March 8at the Isle of Palms RecreationDepartment. 22 childrenparticipated in the event, withDerek Sireci winning championstatus in the 9/12 year olddivision, and Dylan Gregory coming in close as the runner-up. Congratulations, champs!

H ome r

un

de rb y

c Ha mp i on

s

By DeBorah Palmer

(left) 9/12 year old Home Run Derby runner-up Dylan Gregory and (right)champion Derek Sireci.


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21March 19, 2010


C ongratulations to Sullivans Island resident Lilly Conley (9), a fourth grader atSullivans Island Elementary, for guring out the clues in the last edition of TheIsland Eye News and discovering Lucky the Lucky Dog at Dunleavys Pub. Lilly wona Dunleavys hat and got to take Lucky home with her. Hopefully he wont run off again!

Thanks go to Shea Stanley as well for tracking down Lucky as far as she did and writingabout her quest in the paper. Keep your eyes open for the next Lucky adventure! He, orone of his brothers, tends to disappear around the holidays, and theyve been hopping to

get out of the of ce

Jamie from Dunleavys with Lucky Dog Investigator Lilly Conley (9), mom Kirsten Conley, and family R. J. Conley (14), Ashton Conley (11) and Laci Conley (6).

The Lucky Dog has been found!

Lucky the Dog hides

on a beam at Dunleavy's.


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22 March 19, 2010


The Isle of PalmsRecreation Department

will host their annual

Easter Egg Hunt onSaturday, April 3,at 10 a.m. SHARP.Children ages 12 andunder are invited tothe Recreation Centergrounds to participate inan Easter Egg Hunt andvisit the Easter Bunny.Participants can enjoyEaster candy, ponyrides, jump castles andice cream. Different agedivisions will be set upfor the egg hunts. This isa free event.

For more information, please contact Will McElheny at 886-8294 or

visit www.iop.net. The Isle of Palms Recreation Center is located at #24 28th Avenue.

Dust off your Easter baskets!IOP EastEr Egg Hunt

saturday, aPrI l 3

As part of the nationwideRead Across Americacelebration of Dr. Seuss birthday, Heather Holbrook,owner of The Green Heron,braved the elements on

Tuesday, March 2, to readto over 120 students fromMiss Aimees Child Care andSullivans Island ElementarySchool. P

H O t O s B y : l

a n a M c s w a I n

The Cat in the Hat at SIES

What we loveabout Sullivans

Thanks to the help of artist De Daltorio, children from SullivansIsland Elementarys Kaleidoscope after-school program were able tocreate an amazing work of art on the lawn at Poe Library. After one

week of brainstorming, the kids designed and painted a mural of allof their favorite activities on Sullivans Island. Special thanks go toCreative Spark and their Island Fun program, which is sponsored bythe Town of Sullivans Island, the Park Foundation, Poes Tavern andCummings Financial.


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23March 19, 2010

Abeautifully designedposter created by fthgrade student ChloeStapleton was selected out of

56 submissions to representSullivans Island Elementary School in the South CarolinaNational Arbor Day PosterContest. In a special ceremony held on school grounds thispast Friday, March 5, SullivansIsland mayor Carl Smithpresented Chloe with a winnerscerti cate and recognized the

ve other runners up for their well-crafted works. PrincipalSusan King attended theevent along with membersof the Sullivans Island TreeCommission - Shannon Cagle,Leo Fetter and MargaretSkinner - and Randy Robinson,the Town Administrator liaisonto the Tree Commission. The

winning poster from SouthCarolina will be sent to theNational contest, the winner of

which will be named on ArborDay, April 30, 2010.

The National Arbor Day Poster Contest is limited to

fth grade students. Every year, students from all over

the United States work oncreating posters to illustratethe theme for that year. Thetheme for 2010 is Trees are

Terri c.and Energy Wise. The contest was designed by the Arbor Day Foundation toincrease knowledge aboutthe importance of trees in theproduction and conservationof energy. Students wereexpected to learn how treesproduce food energy for peopleand wildlife, how properly selected and planted treesconserve energy, and muchmore.

Sullivans Island Elementary School joined the poster contest at the suggestion of the Sullivans Island Tree Commission as part of The Commissions National Arbor Day Celebration plans for Sullivans Island.

SIES students branch outinto National Arbor Day contest

By Margaret Skinner

(left) Mayor Smith presents Elise Deforest with her certi cate. (above, back row l to r) ShannonCagle, Margaret Skinner, Randy Robinson and Leo Fetter. (front row l to r) Price Mimmich, Jack Marino, Chloe Stapleton, Elise DeForest and Natalie Spillane.

Natalie Spillane Price Mimmich

Jack Marino

Chloe Stapleton

Drew Perry's submission Elise DeForest


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24 March 19, 2010

Green eggs and hamming it up T he Childrens Garden School on Sullivans Island continuesto provide some amazing educational experiences for theirlittle charges. On Wednesday, March 10, The Cat in the Hat

arrived to read to the children from some of her favorite books inhonor of Dr. Seuss birthday and Read Across America Day.

A couple days later, the musically-gifted Kent family gave anamazing performance of Irish and Scottish compositions, rangingfrom Bo Mhin Na Toitean (Highland Lassie Going to the Fair) to

a jig entitled Planxty Irwin, and an upbeat standard called TheCongress Reel. Abby Kent played the harp while Fiona Kent playedboth the fddle and the tambourine and Ian Kent played the banjo.

The familial team was led by their mother and accomplishedviolinist, Theresa Thomas Kent.

To view a video of the Kents performance, visit www.islandeyenews.com under Island Kids.


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25March 19, 2010


Police Blotter

The following is a synopsis of some of the activities of the Isle of Palms Police Department during the month of February 2010:

PatrolFebruary 2, 2010: Just before 4a.m., an of cer on patrol stoppeda vehicle for an equipmentviolation. While speaking to the

driver, the of cer determinedthat the license plate was expiredand the driver had a suspendedlicense. The driver was takeninto custody, charged with DUSand Failure to Surrender aSuspended License Plate.

February 2, 2010: After anof cer stopped a vehicle on theConnector for an equipmentviolation, the of cer made thedetermination that the driver

was operating the vehicle whilesuspended for a previous DUI.

The driver was taken intocustody and charged with DUS

and No Proof of Insurance.February 4, 2010: An of cerresponded to a hit and runaccident on Waterway IslandDrive, where a van struck alegally parked vehicle then leftthe scene without stopping.A witness was able to providea description of the vehicle,

which was a van with businessmarkings. The van was locatedand the driver charged withLeaving the Scene of anAccident.

February 7, 2010: An of cerresponded to a front beachestablishment where a ght inprogress had been reported.Upon the of cers arrival,restaurant personnel hadthe suspect detained. Thesuspect appeared to be highlyintoxicated and was placedin the rear seat of a policevehicle where he was furtherrestrained after attempting tokick out the rear window of thevehicle. The victim, an employeeof the restaurant, stated that

while emptying trashcans that

contained beer bottles, thesuspect deliberately kicked acan over. The employee wentto grab another can before itcould be kicked over and whiledoing so the suspect rushedhim from behind, shattering abeer bottle over his head. Thesuspect then placed the victimin a choke hold, wrestling him

to the ground. Other employeescame to assist and restrainedthe suspect until police arrived.

The suspect was charged with Disorderly Conduct andAssault and Battery of a High anAggravated Nature.

February 7, 2010: An Isle of Palms police of cer responded toSullivans Island at their requestto assist their of cers with adisturbance at a residence onBrownell Boulevard.

February 8, 2010: Just beforemidnight, an of cer on patrol

stopped a vehicle on PalmBoulevard near 10 th Avenue forspeeding. While speaking tothe driver, the of cer detecteda strong odor of alcohol from

within the vehicle. When thedriver was asked to exit thevehicle he had trouble standing

without support. He submittedto several Field Sobriety Tests,

which he failed, and wastaken into custody. After beingadministered the Datamaster

Test, the driver registered a .12%level of alcohol and was charged

with DUI.

February 9, 2010: An of cerresponded to a residenceon Ocean Boulevard wherea caretaker for the propertyencountered an intoxicatedmale subject in the yard. Whenquestioned by the of cer, thesuspect stated that he lived at anaddress on 6 th Avenue, which didnot exist. The subject was takeninto custody and charged with

Trespassing on Anothers Landand Public Intoxication.February 10, 2010: An of ceron patrol stopped to investigate

two illegally parked vehicles onIntracoastal Court. The of cers

were able to get the attention of the drivers of each vehicle from anearby residence. While speakingto the operator of one vehicle,the of cer observed marijuanain plain view in the ashtray.While the driver obtained thevehicle paperwork from the

glove compartment, he grabbedthe marijuana and attemptedto conceal it. While placing thesubject in custody he managedto place the marijuana in hismouth. The subject was charged

with Simple Possession of Marijuana and Hindering Police.

February 14, 2010: Of cersresponded to a Front Beachestablishment to check on the

welfare of an intoxicated femalesubject who passed out on thesteps of the business. Due tothe subjects extreme state of intoxication, Fire Department

First Responders were called toevaluate. While attempting toprovide assistance to the subjectan intoxicated male subjectinterfered several times thenbecame combative. He was takeninto custody and charged withPublic Intoxication. The femalesubject was transported to alocal hospital for observation.

February 14, 2010: Of cersresponded to a residence on 27 th Ave, where an assault had beenreported. Of cers met with thefemale victim, who stated that

while making breakfast for herboyfriend, he became enragedand attacked her by throwingher down and pinning her tothe oor with his knee, thenslamming her head repeatedlyinto the oor. She managed toescape to a neighbors residence

where she called the police. The male suspect was located walking on the next street. He was positively identi ed andcharged with Simple Assault.EMS provided medical assistanceto the victim then transportedher to a local hospital.

February 15, 2010: At therequest of The Mount PleasantPolice Department, an of cer

went to a residence on CarolinaBoulevard to check on the

welfare of a male subject at thatlocation, who had indicatedby e-mail to that agency thathe wanted to harm himself.

The subject was located anddetermined to be competent tocare for himself.

February 15, 2010: Of cersresponded to a CarolinaBoulevard residence where afriend reported a possible drugoverdose. A female subjectsmoked what was describedas a marijuana alternative andbecame extremely sick. Thesubstance was determinednot to be marijuana, but wasclearly labeled not for humanconsumption. EMS arrived andtransported the subject to East

Cooper Medical Center.February 18, 2010: Of cersresponded to a residence onHartnett Boulevard where theowner reported that two safes atthe residence had been forcedopen and items removed. Theowner stated that the residence

was in the process of beingremodeled and had not beenoccupied since October whenthe construction began. Cash,bonds, coins and jewelry wasreported missing. The incidenthas been assigned to anInvestigator.

February 21, 2010: Just after1:30 a.m., of cers respondedto the 200 block of CarolinaBoulevard, where an auto/pedestrian accident had beenreported. The of cer determinedthat a vehicle had struck a malesubject walking his dogs in thestreet. The impact caused minorinjuries to the pedestrian, who

was transported by EMS for

see Blotter on page 26


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island eye news - march 19, 2010

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