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| Sea Pines Plantation Club, 1972 |
Sea Pines
Sea Pines 1965
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
New Projects, New Opportunities: HHI Mayor's Monthy Letter
As seen in Celebrate Hilton Head Magazine
As the Town of Hilton Head Island's new mayor, I first want to humbly make clear that the task of implementing a fresh vision does not culminate in an election victory. Indeed, the greater task lies in the area of governance.
I fully realize that to be truly successful in moving forward, not only should our Town Council be in harmony as it sets policy, but we also must have continued dedication by the hundreds of hard-working men and women who perform the often complex choreography of both administering and executing town functions.
Integrity, Vision and Quality
Growing up, I was raised by a single mom. She and my grandfather taught me to accept responsibility at an early age; to live with integrity; to work hard and complete as best I can every task I started. Those are also the same values I believe our modern Hilton Head Island was founded upon.
In the 1960s our community was blessed by visionary entrepreneurs like Charles Fraser and Fred Hack and then later in the 1980s our newly incorporated town had the benefit of forward-thinking mayors like Ben Racusin and Martha Baumberger. It was Mayor Racusin who said "We are not against development. We want quality, planned development." And it was Mayor Baumberger who first saw the need for enhancing public access to our beaches with accommodations tax revenues and the importance of sanitary sewer in the town's more rural sectors. I believe this same visionary spirit is alive and well in our community today.
Accountability, Transparency, Strategic Thinking
In my election campaign I noted several times that while town government is not a business, town government can be more "business-like." I believe we must reflect a strategic, accountable and more transparent approach in managing our town affairs. I hope my tenure as mayor will be seen in that light because I believe these are hallmarks of good leadership.
Over the course of the campaign and during these first several weeks of transition, I have become increasingly encouraged about our future as both a town and a remarkable destination. Of course there are challenges, but our incredible potential remains.
Status Quo No Longer Viable
I believe the coming years promise to be a time to reassess who we are and what we are capable of being as one of America's shining communities. I hope you agree that the status quo is no longer a viable option. We no longer have the luxury of doing things the same old way. Just as Charles Fraser, Fred Hack, Ben Racusin, Martha Baumberger along with those who worked by their side found the wisdom and courage to conquer the challenges of their time, so I am confident we to can rise to the challenges of our time. I have sensed a strong spirit of service in our community. That's why I hope you will join me in accepting the challenge as we embrace the opportunities that lie ahead. I am confident that by pulling the rope together, we can do better and move Hilton Head Island forward for the enrichment of all.
Spoleto Festival USA announces 2015 lineup
The 17-day festival, which begins May 22 in Charleston, boasts a varied lineup of artists and performers, both renowned and emerging. Highlights in each discipline include:
Opera: The festival will premiere the contemporary opera “Paradise Interrupted,” directed and designed by Jennifer Wen Ma, whose installations were part of the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The opera mixes Chinese and Western styles.
“Veremonda, l'amazzone di Aragona” has not been staged in more than 350 years, and never in the U.S. The baroque opera tells the story of the Spanish seize of a Moorish fortress, with a tangle of love and mistaken identity.
Theater: London-based Shakespeare’s Globe will make its first Spoleto appearance with a new production of “Romeo and Juliet.” If you're a fan of the classic story of star-crossed lovers, you’ll have 18 chances to see it during the festival.
Dance: Street dancer Charles “Lil Buck” Riley will make his Spoleto Festival debut with cellist Ashley Bathgate. His style, "Jookin' " or "Gangsta Walking," involves a dancer spinning and walking on the tips of his toes. Riley received international attention when a video of his improvised performance with cellist Yo-Yo Ma went viral on YouTube in 2011.
The Scottish Ballet will be retelling Tennessee Williams’s famous play “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Critics say the danced version has such clear storytelling that audiences need not have seen the movie nor the play beforehand.
Music: Nashville legend Emmylou Harris will perform with Rodney Crowell on May 25. In 2012, Harris and Crowell released an album together, “Old Yellow Moon,” named Americana Album of the Year at the 2014 Grammys.
The Westminster Choir will perform two hour-long concerts during the festival. The choir comprises students at Westminster Choir College, a division of Rider University in New Jersey. It has been the chorus-in-residence for Spoleto since 1977.
A full schedule and more information can be found at spoletousa.org.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Daufuskie awaits next step toward new form of government
Via Blufton Today
The Strom Thurmond Institute at Clemson University may be tapped to help shape Daufuskie Island’s future, as property owners on the bridgeless island consider taking steps toward wielding more control over their quality of life and property values.
The Daufuskie Island Council’s December meeting agenda included a proposal for a governance option study, a project that would cost about $15,000.
“The proposal was submitted and we are waiting to hear back from the folks on Daufuskie,” said William Molnar, visiting lecturer at the Clemson Institute for Economic and Community Development.
Robert Carey, director of the Regional Dynamics & Economics Laboratory at Clemson, is also named as part of the research team on the statement of work from last month’s meeting.
Andy Fulghum would work as a collaborator with Molnar and Carey on the report. Fulghum said his role in the potential study is unrelated to his county government position, and he is not participating in his official capacity Jasper County administrator.
The study would take about 10 weeks to complete and would include a review of past studies, the current state of taxes and services, and other factors related to self-governance. It would also outline different possibilities for the eight-square-mile island between Tybee and Hilton Head islands.
Among them: Incorporation, annexation and the creation of service districts. Some have wondered whether Daufuskie Island, which has about 400 residents, would meet the population-density requirements for incorporation.
The goal, as described in the statement of proposed work, is for “greater representation in local financial and service matters.”
As property owner Don Newton, who supports incorporation, put it last month: “We will get a better return on our dollars if we are leading it ourselves and managing it ourselves.”
Newton and others who have sought greater self-determination for the island were left looking for new avenues after the U.S. Department of Transportation opted not to award a $325,000 grant for a feasibility study of a comprehensive public ferry system.
Some islanders feel their needs have been overlooked by Beaufort County officials, in part, because of the remoteness of the island and its relatively small population.
Abandoning its rural form and becoming its own municipality would not deprive Beaufort County of any significant revenue, according to Bill Taylor, field services manager for the Municipal Association of South Carolina, which has been involved in the discussion.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Coastal Living Magazine Chooses Beaufort as a Top Warm Weather Getaway for 2015
Beaufort
Average January high: 58°
Why we love it: This Lowcountry gem has Southern charm and a history stretching back to the 1700s, along with a thriving downtown area and easy access to nearby Hunting Island State Park.
Where to stay: In the heart of the historic district, The Beaufort Inn offers several different accommodation options, including suites and private cottages, in addition to a lavish Sunday brunch at Southern Graces Bistro. 888-522-0250 or beaufortinn.com
http://www.coastalliving.com/travel/top-10/warm-weather-getaways
http://www.coastalliving.com/travel/top-10/warm-weather-getaways
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Hilton Head unveils USCB campus plans
Via The Island Packet
By Dan Burley
University of South Carolina Beaufort students could be taking classes at a new $33.5-million Hilton Head Island campus by 2018.
The town on Friday released conceptual plans for the 6-acre campus on Office Park Road.
Drawings show leafy school grounds with a pond, small cafe and two academic buildings. About 400 students are expected to use the campus, according to town documents.
The campus centerpiece is a 38,000-square-foot main building that will house the university's hospitality-management program.
Also planned is a 6,000-square-foot building for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which provides continuing-education classes. That building will have a 100-seat classroom.
The one-story cafe will sit behind the main building, next to a courtyard and beside a lagoon.
USCB officials have said the campus will place hospitality-management students in the heart of the island's tourism district.
The campus also could draw off-island visitors and bring business to the area, she said.
"Typically, businesses surrounding institutions grow due to the synergy that occurs between the students, faculty and surrounding community," she wrote in an email.
Town representatives have said the campus will replace outdated office buildings and is a potential economic driver.
The town has purchased or has under contract four little-used buildings on Office Park Road. The structures will be demolished to make way for the campus. The town paid about $4 million for the buildings.
But some have criticized the town's willingness to pay for the bulk of the $33.5-million project.
The town will spend about $22 million on the campus with funds it raised through a special tax district. That money will pay for the main building and site work. It also will pay about $1 million for road work near the campus.
USCB will chip in $2.5 million for the main building. It also will pay a projected $4 million for the other academic building and cafe, according to documents.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
New resort planned for Hilton Head at site of former Adventure Inn
via The State
by Dan Burley
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| Adventure Inn C 1968 |
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| Adventure Inn C 2015 |
A Hilton Head Island rental company has plans to transform the site of the former Adventure Inn into a beachfront resort.
Vacation Time of Hilton Head Island wants to build two six-story residential buildings on land once occupied by the inn. The complex on Lemoyne Avenue and South Forest Beach Drive would have as many as 125 two-bedroom units, according to plans submitted to the town.
Plans also call for two pools, an outdoor restaurant, a lawn, and boardwalks that lead to the ocean.
Vacation Time describes the development as a "signature destination resort." It is unclear from plans whether the buildings would be hotels, timeshares, condominiums or a combination.
The height of the buildings would rival other popular oceanfront developments on Hilton Head.
Buildings at the Beach House, Omni and Sonesta hotels are also 75 feet high, or about six stories. That is the maximum height for beachfront properties allowed by the town, according to land-management ordinance official Teri Lewis.
Vacation Time has planned to redevelop the property since 2008, when the Adventure Inn was demolished.
The inn was the last of the island's three original hotels.
Built in 1963, many early island investors stayed there, as did some of the earliest tourists who helped turn Hilton Head into a resort destination.
The inn also operated one of the island's first golf courses -- a nine-hole course across the street that was lighted for night play, where the Xanadu Villas condominium complex now stands.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Town of Daufuskie? It could happen
Via The Savannah Morning News
A growing sense that Daufuskie Island should have more control over its own affairs is driving a discussion about turning the island into a municipality.
“We provide Beaufort County with tax dollars, and we think that we probably don’t get all of the services we should be getting,” said Charles Small, co-chair of the island council. “We get very little from Beaufort County, and we are trying to see what would be a better step for us as an island community, if there is one. We may come to a dead end.”
Small emphasized that recent discussions are formative, adding, “We’re a long way off. I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.” Nevertheless, the Municipal Association of S.C. has become involved.
For Don Newton, it’s a question of “input versus output,” and home rule for the island situated between Tybee and Hilton Head.
“We will get a better return on our dollars if we are leading it ourselves and managing it ourselves,” said Newton, who lives in Northern Virginia but owns land on Daufuskie with his wife, Jean, who is of Gullah heritage. Paying $4 million in taxes to the county, said Newton, should be yielding greater benefits. He thinks the island could use a new model.
Central to Newton’s contention that the bridge-less island is getting shorted is its lack of comprehensive public ferry service and the potential for an uncoordinated emergency evacuation if there’s a hurricane. A handful of officials wrote letters to federal transportation officials this year as part of a grant application for funding to study a new, comprehensive public ferry system between Daufuskie and the mainland.
“During the Atlantic Tropical Storm season, Daufuskie is one of the most vulnerable locations on the Atlantic coast,” wrote Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner. “The current ferry service arrangement has never been fully satisfactory when considering the emergency evacuation of the residents of Daufuskie.”
The island’s $325,000 federal grant application, submitted under the auspices of Beaufort County, was not selected for an award. The $325,000 grant application was unsuccessful, leaving ferry supporters looking for other solutions.
What can a town do?
“You’re kind of in a position to determine your own future,” said Bill Taylor, field services manager for Municipal Association. “And of course being an island, you certainly have got limitations on what you’d expect from county government,” he said.
“They’d be in a position to maybe have other services that they’re not getting from the county.” As an incorporated town, state law requires them to offer at least three new services to residents, beyond law enforcement, with three years of incorporating. Taylor said as a municipality, Daufuskie would be able to pursue grants and funding opportunities independently, instead of relying on Beaufort County. Funding allocated according to population within a local government could also become available to Daufuskie.
Check with the neighbors
Beaufort County doesn’t stand to lose anything except, perhaps, some minor revenue from small fees, if Daufuskie were to become a municipality, according to Taylor. But islanders would have to ask Hilton Head Island about possible annexation.
“Now Hilton Head Island, certainly, could say they don’t want Daufuskie Island to be part of them, for whatever reason,” said Taylor. “Service delivery might be more expensive for them.”
The town manager of Hilton Head could not be reached by phone or email on Friday. There are other conditions. Normally, the area to be incorporated must have a population density of at least 300 people per square mile.
But islands are exempt from the standard. About 400 full-time residents live on Daufuskie, which receives 50,000-200,000 visitors each year. The private, gated communities operate their own ferry service.
It’s a situation that has sometimes created a divide between the Gullah residents and others who struggle to reach the mainland for work and supplies, and wealthier property owners with private boats. Another phase of the incorporation process is to do a feasibility study, which some Daufuskie islanders considered eight or nine years ago but ultimately abandoned. A legislative review committee would also get involved.
Finally, a Daufuskie mayor and other members of the governing body would also be elected.
“Right now they’re just a part of the rural community of the county,” said Taylor. “But if they wanted to have some greater control over the future of the island, by having it incorporated, you’ve now got elected officials who can make decisions about those things.”
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Friday, December 5, 2014
Civil War in Georgia, December 1864: Savannah falls
Via the AJC
Source: The Soldier in Our Civil War, 1890
“Evidently it is a material element in this campaign to produce among the people of Georgia a thorough conviction of the personal misery which attends war, and of the utter helplessness and ability of their ‘rulers,’ State or Confederate, to protect them.”
So observed Maj. Henry Hitchcock — one of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s staff officers — on Dec. 1, 1864, as Federal troops prepared their next movements in the Savannah Campaign.
Advancing on Millen, the site of the Confederacy’s Camp Lawton prison camp, the Federals hoped to save their incarcerated brothers. But weeks earlier, anticipating Sherman’s approach, officials emptied the camp and relocated the prisoners to other locations. Sherman’s men would find only stockade walls surrounding a vacant yard.
While the South did not have enough soldiers in Georgia to ebb the rolling blue tide, it still had senior officers to send to the state.
Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard received command of the entire theater of operations on Dec. 1. He arrived in Augusta five days later to oversee operations — and Maj. Gen. Joe Wheeler gained yet another officer issuing orders to his horsemen, as they attempted to launch quick-strike missions against the Federals. But Northerners under Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick turned the tables on Wheeler on Dec. 4; Kilpatrick’s cavalry attacked and defeated Wheeler’s men near Waynesborough.
Several unfortunate incidents occurred as the Federal trek across Georgia neared conclusion. Union Maj. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis, with the left wing, faced an ever-increasing number of formerly enslaved persons falling in behind his troops. Fearing their presence would slow his advance, Davis — who got away with murder in 1862, when he killed his commanding officer over a disagreement in Kentucky — again displayed his dark side.
On Dec. 3, after his men crossed Buckhead Creek, Davis pulled up his pontoon bridges and attempted to leave the African-Americans stranded on the far bank. Most made their way across the shallow Buckhead and rejoined Davis’s force.
Six days later, after his troops crossed Ebenezer Creek, Davis again pulled the pontoons. This time, the outcome was tragedy. The former slaves — frightened by Wheeler’s approaching cavalry — tried to cross the deeper waters of Ebenezer. Many drowned, despite efforts by several Federal soldiers to save them.
For the blessed few who reached safety, Davis repeated the act later the same day when crossing Lockner Creek.
One of Davis’ officers wrote of the Ebenezer Creek incident, “The idea of five or six hundred black women, children and old men being thus returned to slavery by such an infernal copperhead as Jeff. C. Davis was entirely too much for my Democracy.”
The Federals reached the outer defenses of Savannah on Dec. 10, and the marching portion of the campaign ended. Sherman immediately set his sights on capturing Fort McAllister. The Confederate bastion blocked access to the Ogeechee River and kept the Federals from establishing a connection with U.S. ships, offshore in the Atlantic, that carried supplies for the army.
McAllister must fall! Utilizing reconnaissance from Kilpatrick and his own observations, Sherman decided an attack from the landward approach provided his best chance to take the fort. McAllister’s heavy guns all faced toward the water; defensive measures against an attack from the rear would not prove formidable.
Confederate Maj. George Anderson and a garrison of around 120 men held Fort McAllister. Brig. General William Hazen attacked with nine regiments on Dec. 13, and Anderson’s men put up a gallant effort. Artillerymen attempted to roll cannon into the open and throw canister, but the firing — absent the protection of redoubts — allowed Federal sharpshooters to drop the gunners.
A series of land mines — or as the soldiers called them, “torpedoes” — obstructed the Federal advance and produced several casualties, yet on came Hazen’s men. In less than 15 minutes, the fort fell. Hazen used captured Confederates to remove unexploded torpedoes so the balance of his force could occupy McAllister.
Opening his connection with the Navy, Sherman met with Rear Adm. John Dahlgren. Then, he sent a surrender demand to Lt. Gen. William Hardee in Savannah. Hardee refused the offer and awaited instructions from President Jefferson Davis. Davis decided the preservation of the army in the field would prove more important than possessing Savannah. On Dec. 20, the Confederates began crossing hastily constructed pontoon bridges onto South Carolina soil.
Savannah Mayor R.D. Arnold surrendered the city to advance elements of the Federal force on Dec. 21. At the time, Sherman was visiting Maj. Gen. John Foster in Hilton Head, S.C. Returning to his troops the next day, Sherman sent his famous telegraph to President Abraham Lincoln: “I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah.” The city was given up without a fight, and Sherman spared it.
The March to the Sea ended. Sherman’s troops occupied Savannah until Jan. 21, 1865, when they launched the Carolinas Campaign. The Civil War continued until early May 1865, when the last elements of Confederate resistance surrendered to Federal forces.
Editorial: It's a brand new day for an old, tired mall
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In November 1989, the popular Pineland Mall invited local kids to participate in a holiday challenge. For every pine cone the children collected, the mall would put one nickel toward the construction of a mall Christmas tree.
The results overwhelmed mall owners: 80,580 pine cones were collected. And so a 10-foot tall tree made of cones was erected by the Island Recreation Department, celebrated with a tree lighting ceremony the community attended and caroling by school kids.
Much has changed at the former Pineland Mall site --- later named Pineland Mill Shops and now named Pineland Station --- located at the corner of William Hilton Parkway and Mathews Drive. Some days, there seems to be more ducks than shoppers at the center. Many storefronts are vacant. Several business owners have moved out, citing Pineland Station's poor condition. And its dated appearance isn't inviting to residents or visitors. Built in 1975, it holds the dubious distinction of being one of the island's oldest shopping centers.
We're pleased to see it's scheduled for a rebirth. Virginia-based Wheeler Interests announced earlier this month that it will tear down and rebuild much of the 130,000-square-foot center as part of a $20 million to $30 million renovation project. Plans include about 140,000 square feet of commercial space, including a new anchor retailer, a smaller box store, about 23 shops and a gas station. Starbucks and Stein Mart will remain.
The company paid the Town of Hilton Head Island $1 million for 10 acres near Mathews Drive to create space for the makeover --- a sign that this renovation project will actually happen vs. continue to just be discussed.
The renovation aligns with the town's plan to encourage refurbishment of privately owned properties. "The town is in a mode where they want the buildings upgraded. (That) is really the driver (of the renovation)," said Jonathan Guion, regional partner with Wheeler Development. We wish the developers luck. But we'd offer them a word of caution as they prep for the work: Think "Hilton Head" in all renovation decisions.
As the developers of the new Shelter Cove Towne Centre recently learned, Hilton Head residents insist on adherence to an understated look that puts a priority on muted colors, tree preservation, low lighting and minimal parking. Many residents felt that Shelter Cove did not meet the community standard, voiced their concerns and wrung concessions from the developer, including more plantings and an observation deck for bird watchers.
While Pineland Station is much smaller and not as centrally located as Shelter Cove, town residents will surely take note of any changes. Wheeler Interests can save itself a lot of time and stress by listening to the community from the onset.
And it might be fun to revive that cone Christmas tree challenge too.
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Monday, December 1, 2014
Mayor Drew Laughlin's Monthly Letter to Residents
As seen in Celebrate Hilton Head Magazine
New Projects, New Opportunities
December 2014
I would like to update you on several exciting Town projects that are underway or have recently been completed.
We are very proud to open, this month, a beautiful new park on Skull Creek that provides water access for non-motorized water craft (kayaks, rowing, sailing, paddle boarding, wind surfing, etc.), as well as fishing and crabbing. The Rowing and Sailing Center at Squire Pope Community Park, located on the site of the old seafood co-op at 133 Squire Pope Road, cost just under $1.2 million to construct. This park includes parking areas, restrooms, a picnic pavilion, playground, fire pit, swings, benches, and two fenced, gravel storage areas, along with a fixed timber pier, aluminum gangway, and floating dock. You may contact the Island Recreation Center for information on the water craft programs they will run out of this facility.
Another beautiful waterfront park opening this winter is the new Shelter Cove Community Park. It replaces the former park and will contain the same amenities and Lowcountry style, but with an added performance pavilion. This project is being funded and constructed by the mall developer as part of a development agreement.
As part of our ever-expanding pathway network, we have recently completed construction of two new pathways along Pembroke and Gardner Drives. This adds another mile and a half of pathways which connect several mid-island residential and commercial developments to the Leg O Mutton Road and William Hilton Parkway pathways. In January, construction will begin on a new pathway along eastbound William Hilton Parkway (US 278 Business), from the new traffic signal at Leamington to Shelter Cove Lane. It will connect to a new pathway in front of the mall that was privately funded and constructed as part of a development agreement, totaling another mile and a half of new pathways to be finished this spring.
We have just rehabilitated six town roads (Oak Park Drive, Electric Avenue, Mingo Way, Cooperative Way, Thompson Street, and Power Alley) in the Mathews Drive, Chaplin area to provide proper pavement and drainage infrastructure as well as much needed on-street parking. In January, we will begin construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of Mathews Drive and Marshland Road, a project designed to enhance traffic conveyance and public safety. Both of these projects are funded with Tax Increment Financing (TIF), a very rewarding program that allows the Town to take tax money that may have been spent elsewhere in the county and devote it to providing new and enhanced infrastructure within the TIF district here on Hilton Head Island.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Conde Nast picks Savannah among its 'top cities'
Savannah has been listed as number seven on a list of “North American Top Cities” generated by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards. It moved up two spots from number nine in 2013.
“I think I speak for everyone in Savannah by saying how extremely proud we are to continue to be acknowledged as one of the top ten visitor destinations in North America. To be regularly recognized in this way by the readers of one of the leading travel publications in the world is a compliment that our entire community can take great pride in,” said Joseph Marinelli, Visit Savannah president.
This is the eighth consecutive year Savannah has been named as a top destination on this list.
According to Condé Nast Traveler, candidates for the Readers’ Choice Awards are judged based on a standard five-point scale: excellent, very good, good, fair and poor. Cities are judged according to rankings attributed to arts/culture, friendliness, scenery/sights, restaurants/food, accommodations, shopping and value.
“Accolades like this certainly don’t come easy,” said Marinelli. “In the long run, it makes for an outstanding economic development story that is sure to lead to more home sales and future business growth.”
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Savannah Fire now one of highest rated fire services in nation
Via WJCL
Savannah Fire and Emergency Services (SFES) unveiled its new logo today designating that the department has received the highest classification available to fire departments across the nation.
During a brief ceremony before city council, Savannah Fire Chief Charles Middleton called the department’s upgrade to ISO Class 1 a “red letter day” for the entire community.
“This is a testament to the training and preparedness of Savannah’s fire department,” Chief Middleton said.
ISO stands for Insurance Service Office, a national organization that provides insurance information on risk. ISO assesses a fire department’s capabilities on a 10-point scale by looking at a range of criteria such as training, equipment, response time, facilities, and water infrastructure.
Historically, insurance companies have in part based their home insurance premiums on a community’s ISO classification. The better the rating in the community, the lower the potential premiums for its property owners.
Of the nation’s roughly 48,000 fire departments, just 62 have received the highest classification available – ISO Class 1.
“That equates to less than one-quarter of one percent of all departments evaluated nationwide,” Middleton said.
Savannah Fire’s reclassification from Class 2 to Class 1 officially occurs Dec. 1, 2014.
“We appreciate everything you do to keep this community safe, and it is comforting to know that we are protected by one of the very best departments in the entire nation,” Mayor Edna Jackson said. “You make us proud.”
Friday, November 21, 2014
Impressions in Black and White
John Wollwerth.
The Photography Club of Beaufort presents its 2014 annual photography exhibit,” Impressions in Black and White” at USCB’s Center for the Arts. The show will begin on Thursday, Dec 4th with a preview reception. The public is invited to attend. The exhibit will remain open through December 21.
The outstanding results of a year of studying, shooting and creating will be presented at this exhibit. During 2014, the Photography Club focused on programs and workshops that taught the subtleties of Black and White photography and printing. From Ansel Adam’s zone system to high key infrared photography; all aspects of capturing images in Black and White were brought to the attention of the members.
To add even more interest to the year-long assigned subject, each member was challenged to express two, or all, of these three elements: Solitary, Metal, or Emotion. The resulting images were fun to critique and we know our audience will enjoy seeing the exhibit.
The Center for the Arts is located on the historic Beaufort campus at 801 Carteret Street. Hours are 10-5 Monday through Friday. The exhibit can also be viewed on Saturday and Sunday when performances are being held.
National Geographic Traveler Best Trips 2015: Sea Islands, SC
Photograph by Peter Frank Edwards, The New York Times/Redux
Pathway to a Forgotten Past
Cruise highway 278, the main road on South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island, and it may seem that little has changed in the 59 years since entrepreneur Charles Fraser developed this sultry Lowcountry sea island as one of America’s first "eco-planned" resorts. But visitors are beginning to learn that some of the most important chapters of American history took place here, right beneath their vacation-tanned feet. Take Mitchelville, for instance, a settlement established by freed slaves in 1862, a year before the Emancipation Proclamation. On St. Helena, the Penn Center stands as one of the first schools in the South to educate Gullah people.
These spots surprise and intrigue visitors, who arrive knowing little, if anything, about them. Why? “Well, who writes history?” Joyce Wright asks rhetorically, eyebrows arched. Wright is executive director of Mitchelville Preservation Project, one of the member organizations in the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. Here, visitors experience Gullah culture through storytelling, sweetgrass basket weaving, and sampling traditional food. Though the corridor cuts through the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida, Hilton Head and St. Helena are the heart of living Gullah culture, where once forgotten stories find voice. —Julie Schwietert Collazo
Travel Tips
When to Go: March 9-14, 30th Annual Hilton Head Island Wine and Food Festival; late May, 29th Annual Original Gullah Festival, Beaufort; October 12-19, 10th Annual Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival, Bluffton; November 6-9, Penn Center Heritage Days celebration of Gullah culture, music, and art, St. Helena Island
How to Get Around: A car is required to visit the Sea Islands and Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor sites in South Carolina (extending north and south of U.S. 17 along the Atlantic Coast and 30 miles inland). St. Helena Islandand Hilton Head Island are located east of I-95, between Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. There are international airports in both cities, as well as a regional airport on Hilton Head. Rent a car at any airport. From I-95, take exit 33 for Beaufort and St. Helena, and exit 8 for Hilton Head.
Where to Stay: Beaufort is a convenient home base since it’s only five miles west of St. Helena and less than 35 miles north of Hilton Head. The city’s National Historic Landmark district is home to numerous bed and breakfasts, including the Rhett House Inn, a restored antebellum manor house and celebrity favorite (past guests include Tom Hanks and Barbra Streisand). There are ten guest rooms in the main inn, seven rooms with gas fireplaces and private patios or decks across the street in the Cottage (built in 1864 as one of the first southern schools/stores for freed slaves), plus the two-bedroom Newcastle House overlooking the gardens. Rates include a full breakfast, and the option to create an all-southern plate: eggs, biscuits, grits, country ham, and a tall glass of sweet tea.
Where to Eat or Drink: Dye’s Gullah Fixin’s is as close as it gets to eating in a Gullah grandma’s kitchen. Dye Scott-Rhodan is the chef, and her relatives—including a ten-year-old niece—pitch in as servers at the small restaurant. Hours are limited and reservations are required, but it’s worth the minor hassle to reserve a seat at Dye’s table. Try authentic Gullah dishes such as “old fashion church tater salad,” “okra matoes stew,” and the specialty of the house, Malaysia "sweet tater" bread pudding.
What to Buy: On South Carolina rice plantations, hand-woven sweetgrass baskets were used as sieves to separate seed from chaff. Today, local weavers craft and sell the sweet-smelling, coiled baskets (available in various sizes and designs) daily at the historic Charleston City Market and regularly on St. Helena Island at venues such as the Penn Center and the Red Piano Too Art Gallery.
What to Read Before You Go: Pat Conroy’s memoir The Water Is Wide (Dial Press Trade Paperback, reprint, 2002) chronicles his year spent teaching Gullah children in a one-room schoolhouse on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina (fictionalized as Yamacraw in the book).
Helpful Links: Hilton Head Island, Gullah Community, Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor
Fun Fact: The Gullah/Geechee people living in the Lowcountry and Sea Islands are descendants of enslaved West and central Africans forced to work on coastal rice plantations. The isolation of the Sea Islands enabled the Gullah/Geechee to develop a separate Creole language and distinct culture from African Americans living in other parts of the United States.
Insider Tip From Julie Schwietert Collazo: The annual Gullah Celebration is held in February. The monthlong festival showcases music, food, and arts.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
How Hilton Head Was
Dean Rowland
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Charles Simmons Jr.
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His home had no running water and no electricity, and there were no paved roads, no stoplights, no marinas and no bridges anywhere on Hilton Head Island. But there was food on the table, friends to play with, school to attend and work to do every day.
This was life on Hilton Head Island in the 1930s, not just for Charles Simmons Jr., now 85 years old, and his family, but for all of the other native black islanders as well.
It was a good Gullah life, a life apart from the big wide world around them, except for the occasional trips to Savannah by boat for groceries, clothes, and socializing with family and friends....
Ticket prices drop 13 percent at Savannah-Hilton Head airport
Just a year ago, Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport was tied for fourth in a ranking of the most expensive airfares among the country's 100 largest airports.
Now, after adding low-cost carrier JetBlue in February, the airport has dropped to No. 25 on the list.
Ticket prices have fallen 13.7 percent -- the sharpest decline in the U.S., according to recently released Bureau of Transportation Statistics' numbers for the second quarter of this year.
Airport officials credit JetBlue for the lower prices.
"It's helped lower fares across the board," said Lori Lynah, airport director of marketing. "We have more seats and more service in the market. ... With more competition, the fares will be lower."
The company added flights to and from Boston's Logan International and New York City's John F. Kennedy International airports.
It also prompted other airlines to compete.
Delta, United and US Airways added more service, giving passengers the weekly option of 45 more flights and 5,000 additional seats, Lynah said.
The airport has seen 1.4 million passengers in 2014, up 16 percent from last year. The average ticket price, as high as $503, has fallen to $434, according to the transportation bureau.
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce president Bill Miles said the JetBlue effect has been felt on Hilton Head.
Hotel occupancy rates in October jumped 9.6 percent from last year. He attributes that rise, in part, to more corporate and leisure travelers flying into Savannah-Hilton Head.
"It certainly is a big win for our residents, for our visitors and for the business community," he said.
"Any time you are able to bring in and recruit additional airlines, especially when you land one like JetBlue, it's going to increase seats in the market."
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Love firm to redesign Ocean Course at Sea Pines
Via http://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net
Love Golf Design, the firm run by PGA Tour star Davis Love III and his brother Mark, has been hired by South Carolina’s Sea Pines resort to redesign the resort’s Ocean course.
The Ocean course, which opened in 1962 and was designed by George Cobb, was the first golf course built on Hilton Head Island. It was previously renovated by Mark McCumber’s design practice back in 1995. The course will close next October and reopening is planned for September 2016.
The renovation of the Ocean course is part of a major investment by the resort in its golf courses. Pete Dye and his team recently completed changes to the Heron Point course, which reopened for play in September. Dye’s team softened the green surrounds and contours, enlarged several greens, and changed the putting surfaces were transitioned to Tif-Eagle bermuda.
Additionally, the resort’s flagship, Dye’s Harbour Town course will close for an upgrade next summer, after the 2015 playing of the RBC Heritage event. Fairways will be regrassed with Celebration bermuda, while the greens will be reseeded with Tif-Eagle, and the irrigation system will be replaced.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
2015 Savannah Music Festival Update
Tickets are now on sale for the 2015 Savannah Music festival.
The Savannah Music Festival is dedicated to presenting a world-class celebration of the musical arts by creating timeless and adventurous productions that stimulate arts education, foster economic growth, and unite artists and audiences in Savannah. It is the largest musical arts event in Georgia and one of the most distinctive cross-genre music festivals in the world.
See more at: http://www.savannahmusicfestival.org
Election Day Update
Via the AP
Beaufort voters approve land preservation money
Beaufort County voters have approved plans to borrow $20 million for land preservation, including raising funds to buy or arrange conservation agreements on environmentally sensitive property.
More than 73 percent of voters supported the idea. Beaufort County voters have authorized more than $130 million for the land preservation effort over the last 15 years.
Officials say the latest borrowing will add about $10 to the property tax bill for those who own a $250,000 home.
The Rural and Critical Lands Program has spent more than $105 million since 1998. They have purchased more than 11,000 acres of land to prevent development. Another $52 million has been spent to arrange agreements with landowners who promise they will not develop another 11,000 acres.
The Beaufort County Open Land Trust manages the program and has identified about $57 million in property it wants to preserve.
Via WTOC
HHI Mayoral race goes to runoff
The Hilto Head mayor's race will involve a runoff election.
There were five candidates in the race, so many people expected the runoff to happen. Even the incumbent mayor said he wasn't surprised by the results.
Almost 40,000 voters in Beaufort County came out to the polls and casted their ballots on Tuesday. Election officials said that's the best turnout for a Mid-Term Election. Eighty-one of 92 precincts in Beaufort County have been completely counted.
If neither of the Hilton Head mayoral candidates get 50 percent plus one vote of the votes after all the votes are counted, then it will go to a runoff between David Bennett and incumbent Mayor Drew Laughlin.
Laughlin and his team are already prepping for the election in two weeks.
“Largely, get out and vote,” Laughlin said. “We have to make sure we get our people back to the polls again. It means we're just going to have to work hard for another two weeks. I'm happy to see the folks out here. We had a lot of folks that work very hard, which is very gratifying and we just have to keep doing that.”
Monday, November 3, 2014
Mayor Drew Laughlin's November Letter to Residents and Visitors
Mayor Laughlin's November 2014 Article as seen in Celebrate Hilton Head can be found here:
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Picture of the Week
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The Hugo Bowl; Middle Tennessee State vs. Georgia Southern College,
September 1989; Frank Fortune/Georgia Southern Athletics
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New Port Royal Sound Maritime Cenrter Renovations are Underway
The Port Royal Sound Foundation is renovating the buildings at the former Lemon Island marina to establish an engaging and exciting educational experience. The Center will feature exhibits, classrooms, hands-on learning spaces and other areas where visitors can learn and celebrate the uniqueness of the Sound and have diverse and fun opportunities to experience and connect with the Port Royal Sound Area.
If you would like to help, please contact Jody Hayward, Director, to learn more about donor and sponsorship opportunities and benefits.