Island Eye News - December 18, 2009

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    Livin Nativity page 3 "Ou Town" page 6 B in n this holiday pages 9 & 12

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

    P RE

    S ORT

    S T A

    NDA RD

    U S P

    O S T A

    GE P A I D

    C HA RL E

    S T O N , S C

    P E RMI T

    N O 4 3 7

    D c mb r 18, 2009Volum 5 I u 17

    Since May 2005

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

    FRee

    At a very well attendedmeeting held at Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal onSullivan's Island, the SullivansIsland Town Council presenteda set of guiding principles formanagement of the 90+ acresof accreted land on the island'sbeachfront. The principles weredeveloped by Council membersPat ONeil, Jerry Kaynard andMadeleine McGee. No morethan three Council members

    were permitted to sit togetheron the proposal as more wouldhave been considered an of cialpublic meeting. The Councilunanimously voted to acceptthe principles, but not beforeexpressing some stipulations andnot before public comment on theissue.

    For nearly an hour, residentstook turns speaking on thematter. Front beach propertyowners continued to defendtheir right to ocean breezes andviews as well as property values,pointing out the nuisance of rats,snakes, foxes and other wildlifethat come with the thick brush

    which borders their yards. Some went so far as to say that theopposition to the front beachproperty owners wishes havethe most sel sh public opinionI have ever seen. That sameresident went on to say that if you

    want trees, there are thousandsof them at the Francis MarionNational Forest and that the frontbeach property owners carry the

    accr tin l n

    Accreted land on 5

    Happy Holidays !

    Holid y cov r cont t winn r C ongratulations to B oBBy r oss , 3-W, from s ullivan 's i sland E lEmEntary for Winning this yEar 's

    I sland EY E n Ews h oliday f ront C ovEr C ontEst ! s ECond and t hird plaCE WinnErs Can BE found on pagE 20.

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    2 December 18, 2009

    Fixing up 41st Avenue and PalmBoulevardThis has been an endeavorover the last couple of months,reported City Administrator LindaLovvorn Tucker in reference to theall-way stop improvement projectat the intersection of 41 st Avenueand Palm Blvd. We received ve

    design proposals with a rangefrom $16,150 to $135,000, andall of the proposers are highlyquali ed.

    Tucker noted that the broad rangeof costs was due to the fact thatone group, Florence & Hutcheson,did not read the complete speci csof the project and proposed aroundabout, Which is not thetype of project the City has inmind for now, said Tucker. Thelowest bidder, Thomas & Hutton,designed Front Beach for theCity, and the City has heard goodrecommendations since that time.With a staff recommendation for

    Thomas & Hutton with a bid of $16,150, Mayor Cronin asked if the Council had any commentsbefore voting.

    I went through all of theproposals, said CouncilmanBrian Duffy, and Stantec [thesecond lowest bid with $35,000]provided extensive descriptions

    with their project, which is not

    found easily in the Thomas &Hutton proposal. Duffy notedthat there seemed to be a lot of exclusions in Thomas & Huttonsproposal, leaving room forpotential add-on work. I wouldsuggest we reconsider, saidDuffy. Stantec seems to standout far and above.

    Mayor Cronin replied that thescope of the design work is verylimited. Theres no earth moving,

    just re-aligning, restriping itsnot a major effort. He noted that

    Thomas & Hutton are MountPleasant locals and should be ableto pull the work off.Were talking about our taxpayers dollars and Stantec isalmost double what Thomas &Hutton proposed, said Councilmember Marty Bettelli.

    The award of contract was grantedto Thomas & Hutton with a 6 to 1vote with Council member Duffyas the opposing vote. Tuckerpointed out that since the designproject was an un-budgetedexpense, she recommended thatthe funding be taken 50% fromMunicipal Accommodations Taxand 50% from Unreserved CapitalProjects. The expenditure wasapproved unanimously.

    A couple costs slip through thecracks During some end of the year

    nancial housekeeping, thestaff at the Isle of Palms CityHall came across two contractsfor over $10,000 which hadnot been formally approved bythe City Council. By City law,

    any contracts of more than$10,000 need to be approvedby Council before they areof cially awarded. Both itemsare for the Fire Department andinclude $12,945.23 for extractionequipment (the Jaws of Life) and$21,005.50 for new air packs withspare cylinders, an annual costfor the City as the air packs andcylinders need to be replaced on a

    yearly basis.Im requesting the Councilsindulgence to correct this error,said Tucker. These are the rsttwo to slip through in a long time.Both items are in the budget andpriced within what was budgeted.

    The awards of contract wereapproved unanimously.

    2010 Committee appointmentsWe tried to put this yearsCommittee appointments insuch a way as to have a differentCouncil member chairing aCommittee, so each has the

    chance to take the reins at adifferent Committee, said MayorCronin. Council member RyanBuckhannon noted that he wasdisheartened to be taken off of Public Safety, a Committee with

    whom he has worked for a longtime and into which he has puta lot of effort. The appointments

    were given for the Councilsreview and no vote was neededfor approval. The 2010 Standing Committees of Council are as

    follows: Ways and Means Entire Council;Personnel Marty Bettelli, RalphPiening and Doug Thomas; Public Safety Barbara Bergwerf, MartyBettelli and Michael Loftus; Public Works Brian Duffy, Sandy Stoneand Doug Thomas; Recreation

    Barbara Bergwerf, RyanBuckhannon and Brian Duffy;and Real Property Committee Dick Cronin, Michael Loftus andSandy Stone.

    Lets get PersonnelCouncil member Ralph Pieningreported on the PersonnelCommittee meeting held last

    week, stating that the proposednew members to the 2010 Boardsand Commissions are as follows:

    I l of p lm Council D c mb r 8, 2009

    IOP Town Council on 4

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    How inconvenient is it when theFACTS get in the way of opinions?So it seems to the issue before lastsletter to the editor writer. Letsrepeat the factual information.

    Regarding large homes Thereare only 16 homes of 5000 sq. ft.

    which are rentals on the entireisland 14 of which are on Palm orOcean and one on Dunecrest andone on 52nd Avenue.

    Regarding rental occupancy A mini hotel was de ned asallowing 20 or more occupants

    well, there are 19 of these on theisland and again all but two areon Palm or Ocean . For the entireisland there are 126 rental homes

    that can accommodate 12 peopleor 2.5% of the island homes.

    Isnt is curious that during

    the boom building years of 2004 2006 there wasnt one large orsix bedroom rental home built off of the front beach or Cameron,Carolina or 10th. Why? Becausebuilders and developers alikeknow that these wouldnt sell.And they are right! Heck, theyare struggling mightily to getthose along front beach sold withlimited success. So using thescare tactic that one of thesemay be built on Forest Trail justdoesnt make sense to anyone.

    One other point when the citycouncil proposed to allow ownersto post a reduced occupancy over

    what was allowed one councilmanvoted against allowing them toreduce their rental occupancy. Idont get it.

    Regarding Livability Reporting

    Again these are the facts asreported by the Police Of cial incharge. If you have differing dataplease share it with us. If it isntreported it isnt recorded.

    As to a long-term vision forisland development Our electedcouncil and appointed planningcommission of cials have laboredover, studied, reviewed, heldcitizen meetings and more for many

    years. They have taken what theyconsider to be reasoned steps toinsure our islands development,all being done with concern for of all our islands residents. Again,if there is a better idea for all ourresidents, please share it.

    Larry PiersonIsle of Palms

    December 18, 2009 3

    Lynn pi rottipubli h r

    [email protected]

    Kri tin H ckl r editor

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    sw n Rich rdgr hic D i n r

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    ali akhy ria i t nt editor

    [email protected]

    Lori D ltonadv rti in

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    elli smithgr hic Int rn

    ContributorC t in g off B nn tt

    Ch rl ton CountyChildr n' g rd n school

    Dr. Luc ColM ry g tcheric Hor n

    Dr. John N l onDyl n sh r k

    publi h d byLucky Do publi hin

    of south C rolin , LLCp.O. Box 837

    sulliv n I l nd, sC 29482843-886-NeWs

    submit your l tt r to th ditor to:

    info@luckydo n w .comFutur d dlin :D c mb r 30 for ll ubmi ion .

    Lucky Dog Publishingof SC, LLC

    Publisher of the Island Eye News , The Island Connection and The Folly Current .

    The Island E e Ne s, a holl o ned s bsid-ia of L ck Dog P blishing of So th Ca olinLLC, is a f ee, independent ne spape p b-lished e e t o eeks and is fo and abo t

    the Isle of Palms, S lli ans Island, Goat Islandand De ees Island. Copies a e mailed f ee of cha ge to e e acti e mailbox in o co e aa ea and a e also a ailable at a ea b sinesses

    and b s bsc iption to non-islande s. S b-sc iptions a e $30 pe ea fo non- esidents

    and a e a ailable b sending a check to L ckDog P blishing, LLC, P.O. Box 837, S lli ansIsland, SC 29482. Cont ib tions of info mation

    pict es and a ticles a e elcomed and a e

    sed acco ding to space limitations and ne sal e and cannot be et ned except b spe-cial eq est. O edito ial content is p ima idedicated to the a ea of dist ib tion; ad spaceis open to all b sinesses ho ant to each

    the Island E e Ne s ma ket. Op-ed a ticles donot necessarily re ect the opinion of

    L ck Dog Ne s, o its ite s. All ad e tising ates a e listed at:

    .islande ene s.comnde ad e tising.

    Letter to the Editor...

    Wheres Norma Jean?Mayor Cronin askedduring the IOP CityCouncil meeting on November 17.Shes in North Carolina, saidCity Administrator Linda Lovvorn

    Tucker, receiving an award.Although the City Council

    missed their monthly report on theongoing and upcoming activitiesat the Isle of Palms RecreationDepartment, they were thrilled tolearn that their Rec. Departmenthad won the Agency of the YearAward, Class 1, from the SouthCarolina Parks and RecreationAssociation (SCPRA).

    According to the rules,recreation agencies can only winthe Agency of the Year Awardevery three years, but for at leastthe past twelve years, the Isle of Palms Recreation Departmenthas come home the winner everytime.

    In competition with hundredsof agencies across the state,the Class 1 category includesall recreation departments

    with municipalities of 10,000residents or less and focuseson the departments athletics,programming, special events andfacilities. This year, the awardsceremony was held in conjunction

    with the North Carolina Parksand Recreation Association atthe Benton Convention Center inWinston-Salem, North Carolina.

    We could probably compete with larger agencies if they rated

    percentages instead of numbers,said Norma Jean Page, Directorfor the Isle of Palms RecreationDepartment. Compared to thenumber of activities we have atthe Rec. Department, we donthave that many employees. Butthe ones they do have are some of the most dedicated and creative

    with whom Norma Jean has ever worked. Were never afraid to trysomething new, she said. Wetake residents suggestions allthe time.

    But in the end, the Rec.Department couldnt do nearly asmuch as it does without the help of parents, volunteers, participants,and the support of the IOP CityCouncil and City Administrator.Were the ones that get to standin front of a camera and sayThanks, but this is an island-

    wide award, said Norma Jean.The islanders are the ones whomade this possible.

    A-O ne A thleticsAs if an Agency of the Year

    Award wasnt enough, the Isleof Palms Recreation Departmentcame home with yet anotheraward from SCPRA for SC AthleticProgram Branch Department of the Year this past Wednesday,December 10. Awarded inColumbia, Recreation DepartmentSupervisor of Athletics Ben Hullreceived the award on behalf of the IOP Recreation Department.

    The IOP Rec. Department won the Athletic Branch awardfor several reasons, but theAssociation referenced thedepartments Friday NightHoops program, the Half Rubber

    Tournament, the Fast StartSoccer program for ages 3 - 4, andthe new Micro-Soccer program forages 5 8 in particular.

    Were one of the few agenciesthat offer activities for three andfour year olds, said Norma Jean.And our Micro-Soccer programis a new approach to learningsoccer. Norma Jean elaboratedby describing Micro-Socceras soccer played with only fourpeople on the eld at a time. Itallows kids to learn the skillsand rules of soccer without beingoverwhelmed by a full game.

    For more information about the Isle of Palms Recreation Department, visit www.iop.net, or call 886-8294.

    IOp R c win a ncy of th Y r

    Sunrise Presbyterian Church on

    Sullivans Island at Breach Inlet will be hosting their annual LiveNativity on Sunday, December 20,beginning at 5pm with Nativity showseach half hour. The last show begins at7pm. Witness the Nativity Story complete

    with the Holy Family, live animals to seeand pet, and a choir singing gloriouscarols. After each show, come insidefor hot cocoa and cookies. Children (andadults!) can enjoy special storytelling

    with their treats. Everyone is welcome.Sunrise Presbyterian is located at 3222Middle Street, Sullivans Island. For moreinfo, call 883-3888.

    Liv N tivity

    Norma Jean Page and Karrie Farrell with award.

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    4 December 18, 2009

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    Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee re-appointment of Margaret Miller; Board of Zoning Appeals re-appointment of Arnold Karig and Tom Miller;Code Board of Appeals re-appointment of Ann Sherill;and Planning Commission re-appointment of Ron Denton andthe appointment of Noel Scott,Diane Oltorik and Bev Ballow.Piening reminded the Council thatthese appointments are not naland will be up for reaf rmationduring the January meeting. Healso noted that Bev Ballow is theCommission member proposedto ll Sandy Stones seat on thePlanning Commission.

    Are any of these folks in apolitical action committee? askedCouncil member Bettelli. Pieningreplied that he didnt believe so.I dont think you know what apolicial action committee is, saidCouncil member Brian Duffy. If

    youre talking about the Isle of Palms Neighborhood Association,the IOPNA is a civic organizationin support of neighborhoods onthe island. They de-register afterelections. Bettelli commentedthat that was an interesting

    way to get around the law,to which Duffy asked if Bettelli

    was inferring that someone wasbreaking the law.Im not questioning; Im just

    making a statement, said Bettelli.The rst af rmation of Board

    and Commission members wasapproved 4 to 3 with Councilmembers Bettelli, Buckhannonand Stone voting against.Later, Council memberBuckhannon stated that thecurrent set up of the CityCommittees makes it so that theCommittees are controlled bythe Isle of Palms NeighborhoodAssociation. I dont like theidea of the 2010 Committeeassignments, he said. It smacksof crony-ism and payback.We need to let the residents of the Island know whats goingon.Later, Council memberBuckhannon stated that thecurrent set up of the CityCommittees makes it so that theCommittees are controlled bythe Isle of Palms NeighborhoodAssociation. I dont like theidea of the 2010 Committeeassignments, he said. It smacksof crony-ism and payback. Weneed to let the residents of theIsland know whats going on. He

    also noted he doesn't like the ideathat the only reason someone isbeing replaced on a committee isto put in someone from IOPNA.

    Consideration of Appointmentsof City Judges, Assistant Judge,and City AttorneyMayor Cronin announced that,after 14 years, City Attorney

    Nick Sottile is retiring from hisposition of City Attorney and

    will be replaced by attorneySterling Halverson. He also askedthat the Council approve there-appointment of City Judge

    Jeanette Harper, AssistantCity Judge Barry Holden andLivability Judge Michael Molony.Sottile did a wonderful job forthe 14 years he served, saidCouncil member Buckhannon.Bettelli agreed, remarking thatthe Council has been throughdif cult times with Sottile,and Hes always kept us onthe straight and narrow.

    The Council approved theappointments unanimously.

    After a brief executive session,Mayor Cronin thanked formerCouncil members Carol Rice andDee Taylor for their many yearsof service. They served the Citylong and well and I hope the newCouncil will do the same, saidCronin before wishing everyone a

    joyful holiday season.The Isle of Palms City Council will meet again at City Hall on January 5 at 6pm with a swearing in gala

    for the new Council and Water Commission. IOP City Hall is located at 1207 Palm Blvd. For more info visit www.iop.net or call 886-6428.

    IOP Council from 2

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    tax burden for the rest of theisland. Many of those with similarconcerns suggested the Hood/Bluestein plan, named for frontbeach residents Bobby Hood andNicky Bluestein, who say frontbeach property owners shouldbe allowed to do demonstrationprojects to the accreted land infront of their homes according totheir own will and money. Theseprojects heavily favor Option 4,

    which would allow the buildingof dunes and removal of tracts of trees in the process.

    Those in favor of conservationtook the public comment houras an opportunity to explain

    how a mature maritime forest would bene t the island. Theycontinued to stress the value of nature and natural evolution,as well as the protection thata forest would provide for theisland. They also stated thatthe accreted land belongs toeveryone, not just front beachproperty owners. The SullivansIslanders, an ecologically mindedgroup that has been viewed as theopposition to the front beachowners group, stated that they want a combination approach

    which stresses the importance of a natural forest, adding that theirdesign is consistent with policiesheld by the States Departmentof Natural Resources and the

    United States Department of theInterior.

    To kick off the public comments,Mayor Carl Smith took a momentto address the crowd. Smithprefaced his statement with asmall story that began when heand his wife moved to SullivansIsland and bought a home. Atthat time, he explained, they wereable to see the harbor from theirporch. They could even see theMorris Island lighthouse. Sincethen, however, homes were builtand now they no longer have theview they once had.

    Somehow, were still makingit and enjoying our house, hesaid. He went on to say that theaccretion of all that land on thefront beach that has resulted ina forest in front of what used tobe ocean front homes should beviewed as a privilege and not aright.

    Lawyers and professors forboth parties presented reasons

    why property values areimportant and why conservationis important. When the dust

    settled, the Council presented aset of agreed upon principles toguide the hired consultants inthe development of a plan. Thoseprinciples included:

    Accreted land is a resourcefor everyone.

    Town Council alone has theright and duty to managethe property.

    The Town has a responsibility

    to be good stewards andgood neighbors to propertyowners.

    The area is diverse andshould be divided intozones. Different zonesrequire different strategies.A transitional band needs

    to be developed betweenfront beach properties andthe accreted land.Large areas of Wax Myrtles

    could be cleared into elds.

    The City Council also presenteddirections and requirements

    which the consultants will needto follow and include in draftingthe nal plan for the accretedland. The Council unanimouslyvoted to accept the principles anddirections for the consultants.However, Council member MikePerkis stated that his af rmativevote only came because the Council

    would review the document againat their December 15 meeting,and it needed to include morestatements on the inherent,natural importance of a maritime

    forest. Council member McGeealso stated that she wanted toinclude edits before a nal draftof their principles and direction isgiven to the consultants.

    The Council is expected to hold their regular meeting at Town Hall on December 15 at 6pm, and to further discuss the guiding document for the accreted land.

    December 18, 2009 5

    Accreted land from front

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    6 December 18, 2009

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    It was an ambitious project forthe little theater group, butthey pulled it off with nesse. The Crab Pot Players

    production of Our Town by Thornton Wilder, which ran fromDecember 9 12 at the Isle of Palms Recreation Department,

    was a complete turnaround forthe typically set-heavy troop.With nothing but a brick wallbackdrop and a few tables, chairsand ladders, the productionfollowed the original intent of theplaywright by keeping the focuson the actors and the story lineinstead of on the scenery.

    Several of the actors took thisopportunity to let their naturaltalents unfold. In particular,the acting of the Stage Manager,Caitlyn Armstrong, and EmilyWebb as played by RachelMcIntyre were exceptional.

    Caitlyn led the audiencethrough the story of Our Town,noting the locations of particularbuildings and lling in as thenameless soda jerk and ministeras needed. But where Caitlynshone was in her ability to conveythe feeling of the scenes to theaudience. She bubbled with joy atthe wedding and slipped into the

    somber role of Death without ahitch in the nal act. Her intensegaze and direct questioning of the audience brought the viewersinto the story and for a time, wefelt as though we were a part of "Our Town".

    But she couldnt have done it without the actors, every one of whom added their own touch of color to the tale. Rachel McIntyre,

    who played the role of EmilyWebb, gradually built up fromthe quiet student in act one to theblushing bride in act two, but hertrue talent shone through in thedeath scene, as she pleaded withthe Stage Manager, then playingthe role of the Grim Reaper, torelive one day of her life. Whenshes nally given the chanceto relive her twelfth birthday,the tears in her eyes could beseen sparkling in the eyes of the

    audience along with her.Each of the thirty plus actorsin the lm contributed, however,to a truly beautiful productionmade all the more poignant bythe fact that it was performed ina small town. The eras may havebeen different, but the close knitquality of the community and thefriendships and animosities that

    come with living in a town cut-off, in a way, from the rest of the

    world (whether by distance as inOur Town, or the ocean andrivers as with the Isle of Palms),made the play resonate even morestrongly with the viewers.

    From the boisterous soundsof little Rebecca Gibbs, playedby Abby Edwards, to the jollybanter of Constable Warrenplayed by assistant directorMagdalyn Duf e, the Crab PotPlayers production of Our

    Town was beautifully executedand provocative. As the audience

    walked away for the evening,Emily Gibbs last, bittersweetquestion still rang in their ears:Do human beings even realizelife as they live it?

    Our Town rform d b utifullyBy KrISTIN HACKLEr O ur t Own cAst members :

    Stage Manager, CaitlynArmstrong; Dr. Gibbs, JustinHenline; Joe Crowell, LoganMitchell; Howie Newsome, SaraAlbertson; Mrs. Gibbs, AthenaMason; Mrs. Webb, JennyMason; George Gibbs, John Mark

    Shannon; Rebecca Gibbs, JaclynPaciaroni; Wally Webb, JohnsonSmith; Emily Webb, RachelMcIntyre; Professor Willard, JulieAnne Brand; Constable Warren,

    Justin Henline; Sam Craig,Ryam Buchannon; Joe Stoddard,Brent Ray; Simon Stimson,Ricky Chitwood; Si Crowell,Clayton Johnson; Mrs. Soams,Cathy Kennedy; Assistant StageManager, Sara Horton.

    People in the balcony : HollyWalsh, Mackenzie Horne, JordanMitchell

    Chorus : Abby Edwards, DavisCaldwell, Ethan Caldwell, AllyMacDonald, Allie Fennell

    School kids : Natalie Davidson,Maddy Davidson, Lauren Bianco,Kelsey Bianco, Jane Rice, HazelKral, Gillian Armstrong, ElizabethBrake eld, Brittany MacDonald,Aspen Nestler

    People of the Town : JoshBurrill, Alannah Burrill, SarahBurrill, Lauren Ruddy, KateAlbertson.

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    T he City of Isle of Palms and Isle of Palms Recreation Department

    would like to thank Jimmy Ward and The Crabpot Players for

    the success of Our Town. The Recreation Department appreciates the hard work anddedication of the cast and crew in making Theater at the Recpossible.

    Look for future acting opportunities in January. Opportunities include acting classes for youth and adults instructed by Jimmy Ward. The next performance will be Charlottes Web, and auditions will be held on Tuesday, March 23. Join in on the local theater experience! Contact the Isle of Palms Recreation Department at 886-8294 or visit www.iop.net for more info.

    Thr ch rfor "Our Town"! T he CharlestonInternational FilmFestival (CIFF) will

    conduct a juried postercompetition to select thefeatured image of the 2010Festival. Finalists will be postedonline at www.CharlestonIFF.com, and the public will

    be allowed to comment onsubmissions via Facebook and Twitter. The competition is freeand open to the public. The

    winning image will be usedas the of cial 2010 Festivalposter which will be displayedat the American Theater andselect locations.

    There are no designguidelines for the postercompetition; however, entriesthat celebrate the art of lmand re ect the energy andcreativity of the Festival will bemost stronglyconsidered.

    Entries are dueby January4, 2010. The

    winner willreceive $100,recognition inlocal papersand on the CIFF

    website, and a

    VIP Festival Pass valid for alllms, panels and after-parties.

    More information about howto enter the poster competitioncan be found online at www.CharlestonIFF.com.

    CIFF is an international lm and screenplay competition,dedicated to showcasing the

    art and talent of emerging lmmakers and writers from the Lowcountry, the U.S., and around the world. This four day event takes place April 8-11, 2010, at The American Theater in historic downtown Charleston. Now in its third year, CIFF attracts visitors and a cionados from all over,and explores all genres of lm across a wide range of subject matter.

    po t r com tition

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    How long has it been since

    youve enjoyed the manysites and attractions that

    make living in the Charlestonarea so special? When wasthe last time you soaked in thenatural beauty of MiddletonPlace or Magnolia Plantation? Orexperienced the moving storiesof patriotism told at the Medal of Honor Museum? What about therecreational opportunities foundat our wonderful county parks?Well, nows your chance! Theannual Be a Tourist in Your Own Town program is your ticket to thehistoric, family and recreationalattractions that make Charlestonso special. Presented by theCharleston Area Convention& Visitors Bureau and Counton News 2, the Be a Tourist in Your Own Town program offersresidents of Berkeley, Charlestonand Dorchester counties free one-time admission to 33 of the areas

    nest attractions, and substantialdiscounts at 24 great restaurants

    during the entire month of January 2010. Best of all, thepasses are extremely affordable only $20 for individuals, or $50for a Family Pass thats valid forfour people of any age.

    This year, why not give thegift of Charleston to your familyand friends and help themrediscover why Charleston isrecognized year after year as oneof North Americas premier visitordestinations.

    Be a Tourist passes can bepurchased by calling 853-8000 ororder on line at www.beatourist.net. Or, just stop by one of theof cial Charleston Area VisitorCenters: Downtown at 375Meeting St.; in North Charlestoninside the Fire Museum at the

    Tanger Outlet Center; at MountPleasant s Waterfront MemorialPark, or inside Kiawah Island

    Town Hall. But hurryquantitiesare limited and passes will onlybe sold through the end of the

    year.

    Find yourinner tourist

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    December 18, 2009 9

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    Tips from Charleston County on how togo green over the holidays:

    Give your gifts in reusable bags insteadof using wrapping paper. Wrappingpaper is not recyclable, while most bagscan be reused (particularly for holiday

    shopping).Recycle all cardboard boxes at one of the more than 30 Charleston CountyRecycling cardboard dropsites.Compost your real Christmas tree withCharleston County by bringing it to theBees Ferry Land ll (1344 Bees FerryRoad in West Ashley) between January2 - 9. Receive a free bag of compost inreturn for your tree. Hours of operationare Monday - Friday from 8am 4pm,and Saturday from 8am - 3:30pm.Many people give electronics, suchas TVs and computers, as gifts over

    the holidays. If you are replacingold electronic equipment, rememberto recycle your old electronics withCharleston County Recycling.Make a New Years resolution to compostand recycle everything you can.

    Other green tips that you can practiceto help save money and help theenvironment: Decorations:

    Decorate with cranberries, popcorn,pinecones and homemade ornaments.Put all lights on timers to save energy.Make decorations out of natural itemssuch as found seashells, holly, fresh

    owers, apples and nuts. Then compost what you can.Decorate your home with poinsettias,

    which may be cut back andsaved for another bloomingseason.Wrapping gifts:

    Buy recycled greeting cards ormake your own cards.

    Use satin ribbon, which canbe ironed and reused year after

    year.Recycle foam packing peanuts

    at local packaging stores.Be creative with gift wrap

    using cloth napkins, dishtowels, T-shirts & cookie tins.

    Save boxes, wrapping paper, tissuepaper and bows for reuse.Save this years greeting cards and reusethem next year as decorative gift tagsor cut the front off and reuse them aspostcards.

    Parties :

    Serve food on china, ceramic or stoneware plates with silverware insteadof using plastic, paper or styrofoamproducts.After the party, recycle glass bottles and

    jars, plastic bottles #1 and #2, aluminumcans, steel cans and all paper products(except for wrapping paper and greetingcards, which are not recyclable).

    Presents :Make edible items such as homemade

    jams, salad dressings or muf ns.Break off a piece of a plant and re-pot itfor a friend.Give your time by offering freebabysitting, yard work or a car wash.Give tickets to a play, concert, show orsporting event.Make a donation to a charity insomeones name.

    For more information on how you can be green during this holiday season, contact the Charleston County Environmental Management Department at 720-7111, ext. 29 or visit recycle.charlestoncounty.org.

    B greeN thi holid y onPrOvIDED By CHArLESTON COuNTy

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    10 December 18, 2009Golf

    Acommon swing fault amongbetter players is beingtrapped or stuck. On thedownswing the player feels as if their arms are trapped behindtheir body as they transition intothe downswing. As a result of thearms lagging too far behind thebody ( g. #1), the right handedgolfer will often have two misses,a block to the right, or a hook tothe left. Most swing faults causeonly one miss, but because thisfault causes two different lookingmisses, it is often misinterpretedby the golfer. The two misses alsocause major inconsistencies.w hAt cAuses A trApped Or stuck swing ?

    1. Early extension of the bodyduring the swing is the mainreason. When the lower bodymoves closer to the ball duringthe swing, the body simply getsin the way of the arms on thedownswing.

    2. A shallow path of the club onthe downswing due to excessivesliding of the hips toward thetarget at the initiation of thedownswing can also be a majorcontributor.

    3. Lack of body rotation on thedownswing ( g. #2).

    4. Poor alignment at address.

    Usually an open stance.5. Standing too close to the ball

    at address.w hAt cAn yOu dO AbOut it ?

    If youre being trapped dueto alignment or address issues,then you need to see your

    PGA Teaching Pro as soon aspossible! Dont check yourself,let the Pro check your addressand alignment. In fact, go to

    your teaching professional andtell them you would like to workon your alignment and addressfor a session. The address isfundamental. If you fail to addressthe ball properly, then you aresetup to fail.

    If alignment and addressposition checks out, then youmay need to

    work on someof the physicallimitations thatmay be trapping

    your swing. I would suggest youstart working ona better shoulderturn and onesimple exercise

    you can do tohelp that is torsorotations whilesitting in a chair

    or on a Swedish Ball. Doing thetorso rotations while seated willhelp to work on isolating therotation of the torso while limitingrotation of the pelvis during thebackswing ( g. #2). This alsohelps to create separation, which

    will increase distance.Dr. Lucas Cole is the Of cial

    Chiropractor of the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island. He maintains a private chiropractic practice in Mt. Pleasant and is a Titleist Performance Institute Certi ed Golf Fitness Instructor. He incorporates

    protocols that touring professionals rely on weekly into the care of his recreational, amateur, and

    professional golfers. Visit www.

    ChiropracticCharleston.com to learn more about Dr. Cole and the type of care he offers at his clinic.If you have any questions for Dr.Cole regarding past articles or if you have a suggestion for him on

    future articles, call his of ce at 416- 8593 or visit carolinagolfdoctor@ gmail.com .

    C u ht In tr ?By Dr. LuCAS COLE

    FIGurE 1

    FIGurE 2

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    It has been 20 years since Hurricane Hugodevastated the Charleston area. But asthe 2009 hurricane season comes to close, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. In a yearthat reminded everyone of the potential fordisaster, residents of the Lowcountry werefortunate to enjoy the fruits of a relatively

    inactive hurricane season. This years light season is largely due to theEl Nio phenomenon that developed in thespring. As the great philosopher Chris Farleyonce said, All other tropical storms mustbow before El Nio",m and he was right. AnEl Nio event results in a lot of vertical windshear in the Gulf and Atlantic which disruptstropical cyclone formation and strength.Because of this, fewer storms tend to form and

    those that do are generally weak and/or shortlived. Hurricane forecasts predicted about 14named storms in the winter of 2008. Thatnumber was drastically reduced to eight andnine when the weather system developed. Inother words, tropical storms, and hurricaneforecasters, do indeed bow before El Nio.

    Want some proof?No hurricanes made landfall along theeast coast this year. However, two tropicalstorms did hit the United States via the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical Storm Claudette was astorm which achieved maximum sustained

    winds of 50mph and made landfall near FortWalton Beach, Florida, on August 17. It wasresponsible for two deaths. Hurricane Ida,a category 2 hurricane, was downgraded to

    a tropical storm before stalling overDaughin Island, Alabama. Ida wasthe second latest storm to makelandfall since Hurricane Kate in1985. Ida sustained maximum windsof 105mph and was responsible for atleast 124 deaths in El Salvador due to

    heavy ooding and mudslides.An easy season All in all, it was a slow season forhurricanes. There were a totalof nine named storms and twoadditional Tropical Depressions thatnever evolved. This was the lowesttotal since 1997 when there were

    eight named storms. 1997 was the last time we only had three hurricanes. Two majorhurricanes formed this year - Bill and Fred- category 4 and 3 hurricanes respectively.

    That is also the lowest total since 1997, when only one major hurricane formed. Wedidnt have a named storm until Ana formed

    on August 15. This was the latest start since1992 when Andrew formed on August 17. The named storm that came closest to

    Charleston was Tropical Storm Danny. Still,it never came close enough to have a realimpact on our area and stalled off the coast of North Carolina before dissipating. Danny did,however, result in one death.

    Hurricane Bill is the storm that most localpeople will probably remember from 2009,although we enjoyed clear, sunny skiesduring its presence. Those who noticed werethe surfers. On August 21 and 22, surfers onFolly Beach enjoyed 12 to 13 foot waves invery calm conditions provided by HurricaneBill, a Category 4 hurricane which churnedhundreds of miles off the coast. It was an epic

    day for Folly Beach and will hold its place inthe memories of local surfers for decades. Billstayed out to sea and weakened as it movednorth, brushing the eastern edge of NovaScotia before disappearing.

    For more information on this and other past hurricane seasons, visit the National Hurricane Center at: www.nhc.noaa.gov.

    Lowcountry refects on Hugo in peaceS O u T H C A r O L I N A E N j O y S S L O w H u r r I C A N E S E A S O N

    p t H l rp t of th W k

    1447 Folly RdHours: Mon. Fri. 11am 6pm

    Sat 11am - 5pmClosed: Sundays and Holidays

    For more info call 795-1110or visit www. pethelpers.org.

    Adoption fees include spay,neuter, vaccinations, testing,and microchip ID Pet Helpers

    Low Cost Spay-NeuterClinic 302-0556, call for

    appointment.

    Beanie B: Beanie B is ablack and white male whoenjoys playing with toysand also likes to have hisown time to chill. He isnow a year old, loves peopleand would do well in a one-cat household. Give hima second chance.

    Katie: Katie is anaffectionate 2-year-old Pit mix

    who was recently rescued byher neighbors. She is quickto warm up to new people,

    gives great hugs, and is gentle with other animals. She isheartworm positive and willbe eligible for the foster-to-adopt program.This sweetgirl would love to make it into

    your home for the holidays.

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    S ince my childhood, it seemsthat each year we areconfronted with more andmore trinkets made in farawayplaces. We seem to see more of this stuff in December than anyother time. Sadly, disposable quality has almost become thenorm. Many consumers areenamored by the low price tagsand the convenience of use andtoss.

    However, I do think we arebeginning to make a turn for thebetter. With the current economyand the growing interest inprotecting our environment, anincreasing number of consumersare beginning to questionthe worth and origin of theirpurchases. They are consideringthe full life cycle cost of an item.w hen shOpping fOr gifts , pleAse cOnsider five impOrtAnt fActOrs :

    What is it made from?Where is it made?How is it packaged?How long will it last?What happens to it next?

    Materials : look for natural,non-toxic renewable or recycledmaterials. If Santas elves weremaking something similar to itone hundred years ago, then itis probably made from natural,renewable materials. Carbon-based fossil fuels are notconsidered a renewable resource,so plastics and other petroleum-based materials do not qualify.Recycled materials are a goodchoice as they reduce our net

    waste and the energy demandsof manufacturing, and youll ndsome quality products made fromrecycled plastics.Geographic source: look forproducts made close to home.Youll help support your localeconomy, and less energy willbe required for the transport of

    nished products. Generally,there is also more accountabilityfor product safety and quality

    when goods are produced closeto home.Packaging : when it comes topackaging, less is more. Ideally,there is no added productpackaging or the package itself is reusable. For wrapping gifts,reusable gift bags are a greatchoice. Children might enjoypainting a picture that is thenused to wrap a present. And thecomics are always a good, classicchoice.Longevity : the best gifts aremade with exceptional qualityto provide maximum enjoyment.Quality does cost more, but one

    well-made item might certainlyprovide more value than ve,disposable trinkets.

    Afterlife : what happens when theitem reaches the end of its usefullife? Can it be recycled? Can itbe passed on for someone else touse and enjoy? Will it biodegrade?We should try to avoid productsthat lay in a land ll at the end of their lifespan.h ere Are A few exAmples Of green gift ideAs thAt fOllOw best prActices fOr the criteriA AbOve :

    John Santos lives in MountPleasant and makes puzzles forchildren from scraps of solid

    wood. He uses safe and non-toxicmilk paint to color the puzzles.He drops new puzzles he hascrafted by DwellSmart with nopackaging. Given the quality of the puzzles, they can bring joy togenerations of children.

    When Debbie Alfaro is notsupervising the Mount Pleasantpolice force, she is in her candlecave making candles in glass jarsusing renewable, clean-burningsoy wax, essential oils, and cotton

    wicks. The candles have a smallgift tag and are adorned with acharm that can also be worn asa bracelet. After burning, thecandle jars can be returned toDwellSmart for a 25% discountoff a new candle. Debbie then

    cleans the jars and re lls them tomake a new candle.

    While her young son is napping,Nikki Corriher is fast at work inMount Pleasant crafting beautifulearrings, bracelets, and necklacesfrom recycled materials. She usesbeads made from recycled glassand magazines which supportvillagers in Uganda, Ghana, andIndonesia. Nikki brings outthe beauty in a used milk jug,a takeout tray, and a pie plate.And, if a spoon seemingly getsruined in the garbage disposal,shell bang it into an exquisite andunique work of art. She uses aminimal amount of recycled paperto display the jewelry.

    Tradeoffs : to me, theexamples above representan ideal, but I know that

    we are usually faced withtradeoffs. If your typicalholiday purchase patternresults in an assortment of plastic, battery-powered toysmade in China, substitute asmany as you can with toysthat are made in America ormade with solid wood andlead-free paint.

    A Lego set is made fromplastic and is often sourcedfrom plants in many countries,but if you can keep all the piecestogether, the quality is such thatthis item should never be sent toa land ll.

    If you cant nd a sweater madein the USA, look for a sweater made

    with natural bers and a classicstyle that will provide years of enjoyment. Avoid choices thatmust be dry cleaned. If youare concerned that quality,American-made clothingfrom organic ber coststwice as much, simplifyand buy half as much.

    A real Christmas treedoes not meet the longevitytest, but it is an example of arenewable item that consumes

    carbon dioxide while producingoxygen during its growing cycle.

    Trees are typically producedlocally, are biodegradable, and canbe turned into mulch or compostafter adorning our homes.

    For more ideas for green giftsand wrapping, please visit usat DwellSmart, located at 615

    Johnnie Dodds Blvd.Mary Gatch is an owner of

    DwellSmart, a one-stop shop for healthy and environmentally-

    friendly products. Mary lives on Sullivans Island with her husband James, daughter Julian, and son Adam. You can contact her by e-mail at [email protected] or by visiting the store at 615 Johnnie Dodds Blvd (located in Mount Pleasant between Eco Fitness and Twin Rivers Bowling).

    givin l tin iftBy MAry GATCH

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    J oin the crew at Home TeamBarbeque for a free showfrom one of the hottestBlues/Rock bands around.Having toured with such bands asWidespread Panic , R.L. Burnside,

    B.B. King, North Mississippi Allstars, Band of Horses , BlindMississippi Morris and Hill Country Revue , Garry Burnside and the Burnside Exploration

    will be playing a two night showat the Sullivans Island hotspoton Friday, December 18 andSaturday, December 19 startingaround 10pm.

    Lead guitarist and vocalistGarry Burnside is the youngestof Blues Legend R.L. Burnsideschildren and one of the last livinglinks to the original Hill CountryBlues troubadours. His sound is

    eerily similar to his fathers, yetnew and more rock-driven withtwinges of R&B, hip-hop andsoul.

    For more information, call Home Team at 883-3131 or visit www.hometeambbq.com. Home Team BBQ on Sullivans Island is located at 2209 Middle St.

    Burn id ex lor tiont Hom T m BBQ

    FrIDAy & SATurDAy, DECEMBEr 18-19

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    Friday, December 18Pet Helpers Holiday CardsDuring the month of December,make a 20-dollar minimum holidaygift donation and receive a PetHelpers holiday greeting card topersonalize for your loved one!Better than a tie or pajamas! Formore info, visit www.pethelpers.orgor call 795-1110.

    Friday Night HoopsFrom 6 8pm at the Isle of PalmsRecreation Center, 24 Twenty-eighth Avenue. For more info, call886-8294 or visit www.iop.net.

    1st Annual Berts Bar Reunionand Christmas PartyDecember 18 and 19, enjoy live

    music, drink and food specials atFiery Rons Home Team BBQ onSullivans Island. Music beginsat 4pm with a surprise artistappearing both nights at 10:30pm.Specials include fried ounder andshrimp, half priced wings, $1.50Pabst Blue Ribbon, and muchmore. For more info, visit www.hometeambbq.com or call 883-

    3131. Christmas Cocktails: A MusicalRevueA holiday musical bene tsponsored by Sprinkles

    Entertainment, with partialproceeds to bene t the Low Countrys ChildrenWith Aids. Dates: December18 & 19 at 8pm, and Sunday,December 20 at 5pm. Ticketsare $20/adults and $15/seniors/children. BroadwayPerforming Arts Black Box Theatre,located at 607-A Johnnie DoddsBlvd. Mount Pleasant.

    Saturday, December 19CSO Holiday Pops

    Join guest conductor DarkoButorac, the Charleston SymphonyOrchestra Chorus, and theCharleston Childrens Chorus forone of Charlestons most honoredtraditions celebrating friendship,goodwill, and holiday sounds of theseason. Gaillard Auditorium, 77Calhoun St. at 8pm. Admission is$20-45/adults; $5/children. Formore info, call 723-7528, and visit

    www.charlestonsymphony.com.

    Fort Moultrie bicentennial:Soldiers through Time

    Fort Moultrie will present Sol-diers through Time, a livinghistory event from 10am to 4pm.Park rangers and re-en actors

    will portray soldiers of the majortime periods of Fort Moultrieshistory from the Revolution aryWar through World War II. Formalpresentations at 11am, 1pm,and 3pm. 1214 Middle Street,Sullivans Island. For more info,call 883-3123 or visit www.nps.gov/fosu.

    Pet Helpers Open HouseVisit us for Pet Helpers HolidayOpen House from 11am-3pm.Holiday treats, Santa photos

    with your pet, and plenty of goodcheer! 1447 Folly Road, James Island. 795-1110, www.

    pethelpers.org.

    Pages Thieves Crafters Marketand AuctionEvery Saturday at Pages Thievesfrom 9am 2pm, and the auctionbegins at 9:30am. Items for salein the market include locallymade art, photography, oral,scents, jewelry and more. For moreinfo, call 884-9672 or visit www.pagesthievesmarket.net. 1460 BenSawyer Blvd. Mount Pleasant.

    Winter Waterfowl Wetland BirdHike

    Join Nature Adventures Out ttersBirding Naturalist from 10am 1pm on a wonderful hike along

    The Big Wells marshland trailby the Nature ConservancysWasho Reserve. Registrationrequired. $10 each. Allproceeds will bene t The Nature

    Conservancy. Call NatureAdventures to register at 928-3316 or e-mail: [email protected]. wwwNatureAdventuresOut tters.com.

    New Music Collectives UnsilentNight Unsilent Night is Phil Klinesroving sound installation: boomboxholiday caroling. Starts at the CityGallery at Waterfront Park, 34Prioleau St. and ends in MarionSquare, King & Calhoun St. From5-6:15pm. For more info, visit

    www.newmusiccollective.org.

    Holiday Drop and Shop11am 1pm, R.L. Jone

    Center, MountPleasant. Ages5 10. Parenare invited todrop off theichildren tomake a funholidaycraft whithey ni

    Is land EDecembe

    T y ou7 da

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    ping. Bring a bag lunch. Fees:esident; $27/non-resident.act Anne Selner at 884-2528sit www.townofmountpleasant.

    nday, December 20Christmas Service at St.s Lutherane join in a Christmas servicened for those who are out of suffering from an illness or aor would be more comfortablea subdued, meditativetmas service. 5:30pm. Forinfo, call St. Marks Lutheran

    6-8557. 300 Palm Boulevard,f Palms.

    Nativity at Sunriseyteriane to Sunrise Presbyterianch on Sullivans Island atch Inlet for our annual Livevity starting at 5pm withs every half hour. The lastit at 7pm. Live animals to

    nd pet, the Nativity Story andir singing glorious carols.each show, come inside for

    ocoa and cookies. Everyonelcome. For more info, call3888. 3222 Middle Street,vans Island.

    Messiah Sing-A-Longe perform with the Charlestonphony Orchestra and singyour favorite Messiah hits.el Square Baptist Church,

    Meeting St. at 6pm. Admission

    5/adults; $5/children. Forinfo, call 723-7528, and visitcharlestonsymphony.com.

    nday, December 21Day of winter

    ay Basketball Campmber 21- 23 from 9am 3pmIsle of Palms Recreation

    er, 24 Twenty-h Avenue. $130/For more info,

    86-8294 orwww.iop.net.

    Holiday Knitting forBeginners10 am 12 pm, G.M. DarbyBuilding, Mount Pleasant.For ages 10-12. Learnto knit from an expert.Children will make fashionscarves or a felted handbag

    for the holiday season. Fees: $15/resident, $22/non-resident plus$5 materials fee. Contact FlorineRussell at 849-2061 or visit www.townofmountpleasant.com.

    Tuesday, December 22Dylan Thomas Christmas inWalesDylan Thomas Christmas InWales is a dramatic performanceof Thomas 1955 beloved radiostory A Childs Christmasin Wales. Veteran performerClarence Felder portrays theauthor, accompanied by violinistNonoko Okada, utist ReginaHelcher Yost and cellist TimothyOMalley performing traditionalcarols. Presented by Actors

    Theatre of South Carolinaand Chamber Music. Circular

    Congregational Church, 150Meeting Street. December 22 and23 at 7pm. Tickets: $17 generaladmission. Tickets are on sale nowby calling 763-4941 or online at

    www.ChamberMusicCharleston.org.

    Wednesday, December 23The Night Before ChristmasChris Weatherhead and MichaelEasler from Actors Theatre of South Carolina join ChamberMusic Charleston utist ReginaHelcher Yost, clarinetist CharlieMessersmith and bassoonistSandra Nikolajevs for thisspecial Classical Kids Seriesconcert. Circular CongregationalChurch, 150 Meeting Street at1pm. Tickets: $4-$10 generaladmission. Tickets are on salenow by calling 763-4941 or onlineat www.ChamberMusicCharleston.org .

    Citadel Holiday Basketball Camp9 am 4pm, Park West Gym,

    Mount Pleasant. For children inkindergarten through grade

    8. Ed Conroy and his staff will lead a one- day

    basketball camp for girls and boys.Bring a lunch. Fees: $50/resident,$64/non-resident. Contact TinaCarter at 849-2061 or visit www.townofmountpleasant.com.

    Monday, December 28Holiday Clay2 4pm from December 28 30 atthe G.M. Darby Building, MountPleasant. Ages 7 - 12. Make yourown gifts out of hand-built claysculpture. Fees: $35/resident;$42/non-resident. Contact FlorineRussell at 849-2061 or visit www.townofmountpleasant.com.

    Holiday Drama CampFrom December 28 30 at theG.M. Darby Building, MountPleasant. Camp for ages 7-12held from 9am 12pm. Campfor ages 4-6 held from 1 4pm. Camp will feature a shortperformance on the last day of camp. Fees: $45/resident, $52/non-resident. Contact FlorineRussell at 849-2061 or visit www.townofmountpleasant.com.

    883-5030 2213-B Middle St,

    www.seelsfshcamp.com

    CalendarDecember 28

    Free app tiz with dinn Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid with any

    other offer.

    and Tim " m nuk f om 3-7pm

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    T he Marbled Godwit is a large shorebird which winters on thesoutheastern and southwestern coasts of the United States (as well as both coasts of Mexico) and migrates to south-centralCanada for the breeding season. It is in the same family as theSandpipers, Curlews, and Dowitchers. It is somewhat plump withlong legs, a long thin neck, and a disproportionately long, slightlyupwardly-curved beak. This species of Godwit is about 18 long (from

    bill tip to tail tip) and weighs about 12 ounces. Marbled Godwitsforage by probing their beaks in the soft sand or mud in search of small invertebrates. They will occasionally dine on some seeds and alittle seaside greenery. I took this picture off of the Pitt Street Bridgein Mount Pleasant.

    M rbl d godwitBy SArAH DArGAN HArPEr

    Dargans Birds

    PHOTO By SArAH HArPEr

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    Wild Dunes Resort will host its4th annual Authors Luncheonon Saturday, January 16, 2010,from 11am 2pm. This yearsevent features a distinguishedand entertaining panel of authorsat the Resorts event venue, TheSweetgrass Pavilion. This annualevent is open to the public and

    will feature four highly acclaimed

    authors with ties to SouthCarolina including Jack Bass,Katie Crouch, Ann Herlong-Bodman and Batt Humphreys.

    The panel of authors will answerquestions regarding theirnovels from guest moderator,New York Times Best SellingAuthor and Isle of Palmsresident, Mary Alice Monroe.

    The event will also includea silent auction of jewelry,books and original works of art. Barnes and Noble willbe participating in the event,selling the featured authors

    works with a portion of theproceeds going toward thecharitable event. Following theluncheon, the panel will signcopies of their recent works.Proceeds from admission andthe auction will bene t the

    Trident Literacy Association(TLA) of Charleston andsponsor a scholarship for aminority student in the eldof education at the College of Charleston.

    We are excited to host this wonderful event for the fourth year, said Frank Fredericks,Wild Dunes Resorts ManagingDirector. The Authors

    Luncheon has grown each yearbecause of the feedback wevereceived from Charleston arearesidents who appreciate goodSouthern writing. Together wereall helping to contribute to theeducation and improvement of lives in our community. Were veryexcited about the diverse panelof authors for this years event

    and were hopeful to surpass theamount that we raised last year forthe Trident Literacy Associationand the College of Charlestonscholarship.

    4th nnu l uthor lunch onJack Bass

    A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Jack studied as aNieman Fellow at Harvard and received a Ph.D. in American Studiesfrom Emory University. After 13 years as a newspaper reporter andeditor, twice named South Carolina journalist of the year, he spenttwo years as a research scholar at Duke University and 18 months

    at the Institute of Legal History at University of South Carolina. Hehas written for The Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution,Washington Post, The News Republic, The Nation, and The New York Times . Bass most recent works include STROM: The Complicated Personal and Political Life of Strom Thurmond (co-authored withMarilyn Thompson), Taming the Storm: The Life and Times of Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr., Unlikely Heroes and The Orangeburg Massacre.

    Katie CrouchRaised in Charleston, Katie is the author of New York Times

    Best Seller, Girls in Trucks and the upcoming novel, Men and Dogs .Crouchs work has also appeared in The New York Observer andGlamour . She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University anda Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University.

    Ann Herlong-BodmanA South Carolina resident, Ann the author of In the Wake of Saints

    and Sinners , a travel book for which she received a fellowship fromthe South Carolina Academy of Authors and Voices Over Water, aCivil War novel. Herlong-Bodman has worked as a reporter, taughtcollege writing classes and directed writing labs in journalism,business writing, and public relations.

    Batt HumphreysAuthor of new novel Dead Weight , Batt began his career in

    television news in Charleston in the early 80s. His career tookhim to CBS News in New York where he spent 15 years, most asa senior producer, before leaving to return to his beloved South.He managed the coverage of many of the events that have shapedour lives over the past quarter century, including the rst hoursof the morning of September 11, 2001, several wars, elections andhurricanes. Humphreys and his wife Laura currently live on a farmoutside Charleston.

    Guest Moderator Mary Alice MonroeMary Alice Monroe is a New York Times bestselling author knownfor richly textured books that explore the compelling parallelsbetween nature and human nature. Monroes novels have woncritical acclaim and awards and include her Lowcountry novels:Sweetgrass, The Beach House, and Skyward . Her books are sold

    worldwide. Monroe recently released her newest novel, Time is a River . Monroe who is an active and dedicated conservationist, lives

    with her husband on the Isle of Palms.

    A B O u T T H E A u T H O r S PA N E L

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    December 18, 200918

    Polic Blott The following is a synopsis of some of the activities of the Isle of Palms Police Department during the month of November 2009.

    November 1, 2009: An of cermet with a resident of PalmBoulevard, who reported beingswindled out of $2,610. Afterplacing an ad to rent a room ata local college housing of ce, thevictim received an e-mail froma female in the United Kingdominterested in renting the room.After an exchange of multiplee-mails, the victim receivedan e-mail from the inquiringstudents father stating thathe would immediately sendher a check via Fed Ex. Afterreceiving a check in the amountof $4,550 payable to her, thevictim received an e-mail fromthe father stating that hisbookkeeper had made a mistakeand sent too much money andinstructed her to return thedifference, which she did, in theamount of $2,610. After sendingthis money, the victim received

    an e-mail from the alleged fatherstating that his daughter hadbeen in a serious accident andto please return the balance.Only then did the victim realizethat she had been swindled. Aninvestigation is ongoing.

    November 1, 2009: An of cermet with a female resident of Palm Boulevard who reportedthat she met a subject throughan online dating service anddiscovered that the subjecthad stolen over $45,000 worthof jewelry from her while inher residence. She statedthat he identi ed himself asan Army Colonel preparingto be deployed to Iraq. Afterthe victim discovered that he

    was an imposter, she reportedthe incident. The US ArmyCriminal Investigations Divisionis investigating the suspect forimpersonating an Army of cer.

    November 4, 2009: Of cersresponded to a Palmetto Driveresidence regarding a reporteddomestic dispute betweenhusband and wife. The of cersseparated the parties anddetermined that the dispute

    was a continuation of a majordisagreement from the previousevening. The argument had

    escalated to a point where the wife struck her elderly husbandin the face, knocking off hiseyeglasses and causing a cut tothe nose. She then threw twofull cans of soda at her husband,striking him in the ribs. Thefemale subject was taken intocustody and charged withCriminal Domestic Violence.

    November 7, 2009: An of ceron patrol observed a speedingvehicle weaving signi cantlyon the Connector and stoppedthe vehicle to investigate. Whilespeaking to the driver, theof cer detected a strong odorof alcohol and administeredseveral Field Sobriety Tests,

    which the driver failed. He wastransported to the DetentionCenter where the driver initiallystated he would refuse the test.After the 20-minute observationperiod, the driver decided hethat he would provide a sample,

    where he registered a .24% levelof alcohol. He was lodged andcharged with DUI.

    November 9, 2009: A femaleresident of Carolina Boulevardreported to an Investigator thatshe had at least three fraudulent

    nancial transactions againsther bank account using checksthat were not issued to her. Allthree checks were cashed inbusinesses in the Columbia areaand totaled approximately $800.

    November 10, 2009: Of cersresponded to a residence onMerritt Boulevard, where adomestic dispute had beenreported. After investigating thematter, the of cers made thedetermination that the disputebetween two grown brothers

    was only verbal in nature. Bothparties agreed to cease theirdisagreement.

    November 12, 2009: Of cersresponded to a residence on24 th Avenue, where a domesticviolence incident had beenreported. Police communicatorshad already received a 911call from both parties involved.Of cers made the determinationthat the husband had beenthe primary aggressor andhad caused visible injuries. He

    was taken into custody andcharged with Criminal DomesticViolence.

    November 14, 2009: An of cerobserved a vehicle drivingerratically on Palm Boulevardand stopped it to investigate.While speaking to the driver theof cer detected a faint odor of alcohol from within the vehicleand made the determinationthat the driver did not have adrivers license. The driver wasalso found to be in possession of an open bottle of beer. He wascharged with No DL, Speeding,and Open Container.

    November 14, 2009: An of ceron patrol stopped a vehicle onPalm Boulevard for failing tostop for a stop sign and whilespeaking to the driver, the of cerdetected a strong odor of alcoholfrom within the vehicle. Thedriver rst stated that he hadnothing to drink, then admittedto not much, then asked if hecould get someone to drive himhome. The driver then failed toprovide vehicle documentation.

    The driver submitted to severalField Sobriety Tests, which hefailed. After being transported toheadquarters for a Datamaster

    Test he then refused tocooperate and was charged withDUI.

    November 18, 2009: Of cersresponded to a Wild Duneshotel, where managementadvised that two guests who hadbeen arguing in the bar and laterin the lobby were now arguingin their room. The of cers, withthe assistance of management,met with the parties involved.

    The couple was separatedand interviewed, and thedetermination was made that thehusband had grabbed his wifeforcefully by the face, cuttingher lip in the process. When the

    wife attempted to call 911, thehusband pressed the disconnectbutton to the telephone. Thehusband was taken into custodyand charged with CriminalDomestic Violence.

    November 22, 2009: Just after1am, an of cer on patrol on theConnector observed a vehicletraveling onto the island at over100 miles per hour. When theof cer stopped the vehicle heobserved that the driver had avery young child in a car seatidenti ed as his son. The driver

    was allowed to call his sister toassume custody of the child. Thedriver was charged with RecklessDriving because of his speed andthe fact that he endangered thelife of the child in the vehicle.

    The vehicle was towed and he was transported to the DetentionCenter.

    November 24, 2009: An of ceraccompanied a Mount Pleasant

    police of cer to a residence inan attempt to serve an ArrestWarrant on a female subject

    whose last known address waslisted as 26 th Avenue. They

    were able to determine that thesubject had moved to MountPleasant.

    November 24, 2009: Of cersresponded to a residence onOcean Boulevard, where aresident reported that she

    witnessed her husband and afamily friend being attacked bytwo male subjects in the front of her home. The two suspects then

    ed the scene and left the areain a van that was waiting forthem. Of cers determined thatthe assault that she witnessed

    was an attempted Strong ArmRobbery. The two male subjects

    were attacked while retrievingluggage from their vehicle andboth were struck numeroustimes about their head, neck,and back, sustaining tornclothing while trying to protecttheir valuables. A witness was

    able to follow the suspect vehicleand obtain a license platenumber, but the vehicle waslost in traf c. Investigators met

    with the victims and were ableto have a police sketch artistprepare composite drawingsof the two suspects, and arefollowing several productiveleads to the case.

    November 25, 2009: Justbefore 6pm, of cers respondedto the area of 41 st Avenue andHartnett Boulevard, where amale subject reported that hehad been assaulted. The rstof cer to arrive observed a malesubject and a dog lying on theground. A male subject standingnearby immediately placed hishands in the air and was takeninto custody. It was determinedthat the victim and his dog weresprayed with Mace two timesafter the victims dog got out of its fenced in yard and allegedlyconfronted the suspect and his

    wife. The suspect was takeninto custody and charged withSimple Assault.

    For the complete police reports,visit www.islandeyenews.com.

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    19December 18, 2009

    I was able to capture this image of resting Western Sandpipersonly after crawling on my belly through the sand Indian-style forabout 30 yards. I pushed a 300mm lens and 1.4 teleconvertor on

    an old ball head mounted on a Frisbee in front of me to get the shot.Winter shorebirds are fairly tolerant but it take some time for them toaccept you as non-threatening, and they do so only if you approachvery, very slowly with no sudden movements. I stopped periodicallyto shoot a couple of frames in case I got no closer, but also to get thebirds used to the sound of the cameras shutter. My approach lastedabout 30 minutes in all until a beach walkers dog disturbed the birds slumber with his futile charge. They ew off in mass and left himspinning circles and barking at the air. I did try to time my shots sothey would include some surf action in the background, but becauseof the constant wind I did not hear the approaching dog and missedan opportunity at a nice jump shot: the moment when all of the birds

    jumped up and were gone in an instant.To nd out more information on the neo-tropic shorebird migrations,

    try a Google search. You will be amazed by all of the different species and how far they go. To see more of my work, please visit www.southernlight.biz.

    p hOtO tip : Dont be afraid to get down and dirty for your birdportraits. I think of it as trying to become one with my environment.I do not want to seem like an intruder. Im sure I added ve poundsto the weight of my clothes by the end with all the wet sand thatI crawled through, but no worries; it was worth the observationtime and the resulting image.

    photo of th month:D c mb r

    By ErIC HOrAN

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    No one guessed last week'sEye Spy! It was the sea turtle

    sculpture at the IOP FrontBeach. Send your guess for this

    week's Eye Spy to:[email protected] .

    20 December 18, 2009

    www.i l nd y n w .com

    Do you know what this is?

    Eye Spy

    Kids, send your guess for this weeks Eye Spy to:[email protected] or call 886-NEWS . Please include

    your mailing address with your submission. The rst one tosend in the correct answer will receive a coupon for a free

    ice cream at Caf Medley on Sullivan's Island.

    Tiger Scouts Pack 59 Den One explore the 1000 year old oyster mound on the Seweetrail. (l to r) Brock Webb, Pleasant Ballenger, Kyler Psenka, River Abedon, AdamGatch; Jim Ballenger, Den Leader.

    Ti r tr ck down hi toryBy SuSAN BALLENGEr

    Third pl cLANDON, 1-A ,FrOM SuLLIvAN'S ISLAND ELEMENTAry

    s condpl c

    LILLI HEINrICH, 2-S, FrOM SuLLIvAN'S ISLAN

    ELEMENTAry

    C ongratulations to everyone whoparticipated in this year's Island Eye News Holiday front covercontest. We received dozens of beautifulsubmissions, but these stood out as someof the most creative and "islandy" holidaygreetings. Thanks to the Sullivan's IslandElementary School Art Department forsending us so many wonderful pictures!

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    21December 18, 2009

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    P reschool students from theChildrens Garden School onSullivans Island have joinedSuper Bowl MVPs Peyton and EliManning and Scholastic BookClubs to help donate one millionbooks to disadvantaged children.

    This fall, students in Miss

    Barbaras class have read 100books as part of the ClassroomsCare program. The philanthropy-based literacy campaign isdesigned to teach children aboutthe joys and importance of readingand giving.

    Kids have big hearts, andnowhere is that more evidentthan when children help childrenthrough the Classrooms Careprogram, said Judy Newman,President of Scholastic BookClubs. Classes around thecountry are reading 100 bookseach. When they meet that goal,the Mannings, Scholastic, andour charity partners will put one

    million books into the hands of theneediest children. The kids in theChildrens Garden School get tosee rsthand that their efforts canmake the world a better place,Newman explained.

    The Classrooms Care readingproject has helped us demonstrateour spirit of service, while alsofostering a passion for reading inour kids, said Barbara Keenan,

    lead teacher of the schools four year old class.

    Since its launch in 2001,Scholastics Classrooms Careinitiative has enriched the livesof over 36 million childrennationwide. More than 27,114,000students from over 1,084,500

    classrooms have participatedin Classrooms Care activities,resulting in the donation of overnine million books to childrenin need. Across South Carolina,approximately 36,000 books havebeen read through the project this

    year, with a national tally of over5.1 million books read during the2009 campaign.

    The four year old class of the Childrens Garden School,taught by Barbara Keenan andSandra Boyd, includes studentsRaymond Berryhill, ConnorBranham, Sam Bumgarner,Benjamin Cohen, Havilah Cooper,Sam Henshaw, and Raphael Hoyt.

    Mary Colarusso, lead teacher of the three year old class, serves asthe schools director.

    The Childrens Garden Schoolplans to build upon the excitementcreated through the ClassroomsCare project to help encouragereading in children beyond ourborders. Lois Anderson, a founderof the school who continuesto greatly enrich the students

    lives through her remarkableexperiences in third worldphilanthropy, has worked with theCenter for Development in CentralAmerica to match the SullivansIsland preschool with a sisterpreschool in Xiloa, Nicaragua,located in the mountains near the

    capital city of Managua. Nicaraguais one of the poorest nations in theWestern hemisphere, with 75% of its people living below poverty,and almost 50% living in extremepoverty.

    Childrens Garden School

    students donated medicine,school supplies, and toys to itsNicaraguan sister school this fall,and students will hold their rstannual book drive, in additionto its annual Wheel-a-thonfundraiser, to help support theXiloa preschools reading program

    this spring. New and gently usedpreschool books will be collectedby students and sent to Xiloa,

    with a goal of sending 100 booksto match the quantity read by thestudents through ClassroomsCare.

    givin to th im in tionPrOvIDED By THE CHILDrENS GArDEN SCHOOL

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    22 December 18, 2009

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    In Charlestons Trial: Jim Crow Justice,Daniel J. Crooks Jr. and Douglas W. Bostickbring early 20th century Charleston tolife while telling the compelling true story of

    Jewish merchant Max Lubelskys murder and

    the highly controversial trial which followed.On June 21, 1910, Max Lubelsky wasmurdered in his clothing store at 543 KingStreet. There were no eyewitnesses to thecrime, but fellow businessowners testi ed to seeingan African Americanloitering in front of Mr.Lubelskys store earlierthat morning.

    In a racially chargedCharleston, the blame

    was shouldered by thecitys black population.A litany of suspects werequestioned and held

    and ultimately releasedbecause of lack of evidence.

    Two weeks after themurder, Mr. Lubelsky's

    widow was shockinglyaccosted in the familystore. Daniel Duncan, a

    black man who was a baker's protg andscheduled to be married the following week,

    was making his way home from work when he was tackled by several citizens who believedhe was responsible for the crime.

    And thats when Charlestons Trial becomestruly unnerving. Mr. Duncan is immediatelycharged with Mrs. Lubelskys assault and Mr.Lubelskys murder, despite a complete lack of

    concrete evidence betweenthe two crimes. Theevidence the prosecutionpresents is almost purelycircumstantial. Witnesses

    who purport to seeingand conversing with Mr.Duncan on the day of themurder fail to mentionhis glaringly obviousspeech impediment. The

    judgment was made

    before the trial evenbegan: Mr. Duncan would be the fall man fora horrible crime that hadno real suspects.

    After a highly publicizedtrial, Mr. Duncan wassentenced to death by

    hanging. His last words were: I will notdie with a lie on my lips, I am an innocentman.

    One will not look at downtown Charlestonthe same after reading Charlestons Trial. The

    sidewalks of upper King Street are where Mr.Duncan was pegged as a scapegoat. Furtherdown King Street, the gallows rose at LineStreet; one of three sites in theCcity for thepreferred form of execution during the early1900s.

    And down at the Battery, one sees theooding damage that a generation of African-

    American Charlestonians believe the ghost of Daniel Duncan wrought with the Hurricaneof 1911; Duncans retribution for a wrongfulconviction.

    Unlike many historical accounts,Charlestons Trial is engaging and accessible.Even the excerpts of the trial read like acall-and-response dialogue, fast-paced

    and exciting. Both history buffs and thosehesitant because of the subject matter shouldquickly nish the book, but come away witheye-opening knowledge of a small piece of Charlestons not-so-pleasant history.

    Charlestons Trial is available at local bookstores, as well as through The History Press (historypress.net) and Amazon.com.

    Ch rl ton Tr il: Jim Crow Ju ticwHAT THEy DONT TELL yOu ON CArrIAGE rIDES

    By DyLAN SHArEK

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    Sullivans IslandBusiness District Directory

    Island G allery2214 Middle Street

    882-8005always showing multiple artists and mediums

    Carl B. Hubbard

    Member of the National Associationof Consumer Advocates

    882-81302201 Middle St, Suite [email protected]

    Attorney at Law dEBt harrassmEnt ~ CrEdit rEport Errors

    CrEdit dEnials ~ CrEdit privaCy invasionidEntity thEft ~ unfair Bills & ChargEs

    dEBt CollECtion laWsuit dEfEnsE

    Sullivans

    883-3222 2019 Middle St

    t en d OllAr g ift c ertificAte

    Family owned and operated for 20 years

    $10$10

    5-9PM ONLY. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

    Minimum $25 food purchase. Dine in only. 18% gratuity added before discount. Expires April 30, 2010.

    883-9646 2213 Middle St

    Dunleavys Pub

    h Appyh OlidAys

    883-9452 2063 Middle St

    Join us for Locals-Only Specials this fall and winter. Walk-ins always

    welcome in the dining room or on Sul-livans only enclosed and heated deck!

    883-5030

    w w w .S e e l S F i S h C a mp . C o m

    Mon-Thurs : Lunch & Dinner 11am -10pm Sat-Sun : Brunch 8am - 2pmand Lunch & Dinner 11am - 10pm

    883-00832210 Middle Street

    BurgersFish Tacos

    20 draft beers

    793-40552213 Middle St

    Here to start your dayand wine you down

    Owned and Operated bySullivans Island Residents

    Laurie and Dawn Ulmer

    883-9101 2205 Middle Steet

    Now offeringKeratin Complex Smoothing Therapy

    Beauty and the Beach

    hair salon

    Gina RoweJulie Nestler

    Sullivans

    S ullivans Restaurant wishes to thank all of our loyalcustomers and neighbors for twenty one years of great support. When we opened in 1988, we had noidea how many friends would come through our front door.Can you imagine how many shrimp have been served inour restaurant over the years? Sullivans Island is a greattown and we feel very fortunate to be a part of the islandcommunity. We have been a family-run business from dayone and will continue to be for years to come. Very seldom

    will you nd the restaurant open and one of our familymembers not present. If you are one of our loyal customers,again, we want to thank you for your business. If you havenot had the chance to enjoy our great food or havent beenby in a while, come see us! We have great food at greatprices. Come on Sunday for brunch and meet our mom.

    We love the restaurant business. Remember: Family is oursecret ingredient.

    Dont forget, our t-shirts makegreat Christmas gifts!

    883-3222

    2019 Middle St

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    26 December 18, 2009

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    Sunrise Presbyterian Church 3222 Middle Street Sullivan's Island, SC 29482 883-3888 sunrisepcusa.org

    Sunday, December 20: 5 7pm Live Nativity! Showsevery half hour.

    Christmas Eve service:4pm - family service7pm Candlelight service

    Isle of Palms Baptist 14 - 24th Avenue Isle of Palms, SC 29451886-6762 iopbaptistchurch.com

    Christmas Eve service : 7pm

    St. Marks Lutheran 300 Palm Boulevard Isle of Palms, SC 29451886-8557

    Blue Christmas Service :5:30pm(For those who are out of

    work, suffering from an illnessor a loss, or would be morecomfortable with a subdued,meditative Christmas service.)

    Christmas Eve service :5:30pm, Candlelight serviceChristmas Day:8am Worship

    Stella Maris Catholic 1204 Middle Street Sullivan's Island, SC 29482 883-3108 www.catholic-doc.org/stellamaris

    Christmas Eve mass :5pm Vigil Mass7pm Traditional Latin HighMass12am - Midnight TraditionalLatin Mass

    Christmas Day service :8:30am Mass10:30am - Childrens Mass

    Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal 2520 Middle Street Sullivan's Island, SC 29482 883-3586 www.holycross.net

    Sunday, December 20 :11am - Lessons and Carols4pm - Christmas Pageant in theGreat Hall

    Christmas Eve services :4pm Children's Family Service5pm Contemporary Service7pm Traditional Service11pm Traditional Service Christmas Day service :10am Traditional worshipService

    Sullivans Island Baptist Church 1753 Middle Street Sullivans Island, SC 29482 883-3601www.sibc.us

    Christmas Eve Christmascelebration : 5:30pm

    First United Methodist 12 - 21st Avenue Isle of Palms, SC 29451886-6610 iopmethodist.com

    Christmas Eve services :3pm Family/Children Service

    with Holy Communion5pm Festival Worship withcandlelight & Communion9pm Festival Worship withcandlelight & Communion

    Sunday, December 27 :10:45am Moravian Love Feast one service only

    O ne of the most common phrases uttered while walking througha thicket of this plant is, Wait a minute, Im caught. Thatgives us one common name for this group of plants: the wait-a-minute vine (Blaspheme-vine is another name, usually saved for

    a related, but separate species which forms the baddest, meanest,most prickly patches). This plant comes from a group of species that are related to the

    lily family. Counted together as a genus, there are nearly 400 species worldwide, mostly in the tropics, but about 20 grow well into temperateNorth America. These species may be evergreen or deciduous, woodyor herbaceous, and most of them are vines. Some species are denselyarmed with prickles, while others are smooth and sticker-free. Mostof the species are perennials, and some of these arise from massiverhizomes. Some of the species are edible, and their tender stem tipsin the spring have been eaten as a wild sort of asparagus.

    Our Mystery Plant is a species widespread in eastern North America,from New England into the Great Plains, and down south throughall the southern states. It is no shrinking violet. It is tough as nails,usually well-armed with stout prickles. The vines are woody, oftenclimbing high into trees, or over shrubbery (Thin tendrils at the leaf bases make this possible). Its tender foliage appears in the spring,becoming tough and leathery as the leaves age. Being deciduous, theleaves fall away, but even at this time of year you can sometimes nda plant holding onto i ts brilliant red leaves. The early-summer owersare small and green-yellow, individually star-shaped, and somewhatsmelly. The berries of this plant are rst green, then attractively shinyand purplish-black. They are prized as food for a number of wildlifespecies. All of the species in this genus will form eshy berries.Depending on the species, the ripe berries will be dark, like on thisone, or bright red.

    Because of its thorny nature and tendency to climb and formthickets, the members of this genus are usually unwelcome ingardens... and their massive rhizomes can be a real chore to dig out.On the other hand, in places where they can grow freely, these plantscan provide plenty of fall color (foliage and fruits), and are a goodsource of food and cover for many of the birds and critters.

    Nature note: we botanists say there is a big difference betweena prickle and a thorn. A prickle is an outgrowth of the plants

    epidermis, andcan usually bepopped off thesurface of astem, like on arose. A thorn isa modi ed stem,and containsvascular tissues.Of course, the

    word stickercomes in handyin order to coverthe bases.

    John Nelson is the curator of

    the Herbarium at the University of South Carolina. As a

    public service,the Herbarium offers free plant identi cations.For more information, visit www.herbarium.org or call 803- 777-8196.

    My t ry l nt A S T I C K y T H I C K E T

    By Dr. jOHN NELSON

    PHOTO By LINDA LEE

    [ A n s w e r : C a t b r i e r , G r e e n b r i e r , S m i l a x r o t u n d i f o l i a ]

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    With the chilly weather quicklymoving in you might think that share nowhere to be found, but its adifferent story below the waves. It takes along time for our local waters to completelycool off from the scorching days of August.

    Water temperatures are now in the low 60sand will drop modestly into the high 50s bythe end of the month. December can be a veryhospitable month for both trout and red sh.

    This crisp weather, with its occasionalcold snaps, really turns on the trout. Prettymuch all tactics are working for trout: botharti cials and live bait are working as thetrout are feeding aggressively. This is a greattime of year to get your young sherman (or

    sherwoman) hooked on shing.For the trout, we are using 3" D.O.A. plastic

    shrimp underneath a popping cork and it isa great setup. These shrimp come in a wideassortment of colors ranging from realisticlighter tones to bright attractor colors. Ive

    found the best success comes from using theGlow color, which is basically white, as wellas their Glitter colors which are translucentand lled with glitter. To me, these colors bestrepresent what a live shrimp would look like.

    The Fiji Chicken color has become popularthis season and is quite effective. Thesearti cial shrimp already have weights insidetheir bodies, with the oz. weight being themost common. The weight makes the lure fall

    naturally into the water. Dont be afraid tochange the length of your leader as trout maysit in different parts of the water column.

    One of the most interesting phenomenathat occur when winter begins is the largeschools of red sh that begin to form on the

    ats. They will develop these giant schoolsand stay in them throughout the winter. Theybunch together as a means of protection frompredators, namely bottlenose dolphins. As aresult, these schools are quite skittish andspook easily. One of the best tactics is tolocate a school and setup nearby while

    waiting for the sh to eventually comeclose to the boat. Live bait, especiallychunks of blue crab, work very well whenallowed to sit on the bottom. Red sh willhappily devour these offerings!

    The water is also becoming quite clearas the vegetation that was present inthe summer has cleared out. Fly shingis simply terri c as we stalk these big

    schools of red sh on the ats. The waterclarity allows you to spot red sh fromquite a distance. It is an awesome sightto see literally hundreds of sh balled uptogether in one spot. Watching the watererupt and boil when you hook into one

    sh is an experience like no other.

    See you on the water!Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston

    Charter Fishing providing y shing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of y rods, arti cial and live bait shing options with charters tailored to their desires.USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable

    charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages.For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharter shing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharter shing.com.

    Th w th r out id i trout-fulD E C E M B E r F I S H I N G r E P O r T

    By CAPTAIN GEOFF BENNETT

    A recent catch on one of Capt Bennett's charters.

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