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PERMIT NO 437
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Volume 9 Issue 8

July 31, 2015

FREE

TO VICTORY
The Bob Bell Charleston Summer Classic Horse Show took place at the Mullet Hall Equestrian Center earlier this month. The
show, which ran from July 7 to 18 on Johns Island, is one of the largest AA-rated shows in the Carolinas and featured two
Grand Prix on Friday evenings, in addition to the regular roster of hunter, jumper and equitation events.

Mayor Address Audit

Page 2

Turtle Inventories

Page 6

PHOTOS BY RALPH SECOY

Art for Children

Page 13

July 31, 2015

civic

Lynn Pierotti
publisher
lynn@luckydognews.com
Jennifer Tuohy
managing editor
jennifer@luckydognews.com
Swan Richards
senior graphic designer
swan@luckydognews.com
Lori McGee
sales manager
lori@luckydognews.com
Alejandro Ferreyros
graphic designer
alejandro@luckydognews.com
Ralph Secoy
contributing photographer
Staff Writer
Gregg Bragg
Contributors
Maria Gurovich
Wendy Kulick
Sarah Reynolds
Gary Fansler
Teri Hinkebein
Chad Kelley
Geoff Bennett
Carol Antman
Kate Dittloff
Maria Gurovich
Bob Hooper

Published by
Lucky Dog Publishing
of South Carolina, LLC
P.O. Box 837
Sullivans Island, SC 29482
843-886-NEWS
Future deadlines: August 5
for submissions for the
August 14 Issue
Op-Ed articles and letters to the editor do not
necessarily reflect the opinion of
Lucky Dog News or its writers.

The Island
Connection

Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC

Publishers of Island Eye News,
The Island Connection,
The Folly Current

Treasurer, Administrator received

unauthorized payments totaling
$125,000, forensic audit says
K I AWA H H A S C O N TA C T E D U . S . AT T O R N E Y S
O F F I C E A F T E R E V I D E N C E O F M A N I P U L AT E D W 2 S ,
MISUSE OF TOWN CREDIT CARDS DISCOVERED
BY JENNIFER TUOHY & GREGG BRAGG
The Island Connection Editor & Staff Writer

ver $200,000 of Town of Kiawah

money has been dispersed in
unauthorized payments to town
staff members, according to a forensic
audit report recently completed by Dixon
Hughes and Goodman. The report found
the payments, made over the last three
years, came in the form of excess payroll
disbursement, cash withdrawals and
personal expenses on Town credit cards.
Mayor Lipuma announced these findings
to a packed town hall on July 16, 2015. He
said no charges had been filed against the
two former employees who between them
received the lion's share of the monies.
Lipuma went on to say the case had been
referred to the U.S. Attorneys Office.
Lauren Williams, attorney to former
TOKI town administrator Tumiko Rucker,
whom the report alleges received $48,170,
told The Island Connection in an email
that she will strenuously defend Ms. Rucker
against the Town's allegations.
Although I have strongly and repeatedly
cautioned the Town of Kiawah against
publicly or otherwise levying allegations of
misconduct against Ms. Rucker without
allowing our input or access to records,
here we are. The Town has now recklessly
smeared her, and frankly, I look forward to
this fight to clear her good name.
Tim Kulp, attorney for former Town
treasurer Kenneth Gunnells, whom the
audit alleges received $77,812, did not issue
a comment in time for this article, but did

tell The Post & Courier the following in an

article published July 17:
The Town of Kiawah Island should
be careful and cautious when making
accusations of any misconduct on the part
of Mr. Gunnells, Kulp said. Several town
employees benefited from pay advances
which were mostly repaid. The mayor
concedes this in his remarks Thursday. The
town continues to employ some of these
persons and is accepting their repayments.
The report does mention four other town
employees as receiving payments totaling
$80,000 above their salaries between 2013
and 2014. However, the audit does not
name them and implies those employees
were not involved in the over payments.
Mayor Lipuma said those employees are in
the process of paying back the monies.
Mr. Gunnells did not violate any town
policy or rule and had no intent to steal
anything when, as did others, he participated
in the advanced pay and repayment
process, Kulp told The Post & Courier.
Surely the town auditors were aware of this
documented advance system and voiced
no complaints to anyone after their careful
review of the Towns financial records over
the years. When the Town provides all the
records we will be requesting, we will be
able to clearly document this position.
Timeline of Events
How did over $200,000 of town money
manage to find its way into the pockets of
town employees over and above their agreed

Civic Calendar
Tue, August 4
Kiawah Town Council
Meeting
Council Chambers,
Kiawah Town Hall
2-4 p.m.

Wed, August 5
Planning Commission
Meeting
Kiawah Town Hall
3-5 p.m.
Seabrook Planning
Commission Work
Session
2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

Thurs, August 6
Arts & Cultural
Events Council

Kiawah Town Hall

3-5 p.m.

Tues, August 11
Communications
Committee Meeting
Kiawah Town Hall
3-5 p.m.

Wed, August 12
Public Safety
Committee Meeting
Kiawah Town Hall
2-4 p.m.
Seabrook Planning
Commission
Regular Meeting
2:30 p.m.

Thursday, Aug 13
Municipal Center

Committee
Kiawah Town Hall
1-3 p.m.

Monday, Aug 17
Board of Zoning and
Appeals
Kiawah Town Hall
4-5 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug 25
Ways and Means
Committee Meeting
Kiawah Town Hall
2-4 p.m.

salaries? At the special Town Council

meeting on July 16, 2015 Kiawah Mayor
Charles Lipuma attempted to explain the
events that led up to this point and detailed
what the audit found that warranted this
public denouncement of two long-time
town employees.
On April 15, 2015 I sat down with [Town
Administrator] Ms. Rucker and advised
her the Town would not be renewing her
employment contract, which was due to run
its course on Sept. 30. At that time no one
on council was aware of any other activities,
Rucker had seemingly served the Town well
during her almost 10 years here.
When asked in an interview with The
Island Connection why the contract was not
going to be renewed at that point, Mayor
Lipuma responded:
She had a very generous employment
contract and there was a feeling that we
should let that run its term. She previously
had resigned and then decided she wasnt
going to resign. We kind of felt like we
will have fulfilled our obligation under
the contract and lets now bring in a new
administrator and we will go from there.
Rucker then made a decision to resign
prior to her contract expiring and gave her
required notice advising town that her last
day would be June 20, 2015.
On May 20 a member of Town staff
approached a member of Town Council
and alerted that member to apparent
financial improprieties, Lipuma continued

K iawah Island Town H all

21 Beachwalker Drive
Kiawah Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9166
Fax: 768-4764
Seabrook Island Town H all
2001 Seabrook Island Road
Seabrook Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9121
Fax: 768-9830
Email: lmanning@townofseabrookisland.org
Johns Island Council
Meetings are held at the Berkeley Electric
Co-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, Johns
Island.
Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113

Charleston County Council

4045 Bridge View Dr, N. Charleston
Thursday, Aug 27 958-4700t
Municipal Center
City of Charleston
Committee
75 Calhoun St.
Kiawah Town Hall
724-3745
1 p.m.

July 31, 2015

civic

at the council meeting. I was on vacation at

that time. I then met with this employee to
discuss these allegations. They said we need
to look into use of Town credit cards and the
Town employee pay system. This employee
had not come forward before for fear of
losing their job.
After hearing this information and the
allegations for the first time, Town Council
agreed to take swift action [during a May
21 executive session], this included securing
the Towns online systems and hiring a
forensic account. I spoke with Ms. Rucker
and advised her that she would be put on
administrative leave during the financial
review or until the end of her employment.
She remained very professional, but did alert
me that she had taken loans from the Town
with a balance of about $5,000 to $6,000.
After speaking with Ms. Rucker I
contacted Mr. Gunnells [Kenneth Gunnells,
the Towns treasurer] and advised him that
there were financial investigations being
conducted and he immediately alerted me
to the fact he had loans for $12,900 from
the Town and he planned to pay them back.
As we sat there he stood up, pulled out a
yellow post it note and wrote, signed and
dated his resignation on the spot.
Subsequently the financial investigator
found no details of any loans. Furthermore
the Town is not in the business of providing
loans. Neither the mayor nor council have
approved any employee loans during my
time here.
We immediately cut off access to their
Town credit cards, cellphone, email, obtained
keys, laptops and cut off access to all Town
systems. The next day, May 22, a letter was
sent to Gunnells confirming administrative
leave and accepting his resignation. The
Town then hired accounting firm Dixon
Hughes and Goodman.
The forensic accountant concluded
that two Town employees, former Town
Treasurer Kenneth Gunnells and former
Town Administrator Tumiko Rucker were
paid compensation over and above their
authorized salaries between May 2013 and
2015.
The review further concluded the
manipulation of the Towns payroll system
and the manipulation of W-2 tax documents
in an effort to cover up the excess payments,
and that in addition to not disclosing the
additional payments, steps were taken to
conceal and omit those payments.
In 2013, $26,069 was disbursed to
Mr. Gunnells over and above his salary.
According to the review Ms. Rucker had
no excess pay. Between January 2014 and
December 2014, a total of $36,617 was
disbursed to Ms. Rucker over and above
her salary and $35,564 to Mr. Gunnells.
Between January 2015 and now, a total of
$11,553 was disbursed to Ms. Rucker and
$16,179 to Gunnells. The total amount of
these dispersal is approximately $125,000
and basically describes the findings of the
forensic report.
This situation made clear that there
are additional safeguards and checks and
balances that need to be put in place. We
have identified several key areas of change to
ensure the Town is paid back and to ensure
this doesnt happen again. We are working
with Town insurance provider to recover
as much of the money as possible. Were in
the process of replacing our auditor. While
theres is no finding of any impropriety there
we believe it is prudent to change auditors
on a regular basis, we have an RFP out to
that effect. Additionally, Fiscal Year 2012/
2013 and 2013/14 were clean opinions for
the Town, but even so we are changing our

audit procedures.
We have also signed a contract with a
new payroll provider, although there was
no finding of any impropriety with the
previous one, and are going forward with a
new system equipped with additional checks
and balances. The forensic review revealed
Gunnells was able to manipulate the W2s so
they did not reflect the overpayment
Additionally four salaried employees
received a total of $80,000 above their
salaries between 2013 and 2014, but there is
no evidence reported that those employees
were involved in the over payments. We
have met with each one and will work with
them to recover the funds.
We are also changing our policy on
Town credit cards. We reduced the number
and are restricting their use, plus will have
regular review of credit card use throughout
the year. We are hiring a new treasurer and
Town Administrator who will help us work
to examine all of our critical financial and
human resource policies and procedures,
strengthen our safeguards, checks and
balances and provide proper oversight.
We want to let all members of our
community know that we will work with
the U.S. Attorney to make sure that any
warranted criminal charges are prosecuted
to the full extent of the law.
As Mayor and on behalf of the Town
Council I can say we sincerely regret that
this has taken place. On a positive note,
our focus will be on implementing the
safeguards to ensure this cant happen
again.
When The Island Connection asked how
the Town Council was responding to these
revelations, Lipuma said that they were all
feeling a little tired.
Weve been working very hard working
up safeguards and all of us on council have
effectively had to jump in and become the
administrator and the treasurer, Lipuma
said.
He went on to say that while the Town is
currently understaffed, the important work
is getting done.
Fiscal year-end is June 30,
councilmember John Wilson said. We have
a professional accountant in on a temporary
basis helping out with what is a laborious
process given the issues weve discovered.
We are blessed in having a really great mayor
and councilmen and women. The way
theyve just jumped in to pick up behind a
departing administrator and treasurer, and I
think the staff is very appreciative.
The Town is now looking forward and
actively seeking replacements for the two
key positions and continuing full speed
ahead on the building of a new municipal
campus, the process of which is still on
schedule, according to the mayor.

July 31, 2015

July 31, 2015

fundraising

daily

Pens and paper

go a long way

Yes we can!

ISLANDERS NEEDED TO
S U P P O R T M T. Z I O N S T U D E N T S
BY WENDY KULICK

For The Island Connection

school uniforms (red or white shirts

and khaki or navy pants)
scissors, both blunt- and pointedtipped
crayons, 24 pack
construction paper and art supplies
black & white composition books
glue sticks and bottles of glue
two-pocket, three-pronged folders
both plastic and paper
individual pencil sharpeners and
erasers
Contrary to what you might think, this is
not a list of supplies the Charleston County
School District provides to its teachers.
These are just some of the items purchased
over the last few years for students and
teachers at Mt. Zion Elementary School
through the generosity of property owners
on Kiawah, Seabrook, and Johns Islands.
In light of the needs of Mt. Zion students,
we are again asking for your support. Please
consider donating any of the supplies listed
above or make a monetary donation and
let us do the shopping for you. We will
use funds received to purchase supplies
and uniforms as needed throughout the
school year, and we hope to raise enough
to be able to continue to provide necessary
teaching supplies. Your support goes even
further if we receive your donations before
the states tax-free weekend, which begins
this year on August 7.
Please make your check payable to
Support Mt. Zion Kids and mail it to
Wendy Kulick at 38 Marsh Edge Lane,
Kiawah Island, SC 29455. Alternatively,
you may leave donated school supplies on
the front porch of the Kulick residence.
Please be sure to include your name and
address with supplies if no one is home
when you deliver them. If you live on
Seabrook, please leave donated supplies
with Elaine Davis at 1022 Crooked Oak
Lane. If you have any questions, contact
Wendy at 843.768.7466 or via e-mail

wkulick@bellsouth.net.
Another way we can help the students
at Mt. Zion is by shopping at various
participating stores. This program works
no matter where you live. Just remember
to ask your cashier at Harris Teeter to enter
the school number 3455 into the register
when you use your VIC card. By doing this,
a portion of what you spend is donated to
Mt. Zion Elementary each time you shop
and purchase Together in Education
items. If you have an Office Depot credit
card, please ask the sales associate at the
register to credit Mt. Zion Elementary
(school ID# 70090775). The school will
receive 5 percent of any purchases you make
all year long. Staples also has a rewards
program, which can be used for purchases.
Finally, if you have a Target credit card, you
can register on the Target web site for Mt.
Zion Elementary. These businesses donate a
portion of sales dollars to local schools.
In addition to the school supplies we
donate to Mt. Zion students, Kiawah,
Seabrook and Johns Islanders have provided
more than 1,000 classroom volunteer
hours for more than 15 years. You need
not have teaching experience to volunteer,
only a willingness to help the students
in our local schools. This assistance may
be for an hour, a week, or an entire day;
however much time you can give will be
appreciated by the Mt. Zion students and
their teachers. Just talk to your friends and
neighbors who have donated their time
and they will tell you how rewarding an
experience it is! If you are interested in
helping out in the classroom, mentoring
a student, tutoring students or reading to
classes, please contact one of the Volunteer
Coordinators for Mt. Zion, either Donna
Moulton at donna.moulton@gmail.com or
Elaine Davis at ebdavis@comcast.net.
On behalf of the entire Mt. Zion family,
thank you in advance for your generous
support.

Yes I Can campers at Bohicket Marina.

BY MARIA GUROVICH
For The Island Connection

he children who attend the Yes, I

can! summer camp at Our Lady
of Mercy Community Outreach
have had a very exciting day as they
participated in the "Kids Fishing Derby"
at the Bohicket Marina on Wednesday,
July 22. The children were able to
participate in the fishing tournament
thanks to two generous sponsors: Mary

Romero who, through her company, The

Kiawah Pretzel, paid for the bus, which
provided transportation to the Bohicket
Marina and Todd Gerhart, the owner of
the Ice Cream Boat Cafe, who covered the
children's fees for the event. The children
had a wonderful time! They toured the
fisheries, fished and got to enjoy a fun day
by the water.

July 31, 2015

wildlife

Turtle nest inventories

make for busy beach days

uring each sea turtle hatching

season the nearly 150 members of
the Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol
perform their tasks in relative obscurity.
Before most of us are out of bed in the
morning, theyre out walking the beach
looking for signs of a sea turtle laying a
nest, then working tirelessly to locate
each nest and installing the protective
equipment that marks and protects the

July 31, 2015

arts & events

whats hot

Seabrook Island Artists'

Guild Artists of August

August is Eye
Safety month
BY CHAD KELLEY

BY GARY FANSLER AND TERI HINKEBEIN

For The Island Connection

For The Island Connection

PHOTO BY BILL NELSON

nest. In contrast, one of the more public

activities of the Turtle Patrol is the Nest
Inventory that takes place after each nest
has hatched.
The inventories have three major
purposes:
1. Gathering statistics for the South
Carolina Department of Natural
Resources;
2. Facilitating the trek from the nest

to the sea for live hatchlings and

3. Educating the large crowds that
come to the inventories in the
hope of seeing the hatchlings.
At first glance, this all sounds pretty
simple but the reality is a bit more
complex. Each of the three categories
requires a coordinated effort by several
members of the Turtle Patrol.
Lets start with the nest itself. To start
the inventory, a team of 2 or 3 people
removes all of the protective equipment
from the nest and moves it to the Turtle
Patrol truck to be stored for future use.
On the nest itself there are multiple
functions to perform. Digging the nest
by carefully removing the shells, sand and
hatchlings from the nest. As this occurs
the Counters are accumulating the
data regarding empty shells, unhatched
shells and dead and live hatchlings. This
information is then documented by the
Scribes who complete the reporting
forms for the DNR.
The next series of activities takes
place if and when live hatchlings are
encountered. At this point the Hatchling
Transfer Team rinses the hatchlings and
transports them to the secured walkway
established by the Security Team.
The Security Team is tasked with
maintaining security at the nest and in
the hatchling walkway. This no simple
task given that the inventories are often
attended by upwards of 100 excited
spectators. Through the use of ropes and
friendly but firm guidance the nest area
and walkway are kept clear so the nest
workers and hatchlings can complete their
respective tasks.
While all this is going on a team of
Educators are providing information
about sea turtles and the various functions
of the Turtle Patrol to the spectators.
This critical function not only provides
information but is critical in furthering
the cause of protecting the sea turtles.
This entire inventory process is
handled by a team of about 30 volunteers
at each inventory. In order for this to work

smoothly the Inventory Team members

must all perform their assigned tasks in
an efficient and coordinated fashion.
Terry Fansler, who is the Inventory Team
Leader said, Im consistently pleased
and, honestly, somewhat amazed at the
dedication and team spirit shown by the
Inventory Team. Pulling this all together
is no easy task, yet they seem to find a
way to make it work every time. Im very
proud of our team.
There are also several things each of us
can do to protect sea turtle hatchlings and
help them with their journey to the sea:
1. Remove all your trash from the
beach every day. Plastic looks like
food to sea turtles.
2. Fill all holes you dig on the beach
when you leave. Mama turtles can
fall into holes when they come
onto the beach to lay their nests.
3. Never walk around in the dunes.
Nest are very delicate and you
can step in the middle of them.
Encourage visitors to never walk
around in the dunes, especially at
night.
4. Only use red flashlights on the
beach at night. As hatchlings
emerge, they travel to the light,
usually the moon. But, if regular
flashlights are used, hatchlings
may travel away from the sea
and die. Red flashlight covers are
available at every turtle inventory.
5. Never "hover" over nests at night
waiting for hatchlings to emerge.
If you are on the beach and see
hatchlings emerge, never pick
them up and take them to the
ocean. Hatchlings need to walk to
the sea to strengthen their flippers
to be able to swim.
The inventory schedule is published
on the Seabrook Island Turtle Patrol web
site siturtlepatrol.com. Hopefully, next
time you attend an inventory youll have a
better feel for the intricacies of the process
and maybe even see hatchlings begin their
journey.

August Artist of the Month

Tina Mayland
Tina Mayland is a native Charlestonian
for whom the Lowcountry of South
Carolina is as close to paradise as any
place on earth. Returning home after 30
years of a high-tech career in marketing,
she began her encore career as a fulltime artist. Tina explains her motivation
to become a painter. My grandparents
owned a plantation on Wadmalaw Island,
just outside of Charleston. As a child, I
built tree forts in live oak trees, played in
the pluff mud of the marshes, and galloped
my horse through Lowcountry forests.
Capturing the essence of that landscape
in my art is a way of recapturing the joys
of my youth.
Tina serves on the Board of Directors
of the Charleston Artist Guild and is a
member of the Seabrook Island Artist
Guild. She has studied oils and pastels
domestically and in France, England,
Italy and the Caribbean under numerous
regionally and nationally known artists.
Her artwork is represented locally
by the Wells Gallery at The Sanctuary
on Kiawah Island and by Spencer Art
Gallery. Tina is the exclusive teacher of
oil painting lessons for Kiawah Island
Golf Resort, and the author of The Six
Commandments of Painting: The ShaltNots That Will Save Your Artwork.

August Photographer of the

Month

Valerie Doane
In February of this year my husband
and I had the privilege of visiting the
Galapagos Islands, a long awaited
destination on our ever growing bucket
list.
After packing summer clothing,
expedition gear, two cameras, a multitude
of lenses, and a lot of enthusiasm, we were
bound for the Galapagos Islands. We were
excited to witness first-hand, photograph
and learn about Galapagos unique and
renowned wildlife.
We found a tremendous variety and
abundance of friendly wildlife within
the Galapagos Islands Archipelago.
And, observation of the wildlife at close
range was entirely possible as they have
no natural fear of humans. It was truly
magical.
Please stop by the Lake House during
the month of August so I may share with
you a photographic sampling of these
most extraordinary creatures.
To learn more about the Seabrook
Island Artist Guild, events, workshops
and membership visit the website at www.
seabrookislandartistguild.com

ugust is Eye Health and Safety

Month. Many of us take our sight
for granted, especially when we are
young. Personally, I have had many close
calls when I was younger and have a cousin
who is blind in one eye from another kid
throwing a rock. Each year, 12 million
children have a vision impairment and
42,000 sports related eye injuries.
Here are some tips to follow to protect
your eyes:
1. Wear safety glasses or goggles
when there is a possibility of flying
objects or debris. This includes
working with power tools, yard
work, shooting, riding bikes or
motorcycles.
2. Purchase sunglasses with impact
protection
3. Purchase polarized sunglasses
4. Do not wear prescription glasses
that were not prescribed to you
5. Never attempt to remove debris
from the eye
6. Never attempt to remove an

impaled object from the eye

7. Never apply medication to the eye
without a doctor's order
8. Do not rub or touch the injured
eye
9. If a chemical is in the eye flush
with clear water
10. For all eye injuries seek medical
attention
Your vision is the sense most of us
depend on most.protect it.
As always if you have any questions,
would like a representative to come to
your organization or business to speak, or
need a smoke alarm installed feel free to
contact the St. Johns Fire District, Fire
Prevention Division.
Source: Friends for Sight and HAP.org

July 31, 2015

July 31, 2015

daily

on the water

Charleston County People to

Parks plan comes to fruition

Beat the heat to

catch the fish

PUBLIC CALLED TO COMPLETE

W I K I M A P P I N G S U R V E Y B Y J U LY 3 1

BY GEOFF BENNETT
For The Island Connection

BY SARAH REYNOLDS
For The Island Connection

county-wide bike and pedestrian

improvements plan in development
since 2012 is now moving into its
final phase. At this stage, area residents
are encouraged to submit input towards
an existing facilities satisfaction survey as
well as a web-based wiki-mapping survey
that will highlight potential bike and
pedestrian routes.
The Charleston County Park and
Recreation Commission teamed up with
representatives from the Town of Mount
Pleasant, the City of North Charleston,
the City of Charleston, Charleston
Moves, Charleston County, and BerkeleyCharleston-Dorchester
Council
of
Governments to put the finishing touches
on the Charleston County People to Parks
Plan, or P2P.
The plan started in 2012 during
CCPRCs
development
of
its
comprehensive Parks, Recreation, Open
Space, and Trails Plan. As CCPRC now
has over 10,000 acres of parkland, the
PROST Plan was intended to guide the
development of parks and programs
based on the future recreational needs of
Charleston County residents.
The national bike and pedestrian
planning firm Alta Planning, who
consulted on route analysis for the
PROST Plan, also leads the objective bike/
pedestrian route prioritization process
for this current, more detailed planning
effort.
P2P and its public input process will
identify safe routes for on-street bikeways
and separated bike and pedestrian paths.
As its name suggests, the goal of this
project is to connect people to parks--be
it from school, home, work--by foot or
by bike. CCPRC staff members would
like to receive as much public input as
possible from the residents of Charleston
County as well as surrounding areas, with
a randomly selected contributor receiving
a free Gold Pass for their efforts.
Were trying to build on the great local

bike routes and bike-pedestrian plans

already in place, while also recognizing
gaps in that existing infrastructure, said
CCPRC Land Resource Manager Matt
Moldenhauer.
"P2P will propose a basic crosscounty network of bike and pedestrian
facilities that future community-level
improvements,
CCPRC
Executive
Director Tom ORourke adds. We,
with our planning partners, think that
individuals and families should feel safe
walking or riding their bikes to their parks.
The infrastructure doesnt currently exist
in many parts of our region, and funding
for these amenities is limited.
Communities
throughout
the
southeast such as Greenville, SC and
Wilmington, NC have similar plans to
improve livability and accessibility for
their residents. This plan is intended to
serve as the road map to guide future
regional bike and pedestrian connections
in the Lowcountry, while also linking
together regional recreational facilities.
Area residents who desire improved
bike and pedestrian facilities should visit
the survey and wiki-map at surveymonkey.
com/r/people2parks. Here the public
can submit feedback on the quality and
availability of existing facilities, and also
draw in preferred destinations and routes.
Map contributors will be able to
review and comment on the routes
mapped by previous respondents. Once
sufficient public input has been received,
representatives from Alta Planning,
CCPRC, Charleston County, and their
planning partners will weigh in and make
further recommendations. The map and
survey will be open through July 31.
For more information on CCPRC, call
843-795-4386 or visit their official website
at charlestoncountyparks.com.

ishing has been very productive

this summer and anglers can expect
more of the same in August. During
this month, it will be important to get
out early or stay out late to beat the heat.
Not only will it be more comfortable to
fish during these times but also the high
temperatures in the afternoon can put the
fish down. Charters at first light have been
meeting with some great success.
Popping corks are a very effective
setup. You have the opportunity to catch
so many different types of fish: redfish,
trout, flounder, ladyfish, shark, etc. Use
a weighted popping cork to increase the
distance of your cast. I tie on an 18"-24"
fluorocarbon leader from the cork to a size
1 circle hook. Mud minnows, shrimp and
artificial shrimp all work well as baits.
Topwater is a fantastic option for trout
when you are starting early. Do your best
to get to your spot just as it is becoming
light. Fish strike topwater lures based on
the commotion they make on the surface
and aren't able to discern that the lure isn't
a real struggling baitfish. These lures will
also catch redfish and ladyfish. Heddon's
Super Spook Jr. lures in chartreuse and
black or red and white are the ticket.

The shark bite may be the most

consistent of all during August as they
dont seem to mind the heat. Weve been
fishing half a blue crab with its shell left on
to keep the bait from being picked apart
by little fish. Large menhaden are also
producing. Make sure you use enough
weight to keep your bait pinned to the
bottom. In the inlets and in the harbor
you may need to go as heavy as four to six
ounces when the current rips.
Fly fishermen will want to continue to
focus their attention on high evening tides
that produce opportunities to stalk tailing
redfish. As always stealth is at a premium
when approaching these fish, so be sure
to move quietly. Spoon flies with a weed
guard work great. When redfish spy your
glittering fly going through the grass,
they'll often charge and attack.
See you on the water!
Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston
Charter Fishing providing light tackle and
fly fishing charters. Visit his website at
www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email
captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

10

July 31, 2015

roadtrips charleston

The Riches of Cherokee,

North Carolina

Jerry Wolfe, Cherokee Nation's "Most Beloved Man" next

to a statue of himself as a younger man.

BY CAROL ANTMAN

For The Island Connection

n 1813, the brave Cherokee leader Junaluska became

a hero. He regretted it forever. Over a hundred Native
Americans were recruited by him to join Andrew
Jacksons fight against the Creek Indians. Junaluska swam
across the Tallapoosa River, took the Creeks canoes and
helped win the battle. Then he made the fateful move that
sealed his peoples future. He saved Andrew Jacksons life.
If I had known that Jackson would drive us from
our homes, I would have killed him that day he later
said. By then hed survived the Trail of Tears, a 2,200
forced march from North Carolina to Oklahoma and
two escapes that finally ended when he walked all the
way home. His lineage continues near Cherokee, N.C.,
a 5 hour drive from Charleston, where many geographic
places bear his name.
His great-great granddaughter-in-law is Faye Junaluska
who perpetuates the Cherokee culture through her work
as a weaver, teacher, elected leader and interpreter. Her
first language was Sequoyah. Surrounded by beautiful
displays at the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual in
Cherokee, NC she told me the story of her childhood.
She and her siblings learned the Cherokee craft of basket
weaving from their grandmother Lydia Squirrel.
You have to go into the woods, find your tree, she
explained. It must be a white oak, walnut, bloodroot or
yellow root tree about ten to twelve years old. You have
to take the whole tree down, split the trunk, quarter
it into sections, split it into strips, scrape it and dye it
using the leaves, roots and bark. Its hard, frustrating

work. Making baskets with grandma, I threw many

across the floor, she remembered. Now her blistered,
calloused hands work competently. The shelves of the
art center contain a multitude of authentic, museumquality creations that provide an antidote to the world of
anonymous, disposable souvenirs.
At the Cherokee Museum nearby, I was greeted by the
striking appearance of Jerry Wolfe. His long grey braid,
cowboy hat, weathered face and beaded bolo necktie
attracted me. In 2013 he was named the Cherokee
nations "Most Beloved Man. It was the first time since
1801 that the title had been bestowed. He was recognized
by museum archivist Bo Taylor who said, Jerry embodies
everything a beloved man should embody. Hes a veteran,
a warrior. Being a veteran carries a lot of weight in our
culture. Hes a man who gets out and does--and he does
for others. Hes selfless.
You might call me an active man, Jerry demurred.
I followed him to the museums centerpiece, a life-size
statue of a young, muscular warrior in ceremonial dress
wearing an antlered helmet and loincloth and holding
aloft a burning ember. Thats me, Jerry said. His
body was cast by the artist decades ago. He stood beside
his younger version for a photo, a telescope of history.
Interactive displays tell the story of the Cherokees from
12,000 years ago to the present by combining computergenerated imagery, special effects, and audio with an
extensive artifact collection. Its done so well that Van
Romans of Walt Disney Imagineering said The Museum

July 31, 2015

roadtrips charleston

Faye Junaluska weaves a basket.

of the Cherokee Indian is revolutionary

in its ability to tell stories and should
be a model to other museums that are
struggling to engage their audience in
their message.
I spent the night at the incongruous
Harrahs Cherokee Casino Resort where
Ahinawake Littledave showed me around
the massive 21-story building.
There are many things to do here,
she said pointing out a state-of-the-art
3,000 seat performance hall being set

up for Jay Leno, the miles of gaming

tables, clanging slot machines, sedate
poker rooms, various table games and
ten on-site food and restaurant choices.
As a full service resort, the property
features a spa, shops, live entertainment
and swimming pools. Ms. Littledave
touted the various ways that the resort
helps the community by using it as a
training ground for tribal members
aspiring to become managers and the
twice yearly profit sharing checks that all
Cherokees receive as well as scholarship,
educational and health funds. An
extensive collection of Cherokee art
adorns the building. A rooftop garden
spills into seven waterfalls representing
the seven clans. Since the casino opened
in 1997, Its a different way of life, she
noted. The occupancy rate runs about
95 percent, drawing people from all over
the Southeast hoping to win big jackpots
like the $200,000 winner Ms. Littledave
saw or to qualify for the World Poker
Tour.
Whether you win jackpots or not,
the enrichment from stopping here
is invaluable. Despite the tragic and
moving history, Cherokee wisdom and
humor seem to endure as in this adage:
When the white man discovered this
country, Indians were running it. No
taxes, no debt, women did all the work.
White man thought he could improve
on a system like this. Cherokee, North
Carolina has lots of stories to tell.

If You Go

Museum of the Cherokee Indian: www.cherokeemuseum.org

Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual: www.quallaartsandcrafts.com
Harrahs Cherokee Casino Resort: www.caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee

Tid e Char t
Date

High Tide

Low Tide

July 31
Aug 01
Aug 02
Aug 03
Aug 04
Aug 05
Aug 06
Aug 07
Aug 08
Aug 09
Aug 10
Aug 11
Aug 12
Aug 13

8:29am/9:09pm
9:22am/9:59pm
10:16am/10:49pm
11:11am/11:41pm
12:07pm
12:34am/1:05pm
1:29am/2:05pm
2:27am/3:06pm
3:27am/4:06pm
4:26am/5:05pm
5:25am/6:00pm
6:20am/6:51pm
7:11am/7:37pm
7:59am/8:20pm

2:31am/2:36pm
3:20am/3:28pm
4:09am/4:21pm
4:58am/5:16pm
5:48am/6:13pm
6:40am/7:12pm
7:34am/8:14pm
8:30am/9:18pm
9:29am/10:21pm
10:27am/11:20pm
11:24am
12:15am/12:17pm
1:06am/1:07pm
1:52am/1:54pm

Hurricanes, storms, etc., are NOT included in the predictions.

Tidal current direction changes and tide time predictions can be
very different. Tide predictions are PREDICTIONS; they can be
wrong so use common sense.
Source: saltwatertides.com

12

daily

Sharing our playground with sharks

A Q U A R I U M C E L E B R AT E S S H A R K W E E K
W I T H E D U C AT I O N A L P R O G R A M S

Sandbar Shark.

July 31, 2015

ts summer, which means its time to head to the beach

and enjoy the sun, sand, and the sea. But as beachgoers
head to take a dip in the ocean, many are wary as to
what might lurk below. Thats because a recent string of
shark encounters and bites this summer have beachgoers
thinking twice before taking a dip into the deep blue.
Most people dont realize that they have a better chance
of winning the lottery than having a negative encounter
with a shark.
In fact, according to researchers at Stanford University,
an ocean swimmer has a one in 738 million chance of
meeting a shark in the water. Statistically, cows, vending

BY KATE DITTLOFF

For The Island Connection

machines and even toilet seats are more dangerous than

the oceans top predator. On average, less than 20 people
are hurt or killed by sharks annually, compared to 100
million sharks killed every year due to human activity
(according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums).
Its important to remember that the ocean is not just a
playground for humans, its the natural habitat for sharks
and other wildlife.
Now is the opportunity to learn more about the
oceans most fascinating predator during the annual
Shark Week celebration at the South Carolina Aquarium.
The Aquarium, home to more than eight types of sharks,
will dispel the rumors and misconceptions surrounding
sharks, teaching visitors about the species. Guests will
learn why its critical to respect and protect sharks rather
than fear them.
Visitors to the Aquarium can start by coming fingers
to fins with sharks. The all-new Shark Shallows exhibit,
located on the Aquariums Riverside Terrace, gives people
the opportunity to touch sharks and rays. In the 20,000gallon touch tank reside bonnethead sharks, also known
as shovelheads, cousins of the hammerhead. These sharks
are found in coastal areas in Charleston and feed primarily
on crustaceans such as blue crabs, shrimp, mollusks and
small fish. Interestingly, bonnethead sharks are among
the most negatively buoyant marine vertebrates, meaning
that they will sink if they stop moving. Along with the
bonnethead sharks, guests will find cownose rays and

southern stingrays in the tank, two species also native

to the South Carolina coast. At Shark Shallows, guests
have the opportunity to touch these animals using a safe,
two-finger approach.
Inside the Aquarium during the 10 a.m. Animal
Encounters show, visitors will find a special whitespotted
bamboo shark touch experience. Whitespotted bamboo
sharks are native to the island of Madagascar and offer
a wonderful opportunity for guests to meet a unique
species and learn more about it. By touching the animals,
folks learn to not fear sharks, but instead walk away as
champions for the species.
Aside from touching sharks, guests will have the
opportunity to take part in shark-themed dive shows
where experts interact with Aquarium divers in real time,
talking about all of the sharks that call the Great Ocean
Tank home. Special interactive shark education carts
will also be placed throughout the Aquarium galleries
featuring shark jaws and teeth and hands-on activities
for visitors. The seven-day celebration also features
complimentary face painting, shark teeth giveaways,
Shark on the Shelf and much more.
For more information on Shark Week, visit scaquarium.
org/sharkweek or call (843) 577-FISH (3474). Shark
Week activities are included with general admission to the
Aquarium.

July 31, 2015

An afternoon of
beautiful art and
fabulous food

FRIEND'S OF MUSC CHILDREN'S

H O S P I TA L R A I S E $ 1 , 3 0 0

Friends of MUSC raised monies this month for the hospital.

PHOTOS BY HANNAH MARKOWITZ

BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

n July 10 the Friends of MUSC

Childrens Hospital hosted a Fine
Art Show and Sale to benefit the
new Childrens Hospital and Womens
Pavilion. The Sandcastle on Kiawah was
the venue for the elegant affair, which
started promptly at 3 p.m. A pervasive
calm allowed a steady flow of attendees
ample time relax and visit with artists.
Tina Mayland, for example, is a ninth
generation Charlestonian. Thirty five
years traveling for the telephony business
may have prevented starvation, but it
wasnt home and it wasnt painting. She
made her way back to the Lowcountry
and is doing what she loves, which also
includes inspiring others.
Mayland teaches a plein air class to
aspiring artists each Thursday at Kiawahs
Mingo Point. Using the [mostly] static

landscape allows students to focus on

other variables. The exercise opens a
window to a study of nuance she hopes
will both make painting skills easier to
learn and translate into more creativity.
Usually, this produces a better, more
subtle rendering.
Mary Edna Fraser lives next door on
James Island. Fraser described her process
of using wax and dripping dyes on silk to
produce Batik prints so well it could be
easily understood by a frog. What it didnt
explain was the dramatic results. Seriously,
how do you use wax and dyes to make a
mountain-scape, let alone its reflection?
But, there it was and something about it
smelled so good.
The aroma, as it turned out, wasnt

MUSC continues on page 14

13

14

July 31, 2015

fundraising

Mary Edan Frasers Batik.

MUSC continues on page 13

the Batik but the hors d'oeuvres table,
now fully stocked by Crave. Mountains
of assorted cheeses and fruits weighed
on tables. The main attraction was minitomato pies so good bon vivants were
looking over both shoulders in the hope
they wouldnt be seen returning to the
feast over and over again. Brad Poe of Blue
Water Convenience Stores (e.g. Kiawah
General Store) provided beer, wine and
music. Tanya of Salt House Catering
tended bar and made the events signature
beverage, sparkling blackberry lemonade
(lemonade, blackberry simple syrup, a
splash of tonic, garnish and optional
vodka). Making the elaborate concoction
was no mean task with the sounds of a
fight breaking out in the background.
It was nearly 4 p.m. and the artists'
duel was on as advertised. Tate Nation
(Expressionism with acrylics) was out
in the hall with only minutes until
start time, seeming rather cavalier and
unthreatened but brandishing a brush
all the same. Entering the scene of the
duel, however, was Karen Hewitt Hagan
(Impressionism on gold leaf) already hard
at work. Both were to interpret the
same photograph and race to quality/
completion accolades.

Karen Hewitt Hagan.

from the inaugural Fine Art Show and

Sale was $1,300.
Cordina is one of 11 friends who started
the organization and spend the entire year
raising money. The hand is the brand,
said Cordina, referring to the cardboard
hands that can be bought/displayed at
places like the Kiawah General Store.
Their efforts raised over $22,000 its first
year and over $54,000 in its fourth.
Although raising money is vital,
donating time is even more important to
Friends. It is a big reason for the foray
into events like the art show. This sort of
event provides them the chance to enlist
the support of people like Kiawah Island
property owner Colleen Mooney.
We tried a couple of oyster roasts
but it just takes too many people [to pull
that off], said Mooney. There are no
membership fees. Were just looking for
people who want to help keep families
healthy, said the mother of two.
For more information on the Friends
of MUSC Childrens Hospital visit www.
friendsofmuscchildrenshospital.org.

Laura Lloyd Fontaine in front of her

paintings

Tricia Cordina, President of the Friends

of MUSC Childrens Hospital never did
say who won the duel but was encouraged
by the success of the event. After the paint
had dried, the final tally of monies raised

A Lucky
Dog Favorite

July 31, 2015

15

volunteer spotlight

Naomi Leedie
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A
SECOND LANGUAGE

Naomi Leedie, far left.

BY MARIA GUROVICH
For The Island Connection

Editors Note: Volunteer Spotlight is a column in The Island Connection highlighting

members of the community who give their time to help others. If you know of a volunteer
who deserves the spotlight email jennifer@luckydognews.com.

aomi Leedie, a native of North

Carolina, with a Masters Degree
in Social Work from East Carolina
University, has lived in Charleston since
her 2008 graduation. Naomis social work
experience includes foster care, adoption
and hospice.
Naomi, who has been volunteering
since she was in college, was looking for an
opportunity to continue her volunteering
by teaching English. She remembers
how excited she was to find OLMCOS
evening English as a Second Language
Program for adults during a Google
search. In the fall, Naomi started as a ESL
Tutor on Thursday evenings from 6 to 8
p.m., and since then her enthusiasm for
volunteering, tutoring, and her students
has never wavered.
I have said time and time again that
volunteering with OLMCOS is the most
rewarding experience because your work
is truly valued by the Organization and
the people you are serving. I feel my time
and commitment is really appreciated and
truly makes a difference, she said.
Naomi believes people coming to
OLMCOS for assistance know as soon
as they walk in the door that they will be
accepted without judgement and guided
in the best way possible; and that staff and

volunteers can make a huge difference in

someones life by showing them that we
believe in them.
I like to think I have some positive
impact on peoples lives. Little smiles and
encouragements here and there can change
someones perspective and hopefully
create a chain reaction to empower others
as well, she said.
Naomi advocates for OLMCOS and
volunteering in general to all of her friends
and family. She believes it is the best way
to give back because it not only changes
others, but also it changes you for the
better. She is happy to have a place where
she believes she can have an impact on
peoples lives and where her time is truly
valued.
For me signing up was the hardest
part, the rewards that follow are so great.
If you are thinking about it, your heart is
already in the right place.
You, too, can get involved with Our Lady
of Mercy Community Outreach and make a
positive change in someones life. For more
information on how to get involved with
Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach
contact Maria Gurovich via phone
843.559.4109 or email maria.gurovich@
olmoutreach.org.

Island Connection Calendar

July 31
ONGOING EVENTS
Full Moon Bonfire
8:07 p.m. moonrise. 8:32 sunset.
Thursday, July 30; Saturday, August
29; Sunday, September 27. Come on
down for a time of visiting and enjoying
the beauty of Seabrook Island at night.
Well gather just north of Boardwalk 1.
With the completion of the cut and the
abundance of turtle nests near Boardwalk
6, the bonfire will return to just north
of Boardwalk 1. Each person brings
what they want food, drinks, chairs,
and sticks of firewood for a big bonfire.
Nothing will be provided but a beautiful
beach, a bonfire and, hopefully, a full
moon.
Kiawah Island Resort Events:
Mondays: Mingo Point Oyster Roast &
BBQ: every monday 6 - 9 p.m.
Tuesdays: Straw Market Social: West
Beach Straw Market 6 - 9 p.m.
Thursdays: Sunset Raw Bar: At the Ryder
Cup Bar 6 - 9 p.m.
Thursdays: Dive in Movie: Loggerhead
Grill - Sanctuary Pool 8:30 p.m.
Fridays: Family Seaside Buffet: Loggerhead
Grill 6 - 8:30 p.m.
Saturdays: Summer Concert Series: Most
Saturdays from 5 - 8 p.m.

Mondays

Monday Bridge Group

9 a.m. at the Lake House. The Monday
Bridge Group needs new players. For more

information, please contact Lori Muenow

at 843.768.2314 or Ilse Calcagno at
843.768.0317.
Seabrook Stitchers
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. June 1 - August 25 at the
Lake House. For more information, please
contact Denise Doyon at dendoyon@
gmail.com.
Farmers Market at Freshfields Village
4 - 8 p.m. Pick from the freshest produce
and local crafts all summer long at the
weekly Farmers Market at Freshfields
Village.
Storytime at Johns Island Regional
Library
10:30 a.m. Mondays, July 20 and 27 is
Babygarten Storytime (under 24 months
with adult). 10:30 a.m. Mondays, July 20
and 27 is Young and Restless Storytime (18
30 months with adult).
Mingo Point Oyster Roast & BBQ
6 - 9 p.m. Continues through August 31.
Enjoy an authentic Lowcountry experience
at Kiawahs most popular family outing.
A riverside oyster roast, an all-you-can-eat
buffet featuring Southern BBQ specialties,
live entertainment, a kids coolzone, live
gator presentations and a local artisan craft
market.

Tuesdays

Mah Jongg Practice

1 - 4 p.m. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Tuesday

of the month. Located at The Lake
HouseOsprey 2. Open to all new
players, those returning to the game, and
anyone else who wants a chance to practice
with others who are learning the game.
If you have any questions, please contact
Helen Thompson at hmtsbsc@gmail.com.
Kick it at Bohicket
Every Tuesday night from Memorial Day
through Labor Day. Kick It has been a
HUGE HIT, featuring a jump castle, face
painter, DJ, and shag dancing on the patio.
Come Join us every Tuesday throughout
the Summer. Special thanks to the Town
of Seabrook Island, and the Bohicket
Merchants Association for their support.
Straw Market Social
6 - 9 p.m. Continues through August 11
at the Kiawah Resort. Enjoy an evening
filled with live music, buckets of beer and
dining specials from Southern Kitchen, an
ice cream social by Inn Side Scoop, weekly
wine tastings, a sidewalk sale along the
boardwalk and arts & crafts for kids!

Wednesdays

Lake House Yoga

8:30 a.m. Join us for Rise and Shine Yoga
with Patti Romano, formerly known at
Gentle Flow Yoga. Rise and Shine Yoga
is an all-levels practice focused around
finding your days intention, set up yourself
for success and be ready to shine.

Freshfields Village family movie nights

8:30 p.m. Perfect for families with children
of all ages, the Starlight Cinema series
features a crowd-pleasing movie on the
Village Green.
Summer Wonder Workshops
First class: 10 a.m. Second Class: 11 a.m.
Join Wonder Works in Freshfields for their
weekly Summer Wonder Workshops with
various themes and activities. Call the shop
at 843.768.4383 to reserve your spot today.

Thursdays

Sunset Raw Bar at The Ocean Course

6 - 9 p.m. through September 3 Kiawah
Resort hosts live jazz guitarists at The Ocean
Course raw bar. Raw oysters on the half
shell, shellfish shooters, ceviche and lobster
rolls are offered along with beer, wine and
signature cocktails. Priced a la carte.

Fridays

Friday Indoor Pickleball

12:30 - 2:30 p.m. at St. Christophers
Camp. For further information, please
contact Mary Torello at 843.768.0056.
Photographics Art Shows
4 - 8 p.m. July through August.
PhotoGraphics Portrait Photography and
Art Gallery in Freshfields Village will
be hosting art shows. July 31 & Aug 7:
Sheryl Stalnaker. Aug 14 & Aug 21: Chris
Rutigiano. Aug 28: Group show.

Concerts on the Village Green

6 - 9 p.m. Enjoy the sweet sounds of
summer every Friday at Freshfields Village
during the Music on the Green concert
series, which features popular acts from
around the Southeast.

Saturdays

TaeBo with Elizabeth

9:45 a.m. Throughout June at The Lake
House. TaeBo is a program combining the
best variety of different exercise disciplines
to provide an overall workout.
Homegrown
10 a.m. 2 p.m. Johns Island Farmers
Market. Every Third Saturday at 3546
Maybank Highway Johns Island.
For more information, visit www.
johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.
2015 Sea Island Cars and Coffee
9 - 11 a.m. The third Saturday each month
at Freshfields Village.

FRIDAY, JULY 31
Reggae Nights Concert Series:
7:30 - 11 p.m. Relax and enjoy an evening
of reggae music performed live in beautiful
James Island County Park. Gate opens at
7:30 p.m., music begins at 8:30 p.m. Fee:
$10/Free: Gold Pass Holders & ages 12 &
under

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1

Back to School Bash

12 p.m. The Judy Ann Legare Foundation
presents a Back to School Bash held at the
Wesley United Methodist Church, 2718
River Road, Johns Island, SC 29455.
Free school supply kits for students in
attendance. Refreshments, games, prizes,
music and more will be present.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4
Root Beer Floats and Films
5:30 p.m. Make root beer floats and watch
a variety of short animated films from
around the world. For more information
contact Johns Island Regional Library at
843.559.1945.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6
Knit and Purl: A Casual Knitting Group
(adults)
5 - 6:30 p.m. Bring your knitting
materials, and knit with fellow crafters.
All skill levels welcome. For more
information contact Johns Island Regional
Library at 843.559.1945.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
South Carolina Sales Tax Holiday
Mark your calendar! August 7 through 9.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Saturday Movie
2 p.m. Strange Magic. Rated PG; 92

August 20
minutes. Sponsored by the UPS Store,
3575 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island. For
more information contact Johns Island
Regional Library at 843.559.1945.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9
Get Aboard the Old Ship of Zion
5 p.m. A signing program will be held at
the Hebron John Island Center located at
4058 Betsy Kerrison Parkway. Singing by
groups and individuals. We are inviting
you to come and fellowship with us as we
raise funds to get the Center ready for use
by our community. For more information
call James Parlor at 843.763.4321.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11
Bishop Gadsen Job Fair
2 - 5 p.m. Bishop Gadsen Retirement
Community on James Island will host
its second annual job fair in its Blackmer
Hall. The Job Fair will offer potential
employees the opportunity to meet with
different departments within Bishop
Gadsen including nursing, dining services,
environmental services and administrative.
Applicants must be 18 years of age.
Questions, please call 843.406.6297.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
West Elm Opening
10 a.m. Home furnishings retailer West
Elm will open its first South Carolina
retail store in the Upper King District

of Charleston at 484 King Street. To

celebrate the opening, West Elm partnered
with Charleston-based artist Sarah Reed
of Dodeline Design to design an exclusive
tote bag, which will be given away to the
first 300 shoppers.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
Bohicket Marina fishing tournaments
The Spot Tail/Golf Tournament is planned
for August 15, with the golf portion hosted
by the Plantation Course on Edisto. On
September 19, the Offshore Fishing Classic
will allow anglers to take advantage of the
abundance of fish available in early fall
while competing for some great prizes. For
more information on all fishing events,
please call 843.631.5055 or visit www.
themarinaeb.com.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 18
Sea Islands Book Club
2 p.m. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats
by Jan-Philipp Sendker. For more
information contact Johns Island Regional
Library at 843.559.1945.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
Knit and Purl: A Casual Knitting Group
5 - 6:30 p.m. Bring your knitting
materials, and knit with fellow crafters.
All skill levels welcome. For more
information contact Johns Island Regional
Library at 843.559.1945.

18

computer corner

July 31, 2015

Windows 10 is here!
BY BOB HOOPER

For The Island Connection

uly 29 has come and gone and I hope

you have not bought or upgraded to the
"new and improved" Windows 10. My
advice is to wait a bit for an upgrade from
8 or 8.1 and if you have Windows 7 think
about waiting till 2020 for now. As my
last column suggested, the new Operating
System can and will send data about your
use of it for "product improvement," plus
it will do it's best to make you save all your
data online. It wants you to use what is
called SaaS, Software as a Service, which
means all your software is subscription
based, you do not own it, you rent it and
pay a monthly fee to use it. This is the
same idea behind paying a monthly fee for
music services like Spotify and Microsoft
sees this as the next level of marketing and
is pushing it aggressively with 10.
If you have installed 10 and find that
your DVD will not work in your laptop
or desktop, some older USB sticks will
not work, or your games, Windows Media
Center and other great programs are not
working, well it turns out they have been
deemed unworthy in the new world of
Windows 10.
OK, now for some other tidbits
Sales are on now for existing 8/8.1
laptops and desktops. I would buy them
now, before I was hesitant, but with the
advent of the Windows10 you (with a bit

of help) can make these computers work

well. Windows 7 Pro laptops/desktops are
still available online as well.
Calls and pop-ups on about viruses
(malware) are always FAKE. They are
never are real; it is always a way to get
money from you. The same as the "prince
from Nigeria" that wants to give you
$500,000,000. The Islands are getting
hit with calls about your computer being
infected, it's a FAKE. It seems about every
9 months the idiots dial the islands with
abandon; don't fall for it and don't let your
neighbors.
I look forward to seeing what Microsoft
does with 10; hopefully it will be a stable
platform but there are clearly some issues
to work out. One blogger said it took him
over 2 hours to "opt-out" of all the parts of
10 that want to send "data" or anonymous
data for product improvement back to
Microsoft and he was not sure he found
them all. They are all checked yes as
default and you have to un-check them
manually if you don't want the data sent
to Microsoft.
As always if you have questions or need
help you can call or email me, Rent A Bob at
843.822.7794 or email at rentabob@live.
com.