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Volume 4 Issue 21 FREE February 20, 2009

Sullivan’s Island • Isle of Palms • Goat Island • Dewees Island

Farewell
to the flesh
By Bri Horahan

M
any historians believe that
Mardi Gras originated in
ancient Rome from the
carnival-like festival of the god of
fertility and agriculture, Lupercus. As
was a custom of the day, many pagan
holidays were adopted by the Catholic
Church in a “subtle” conversion
technique. The Lupercalia celebration
was translated into a Church feast day
and the last chance to party before
Lent, a time of purification and fasting
in preparation for Easter. The tradition
quickly spread across the continent to
France, where its popularity increased
and Mardi Gras became the holiday that
we now know. “Mardi Gras” is French
for “Fat Tuesday”, and it was a time
when all of the indulgent, sugary treats
and meats in the house were eaten at
extravagant house parties.
The celebration was brought to PHOTOS BY Steven Suggs
America by French immigrants, who
settled in Louisiana. In 1699, explorer
Pierre D’Iberville founded “Pointe due
Mardi Gras” in an area south of New Best Buy Blinds champs!
Orleans. He also founded present-day Provided by Stephen Suggs
Mobile, Alabama, which he called “Fort
Louis de la Louisiane,” where the first
Mardi Gras celebrations occurred in In a hard fought game on February 14, Best Buy Blinds won 26
1702. By the 1820s, Mardi Gras had to 24, handing the Conlon Team their only loss of the season.
become a vital part of the Louisiana
lifestyle, with the first official parade Demonstrating the ultimate in sportsmanship, the two teams
being held on February 24, 1857, and posed after the game for a picture with their buddies from the
conducted by the Krewe of Comus.
opposing team.
see Mardi Gras on page 5

Inside Island Eye

Pedal for Pattison page 7 Colonial Days page 19 Bookstock page 19

 Civic
2 February 20, 2009

Isle of Palms reconsiders short term rentals

By Bri Horahan and Lynn pierotti

T
he Isle of Palms should develop some sort of
Planning commission architectural review board to
meeting on February approve new constructions
11 provided an opportunity and should find ways to
for members of the Isle of prevent large rental properties
Palms Business community from being built in the
to answer some of the residential areas and the
questions raised by the Isle beach front by reducing lot
of Palms Neighborhood coverage from 40% to 35%
Association in an earlier and reducing the total square
meeting. Larry Pearson, footage of new constructions
a realtor and a member of to a maximum of 5000 square
the Isle of Palms business feet.
association and Beau Pearson’s final suggestion
Hollingsworth, a principal was the one that stirred the
in Beachside Real estate, most debate: the idea of
spoke for the business creating a Zone 3 area in
community. Jimmy Carroll which special limits could
of Carroll Realty, Win be enacted. Zone 3 could
Walker of Isle of Palms "prevent it from getting
Realty, and Michael Long worse" by having limits,
of Wild Dunes also attended bigger lot restrictions, size
the meeting to show support caps (from 12 to eight
for the Isle of Palms Staff photo persons), and possibly
The Isle of Palms Planning Commission takes on the controversial short-term rental issue.
businesses. changing short term to a
Larry Pearson began their concern over the number of large than 5000 square feet, of which there total week stay. Their overall
the presentation by addressing the homes on the island. The analysis were 66 (30 of them in Wild Dunes). goal was not to make more laws that
IOP Neighborhood Association and covered the number of homes larger Pearson went on to present a map which were "unenforceable" but to "create a
showed where the homes are family place". This would cede Palm
Reflection on election: One island only on the island. Pearson made a and Ocean Boulevards to continue
by Catherine Malloy few suggestions that dealt with development at the current larger limits
concerns from the December of 7000 square feet.
During the Isle of Palms mayoral election, there was rhetoric that this is a divided Bo Hollingsworth spoke next and
meeting, such as dealing with
island: an us vs. them attitude toward our neighbors in Wild Dunes. What follows pointed out that the "whole island is
the "rental ghetto", noise and
refutes that rhetoric: not 7000 square feet," in reference to
nuisance problems and "the idea
for making residential areas the sizes of island homes, and that the
Certified results of the special election for Mayor held February 10, 2009: perception that it is being "overrun"
Candidate Precinct  Precinct  Precinct Absentee Provisional Total more residential and pleasing
           1A       1B      1C               for families". Pearson posited
Buckhannon       184      267      105        8           1    565 that the Planning Commission see Rentals on page 3
Cronin        86      152      374       50           0    662

Cronin brings home

Totals       270      419      479       58           1   1,227

The facts:

the gold
Total registered voters = 3273
1A registered voters = 886
1B registered voters = 1204
1C registered voters = 1183 of which roughly 872 are within the gates of Wild Dunes
Staff report

C
1A and 1B votes for Cronin = 86+152 = 238
Absentee votes not included in the calculation. ouncil member Dick State House of Representatives
Cronin now has the honor last November for a term that only
Musings of sitting in the Isle of runs through the end of 2009.
At first blush, it looks like the voters in Wild Dunes carried the election for Cronin. Palms Mayor’s seat after being The mayoral seat will be up for
But let’s look at the numbers more carefully. An analysis of the votes obtained from the elected to the position in a run-off re-election again this November.
official record shows the 1C vote breakdown of 377 votes cast were from within Wild election held on February 10. That means Cronin will have to
Dunes and 102 votes cast were from outside the gate of Wild Dunes. Cronin received “I look forward to serving run for the same position again
374 total votes in 1C. It is apparent that Cronin did not receive 100% of the votes inside my island family as Mayor and in the same year if he wants to
the gate since his overall total for 1C is lower than the number of votes cast inside the working with my fellow Council remain the Mayor of Isle of Palms.
gate and of these, he most likely did not receive 100% of those votes. However, if we members to keep this island a very In addition, Mayor Pro Tem Carol
use a faulty assumption that he received 100% of the votes inside the gate, that leaves special place to live,” Cronin said. Rice, Marty Bettelli and Dee
238 of his 612 votes (absentees removed for consistency) from outside the gate - a fairly Ryan Buckhannon received 46 Taylor will also have their seats up
comparable number of votes between the “sides” of the island or roughly 38%. percent of the 1,227 votes cast, for re-election this November.
A more realistic scenario, given our polling, is that probably 40 votes (of Cronin’s 374 while Cronin received 54 percent. The Charleston County Board
1C total) came from outside the gate in 1C. That would mean that in the best case, Cronin While the new Mayor says he, of Elections will hold a special
received 334 votes inside the gate and 278 outside the gate, or roughly 45% along with many residents, is glad election to fill the unexpired
When you look at voter turnout percentages that show the Wild Dunes turnout out of that the election is over, the peace term of the Council seat left by
32% of the 1C 41% turnout, you see that it is slightly more than 1A’s 31% turnout and that comes with it will be short Cronin’s election on a future
less than 1B’s 35%. lived. This election was designed date to be announced. For more
It oversimplifies the voting pattern of the island to conclude that the win was the result to fill the unexpired term of Mike information, please visit www.
of Wild Dunes voters coming out in droves. It is time that the rhetoric of divisiveness is Sottile, who was elected to the charlestoncounty.org.
put to bed. The outcome demonstrates democracy at work.

www.islandeyenews.com
February 20, 2009
Rentals from page 2
by rentals is just not true. Chairman
Denton stated that the small number
of main roads on the island give
the impression that construction is
happening everywhere, because it
is all that you see. Barb Bergwerf
engaged Mr. Hollingsworth in a
conversation on the future of the real
estate market. Bergwerf thought that
past endeavors have been too one-
sided in only protecting one party.
She stated that everyone on the island
has the right to rent property, but
felt that, "going forward, the most
important thing to do is to encourage
permanent residences". Hollingsworth
responded that he doesn't "push
any sort of buyer [investors, private
residents, etc.] towards his homes".
He said that short term rental
investors are not interested in buying
property that is over a block from
the beach; that it "just doesn't make
sense". He also warned that the
market will be down for the near
future and predicted a "tsunami of
foreclosures [and short sales]."
Both seemed to think that the
market, combined with the City's
livibilty court and rental restrictions
passed by council last year should
be given an opportunity to work.
Hollingsworth stated that "we jump
through a lot of hoops" for renters,
trying to make them understand that
they need to treat these houses and
their neighbors like their own. Realtor
Vicki Hollingsworth spoke up, saying
that four years ago, the island was a
scary place with people bombarding
her office trying to buy homes that
they could rent and to which they
could someday retire. She said that
there was a short-term frenzy and that
now there is a push to bring people
back to the island; though she added
that she wouldn't mind having just a
little of that bombardment back.
Civic
Send your letters to the
editor, concerns, discussions
and stories to:
info@luckydognews.com
Civic Calendar
Isle of Palms
Contact: Linda Lovvorn Tucker
886-6428
City Hall: 1207 Palm Boulevard
Recreation Center: #24 28th Avenue
February 24
Public Hearing (Recodification of
City's codes) 6:30pm
City Council
7pm
March 2
Personnel Committee
5:30pm
March 4
Recreation Committee
5pm
March 6
Real Property Committee
8:30am
The family debate
BY Bri Horahan
A
t the Isle of Palms City
Council meeting on January
28, the Council approved an
“Executive session to receive legal
advice related to zoning: Definition
of a family,” which they did with
City Attorney Nick Sottile, though
no decisions were made and no
actions taken. This Executive Session
was placed on the Council’s agenda
because of the ongoing process of the
City Code’s recodification.
For over a year now, meetings
have been held with City Council,
City division heads, the City attorney,
and an attorney with Municode, the
company appointed to aid in the
recodification. Ordinance 2008-09,
which had its first reading at the
November 18 regular meeting, began
the process of recodifying the City
Code of the City of Isle of Palms,
rectifying some of the prior code
specifications.
www.islandeyenews.com
3
Luck y D o g P ubl i sh i n g , L L C
Publisher of the Island Eye News, The
Island Connection and The Folly Current.
Lynn Pierotti
Publisher
lynn@luckydognews.com
Kristin Hackler
Editor
kristin@luckydognews.com
Swan Richards
Graphic Designer
swan@luckydognews.com
Ali Akhyari
Assistant Editor
ali@luckydognews.com
Heather Boggs Holbrook
Contributing Editor
heather@luckydognews.com
Sullivan's Island Brittany Urbach
www.sullivansisland-sc.com Reporter
Contact: Lisa Darrow or Andy Benke brittany@luckydognews.com
883-3198
Chelsea Langan
Town Hall: 1620 Middle Street Advertising
chelsea@luckydognews.com
February 25
Interns
Tree Commission Jennifer Millar
7pm Bridget Hinkebein
Bri Horahan
March 2 Ashley Anderson
•
Committees of Council Contributors
(Also appointment of new Election Charleston County
Commission members) Creative Spark
6pm Bobby Cummings
Sarah Harper
Drew Harris
David Farrow
Catherine Malloy
Dimi Matouchev
John Nelson
Emily Rybinski
Social Grace
Nick Strehle
Published by
Lucky Dog Publishing
of South Carolina, LLC
P.O. Box 837
Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482
843-886-NEWS
Submit your letters to the editor to:
info@luckydognews.com
Future deadlines:
The original code read as follows February 25 for all submissions.
for the term “Family Unit”: “One (1)
person; or two (2) or more persons
related by blood or marriage living The Island Eye News, a wholly owned
together; or a group of not more than subsidiary of Lucky Dog Publishing of
four (4) persons, not related by blood South Carolina LLC, is a free, independent
newspaper published every two weeks and
or marriage but living together.”
is for and about the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s
The recodification, after passing Island, Goat Island and Dewees Island.
its first reading, added this line to the Copies are mailed free of charge to every
end of the Family Unit definition: active mailbox in our coverage area and are
also available at area businesses and by
“A family unit shall also include subscription to non-islanders. Subscriptions
any group of persons who rent for are $30 per year for non-residents and are
occupation a “short-term rental” available by sending a check to Lucky Dog
dwelling, as the term is defined in Publishing, LLC, P.O. Box 837, Sullivan’s
Island, SC 29482. Contributions of information,
Title 5, Chapter 4, Article 9, subject to pictures and articles are welcomed and are
the occupancy limitation set forth in used according to space limitations and
that article.” news value and cannot be returned except
A public hearing has been by special request. Our editorial content is
primarily dedicated to the area of distribution;
scheduled for 6:30pm on Tuesday, ad space is open to all businesses who want to
February 24, 2009 to receive public reach the Island Eye News market. Complete
comment on the portion of the ad creation is $50, however, changes of up to
recodification that falls within the 30% of the original ad are included at no extra
cost. All advertising rates are listed at www.
"purview of zoning". islandeyenews.sc under “advertising”.

4 February 20, 2009
Pay for parking—yay or nay?
S
ullivan’s Island has seen a major
increase in beach visitors over
the past several years, which in
turn has created several City issues.
These issues have led to discussions on
implementing a kiosk parking project,
where non-residents would have to pay
to park on Sullivan’s Island.
“These are going to be kiosks, not
meters, and we’ve been studying this for
about a year now,” says Everett Presson,
Chair of the Streets and Maintenance
Committee and the head of the parking
project. “The idea is that if we do it,
we’re going to try and have it in effect
by the spring or summer—beach season.
It’s still in the planning stages, and
we’ve got a lot of work to do on it.”
When visitors come to Sullivan’s
Island, issues include the need for an
increase in law enforcement, trash
pickup and other city maintenance
services.
“There’s just a lot of costs involved
in having this many people,” says
Presson.
All of these changes cost the City
and tax payers money. The residents
on Sullivan’s Island have to pay to
facilitate visitors’ use of the beach.
Residents’ taxing costs can be
significantly decreased if visitors pay
for their parking in some of the areas on
the island.
“20 years ago, there were 6,000
people in Mount Pleasant,” says
Presson. “Now there are 60,000 people
Civic
By Brittany Urbach
in Mount Pleasant, and they’re all
coming to the beach on Sullivan’s
Island.”
Presson estimates that on an average
beach day, there might be 2,000 people
who come to the beach on Sullivan’s
Island. “The kiosk will give you a
pass, so when you come to the beach,
you have to get a ticket out of the
kiosk and put it on your windshield,”
says Presson. “Wherever you park on
Sullivan’s Island, you’d have to pay.”
Presson anticipates that if this
parking project were to go into effect,
the Island residents will have a parking
pass to park wherever they want for
free. Presson also says that if the
project were to happen, they most likely
wouldn’t charge people to park in the
commercial district, because that’s
where the City wants people to park.
“At nighttime, we might charge
people to park outside of the business
district and maybe parking inside the
business district would be free, so it
won’t spill over into the residential
areas,” says Presson.
Downtown Charleston resident and
frequent Sullivan’s Island visitor Berna
Mazon isn’t thrilled about the talk of
possibly adding parking kiosks to the
Island. “It’s annoying to go to Folly,
because I do have to pay for parking
sometimes. I feel like Isle of Palms is
where more of the tourists go—I feel
like there are more local people when
I go to Sullivan’s. Almost everyone I
www.islandeyenews.com
come across is from Sullivan’s,” says best interest of the Sullivan’s Island
Mazon. residents.
In regards to parking prices, the “This is not something we’re looking
Streets and Maintenance Committee is at lightly,” says Presson. “It’s a major
still working on figuring out the details. change for Sullivan’s Island, and I think
“There are a lot of details to be worked that the Council
out, you know?” says Presson. “What understands
we would charge, where would we that it’s a major
charge, would we charge everywhere or change. We’re
just on certain streets? What happens if going to be up for
people have a party at their house, or do a lot of input from
contractors pay when they come to work the citizens to see if
on the island?” this is something,
There will be several public hearings they really think we
in the near future regarding the project, ought to do.”
says Presson. “The main thing is, if we
determine that this is something that the
Island residents don’t want, then we’re
not going to do it.”
The Streets and Maintenance Example of a
Committee is working diligently to parking kiosk.
figure out the various details of the
project, and is serious about coming
up with a plan that would be in the
Nuevo Tango with
Pablo Ziegler
By Emily Rybinski
T
he Charleston Symphony Orchestra’s McCrady’s Charleston Pops Series,
conducted by Scott Terrell, will feature Nuevo Tango with Pablo Ziegler
at 8pm on Saturday, February 21, 2009 at the Charleston Music Hall,
located at 37 John Street. When it comes to tango, Pablo Ziegler is the authority. 
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and having performed with Astor Piazzolla for
10 years, Latin Grammy winning pianist Pablo Ziegler artfully blends classic
tango rhythms with jazz improvisations. Don’t miss Ziegler with his guitar and
bandoneon players.  Playful, sensual and romantic – grab your sweetheart for the
perfect date!
Individual tickets for the McCrady’s Charleston Pops Series range from $20
- $45; student tickets (with ID) are available for $5. Tickets can be purchased at
the Gaillard Auditorium box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and online at: www.
charlestonsymphony.com. (Convenience fees apply.)
Prior to the performance, audience members can take advantage of the
McCrady’s courtesy Black Cab service to and from the Gaillard Municipal
Auditorium. People interested in parking by the Gaillard and having a pre-
performance meal at the restaurant can take advantage of this service by telling
McCrady’s they would like to use the courtesy Black Cab service when calling to
make pre-performance dinner reservations.
 Daily
February 20, 2009 5

We dig Sullivan’s!
O
n January 28, the Town of Sullivan’s Island began replacing eight water
mains which cross Middle Street. The project is being completed in
advance of a road resurfacing project by the South Carolina Department of
Transportation, which will stretch from Station 12 to Station 28 ½ and should be
completed by the end of April. For more information, call Mr. Greg Gress, Manager
of the Water and Sewer Department, at 883-5748 or Darrel Noisette at 530-3145.
(Left) Workers dig in to replace the water lines at Station 22 ½.

Mardi Gras from front cover
There are many elements of the
Mardi Gras celebration that originated
with those first parades in New
Orleans. It was the first king of Mardi
Gras, Rex, whom in 1892 chose the
three colors that we know as Mardi
Gras colors today: purple for justice,
green for faith, and gold for power.
Masks are a hallmark of the holiday
and come in many colorful and
interesting designs. They are required
for all float participants. The throwing
of beads and other knick-knacks,
known as throws, began in the 1870s
and continues today with local families
arriving early to stake out prime spots
Sources:
http://www.holidays.net/mardigras/story.htm
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/faq.html#6
http://www.inetours.com/New_Orleans/Mardi_Gras.html
to see the colorful floats and catch the
throws.
Unlike the negative impression
that many have of the New Orleans
Mardi Gras, the holiday is really a
family-oriented day of good food and
fun. There are expensive balls thrown
by the different Krewes, where one
could mingle with the New Orleans
elite. There is the drunken side of
it, complete with bead throwing and
possible nudity, but that is mostly
contained to Bourbon Street and
limited to the nighttime. Either way,
Mardi Gras is a great excuse to throw a
party, indulge in great food and drinks,
and spend time with the ones you love.

www.islandeyenews.com
 Daily
6 February 20, 2009

Out of Hand
has class
Jewelry making is just one of
a dozen classes now being
offered at eclectic shop Out

D
Of Hand in the heart of the
o you have a talent you want to share? Thinking of teaching an afternoon Old Village Business District.
class to your friends and neighbors? In the spirit of “neighbors-teaching-
neighbors” the retail eclectic shop Out Of Hand located in the heart
of the Old Village has opened its workshop doors to people with a passion for
teaching their favorite hobby or skill. Artists, jewelry-makers, craftsmen, painters,
seamstresses, and floral and interior decorators have already begun the registration
process to host classes.
“We have a variety of talented people here in Mount Pleasant and yet there are
limited opportunities in the community to showcase their work,” said Lisa Thomas,
owner of Out Of Hand. “Being centrally located in the Old Village, the setting is
ideal for an evening classroom. The goal is to bring people together, share ideas and
conversation, while learning something new and developing a greater appreciation
for our community. Who knows it could even turn into a career.”
Interested teachers can contact Out Of Hand on availability and students
can visit the store at 113 Pitt Street (843-856-3585) or at their website: www.
shopoutofhand.com for upcoming class schedules.

Loggerhead Shrike
By Sarah Dargan Harper

PHOTO BY Sarah Dargan Harper

T
he Loggerhead Shrike is a local
bird with some interesting
habits. It prefers open areas
like fields and forest edges. There are
a few who patrol the field behind Fort
Moultrie and Battery Jasper and they
aggressively defend their territories
from intruders. I photographed this
bird on Ion Avenue while he (or she)
was sitting atop a telephone wire.
Shrikes are predatory birds which feed
on insects, lizards, small mammals
and sometimes other birds. They
capture their prey with their sharp,
curved beaks. Shrikes are not birds of
prey, which capture food with their
talon equipped feet. Shrikes prefer to
cache their prey before eating it. They
do this by impaling their victims on
cactus thorns, barbed-wire fences, or
other sharp objects. They usually eat
their prey shortly after capture, but
have an excellent spatial memory and
have been known to return to storage
sites a few days later.
Be careful not to confuse a
Loggerhead Shrike with a Northern
Mockingbird! Mockingbirds have
broader, longer tails than Shrikes
and they often bob their tails up and
down (unlike Shrikes). Shrikes have
black tails and upper wings and a
distinctive black face mask (unlike
mockingbirds). I was fortunate
enough to find a freshly-dead Shrike
behind Fort Moultrie last month. I
spruced him up a bit and now he has
a happy new home, tucked away in a
specimen drawer.
Sarah Dargan Harper is a
Sullivan’s Island resident, an avid bird
watcher and a passionate bird care
advocate. If you have any questions or
need help with bird identification, you
can contact Sarah at dargan3484@
gmail.com.

www.islandeyenews.sc
 Daily
February 20, 2009 7

Pedal for Pattison

By Ashley Anderson

P
attison’s Academy will hold its second
annual Pedal for the Petal Spinning
Marathon to raise funds for their
therapeutic summer program for disabled
children. The non-profit organization has
scheduled the event for March 7 from 8am to
12pm at Eco Fitness in Mount Pleasant.
Donors and participants can initially reserve
a bike for the four-hour spinning marathon for
$25. However, each spinning team needs to raise
at least $250 in order to compete. Last year the
organization raised more than $40,000, and they
hope to meet and surpass that goal this year.
“I love spin classes and I’ve wanted to do
something to give back. I found Pattison’s to be
the perfect organization,” said Kirsten Grask,
an employee at Sullivan’s Island’s Coastal
Home Plans, a company owned by Isle of
Palms resident Jeff Evans. She has teamed up
with two others as a single biking team to raise
funds and compete in the four-hour marathon.
Funds raised from the marathon will go towards
Pattison’s Academy Summer Camp. The camp
focuses on daily physical, occupational and
speech therapies while integrating all the thrills
of a classic summer camp. It costs about $185 to
send a child through a single day of camp.
Pattison’s Academy’s ultimate goal is to open
a year-round school for disabled children. All
donations will help get their plan in motion and
will go towards the camp’s nurses, equipment,
and specialists. Pattison’s mission statement
is to “improve the quality of life for children
with multiple disabilities by providing a
comprehensive education and rehabilitation
program in a school environment.” The
Academy hopes to open a full time school in the
fall of 2010.
Pattison Elementary will be conducting a
community awareness meeting on March 4. If
you or someone you know could benefit from
this charter school, be sure to attend. For more
information or to contact visit their website
at: www.pattisonsacademy.org. Even a dollar
pledge makes all the difference. To donate to
Kirsten’s team, please visit www.firstgiving.com/
kmk_spinners.

PACE awareness meeting

The public is invited to learn about Pattison’s Academy for Comprehensive Education’s
(PACE) goal of becoming a charter school within the Charleston County School District. We
are having a community awareness meeting March 4 at 6pm at the main Library downtown,
which is located at 68 Calhoun Street in meeting room A. Don’t miss this opportunity to help
improve the lives of children with disabilities. (Above) Pattison students enjoy the summer camp's activities.

www.islandeyenews.com
8 February 20, 2009
Mystery Plant
John Nelson
C M
abin-fever...cabin-fever...it’s too
early for this to be setting in!
And yet it is, for me. These
dark winter days are starting to get to
me, and I’m always on the lookout for
any subtle signs of the coming warmth,
along with the flowers that follow.
Sure enough, it’s easy to tell that the
days are getting longer--bit by bit--
and that means that it will be spring
eventually. Until it arrives, we will have
to content ourselves with whatever
traces might come our way. Here’s a
kind of example: a little herb that has a
gorgeous flower, in a very small kind of
way, but even seeing a few of these little
guys now might stir the botanist’s heart
beating within us all.
Our Mystery Plant is but one of
several species all allied together in the
same genus. These various species are
related to a number of different plants
in the large and diverse “snapdragon”
family, or Scrophulariaceae, which of
course includes several garden plants as
well as a number of weeds.
And if truth be known, our little
Mystery Plant is a weed, imported
accidentally and originally from Europe,
where it is native. In the United States,
it is most common from New England
into the Midwest, and south to about
South Carolina, but has more recently
shown up in several states farther west.
Given enough time, it could
probably be expected in all
of the continental 48 states,
perhaps less commonly
toward the south.
As a weed it can be a bit
problematic, and something
of a pest. A pretty little
pest, though. The thin,
somewhat hairy stems trail
along the ground, giving
off a single leaf at each
node. The leaf blades are
about as broad as long, and
somewhat egg-shaped in
outline. Characteristically,
each leaf blade features
five or so sharp-pointed,
shallow lobes, and some
have likened the leaf blade’s
appearance to that of an ivy
leaf. (Carl Linnaeus thought
so, anyway...and the epithet [Answer: “Ivy-leaved speedwell,” Veronica hederaefolia]
What we sow
By Nick Strehle
he provided for the scientific name y wife and I recently had the was an accomplished farmer. Even the
means “leaves like ivy”). The flowers opportunity to meet the man most accomplished farmers are not well
really start opening up sometime in that built our home back in known, but these traits are reserved for
March, usually, but every now and then the late 50s. He was excited to hear that personal memories that we hold most
you can locate some blooming now, the house was still in good shape, but dear.
usually in protected places and on damp when he asked what I did for a living, No matter how long or short, I
ground. Each flower is on a prominent he quickly responded that he used to would like the opportunity to read your
stalk, with four green sepals. There have a wonderful garden in the back. gardening memories. Please send your
are also four petals, all about the same
size and shape, although the lowermost Now in his 80s, you could just see his thoughts to sunburstlandscaping@
one is a bit narrower. The petals are a eyes and face light up with all the gmail.com or mail them to
gorgeous shade of blue-purple, with the fond memories he had of the Sunburst Landscaping Inc.,
lowest one paler than the rest. They all garden. 3575 Maybank Hwy
have an assortment of minute purple This made me Suite D-279, Johns
streaks, which adds to their beauty. start to think a little Island, SC 29455.
After pollination, a valentine-shaped more about the Nick Strehle
capsule will develop, very small. The impacts that is a Purdue
capsule will eventually open up and gardening
release a few circular, flattened seeds. University
has on our Agronomy
What I like to do is lie on the ground personal
in a patch of this stuff on a sunny, warm Major,
memories. certified
afternoon in the winter, and study the
tiny little flowers with a hand-lens. For At one time, irrigation
their size, they must be the prettiest just about contractor
flowers blooming these days. everyone and EPA
John Nelson is the curator of the was a farmer. WaterSense
Herbarium in the Department of During the Partner for
Biological Sciences at the University good times, Sunburst
of South Carolina. As a public service, war times, Landscaping
the Herbarium offers free plant and everything
Inc., leading
identifications. For more information, in between, Sunburst’s
visit www.herbarium.org or call 803- gardening was
clients into the next
777-8196. omnipresent. From the
generation of water
container gardens in the management. For more
Photo by Linda Lee
city to the roses at the White information, contact Sunburst at
House, gardening surrounds us and all 768-2434.
that we do.
Of course, now would be a good time
to inject a few factual numbers about
how much gardening contributes
to our gross domestic product,
but it is not about the money. It is
about seeing spring flowers for the
first time and about caring for the
landscape of Arlington National
Cemetery because it is hallowed
grounds.
In my own family, Tillman is a
family name that has been passed
down and I was inquisitive as to
why his name stood out among the
rest of my ancestors. Among other
things, he fought in the Civil War
and was a merchant, but what was
written most about him was that he
www.islandeyenews.com
February 20, 2009
New President,
new market?
by Bobby Cummings, CFP, CFBS, CLTC
W
ith the Presidential election
over, speculation of how
the electoral votes would
add up has given way to debates on
whether the multiple government-
sponsored bailouts will be enough
to rescue our faltering economy. The
economic crisis will certainly be at the
forefront of President Obama’s agenda,
and it’s likely the pundits will persist
with their predictions on how the new
administration and a Democratic-
controlled Congress will impact the
market.
Conventional wisdom holds that
D.C. gridlock – a Democratic President
and Republican-controlled Congress
or vice versa – is best for markets. The
idea is that neither party has the power
to make the sweeping policy changes
that can cause significant market
gyrations. However, according to data
compiled by the research firm Bespoke
Investment Group in Harrison, N.Y.,
in the seven periods when Democrats
had complete control of U.S. political
power, the S&P 500 rose 14.7% on
average while in the eight times a
Republican served as President and
Democrats controlled Congress, the
benchmark index rose 7.4%. So much
for conventional wisdom.
Interestingly, with the industry’s
constant disclaimer that history
cannot predict future performance as
a backdrop, there are numerous recent
studies that attempt to do just that.
In his opinion piece, “Divided
Government Is Best for the Market”,
published in the Wall Street Journal on
September 12, Donald L. Luskin begins
his analysis of whether the economy
historically has done better under
Democrats or Republicans by stating,
“There is no shortage of exaggerated
claims on both sides.”
When the chief investment officer
at Trend Macrolytics LLC ran the
numbers, he found that since 1948,
the Standard & Poor’s 500 total return
(capital gains plus dividends) has
averaged 15.6% when a Democrat
was in the White House and only
11.1% when a Republican was in the
White House. In terms of real gross
domestic product, he found that under
Democratic presidents, the average
has been 4.2% since 1948. Under
Republican presidents it has been only
2.8%.
However, moving beyond political
labels, Luskin notes that not all
Democrats act like Democrats, and not
all Republicans act like Republicans.
He writes, “John F.. Kennedy, for
example, was an enthusiastic supply-
side tax cutter and George H.W.. Bush
raised taxes. Bill Clinton promoted free
trade and Richard Nixon imposed wage
and price controls.”
With that in mind, Luskin assigns
those four presidents to the opposite
party and finds numbers completely
reverse themselves. That is, stocks
average 14.7% under Republicans and
only 10.5% under Democrats going
back to 1948. In fact, he points out
that just one switch – making Richard
Nixon into a Democrat – is enough to
reverse the numbers and have stocks
averaging 14% under Republicans
and only 12.1% under Democrats.
“This fact discredits this whole study
more than it does Republicans or even
Richard Nixon himself. Any analysis
that can be undone by omitting or
changing a single data point isn’t very
robust,” writes Luskin.
see Market on page 17
www.islandeyenews.com
9
County offers free
weather spotter class
Provided by Charleston County
Charleston County Government’s (843) 202-7405 or by e-mail at jtarter@
Emergency Preparedness Division is charlestoncounty.org.
offering free classes for citizens who
want to help warn officials about local
weather changes.
Basic Weather Spotter Class (required
SKYWARN is a voluntary program in order to take the advanced class):
developed by the National Weather
Service (NWS). The NWS needs Date: Tuesday, February 24, or
real-time reports of hail size, wind Thursday, March 26
damage, flash flooding, heavy rain and Time: 6-8pm
tornadoes in order to effectively warn Location: Charleston County
the public. SKYWARN volunteers serve Public Service Building, room 339
(Emergency Operations Center)
as storm spotters for the NWS and local
emergency management programs. 4045 Bridgeview Drive
Volunteers serve as the eyes and ears for North Charleston, SC 29405
the whole community.
Advanced Weather
Anyone interested in becoming a Spotter Class:
SKYWARN weather spotter can attend
one of the NWS basic and/or advanced
Date: Thursday April 16
weather spotter training classes, which Time: 6-8pm
are hosted by Charleston County Location: Charleston County Public
Government. Classes are free and last Service Building, room 339
approximately two hours. (Emergency Operations Center)
The Basic Weather Spotter Class is 4045 Bridgeview Drive
required to become a certified NWS North Charleston, SC 29405
SKYWARN weather spotter and to
take the Advanced Weather Spotter
Class. The advanced class provides
additional information and training to
those interested in learning more than is
provided in the basic class.
To register for the basic and/
or advanced classes, contact James
Tarter, Training Coordinator for
the Charleston County Emergency
Management Department, by phone at
 Pet Helpers
Pets of the Week
HELGA:
Hey there! I'm a 1 1/2 year old
female Staffordshire Bull Terrier
(Staffie for short) I find it impolite
to drool and will challenge you to
thumb wrestling with my beautiful
muscles! I am very sweet and tender.
I'm just looking for a soft place to
land. Spayed, vax, chip, fee.
LITTLE BROWN GIRL:
Howdy! I'm 8 1/2 months old and
was found in the woods behind Pet
Helpers! I was brought in after I
learned to trust the girls feeding me-so
I'm still a little shy. But I'm also very
sweet once I get to know you, and I'm
very chatty! So come on in and talk to
me! Spayed, vax, chip, fee.
Pet Helpers is located at 1447 Folly Road, James Island.
Hours: Mon. – Fri. from 11am – 6pm and Sat from 11am - 5pm.
Closed: Sundays and Holidays.
For more information, please call 843-795-1110.
10
Better Together February 20, 2009

Mardi Gras wines

By Drew Harris

W
ith Valentine’s Day past and the sweet
memories of our delicious wine and
chocolate pairings still dancing on our
tongues and minds, it’s time to move to the other end
of the spectrum with Fat Tuesday happening next
week! Mardi Gras is literally
French for “Fat Tuesday” and
takes place the day before Ash
Wednesday. Generally, Mardi
Gras relates to the celebrations
leading up to this holy day
and in the United States, it has
become synonymous with the
crazy and SPICY celebrations in
New Orleans. Therefore, this
issue’s column will address the
appropriate pairing guidelines
for the delicious spice- and
seafood-based dishes from
our Creole neighbors down
south. The cool thing is
that the Gullah cuisine
of the Charleston area
is very similar to the
Creole of Louisiana, so
a number of the pairings
here will be appropriate
for Lowcountry cuisine,
as well.
Some general
guidelines to follow
mostly have to do with
the amount of spice in
your food. With a lot
of spice pervading most
of the Creole and Lowcountry cooking, avoid high- heat with a German
tannin wines such as big Cabernets. Tannins are the Riesling (Leitz
substance in the skins of grapes that give your mouth Dragonstone) or
that dry and chalky feeling when drinking big red even a slightly sweet
wines. Drinking a high-tannin Cabernet with a spicy sparkling wine
crawfish/shrimp boil or gumbo will just leave your (Casteller Cava),
mouth on fire with no help in sight. where the crisp
Not all foods allow white and red wine options, but acidity helps cut
the seafood- and spice-based Creole cuisine definitely through the saltiness
allow for many options and variations. Crawfish boil and spices in the
(or Lowcountry boil) contain the traditional flavors Gumbo.
of Creole (and Lowcountry) cooking: pepper, spice, In closing,
salt, potatoes, sausage and onion. There’s two ways I would just
to go with this pairing, and honestly, both work great: like to add this
the first is to use a low-alcohol, slightly fruit-forward thought…do you
white wine with crisp acidity to help temper the spices remember your first
of the dish and complement the shellfish. A nice Pinot Lowcountry boil
Grigio, Viognier, or white blend of Alsacian styled and how refreshing
varietals (Evolution 9; Farmhouse) all work great to and delicious that
help even out the spice of the boils. cold beer was? I do!
The other way to go is to play off the spices, If wine’s not your
potatoes, and sausage and head towards a low-tannin thing, or if you’re just looking for the casual barbeque-
red wine with rich berry and spice notes, such as a style get together with Creole-inspired dishes, then
Spanish Garnacha (Lelia) or Tempranillo (Celeste) look no further than a deliciously cold beer such as
or an Australian Shiraz (Rolf Binder Hales or Wittekerke. This Belgian White Ale is slightly sweet
Earthworks). and incredibly refreshing…especially on a hot day and
Gumbo is another Creole/Lowcountry dish with a hot cuisine.
that works well with a variety of different wines, If you have any questions about wine and food
depending on the spiciness of your gumbo. For a more pairings or are looking for a specific wine, feel free
mild seafood gumbo, head to Oregon: an Oregon to contact me at WineByDrew@Hotmail.com. I am
Pinot Gris (Shadow Mountain Pinot Gris) with its always open to feedback on my suggestions…let me
crisp fruit-forward acidity or an Oregon Pinot Noir know what worked for you and what didn’t! Also
(Anne Amie) with good structure, low tannins and remember, all wines written about in this column are
earthy qualities would both work well. If your gumbo available from Sullivan’s Island’s newest addition,
tends towards the spicy hot side, you can alleviate that Café Medley! 

Do you know your Charleston?

by David Farrow

A
s I began this column, the cable
went out. Suddenly the din of
politicians screaming at me was
silenced. Abruptly, I was forced to think
for myself without the caterwauling and
shrillness.
I got to pondering about what a
large role television plays in so many
American lives. It has become an
anesthetic, a way for us to ignore life
around us. I got to thinking to my
early childhood and the two television
stations that baby sat my generation
with Happy Raine and Suzie-Q the
elephant.
This was before there were such
things as media markets, before working
at a local station was just playing in the
minors waiting to be called up to AA;
before you became part of the “Channel
Seven Broadcast Family.” Have you
ever noticed that the more different
reporters and reporterettes appear on the
stations, the more the corporate suits
emphasize the familial aspect of the
station – the more unfamiliar the faces,
the louder the calls of unity?
I had occasion to go to Maine over
the recent holidays and I noticed that
they have the same phenomenon. Just as
someone climbing the corporate ladder
will bounce from the Charleston market
to Charlotte to the Atlanta market,
people in Bangor are shooting for
Portland, then Boston.
As we grow older, I’ve noticed that
local news now comes in a corporate
package that shows scenes of lobster or
shrimp boats and sweet grass or maple
syrup in an attempt to prove themselves
real. It seems to me that as more and
more people from “away” control what
we see on television, the more vivid the
images of what they see as reflecting the
tourist versions of Charleston.
The whole thing is akin to the
phenomenon of 13-bean soup. When
I started giving tours some 30 years
ago, the City Market was in full swing,
selling everything from fresh seafood
and produce to lovely trinkets from
Japan (today, those authentic doo-dads
hail from China). Among the hottest
selling items was 13-bean soup. The
natives of Charleston were all somewhat
befuddled because it was put forth as
something all Charlestonians had eaten
since Stede Bonnet was hung on the
Battery.
To be frank, none of us had ever
heard of it. I, myself, didn’t try it until
the mid-90’s and found that it should
not be eaten before giving a tour. Still, it
was hailed as an old Charleston recipe,
www.islandeyenews.com
as ubiquitous as ice cream on a hot day.
Everything is contrived now. I
was always under the impression that
tributes were given to those worthy
of note. Somehow, developing Morris
Island doesn’t rise to, say, Colonel
Moultrie building a fort on Sullivan’s
Island and repulsing a British attack.
The more our local traditions are
defined by corporate media, the less
traditional they become. What say you?
Luuucy, I’m home. This column
depends upon feedback, and I was
delighted to get some on my first
attempt. I have always been humbled
and gratified by my readership. Jean
Townsend of John’s Island was kind
enough to pen, “Way to go, David.
How refreshing to hear from you in the
printed media once again. Thanks to
Kristin Hackler and “Lucky Dog” for
bringing you back to us!”
John Hope of Wadmalaw Island
writes, “Welcome back you ole dawg!!
I’m looking forward to stories of yore
-- Perhaps told with that twinkle of a
twist”.
An old influence on me, Mr. A.
Harrigan exclaims, “SOLD! If I can’t
live in Verner’s Charleston- then I
want to hear about your Charleston.
Yes, I know Charleston. Glad you’re
back home where you belong- doing
what you’re meant to do. Now get to
it. I thought my family had missed the
boat!”
Sir! Yes, sir!
In response, the first re-appearance
of this column, Danny Petterson points
out, “With all due respect, Dave, that
was the Flamingo Drive-In within view
of the train station. Remember the North
52 had a rear entrance (foot traffic only)
at the overpass on the short-cut from
Montague to the “Dual Lane”. I never
went to the Port...”
As I pointed out, the Port was where
the “blue” movies were shown. My
response? Sure, Dan. Anything you say.
He continues, referring to my quote
from Elizabeth Verner Hamilton,
“That line, “a raft going nowhere…”
is like Hemingway. Her mother, Mrs.
Verner, wrote in Prints and Impressions,
‘One of my deepest regrets is that I
did not start etching until 1923, for
by that time so much which to my
generation represented Charleston had
disappeared.’
We were born late. Keep up the good
work. Resurrecting memories is a noble
endeavor."
 Daily
February 20, 2009 11

Fore! Respite Care

R
espite Care, a non-profit organization that offers programs to enhance the
quality of life for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other
forms of dementia, will hold their 5th Annual Golf Tournament on March
23, 2009, at Seabrook Island. The proceeds raised during the tournament will
be used to offset the costs of providing care and support to these families. The
programs provided by Respite Care give caregivers a much needed break and
provide a support network for families.  Respite Care is supported by donations,
memorials, grant, and volunteers.

Sponsorships:
$100 Hole Sponsorship – Signage at one hole.
$300 Bronze Sponsorship – Sponsorship of one hole and entry fee for
one golfer.
$500 Silver Sponsorship – Sponsorship of one hole and entry fee for
two golfers.
$750 Beverage Cart Sponsorship – Sponsorship of one beverage cart
with your signage on cart (two available).
$1,000 Gold Sponsorship – Sponsorship of one hole with your logo on
sign and entry fee for four golfers.
$2,000 Reception Sponsorship – Sponsorship of the reception with your
logo on the reception sign and recognition at reception.
$5,000 Title Sponsorship – Tournament named for you/your business
and entry fee for two foursomes (one available).

 
Registration begins at 11am, with a shotgun start at 1pm. Entry fee is $125
per golfer ($80 of which is tax deductible). Golfers can register as a team or as
individuals. For more information, call Laura Stefanelli at 843-723-1611, ext. 15
or email her at respitecare@comcast.net. Please make checks payable to Respite
Care Ministries, 405 King Street. Every $50 donated provides a day of care for a
participant.

www.islandeyenews.com
12
Friday, February 20
Family night out at Atlanticville
The next Family Night at Atlanticville
is scheduled for Friday, February 20.  For more info, call 883-5030.
Baby-sitters will arrive around 6:30 and
they worked out great at the last one
(Men’s Night Out!).  Sitters from Sweet
Peas Nannies will be on hand. For more
info, call 883-9452. 2063 Middle Street,
Sullivan’s Island.
Saturday, February 21
Wind and Hail Insurance (WHIG)
meeting and discussion
The Seabrook Island Wind and Hail Group
invites all who are interested to a discussion
of wind and hail (hurricane) insurance
issues. Dropped policies? Rising costs?
Confusing language? 3:30 - 4:30pm at
Seabrook Island Town Hall, 2001 Seabrook
Island Road.
Bride Couture Recession-friendly dress
sale
Belle Couture Bridal is hosting a Recession-
Friendly Dress Sale. The event will offer
many sample designer gowns all for under
$1500 a piece, as well as giveaways and
discounts. From 11am to 6pm. Belle
Couture Bridal is located at 280 W.
Coleman Blvd.., Suite O, in Mt. Pleasant.
For more information, call 843-881-3449 or
visit www.bellecouturebridal.com.   Kid’s day at Seel’s
Louisiana Crawfish Boil
Join Seel's Fish Camp for their signature
Louisiana Crawfish boil with all the fixin's.
Enjoy live music from the River City
Dixie Land Jazz Band and Abita beer
specials all day long. From noon to 5pm.
Gullah Heritage presents: Rice
production and indigo dyeing
Celebrate Gullah Heritage at Charles
Pinckney National Historic site every
Saturday at 2pm during February and
March, 2009. Today, listen to Sharon &
Frank Murray explain rice production and
Paul & Loretta Hromoga as they explain
the process of indigo dyeing. Charles
Pinckney National Historic Site:1254 Long
Point Road, Mount Pleasant. Call 843-881-
5516 or visit www.nps.gov/chpi.
CSO presents McCradys Pops: Neuvo
Tango with Pablo Ziegler
When it comes to tango, Pablo Ziegler is
the authority. Don’t miss Ziegler with his
guitar and bandoneon players. Show starts
at 8pm at the Charleston Music Hall, 37
John St., Downtown. Tickets are $20 - $45;
$5 student tickets (with ID) and can be
purchased through Ticketmaster at 554-
6060, at all Ticketmaster Outlets and at
www.charlestonsymphony.com.
Tuesday, February 24
Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday
Drop by Seel’s Fish Camp for the best kid’s
deal in town. Every Tuesday, enjoy 99 cent
kid’s meals and children’s movies on the big
screen. For more information, please call
Tuesday Night
Kids Night
Bring in the family and kids enjoy
.99  meals from our kids menu and
movies for the little ones on our big
screens
www.islandeyenews.com
Island Eye
883-5030.
Wednesday, February 25
Ash Wednesday
Holy Cross Ash Wednesday service
The Church of the Holy Cross invites you to
join them on Ash Wednesday at 10am and
7pm. Please call the church if you have any
questions at 843-883-3586.
East Cooper Democrats  
Socializing starts at 6:30pm, followed
by the 7pm meeting. This month’s topic
is “Race and Community”.  Please make
reservations if you want sandwiches and/or
need babysitting. $4/person. Contact Carole
at 843.216.3797 or  carolebenson@comcast.
net.  Location: Olive Branch AME Church
Annex (on rte 17 and old Mathis Ferry Rd.
intersection).
Café Medley “over the hump” wine
tasting  greet
Wine tastings with one of the best
sommeliers in Charleston providing a new
and interesting selection every week. Call
ahead for this week’s theme and specials.
From 6pm to 9pm. For more information,
call Café Medley at 793-4055. Located at
2213 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island.
Thursday, February 26
Mardi Gras Celebration wine dinner at
Atlanticville
At 7pm, Chef Billy Condon will team up
with Angela Sanchez of Vineyard Brands
to create a four-course, wine-paired dinner
with a French/Mardi Gras theme!  Contact
Drew at Atlanticville at (843) 883-9452 for
more information and reservations!
Firefly Vodka tastings at Seel's
If you liked the original Firefly sweet tea
vodka, you're going to love Firefly's new line
up of sweet tea vodkas, including lemon,
February 20, 2009
February 20
mint, raspberry and peach. Try them all
at Seel's Fish Camp, 7pm -9pm, with live
music from the Bushell's. All proceeds
benefit the Windwood Farm Home for
Children. Tickets are $50 and include
paired appetizers and vodka, an open bar
and a silent auction. For more info or to
purchase tickets, call 883-5030. Seel's is
located at 2213 Middle St., Sullivan's Island.
Friday, February 27
Monique Lhuillier trunk show
10 am - 6 pm Feb. 27-28 at Belle Couture
Bridal in Mount Pleasant. The fall 2009
bridal collection will be on display, and
purchases made during the show will be at a
10% discount. Appointments are required.
For more information or to reserve a spot,
call 843-881-3449.
Saturday, February 28
Worthy Creatures basset hound meet &
From 1pm to 4pm, waddle on over to meet
the wonderful adoptable dogs from Carolina
Basset Hound Rescue and hear about
their adoption, fostering and volunteer
opportunities. Join us from 2 to 3pm
Monday Night
All You Can Eat Creek Shrimp
Come fill up on fried Creek Shrimp,
coleslaw and hushpuppies for $9.95
Saturday, February 21
Louisiana Crawfish Boil
Come and enjoy our own Loui
with all the fixin’s. Crawfish, p
garlic starting from noon til 5.
specials and live music by Rive
Band all day long.
Thursday, February 26
Firefly Vodka tastings at Se
If you liked the original Firefly
going to love Firefly's new line
including lemon, mint, raspber
all from 7pm -9pm, with live m
All proceeds benefit the Windw
Children. Tickets are $50 and
and vodka, an open bar and a
 February 20, 2009
e Calendar
0 - March 8
for some cool and crazy canine contests.
Worthy Creatures is located in the Shoppes
at Seaside Farms, 1960 Riviera Drive, Suite
E, Mount Pleasant. 388-2515 or visit www.
worthycreatures.com.
Gullah Heritage presents: Anne
Caldwell and sweetgrass baskets
Celebrate Gullah Heritage at Charles
Pinckney National Historic site every
Saturday at 2pm during February and
March, 2009. Today, listen to Ann Caldwell
& the Magnolia Singers sing spirituals and
watch Jeannette Lee give a sweetgrass basket
demonstration. Charles Pinckney National
Historic Site:1254 Long Point Road, Mount
Pleasant. Call 843-881-5516 or visit www.
nps.gov/chpi.
Make a Splash Bash
The 2009 SCBT Make a Splash Bash will
be held at the Windjammer on front beach
Isle of Palms. The casual, adults-only
benefit features heavy hors d’oeuvres, beer
and wine, live and silent auctions, and live
entertainment. Tickets are $30 and include
food, desserts, beer, wine and the auction.
Tickets are available at www.friendsofsies.
org or at the school at 2015 I’On Avenue,
Sullivan’s Island.
Doggie Day at the IOP Rec  Charleston Food and Wine Festival
Bring your best friends of the four legged
variety to the Rec for Doggie Day!  From March 5 – 8, guests have the
Beginning at 9am, vaccinations and dog
licenses will be available.  Competitions
start at 11am, but contestants must pre-
register by calling (843) 886-8294 by
Friday, February 27 at 5pm.  For more information, visit www.
Tuesday, March 3
Dr. Seuss Day at the Poe Library
(starting at 10:30am)
On the third day of March in two thousand
and nine, come visit the Poe and guess
what you’ll find? A “celebrity” reader, in a
Wednesday Night
All You Can Eat Crab Legs
Alaskan Snow Crab Legs
served with salad, coleslaw and
hushpuppies for $24.95
1
isiana style crawfish boil
potatoes, corn and whole
. And of course Abita beer
er City Dixie Land Jazz
6
eel's
y sweet tea vodka, you're
up of sweet tea vodkas,
rry and peach. Try them
music from the Bushell's.
wood Farm Home for
include paired appetizers Sullivan’s Island
silent auction.
13
Celebrate Gullah Heritage at Charles Sunday, March 8
Pinckney National Historic site every Johns Island Presbyterian presents “A
Saturday at 2pm during February and German Spring”
March, 2009. Today, learn Gullah Starting at 3pm, Johns Island Presbyterian
cooking from Veronica Gerald & Jesse Church will feature Ralph and Erika
Gant, listen to African tales from Alada Blanco, piano and violin, in concert. The
“Muima” Shinault-Small and watch program will include timeless masterpieces
African drumming and dance by NIA by Beethoven and Brahms. A nursery will
Productions. Charles Pinckney National be provided for the concert free of charge
big stripe-ed hat, will have stories to share
Historic Site:1254 Long Point Road, Mount for families who need childcare to attend
‘bout an ill-mannered cat! There’s sure to be
Pleasant. Call 843-881-5516 or visit www. the concert. Visit www.jipc.org or call 559-
laughter and fun on the loose, as we honor
nps.gov/chpi. 9380 to reserve your FREE tickets, as space
the birthday of Dr. Theodore Seuss!
is limited. Donations accepted at the door.
Wednesday, March 4
The East Cooper Caregiver Education
and Support Group
All Saints Lutheran Church, 2107 Hwy. 17
North in Mt. Pleasant.  Ginger Deignan,
Director for the Respite Care Ministries
East Cooper Program will speak on
Humor and Caregiving.  The session
will focus on the importance of finding
humor in little situations throughout the
day, to relieve stress when things become
overwhelming. To register or for more
information, please call Ginger at 810-5576.
Café Medley “over the hump” wine
tasting 
Wine tastings with one of the best
sommeliers in Charleston providing a new
and interesting selection every week. Call
ahead for this week’s theme and specials.
From 6pm to 9pmFor more information,
call Café Medley at 793-4055. Located at
2213 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island.
Thursday, March 5
kicks off
opportunity to indulge in the unique
flavors of the Lowcountry while tasting
the epicurean delights of the country’s
best chefs, authors and wine professionals.
charlestonfoodandwine.com or call 727-
9998.
Saturday, March 7
Gullah Heritage presents: Gullah
cooking, African tales and African
drumming
Friday Night
Fish Fry
Sullivan’s Island tradition, come in
and enjoy fried flounder, coleslaw and
hushpuppies for $9.95
883-5030
2213-B Middle Street
www.seelsfishcamp.com
www.islandeyenews.com
www.islandeyenews.com

February 20, 2009
Time may be right to convert to Roth IRA
D
o you regularly contribute
to a traditional IRA? If so,
you’re taking an important step
toward building financial resources for
retirement. But it’s possible that you
could take an even bigger step— by
converting your IRA to a Roth IRA.
And you may have two especially good
opportunities to make this conversion in
2009 and 2010. Before we examine why
this may be so, let’s take a quick look
at the differences between a traditional
IRA and a Roth IRA. Depending on
your income level, your contributions
to a traditional IRA may be tax
deductible; regardless of your income,
your earnings grow tax-deferred. With a
Roth IRA, your contributions are never
deductible, but your earnings grow tax-
free, provided you’ve had your account
for at least five years and you don’t start
taking withdrawals until you’re 59.
However, if your modified adjusted
gross income exceeds certain levels
($120,000 per year if you’re single and
$176,000 per year if you’re married
and filing a joint return), you can’t
contribute to a Roth IRA. Here’s
another distinction between the two
types of IRAs: With a traditional IRA,
you must start taking required minimum
distributions (RMDs) when you reach
70.
Financial
by Dimi Matouchev
But if you own a Roth IRA, you are
never required to take distributions,
so you can let your money grow as
long as you can afford not to touch it.
Which IRA is “better”? There’s no one
right answer for everyone. Generally
speaking, though, the combination
of potential tax-free earnings and no
RMDs might make the Roth IRA an
attractive choice for most people.
Additionally, you have access to the
money you put into the Roth tax-free
and penalty-free at any time, as long
as you are not withdrawing earnings.
So, if you have a traditional IRA, you
www.islandeyenews.com
might wish to convert it to a Roth — if
you can. If your adjusted gross income
is more than $100,000, you can’t make
the conversion in 2009. Also, keep in
mind that any conversion will require
you to pay income taxes on your pre-
tax contributions to your traditional
IRA and any growth in your account’s
value. If you meet the income limits for
a conversion in 2009, you might want
to consider doing so, because your tax
obligation for a Roth conversion might
be lower in 2009 than it would have
been in previous years. Following last
year’s steep market decline, the value
15
of your IRA may be down significantly
— and, generally speaking, the lower
the value, the lower the tax bill upon
conversion. Furthermore, if your income
is somewhat dependent on the state of
the economy, you could end up with
lower earnings in 2009 — another factor
that could lessen the tax impact of a
Roth IRA conversion.
Even if you don’t make the
conversion in 2009, though, you may
still want to consider this move next
year. In 2010 — and in 2010 only —
you can convert your traditional IRA to
a Roth IRA regardless of your income
level. Furthermore, the income taxes
due on conversion can be spread over
two years — 2011 and 2012.
So contact your financial and tax
advisors to determine if a Roth IRA
conversion is appropriate for you. Over
the next two years, you’ve got a good
window of opportunity to make this
move — so you’ll want to act before
that window closes.
This article was written by Edward
Jones, located at 1505 Palm Blvd..,
Isle of Palms, SC 29451. For more
information, please call the Edward
Jones offices at (843) 886-9229 or visit
their website at www.edwardjones.com.
16
Y
ou know what really smears
my lipstick? Food bullies.
Superiority spewers who only
eat organic algae every other week and
subsist on reclaimed groundwater that
they have personally filtered through
hand woven haystacks; or overly vocal
and smug dieters who feel the need
to broadcast their deprivation to the
rest of us as we enjoy a slice of pizza;
and those annoyingly thin people who
constantly lament how “fat” they are.
How they can’t stand their huge thighs/
hips/tummy. How they need to lose
at least ten pounds. The tempting
response, which I (nearly) always bite
back is “cut off your head”.
We all face periods of our lives when
we need to reduce, whether for health or
vanity. Some of us have a chronic need
to do so. What separates the Graces
from the Grunts is our discretion in the
process.
I don’t know whether it’s a slew
of New Years Resolutions run amok,
people’s general malaise due to the
economy, or their need to look down on
those of us who eat chocolate, but there
seems to be a surge in food bullying.
For example, a new acquaintance
recently insisted on getting together. I
was open to the idea but not with any
urgency. She became increasingly
Food bullying
By the Social Grace
persistent one day at the dry cleaners. I
agreed and invited her to my house the
following morning. When she arrived,
I filled her mug and asked how she
took her coffee. She recoiled in horror.
“No thank you. I never use caffeine.”
(Yes, she really said “use”).
What’s a Grace to do?
For starters, get a napkin and wipe
the coffee that you just choked and
sputtered down your chin. Reposition
your expression into one of serenity
(picture either you lying on the beach
or her choking to death on a Cheeto,
whichever gives you the most peace).
Ask what type of beverage she would
like. If her demands are outrageous
(which I am inclined to expect given
her first comment), simply tell her that
you don’t generally stock Kapok Tree
Bark Tea, but you can offer her some
herbal tea or hot water with lemon. At
least, that’s what I did. She accepted
the lemon water, reluctantly, as it came
from the tap and wasn’t filtered through
the right type of volcanic rock, and I
made a strong note to self: “evade social
ambushes”.
On another occasion, a very thin
friend of mine was persistently
discussing his need to diet. Despite the
fact that he is, by any standard, fit, trim
and attractive, he tends to introduce
www.islandeyenews.com
the topic--his overweight state--into
virtually every conversation. His
audience is nearly always of a rounder
shape than he; not fat, but certainly a
more likely candidate for a diet than this
bean pole.
What’s a Grace to do?
Two choices. You can either ignore
this annoyance, let the monologue run
its course and use your conversational
skill to steer toward other topics or
you can hit it head on. If you choose
option two, you again have some
choices. First, you can be reassuring
and complimentary--it is entirely
possible that this guy is insecure about
his appearance. Try, “Jim, you look
great. No one looks better than you
in jeans and if I were you I wouldn’t
change a thing.” After a few boosts in
this vein, any Grace is entitled to say,
“Jim, I am instituting a policy never to
discuss anyone’s weight and diet except
my own--with my doctor. Tell me
about your ski trip/coin collection/new
significant other.”
But if after repeating a version of that
a few times, even the most Job-esque
Graces would be completely within
the bounds of all that is reasonable to
say: “Jim, I can no longer listen to your
obesity lamentation. Perhaps it has
escaped your notice that my thighs are
larger than yours. If you deem yours
‘enormous’, what does that make mine?
Or are you simply too self absorbed
to notice someone else’s thighs,
hips, or feelings? In conclusion, go
starve yourself.” Even Graces can
be pushed too far.
I recently invited a new neighbor
for tea with a few other folks who
live nearby. Ever striving to be a
Grace, I prepared a batch of scones
along with jam, clotted cream and
Darjeeling tea. I offered the guest
of honor a scone. She said, not very
nicely, “I don’t eat white flour.”
I then offered her tea and asked
whether she would like cream or
sugar. She responded, again, not
particularly nicely, “I don’t eat
dairy or refined sugar.” It became
immediately clear that we would
never be friends.
It is possible to restrict your
diet and not offend your hostess. I
February 20, 2009
have vegetarian friends, friends with
massive food allergies, others who
maintain Kosher kitchens, and some
who are constantly on weight loss
regimens. But they are Graces, so they
don’t make a fuss, inconvenience, put
down, or offend others with their dietary
practices.
Some Gracious responses when
offered food that doesn’t meet your
dietary parameters:
● It looks wonderful, but I had a
huge lunch. May I just have something
to drink?
● I may try some later; right now I’d
just like to mingle/use your rest room/
hit the bar/meet your children.
● No thanks, I have a bunch of
nutritional quirks that would bore
everyone to tears. Your garden/sofa/
poodle look great. Do tell me who you
use to landscape/upholster/groom.
The thing is, no one cares if you
restrict your eating for whatever reason.
But don’t use it to convey that you
are superior to the rest of us who eat
cookies because they taste good. Same
goes for teetotalers, Atkins devotees,
vegetarians, locavores and organics.
Eat what you like, but stay off the
soapbox.
Looking for advice? Need to vent?
Wondering how to gracefully handle
an awkward situation? Visit www.
thesocialgrace.com.
February 20, 2009
Market from page 9
Of course, the President alone cannot
determine the direction of the stock market
or enact new taxes. Congress makes the
laws. And, you guessed it, there are plenty of
studies that look at market performance based
on who’s in control on Capitol Hill. According
to Luskin, under Republican Congresses,
stocks have averaged a 19% return, while
under Democratic Congresses they average
only 11.9%.
Party politics aside, there’s ample analysis
on how the market reacts when Americans go
to the polls and when a new President takes
office. For example, in the last 20 election
years, not including 2008, there have been
only two years where the S&P 500 Index had
a negative return. In 1940, when Roosevelt
faced Willkie, the S&P lost 9.8% and in the
2000 contest when Bush ran against Gore, the
S&P lost 9.1%.
Another study, “Mapping the Presidential
Election Cycle in U.S. Stock Markets” by
Wing-Keung Wong, National University of
Singapore, and Michael McAleer, University
of Western Australia, shows that in the almost
four decades from January 1965 through
December 2003, U.S. stock prices closely
followed the four-year Presidential election
cycle. Specifically, stock prices fell during the
first half of a Presidency, reached a trough in
the second year, rose during the second half of
a Presidency, and reached a peak in the third
or fourth year. In fact, the researchers showed
this cyclical trend holds true for the greater
part of the last 10 administrations, from
President Lyndon Johnson to President George
W. Bush, particularly when the incumbent is a
Republican.
Obviously, the large number of studies
conducted on presidential cycles and the
17
market’s fate under various parties proves the
American public has an appetite for this kind
of historical analysis. However, experts in the
field of behavioral finance identify the harmful
tendency to identify patterns and project them
into the future as “oversimplification”. In fact,
investors’ desire for control often leads them
to identify patterns in purely random events.
This ensuing false sense of reality more often
than not leads them to embrace the false
conclusion that they know which way the
market is going. Bottom line? Sure, the studies
and statistics are interesting, but the data
should not impact your investment decisions.
The information provided herein is not
written or intended as tax or legal advice
and may not be relied on for purposes of
avoiding any federal tax penalties. Entities
or persons distributing this information are
not authorized to give tax or legal advice.
Individuals are encouraged to seek specific
advice from their personal tax or legal
counsel.
Bobby Cummings is the owner of
Lighthouse Financial of Charleston. He is a
Certified Financial PlannerTM and Certified
Family Business Specialist and has been
in business since 1990. Bobby’s focus is
providing comprehensive financial planning
and investment advice to business owners,
professionals, retirees, and people planning
for retirement. He lives on Sullivan’s Island
with his wife Kristin, son Tanner (5), daughter
Keenan (3), and recently born son, Banks. Cooper and Izzy are Vizslas, who live in Mount Pleasant with
You are invited to reach Bobby via email at their two humans. They are lucky dogs because they get to go to
rcummings@finsvcs.com or by contacting his the beach every chance they get.
office at (843)884-9898. To find out a little
more about Lighthouse Financial please visit
the following web address: www.lighthousefin.
net
www.islandeyenews.com
18 February 20, 2009

53rd and Third

By Ali Akhyari

“I
have but one mission: to fill space elegantly,” says R.T.
Shepherd. Recently, the painter was present at the At the
Bridge Art Gallery to introduce his eclectic portfolio in a
show referred to as the “53rd and Third Affair”.
Shepherd suggests that modern technology, the photograph in
particular, has made realism an exercise in futility. He compares it
to a human challenging a machine. Like the stories of John Brown
and Paul Bunyan, technology pushes tradesmen into history books.
Today, the camera replicates reality in such a way that a painter can
not compete. As a result, Shepherd’s art consciously sways from
realism in an “inversion of the photographic process”. Instead of
racing the machine, he paints what the machine can not photograph.
In his biography, Shepherd says that, “while art has never
been more abysmal than now, it has never been as glorious”. In
a world saturated with art forms, where a well stated argument
can make art of just about anything, Shepherd’s work lives in the
borderlands where one must look through a third or fourth eye to
see the subject. While our modern era might provide few paths less
traveled by, Shepherd celebrates the excursion. His great variety of
style provides relief and opportunity. His work is true to his mantra.
It communicates in a way that the camera simply can not, utilizing
media upon media and creating a chaos that can only be deciphered
by another human being.
The show allows you to meet the artist on a variety of levels in
a single visit. It “represents my whimsies, and my more studied
experiments as well,” he says. Come out and get a wonderful taste
of an artist, style, and the creative process. The exhibit is available
for view at the At the Bridge Art Gallery until the end of the month.

www.islandeyenews.com
February 20, 2009 19

Peace out
with your book out The patriots of Sullivan’s Island
Sullivan’s Island Elementary School
spent a Friday, February 6 in the shoes
of our Colonial forefathers. With the help
of the North Carolina based company
Colonial Camp, students learned to write
with quills by copying the Rules of
Civility & Decent Behavior in Company
and Conversation, practiced axe throwing
and created felt dolls, along with several
other activities performed in the daily life
of a Colonial American.

Students at Sullivan’s Island Elementary enjoyed

their second quarter reading celebration this past
Friday.  Quarterly parties are held for 1st-5th graders, and
this year’s theme is Reading through the Decades.  The
2nd quarter party focused on the 1960s and was called
“Bookstock ‘09”.  Students in each grade level had to earn
a pre-determined number of points by reading books
and earning passing scores on corresponding Accelerated
Reader (AR) quizzes.  102 students were invited
to the party and enjoyed games, crafts, music,
books, and snacks inspired by the 1960s.  
Photos by Deborah Palmer

www.islandeyenews.com
20 February 20, 2009

Kids rock with Roger Day

Provided by Creative Spark

Encouraging kids to sing loud, jump high, and dream big,

Roger Day, a two-time Parent’s Choice Award winner, will be the
featured act on this year’s “Kids Rock” Concert on March 14. Roger
entertains over 100,000 children and adults annually. His energetic
live shows incorporate his trademark wit, whimsy, and wordplay,
all grounded in the joy of a powerful love and respect for children.
Roger creates an imaginary world populated by pachyderms,
Sherpas, isopods, and mosquito burritos. Roger urges kids to reach
their potential by using body and brain, mind and muscle. His
intent is to empower children to follow their dreams and make
a positive impact on the world. His music and videos have been
“Kids Rock” will be held on Saturday, March 14 at 3pm at the Wando
hailed as “Joyful and empowering” by the Dallas Morning News,
Performing Arts Center. Admission is $10 per person. The concert is produced
“Awesomely fun!” by Nashville Parent Magazine, and “guaranteed by Creative Spark Center for the Arts and Wando Community Schools. For more
to turn all couch potatoes into curly cheese fries”. His hit song “I information, or advance tickets, call 881-3780.
Like Yaks” is number one on Kid’s XM Radio.

To the front of the bus

Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913
in Tuskegee, Alabama where she spent her
childhood. At the age of 11, she enrolled in
the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls,
a private school. Later, she worked as a
seamstress in Montgomery. Rosa Parks has
been called the "mother of the civil rights
movement" and one of the most important
citizens of the 20th century.
in the front of the bus, which often made it honors, including the Martin Luther King Jr.
difficult to get off at the right stop. Even if they Nonviolent Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal
were sitting in the “black section”, they were of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal.
still required to give their seats up to white She is an example of courage and determination
passengers if the “white section” was full. and an inspirational symbol to all Americans.
Black passengers were not even allowed to sit Rosa Parks died in 2005 at the age of 92.
across from white passengers.
In December of 1955, Rosa Parks refused
to give up her seat on a city bus to a

In the early 1950s, the bus system in
Montgomery, as in many parts of the United
States, was segregated. Blacks, who were the
majority of the bus riders, were required to
board the bus at the front, buy their tickets, and
then re-board the bus in the back. Sometimes,
they weren’t able to get on the bus again before
it drove away. They were not allowed to sit
Eye Spy
white passenger. The bus driver had her
arrested. She was tried and convicted
of violating a local ordinance. Her act
sparked a citywide boycott of the bus Do you know what this is?
system. The boycott introduced the
country to a clergyman named Martin
Luther King, Jr. who gained national
prominence, leading the protest with
the words: “There comes a time that
people get tired.” Eventually, the
U.S. Supreme Court made a decision
outlawing segregation on city buses.
In December 1956, Montgomery’s
public transportation system was legally
integrated.
Over the next four decades, Please send your guess for this week’s Eye Spy
Rosa Parks helped make her fellow to info@luckydognews.com. Please include your
Americans aware of the history of the mailing address with your submission. The winner
civil rights struggle. This pioneer in the will receive a coupon for a free ice cream at Café
struggle for racial equality earned many Medley on Sullivan's Island.

Congratulations to Bunny Johnson from Conch Court on the Isle of

Palms for correctly guessing last week’s Eye Spy. Bunny correctly wrote
that the picture was of a “Chinese Fortune Cookie - which, incidentally,
is never served in China. It’s a strictly an American custom. It’s a sweet
waffle-type cookie, with a fortune inside.”

www.islandeyenews.com
February 20, 2009
Isle of Palms Rec Center
Isle of Palms Recreation Center
www.iop.net
843-886-8294
Alice in Wonderland
Friday & Saturday
February 20 & 21, 7pm
Directed by Jimmy Ward
$5 general admission
Advance tickets available at the
Recreation Department
Men’s Spring Softball
Registration until February 27
$425 per team
Game days Monday & Wednesday
Captain’s meeting March 5 at 6pm
Men’s 3 on 3 Basketball
Registration until February 27
$60 per team
Game days Tuesday and Thursday
Captain’s meeting March 4 at 6pm
Salsa Dancing
Ages 12 Yrs. +
No partner needed
Thursdays, 7:30pm-8:30pm
$35 residents/$40 non-residents
New session begins March 5
Canasta
1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month
11:30am-2:30pm, Free
Yoga (16 Yrs. +)
12:30pm to 2pm
Tuesdays & Thursdays
$80 resident/$85 non-resident/session
$10 per class
Sports Conditioning
Tuesdays & Thursdays
5:15pm to 6:15pm class
$40 resident/$45 non-resident
$7 per class
Evening Yoga (12 Yrs. +)
5:30pm to 6:30pm
Mondays & Wednesdays
$60 residents/ $65 non-residents/6 weeks
$7 per class
Total Body Challenge
Tuesday thru Friday
8am-9am
Everyday a different challenge
$7 per class or purchase # of
classes
Kinderpuppy
Mondays, 6:30pm-7:30pm
New session March 2
Learn basic commands.
Must have DHLPP and
Kennel Cough to participate.
$90 residents/$95 non-
residents
Companion Dog
Mondays, 7:30pm-8:30pm
New session March 2
Taught good manners and
further commands.
$90 residents/$95 non-
residents
Ballet
Ages 2-5 Yrs.
Mondays, 12:30pm-1pm
New session February 23
$115 residents/$120 non-
residents
Mat & Floor
www.islandeyenews.com
21
Wednesdays, 1:45pm-2:45pm Middle School Dance
50+ Yrs. February 27
Focusing on Pilates, floor exercises 7pm-10pm
$10 per class/or pay for the session $5 at door
Doggie Day at the Rec Ping Pong Tournament
Saturday, February 28 , 9am Saturday, March 21 at 1pm
Rabies Clinic Registration March 2`-`18
Annual IOP Dog Licenses , 11am Ages 9 to 15 Yrs.
Best in Show Competition $5 each
Must pre-register by Friday, Feb. 27
Registration CLOSED day of the event Co-Ed Dodgeball
Registration March 2 - 27
Mommy & Me Fee: $60 per team, 18 Yrs. +
Wednesdays, (except the 1st Wednesday Game days: Tuesdays 7pm and 8pm
of the month) Captain’s meeting April 2 at 6pm
Toddlers, 3Yrs. & Under accompanied
by an adult-play and socialize. 9:30am Co-Ed Kickball
-11:30am, Free Registration March 2 - 27
Fee: $200 per team, 18 Yrs. +
Friday Night Hoops Game days: Sundays
March 13, 6pm-8pm Captain’s meeting April 1 at 6pm
7-12 Yrs., $10
Baseball Player Clinic
Gymnastics (3+ Yrs.) March 1, 1pm-3pm
Tuesdays, 3:30pm-4:15pm Ages 9-12 Yrs., Free
$70 resident/$75 non-resident Must be a Cal Ripken registered player at
IOP Recreation Department
Youth Drawing
Must have a minimum of 4 Tae Kwon Do (12Yrs. +)
Ages 7 to 12 Yrs. Lower belt: Monday, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Wednesdays, 4pm-5pm and Wednesday, 7pm-7:45pm
New session starts March 4 Brown/Black belt, Wednesday, 7:45pm-
$50 residents/$55 non-residents 9:15pm
Saturday 10am-12 Noon
Cheer/Dance Class $35 resident/$40 non-resident/per month
Ages 8-12 Yrs.
4:30pm-5:30pm
New session
begins February
24
$70 resident/$75
non-resident
Six week session
Youth Tennis
Must have a
minimum of 4
Tuesdays &
Thursdays
6-8 Yrs. old 4pm-
5pm
9-12 Yrs. old
5pm-6pm
$80 residents/$85
non-residents
New session
February 17
22
Isle of Palms Police Reports
The following is a synopsis of the activi-
ties of the Isle of Palms Police Depart-
ment during the month of January 2009.
Patrol
January 2, 2009 Officers responded to
a reported disturbance at a local es-
tablishment where a male subject had
refused to pay his bar tab. The officer
determined that the subject had also
thrown a pen at the waitress when pre-
sented the check. The officer located the
subject, who appeared to have great dif-
ficulty standing and attempting to walk
due to his extreme intoxicated state.
The subject was placed under arrest and
charged with Disorderly Conduct. A
companion located later paid the bar tab
to eliminate another charge for failure to
pay.
January 3, 2009 Just before 1:30am,
an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle on
the Connector for speeding. The driver
admitted to the officer that he had been
drinking alcohol on the Isle of Palms,
and emitted a strong odor of alcohol dur-
ing the conversation. The driver agreed
to several Field Sobriety Tests, which
he failed. He was taken into custody
and transported to headquarters to be
administered a Datamaster Test, where
he registered a .10% level of alcohol in
his system. He was charged with a DUI
and transported to the Detention Center.
January 3, 2009 The Charleston
County Detention Center sent a teletype
message to the Isle of Palms Police
Department regarding an outstanding
Arrest Warrant for a subject that had
been lodged by the Charleston Police
Department. The warrant was for Breach
of Trust over $1,000, filed in 2006 after
the suspect failed to complete contracted
repair work to a boat at the marina in the
amount of $3,800. An officer responded
to the Detention Center and served the
Isle of Palms Arrest Warrant on the sub-
ject.
January 4, 2009 An officer responded
to a residence on Grand Pavilion Drive
regarding a medical assist call with the
fire department. A male subject suffering
from the effects of failure to take pre-
scribed medication for bi-polar disorder
was the cause of the problem. While
in the process of being prepared for
transport by EMS to a local hospital the
subject became aggressive and combat-
ive with EMS personnel and had to be
restrained. Once restrained the subject
was transported without further incident.
January 4, 2009 Just after 2am, an of-
ficer on patrol stopped a vehicle after it
failed to stop for a stop sign on JC Long
Boulevard, then drove over a raised ce-
ment median at the Connector and Palm
Boulevard. The driver and passenger
were allowed to go to a local hotel via
taxi and the vehicle was towed for safe-
keeping. The driver was charged with
Reckless Driving.
January 4, 2009 A local restaurant
reported money missing from the
company safe between closing time the
previous evening and this date. A list of
those authorized access to the office was
provided. The matter has been assigned
to an Investigator.
January 5, 2009 Officers responded to
a residence on Forest Trail where the
complainant reported that her suicidal
roommate had just gone into a wooded
area across the street with the intention
of ending her life. The first officer to re-
spond went into the woods and encoun-
tered the female subject in the process
of cutting her left wrist with a knife. The
officer disarmed the subject, stood on
the knife, and held both of the subject’s
hands until a second officer arrived to
assist. The subject was treated on scene
and transported by EMS to a local hospi-
tal for evaluation.
January 10, 2009 Just after midnight,
an officer on patrol on the Connector
observed a vehicle cross over the white
emergency line several times. Once off
of the Connector the vehicle was safely
stopped, and while speaking to the
driver the officer detected a strong odor
of alcohol emitting from the vehicle,
and the driver had slurred speech and
bloodshot eyes. As soon as the officer
requested information the driver stated
that she needed to call her lawyer and
refused to participate in any Field Sobri-
ety Tests. The driver was transported to
headquarters where she again refused to
participate in submitting to a Datamaster
Test. She was charged with DUI and
transported to the Detention Center.
January 10, 2009 Just before 2am, an
officer observed a male subject operat-
ing a vehicle on Palm Boulevard that he
knew had a suspended driver’s license as
a result of an unpaid traffic ticket. After
being taken into custody for driving un-
der suspension a strong odor of alcohol
on the subject then initiated a possible
DUI investigation. The driver failed sev-
eral Field Sobriety Tests administered
then refused to submit to a Datamaster
Test. The driver was charged with DUS,
NRVC, and DUI.
January 10. 2009 A resident reported
that he had several unauthorized charges
on the last two months of credit card
statements. It was determined that the
charges were for magazine subscrip-
tions. An Investigator has been assigned
the case for prosecution.
January 11, 2009 Just before 2am,
an officer on patrol of the Connector
clocked a vehicle on radar traveling 82
miles per hour. The vehicle was stopped
on the Mount Pleasant side of the Con-
nector, where the officer immediately
detected a strong odor of alcohol from
within the vehicle. The driver submitted
to several Field Sobriety Tests, which he
failed. He was then transported to head-
quarters and administered a Datamaster
Test where he registered a .17% level of
intoxication, and charged with DUI.
January 12, 2009 An Isle of Palms
Police Department Investigator arrested
a former receptionist for a local Doctor’s
office and charged her with Forgery for
forging the Doctor’s signature to at least
one prescription. A DHEC Investigator
is preparing additional Arrest Warrants
for related violations while employed in
the office.
January 16, 2009 The Criminal Inves-
www.islandeyenews.com
tigations Division received a telephone
call from an Investigator from the Sara-
nac Lake Police Department in Franklin
County New York, advising that a male
subject wanted by their jurisdiction was
residing at an address in Wild Dunes.
The subject is wanted for 14 counts of
Criminal Possession of a Forged Instru-
ment, 14 counts of Forgery, and Petit
Larceny. Isle of Palms Investigators will
attempt to locate the subject for extra-
dition to New York. The subject was
located and he agreed to voluntarily fly
to New York to respond to the charges,
rather than face extradition proceedings
from the state of South Carolina.
January 16, 2009 A local real estate
agent reported that a middle aged couple
presented themselves as millionaires and
inspected several million dollar homes
showing interest in purchasing. The
agent stated that as soon as closing on
a property was imminent; they would
then lose interest in that property. The
couple presented the agent with what he
believed was a bogus bank paper, which
was confirmed to be bogus. It was also
determined that the same couple con-
ducted a similar guise on Folly Beach in
2008.
January 17, 2009 Just after 1am, an of-
ficer on patrol of the Connector observed
a vehicle in front of him accelerate to a
speed of 88 miles per hour and stopped
the vehicle to investigate. The officer
immediately noted slurred speech, slow
motions, and a strong odor of alcohol
from the driver. After submitting to
several Field Sobriety Tests, which the
driver failed, she was taken into custody,
and transported to the Detention Center
to be administered a Datamaster Test.
After submitting to a Datamaster Test
the driver registered a .21% level of
intoxication and was charged with DUI.
January 18, 2009 Officers responded
to a Palm Boulevard residence where a
domestic dispute had been reported. The
male subject present had called to report
that his live in girlfriend had been drink-
ing heavily and was attempting to fight
with him. The girlfriend agreed to stay
at a hotel for the evening and was driven
there by the complainant, who had not
been drinking.
January 19, 2009 An Isle of Palms po-
lice officer accompanied a Mount Pleas-
ant police officer to a residence on 20th
Avenue in an attempt to locate a subject
wanted by that agency. The wanted sub-
ject was not at the residence.
January 19, 2009 Officers responded
to a residence on Charleston Boulevard
where a female reported an assault that
had just taken place. The complain-
ant reported that the male subject had
just left the residence in an SUV with
friends. The complainant stated that the
assault occurred when she attempted
to stop her common law husband who
was attempting to leave the residence
with property that belonged to her and
their landlord. He allegedly pushed the
complainant to the ground landing on
her arm and back. Written statements
were obtained from other witnesses
present. Attempts were made to locate
the subject with negative results. The
case has been assigned to an Investigator
February 20, 2009
for possible prosecution.
January 20, 2009 Officers responded
to a residence on Palmetto Drive in Wild
Dunes, where a domestic dispute had
been reported. Officers quickly deter-
mined that the dispute was only verbal
in nature and both parties involved
agreed to stay in separate rooms for the
evening then resolve their differences
the following day.
January 22, 2009 An officer met with
a US Postal Service Special Agent to
interview a postal employee accused of
stealing two Wal-Mart gift cards from
the mail then making fraudulent pur-
chases in North Charleston with them.
The postal service will prosecute the
subject.
January 23, 2009 An officer responded
to a Carolina Boulevard residence,
where a vehicle had been reported
stolen. The vehicle was last seen parked
in the front yard and discovered missing
the following morning.
January 23, 2009 Officers responded
to a residence on 32nd Avenue where
a woman reported that her daughter
had stated that she wanted to commit
suicide. An investigation revealed that
life-threatening messages had been writ-
ten on the interior walls of the subject’s
room. Five used syringes were located
and recovered by an officer, and EMS
responded, and transported the subject to
a local hospital for admittance.
January 23, 2009 An officer responded
to Mount Pleasant to meet with a Mount
Pleasant police officer who had a male
subject in custody for an outstanding
Isle of Palms Arrest Warrant for Crimi-
nal Domestic Violence that was issued
after a January 19, 2009 incident. The
officer assumed custody and transported
the subject to the Detention Center.
January 24, 2009 An officer stopped
a vehicle for an equipment violation,
then discovered that the driver had a
suspended license for failure to pay four
traffic tickets. The driver was charged
with DUS and four counts of NRVC.
January 25, 2009 Just before 2am.,
an officer on patrol observed a vehicle
leave a gas station and accelerate to a
high rate of speed north on Palm Boule-
vard, then cut someone off at the curve
in the road at 21st Avenue and proceed
north. The vehicle continued to speed
and pass other vehicles until it was
stopped on Palm Boulevard near 50th
Avenue. The female driver was deter-
mined to be a juvenile, who was found
to also be in possession of beer. She was
taken into custody and charged with
Reckless Driving and Minor in Posses-
sion of Beer. Due to her age, she was
released to the custody of her mother.
January 25, 2009 Officers responded
to a reported fight in progress at a front
beach establishment. Upon arrival, offi-
cers determined that a fight had occurred
on private property, and no one wished
to press charges. A continuation of this
incident caused officers to then respond
Blotter continued on page 23
February 20, 2009 23

Flock a friend
Blotter continued from page 22 January 20, 2009 PFCs Ambas and
to a nearby hotel, where the intoxicated Thompson, Detective Tarr and Detec-
tive Sergeant Caldwell met with a small

F
girlfriend of the assaulted subject was
causing a public disturbance. While group of Cub Scouts at the Recreation
Center and gave a presentation. The locks are coming to a yard will receive a letter along with the
being taken into custody the subject near you beginning March 1. flocking outlining options to purchase
passively resisted then began to hyper- scout’s fingerprints were taken and given
to their parents for safekeeping. Charleston Junior Women’s a flock, remove their flock, etc.
ventilate. She was then taken to a local
hospital and ruled fit to be incarcerated. Club (CJWC) will flock a lawn of your $20 donation: 48 hour flocking of
While being transported to the Detention January 23, 2009 PFC Chavez re- choice for two days in the areas of homeowner $10 donation: Homeowner
Center, she began to deliberately bang ceived a letter of appreciation from a James Island, West Ashley, Downtown, can remove flock early $30 donation:
her head on the metal cage. She was family that he recently assisted. and Mount Pleasant. Homeowner can remove flock early
lodged at the Detention Center, charged  Purchase a flock of flamingo and flock a friend.
with Disorderly Conduct and Resisting January 24, 2009 PFC Ambas, Ptl.
McElroy and Sgt. Usry assisted employ- yard ornaments for your friend’s or Flocking forms are available by
Arrest. neighbor’s yard for a $20 donation emailing flocking@cjwc.com or call
ees of the Recreation Center on “Arcade
January 31, 2009 Officers responded Day” and registered 67 bicycles for benefiting Pet Mandy at
to a Palm Boulevard residence, where a island children in attendance. Helpers. 870-3842.
citizen had reported four male subjects Flocking  Cash
attempting to gain entry. While clearing January 31, 2009 For the month of will remain or check
the residence, two suspects were located January, officers discovered one busi-
ness and one home with open or unse- in the yard (payable to
in a room, and after completion of the for 48 hours, CJWC) due
search, two others were also located. cured doors. A total of one hundred five
Victim of Crime Forms were issued to or it can be at the time
Located in plain view in the room with
the first two subjects, was a quantity of business or property owners for vari- removed of flocking
marijuana. Both were charged with Sim- ous violations noted or to advise them early by the purchase.
ple Possession of Marijuana, but since that an officer checked their business or homeowner Please check
one was determined to be a juvenile, his home during the night while on patrol. with a $10 out  www.
case will be tried in Family Court. The donation. All cjwc.
owner of the residence was notified and flocking of org for more
a parent responded to assume custody yards will be information.
of all four subjects. One subject in the
group was related to the owner, but had done between Thank you
no key to make entry. 6pm and 9 and “Flock”
pm by CJWC the word to
Personnel/Community Relations members. your friends!
Homeowners
January 5, 2009 PFC Baldrick, a state
certified child restraint installer, properly
installed a child restraint system in a lo-
cal residents vehicle.

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