IF YOU’RE FLYING OUT OF THE LOWCOUNTRY THIS WEEKEND, OR ANYTIME DURING THE REST OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, YOU MIGHT WANT TO STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH YOUR AIRLINE. SAVANNAH’S AIRPORT AND ALL OF THE AIRPORTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA ARE NOT DIRECTLY HAVING SERVICE CUTBACKS BY THE MAJOR AIRLINES, BUT ANYWHERE YOU’RE CONNECTING IS LIKELY ON THE LIST OF 40 AIRPORTS NATIONWIDE THAT ARE CUTTING SERVICE TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON STILL-UNPAID AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND T-S-A AGENTS. AIRLINES HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TRIM THEIR SCHEDULES BY 10-PERCENT ACROSS THEIR HIGH-VOLUME MARKETS, SO CANCELLATIONS ARE EXPECTED IN ATLANTA, CHARLOTTE, CHICAGO, NEW YORK, DALLAS AND OTHER AIRPORTS SERVING THE LOWCOUNTRY. ALL OF THE MAJOR AIRLINES ARE OFFERING TO REBOOK PASSENGERS AT NO EXTRA CHARGE AND WILL OFFER REFUNDS, EVEN FOR NON-REFUNDABLE TICKETS.
BIG WEEKEND ALREADY UNDERWAY IN THE AREAS SURROUNDING THE PENN CENTER ON ST. HELENA ISLAND FOR THE HERITAGE DAYS CELEBRATION IN THE HEART OF GULLAH GEECHEE NATION. THERE’S A WIDE VARIETY OF PERFORMANCES, CULTURAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING GENEALOGY WORKSHOPS, AND PLENTY OF OYSTERS AND WITH A FISH FRY AND A PARADE ON SATURDAY. YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE AT THE HERITAGE DAYS CELEBRATION WEBSITE OR THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE.
HERE’S A DIFFERENT CAMPAIGN STRATEGY. BRANDON BROWN IS A DEMOCRAT RUNNING FOR LINDSEY GRAHAM’S SENATE SEAT, PLEDGING A CAMPAIGN OF UNITY, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD THOSE WORDS AT THE TOP OF A CAMPAIGN? BROWN HAS BEEN A VICE PRESIDENT OF THREE DIFFERENT HBCU’S, WAS SAVANNAH’S CHIEF DEPUTY TAX COMMISSIONER AND HELPS HIS FAMILY RUN TWO MORTUARIES. HE SAYS GRAHAM IS TOO BUSY COZYING UP TO THE PRESIDENT AND IS NOT FIGHTING FOR HIS CONSTITUENTS. HE SAYS HE’S A FRITZ HOLLINGS DEMOCRAT WHO’LL TRY TO WORK BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE, CHALLENGING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS HAVING A FAILED PLAYBOOK IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THERE ARE NOW FIVE DEMOCRATS AND THREE REPUBLICANS VYING FOR THE SENATE SEAT IN THE STATE. THE PRIMARIES AREN’T UNTIL NEXT JUNE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE COME UP WITH ANY NUMBER OF REASONS NOT TO GO TO A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME IN YOUR LOWCOUNTRY TOWN EVERY OTHER FRIDAY NIGHT THIS FALL, BUT THERE’S NO REASON TONIGHT. THE WEATHER SHOULD BE SPECTACULAR AND ITS PLAYOFF TIME WITH MANY AREA TEAMS STILL ALIVE TO CAPTURE STATE HARDWARE. HILTON HEAD HIGH IS SEEDED SECOND IN THE LOWER STATE BRACKET IN CLASS 4-A AND WILL HOST SOUTH AIKEN TONIGHT, WITH A POSSIBLE REMATCH AGAINST 7TH SEEDED MAY RIVER IN THE SECOND ROUND IF THE SHARKS BEAT WILSON IN THEIR HOME PLAYOFF OPENER. 5TH SEEDED BLUFFTON HIGH ALSO GETS A HOME OPENER WITH GILBERT, THOUGH BEAUFORT HIGH FANS HAVE TO TRAVEL TO FORT MILL TO PLAY TOP-SEEDED SOUTH POINTE. TWO OTHER TEAMS ON THE ROAD TONIGHT- BATTERY CREEK HAS TO TRAVEL TO LORIS IN CLASS 3-A, WHILE IN CLASS 2-A, WHALE BRANCH HAS TO TRAVEL TO PLAY PHILLIP SIMMONS.