POSSIBLY ‘THE’ MOST CONTENTOUS TOPIC ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND THESE DAYS IS WHAT TO DO ABOUT SHORT -TERM RENTALS. NEIGHBORS OF THE RENTAL PROPERTIES HAVE ALL KINDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT PARKING, TRASH, CONGESTION AND THE BEHAVIOR OF THEIR SHORT-TERM NEIGHBORS, BUT PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THEIR RIGHTS TOO. AND THE DOLLARS FROM RENTAL PROPERTIES ARE ENORMOUS FOR THE TOWN’S ECONOMY. HILTON HEAD’S TOWN COUNCIL HEARD 2-1/2 HOURS OF CITIZEN INPUT EARLIER THIS WEEK AND STILL HASN’T COME TO ANY CONCLUSIONS. A MORATORIUM ON ANY NEW SHORT-TERM RENTALS HAS BEEN FLOATED. OTHER LEADERS ARE HOPING A NEW LAND MANAGEMENT ORDINANCE WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT SO FAR, PROGRESS IS AT A STANDSTILL. HILTON HEAD CURRENTLY HAS MRE THAN 7-THOUSAND SHORT-TERM RENTAL UNITS.
WE TOLD YOU LAST WEEK ABOUT THE BATTLE BETWEEN ELECTION OFFICIALS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL OVER THE STATE’S VOTING RECORDS THAT INCLUDE QUITE A BIT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ON ALL OF US. THE STATE’S BEEN SLOW-WALKING A FEDERAL DEMAND FOR THE RECORDS AND NOW, CURIOUSLY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, HOWARD KNAPP, HAS BEEN FIRED BY HIS BOARD. NOBODY ON THAT BOARD, OR EVEN AT THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE IS SAYING WHY, BUT ITS NOT HARD TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES ON THIS ONE. THE STATE SUPREME COURT HAS RULED THAT THE FEDERAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACCESS THE DATA AND AFTERWARD, THE STATE SAID IT WOULD CONTINUE TO TRY TO COMPLY WITH THE RULING WHILE PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF VOTERS.
FIND A PIECE OF WOOD TO KNOCK ON, BUT SO FAR WE’VE HAD A VERY CALM HURRICANE SEASON THAT WE’RE NOW ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH. THE LATEST STORM, GABRIELLE, IS CHURNING WAY OUT IN THE ATLANTIC AND IS FORECAST TO TURN TO THE NORTH AND THEN BACK EAST BEFORE IT EVEN GETS TO BERMUDA. EXPERTS SAY THE CALM SEASON SO FAR IS DUE TO UNUSUAL SURGES OF DRY AIR, A SAHARAN DUST STORM SMOTHERING DEVELOPMENT OF STORMS AND COOLER WATER TEMPERATURES OFF THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA. BUT, AND THERE’S ALWAYS A BUT, RIGHT? WATERS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ARE DANGEROUSLY WARM AND IF ANYTHING DEVELOPS THERE, THE SITUATION CAN INTENSIFY RAPIDLY. THE EARTH’S OCEANS JUST HAD THEIR THIRD HOTTEST AUGUST SINCE 1850- SURPASSED ONLY BY THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND HURRICANES HELENE AND MILTON LAST YEAR CAME IN THE LATER PORTION OF THE HURRICANE SEASON, SO WE’RE FAR FROM OUT OF THE WOODS.
WE’VE TALKED A FAIR AMOUNT LATELY ABOUT THE CRISIS IN OUR ANIMAL SHELTERS, ESPECIALLY IN JASPER COUNTY. THE COUNTY COUNCIL THERE HAS NOW ENACTED A 60-DAY EMERGENCY ORDINANCE MAKING IT THE LAW TO HAVE YOUR PITBULL OR OTHER BULLY-LIKE BREEDS SPAYED OR NEUTERED, THOUGH THEY HAVE A PROGRAM TO DO IT FOR FREE. SHELTERS IN JASPER COUNTY ARE RECEIVING 5 OR 6 DOGS A DAY, 85% OF THEM PIT-BULLS OR BULLY-TYPE BREEDS. THANKS TO THE BISSELL CORPORATION, RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS SPAYING AND NEUTERING SERVICES FOR FREE FOR THE NEXT 60 DAYS. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL JASPER COUNTY SHELTER FOR DETAILS.