WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW LOWCOUNTRY SHRIMPERS HAVE BEEN BATTLING OFFSHORE IMPORTS FOR MONTHS NOW, ESPECIALLY FOR HOW AREA RESTAURANTS CLAIM TO SERVE LOCALLY-SOURCED SHRIMP THAT ARE ACTUALLY FROM HALF-A-WORLD AWAY. THE SOUTH CAROLINA SHRIMPERS ASSOCIATION HAS EVEN SUED 40 CHARLESTON-AREA RESTAURANTS FOR FALSE ADVERTISING, BUT THAT LAWSUIT HAS NOW BEEN THROWN OUT BY FEDERAL JUDGE RICHARD GERGEL, WHO HAS RULED THAT THE ASSOCIATION WOULD NOT SUFFER ANY MONETARY HARM FROM ANY MIS-LABELING OF THE SHRIMP. THE RESTAURANTS WHO COUNTER-SUED THE SHRIMPERS SAY THE NON-PROFIT ASSOCIATION SHOULD NEVER HAVE SUED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE SHRIMPERS SAY THERE’S NOW NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE RESTAURANTS TO TELL CUSTOMERS WHERE THEIR SHRIMP CAME FROM.
AND WHILE YOU’RE ALREADY SEEING ADS FOR THE 2026 MID-TERMS, THERE ARE LOWCOUNTRY ELECTIONS TODAY. POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7AM TO 7PM IN BLUFFTON, PORT ROYAL AND YEMASSEE. BLUFFTON HAS TWO INCUMBENTS RUNNING FOR THEIR TOWN COUNCIL SEATS UNOPPOSED. PORT ROYAL HAS THREE CANDIDATES FOR TWO TOWN COUNCIL SPOTS, AND IN YEMASSEE, THERE ARE THREE CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR AND FIVE FOR TWO VACANT TOWN COUNCIL SEATS.
WITH A DECISION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON RELEASING SNAP BENEFITS STILL BEING ARGUED IN COURTROOMS, LOWCOUNTRY FOOD PANTRIES RE SEEING A RUN ON FOOD SUPPLIES BY THOSE WHO NEED THEM. BUT THEY’RE ALSO SEEING A GROUNDSWELL OF HELP COMING FROM DONORS TO THOSE PANTRIES. THE FOLKS AT THE DEEP WELL PROJECT ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND TOLD WSAV THAT DEMAND IS UP 20% IN JUST THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE CESSATION OF SNAP BENEFITS, BUT THAT DONORS ARE CALLING IN FINANCIAL PLEDGES AND GROUPS ARE LITERALLY BRINGING TRUCKLOADS OF FOOD TO THEIR PANTRY. THE NEED STILL OUTSTRIPS THE SUPPLY, BUT THE GAP ISN’T AS WIDE AS IT COULD BE. YOU ARE STILL ENCOURAGED TO DONATE THROUGH THE DEEP WELL, BLUFFTON SELF-HELP AND HELP OF BEAUFORT WEBSITES.
AND THE STATE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS BEGIN THIS WEEKEND WITH PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR AREA SCHOOLS TO MAKE A RUN FOR HARDWARE. HILTON HEAD HIGH IS SEEDED SECOND IN THE LOWER STATE BRACKET IN CLASS 4-A AND WILL HOST SOUTH AIKEN IN THE FIRST ROUND, 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 BLUFFON ALSO GETS A HOME OPENER WITH GILBERT, WHILE BEAUFORT HIGH HAS BEEN SENT TO THE UPPER STATE BRACKET AS THE LAST TEAM IN, HAVING TO TRAVEL TO FORT MILL TO PLAY TOP-SEEDED SOUTH POINTE. IN CLASS 3-A, BATTERY CREEK HAS TO TRAVEL TO LORIS. IN CLASS 2-, WHALE BRANCH HAS TO TRAVEL TO PLAY PHILLIP SIMMONS.