WE TOLD YOU YESTERDAY THAT GOVERNOR MCMASTER IS ASKING US, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, TO TRY TO PLUG THE HOLE THAT’LL BE LEFT WHEN FEDERAL SNAP FUNDING ENDS THIS WEEKEND, BUT THE CENTRAL CAROLINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION THAT RAISED 6-MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP WITH HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF IS NOW BEING ASKED TO TAKE IN AND THEN DISTRIBUTE MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP THE 560-THOUSAND SOUTH CAROLINIANS WHO WON’T GET ANY FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE IN NOBEMBER. THERE ALSO DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY APPETITE-PARDON THE PUN- FOR STATE LEGISLATORS TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE. THE STATE DOES HAVE OVER 800-MILLION DOLLARS IN A RAINY-DAY FUND THAT COULD BE TAPPED, ONE STATE SENATOR SAYING THE DONATION EFFORT IS LIKE ‘PUTTING A BAND-AID ON A BULLET HOLE.’ YOU CAN DONATE TO THAT CENTRAL CAROLINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WEBSITE, OR TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS- BLUFFTON SELF HELP, HILTON HEAD’S DEEP WELL PROJECT, OR HELP OF BEAUFORT.
HERE’S A REMINDER OF SOMETHING WE REPORTED EARLIER THIS WEEK. YOU CAN GET A FIRST LOOK AT WHAT MIGHT BE AHEAD IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW EASTBOUND BRIDGES BETWEEN THE MAINLAND AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND AT AN OPEN HOUSE BETWEEN 4 AND 7-PM TONIGHT AT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND REC CENTER. BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE STATE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WILL BE STEWARDING THE PROJECT THAT WILL REPLACE THE CURRENT BRIDGES WITH A SINGLE THREE-LANE BRIDGE THAT WILL OFFER ACCESS TO PINCKNEY ISLAND AND MAINTAIN ACCESS TO HOG ISLAND AND MARINERS COVE. IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE OPEN HOUSE, MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT SCDOT278BRIDGEREPLACEMENT.COM.
A SECOND LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED AGAINST THE FORMER BEAUFORT COUNTY DEPUTY ARRESTED EARLIER THIS WEEK FOR THAT VIDEOED SCUFFLE ON THE NORTH END OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH AGO. THIS SUIT NAMES FORMER DEPUTY BILLY SQUIRES, NEIGHBOR BRIAN STAHLHEBER, THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND FIVE UNIDENTIFIED ‘JOHN DOES’ WHO ARE REFERRED TO AS ‘NEIGHBORHOOD VIGILANTES’ WHO HELPED HOLD THE TEENAGE BOYS ON THE PAVEMENT DURING THE ALTERCATION CAUGHT ON CELLPHONE CAMERAS WHERE THE OFF-DUTY SQUIRES PULLED A GUN ON THE BOYS. THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY PARENTS OF ONE OF THE BOYS, JOSEPH AND LAUREN PEPITONE AND CONTAINS MUCH OF THE SAME LANGUAGE AS A FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED THREE WEEKS AGO BY THE MOTHER OF ANOTHER OF THE BOYS INVOLVED THAT ACCUSED SQUIRES AND OTHERS OF ASSAULT, EXCESSIVE FORCE, FALSE IMPRISONMENT, ILLEGAL SEARCH AND SEIZURE AND MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS OF SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT POLICIES.
STILL NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED IN THAT DEADLY SHOOTING OUTSIDE A BAR ON ST. HELENA ISLAND BACK ON THE 12TH. COMMUNITY MEMBERS GOT TOGETHER LAST NIGHT TO TRY TO START TO MOVE FORWARD, HEARING FROM LOCAL LEADERS LIKE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT FRANK RODRIGUEZ, WHO SAID THE DISTRICT HAS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR ITS EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE OFFERED UP ITS HALF-DOZEN CHAPLAINS TO HELP VICTIMS’ FAMILIES AND ALSO FIRST RESPONDERS.