WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WROTE A LETTER? A GROUP LED BY SOME SUN CITY RESIDENTS HAVE WRITTEN 337 OF THEM AND HAND-DELIVERED THEM TO BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFF P-J TANNER PROTESTING THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT’S INVOLVEMENT WITH ICE RAIDS IN THE LOWCOUNTRY. THE LETTERS WERE INDIVIDUALLY WRITTEN AFTER RESIDENTS ATTENDED TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE TANNER EXPLAINED THE DEPARTMENT’S 287-G AGREEMENT TO HELP ICE IN ARRESTING UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS IN THE LOWCOUNTRY. TANNER HAS SAID HE APPRECIATES THE COMMUNITY CONCERN. TWO DEPUTIES ARE EXPECTED TO BE TRAINED IN ICE POLICIES SOON. PROTESTORS SAY MORE LETTERS ARE COMING. THEY FOLLOW A PROTEST PETITION THAT INCLUDED OVER 600 SIGNATURES.
EVER STAYED IN A CHAIN HOTEL ROOM AND THOUGHT TO YOURSELF, ‘I COULD LIVE HERE’? THE PEARL STUDIO APARTMENTS IN BEAUFORT HAVE JUST OPENED FOLLOWING THE 5-MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION OF 150 UNITS THAT USED TO BE A 4-STORY HOLIDAY INN AND A QUALITY INN JUST OFF BOUNDARY STREET, BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST HOTEL-TO-APARTMENT CONVERSION IN BEAUFORT. THE APARTMENTS ARE OBVIOUSLY SMALL, BETWEEN 250 AND 375 SQUARE FEET, WITH RENTS RANGING FROM 11-HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH TO 12-HUNDRED 50 DOLLARS A MONTH AND INCLUDE WI-FI, WATER AND ELECTRICITY, AN OUTDOOR POOL, A COMMONS AREA WITH FOOD PREP APPLIANCES, A SMALL BUSINESS CENTER AND EVEN A LIBRARY, TRYING TO CREATE A COMMUNITY FOR RESIDENTS.
A SUMMERVILLE MAN FACES BANK ROBBERY CHARGES AFTER A UNIQUE HEIST WEDNESDAY AT A T-D BANK BRANCH NEAR U-S-C-B IN BLUFFTON. ELTON ATKINS APPARENTLY WENT INTO THE BANK DISGUISED AS A WOMAN, HANDED OVER A NOTE DEMANDING MONEY, THEN TOOK THE CASH AND FLED THE AREA ON A BICYCLE, WHICH HE USED TO GET TO A SMALL WHITE S-U-V, WHICH WAS LATER STOPPED IN NORTH CHARLESTON WHERE ATKINS WAS ARRESTED AND DETAINED BEFORE BEING BROUGHT BACK TO THE JASPER COUNTY DETENTION CENTER. U-S-C-B WAS ACTUALLY PUT UNDER LOCKDOWN FOR A SHORT TIME.
THIS IS MORE INSIDE-POLITICS THAN SOMETHING SERIOUSLY IMPACTING OUR UPCOMING ELECTIONS, BUT IT IS ABOUT 30 MILLION DOLLRS OF YOUR TAX MONEY. THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION IS NOW SAYING IT FIRED ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HOWARD KNAPP LAST MONTH FOR FALSIFYING DOCUMENTS FOR PURCHASING VOTING MACHINES AND FOR CREATING A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND HIS DEPARTURE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S DEMAND TO SEE THE ENTIRE VOTER ROLLS FROM THE STATE. IN ITS FIRST MEETING SINCE THE FIRING, THE COMMISSION SAYS KNAPP PRESENTED THEM WITH A 28-MILLION DOLLAR BILL FOR NEW VOTING MACHINES, BUT THAT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN REPOSESSED BECAUSE THE REAL BILL IS ABOUT 32 MILLION THAT THE STATE JUST NOW PAID. THE HEAD OF THE ELECTION COMMISSION HAS ALSO ACCUSED KNAPP OF HAVING A DEPUTY DIRECTOR PUT A LISTENING DEVICE IN THE AGENCY’S BOARD ROOM TO EAVESDROP ON THE BOARD’S CLOSED-DOOR DELIBERATIONS. KNAPP IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION FOR UNSPECIFIED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.