Three of Jasper County’s last surviving World War II veterans were honored Monday night.

Avis Burke, 92, Mary Cope, 89, and Cleveland Glover, 92, stood to the sounds of applause and cheers from students, parents and other military veterans at a Veterans Day program at Thomas Heyward Academy.

Elementary and middle schoolers sang patriotic anthems like “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “God Bless the USA” and “Choices” to salute the county heroes.

And it was well-appreciated.

“Oh, I feel good about it,” retired U.S. Army Sgt. Glover said. “It’s good to hear the kids sing and we recognize the fellas that’s been overseas fighting and going on and let them feel like they’re still cared for.”

Glover served in the 92nd Infantry Division of the Buffalo Soldiers Army troop from 1942-45, earning merits like the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War medal. While fighting off German forces, his division was forced to surrender and taken to the Stalag VII camp in Moosburg, Germany, from Oct. 16, 1944 to May 8, 1945.

Veterans Committee chairman Gary Hodges said Glover is believed to be the last surviving POW in Jasper County.

Glover was born in Hardeeville and now lives near Purrysburg. He was accompanied Monday by his granddaughter Shenice Jenkins.

Cope and Burke put into perspective the courage and empowerment women in the 1940s obtained, trading in traditional domestic work for militant duties during a time of war.

Mary Cope enlisted in the Navy in 1945 through the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service and said it was one of the most exciting experiences she’s ever had.

“I always wanted to go in,” Cope said. “I changed my birth certificate so I could go in, but I wasn’t old enough. I changed it to a different year and made a copy of it, and they took it.”

She was 19 at the time. In order to serve, women had to be 20 years old.

Cope was accompanied by her daughter Joyce Pope and said she was glad the school took time to thank all those who served.

“This event? Oh I love it, I came last year and it was wonderful,” Cope said. “I think it’s time they honor the veterans because for a long time they didn’t even notice the veterans.”

Victoria Etheridge, 13, was mistress of ceremonies and said she was inspired by the vets. She said remembering Veterans Day is a significant part of paying respect to those who served.

“Well, it’s really important because sometimes we forget what they did for us and what a sacrifice they had in risking their lives overseas,” Etheridge said. “I just think it’s really important to always remember what they did, not only on Veterans Day, but year-round.”

Retired Seaman 2nd Class with the U.S. Coast Guard Avis Burke also overcame obstacles to serve.

After working in a shirt factory in Uvalda, Ga., in 1941, Burke saw an advertisement at the courthouse to join the military, and shortly after joining, she was driving 18-ton trucks to deliver supplies to and from ships and warehouses.

“She was raised on a farm and when she went in, they put her in the secretarial post,” Burke’s daughter Joan Moses said. “But she said they told her that she and two others were not really suited for the secretarial pool.

“So they took her out in the parking lot and gave her a driving lesson and put her into the 18-ton trucks, so that’s how she ended up driving trucks instead of being the secretary.”

Burke served nine months in the Coast Guard and honorably discharged after she learned she and her husband Cecil, who was also in service, were expecting their first child. Burke’s other daughter Panda also attended the program Monday night.

Burke said it was nice seeing so many people come out.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Burke said. “I’m really proud of them and I appreciate everybody that’s here.”

The program also gave special recognition to veterans who served in the Korean War, Vietnam War era, Gulf War era and the current generation of veterans who fought during wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

BRIEFS

Free community Thanksgiving meal

The Kingdom Embassy Outreach Center at 22261 Whyte Hardee Blvd. is hosting a free Thanksgiving Day dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday.

All are invited to attend. Call 784-3777 to RSVP so enough food is prepared.

Blizzard at Blue Heron Nature Trail

The seventh annual Blizzard at Blue Heron Nature Trail will take place from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 5 at 321 Bailey Lane in Ridgeland.

The community is invited to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season at event that benefits The Boys & Girls Club of Jasper County.

Costs include $5 to play in the snow and $5 to have a child’s picture taken with Santa. Other activities will be offered at no charge.

Children are encouraged to wear gloves or mittens and bring their favorite snow-sledding device such as a pizza box, boogie board or cafeteria tray.

Sponsorships are available. For more information, call The Boys & Girls Club of Jasper County at 717-1615 or Liz Vallino with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry at 379-5430.

Spots open on city boards

The City of Hardeeville is looking for volunteers to serve on the Board of Appearances, Construction Board of Appeals, Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Applications are available at cityofhardeeville.com.

Grand marshal search begins

The Greater Hardeeville Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for the 2014 grand marshal of this year’s Christmas parade, which will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 13.

Nominations must be submitted to the chamber by Nov. 30.

Christmas tree lighting

The annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony hosted by the city of Hardeeville will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at City Hall.

All interested church choirs, soloists and musicians of all ages are invited to perform Christmas songs, scripture or poems.

Groups or individuals interested in participating must submit the church or individual’s name, song or scripture to be performed and the number of people participating by Dec. 1 to Raven Favor at 784-2231 or rfavor@cityofhardeeville.com.

CODA T-shirt contest

Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse invites the public to submit a design for the official 2015 Race4Love 5K Run/Walk T-shirt.

The winner will receive a $100 prize, a T-shirt featuring his or her design and one free entry into the 2015 Race4Love. The winning entry will also be represented on all race T-shirts, as well as on promotional materials for the race, which is scheduled for Feb. 14 at Cat Island.

Entries must be emailed to

codarace4love@gmail.com by midnight Dec. 1.

By submitting your design, you grant permission for your design to be used by CODA including, but not limited to, the Race4Love and CODA websites, the Race4Love T-shirt and future marketing materials.

For more information, contact codarace4love@gmail.com or call 770-1074, Ext. 221.

Literacy Center jazz brunch

The Literacy Center will hold a jazz brunch 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 7 at Hilton Head Island’s Jazz Corner.

Guests will be treated to a gourmet brunch with bottomless mimosas and bloody Marys while listening to the sounds of the Jazz Corner Quartet. Tickets are $65.

To purchase tickets, go to www.theliteracycenter.org or call Wendy Jones at 815-6616.

Send items for local briefs to Lawrence Conneff at lawrence.conneff@blufftontoday.com.

Though seven singers and dancers signed up for the third annual Hardeeville’s Got Talent: Youth Edition contest, only two showed up for the night’s performance. But that didn’t stop them from bringing their all to the stage.

Elijah Hill, 7, charmed the audience with his big personality and signature dance moves while dancing his rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous,” complete with a black and gold costume.

Hill said he taught himself to dance at age 3 while watching Michael Jackson music videos. His favorite song to dance to is “Thriller,” and when he grows up, he wants to be a singer and dancer, just like his idol.

Rachael Hernandez, also 7, sang “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” a song from the popular Disney movie, “Frozen.”

After her performance, she admitted she’s a little “Frozen”-crazy because she owns several items featuring the movie characters. She even asked her mother to take her shopping for a “Frozen” doll with her prize money.

Judges for the show included Addison Jarrell, parks and recreation director for the city, Cindy Oliver, business license coordinator, and Katie Woodrow, city planner. Contestants were judged on five criteria: Audience response, stage appearance, originality, personality and overall performance.

The two friendly competitors who are in the same second-grade class at Hardeeville Elementary School held hands when they approached the judges to hear the contest results. Hill took home the winning prize of a $50 gift card.

City Council member Carolyn Kassel and Mayor Bronco Bostick came to support the participants.

“Thank you so much,” Kassel said to the two participants. “I certainly enjoyed that. It just puts a smile on your face when you see young people doing this.”

Though he was disappointed in the turnout for the event, Jarrell said he’s glad both children took home a prize.

“I think they both did a great job,” he said. “We were lucky enough to have two so that every participant could be a winner.”

Jasper County was rocked last week by four shootings, three deaths and an attempted murder charge.

Early Nov. 13, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office was at 100 Knowles Island Rd., where a man’s body was found. Terrance Deanthony Johnson, 32, of Ridgeland, died of multiple gunshot wounds, coroner Martin Sauls said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

At 8 p.m. Nov. 12, the sheriff’s office was called to investigate the shooting death of a man in Hardeeville. DeWayne Lamont Manuel, 41, of Hardeeville, was found dead in a yard on Church Road. Sauls said Manuel died of multiple gunshot wounds.

On Nov. 11, according to Maj. Donald Hipp, the sheriff’s office responded to a call at Captain Bill Road in Ridgeland in reference to a homicide. Anthony King Jr., 25, of Ridgeland, was taken to Coastal Carolina Hospital, where he died of multiple gunshot wounds, Sauls said.

In October, a 36-year-old Georgia man was shot and killed by his 30-year-old Ridgeland brother at Captain Bill Road.

Maurice Wright 36, of Newington, Ga., died of multiple gunshot wounds. Nathaniel Wright was charged with one count of murder, a felony with a minimum term of 30 years to life in prison. He was also charged with one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

SLED called in

Jasper County Sheriff Greg Jenkins said he did not know if the three incidents last week were related.

In a phone conversation, Jenkins was quiet as he gave the initial details of the latest death.

“It does affect me,” Jenkins said. “But we have to stay focused. We owe it to the citizens we serve.”

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has been called to assist.

Also on Nov. 13, DiAngelo Smith, 26, was arrested after he fired a shot into a Jenkins Avenue home in Hardeeville.

Jenkins said Smith is not cooperating and he does not know if the shooting is related to last week’s shootings. There were no injuries.

Hardeeville police chief Sam Woodward said officers received a call concerning shots fired. They received a vehicle description and officers stopped the car at about 5:20 p.m.

Gary Rivers of Ridgeland and Smith were arrested.

Woodward said Rivers was charged with no brake light and simple possession of marijuana. Smith was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, obstructing an officer, and simple possession of marijuana.

A 12-gauge shotgun was turned over to the sheriff’s office.

Smith was charged by the sheriff’s office with attempted murder in relation to the shooting at the home.

‘This is not the way’

Community leaders asked a higher power to intervene.

Revs. Donald Sheftall, Renty Kitty, Dave Mitchell and Johnny Rivers, deacon and county administrative services director Ronnie Malphrus and LeNolon Edge joined hands in prayer Nov. 13 at 946 Captain Bill Rd., site of two shootings.

“Help us to understand, Lord,” Mitchell said. “Mothers are grieving. Families are falling apart.”

“Our God can rebuke anything,” Kitty said. “Prayer can do it. If there’s anything that can do it, it’s prayer.”

The reverends urged the community to seek counseling. They say they are here for the healing process.

King, who attended the county’s public schools, was remembered at his funeral as having a “radiant smile.” He played basketball and was a drummer.

King had a mother, father, stepmother, four grandparents and a son.

Kitty hopes those involved in the killings understand mothers, fathers and children are also hurt.

“This way is not the way, it’s leading to more violence, destruction, more hatred,” Mitchell said.

“There doesn’t have to be gun fire all the time,” Kitty said. “Why does someone’s life have to end just because of a disagreement?”

According to the state report card, the Jasper County School District’s growth rating is pretty good.

The 2014 Education Accountability Act state report card was released last week to mark the progress of schools in each district.

Jasper received a “good” growth rating this year, an improvement over last year’s rating of “at-risk.”

Its absolute rating remains “at-risk,” however. The district received the same absolute rating last year.

The last year the district was not “at-risk” was 2008, when it was rate “below average.”

This report card is different from the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act accountability report, which was also released through the state Department of Education in October.

The ESEA rating gave Jasper an “F” based on a different calculation method.

A “good” rating is issued when a district’s performance exceeds the standards for progress toward the 2020 SC Performance Vision, which states “by 2020 all students will graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to compete successfully in the global economy, participate in a democratic society and contribute positively as members of families and communities.”

This year, Hardeeville Elementary fell from a “below average absolute” rating to “at-risk.” The growth rating was “below average.” Ridgeland Elementary maintained its “at-risk” absolute rating. The growth rating was “average.”

Hardeeville-Ridgeland Middle maintained its “at-risk” absolute rating. The growth rate was “average.”

Ridgeland-Hardeeville High maintained its “below average” absolute rating. The growth rating fell from last year’s “excellent” rating to “good.”

More to do

The district, which has been quite vocal over the years in its disapproval of the federal report card scoring system, said it believes the state report cards have a more credible scoring methodology.

“JCSD still has much to do to overcome decades of educational neglect,” the district said in a news release. “Solid foundations are being laid and student performance is improving as a result of the instructional infrastructure that is being created.”

But state Superintendent of Education Mick Zais said two years from now, when the General Assembly approves a new accountability system, he hopes the federal standards will be weighted more heavily in a new combined federal and state report card.

“Having separate federal and state report cards has been confusing, with each having different performance measures,” Zais said in a news release. “Moving to one accountability system and just one annual report card will make it easier for everyone to understand how their school district and school is performing.”

According to the district, the “good” growth rating is the best the district has seen in three years and the second-best in five years.

The district has 67.7 percent of teachers with advanced degrees, which is higher than similar districts’ 59.3.

Attendance is at 96.2 percent, higher than similar districts at 94.7 and the state median of 95.3.

Classes not taught by highly qualified teachers rose to 15.1 percent, compared to 8.8 last year. Similar districts had a 4-percent rate.

Royal Live Oaks in Hardeeville scored a “below average” absolute rating and an “average” growth rating. Both are the same as last year.

In a survey, 88.2 percent of parents said they are satisfied with the charter school’s learning environment, but just 55 percent of teachers agreed with parents. Seventeen parents and 20 teachers submitted answers. Classes not taught by highly qualified teachers were at 25.6 percent.

I’ve recently read of deep concerns expressed by some elected officials about an email I sent to those in the Beaufort District of the AME Church that was subsequently “leaked” to the media. I gather from their comments that they saw my email as an effort to unduly and deceitfully skew the results of public hearings on the redistricting of the Jasper County school board.

Since those who expressed concerns don’t know me and apparently know very little about the African Methodist Episcopal Church, I’d like to offer a few words of clarification on the email in question — for which I make no apology whatsoever.

I’m blessed to serve as the presiding elder of the Beaufort District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The district includes 30 congregations in Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties.

Those churches are united by more than administrative denominational oversight. The majority of the members of those churches have family ties that cross county lines, and therefore have a legitimate interest in what happens in all of those counties, especially when it comes to the educational well-being of our children. That’s why I encouraged their attendance at the redistricting hearings.

Many of those churches have pastors who don’t reside in the counties of their assigned churches, but that doesn’t diminish or inhibit their pastoral responsibilities. Pastors in the African Methodist Episcopal Church are responsible for the well-being of those in their congregations, and the well-being of the children in their congregations is a high priority.

AME Church pastors are also expected to be advocates for those in their congregations who may be reluctant to speak out in public forums, for even though South Carolina has changed, some residents still fear reprisals if they publicly say things that draw unwelcome attention from those in political and economic control.

Those non-resident pastors who stand up and speak out for the best interests of those in their congregations and their surrounding communities are not “outside agitators” — the crude label appended to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and those who gave voice to those beyond their communities of residence who were unable to or understandably reluctant to speak out 50 years or so ago.

They stand in the tradition of those who follow the Judeo-Christian scriptural admonition of the Prophet Amos, who said that God wants justice and righteousness to flow as freely as unrestrained rivers and streams.

I encouraged the pastors and the people of the Beaufort District to attend the public meetings on Jasper County School District reapportionment so that those who reside in Jasper County could “have their say” with what happens in their schools, with the reassuring awareness that others of like mind who don’t reside in Jasper County would be there to support and encourage them. That’s not “cheating” or “skewing the results.” That’s responsible civic engagement.

I’d also urge those elected officials who considered my email, which was not sent to them or intended for their eyes, to be a “cringeworthy” effort to “cheat,” to avoid the proverbial slippery slope when it comes to who should attend and have voice and presence at public meetings.

That kind of parsing raises other questions of who should have had a voice and presence in this instance — only residents of Jasper County, only those why pay taxes to support the schools, or only those who actually have children or grandchildren enrolled in those public schools instead of in private schools? In the latter case, the category of those who should offer input would be notably narrow.

When all is said and done and when all well-crafted and politically inspired accusations have run their course, what matters is that all children in Jasper County have an equal opportunity to achieve educational excellence and to go beyond the “minimally adequate public education” still enshrined in our state’s Constitution.

When people of good will lay aside political gamesmanship, welcome broad input and dialogue and put our children first — even when it comes to the size and configuration of the Jasper County school board — then all of us will benefit by the result.

The Rev. Joseph Darby is presiding elder of the Beaufort District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Charlie Daniels Band performed for a full house at the Music Vault in Hardeeville on Nov. 14, along with co-headliner Jason Michael Carroll and opening act Josh Sanders.

The venue has hosted a variety of acts since opening in June, including Corey Smith, Buckcherry, Keith Anderson and Little Texas. On Dec. 6, it will host a night of cage fighting from Conflict MMA Promotions.

For many nurses, being compassionate caregivers is simply a part of their job. But one organization works to let nurses know that to their patients, they are often a beacon of hope.

The national nonprofit DAISY Foundation recently selected a local nurse for the DAISY Award, which recognizes the effort nurses put forth to go above and beyond what is asked and expected of them for their patients.

Ashley Davis, a nurse at Coastal Carolina Hospital, was chosen for the award from a pool of 14 nominees. Her selfless acts and compassion led to several nominations for the award from patients and colleagues.

The DAISY Award, which is an acronym for “diseases attacking the immune system,” was established by the family of Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 at the age of 33.

Tena Barnes Carraher, who helped found the foundation in memory of her husband, explained that his sickness with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, a little known but not uncommon autoimmune disease, came on suddenly and aggressively. The couple’s child was only 6 weeks old when he fell ill and passed away.

Though the family was devastated, it was the overwhelming support from hospital staff that helped them through the pain.

“The only thing positive about his sickness was his nurses,” Carraher said, adding that the care her husband received during his sickness was extraordinary.

“We wanted to thank them and we really wanted a way for all nurses to be recognized,” she said, adding that’s how the DAISY Foundation was born.

Ashley VonNida, chief nursing officer for Coastal Carolina Hospital, said one of Davis’ nominations described how she not only physically cared for a patient, but took the time to sit with her, helped her find resources and most importantly, supported the difficult decisions she had to make in regard to her care.

Davis was an advocate for that patient and was persistent with doctors about providing the extra care the patient required.

“When the patient began to deteriorate, Ashley stayed with the patient until she was stable. She continued to assure her that the breathing tube she had was temporary and would be removed once her lungs healed. Doctors said this patient should have died, but nine days after that prognosis, the patient was released from the hospital with new hope for life,” VonNida said.

That’s the mark of an extraordinary nurse.

“We are blessed to have a nurse like Ashley who works hard to give hope to our patients during difficult times in their lives,” she said. “It makes a big difference when they can leave the hospital with that hope in their hearts. This award represents the difference and hope that Ashley has made in the lives of the patients.”

Davis was clearly shocked and surprised when her name was announced Monday as the DAISY award winner. Like many caretakers, she never seeks attention for the work she does day in and day out.

“I like to try and fly under the radar,” she said, blushing.

Her husband, James, and 3-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn were also there to help honor Davis. The family resides in Pooler, Ga.

“It’s a really big honor and I’m so appreciative of it,” she said.

In addition to her commendation, Davis also received a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

As a special gesture, she was also served Cinnabon cinnamon rolls because that was Patrick Barnes’ favorite treat and he shared it with his nurses in his last days.

“We are proud to be among the health care organizations participating in the DAISY Award program,” VonNida said. “Nurses are heroes every day and the DAISY Award helps to highlight the role nurses play in the healing process and in giving patients and families hope. It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that.”

The final school redistricting meeting hosted by the Jasper County legislative delegation last week quickly shifted to address residents’ concerns about political retrogression.

The public hearing at the school district’s Ridgeland campus was intended to get a final consensus from the public on how it would prefer the new district map to look.

More than 200 people attended.

The current Benchmark Plan and four proposed maps were presented. A majority of residents preferred nine-member mediation plan 1, with a total deviation of 4.68 percent, and seven-member mediation plan 2, with a .06-percent deviation.

Throughout the redistricting process, residents have had opposing views on whether to keep nine members on the school board or to downsize to seven.

State Rep. Weston Newton, R-District 120, said after attending the last two meetings and reading emails from residents, he became concerned with people showing support for certain plans but not using the numbers to explain why.

“Some of the comments I’ve received since the last public comment (meeting) is that for those keeping score, if you will, with comments is that they seem to be racially divided,” Newton said.

Many supporters of the nine-member plan have appeared to be majority African American and plans for a seven-member district have gained support from both white and black residents.

“Even though we don’t have those certain sections of the Voting Rights Act anymore, there still is the concern about intentional retrogression,” Newton said. “And retrogression is an intentional effort to diminish the ability of a minority group to elect a member of one of their peers.”

Population breakdowns

Newton asked Bobby Bowers, mapping director for the state Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, to explain the maps with percentages and total populations of white, black, and Hispanic residents for each district.

In the current Benchmark Plan, there are two districts in which the minority (black) population is the majority and one district with a majority white population.

Nine-member mediation plan 1 has four districts in which black residents are the majority and two white majority districts. Seven-member mediation plan 2 has three districts with blacks as the majority and two districts with a white majority.

“I just thought it was important that that be highlighted because we divulge these public hearings into what at least appear to be racial commentary,” Newton said. “And those numbers speak for themselves based on the population.”

Jasper County Councilman Theo Drayton said he believes the seven- member plan was drawn to take a voice away from minorities.

“You take a community like Cherry Hill and Low Bottom and you put them, attach them to Sun City, you tell me they’re alike?” Drayton asked. “The housing is not alike, the education’s not alike, the socio-economic status is not alike. ... Sun City is a growing area and it’s going to continue to grow. I think this is gerrymandering.”

Priscilla Fraser, the school board member who was part of the ACLU lawsuit to call for redistricting, said the variety of plans was not what she had in mind when she initially filed the complaint.

“I would like to say that I’m in favor of the nine-member mediation plan 1 because of the community of interest,” Fraser said. “Again, I didn’t think that we were having these meetings to change the number of people on the board. I thought it was to be redistricting the plan as is.”

Broader perspective

Neighboring Beaufort County has a school board comprised of 11 members.

Beaufort County has a population of 171,838, while Jasper County has a population of 26,629, according to the 2013 U.S. Census. But because the lawsuit calls for updating the map according to the 2010. Census, the districts are drawn based on a population of 23,467.

By shrinking to a seven-member board instead of the current nine, Jasper districts would each represent about 3,800 people compared to Beaufort’s 15,600.

Jasper residents who support the seven-member plan say in comparison, it provides plenty of representation and would offer a near-perfect zero deviation according to legal standards.

“I’ve been to all of the meetings, I’ve heard all of the facts, I studied all of your statistical data and I am convinced that the seven-member mediation plan 2 is the right plan for the county,” Jasper resident Rudy Smith said. “And I believe that it will stand any court test.”

“Change can be scary and I know in my personal life, I subscribe to the philosophy that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Jasper resident Carl Greenway said. “In the case of Jasper County District, I think it’s broken. I support seven-district plan number 2.”

Next steps

After hearing from the residents, the delegation will go back to mediation and chose one of the proposed plans or create a modified plan based on citizen concerns.

The state Senate and House will reconvene in January.

Delegation chairman Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-District 118, said ideally both houses will push the same redistricting map through for approval.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel has given the General Assembly until March 1 to come up with a new map for the school board. If no decision is made, he will assume the responsibility.

Elections for school board members have been postponed until further notice.

More than two-dozen properties, making up almost 32,000 acres, received a protective shield from bulldozing and pavement this month, following action by the S.C. Conservation Bank board.

The list of approvals announced include two deals in Jasper County: 52 acres of Still Branch Plantation for $10,400 and 2,177 acres of Deer Park Tract for about $490,000.

The largest property among the 26 approved is the Westervelt Timber tract, spanning 12,418 acres in Allendale and Hampton counties. The amount approved for the easement was nearly $2.5 million.

The bank’s general mission is to improve the state’s quality of life, but it also focuses on protecting South Carolina’s water quality, historical and archaeological sites, and enhancing public access to outdoor recreation.

The program’s revenues come from the real estate documentary stamp tax. The General Assembly approved a budget of $9.8 million.

Overall, 26 properties were approved to be funded during the fiscal year ending June 30. The new approved grants have a total of 31,620 acres combined for an average cost per acre of $421.

Since the Conservation Bank started in 2002, total acreage conserved is about 247,700 acres. The new grants land in Paris Mountain State Park and a Lowcountry public park and a tract in the mid-state to be part of a S.C. Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Management Area tract.

The bank works with land protection agencies and landowners in South Carolina who volunteer to participate to conserve the state’s natural heritage.

The bank, which has a two-person staff, approves conservation easements, which prevents land from being developed even if there is a change in ownership.

The message remains the same: Jasper County Sheriff Greg Jenkins needs the community’s help.

Investigations of three recent shooting deaths had not led to any arrests as of Monday and Jenkins and the S.C. Law Enforcement Division urge the public to get involved.

Jenkins held a news conference Nov. 20 with 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone and S.C. Law Enforcement Chief Mark Keel.

The shootings are being investigated, but Jenkins reiterated much of what he told the Jasper County Sun last week. He stressed the need for help.

“Please get involved,” Jenkins said. “I can’t make it any clearer.”

On Nov. 11, Anthony King Jr., 25, of Ridgeland, died of gunshot wounds after a shooting at Captain Bill Road in Ridgeland. The next day, DeWayne Lamont Manuel, 41, of Hardeeville, was found shot dead at Church Road in Hardeeville. And on Nov. 13, Terrance Deanthony Johnson, 32, of Ridgeland, was found shot dead on Knowles Island Road.

It is uncertain if the shootings were related. Jenkins acknowledged that drugs were likely involved.

Also Nov. 13, DiAngelo Smith, 26, of Hardeeville, was arrested after he fired a shot into a Jenkins Avenue home in Hardeeville. There were no injuries. On Nov. 19, the sheriff’s office began investigating a shots-fired call at 6183 Bees Creek Rd. No injuries were reported.

The deaths make seven total homicides in the county this year.

There have been three arrests in previous cases: In March, Travis Wiggins, 22, of Hardeeville, was charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Taj Lewis Garvin. Devin Dwayne Swinton, 23, was charged with murder in April in connection with the shooting death of Dominique Curtis Scott. Nathaniel Wright was charged with murder in October in connection to the shooting death of his brother Maurice.

The shootings two weeks ago have the sheriff’s office using all resources, but Jenkins said a big resource lacking is the community. He said he seeks the “cry of the community.”

Jenkins noted there are about 23,000 people in the county, but very little information is coming in to his department.

“Do not stand alone,” Jenkins said. “Work as a group.”

The homicide at Captain Bill Road came about a month after a shooting there left Maurice Wright dead and his brother Nathaniel charged with murder.

Jenkins said the sheriff’s office has increased visibility throughout the county. He said SLED is an added resource, especially since some of the office’s cases go outside of the county.

Stone said Jenkins’ message is not unfounded. A community’s involvement can make a difference.

“In any community you have to have community involvement,” Stone said. “(The sheriff’s office) cannot do it by themselves.”

Jenkins understands the reluctance to go to law enforcement. He said fear of retaliation is a concern.

“Unfortunately, the street has its way of handling it,” Jenkins said.

To help raise awareness, Jenkins urges the public to visit the office’s Facebook page. He planned to visit communities throughout the county after Thanksgiving.

“Stand together to make the difference,” Jenkins said.

BRIEFS

Christmas decorating contest

All homes and businesses in the greater Hardeeville area are welcome to participate in the 2014 Christmas decorating contest sponsored by the Greater Hardeeville Chamber of Commerce.

Entrants must register before noon Dec. 8. They will be judged on three categories: Christmas elegance, best use of Christmas characters and best religious display.

Prizes will be awarded for first place and runner-up in each category for private homes. Awards will be given to first-place business winners and an overall winner will receive an engraved plaque to display throughout 2015.

Judging will take place the evenings of Dec. 11 and 12. Please have your lights on as soon as it is dark.

For more information, call 784-3606 or email info@hardeevillechamber.com.

Blizzard at Blue Heron Nature Trail

The seventh annual Blizzard at Blue Heron Nature Trail will take place from 6-9 p.m. Friday at 321 Bailey Lane in Ridgeland.

The community is invited to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season at event that benefits The Boys & Girls Club of Jasper County.

Costs include $5 to play in the snow and $5 to have a child’s picture taken with Santa. Other activities will be offered at no charge.

Children are encouraged to wear gloves or mittens and bring their favorite snow-sledding device such as a pizza box, boogie board or cafeteria tray.

Sponsorships are available. For more information, call The Boys & Girls Club of Jasper County at 717-1615 or Liz Vallino with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry at 379-5430.

Spots open on city boards

The City of Hardeeville is looking for volunteers to serve on the Board of Appearances, Construction Board of Appeals, Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Applications are available at cityofhardeeville.com.

Christmas tree lighting

The annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony hosted by the city of Hardeeville will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at City Hall.

All interested church choirs, soloists and musicians of all ages are invited to perform Christmas songs, scripture or poems.

Groups or individuals interested in participating must submit the church or individual’s name, song or scripture to be performed and the number of people participating by Dec. 1 to Raven Favor at 784-2231 or rfavor@cityofhardeeville.com.

Health insurance enrollment assistance

Residents seeking to enroll in the insurance marketplace can do so now through February at Coastal Carolina Hospital and Hilton Head Hospital as part of the facilities’ “Path to Health” initiative.

Both hospitals will have designated dates and times when people can receive enrollment help and get

answers to their questions. Counselors will be available 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday until Feb. 13 at Hilton Head Hospital and 9 a.m. to noon every Monday until Feb. 9 at Coastal Carolina Hospital.

Additional assistance will be provided by DECO, a designated navigator through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 10 and 17 at the Bluffton Medical Campus.

AARP driver safety

AARP driver safety courses are being offered in Sun City.

If you have taken a class within the last three years there, is a four-hour refresher course 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 6 in Pinckney Hall. After participation in a class, an insurance discount certificate will be awarded.

For those who wish to participate for the first time or who have let their insurance discount lapse, a six-hour class will be offered 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 22 in Pinckney Hall.

For insurance certification, bring your driver’s license, AARP number if you have one, and lunch. The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members.

For further details, call Joyce Tartow at 705-5692 or email jtartow@hargray.com and sign up at lifestyles in Pinckney Hall as soon as possible because 12 participants are required. Be sure to pick up the instruction information when you sign up.

Send items for local briefs to Lawrence Conneff at lawrence.conneff@blufftontoday.com.

The Greater Hardeeville Chamber of Commerce is kicking off its annual Fill the Sleigh Toy Drive, collecting new, unused toys for local needy children and teens.

Two events help fund the toy drive: the Fill the Sleigh Golf Tournament, which took place Nov. 22, and the Fill the Sleigh Children’s Custom Gift Fair, which will be held Dec. 6 at 17 Whyte Hardee Blvd.

The golf tournament, held at The Golf Club at Hilton Head Lakes, raised about $200 and each participant brought a new unwrapped toy with them.

Last year was the first time the chamber hosted the vendor event, which was a big success, said executive director Ava Comer.

From handmade wooden toys to hair bows, stuffed animals to frilly dresses, several vendors will be selling a variety of toys and items suitable as gifts for babies, children and teens. All vendors will pay $20 for a booth and are asked to donate one of their products for the toy drive.

“These kids have never had the opportunity to have something like that,” Comer said.

Aside from the events, the toy drive will rely heavily on donations from the surrounding community. Last year, Sun City residents played a major role in the toy drive’s success.

“Sun City probably donated about one-third of the toys we got last year,” Comer said.

David Spisso, city councilman and resident of the Rivergrass neighborhood in Sun City, hopes his and other neighborhoods will participate again this year. He said last year, he visited each house in the neighborhood about every three days and filled up a trash bag with toys each time.

Volunteers in the neighborhoods will keep a plastic tote on their porch as donation drop-off points.

“Even though we don’t have children in the school system, many of us had children that became something. This is one chance for Sun City residents to continue that kind of legacy,” Spisso said.

Neighborhoods expected to participate in this year’s toy drive include Rivergrass, Fox Lake, Mariner’s Cove, Whispering Oaks, Wildlife Bay, Oak Terrace and Herron’s Point.

Though she’s not sure exactly how many toys were collected last year, Comer does remember filling an 11-foot trailer and the back of a 9-foot pickup truck with toy donations, and she hopes to see that much again this year.

The chamber will be accepting applications from people who wish to be recipients of the toy drive on Monday. Recipients will be selected only after their names are cross-referenced with other need-based organizations in the area to make sure the family isn’t receiving gift donations elsewhere.

“We’re hoping that what we do have will go out to Hardeeville families in the most need and make the biggest difference,” Comer said.

About 375 people dined together at a free community Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 21 at Agape Family Life Center, sharing a feast of turkey, dressing, peas and carrots, rice, desserts and more.

Delores Young, executive director of Agape, partnered with Savannah Feed the Hungry to create Carolina Feed the Hungry last year in an effort to reach more people in need, especially during the holidays. It’s all about giving people a chance to enjoy the holidays that they may not have otherwise been able to provide their families.

“Some may not have the funds to be able to prepare that particular holiday meal,” she said.

Last Thanksgiving was the first time Carolina Feed the Hungry hosted a community dinner, bringing in about 300 people. Following its success, they also hosted a Christmas dinner.

“I decided to do this because of the poverty level here and I saw the need of the people. It’s predominantly low income and really no jobs in this area and I just wanted to reach out and try to help people,” she said.

It takes about 30 volunteers including cooks, servers and more to make each event happen. In addition, health care workers from Coastal Carolina Hospital were on hand to check blood pressure and diabetes and another vendor helped people help fill out Medicaid applications. There was even a volunteer offering free Mary Kay makeovers.

Sandra Baldwin, administrator at Agape Family Life Center, said she is appreciative of the outpouring of support and help from volunteers in the community, especially Sun City residents.

“We hope every time we do it, it will expand and we

will get more volunteers and vendors,” Baldwin said.

In addition, Carolina Feed the Hungry hosts giveaways on the third Saturday of each month by setting up food booths and allowing people to come in and “shop,” for food and fresh produce free of charge.

“We really want to give hunger a pink slip to stamp it out,” Young said. “We want to close that gap of hunger.”

Following the recent Thanksgiving dinner, Agape’s food pantry is low. They are currently seeking donations of non-perishable food items and canned goods.

The next community dinner will take place at 6 p.m. Dec. 19. Agape Family Life Center is seeking toy donations to give to children at the event as well.

For more information, call Agape Family Life Center at 784-6008.

Hardeeville is taking further steps to prepare for the construction of a new library, which city officials hope to break ground on before the end of the year.

Hardeeville City Council gave the green light Nov. 6 to purchase a tract of land adjacent to the future library site at 20 Main Street, where county satellite offices once sat.

Interim city manager Mike Phillips said the one-acre tract will provide space for any needed expansion associated with the library construction.

“It helps us provide some additional easement access down the side of the property. It also allows us to provide for the potential for expansion in the future,” Phillips said. “We have increased the size of the expected library to meet our current needs, but this will allow us the potential to be able to expand that piece of property in the future.”

The city will be paying $250,000 for the property with hopes of securing financial help from grants.

“We will be using our own money for this to make this initial purchase, but we do hope that some of these grant situations will come back and help absorb some of this,” Phillips said.

Councilman David Spisso asked if the purchase had already been considered in the budget.

“Right now it’s unencumbered money because we anticipate that money will be coming back to us as a process through the grants,” Phillips said in response.

The city began negotiations with the property owner earlier this year and entered a land option agreement in April, which guaranteed the city the agreed upon price until the end of the year. However, the city

was not obligated to make the purchase, city attorney Prina Maines said.

“The prior agreement was just an option,” Maines said. “There was a price agreed upon and the city had the right to exercise that option before the end of the year for a fixed price.”

A payment of about $4,000 was made in consideration of that agreement, which will be put toward the full payment.

Structures’ future

A house, concrete building and a barn currently sit on the property and there are no immediate plans to tear any of them down. If there’s no need to expand the library, the city could make use of those structures, Phillips said.

The concrete building, for example, could be used for storage, the house as city offices and the barn could even be a special event facility.

“I can see all kinds of music shows and wedding festivals and all kinds of things happening there,” Phillips said.

An arrangement has been made to allow the property owners a chance to find another piece of property before they move their personal items from the house.

“We’re comfortable with that because we’ll still have time to take care of all that before the library is built and it won’t really affect the process of building the library,” Phillips said.

Councilman Mike Sweeney made a motion to move forward with the property acquisition, which was seconded by Kassel and unanimously approved by council.

The Hardeeville Community Library operates out of a small brick house on Main Street, which was once used as a wash house by the Argent Lumber Company, a major employer in the area from 1916 to 1959.

Prior to moving into the 800-square-foot brick house in 1983, the library operated out of a small trailer.

It’s one of five branches of the Allendale Hampton Jasper Regional Library, one of two regional library systems in the state. The system consists of the Allendale Public Library, Hampton Public Library, Estill Public Library, Pratt Memorial Library and the Hardeeville Community Library.

More space needed

Original plans for the new library called for a 4,000-square-foot building at a cost of about $850,000. However, based on the city’s population, the plans have been updated to a larger 6,000-square-foot building. The exact cost of the larger building had not been finalized as of Tuesday, said Brana Snowden, city planning director. The new library is being paid for by county, city and grant monies, including $500,000 from the S.C. Department of Commerce.

The need for space is the main reason for building a new library.

“We’ve got a library in this little house that won’t hold more than 20 people, yet there are a couple of hundred people a day that want to go into that library,” Phillips said.

Branch manager DaShon Ellis-Campbell said the small space makes it difficult to hold events and programs.

“Once we get 18 people in here, we’ve reached fire code,” she said, adding that when capacity is reached, she must limit people’s time in the library to one hour. If she does plan an event, it must take place in the community room at City Hall.

The new, roomy 6,000-square-foot building will give Ellis-Campbell the opportunity to offer amenities and implement programs that she simply has no space for in the current building.

The new library will feature a room just for programs such as story times for children and the circus that comes every year. Ellis-Campbell also wants to create a program for teens who love to play video games using an Xbox One console purchased through a grant from the South Carolina State Library.

“I would also like to have a cooking class where senior citizens teach younger people how to cook,” she said. “We will have stuff for everyone, not just for kids.”

On any given day, the library is filled with people applying for jobs online, doing research, doing homework or just looking at their social media pages online.

Robert Kennedy, who recently moved to the area, said he has been visiting the library to use the public computer and printer.

“I have a computer at home but not a printer. Having a printer here is certainly an advantage,” he said.

Other amenities

There are currently five public desktop computers and 10 laptops, but in the digital age, Ellis-Campbell said there needs to be more. The new library will feature a computer lab with 25 new desktop computers and six educational computers just for children.

There will also be a teen/young adult section in the new library, and a local history room.

The library will be built adjacent to the historic Argent train in a parking lot that was once used as a Jasper County satellite office.

In an effort to be environmentally friendly, the library will be built around a large old oak tree that sits on the property instead of cutting it down. The plan is to use that area as a shaded reading and garden space for library guests.

It’s a relief to Ellis-Campbell to see action finally being taken on the project that’s been discussed by city officials for years.

“I feel it’s a long time coming. I’m very grateful to all the partners that helped make this dream a reality,” she said.

Phillips believes this is only the beginning. With the potential for major population growth in other areas of Hardeeville, he believes there could be a future need for more libraries to be built five to 10 years down the road.

Same-sex couples in South Carolina are now eligible to apply for marriage licenses and Monday afternoon two men from Savannah became the first to do so in Jasper County.

There were gray skies and a slight drizzle, but the day seemed kind of cozy and joyful for Robert Turner, 50, and Erik Moen, 47.

At around 12:45 p.m. at the Jasper County Courthouse, the partners from Savannah finished signing the paperwork for a marriage license.

Turner and Moen said it was a long-awaited life event, one they thought would never happen.

Probate judge Buster Kleckley said there was a 24-hour waiting period to process the application before the couple could be married.

“We’ve waited 15 years for this,” Moen said with tears in his eyes.

The couple met in Savannah 16 years ago when Turner, a barber, cut Moen’s hair. They were friends for a year before they started dating.

Turner was born and raised in Wilkes County, Ga., and Moen is from Evanston, Ill.

“I’m emotional today,” Moen said. “I never thought I would live to see this; it’s so wonderful.”

The couple said they were ecstatic when they first heard it was possible for same-sex couples to get a marriage license in South Carolina beginning at 12:01 p.m. Nov. 20.

“We were planning on going to Illinois where he was born and doing it (there) and our plans got interrupted back in May,” Turner said. “So when this happened, it was like we can’t wait, we have to go. The first two days we have off together, we have to go.”

Early response

Moen said they closed on a house Friday and plan to move into their new home soon. Reactions from family and friends have been all positive.

“Everyone’s just so excited,” he said.

Although Turner and Moen could have been legally married on Tuesday, they are waiting to have their ceremony, which they hope will be in North Augusta before Christmas.

“We are going to do a co-wedding with some friends of ours,” Turner said.

“They’ve been together like 30-something years, so this is just very exciting.”

Kleckley said his office received five phone calls Nov. 19, two phone calls Nov. 20 and about eight calls Monday inquiring about the state Supreme Court decision to lift the injunction on same-sex marriage in South Carolina.

Kleckley said a majority of the calls were coming from Georgia and Florida.

“I know in Georgia, they require marriage counseling before couples can get married. We don’t here,” Kleckley said. “Throughout the years, Jasper seems to be the marriage county and I’d like to continue that reputation.”

Kleckley said the requirements for obtaining marriage licenses include filling out a marriage application, paying a $50 application fee, showing photo ID and Social Security numbers, and both parties must be present to fill out the application together.

Kleckley said he isn’t sure if there will be a huge or small response requesting applications, but either way the court will welcome them. He believes same-sex couples will show up to the office in hopes of being legally bound in matrimony.

“I expect there will be,” Kleckley said. “We don’t have a population like Charleston, but we do have Georgia and that’s where a lot of our calls seem to be coming from.”

Local reaction

Residents were asked at an elementary school career day event Friday about the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage.

There were mixed reactions.

“I’m a Christian and I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman,” Dr. Earl Bostick said. “I’m not for it.”

“I’m not for it,” Adrienne Washington said. “I heard about it on the news this morning and I think as the generations change, they’ll probably be more accepting (of gay marriage).”

“I have no problem with it at all,” Byron Addison said. “I have a lot of lesbian friends at the military college. If they’re happy, I’m happy. You know, let them be happy.”

Last week, a judge issued the first same-sex marriage licenses and a couple was married in South Carolina.

In Charleston, Colleen Condon and her partner Nichols Bleckley received a marriage license Nov. 19, according to the Associated Press.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel threw out the same-sex marriage ban in the South Carolina Constitution last week.

Hardeeville’s third interim city manager this year resigned this week, prompting City Council to name the city attorney to the position.

City Council unanimously accepted Mike Phillips’ resignation following a two-hour closed session discussion at its Thursday meeting.

A native of Greenville, he was hired in August as the city’s third interim manager since the resignation of Bob Nanni in February. He agreed to work as interim for six months while council negotiated his salary, a timeframe that would have ended in January.

Before Phillips, the city’s former attorney Tom Johnson served as interim city manager followed by Rose Dobson-Elliott. In August, council announced intentions to hire Arthur Williams, a Jasper County School District administrator, as full-time city manager. However, Williams and council were unable to reach a contract agreement and the plans fell through.

City attorney Prina Maines, a Greenwood native, was hired in June after moving to Savannah last year. She replaced interim city attorney Tom Johnson and will now serve as interim city manager, said Juan Singleton, the city’s media director.

In addition, council announced finance director Chanel Lewis’ resignation.

Phillips, Maines, Mayor Bronco Bostick, and council members Carolyn Kassel, Mike Sweeney, David Spisso and Scott Ready did not return repeated calls Friday for comment.

This is what happens when you reach the Lower State final and return nine players: Expectations soar.

Ridgeland-Hardeeville High began the season last week with eyes on winning a SCHSL Class AA boys state championship.

The state’s basketball coaches also believe the Jaguars are state-title contenders. They ranked the Jaguars sixth in their preseason poll.

Expectations are high and that’s just fine with longtime coach Jeremiah Faber.

“It’s a good feeling. It lets the kids know that the program is growing,” he said.

Last season, RHHS won 21 games and lost to Lake Marion in the Lower State final.

It’s a loss Faber thinks about — the missed free throws, the inability to close out on 3-point shots — but it’s one he uses as motivation.

The Jaguars lost leading scorer Terrance Frazier and a top rebounder in Charles Mitchell to graduation, but they return plenty of experience and that’s why Faber expects to end the season in Columbia, vying for his first state title.

The starting backcourt is senior Nazair Wilson and junior Kevon Williams. Wilson is a returning starter and Williams was a force off the bench last season. He brings high energy and an ability to create off the dribble.

Williams starts at point guard and Wilson at shooting guard, but Faber said those positions are interchangeable.

“They really understand each other,” Faber said. “They work hard to share the ball with each other.”

They will be counted on to make up for Frazier’s 18 points per game last year.

Junior Trenard Ferrell is at center, with Ransom Dunham the power forward and Tre Robinson at small forward.

Faber is counting heavily on Robinson (5.3 points per game last year). Also an adept ball-handler, the lanky Robinson is a good shooter and can score around the basket. He had a tying 3-pointer in the waning seconds last week against New Hampstead at the preseason Battery Creek Classic.

The Jags lost 69-66 on a three-quarters court heave at the buzzer by Oronote Anderson. The shot has hundreds of YouTube views.

Faber expects Dunham to be solid. He figures Dunham will give the Jaguars 12 points and 10 rebounds a night.

“You can bet on that,”

Faber said.

Ferrell will be expected to grab a bunch of rebounds. He and Dunham each started more than 10 games last year.

Senior Walter Nathan is the sixth man. He can play both forward spots or at center. Junior Gaylus Bailey and sophomore Vincent Dawson are big men off the bench.

Football standout Gavin Bush is going to Faber’s defensive stopper, he said.

Ridgeland-Hardeeville High will compete in Region 5-AA with Wade Hampton, Silver Bluff, Woodland, Edisto and Barnwell.

Faber’s pleased with the Jaguars’ press and half-court traps, but he wants the team to improve its communication and half-court defense.

Faber knows teams are going to be gunning for the Jaguars. But he thinks that’s good, because last season the Jaguars learned what it takes to be a championship-caliber team.

“They understand how to compete,” Faber said.

“They understand the work ethic required. And I think looking back, the greatest thing is they connected as a team, they liked each other. We cared about each other.”

Jasper County is nationally recognized for its rich history during the Civil War era, but what is often forgotten is the history of its Native American people.

Community names like Pocotaligo, Yemassee and Coosawhatchie continue to fill a missing link between the county’s past, present and future.

Chief Johnny Running Deer Bright, a historian and elder member of the Cherokee Nation, spends a lot of his time volunteering in county schools and said it’s important to boost education on Native American culture.

“I teach them this information, to respect, honor and learn good study habits,” Chief Running Deer said. “Because this is a subject they don’t teach very much about in school.”

One aspect Chief Running Deer, 75, advocates is helping others reconnect their ancestral ties to the Native American community. He was 25 when he embarked on a personal journey to discover his African and Native American roots. The years of traveling and research changed his life.

“What sparked my interest was I wanted to know the start of my lineage,” Chief Running Deer said. “My mother, she always told me, ‘You are my seventh son, you are the baby, you have to carry on the family history.’ “

And so he did.

“I knew my great-great grandmother was a Cherokee Indian named Tooka Day Butler, so that’s how I started looking for my family roots,” Chief Running Deer said.

Starting from his hometown of Levy, he traveled through South Carolina, New Mexico, the Dakota and Cheyenne tribes, and found no traces of his father Tom Bright’s people. He started his journey Florida, where he found his great-great grandfather John House was the chief of the Seminole tribe.

It wasn’t until Chief Running Deer moved to Moultrie, Ga., in 2000 and met Chief Rattlesnake of the Cherokee Confederate Reservation in Dougherty County that he learned a secret.

“There are many missing facts about the Cherokee Indian citizenship requirements,” Chief Running Deer said. “Some believe you must prove degrees of Indian blood, but that’s not true.”

The U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs website says a general rule identifies those with blood quantum — “the degree of American Indian or Alaska Native blood from a federally recognized tribe or village that a person possesses” — as Native American. But there is no single federal or tribal criterion or standard that establishes a person’s identity as American Indian or Alaska Native.

“But they have to want to be a part of this,” Chief Running Deer said. “A lot of people ask me with confused look on their face, ‘What do you mean I don’t have to know the degrees of blood? That’s what they always told me.’ And that’s because they don’t want you to know.”

He said he emphasizes this detail because it’s a commonly misconceived idea that deters many people from pursuing citizenship in the Native American community. He said the Cherokee Nation in North Carolina, however, does instill a genealogy requirement to keep out those who aren’t “full-blood” natives.

Johnny Bright was renamed Johnny Running Deer Bright in 1990 and was appointed a chief by elder members of the Oklahoma Cherokee tribe in 1995. He left Oklahoma and moved to Hardeeville 15 years ago and became part of the Wild Potato Clan Cherokee National Historical Education Committee.

In March 1963, Chief Running Deer traveled to Africa. Through Sierra Leone, Gambia, Egypt and finally Nubia to track down his family name: The Brights.

“Bright is a nation named Nubia. Nubia means, or is translated, as Bright,” Chief Running Deer said.

He said some African-Americans in the South get discouraged from finding their true roots, a mixture of both Native American and African roots, because of roadblocks.

Chief Running Deer, who has dual citizenship in the Cherokee Nation and the United States, said now is a good time to start genealogy searches that are often hard to complete by looking through state and government documents.

“Really they are two nations that came together, Natives and Africans,” Chief Running Deer said. “They teach one history and leave out the other. But really we are two... two parts of one.”

BRIEFS

Book signing

The Hardeeville Community Library is hosting a book signing with first time author Bessie Greene at 11 a.m. today.

A native of Hilton Head Island, Greene’s first book “Heart to Heart” depicts a poetic and spiritual journey to inspire the realities of life.

Refreshments will be served.

End-of-year revival

The Greater Pentacostal Temple is holding an end-of-year revival at 5 p.m. Dec. 14 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15-16.

Guest revivalist is Brian J. Mosley of Bread of Life Ministries in Atlanta. The church is located at 5905 S. Okatie Highway.

Christmas decorating contest

All homes and businesses in the greater Hardeeville area are welcome to participate in the 2014 Christmas decorating contest sponsored by the Greater Hardeeville Chamber of Commerce.

Entrants must register before noon Monday. They will be judged on three categories: Christmas elegance, best use of Christmas characters and best religious display.

Prizes will be awarded for first place and runner-up in each category for private homes. Awards will be given to first-place business winners and an overall winner will receive an engraved plaque to display throughout 2015.

Judging will take place Thursday and Friday evenings. Please have your lights on as soon as it is dark.

For more information, call 784-3606 or email info@hardeevillechamber.com.

Spots open on city boards

The City of Hardeeville is looking for volunteers to serve on the Board of Appearances, Construction Board of Appeals, Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Applications are available at cityofhardeeville.com.

Lowcountry Christmas open house

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church will hold a Lowcountry Christmas open house 2-5 p.m. Dec. 13.

The church will be decorated in a Lowcountry/Williamsburg theme that will be characteristic of the period during which the church was erected. The church and cemetery will be open to the public for tours, a silent auction will be held and refreshments will be served.

For more information, call 784-3677.

Health insurance enrollment assistance

Residents seeking to enroll in the insurance marketplace can do so now through February at Coastal Carolina Hospital and Hilton Head Hospital as part of the facilities’ “Path to Health” initiative.

Both hospitals will have designated dates and times when people can receive enrollment help and get answers to their questions. Counselors will be available 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday until Feb. 13 at Hilton Head Hospital and 9 a.m. to noon every Monday until Feb. 9 at Coastal Carolina Hospital.

Additional assistance will be provided by DECO, a designated navigator through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday and Dec. 17 at the Bluffton Medical Campus.

AARP driver safety

AARP driver safety courses are being offered in Sun City.

After participation in a class, an insurance discount certificate will be awarded.

For those who wish to participate for the first time or who have let their insurance discount lapse, a six-hour class will be offered 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 22 in Pinckney Hall.

For insurance certification, bring your driver’s license, AARP number if you have one, and lunch. The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members.

For further details, call Joyce Tartow at 705-5692 or email jtartow@hargray.com and sign up at lifestyles in Pinckney Hall as soon as possible because 12 participants are required. Be sure to pick up the instruction information when you sign up.

Send items for local briefs to Lawrence Conneff at lawrence.conneff@blufftontoday.com.