Letters to the Editor
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Don't destroy island for convenience of few
Why are we trying to shoehorn a commercial airport into such a small community, an airport that provides services to only a few at the expense and sacrifice of many, sacrifices for the benefit of a mere 2.6 percent of visitors to Hilton Head Island?
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Chamber, president work for Hilton Head
To the critics of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce's efforts to promote tourism travel via the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, and especially to those who have unfairly implied that Bill Miles, chamber president and CEO, is overpaid, you need to take a moment to reflect on reality.
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Chamber president has good reason to smile
Has anyone noticed that when you see Bill Miles, the president and CEO of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, either in person or in print, he is grinning from ear to ear?
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Gun control laws show 2nd Amendment need
A recent letter writer stated, "If I had my druthers, I would repeal the Second Amendment and replace it with local laws that described when and how a populace can own a gun, what type of gun they can own, where they can keep them and when they can use them."
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Better to spend money on education than malls
I'm having a hard time visualizing Gucci and Ferragamo hiring people in a county that felt the need to pass a law banning sagging pants.
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Dock would ruin public beach for neighbors
One of the biggest selling points of my residence on Seaside Road was that it is a short walk to the beach, and we're able to walk for a good distance, visit with our neighbors and let our dogs run and enjoy the water.
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Compare and contrast today's honor students
In the March 15 story "District to eliminate some honors courses," someone asks, "What about the lower-achieving honors students?"
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Aid to Israel should stop if it won't pursue peace
I am outraged by the audacity of the announcement in Israel, deliberately timed to coincide with the arrival of our vice president, about building 1,600 more apartments in East Jerusalem, which still is recognized by the international community as part of Palestine.
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Nothing so fun to spend as someone else's money
Ah, it's in the air: OPM, Other People's Money. The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton of Commerce smells it. The Sembler Co. smells it.
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What justifies pay for chamber president?
Was that a misprint in the March 12 letter about Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce president Bill Miles' compensation? He received $344,251 in 2009, including a $25,000 bonus. What on Earth does he accomplish for this salary?
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Action needed now on health care reform
Recently, a friend sent an e-mail with a link to a site that illustrates the space station's growth over the years. As I watched it evolve, I couldn't help but think the space station would not exist today had those in positions of power insisted on the 100-percent solution from the "get-go."
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Chamber should rethink its spending priorities
I think it's time to say what many people are thinking. I am not opposed to the $300,000 approved by Town Council to help promote Hilton Head Island or even the more than $1 million the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce receives from the town.
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Scary position is to do nothing on health care
Our poor, demoralized and frightened citizens take orders from their health insurance companies and hope for the best. Our country can do better than this. A democracy needs educated, healthy and confident people to survive.
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Health care summit was exercise in futility
The health care summit was a debacle. Think back to when you were in business and needed to come to some form of consensus with 38 people in the room.
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Helping hungry, homeless starts with finding jobs
I attended the meeting at Congregation Beth Yam devoted to exploring the problems of hunger and homelessness, but not joblessness, in our community.
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Life or death for airport the issue to be decided
The March 13 story on the Hilton Head Island Airport was accurate in presenting the situation, but only two true options exist.
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Past reconciliation vote shows bipartisan support
According to the national media, the reconciliation procedure has been used 23 times since 1980 -- 17 times by Republicans and six times by Democrats.
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Deaths might have been stopped with proper care
My mother died when I was only 10 years old. I had two sisters younger than me and two brothers.
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Reforming health care in citizens' best interests
It is time for health care reform.
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Health care bill offers serious improvements
Health reform legislation has been passed by both the House and Senate, pending final approval. These are the major reforms: No insurance can be denied because of pre-existing conditions; no cap can be placed on medical costs for any condition; portability from state to state; no policy can be arbitrarily canceled; Medicare benefits will be improved; Medicare's prescription drug coverage doughnut hole will be eliminated; physician payments will increase; there will be no increase in costs; the budget deficit will decrease; and more than 30 million uninsured, less fortunate people now will have coverage.
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'Slaughter solution' violates Constitution
U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, has devised the "Slaughter solution." She is joined by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in creating a rule to bypass a House vote on the Senate-passed health care bill. Pelosi would present "corrections" to the Senate bill for approval. The House wouldn't vote on the actual bill. Instead, the president would receive the Senate bill and the House corrections for his signature.
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Find out for yourself what's in health care bill
The results of the latest Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation health policy tracking poll indicate that Americans are divided over congressional health reform proposals, but that most people, including the skeptics, become supportive after being told specifically about many of the major provisions in the bills.
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Republicans old hands at using reconciliation
The Republican Party has demonstrated that they are not only the party of "no," but also the party of unbelievable hypocrisy.
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Supreme Court justices not immune to criticism
Poor Chief Justice John Roberts. He was uncomfortable because President Barack Obama criticized one of the Supreme Court's decisions during his State of the Union address.
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US census costs go up with pointless mailing
Last week, I received a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau advising me that, in about a week, I will receive a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau. Way to go, guys. Spend all that surplus cash.
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor are welcome. Letters must be 250 words or less and signed with your first and last names. Include your street address and daytime telephone number so we can verify the letter before publication. You are limited to one letter per 30 days. Letters may be edited for length, style, grammar, taste and libel. All letters submitted become the property of The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette and may be republished in any format. The Packet and the Gazette do not publish endorsement letters on the editorial page. Thank you letters are published in the Monday Lowcountry Life section.
How to reach us
Mail: P.O. Box 5727, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Fax: 843-706-3070
Hand-delivered: 10 Buck Island Road, Bluffton or 1556 Salem Road, Beaufort
E-mail: letters@islandpacket.com or letters@beaufortgazette.com
Your Elected Officials
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R)
U.S. Senate, 290 Russell, Washington, DC 20510
Office: (202) 224-5972 Fax: (202) 224-1189 - Sen. Jim DeMint (R)
U.S. Senate, 290 Russell, Washington, DC 20510
Office: (202) 224-6121 Fax: (202) 228-5143 - Rep. Joe Wilson (R-District 2)
U.S. House, 212 Cannon, Washington, DC 20515
Office: (202) 225-2452 Fax: (202) 225-2455 Track S.C. officials in Congress
- Gov. Mark Sanford (R)
Governor’s Office, State House, P.O. Box 12267, Columbia, S.C. 29211
Office: (803) 734-2100 Fax: (803) 734-5167 - Senator Tom Davis(R-District 46)
P.O. Drawer 1107, Beaufort, 29901-1107
(843) 252-8583
602 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29201
Bus. (803) 212-6008 - Rep. Curtis Brantley (D-District 122)
194 Bees Creek Rd., Ridgeland, 29936
(843) 726-5998
314D Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-2965 - Rep. Richard Chalk (R-District 123)
326C Blatt Building, Columbia, S.C. 29211-1867
Office: (803) 734-3067; Home: (843) 842-5985
15 Goldfinch Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928 - Rep. Shannon S. Erickson (R-District 124)
(843) 986-1090
306A Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3261 - Rep. Bill Herbkersman (R-District 118)
P.O. Box 11867, Columbia, S.C. 29211
Office: (803) 734-3063; Home: (843) 757-5424
151 Gascoigne Bluff, Bluffton, S.C. 29910 - Rep. Kenneth F. Hodges (D-District 121)
PO Drawer 355, Green Pond, 29446
(843) 525-9006 Home (843) 844-8756
434B Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3062
- Rick Caporale (R-District 1)
17 Salt Wind Way, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 680-9999; fax: 681-6700 - Steven Baer (R-District 2)
10 Heather Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 689-3570; fax: 689-3569 - Stu Rodman (R-District 3)
27 Baynard Park, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
Office: 363-470; fax: 363-6472 - Weston J. Newton chairman (R-District 4)
P.O. Drawer 7049, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29938
Office: 842-6111; fax: 706-9981 - William McBride (D-District 5)
P.O. Box 77, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Fax:(843)838-8303
Home:(843)838-2264 - Gerald Dawson (D-District 6)
64-A Horace Dawsone Drive, Seabrook, SC 29940
Fax:(843)846-4738
Office:(843)846-4830 - Paul Sommerville vice chairman (R-District 7)
1509 Pigeon Point Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-7115
Office:(843)379-7114 - Herbert N. Glaze (D-District 8)
P.O. Box 4053, Burton, SC 29903
Fax:(843)846-3601
Home:(843)846-2845 - Brian Flewelling (R- District 9)
25 Petigru Drive, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-9806
Office:(843)379-9805 - Jerry Stewart (R-District 10)
11 Teaberry Lane, Bluffton, S.C. 29909
Office: 705-4753; fax: 705-4723 - Laura Von Harten (D-District 11)
166 Fuller Parkway, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-1380
Office:(843)379-1367
- District Office: 1300 King St., P.O. Drawer 309, Beaufort, SC 29902
Office: 322-2300; fax: 322-2371
Hilton Head Island office, 689-4635; fax: 689-4617
Beaufort County Board of Education members:
- Fred S. Washington chairman (District 11)
PO 325, 804 West Street, Beaufort, SC 29901
(C) 843-524-8404 - Bob Arundell vice chairman (District 2)
198 Woodlake Villas, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8502; work: 7855-8040; fax: 785-3056; - Joan Deery (District 1)
5 old Fort Drive, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8968 - Wayne Carbiener (District 3)
Home: 843-363-2113 - Laura Bush (District 4)
P.O. Box 172, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
Home: 757-2638; fax: 757-2638 - Michael F. Rivers, Sr. (District 5)
734 Seaside Road, St. Helena, SC 29920
(H) 843-838-2277
FAX 843-838-1192 - Earl Campbell (District 6)
93 Bruce Smalls, Grays Hill, P.O. Box 768, Lobeco, SC 29931
(H) 843-846-4531
(C) 843-476-7512
FAX 843-846-1373 - Jim Bequette (District 7)
4 Broomfield Lane 2532, Beaufort, SC 29907
(H/C) 843-263-8327 - Herbert Burnes (District 8)
95 Pine Grove Road, Beaufort, SC 29906
(H) 843-846-445
(C) 843-263-2776 - Ronald Speaks (District 9)
3121 Palomino Dr., Burton, SC 29906
(H) 843-525-1163
(W) 843-525-8277
FAX 843-525-1163 - George Wilson (District 10)
20 Osprey Circle, Callawassie Island, S.C. 29909
Home: 987-1234; cell: 812-9870
- Mayor Billy Keyserling
771 Ribaut Rd., Beaufort, SC 29902
(843) 986-2444 (Work)
(843) 521-2600 (Home) - Councilwoman Donnie Ann Beer
P.O. Box 1171, Beaufort, SC 29901
379-6099 (Home)
379-2750 (Work) - Councilman Gary Fordham
860 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
524-3334 (Home) - Councilman Mike Sutton
809 Craven St., Beaufort, SC 29902
252-5687 - Councilman Mike McFee
2302 Wilson Dr. Beaufort, SC 29902
843-321-0556 (Work)
843-522-1528 (Home)
- Town Hall: One Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928; 341-4600 Town Council
- Mayor Thomas D. Peeples
4 Hartford Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928-3922
Home: 686-4138; office: 681-2600; fax: 689-3229 - Bill Ferguson (Ward 1)
634 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 686-2863 - William Harkins (Ward 2)
3 Old Fort Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
263-3261 - cell - Drew A. Laughlin (Ward 3)
5 McIntosh Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 689-5723; work 689-5700; fax 689-9300 - John Safay (Ward 4)
19 Starboard Tack, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 785-4489; work: 785-4696; fax: 785-4696 - George Williams (Ward 5)
8 Braddock Cove, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 363-6601; fax: 363-6604 - Ken S. Heitzke (Ward 6)
3 Audubon Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 681-8182; fax: 681-9864
- P.O. Box 386, Bluffton, SC 29910
Office: 706-4500; fax: 757-6720
Town Council
- Mayor Lisa Sulka
P.O. Box 2750, Bluffton, SC 29910 - Fred Hamilton Jr
52 Goethe Road, Bluffton, SC 29910
Home: 815-5511 - Charlie Wetmore
P.O. Box 468 Bluffton, SC 29910
Home: 304-4061 - Councilman Oliver Brown
- Councilwoman Allyne Mitchell
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