Hilton Head Island Town Council vote to shut down short-term vacation rentals appreciated | Letters
Thanks go out to Hilton Head Island Mayor John McCann and Town Council members.
On Tuesday, they made the difficult decision to stop all short-term rentals on Hilton Head. This had to be done. The numbers of COVID-19 cases continue to rise, especially in Beaufort County.
A previous writer opined, as President Donald Trump said, the cure cannot be worse then the problem. Some of us have watched in horror the mishandling and gross negligence of our disastrous president, causing additional deaths due to his denial among other things. Desiring to have churches packed on Easter!
Without stopping tourism and putting into place restrictions, Hilton Head’s small hospital, if overcome with the sick, would not be able to respond. Then what?
Gov. Henry McMaster was slow to react, issuing confusing orders, not doing initially what he was elected to do: protect citizens of South Carolina. We have seen by numbers of infection and death in many states COVID-19 is a very serious problem.
South Carolina is not yet on the downside of the curve. When we are, tourists will once again be welcome to enjoy vacations on Hilton Head.
Thank you, Mayor McCann and council members for standing up to protect citizens of Hilton Head.
Doreen DeSa
Hilton Head Island
Caronavirus test results lacking here while others are seeing improvement
We were told last week that if a person is tested for COVID-19 in Beaufort County, it takes 3 to 5 days to get the results.
TV on Tuesday night showed that Atlanta has a drive-through with results in 15 minutes. TV also said that new test gives results in 5 minutes.
Why can’t we in Beaufort County get results in a reasonable time frame?
Bob Gross
Beaufort
We must also think about the power grid and water works
Through these unprecedented times I have not seen or heard one word about the precautions being taking by the power grid and water works companies. That would include Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Santee Cooper, the local public service districts, Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority, and utilities beyond that affect our power and water.
I have reviewed their websites, and some do have notices that they are striving to keep their employees healthy and on the job during these trying times.
Still, with memories of the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew when there was a brief time of no water or power, it is a reminder of how important these utilities are. No power means no water to wash hands, no ventilators for patients, and the list goes on.
A huge “thank you” is due these people who keep the power on and the water running, both of which are needed for the health care professionals to do their jobs. An update on their status would be appreciated.
Phil Porter
Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head restaurant owners show love for community
In a time when everyone is hurting in some way, I witnessed a true act of kindness last Sunday.The owners of A Lowcountry Backyard and Bad Biscuit restaurants on Hilton Head Island gave away 300 spaghetti dinners at no charge.
Their generosity at a time when their businesses are at a low is a sign of goodness and love toward their community.
Thank you, Dave and Raina.
Michael Getz
Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head should hire its own epidemiologist
Other places like Comal County, Texas, Fairfax County, Virginia, and others are hiring their own epidemiologist. I’d rather fund a similar endeavor for our residents than send money to the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce to spend secretly.
This should be on the agenda for Hilton Head Town Council for consideration, retention of our own epidemiologist to better guide our local government to protect us.
Zach S. Naert
Hilton Head Island
‘Time to come together’: We all are Americans first
Bravo to the author of the recent letter entitled “Time for our nation to come together.”
I couldn’t have said it better. This is not the time to snipe at the president, his administration, the task force and all the others who are trying so hard to protect us.
For my part, I believe they are doing an outstanding job, setting the standard for individual behavior, working closely with the governors of those states most heavily impacted to provide the supplies and medical support so desperately needed.
Again, this is not the time for political haranguing. We are all Americans first. Let’s begin to act like it.
Tom Coleman
Hilton Head Island
Don’t count on help from Amazon
The Friday, April 3, issue contained a letter on the Opinion Page that suggested that the federal government could use Amazon’s fulfillment centers and distribution system to speed critical supplies to where they are needed. However, Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, with whom President Donald Trump has a huge beef. Do the math.
Henry A. Robertson
Beaufort
The politics of SC presidential primaries
South Carolina’s recent Democratic presidential primary may have averted a serious political blunder, or did it?
With our open primary system, a voter can vote in either party’s primary. Several other states do the same thing.
While the state and county Republican parties discouraged Republicans from crossing over and voting in this Democrat event, nevertheless, some well-meaning, intelligent Republicans did. Their rationale was payback for all the times the Dems crossed over and voted in Republican primaries. They hoped by annoying Democrats, Democratic legislators would join the legislative effort to change the system so that South Carolina would embrace closed primaries.
Good luck!
Former Vice President Joe Biden had an extraordinary day in our S.C. primary, followed by strong showing on Super Tuesday. Is that what local Democrats wanted? Was his success skewed by cross-over Republicans who judged Biden easiest to beat?
Our outstanding State senator has proposed legislation to end crossover voting.
As I understand the legislative process, then the proposal will go to a subcommittee and its chairman. He moves it forward if he chooses to or lets it die on his desk.
Imagine this: a former S.C. Democratic legislator becomes a Republican but relies on his original Democratic base to continue to get re-elected and becomes the chairman of this subcommittee. It would not be in his best interest to allow Democrats to select Democrats and Republicans to select Republicans. Thus, it dies on his desk.
Could that ever happen?
Richard Geraghty
Bluffton
Bluffton state Rep. Bill Herbkersman leads the way to meet needs of those with dementia
While members of the South Carolina General Assembly are focused on the immediate impact of COVID-19 – and rightly so – I am grateful that they are also still very concerned for the needs of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
I would specifically like to thank state Rep. Bill Herbkersman of Bluffton and his colleagues on the House Ways and Means Healthcare Subcommittee for championing the creation of a full-time dementia coordinator position at the S.C. Department on Aging in the state budget.
The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that 95,000 people in South Carolina are living with Alzheimer’s disease and some 325,000 individuals contribute to their care. According to the most recent data available from the S.C. Alzheimer’s Registry, 2,656 people in Beaufort County alone are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia.
A dedicated dementia coordinator would conduct outreach on early detection of dementia, develop a statewide strategy to address unmet needs, and identify grant-funding opportunities that could increase the level of services available to families facing this diagnosis.
The state’s commitment to fight Alzheimer’s, the sixth leading cause of death in South Carolina, is commendable. I thank Rep. Herbkersman for leading the way.
Amanda Phillips
Hilton Head Island
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