Lowcountry COVID-19 cases are in decline. Why are we still canceling outdoor events?
Canceled Mayfest
I was greatly disappointed when I visited the Bluffton Rotary website looking for information about this year’s Bluffton Village Festival (Mayfest) and found out it’s been canceled for the second straight year due to COVID-19 concerns.
Cases peaked in the Lowcountry in January and have been in decline ever since. Early May would be a great time to hold an outdoor festival where people who may not have seen each other in a year can catch up with each other. Social interaction is a critical part of the human experience. But if anyone doesn’t want to come, no one is forcing them to come. If you’re sick, stay home.
Some may say that an outdoor event of this size is too risky at any time. Dr. Fauci will never come to anybody’s house to give permission to return to normal. If COVID-19 ends, Dr. Fauci would lose his power and television appearances. Every person should decide for themselves when their normal returns, with the advice of their doctor. Sadly, Bluffton Rotary will not contribute to Bluffton’s normal this year.
Donald Black Jr., Bluffton
Comics and games
Why didn’t you consult the subscribers prior to changing the comics and games? You have asked the readers in the past for contributions to help with the bottom line. You could have easily asked the readers which comics they like and which they could do without. I, for one, am not happy with the ones that are now missing. I am sure there are many more who would agree with me. I am now questioning my loyalty to your paper.
Daniel Bizer, Hilton Head
Editor’s note: This is a good and fair question. We typically do like to get input before we try a major change. This change was part of something bigger than just The Packet. It was driven in part by our company’s desire to have each of its 30 markets publishing the same puzzle and comics package for efficiency and cost reasons. Running a survey in which we could not have been loyal to the results did not feel like the right thing to do.
Protect the whales
Last weekend, a North Atlantic right whale named Cottontail was found dead in the ocean off the coast of Myrtle Beach. Sadly, Cottontail had been entangled in ropes and other gear since at least October.
North Atlantic right whales migrate off the South Carolina coast every year and are one of the rarest marine mammals in the world. In fact, with only around 360 whales remaining, North Atlantic right whales could go extinct in our lifetimes due to human causes.
Reducing the amount of fishing gear in the water and requiring ships to slow down and keep their distance can help save this species. Current measures are simply not enough to protect North Atlantic right whales.
The government (NOAA and NMFS) has the opportunity and responsibility to strengthen protections and prevent extinction by adopting more aggressive policies that will reduce risk to all North Atlantic right whales and fully support their recovery. They must step up and we must demand it and urge our Members of Congress to do the same, before it’s too late for these majestic whales off our coast.
Samantha Siegel, Senior Southeast Organizer, OCEANA
Vaccine Phase 1b
I read that the COVID-19 vaccine will now be approved for 55+. I’m in the 70+ group, and had my vaccination canceled, and am unable to schedule an appointment. I tried all options, but no appointment is available. Friends are traveling to GA, NC, and FL to receive their vaccine; some 4 hours away. Gov. McMaster, what in God’s name are you doing for the citizens of S.C.? Now I will be competing with more people to get my first shot! Thanks for nothing, you do-nothing Governor!
Brian Doyle, Hilton Head
Election lies
According to a letter printed March 3rd, “Many Republicans believe illegal votes were cast on November 3rd; enough to change the outcome of the election”. The writer went on to say the lawyers didn’t provide sufficient evidence because they didn’t have enough time, etc.
Trump has cried “fraud” for years as the only way he could lose an election, thereby setting the stage for his assault on the 2020 election results, which even his own administration called one of the cleanest in years. What many Trump followers refuse to accept is Trump, and Trump alone, guaranteed his own loss.
There needs to be an acceptance of this observable truth; we shouldn’t allow partisan thinking to be hijacked by an alternate reality. Most critically, the conspiracy theories about a “stolen election” must be repudiated once and for all.
Mare Baracco, Port Royal