JUST AFTER BEAUFORT COUNTY INVESTIGATORS CRACKED A NEARLY 40-YEAR-OLD MURDER CASE, HAMPTON COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HAVE ARRESTED A WOMAN IN A SIX-YEAR-OLD COLD CASE MURDER. 30-YEAR-OLD COURTNEY LANE OF YEMASSEE HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND ALREADY BONDED OUT OF JAIL AWAITING TRIAL IN THE 2019 MURDER OF JIMMY SMOAK. LANE IS ACCUSED OF POURING BLEACH DOWN SMOAK’S THROAT WHILE RONALD LYONS HELD HIM DOWN. LYONS HAS ALSO BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER AND CONFESSED TO THE CRIME WHILE IN JAIL SERVING A 15-YEAR SENTENCE FOR DRUG OFFENSES. WHEN LANE WAS ARRESTED, SHE WAS WORKING FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY AS A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST, ASSISTING WITH ALCOHOL AND DRUG REHAB PROGRAMS BUT NEVER PROVIDED DIRECT PATIENT CARE. SHE WAS SUSPENDED AND THEN FIRED SHORTLY AFTER HER ARREST. SHE’S THE GRANDAUGHTER OF FORMER YEMASSEE MAYOR AND JUDGE J-L GOODWIN.
LOTTA SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ THAT’S JUST THAT, FOR NOW. TIGER WOODS’ CLOSE FRIEND, FORMER PGA TOUR PLAYER AND GOLF CHANNEL ANALYST NOTAH BEGAY TOLD A PODCAST THAT WOODS’ REHAB FROM HIS MOST RECENT BACK SURGERY IS GOING WELL AND HE’S PLAYING GREAT, HE JUST CAN’T WALK VERY WELL, LEADING BEGAY TO SPECULATE THAT WOODS WOULD PLAY AGAIN ON THE PGA TOUR, AND IT ‘COULD’ BE AT A FLAT-WALK VENUE LIKE COLONIAL COUNTRY CLUB IN FORT WORTH, OR HARBOUR TOWN IN HILTON HEAD. WOODS HAS ONLY PLAYED HERE ONCE, IN 1999. HE’S TIED WITH SAM SNEAD FOR THE MOST CAREER PGA TOUR VICTORIES. HE’S RECEIVED SOME PRESSURE FROM HIS PEERS TO JOIN THE CHAMPIONS TOUR WHEN HE TURNS 50 NEXT MONTH, WHERE PLAYERS CAN RIDE IN CARTS.
IF YOU’RE WILLING TO ENDURE A LITTLE PARKING INCONVENIENCE, THE CITY OF BEAUFORT IS TRYING TO MAKE A TRIP DOWNTOWN WORTH YOUR TIME WHILE STORM DRAINAGE CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES, HAMPERING DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH CLOSING OF THE CHAMBERS WATERFRONT PARK, AND THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY SEASON. CITY MANAGER SCOTT MARSHALL HAS BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY TO WAIVE MARINA PARKING LOT FEES, ISSUE TEMPORARY LICENSES FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES TO SELL MERCHANDISE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND CREATE A TEMPORARY ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO CARRY BEER AND WINE ON PUBLIC SIDEWALKS. THE CITY IS ALSO CONSIDERING SELLING ‘DOWNTOWN DOLLARS’ YOU CAN BUY FOR 60-CENTS ON THE DOLLAR AND REDEEM AT FULL VALUE IN DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES THAT SAY THE RECENT CLOSINGS HAVE COST THEM UP TO 50% OF THEIR USUAL BUSINESS.
IN THE MEANTIME, BEAUFORT MIGHT BE IN THE NATIONAL T-V SPOTLIGHT AGAIN SOON. THE TOWN HAS BEEN PITCHED A STARRING ROLE IN C-N-B-C’S EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SERIES, ‘NOW WE KNOW’, HOSTED BY WELL-KNOWN ACTOR STEVE GUTENBERG THAT FOCUSES ON INNOVATIONS IN BUSEINSS, TECH ND CULTURE AND REACHES ABOUT 85-MILLION HOUSEHOLDS. TOWN COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO PULL 25-THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM ITS PARKS AND TOURISM FUND FOR THE EXPOSURE, BUT WOULD HAVE THE RIGHTS TO RE-AIR THE CONTENT CREATED, WHICH MIGHT BE NICE HEADED INTO THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.