LAST WEEKEND’S STUNNING CONFRONTATION OF AN OFF-DUTY BEAUFORT COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTY AND SOME TEENAGERS IN THEIR HILTON HEAD NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE VIDEO WENT VIRAL AND MADE NATIONAL NEWS HAS LED TO THE QUICK FIRING OF MASTER SERGEANT BILLY SQUIRES, A 19-YEAR DEPARTMENT VETERAN, BY SHERIFF P-J TANNER, WHO SAID HE WAS APPALLED BY THE VIDEO. ACCORDING TO THE SHERIFF, SQUIRES COMMITTED AT LEAST 7 DEPARTMENT POLICY VIOLATIONS THAT WERE ALL FIREABLE OFFENSES, INCLUDING REFUSAL TO SUBMIT TO A SOBRIETY TEST. SQUIRES ADMITTED TO DRINKING PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION IS STILL INVESTIGATING ANY POSSIBLE CRIMINAL CHARGES.
AT THE CURIOUS INTERSECTION OF FOREIGN POLICY AND LOCAL LAWS, THREE RUSSIAN BANKERS WHO’VE BEEN SANCTIONED BY THE U-S GOVERNMENT OWE 278-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN UNPAID PROPERTY TAXES IN BEAUFORT COUNTY FOR HOMES IN THE PALMETTO BLUFF COMMUNITY. BUT BECAUSE THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT HAS FROZEN THOSE ASSETS, THE COUNTY CANNOT AUCTION OFF THE PROPERTIES TO RECOVER THE UNPAID TAXES. THE RUSSIANS HAVEN’T BEEN SEEN IN MONTHS, PROHIBITED FROM USING THE HOMES THEY OWN BY THE SANCTIONS, BUT ACCORDING TO THE CHARLESON POST AND COURIER NEWSPAPER, BEAUFORT COUNTY TREASURER MARIA WALLS SAYS SHE HASN’T BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT THE UNPAID TAXES ON 4 PROPERTIES AND IS STILL SEEKING TREASURY DEPARTMENT APPROVAL TO AUCTION THEM OFF. THERE ARE ACTUALLY MORE THAN 300 PROPERTIES IN THE COUNTY THAT HAVE UNPAID BACK TAXES AND COULD BE AUCTIONED OFF, JUST NOT THOSE OWNED BY THE RUSSIANS, WHO WERE SANCTIONED IN 2022 AT THE START OF THE UKRAINE WAR.
AMONG THE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL STILL HAPPEN, EVEN WITH THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, ARE THE UPCOMING DRILLS YOU’LL SEE AND HEAR CONDUCTED FROM M-C-A-S BEAUFORT IN OCTOBER. THE ‘FORCE PROECTION EXERCISE’ TO BE HELD OVER A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DAYS THIS MONTH IS SUPPOSED TO TEST THE MARINE CORPS AIR STATION’S ‘WARFIGHTER READINESS AND LETHALITY.’ THE DRILLS COME ON THE HEELS OF DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH’S SPEECH TO SERVICE COMMANDERS LAST WEEK, BUT OFFICIALS AT M-C-A-S BEAUFORT SAY THESE EXERCISES HAVE BEEN PLANNED FOR MONTHS AND COULD TEMPORARILY AFFECT OUR ACCESS TO THE BASE.
THOSE OF YOU WHO’VE BEEN WONDERIING IF THE SIDEWALK YOU’VE BEEN PROMISED IN FRONT OF THE NAVAL HOSPITAL IN PORT ROYAL WOULD EVER GET BUILT, THE ANSWER IS YES, FINALLY, AFTER NEARLY A DECADE. CONSTRUCTION BEGAN LAST WEEK ON THE 400-YARD-LONG SIDEWALK THAT WAS ASKED FOR DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, IN 2016. IT IS A BIT IRONIC THAT CONSTRUCTION ON THE GOVERNMENT PROJECT WOULD BEGIN THE SAME WEEK AS THE FEDERAL SHUTDOWN CONSIDERING ALL THE RED TAPE THE PROJECT’S BEEN THROUGH. THE SIDEWALK WILL CONNECT THE PORT ROYAL SKATEBOARD PARK WITH THE MCTEER BRIDGE TO LADY’S ISLAND. AFTER A DECADE OF DELAY, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE SIDEWALK COULD BE FINISHED BY THE END OF THE MONTH WITH THE 312-THOUSAND DOLLAR TAB PICKED UP BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.