City Council did not meet on July 13 because that was Election Day. Their next regular meeting will be July 27 at 7:00 p.m. in Council chambers. Agenda items were to include ordinances amending the current rules for dogs on the beach, requiring non-residents to purchase a license tag for pets they bring to the beach, and establishing rules for the use of golf carts within the City of Folly Beach, but Mayor Goodwin has decided to have a workshop on those issues so residents can come forward to express their ideas and opinions. The date of the workshop will be announced soon. On the agenda for the July 27 meeting are the repeal of the Red Bay Laurel Ordinance and discussion of the vacation rental management ordinance. Residents are encouraged to attend and speak their minds. To make a citizen comment, all you have to do is show up and sign in. It is not necessary to be placed on the agenda in advance.

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission met on July 12 and the first order of business was to swear in Elton Culpepper, Pennell Clamp’s appointee to the Planning Commission. Then the Planning Commission got down to business.

Zoning Administrator Aaron Pope introduced an ordinance he described as “a regulatory mechanism to manage short-term rentals and the problems associated with them” that will establish requirements for obtaining a business license to rent property on a short-term basis.

One of the issues discussed was limiting the number of occupants and including a list of all occupants on the rental agreement. Sam Robinson said there should be a maximum number of renters based on the number of bedrooms. “It’s a health issue because of the demands on the septic system,” he said, “and a safety issue in the event of a fire.” Kirk Grant thought it would be difficult to enforce occupancy limits, but LaJuan Kennedy said two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests conforms to maximum occupancy guidelines elsewhere and should be enforceable.

Another major issue was how to make sure owners as well as renters were aware of the rules regarding such issues as noise, trash, parking, animals, sea turtles and golf carts. “Some people don’t have a clue,” said Chairman LaJuan Kennedy. “The agents will abide by the rules, but we need to educate the people who don’t have agents.”

There was some squabbling about whether the rules should be included in the actual rental agreements that resulted in a vote of three for and three against with Kennedy recusing herself from the vote since she works for a rental agency. Tie votes fail, so the Planning Commission will recommend to City Council that the rules become part of the rental agreement vacationers must sign. The listing of all renters was scrapped, but Planning did vote to require the number of occupants to be included on the rental agreement.

The rules and regulations must also be posted in a prominent position in the homes. It was agreed that the door would be the best place to post the rules. “Keep it short so they will read and understand it,” said Millard Smith. Culpepper went even further. “It needs to be something a ten-year-old can understand,” he said. Grant suggested that the City provide a bulleted poster.

Carl Hally made the point that under current law, the owner is responsible for violations. “This will make the renters responsible, so they should know what the consequences are.” Culpepper agreed. “The owner is getting rental income, but he is not the one creating the problem.”

“How do we determine what constitutes a violation?” Pope asked. “That’s where we got derailed last time we tried to do this. The City has the right to revoke licenses, but we don’t have any parameters.”

“If we are going to have it this year, we have got to get something to City Council,” said Kennedy. “If we don’t have it in their hands by October, we will have to wait until next year.”

The Planning Commission voted unanimously to have their suggestions incorporated into the ordinance that will receive first reading at the City Council meeting on July 27. Council will hash it over and send it back to Planning for a public hearing. That’s when residents who will be affected by the new laws – and isn’t that just about everyone? – as well as owners of vacation rentals can most effectively contribute to the dialogue. The Planning Commission makes recommendations; City Council makes laws.

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So it’s not against the law to . . .

A couple engaging in sexual relations on a blanket strewn with empty beer bottles was cited for glass on beach just after midnight on June 23. The officer asked for IDs and when he ran their information he discovered the 39-year-old man was wanted by Charleston County for check law violations. After being taken into custody and searched, a small amount of marijuana was discovered in his cigarette pack. The subject admitted to having more marijuana in the console of his truck, which measured in at 2.5 grams. The woman was ticketed for glass on the beach and the man was issued a summons for simple possession of marijuana and released to the Charleston County Sheriff’s Department on the outstanding warrant.

Sittin’ on the dock . . .

A 46-year-old man who reportedly stole a beer from a convenience store was arrested minutes later drinking the beer on a fishing pier. On June 24 about 9:00 a.m. Public Safety was dispatched to the Kangaroo by employees who said a man had taken a can of Earthquake Malt Liquor and left the store without paying for it. The manager of the Kangaroo followed the suspect to the Folly River Park where Chief Boatwright and the responding officer caught him at the dead end of the fishing pier, where he was arrested for open container. When asked when and where he had purchased the beer, the suspect said he had bought it an hour earlier, but the officer noticed the beer was still cold. Both the manager and the cashier at the Kangaroo positively identified the suspect as the one who had stolen the beer. The man was taken to jail and charged with the maximum fines on shoplifting, open container and giving false information to police.

Nap attack

Public Safety was dispatched to the Folly Road Piggly Wiggly about 5:00 p.m. on June 25 to help with a medical call regarding a man passed out in his vehicle. The suspect told officers that he had been out on the beach all day and had drunk a few beers and thought he needed to get some rest. It was obvious to the responding office that the subject had been drinking heavily and he was issued a citation for disorderly conduct by intoxication. The subject graciously accepted the citation and apologized for the trouble he had caused and the officer called a friend to drive him home.

Road rage

Two men were walking down East Arctic about 6:30 p.m. on June 26 when a car following them started honking the horn and yelling at them to get out of the way. The vehicle passed them and stopped and the driver got out and approached one of the men and pushed him backwards causing him to fall to the ground, striking his head on a parked vehicle in the process. The driver returned to his car and drove off, but a witness got his license number. The victim suffered lacerations to his head and back. Damage to the parked vehicle was estimated at $500. Charges of assault and battery, 3rd degree, and vandalism will be served on the suspect when he is located.

Officer, I was just holding that post up

About 1:00 p.m. on June 27 Public Safety was dispatched to the Crab Shack because a 23-year-old woman was causing a disturbance with several patrons and had refused to leave. While officers were meeting with the Crab Shack employees, the woman came outside and had to hold onto a post to keep from falling down and it was apparent she was grossly intoxicated. The responding officer had dealings with the same woman the previous day at her residence when it was also apparent that she was grossly intoxicated. She was placed under arrest for disorderly conduct and transported to the Charleston County Detention Center for booking and to await a bond hearing.

Cracking the case

A vehicle with a cracked windshield was stopped on a safety violation about 6:00 p.m. on July 1 and the officer noticed that the driver and passenger appeared overly nervous. The driver stated that he and his girlfriend had an argument and he kicked the windshield in. When the officer walked around to the passenger side to get a better look at the windshield, he noticed that the passenger was breathing so heavily that his tee shirt was bouncing off his chest. The officer asked the driver if there was anything illegal in the vehicle and he said “Look for yourself.” The passenger was asked to step from the vehicle and the officer patted him down for weapons. As he was doing this the suspect began to sweat profusely and his legs started to shake, and the officer asked if he could search his person. During the search the officer removed the suspect’s baseball cap and when he turned it upside down and shook it, two white rock-like objects fell from under the brim. The suspect was arrested for possession of cocaine base and transported to Charleston County Detention Center.

Catch me if you can

On July 3 about 8:00 p.m. Public Safety was alerted to four cars leaving 10th Street East whose occupants appeared to be highly intoxicated. An officer stopped one of the cars and the others turned into the parking lot of 208 E Ashley. The officer responding to that address found the 19-year-old driver of one of the vehicles so intoxicated that he could not stand and the driver was not given the chance to take a field sobriety test due to concerns for his safety. He was placed under arrest for DUI, double-cuffed, placed in the back of the control car and belted in. While in route to the Charleston County Detention center the suspect bragged that he had been doing this for seven years without being caught.

When he blew a .18 on the Data-Master test, he was advised that his license was suspended and lodged into the detention center without further incident.

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It has already burned itself into our national psyche; the image of millions of gallons of crude oil billowing from the BP wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico, a mile below the surface. We can only guess how much oil has escaped, and that guess is based on constantly changing estimates from BP and the government, though one Associated Press calculation made last week placed the figure at over 130 million gallons.

Several efforts to plug the leak have failed. More successful, but only marginally, was the effort to place a dome over the leaking wellhead and siphon the collected oil straight to the surface and onto waiting tankers. BP’s long-range plan – to intercept the leaking well with a relief well and use that to fill the damaged well with cement – is still weeks away from completion, and the oil keeps pouring into the Gulf. Attempts to coral the floating filth with booms and to burn it off have met with limited success.

The oil is now coming ashore in four Gulf states and we have begun to see the toll it is taking on wildlife and the fragile coastal habitat. The S.C. Aquarium has dispatched a contingency of biologists to the Gulf coast to help hundreds of others in the massive wildlife rescue going on there.

In the early weeks of the spill there was fear that the spreading oil slick would get caught in the loop current, which would carry it northeast of the wellhead and then down the west coast of Florida. By this scenario, it could reach the southern tip of the peninsula and get picked up by the Gulf Stream, carrying it up the East Coast and perhaps as far north as the Palmetto State. By the end of May the slick had entered the loop, according to scientists at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. At this moment, however, it appears that the current is not moving down the Florida coast; it seems to moving – and carrying what oil it has picked up – in a clockwise direction in the northern Gulf. This is subject to change, but for now, Gulf oil will not be threatening South Carolina’s beaches in the foreseeable future.

Yet the Gulf oil spill is already affecting the Charleston area in less direct ways. Vacation rentals are up and seafood supplies are down. The Florida Panhandle resorts of Destin, Panama City, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola Beach and the Alabama beach town of Gulf Shores seem to be taking the brunt of the BP hit, according to an informal survey of local beach rental companies.

“We have seen last minute inquiries by people who have abandoned their Gulf Coast vacations and even abandoned their deposits,” said Kathleen Holmes, property manager at Seabrook Exclusive Rentals and Sales.

Some of those vacationers heard early reports that the oil slick might be rounding the tip of Florida and heading to South Carolina. “We got some calls from people wanting to know if our beaches are clean,” Holmes said. She assured them that South Carolina’s beaches are pristine and urged them to consider coming here. She said she is even working with them to give discounts because some of them have already lost deposits on the Gulf Coast.

Jerad Becknell, general manager at the Palms Hotel on the Isle of Palms, said he has seen an eight- to ten-percent increase in bookings, which he attributes to the crisis in the Gulf. The new vacationers here seem to be happy with what they find, he said. “One couple told me South Carolina will be their new vacation home,” Becknell said.

Colin Landrith, a vacation specialist at Avocet Properties on Folly Beach, said he has gotten a number of calls from people who had planned to vacation at Destin or Pensacola. The increased demand for rentals has not affected prices, he said, because prices are locked in by November. It looks like it will be a tight fit for vacationers on Folly this year. “Folly Beach was rocking before the oil spill hit,” Landrith said. “Our inventory has not changed.”

The picture is not as clear on the availability of fresh seafood. A spot check of several local seafood wholesalers gave mixed results. Much of the seafood sold locally is caught locally so supply would not be affected, but prices may spike as Gulf coast seafood suppliers are shut down and demand increases on the local supply.

An unidentified employee at Backman Seafood on James Island said they had felt no impact from the Gulf spill. At C.A. Magwood & Son in Mount Pleasant, manager John Moseley said events in the Gulf have not affected prices or availability. This time of year, he said, his major product is shrimp and those have suffered more from winter cold than from Gulf oil. His primary fear is that Gulf shrimpers will be shut down in their home waters and start wandering into Atlantic waters, increasing competition in the local market and adding pressure to the local shrimp stock.

Jennifer Hardin at Cherry Point Seafood Co. in Rockville said that there are plenty of shrimp since the shrimping season started on the Texas coast, and Texas has not been affected by the spill. The price of shrimp has actually dropped 50 cents a pound, she said. “We’ve got more shrimp than we know what to do with.”

Rutledge Leland at Carolina Seafood in McClellanville concurred, saying the price of shrimp has leveled off since the season opened in Texas, but the crab market is being affected by the oil spill and we may see an increase in prices there.

The Post and Courier reported on June 25 that the Red Lobster seafood restaurant chain was running out of oysters, since most oysters come from the Gulf this time of year. That is where most local seafood lovers will feel the pinch first in the seafood supply chain. There may be a social and culinary crisis in January when Boone Hall Plantation holds its annual Lowcountry Oyster Festival, which draws more than 10,000. Will there be oysters enough by then? We will have to wait and see, a local wholesaler told the P&C.

For several years there has been a growing frenzy to explore for natural gas and oil off the South Carolina coast. As First District Rep. Henry Brown told the Chicago Tribune in 2005, “If [oil and gas drilling] is okay for Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, it should be okay for other states … We are in an energy crisis and we should do everything we can to become more energy-independent — including offshore drilling.”

That may have made some sense five years ago, but now South Carolinians must evaluate offshore drilling in light of the blowout of the BP well off the Louisiana shore. How would a major oil spill affect the lives and livelihoods of the coast? How would it affect our tourism and our seafood industry?

Henry Brown will soon leave Congress and he will almost certainly be replaced by Republican nominee Tim Scott, who also enthusiastically supports offshore drilling on the South Carolina coast. His Democratic opponent, Ben Frasier, could not be reached for comment. Republican Sen. Jim DeMint supports offshore drilling and even his mysterious Democratic opponent, Alvin Greene, has said he wants to drill on the Carolina coast.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley also supports offshore drilling. Her Democratic opponent Vince Sheheen is the only major candidate who has come out against offshore drilling. “The science tells us there is not much potential for oil. It’s not worth risking the tourism industry in the state or risking the fragile resources in the state,” he told The State newspaper on June 4.

While many South Carolinians think that drilling for oil and gas off our beaches is necessary – even inevitable – a growing number of people have come to question that wisdom. More than 200 of them gathered at Folly Beach and Kiawah Island’s Beachwalker Park on June 26 to stand in the surf and clasp hands in part of an international movement called “Hands Across the Sand,” urging politicians and citizens to take a stand against offshore drilling.

Folly Beach Mayor Tim Goodwin told the Post and Courier, “The beaches would be empty and this hotel would look like a ghost town” if oil washed up on the Folly sand. “People are vacationing here because they have canceled their vacations on the Gulf coast. An oil spill, major or minor, near or far would just completely wipe us out here at Folly Beach.”

To drill or not to drill? It’ another important issue the people of the Lowcountry will have to think about carefully before the November election.

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At 7:00 p.m. on July 13 it will all be over. Folly Beach residents will have chosen the City Council member who will represent them for the next two years. Either Susan Breslin or D.J. Rich will take the empty seat once occupied by Tim Goodwin and serve the remaining two years of his term.

Both candidates agree that the key to winning will be getting their supporters to the polls. Rich said personal matters kept him from really campaigning hard the first time around, but he still performed well and barely missed the cut-off for the run-off. Since then, he said, he has been focused and working hard to win. For Breslin, it’s her third campaign this year and she hopes the third time’s a charm.

“I think this is a crucial time for Folly Beach, Breslin said. “We have to choose the kind of place we want Folly to be and we’re running out of time to make that choice.”

Breslin’s “Residents First” slogan has at times annoyed Rich. “This town is made up of residents, businesses and vacationers,” he said. “The interests of all of them need to be represented. I’m a resident, too, but we need balance.”

But Breslin is focused on the number of residents, especially the full-time residents who have left Folly Beach. She said four years ago more than 30% of the homes on Folly Beach were owner occupied, but now it’s down to 20%. “So many people I have talked to are thinking about moving because they’re fed up.” She said reasons for resident dissatisfaction include noise and traffic issues, drunks in the street, and the feeling that they are losing control over Folly Beach, that Folly Beach controls them.

Rich says Folly Beach cannot exist without a viable business community to support the city. “We don’t need more growth, but we need to manage what we have,” he said. “We need to make sure we have a thriving business community.”

Breslin agrees with Rich on that point, but she said it should not be at the expense of the residents. She said the downtown area is about more than the shops and food and beverage establishments that line Center Street. “Center Street isn’t owned by a few bars. Center Street belongs to all of us and we are all affected by what happens there,” she said.

A major concern for Rich is that some people see him just as a business owner and think that’s all he cares about, but he said he is concerned about all the issues Folly faces just as any resident would be. “I talk to people seven days a week and, believe me, it’s easy to know what’s going on, to get opinions from people. Between the Planet and the Crab Shack (which he says are heavily frequented by locals) it’s not hard to keep track of the pulse of Folly Beach,” he said.

Both candidates think they could work well with the present Council members. “We need a cohesive Council this time around,” Rich said, adding that he feels he would bring needed balance to the group. According to Breslin, what the city needs most on Council is a middle ground on the issues. “People square off and don’t talk to each other, they don’t say ‘I can live with this, can you live with this?’ It’s really important to cooperate with other Council members.”

It’s the middle of the summer, people are busy with houseguests or have left town because of the weather or the crowds. It may seem like a ho hum election, but that’s not true. The person elected to City Council on Tuesday will be sitting in that chair for two years. And a lot can happen in two years.

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Why couldn’t I have gone to Burger King instead?

In a saga that stretched over several hours, a woman who got her money back for items she had already returned for refund at another location was found to be driving a stolen vehicle that was later spotted by the owner, who pursued the vehicle as it headed down Maybank Highway towards Johns Island.

The woman came into the Folly Beach Piggly Wiggly about 9:00 a.m. on April 24 and was given her money back, but the store owner was suspicious because the receipt was very worn and tattered. He confirmed that the suspect had returned the same items to the downtown Charleston Piggly Wiggly the previous day. When confronted, the woman became verbally abusive and left the store in a hurry. But the store owner saw her drive off and called dispatch with the license plate number and description of the black Ford Explorer as it fled the scene.

When dispatch called the tag number in, it came back registered to a Cadillac. Folly Beach Public Safety checked back with the store owner, who stated that the vehicle was, in fact, a black Ford Explorer and the tag information was correct. Shortly thereafter dispatch called to advise that the subject vehicle had been spotted at the Folly Road McDonalds by the owner of the vehicle, who had reported it stolen over a month ago.

Before deputies could arrive on the scene, the owner advised dispatch that he was pursuing the vehicle. It was headed south on Maybank Highway and deputies finally caught up with the vehicle at 1015 Main Road on Johns Island. In the meantime, Folly Beach police officers had picked up the owner of the Folly Beach Pig and transported him to the scene. He was able to give a positive ID on the suspect, who was then arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle in addition to the charges stemming from the event earlier that day at the Piggly Wiggly.

Man has nap attack on way home

A man who tore out a screen and forced his way into an enclosed and locked porch in the 300 block of East Arctic about 4:00 a.m. on April 24 refused to leave and lay down on a couch when confronted by the man renting the house, who called 911. The complainant called dispatch again to tell them he had waited up for the police, but they never came to his house. Upon further checking, it was discovered that the previous shift had picked the subject up and driven him to his residence in the 700 block of East Ashley Avenue.

The subject admitted to being on the porch on East Arctic and was issued a citation for trespassing and damage to property and asked to make restitution to the rental agency.

Don’t blow your horn at me, lady

A woman driving down East Arctic about 6:30 p.m. on May 14 was forced to a stop in the intersection of 4th Street by a tall, deeply tanned man in orange and black swim trunks who stepped in front of her car and blocked the road. She tooted her horn at the man and he threw her the middle finger and then came around to the passenger side of the car and gave it an elbow strike, causing a large dent in the door.

She became frightened when several of the subject’s friends began to approach the car and she was at this time able to proceed down the street and locate a Folly Beach police officer, who returned with her to the scene but was unable to locate the suspects.

Boating under the influence

A Folly Beach police officer was dispatched to the boat landing about 7:30 p.m. on May 15 by a man who said a highly intoxicated driver was attempting to pull his boat out of the water. The officer observed the subject and approached the vehicle. When the subject exited the vehicle, the officer noticed he was very unsteady on his feet and his eyes were bloodshot and his speech slurred. The subject admitted to drinking two and ½ beers. When the officer asked him again how much he had drunk, the subject said six and ½ beers. After performing poorly on several field sobriety tests, the subject finally admitted he could not do them and was advised that he was under arrest for DUI and was cuffed and searched.

During the search, the officer found a slender wooden case with a metal smoking pipe and the subject said it was his pot. The subject’s vehicle was searched and six empty beer cans were behind the front seat. The suspect’s truck was turned over to a friend at the scene and the subject was charged with DUI, simple possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and transported to CCDC, where he refused a breathalyzer test.

Acrobatic woman cited for trespassing

Public Safety officers on foot patrol about 3:00 a.m. on May 12 observed a young woman scale the support beams of the fishing pier and climb onto the upper deck of the structure. The pier was secured with chained and locked gates and clearly posted “no trespassing.” The woman was running around on the deck and when she saw the police officer she climbed back over the hand railing and down the support beam to the beach, where the officer was able to detain her and issue a citation for trespassing.

It’s down the toilet for her

On May 12 about 1:30 p.m. a woman being pursued by employees of the Palms Resort Wear & Gift Shop was located locked in a stall in the women’s bathroom at the pier. The employees said the subject concealed a pair of shorts on her person and left the store without paying and when they approached her, she took off running.

County Park employees thought she was in there trying to flush the evidence. By the time Folly Beach police officers arrived on the scene, the shorts were gone and the toilet was stopped up. The suspect admitted to stealing the shorts and flushing them down the toilet. She was cited for shoplifting and given a court date.

“How about I punch him in the face?”

Folly Beach Public Safety officers were dispatched to a disturbance at 101 East Arctic about 10:15 a.m. on May 16 by a man who claimed the subject had approached his family and engaged his girlfriend in inappropriate conversation. When the complainant’s girlfriend became uncomfortable and began to walk away, the subject reportedly said “Am I ruffling your boyfriend’s feathers? How about I punch him in the face!” Several people approached the subject and asked him to leave, but he became verbally abusive and directly threatened the boyfriend.

Officers reported that the subject appeared intoxicated with red glassy eyes and a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his person. He was cited for disorderly conduct and given a court date.

Everybody gets a piece of the pie

A traffic stop that extended from the 200 block of West Arctic to the 100 block of East Arctic around 1:00 a.m. on May 16 resulted in multiple citations for a North Charleston resident. After discovering that the subject was driving under suspension, the officer asked him if he had any drugs on him. The driver handed over his stash of marijuana and was issued a warning for driving the wrong way on a one-way street, a City citation for simple possession of marijuana, and a State citation for driving under suspension.

The vehicle was towed due to the driver not having a license and the marijuana was placed in the evidence locker. No further action was required.

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A leatherback turtle nesting on Folly Beach in 2008. Photo by Shannon Teders

provided by the Folly Turtle Team

Folly’s first loggerhead of the 2010 season came ashore on May 21 in the 8th block East. Turtle Watch Program volunteers assigned to that section of the beach helped relocate 121 eggs to a spot higher in the dunes where it is less likely that they will be inundated by high tides.

The next evening, a rare leatherback laid 74 eggs that were relocated to the County Park. When a leatherback nested on Folly Beach in 2003 it was only the third leatherback nest ever recorded in SC. That nest produced 67 viable hatchlings. In 2008 the Turtle Watch got a midnight call from Folly Beach Public Safety about a turtle nesting on the beach. To the surprise and delight of the Turtle Team, it turned out to be a leatherback. Many members were able to watch the rare turtle lay her eggs before returning wearily to the sea. It is likely that the 2008 leatherback was the same turtle that had nested nine days earlier on Kiawah, according to sources from the SC Department of Natural Resources. Since sea turtles return several times in one season to nest on or near the beach where they hatched, Folly Beach may have another leatherback soon.

The current turtle season is in full swing and off to a great start, but your help is needed to ensure a successful turtle nesting season. Here’s what you can do to help:

1. Pick up your litter. If you bring it to the beach, please take it home with you. If you are out walking, take a trash bag and pick up litter that others have thoughtlessly left behind. Litter impedes the progress of turtles coming ashore to nest and is even more dangerous to fledgling turtles.

2. Fill in sand holes. They are dangerous for people as well as nesting turtles and hatchlings. Adult loggerheads cannot get out if they fall into a large hole.

3. Bring in your beach gear at the end of the day. Items left out overnight can pose a real problem for Loggerheads looking for a place to nest. She may abandon her search for a nesting site and return to the sea to release her eggs.

4. Turn off exterior lights. Lights can frighten or disorient a turtle attempting to nest, but they also disorient the tiny hatchlings. Before extensive coastal development, it was the moon shining on the waves that led the hatchlings toward the safety of the ocean. Houselights will direct them away from the ocean, where they can quickly die.

If you see a turtle nesting on the beach, DO NOT disturb her. Call Folly Beach Public Safety and be prepared to let them know the location so they can notify the Turtle Team. For more information on nests, pictures, stories and other information, go to follyturtles.com.

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It’s a great time to be fishing here in Charleston. The usual suspects – redfish and trout – are now complimented by a host of seasonal species including Spanish Mackerel, ladyfish and sharks. Combined with warmer temperatures, the fishing conditions are now excellent.

We have been catching a good number of redfish over the last month including some of the biggest seen this year. Redfish will take artificial plastic lures mimicking small bait fish and have been keying in on darker colors. Recently, the most successful lures are either black with gold flakes or blue. I’m still fishing almost all my artificials on flutter hooks because they give the lure such good action. As always, keep changing colors until you find one that works.

Flyfishing for reds has been best at low tide when sight fishing conditions are optimal. Fly patterns with lots of flash are working well, especially in the colors of copper or green. I also like flies with weed guards as plant life in the water increases. During the big high tides in the evening we have been able to get up into the grass and cast to tailing redfish. The Dupre’s Spoon Fly is just the ticket for that setting.

Over the last two weeks the trout bite has really improved. We’ve started catching a decent number of mid-size trout whereas before we were only finding a few big trout that were ready to breed. Fishing mud minnows on jigheads can be quite effective and lets you get your bait in front of trout in deeper pockets. I use 1/8 oz. jigheads. You can use bigger jigheads, but make sure their size is not significantly bigger than the bait.

Spanish Mackerel are plentiful and can be found best at first light. If you find schools of fish busting bait on the surface, throw reflective casting jigs and reel them quickly through the school. Alternatively, if you know fish are present but not up top, try trolling Clark Spoons at different depths and different speeds. Bonnethead sharks are abundant as well and will readily take bait fished on the bottom; especially cracked blue crab.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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You know summer’s right around the corner when City Council spends half its meeting hearing requests from groups wanting to hold events on the beach. On March 23 Council heard requests for the third annual Army Wives Beach Party at which 250 guests are expected, the “Big Gay Beach Party” for 300-400 people and a Post “Palmetto Relay” Party for 400 racers and their friends. Then of course there was the request for street closings and open-container permits for the 20th annual Sea & Sand festival. Omar Colon was on the agenda, but did not appear, to request permission for Bert’s Customer Appreciation Party, which used to be held every year and closed off 2nd Street East between Ashley and Cooper Avenues and offered free wine and beer to everyone who showed up.

Two of the four ordinances on the agenda concerned how the City will deal with events such as these. The ordinance (02-10) creating the Staff Event Planning Committee was enacted into law. The one dissenting vote came from Councilman McCarty, who reserved the right to “cast my standard vote against more bureaucracy.” The law establishes a committee composed of the City Administrator; the Director of Public Safety or police alternate; the Deputy Director of Public Safety (Fire Chief) or alternate fire official; the Director of Public Works, or public works alternate; and the Comptroller or financial alternate. Its purpose is to allow for a comprehensive review of public events that utilize public property within the City limits to insure the safety and welfare of those attending the event. Councilman Dave Stormer voted to postpone an ordinance(03-10) dealing with where and under what circumstances open containers of alcohol would be allowed until the new City Council meets on May 25. “It would take up a lot of time to talk about it tonight,” he said. “Let the new City Council deal with it.”

The biggest and most far-reaching legislation – the new zoning ordinance – was passed unanimously with little discussion. Zoning Administrator Aaron Pope came to the podium to discuss the results of the Planning Commission’s public hearing on the ordinance. He said eight people had commented on the proposed law and six of them had been residents of multi-family complexes who were mostly concerned about being able to rebuild in the event of a catastrophe. The Planning Commission had sent the ordinance back to Council with no changes. Pope told Council that any changes they made tonight would result in the ordinance being sent back to Planning, which would hold another public hearing. He recommended that Council pass the ordinance and fine-tune it later. Several Council members said there were minor changes they would like to discuss later, and Tim Goodwin echoed their sentiments by saying, “This is a cohesive piece of legislation and a vast improvement and I’m not going to bring up any minor changes that would prevent its passage tonight.” Mayor Beckmann thanked Council and Planning Commission members for their hard work and said it normally takes three to four years to pass such a comprehensive legislative product. “We’re right on track as far as the time-line is concerned,” he said.

The resolution (R14-10) awarding the bid for the expansion of the Public Safety Department facilities to Hill Construction Company for $1,396,621 generated quite a bit of discussion, but was passed with dissenting votes from Dave Stormer and Eddie Ellis. “If we vote on this tonight, we’re buying into an unknown,” said Stormer, who was concerned that costs for refurnishing or relocating personnel were not included in the figure. Mayor Beckmann said these costs had been taken into consideration and that the City planned to relocate Public Safety equipment and personnel to the County boat landing on the Folly River. Beckmann said the two fire trucks would be housed in a large tent (40 feet x 80 feet) that the City plans to buy at a cost of $12,000 and the on-duty personnel would sleep in a trailer the City plans to rent for $400 per month.

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Spring is finally here! The last week has had days full of sun and temperatures holding in the 70s. Our fishery is rapidly changing with many new signs of life. Anglers are starting to catch the first trout and flounder of the season, and an increasing amount of bait in the water bodes well for all types of fishing.

Redfish are transitioning from a period focused simply on preservation to becoming predators again. Redfish will hone in on baitfish as well as small shrimp. The large schools of redfish characteristic of the winter are breaking up as these fish become more active. Anglers should consider using artificial plastic lures that mimic these baitfish. One good choice would be “jerk shad” lures that have become very popular and are available in a wide variety of colors. I’ve been finding that white has been working best, although I’ll occasionally throw a darker color when water clarity is poor. Work these lures with your rod pointed down and use the tip of the rod to put motion on the lure.

The trout have at long last appeared. Our long winter and its colder water temperatures kept trout from arriving at their usual time in March. Fishermen should focus on oyster beds and grassy banks when targeting these fish. While they may have not gotten much use over the last few months, it is time to break out the popping corks again. Try fishing a 3” D.O.A. plastic shrimp lure suspended two feet underneath a popping cork. The D.O.A. shrimp come in several weights but I prefer their 1/4oz. model. The colors red glitter and silver glitter are performing best. These rigs can be deadly for trout right now.

Flounder, perhaps our tastiest fish, are becoming increasingly active. We’ve been picking them up mostly when fishing with mud minnows on the bottom or mud minnows under popping corks. You’ll need to focus on structure when targeting flounder. Docks and pilings are good places to prospect. Remember that flounder will hug the bottom in hopes of ambushing their prey, so you’ll need to keep that bait down on or close to the bottom as well. One of the bonuses of the jerk shad mentioned above is that flounder will strike these surprisingly often when you fish them slow.

It’s an exciting time as we now have several species to target instead of just spooky redfish. It really expands the fishery and offers up a lot more opportunities.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

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A bad way to start your day

On March 12, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of E Erie by a woman whose white Subaru wagon was reported missing. She said she had parked the car under her house around 9:30 p.m. and when she came down the next morning, the car was gone. The victim stated she usually left the keys under the floor mat. The neighbors had not seen any unusual activity. Public Safety patrolled the island searching for the vehicle, but saw no cars matching the description.

Bad texting results in wardrobe malfunction

On March 12, Public Safety officers were dispatched to an E. Huron residence by a woman who stated her live-in boyfriend had grabbed her and ripped her panties off. She said he got mad when he saw a text message she had sent to a good friend saying she missed him, but he left when she said she was going to call the police and accidentally locked himself out. The victim stated the subject kept knocking on the door for her to let him back in but she was afraid of him. The victim did not sustain any visible injuries and told the officers she would let her boyfriend back in once he calmed down.

He was just looking for his vacuum cleaner

On March 13 officers responded to a call that an E Ashley home had been vandalized while the tenant was gone over night and a blue upright vacuum cleaner valued at $100 had been stolen. She said she thought her ex-boyfriend had committed the act because she and a girlfriend had gotten into a heated argument with him the night before at Snapper Jacks when he created a scene and was kicked out. She said they had lived together until last January, and he had a history of being violent with her and she had called the police on him before. The kitchen had food and drink thrown and splattered all over the floor and the refrigerator had been left open, causing $500 worth of food to spoil. Several other large items such as potted plants had been thrown around the kitchen, causing a rip in the linoleum and a large hole in the wall. In the living room a large framed mirror was taken off a wooden chest and smashed against the wall. A lamp was damaged and two paintings were ripped in half and thrown across the room, knocking items off the TV table. The victim stated that she had given one of the pictures to her boyfriend as a sentimental gift and that the vacuum cleaner actually belonged to him.

Underage males arrested for drunk sleeping

On March 16 at 2:00 a.m. Public Safety officers on patrol observed two Toyota 4-Runners parked diagonally facing the wrong way on 6th Street near E. Arctic. Three individuals were sleeping in one of the cars. When the officer rapped on the front passenger window to get their attention, the subject in the back seat woke up and got the front passenger up. The officer advised them they were in violation of a municipal ordinance and requested identification. The front passenger tried to get his wallet from his pocket and was observed to be heavily under the influence of alcohol. He claimed to have no ID on him, but his wallet fell open on the seat displaying a Georgia driver’s license. The officer determined that the ID was a fake. Underneath the fake ID was a real South Carolina driver’s license indicating the subject was only 20. Then the officer approached the driver side of the vehicle, but the driver would not wake up. He noticed the driver had vomited down the side of the door. When the officer finally got him awake, the suspect also displayed signs of gross alcohol intoxication and was found to be 19 and driving under a suspended license. The third subject did not appear intoxicated and said he had driven there in the other vehicle, which had an open case of Bud Light on the floor board that contained four beers. The subject was 20, and was cited and released for under-age possession of alcohol. The other two subjects were secured in the patrol car and booked into Charleston County Jail.

Anyone missing a bicycle?

On March 16 Public Safety Officers responded to a report of a trespasser at 216 E Ashley. The complainant stated he had been allowed use of the house by the owner who lives in Columbia, but when he arrived at the residence expecting it to be empty, he observed a beat up white 4-door sedan parked underneath the house. He was met at the front door by a female who told him she was renting the house. She offered to leave and seemed very nervous and apologetic and seemed to be trying to stall him. The complainant then observed two or three males run out the back door, jump into the car and flee the scene. While he was getting the license plate number, the female jumped on a bicycle and tried to flee, but she fell off and ran through a neighbor’s yard. The officers did not find any signs of a break-in and nothing appeared to have been stolen. There was, however, a strong smell of marijuana. The complainant only got a good look at the female, whom he described as being about 5’6” in her early 20’s with long reddish-blond hair and a tattoo across her lower back. The bicycle was placed into evidence.

At least they cleaned up their mess

On March 20 at about 9:00 a.m. the dispatcher received a call that there were multiple subjects sleeping on the beach at 4th or 5th Street East. Officers responded and located the subjects. The area was littered with beer bottles and cans and what was known by the officer to be a marijuana grinder was sitting on the groin just above the subjects. Officers woke the subjects up and asked for IDs and inquired who owned the marijuana grinder. A backpack was near one of the subjects and officers asked if there were any narcotics inside. The owner said marijuana was in the front pocket and the officers retrieved a zip lock bag containing marijuana, which weighed in at 2.2 grams. The subjects cleaned up the area and the owner of the marijuana was issued a citation for simple possession. The subjects were released and the marijuana was taken into evidence.

But, officer, it’s my birthday

On March 21 about 3:00 a.m. officers on patrol in the 700 block of E. Arctic were issuing citations to illegally parked vehicles when two suspects came from behind the house carrying a case of beer and put it in the back of a truck. The officers approached the subjects, who appeared to be under-age. Suspect #1 stated he was 20 and had been celebrating his birthday on the beach with some friends. Suspect #2 stated he was 19 and they had got a guy to buy the alcohol in exchange for a couple of cans of beer. The officers wrote the subjects a citation for liquor law violations and retrieved the remaining beers.

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