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Web posted Monday, August
23, 2004
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Herbkersman: Storm practice could pay off
By Bill Herbkersman
Special to the Carolina Morning News
From the House
On the day we
were originally forecasted to be visited by
Hurricane Charley, Carl Blackstone from Gov.
Sanford's office started calling at 7 a.m. He
called about every two hours or so until the
threat was ended.
While Beaufort County
Sheriff P.J. Tanner and I had had discussions with
the governor's office concerning evacuation
techniques and routes, the governor wanted
up-to-the-minute information from all possible
sources.
Even though we didn't have to
evacuate and were spared all but the inconvenience
of making storm preparations, we learned a lot
about how our communications and planning would
work had this been an actual emergency. Practice,
in this case, will help us be more prepared when a
storm does come to visit.
This past Monday,
I had the privilege of presenting the flags of the
United States and the state of South Carolina to
Bluffton High School. The United States flag was
to commemorate the opening of the long-awaited
school and the state flag was dedicated to the
first graduating class, the seniors.
This
first graduating class has the honor of being the
first wave of home-grown talent that will make a
positive difference in our state and our
community. Theirs is a unique opportunity as well
as a serious responsibility.
A particularly
pleasant part of my day at the new school was a
tour of the place with high-energy principal
Aretha Rhone-Bush. The facility is truly
state-of-the-art in every way, from the
communications technology to the sports
stadium.
Principal Bush's tour not only
showed me the geography of the school. Her
enthusiasm and coherent answers to my many
questions showed me that Bluffton High is in
capable hands.
One thing that was
particularly impressive about the new school was
the number of parents volunteering their time to
get the school-year off to a good
start.
Combining parental involvement with
the great teaching staff and leadership from Ms.
Bush and her administrative cadre, contained
within the walls of our fine new structure,
certainly gives us reason to have high
expectations for the coming school year. Go
Bobcats!
Finally, I want you to remember
two local events that will be of great benefit to
our community. We have the Alzheimer's Walk-A-Thon
on Saturday, Nov. 13, in Sun City.
For any
of us who might have someone near to us with this
heartbreaking affliction, the necessity for more
research and better care for the victims is
urgent. I will be there with my walking shoes and
hope that we get a strong response from our caring
community.
Also, don't forget Bluffton
Rotary's fourth annual Community Party at the
Bluffton Oyster Factory on Sept. 16 from 6 to 8
p.m. The $50 ticket admits two guests.
Not
only do you get a chance to win a nice boat, but I
personally guarantee that if you are capable of
having fun, you will have some that Thursday
night.
Tickets are limited, but I have a
few at my office. So stop by, have a cup of
coffee, pick up your tickets and tell me what's on
your mind.
I am very much enjoying the
questions, calls and comments from all of you in
District 118 as well as from the whole Beaufort
County area. It's one of the reasons they call it
the House of Representatives.
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