Jasper County Council, you should be ashamed of yourselves, shamed for gushing with gleeful greed over the jobs and taxes you think a casino will roll in. Your avarice blinding you to its siren call is disgusting. You are wrong economically and morally.

"He seemed to have no fear,

Where ever duty beckoned he was always there"

- Floyd family poem

Paver sales are moving right along and we hope to complete sandblasting on the first group in January, depending on the weather. The deadline to submit payment and applications to Town Hall for this first group is Dec. 30.
The Veterans Committee recently expanded eligibility for the "individual veterans pavers." The application form is green and the cost is $100 (free for veterans who were KIA, MIA or POW.) The eligibility criteria for living and deceased veterans now includes:
- Any veteran who is or was a Jasper County resident

Well Jasper County tax-paying citizens, the Jasper County Council has done it to us again.
It did not matter to them that so many of us pleaded with them "not to hire an assistant administer," at this time. They thumbed their noses at us and allowed the administrator to hire one anyway.
Chairman (LeRoy) Blackshear, in a news interview, told us several months ago that it was a done deal. He did not care what we had to say. Councilman (Theo) Drayton told the crowd at a council meeting that "we would get over it" if we were hurting.

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and Tidewater Hospice wants to make sure people aware of a valuable resource.
Coping with a serious or life-limiting illness is not easy. In fact, it might be the hardest work you'll ever do. Working with doctors and hospitals, navigating the maze of care needs, figuring out insurance coverage, all in addition to taking care of your family can be overwhelming. Tidewater Hospice wants the community to know that there's help.

Did you know that Thanksgiving has the highest number of reported house fires nationwide?

The Orozco family would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone during our time of loss.
So many of you sent cards, brought food, made donations, participated in the Relay for lymphoma, visited the hospital or our home, and to all, we are so grateful.
The outpouring of held and love from our friends, neighbors, family and strangers has been amazing.
Please continue to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.
May God bless each and every one of you for your kindness and love.

Sincerely,
The Orozco family

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For the second consecutive year, the Jasper County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (JCDVCC) will hold a candlelight vigil to honor victims and survivors during halftime of the Ben Riley Classic football game between Hardeeville and Ridgeland Friday, Oct. 28. The vigil is themed "Get in the Game" - encouraging all citizens to get off the bench and join in the fight against domestic violence in our community.

I have lived in Jasper County for more than 15 years and I'm distressed at the level of financial and economic ignorance displayed every two weeks at county council meetings.

The South Carolina Legislators proposal to draw new district lines for the Jasper County School Board seats will place Mr. Randy Horton and me in the same district. Because of this, Mr. Randy Horton and I will be running for the same school board seat in the 2012 election. Mr. Horton obviously has drawn the line in the sand and started his campaign tactics early.