Do you like surprises? Well, I do.
And I'm pretty good at pulling off surprise parties, too.
Last Wednesday, July 21, my baby girl finally turned "Sweet 16."
All month long she counted down to the big day.
At first she wanted a formal party with a limo and paparazzi lined on the red carpet.
Then suddenly she only wanted to be showered with gifts and more gifts.
Viola! A surprise party.
It is good to have friends and a ton of teens who know how to keep a secret.

On behalf of the Boys & Girls Club of Jasper County, we would like to thank the community for coming out and supporting the third annual Taste of Jasper. Once again, the food received rave reviews and our wine and beer tasting added a cosmopolitan air.

Thanks to all the residents of Allendale, Hampton and Jasper counties who called and wrote to our state legislators.
They garnered enough votes to override the governor's veto of state and federal funding for libraries. That means all the branches and the bookmobile will continue to open and serve you.
We, the staff of the Allendale-Hampton-Jasper Regional Library system, have rededicated ourselves to serve all of you to the best of our ability in the coming years.

To our Ridgeland Little Tiger family and all of our dedicated fans,

The agenda for last week's meeting of the Jasper County Council and School District, Hardeeville City Council and Ridgeland Town Council was pretty vague. The schedule sent by the county basically was:
I. Call to Order
II. Pledge of Allegiance
III. Invocation
IV. Executive Session
V. 7:00 p.m. Dinner Break
VI. Return to Executive Session
VII. Return to Open Session

Last week, state Rep. J Todd Rutherford (D-Columbia) said some misleading - well, false to put it accurately - things about Ridgeland on the state House floor.
Rutherford added an amendment to a bill that passed the House last week and would ban traffic cameras, such as the ones the town of Ridgeland plans to put on I-95 this summer.
When discussing the issue on the House floor last Wednesday, Rutherford said "This body does not like Big Brother," referring to the omnipresent character in George Orwell's classic 1984.

I love it when a plan comes together, don't you?
Last week, Jasper County School District Superintendent-elect, Dr. Vashti Washington, captivated an audience of Rotarians and other community leaders at Jasper's Porch restaurant. She was the special guest speaker for Jasper County Rotary Club.
Poised and full of elegant distinction, Dr. Washington knows how to establish true continuity.
She also knows how to develop the right kind of connections. This fearless leader
clearly understands teamwork. Without hesitation she acknowledged the obvious

This week is National EMS Week, which celebrates the activities of Emergency Medical Technicians from across the nation. What does an EMT do? Do we have any in Jasper County? Yes, we have many EMTs in Jasper County and most of them are employees of Jasper County Fire-Rescue and work to care for the citizens of Jasper County.
How do they help our citizens?

This letter is in response to a staff editorial printed in the Beaufort Gazette/Island Packet on Mother's Day that contained inaccurate and misleading information. The editorial was entitled "Ridgeland Moving Too Quickly To Install Cameras On I-95" and it was a follow-up to a previous article the paper published a week earlier. It is very clear to me that the Gazette/Packet is trying to stir emotions and create controversy by misleading the public on this issue, and I am very disappointed by its failure to focus on the facts.

Illegal Immigration: What is it Really About?

I do not condone or advocate any type of illegal behavior. Illegal immigration is a very complex and controversial topic. The issue of illegal immigration involves economics, race and class. We live in an economic system based on free enterprise. Free enterprise is defined as business governed by the laws of supply and demand. Not restrained by government interference regulation and subsidies, also called free market ( direct quote).