Folly Current - February 19, 2010

8/14/2019 Folly Current - February 19, 2010

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Folly Beachs Newspaper Vol. 2 Issue 9 February 19, 2010 w FREE

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F o l l y B e a c h2 0 1 0

If its true that Folly Beach residents savor contentious elections, this years Mayoral race will not disappoint them. Current Mayor Carl Beckmann faces challenges from incumbent City Council members Eddie Ellis and Tim Goodwinin the Folly Beach elections on April 6.

Carl Beckmann

Beckmann contends that personalissues that have inter ered with Councils

unctioning this past year have likely spurredinterest in both the mayoral race and theelections or City Council.

A ull-time resident o Folly Beach since1992, Beckmann served a term on thePlanning Commission and was well-knownaround town. Prior to the 2006 Folly Beachelections, Beckmann said a group o residentsapproached him and convinced him to run

or mayor. When asked i the people who puthim in o ce would keep him in o ce thisgo-round, Beckmann admitted that many o

his previous supporters probably would notvote or him this year.

I was not beholden to any group,Beckmann said. I did what I thought wasbest or the beach, and not everybody washappy with that. Tey dont have all theanswers because they dont have all thein ormation. I made my decisions takinginto account all the in ormation.

Beckmann, who previously promotedhimsel as a one-time Mayor, wants tocontinue in the position in order to fnishthe projects hes been working on or the past

our years. Teres a steep learning curve ora new mayor, Beckmann said, and we haveimportant work we need to complete.

The race for mayor

By Lauren Dean

s Mayorial race o p g 4

m o r e

F o l l y G r

a s

I n s I d e

C razy h eart page 14


2/15

Dear Editor,I learned through the Mayors letter in

the Sandspur that the City was makingplans to relocate a diagonal so-calledditch on the corner lot at W Ashley and 9th Street, just down the street romme, and relocate Red Sunset Lane by the river rom its present location on aman made causeway to possibly a bridgecauseway combination over the creek andmarsh.

I remember the path o the wetlands andwhispering tree creek back to the river. Ihave also heard rom a knowledgeablesource that there is a request to relocatepart o whispering tree creek and ll the

wetlands behind the 9th and West Ashley wetland area to the river. I have lived hereover 55 years and remember how this area

was be ore Mosquito Control, in an efortto have better drainage o the wetlands,dug some 4 wide ditches connectingand re-routing some mini creeks in the

area behind West Ashley Avenue rom8th Street to 9th Street back to the river.OCRM has marked this wetland areamany times.

Te main tidal and drainage blockage isthe small culvert under Red Sunset Lanethat is the main route or in and out tidesand was once 25 wide marsh and marshgrass until the Red Sunset Lane causeway

connector lled it in. Mosquito Controlmade parts o these creeks and wetlandssections into areas that look like ditches, soI believe that does not make it ok to relocatethe salt water path. I have documentedpictures o the changes over the years andhave seen ddler crabs and marsh grasscoming back only to be cut down by theMosquito Control maintenance crew.

I believe proper research has not beendone regarding lling and re-routingthose so-called ditches. Tis is wherethe tide has come in since I was a kid hereand obviously be ore that. A study o oldariel maps will show how the mini creek

winds through the West 9th Street area. When Mosquito Control came in anddug out those areas in the 1950s they re-routed the mini creeks and marsh intostraight lines. Salt water tidal marsh andcreeks cannot be lled or re-routed.It would be more proper i the minicreeks including whispering tree creek

were put back to there original pathbe ore mosquito control dug them outand straightened out there path. Teimpact to wildli e and wetlands inthis area need to be considered becausethere are only a ew acres le t untouchedon Folly Island as it is. Te bobcatpopulation has dwindled to just a ew and the natural environment or the birds

o Folly Beach has all but disappearedas new sites are developed, especially themarsh and wetlands.Everyone concerned please look intothe projects and contact the necessary authorities to put a stop to theunnecessary abuse o the Folly Island

wetlands. We should be putting oureforts to beach erosion as opposed tospending money to ll and relocate the

wetlands. how.e davi s816 W Ashley

_________________________

Dear Editor,Recently I received my residential

parking decal application. Stated in boldI read, renters are not eligible to receiveparking stickers. Im a raid this is the

rst o many steps towards becominglike Kiawah or Seabrook, where property owners associations run the city. When

I moved here as a renter 29 years ago, Irecognized that, unlike other places, Folly took in and accepted everyone, regardlesso income or amily connections. In thisegalitarian atmosphere the garbage man

was as likely as the city attorney to attendthe same oyster roast. People who moveto Folly do so out o choice. Shortly a terestablishing residence, they take pride

in and ownership o their Beach. Ive witnessed this over and over. Tis moveto ban renters and give stickers to ownersonly is sure to disen ranchise renters, animportant portion o this community. Allpermanent year-round residents shouldbe allowed parking decals. Otherwise,rename it an owners decal because aspresently restricted it is most de nitely nota residents decal.

Anton DuMars606 E Ashlesy

_________________________

Dear Editor,Did you know that the mayor o Folly

Beach has an allotted salary o $9,600?Tat number is or the entire year, whichby my calculations would barely cover my share o rent or the quaint dilapidatedbeach shack I call home. Carl Beckmanncan attest to the act that being mayor isa ull-time job. I I run the numbers at40 hours a week or 48 weeks out o theyear (I threw in 4 weeks o vacation), ourmayor makes a whopping $5 an hour.

Whoa, that is what I call a labor o lovemy riends!

2 February 19, 2010

www . follycurrent . com

Letters to the editor...

see letters on page 3


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February 19, 2010 3

Lynn Pierottipublisher

[email protected]

Kristin Hacklermanaging editor

[email protected]

Lauren [email protected]

Swan Richardssenior graphic designer

[email protected]

Ellie Smithgraphic designer

Lori Daltonaccount executive

[email protected]

Richard Brendeladvertising

843-478-0896 [email protected]

ContributorsRichards Beck

Captain Geoff BennettMegan Carroll

Dept of Natural ResourcesDr. John Nelson

Published byLucky Dog Publishingof South Carolina, LLC

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Future deadlines:February 10 for submissions.

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ing of South Carolina LLC, is a free,independent newspaper published

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Check me out...I am pure joy in motion!!! I'm a 1-year-oldmale hound, and mine is a sad tale o an owner without timeor space to give a growing hound. I originally came to PetHelpers when my time was up at another shelter. I love to play in the yard, and seem to be good with other dogs. I am very active, but it's because I still have a lot o puppy in me eventhough I'm now a pretty big guy. I come with ree obedienceclasses - so you and I can bond with our own style!! I'm alsoa lover o hot dogs, peanut butter and human a ection. Ipromise to make you smile every time you walk in the door!!

Linda

Hello I am a 4 year oldlong-hair tabby. I havebeen at Pet Helpers nearly all my li e

which is a shame seeing how pretty and sweetI am. I used to be very shy and would only let a ew select people approach me but now i you come in andsit down I will come looking or petties and treats. I

would like to be in a home that is not too chaotic soadults only is pre erable. Come see me Ill be here.

Pet Helpers is located at 1447 Folly Road, James Island.Hours: Mon Fri rom 11am 6pm and Sat rom 11am - 5pm.

Closed: Sundays and Holidays.Call Pet Helpers at 795-1110. Adoption ees: $125 cats & dogs (6 mo. or younger), $100 or 6 mo. or older. $55 or rabbits.

Includes spaying/neutering, shots, heartworm check, leukemia check, deworming, microchip, collar and tag.Visit www.pethelpers.org.

F e b r u a r y A l l a d u l t c a t a d p t i n s 1/ 2 o F F

On top o that, I think it is amazingthat an additional two olks are vying orthis job, ellow councilmen Eddie Ellisand im Goodwin. Te question becomes

who should we let sweat or this thankless job. Te answer on everyones mindshould be whomever you think can best

work with the city council. Remembernow, there is no i in team!Folly government has been sitting in

gridlock that is as bad as our summertra c or ar too long. Why is that youmay ask? Ill cut you some slack, andinstead o searching or my soap box toconvince you to be an active citizen and

gure it out or yoursel , Ill give you thescoop. Tere are ego issues on the councilthat are so atrocious the council cantcommunicate. I saw this rst hand atthe last council meeting on January 26th.Our council ailed to get a unanimousvote to approve the tra c study taken lastsummer or review, not to und changes

nor actively pursue its recommendations, just or the Planning Commission tosimply review it. Te question I pose toEddie Ellis, our Councils token nay sayer,

why on Earth did we conduct the study i it wasnt to review it and make changes tothe status quo? Further communicationproblems reached a zenith similar to a

rat-tastic burping contest, which emptied

most o the room, when the issue o apublic recycling bin was brought up. Illexplain it or those o you who missedLauren Deans excellent article on themeeting, which appeared in the Current on February 5th.

Once upon a time, we had two options where to put a large multi-purposerecycling bin out in the land o Folly, andeach site had pros and cons. Tey wereall discussed and then the magic airy,Councilwoman Beck, waived her wandand said, How about we let the County decide between the locations where toput the bin, since they are the ones whohave to gure out how to empty it. Tepolite peanut gallery nodded to this wisecomment. But then, Councilman Ellisthrough e orts o double speak, showedhow his site was better than CouncilmanGoodwins citing acts rom conversations

with the City about the bin. However,since he had not conveyed any o thatin ormation previously to the councilnor could gure out a way to succinctly

articulate the issue, he decided to winthe argument by boring the council andpeanut gallery to death. Poor CouncilmanGoodwin decided to back down o o theissue while Ellis chuckled and exclaimed,Washington has health care re orm andFolly Beach has recycling bins.

All I have to say is - it is a solitary recycling bin. Te problem o a Folly

Beach recycling bin should not be ascomplex as a multibillion dollar re orm

which a ects every single American. Anyone who says they are comparableshould not be in politics.

Yet, all o this aside, you as a residentcan x this communication problem.Shazam, you can vote! It is seriously thatsimple. Te voter registration deadline

or Follys City Council election is March6th, and the actual elections are April 6th.

You can read about the candidates, attendthe next council meeting, and see thesestorybook characters in action.

I know, I know who has timeanymore or issues that seem to takecare o themselves? However, this stu is seriously important the governmenttakes our money or this. Folly governmenta ects you everyday whether you are

willing to admit it or not. We all are parto Follitics, so lets put a stop to thisnonsense already and demand a change inbehavior rom our council. Get pumped

or the next Folly Beach Council Meeting,

February 23rd on the second foor o City Hall - Game ime is 7 PM! I will see youthere.

Sincerely,Kathryn Miller PO Box 104

letters from page 2

PHOENIX


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4 February 19, 2010


CIVIC

Prominent among these projects arenalization o the Zoning and Land

Development ordinance, the replacemento the Folly River Bridge, and therelocation o existing sewerage linescurrently attached to the old bridge, butrequired by current codes to be buriedunderground, according to Beckmann.

I he is reelected, Beckmann said he will continue to promote policies thatmaintain the avor and character o Folly Beach and work to improve publicservices.

As or his opponents in the Mayoralrace, Beckmann said they are running orthe job because they think they can do abetter job than he has done, but he thinksthey might be surprised at how di cultthe job really is. He said he brings theexperience the job requires.

E ddiE E llis

Eddie Ellis has lived on Folly Beachsince 1992. His rst run or a Council seat

in 2002 was not success ul, but Ellis saidpositive comments rom his supportersconvinced him to get more involved inlocal politics and research the big issues inthe community.

I attended every Council meeting ortwo years, Ellis said, and in 2003 he wasappointed to the Board o Zoning Appeals. When he ran or Council again in 2004,he was elected, and in 2008 he receivedmore votes than any other candidate or

Council 72% o the votes according toEllis.

Ellis said he is running because very little has been accomplished during the pastcouple o years in which Council membershave been at odds with the Mayors o ce.Improve these relationships," Ellis said,and things will start moving again.

Another goal is to alter the nancialcourse the City is on by limiting

government growth and decreasingunnecessary spending. As an example,Ellis cited the zoning and land use re-writeper ormed by Clarion, which he called awaste o money. He said the documenthad changed signi cantly since Clarionsubmitted it to the City, due primarily tothe work o the Planning Commission,and asked why Planning couldnt have just written it themselves.

Our Planning Commission is a greatgroup o people who know Folly Beachmuch better than consultants do, he said.And theyre ree.

Te third area o concern to Ellisis how to balance quality o li e issues

or residents with the interests o thebusiness community. He said he wouldencourage complimentary businesses that would create a thriving, viable downtownbusiness district, but limit seasonalvendors who compete with year-roundbusiness interests.

Ellis said local business owners areopposed to vendors having items suchas boogie boards or rent that could bepurchased rom a store on Center Street,

and he quoted a local merchant as havingtold him, I dont want them (rentals)making a dime on something I haveavailable in my store.

Ellis said he is running because hecan achieve his goals more efectively asMayor. He admits to having his critics,but said people know he is honest anddoes his homework. Whatever I say isstraight rom the hip, he said.

T im G oodwin

Te day im Goodwin moved tothe island in 1998, Folly Beach wascelebrating its 25th anniversary as a City. When he came across the bridge and saw all the tra c, Goodwin told riends who were helping him move, Lets unloadthe truck and go downtown and enjoy the party. No way Im dealing with thattra c today.

welve years later, weve got tra cproblems that could not even be imaginedback then and Goodwin is still hereenjoying the party. He and his wi ebecame involved in various community events and undraisers, and people startedtalking to him about running or publico ce. Im not a politician, he toldthem, but nonetheless Goodwin ran orthe vacant Council seat created by thedeath o Councilman Harvey Wittschenin 2002. He was re-elected in 2004 and2008.

en years ago, I described mysel asa concerned citizen not a politician and thats the way I still eel, but I seeour City headed in the wrong direction,Goodwin said. Residents eel like they dont know whats going on in the City and that people are making their decisions

or them.

One o Goodwins top priorities isto utilize in ormation technology soFolly Beach residents are ully in ormedabout meetings and issues and have theopportunity to make in ormation-baseddecisions. Youll always have diferentopinions, he said, but common groundis better reached when everyone has accessto the same in ormation.

Governments, like people, prosper when

they live within their means. Because sucha large percentage o Folly revenues arederived rom the tourist industry, money is set aside to pay or services in the evento another disaster like Hugo that couldshut our economy down.

Goodwin decries the currentmentality o taking money out o thereserve und when expenditures onprojects cost more than expected, andcites the present administrations ailureto do su cient research on the ront endregarding the real cost o projects as anexample o poor use o taxpayer money.

Goodwin spent 28 years as a sa ety and occupational health manager atDuPont and said his experience managingdepartmental budgets has given him theinsight to oversee a rapidly increasingCity budget and his 32 years as a state-registered EM and re instructor helpshim understand the increasing demandson the Department o Public Sa ety.

Tomas Jeferson warned us that People get the government they deserve. Past FolBeach elections have been hotly contestedresidents talk about little else or two month- and then very ew people actually show uto vote. In order to vote in the Folly Beachelection this year, you must register to votby March 6. Voter registration orms areavailable at City Hall or the Folly BeachBranch Library.

Mayorial race from cover

A letter from the editor...

Hello again to those o you who know me rom around town or rom my previousgig covering Folly Beach orTe Journal . For those o you who dont know me, letme introduce mysel . Im a University o South Carolina graduate with an MMC- Masters in Mass Communication. Ive worked regularly orTe State and theGreenville News-Piedmont and published magazine articles on a variety o topics

or about 30 years.

Although I have lived on Folly since 2003, I dont know everything thats goingon, so I hope I can depend on my readers to keep me On Te Edge. I you hearabout something or have in ormation or concerns to share, please eel ree to getin touch with me. wo potential stories came my way just last week via alert Folly Beach residents. Inquiring minds want to know! I also want to point out, however,that rumors run rampant on Folly Beach. Dont believe everything you hear. Check it out rst in Te Folly Current!

I want to tell those readers who asked - and those who didnt ask, but wondered- that Te Police Blotter is alive and well. Te reason you have not seen it in thepast two editions o Te Folly Current is simply because Public Sa ety has not hadanything interesting to investigate. Not to worry though, Chie Boatwright saidhe expects things to start picking up any day now. So stay tuned, and look or TePolice Blotter to reappear again in the March 3rd issue.

I am looking orward to editingTe Folly Current and hope I can count on my readers to help keep me in ormed. You can reach me [email protected] or588-2836. I look orward to talking with you.

Lauren DeanEditor, Te Folly Current


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February 19, 2010 5


C ity Council will give rst readingto the new zoning and land useordinance when it meets onFebruary 23. Tis ordinance (commonly re erred to as the zoning re-write) isthe culmination o three years work by Clarion, City Council and thePlanning Commission. According toZoning Administrator Aaron Pope, thecode has been reorganized into a morecomprehensive and understandabledocument. He added that theseproposed changes range rom modernto radical and are the sorts o issuesthat will potentially impact the lives o many Folly Beach residents.

One major change is to base housesize on lot size and to limit coverage to35% o a lots high ground. Homes onstandard lots cannot exceed 3,600 square

eet and smaller lots would be limited tohomes o 3,100 square eet. Building ahome o the maximum permitted size 4,500 square eet would require a lottwice the size o standard or normallots.

Multi- amily housing will be anallowable use again, but there will bestrict controls on the type and heighto these units, with only townhousesno taller than 24 eet above Base FloodElevation (BFE) permitted. Multi amily will be limited to the existing R-3 andC-4 zoning districts. Tere are currently only two undeveloped properties that

meet the criteria or multi- amily usage,according to Pope.

Lots zoned or duplexes (currently R-2) will be allowed to build detachedunits rather than orcing two unitsinto a single structure. Pope said this

change will increase the cottage eelo our community by scattering smallerdwellings and eliminating the largerstructures that many residents eel areout o character or Folly.

Vacation rental issues will be addressedthrough a new program o education andbusiness license provisions, one o which will require all rental property ownersto have a designated local contact todeal with any issues that arise. Rentalagencies will be required to post City regulations in rental properties and tohave renters sign an acknowledgement o these rules. Although these regulationsare not part o the ordinance, Councilcan pass these regulations concurrently.

Bars, restaurants and clubs will belimited to the Downtown Commercial Area currently zoned C-1.

Pope called the zoning re-write themost met-about subject in his eight yearsas Zoning Administrator, but lamentsthe act that so ew residents showed upto partic ipate in the process. In threeyears, we probably had 100 meetingsto which the public was invited, yet noone showed up or at least 80% o these

meetings. In spite o all this, Pope saidthere will be people who say Why arethey rushing this thing?

When people see that Council isready to adopt these changes, theyllstart coming out o the woodworks and

Im a raid well have to start rehashingeverything all over again. Pope said.He said there also will be people

who take issue that Council is trying topass the new zoning regulations be orethe City elections in April, but pointedout that a ter the election there willbe potentially our new aces on thePlanning Commission and Folly Beach will have lost the expertise o hal thepeople who have worked so hard tohammer out the details o this new landuse law.

A ter rst reading on February 23,the Zoning & Land Use Ordinance willgo to the Planning Commission, which

has scheduled a Public Hearing orMonday, March 1. Te entire proposal is

available on line at cityo ollybeach.com.Interested residents may also contactPope directly at 588-2447 ext. 1839 ore-mail him at apope@cityo ollybeach.com.

Pope acknowledged recent complaints

about lack o e ort by the City to keepresidents in ormed about what is goingon in their community, but he saidmeeting dates and times as well asagendas or these meetings are postedon the website and at City Hall and thePost Ofce. Numerous demands on asmall sta make it impossible to noti y residents individually o upcomingmeetings and public hearings, accordingto Pope.

At some level there is a basicresponsibility or civic minded residentsto seek out in ormation rather thanhave it delivered to them, Pope said.It is rustrating to make e orts to getin ormation out and then be accused o not being transparent.

New Zoning & Land Use ordinance to be unveiledBy Lauren Dean

S dok

Solution on page 13 Level: Hard

CIVIC


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6 February 19, 2010


It was not an ideal day or a race. Heavy rains the night be ore had scatteredhuge puddles along the race route,some o which stretched rom each sidealmost to the center lane o the street.

Te sun came out just at the lastmoment. From my vantage point on E.

Arctic Avenue, I experienced the samethrill I get each year as the rst ood o runners surged past me. I saw the groupo teen-agers rom Anderson in their long-sleeved yellow shirts - pony tails opping,smiles as wide as their aces - glide by intight ormation. A man running behind ababy stroller waved as he went by.

I saw many o these same aces go by my house later in the day as they nishedthe last leg o the race. Some were stillrunning, many were walking, and thelast, courageous, sweat-soaked stragglerssimply willed themselves toward the nishline. What dedication! One woman ewin rom Wisconsin just or the race and

nished third in the emale best overallcategory! Ill bet she was running or morethan the exercise.

People care about saving the MorrisIsland Lighthouse. Whats gone, is gone

orever, and without the monumental andprolonged e orts by many people whohave worked long and hard to raise money and awareness, she would likely haveslipped into the sea by now.

Pat Stormer, a Save the Light volunteer who helped coordinate the race, was pleasedto report that there were 789 runners inthe Save the Light Hal -Marathon & 5-K this year and that more than $7,700 wasraised to help in the stabilization o thelighthouse.

Winners were: Half-Marathon rst,Ryan Robinson, Anderson, SC; second,Kent Wilson, Candler, NC; third, DavidQuick, Mt. Pleasant, SC. 5-K rst, ChrisHicks, Florence, SC; second, ylerCross, James Island, SC; third, Anne

Wyman Cipolla, Charleston, SC. MensOver-all rst, Ryan Robinson, Anderson,SC; second, Kent Wilson, Candler, NC;third, David Quick, Mt. Pleasant, SC.

Womens Over-all rst, Anne Clinton,Charleston, SC; second, Arden Stelly;

third, Elizabeth Holland, Neewah, WI.Event coordinator Doug Oswald said

more people signed up to participate inthe race this year than in any previousyear. In the past there have been more5-K runners, he said, but this year morerunners opted or the hal -marathon.

Not only does the Run bene t thepreservation o the MorrisIsland Lighthouse, it brings alot o people to Folly Beach ata slow time o year, Oswaldsaid. Eight hundred hungry,thirsty runners and their

riends and amilies can makequite an impact on the localeconomy.

Sponsors o the eventinclude Piggly Wiggly, Holiday Inn, Avocet Realty, BagelCa e ( ormerly Bagel Nation),Ritas, Charleston County Parks, Recreation & ourismCommission, OhlandtVeterinary Clinic, and C.R.Hipp.

Te National Society o theChildren o the American Revolutionchose Save the Light as their 2010Charity o the Year, and hard-workingvolunteers Emily Falkenstein and hergrandparents drove through heavy snow

all the way rom Washington, D.C. tohelp with registration, according toOswald. Other volunteers came romTe Citadel Engineering Department,the College o Charleston, MUSC,Porter-Gaud School and, o course,Save the Light.

It was inspiring to see so many young people getting up early on

a Saturday morning to help with acommunity project, Oswald said, addingthat it would have been impossible tostage such an event without the backingand assistance o Mayor Beckmann, City Council, and Chie erry Boatwright andthe Public Sa ety Ofcers.

Elizabeth Holland traveled all the way from Wisconsin to compete in the race.

Save the Light MarathonBy Lauren Dean

photo by RichaRd beck

The Anderson souTh CArolinA leukemiA soCieTy

Y ou dont need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows and you dontneed an analyst to tell you 2009 was a troublesome year or real estate sellers,investors, or owners with shrinking or cancelled home equity lines. Tere were,however, noteworthy variations in the Charleston market.

Sales volume or single amily homes, condos and townhouses picked up signi cantly during the ourth quarter (notice I didnt say sale prices). Tere was a 44% increase inthe number o homes sold through the Charleston rident MLS rom October throughDecember 2009 compared to the prior year, but the median sales price dropped about5%.

Te market varied, however, across price points in the county. While there was a53% increase in sales volume or homes under $200k rom the ourth quarter o 08 to09, the market was virtually unchanged or homes selling at a million dollars or more.In 2009, 41% o all homes sold were under $200k compared to 35% in 2008.

For 2009 as a whole, the Charleston County home market ared poorly. Last yearthe median sales price or al l homes dropped 12% ( rom $255k to $228k), the price persquare oot (S/F) collapsed ( rom $178 to $139), days on the market (DOM) increased

rom 115 to 131, months o inventory inched up rom 18 to 19 (6 months is considereda balanced market), and overall sales volume decl ined 9% ( rom 4375 to 3986).

What about the islands? Although the overal l trend rom 2008 to 2009 was downward,there were variations. Months o inventory increased in most areas, but Kiawah, Edisto,and Sullivans Island improved. able 1(next column)details the months o inventory and number o homes sold (in parentheses) since the market height in 2006.

Tere was a downward spiral in median sale price and average price per square ootacross the islands. Prices tumbled most on Edisto and Kiawah, where the median

home price dropped 40.6% and 39.5%, respectively, rom 2008 levels. Tese and other

changes appear in able 2(below).Te decline in sales price, however, has been elt unevenly across the islands, especially

when one compares these data to the market height in 2006. As Figure 1(on page 11)shows, the median sales price or all homes (single amily

Home sales bluesa summary of the 2009 isLanD reaL estate market

By James t. sears, PhD

Real Estate p g 11


7/15

February 19, 2010 7


Joseph Jose, James Brown and Ernest Parks o Sol Legare stole the show as they entertained the crowded streets o downtown Charleston during the King Holiday Parade on January 18. As active members in the restoration o the Seashore Farmers

Lodge 767 on Sol Legare, the three men reenacted an old photo rom 1938 o theirgrand athers marching in the same parade. Other neighbors ollowed in a foat coveredin photos, paying tribute to the extensive restoration o the Lodge which has spannedthe past year.

Sol Legare marches inthe King Holiday Parade

by Corie Hipp

Snowin on Folly

Caitie McCarty, 5, a Lowcountry Rescued Lab, displays her instinctive lead sled dog pose in the snowfall after a winter storm swept past the coast on Saturday morning. Local area schools, public of ces and institutions closed early Friday afternoon as forecasters predicted howling winds, freezing temperatures and closed roadways before snow accumulation began in the evening and overnight hours. Folly Beach citizens braved out these extreme conditions Saturday afternoon, refusing to cancel their FollyGras parade and pre- Lenten celebration.

(above) Participants recreate a photo from 1938 (below) during the 2010 MLK Parade in downtown Charleston.


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Tuesday, February 23

Folly City Council meeting 7pm at Folly Beach City Hall, located at21 Center St. For more in o, visit ww w.cityo ollybeach.com or cal l 588-2447. Wednesday, February 24

After School Rock Climb A ter school, come out and climb with us!Learn some basic climbing skills and havesome un at James Island County Park. Pre-registration required. Ages 6 12. 2:30pm-5:00pm. Course # 21623. Fee: $12/$10 CCR Discount. 795-4386 or visit www.ccprc.com.

Friday, February 26

Moonlight Wall ClimbEnjoy an evening under the moon at TeClimbing Wall at James Island County Park. ry your avorite route rom a di erentperspective. Equipment not includedin climbing ee; bring your headlamp/

ashlight. 5pm - 8pm. Course # 21667. Fee:$12/$10 CCR Discount. For more in o, cal l795-4386 or visit www.ccprc.com.

Sunday, February 28

Legare Farms Winterfest New this year! From 4-7pm, enjoy local music,a bonfre, hotdogs, smores, oysters, chili,gumbo, games or the kids, adult beveragesand more. Tere will be an open call ormusicians so bring your musical instrumentand join in. or more in o or to buy tickets,visit legare arms.org

Folly Exchange Club Oyster Roast Te Annual Exchange Club Oyster Roast will be held on Bowens Island rom 1-4pm, with entertainment provided by the ShakinMartinis. ickets are $20 and can bepurchased rom an Exchange Club member orat the event. BYOB and coolers allowed.

Paws Go Red MUSC, Te American Heart Association,and Pet Helpers team up at the James Is landCounty Park or human and canine health,

eaturing health screenings or dogs andowners, pet and owner photo sessions, dog walk, Go Red dog costume competition, andmore! Cost: $1 to enter the park. For more in ocall 795-1110 or visit pethelpers.org.

Monday, March 1

Folly Beach Planning Commission7pm in Folly Beach City Council chambers,located at 21 Center Street. For more in o, visit www.cityo ollybeach.com or cal l 588-2447.

Tuesday, March 2

Read Across America Day/Dr. SeussBirthday

Become a Master Naturalist CCPRC and Clemson University are o eringthe Certifed Master Naturalist program

or people interested in understandingand protecting the states valuable naturalresources. MN candidates complete a 13 day feld study course led by a variety o experts insome o the states most beauti ul natural areasas they learn and practice skills naturalists useto read the natural world. Course # 22049.Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Age: 18 & up.

Fee: $625/$600 CCR Discount. For more in o,call 795-4386 or visit www.ccprc.com.

Thursday, March 4

BB&T Charleston Wine + Food FestivalMarch 4-7, 2010. Celebrating its fve-yearanniversary, the Charleston Wine + FoodFestival draws top che s and culinary experts

rom around the world. Guests will indulgein the unique avors o the Lowcountry, while easting on epicurean delights o the nations best che s, authors and wineexperts. Te 2010 estival will eature world-renowned Che / Restaurateur Daniel Bouludas the headlining celebrity che . For morein ormation, please call 727-9998 or visit www.charlestonwineand ood.com.

Saturday, March 6

ACA Introduction to Kayaking -Level 1Let our ACA certifed instructors help youlearn a new skill com ortably and enjoyably at James Island County Park. Using a variety o boats, this entry-level course teaches you basicstrokes and skills to have un on the water!Pre-registration required. 1pm-5pm. Course# 22006 Age: 16 & up. Fee: $42/$35 CCR Discount. 795-4386 or visit ww w.ccprc.com.

Sunday, March 7

Doggy and Me Day Hike We welcome riendly, social dogs and theirowners to come explore trails in FrancisMarion National Forest with us. Ownersand dogs should each have their own waterand snacks. Meet at the trailhead. 1pm-4pm.Course # 22098. Fee: $12/$10 CCR Discount.795-4386 or visit www.ccprc.com.

Friday, March 12Folly Beach County Park Bird Walk Birding experts rom Charleston County Parks and the South Carolina AudubonSociety explore Folly Beach in this partnershipprogram. T is walk ocuses on the southernshoreline o Folly Beach. A chaperone isrequired or participants ages 15 and under.

10:30am-12:30pm. Course # 22104. Age: 12& up. 795-4386 or visit www.ccprc.com.

Saturday, March 13

Palmetto Pump & USA Climbing CompetitionClimbers o all ages and abilities will enjoy competing on these new challenging and unroutes. C ategories are determined by ageand gender. No competition experience isnecessary. Space is limited, so register early and save. For ages 4+. 8am-2pm. James IslandCounty Park. Fee: $30. 795-4386 or visit www.ccprc.com. Murder Me, Im Irish Join the Womens Guild o Our Lady o GoodCouncil at the Shakin Shamrock Pub ora St. Pattys Day celebration with a orecast

or murder. A traditional Irish dinner will beserved as participants try to solve the mystery.Doors open at 6:30pm. ickets are $20 eachand may be purchased a ter each Sunday Massor rom members o the Womens Guild. Fr.Kelly Hall at 105 West Hudson Avenue, Folly Beach.

Sunday, March 14

Daylight SavingsSpring those clocks forward one hour!

Family Climbing - Family Belay Lesson A great way to spend time together climbingand learning new skills! Children ages4-13 will climb while parents learn to belay.Children ages 14 and up can learn to belay as well as climb. Pre-registration required. 1pm- 4pm at James Island County Park. Course #22063. Age: 4 & up. Fee: $16/$13. For morein ormation, call 795-4FUN(4386) or visit www.ccprc.com.

Folly Current CalendarFebruary 5 - March 14


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10 February 19, 2010

Folly Grashe second Folly Gras was a big success, according to estival coordinator Mary Cunningham, who estimated that approximately 3,000 people attended theMardi Gras knock-o this year.

Mayor Carl Beckmann and his wi e Liz - King and Queen o the estival ledthe parade down Center Street, ollowed by a collection o mostly gol -cart oats.Cunningham said she hopes there will be more real oats next year to make the eventeven more estive.

Awards were given orBest Float , West End Crew; Best Golf Cart , Follywood;

Best Costume , Cheryl Fallaw. A ter much deliberation (and some second helpings)by the Folly Restaurant Critics, the award orBest Food Fare was given to Te Sur Bar. It was a di cult choice, according to Sharon Geiger, who said the boiled crawfshclinched it or her.

I think weve started a great tradition, Cunningham said. Some people complainedthat it was too cold and we should have Folly Gras later in the year, but that wouldntmake any sense. Even as cold as it was, we had a really good crowd.


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February 19, 2010 11

F b 19F b 20F b 21F b 22

F b 23F b 24F b 25F b 26F b 27F b 28M r 1M r 2M r 3M r 4

11:05 m/ 11:26 m11:48 m12:17 m/12:42 m1:19 m/1:48 m

2:29 m/3:00 m3:42 m/4:12 m4:50 m/5:18 m5:52 m/6:18 m6:47 m/7:14 m7:39 m/8:07 m8:28 m/8:58 m9:16 m/9:48 m10:03 m/10:37 m10:50 m/11:28 m

4:48 m/5:00 m5:36 m/5:46 m6:33 m/6:42 m7:38 m/7:47 m

8:49 m/8:56 m9:56 m/10:05 m10:57 m/11:08 m11:52 m12:07 m/12:44 m1:02 m/1:32 m1:55 m/2:19 m2:47 m/3:05 m3:38 m/3:51 m4:29 m/4:38 m

Date High Tide Low Tide

F ll B ch T d Ch r tF o l l y m u s i c

s c e n e C hill & G rill

uesdays John Woodward and Friends

Wednesdays Kevin West 2/19 Suspicious Package 2/20 Elise estone & the Freeloaders

2/25 Te Hawkes 2/26 Po Ridge 2/27 Sho Enu 3/5 - Louis B project 3/6 Stereo Re orm3/12 Soul Captive 3/13 Dantes Camaro

BlU

2/21 Nickolai Svishev 2/24 Calvin aylor 2/28 Eric Penrod

P lanet F ollywood

Fridays and Saturdays Dan Clamp

S UrF B ar

Sundays Dangermu n2/20 Guilt Ridden roubadour

S and d ollar

2/19 & 20 Nu Attitude F olly B eaCh C raB S haCk

Sundays Live Local Music Mondays Open Mic Night

uesdays - rivia Wednesdays Dave GrunstraTursdays Folly Beach Bluegrass Society Fridays Folly Dogs Saturdays Sarah Smile

d roP i n d eli

Mondays Te Hawkes uesdays John Lee

W eve had streaks o rainy and windy conditions over the lastew weeks. Fortunately, thetemperatures have been holding steady

ollowing last months cold snap. I yourelike me, though, cleaning your rods andreels or working on your boat during nasty

weather can only keep youentertained or so long.Te days are starting togrow noticeably longerand you may soon ndyoursel with a case o spring ever.

So whats an anglerto do in February? Teanswer is that you needto pick and choose yourdays. Although ew and

ar between, the hand ulo warmer, sunnier daysthis month have producedsome excellent shing.

Right now, a red sh has two priorities:dont get eaten by a dolphin and try to stay warm. Te sun will make the water on thefats a ew degrees warmer and red sh inlarge schools will food these fats.

During these days, the red sh will bemore likely to consider eating, which iskind o a daily bonus or them this timeo year(though I suspect that, relative togetting eaten by a dolphin, anything is abonus). Once we locate these schools, wehave been shing with arti cial lures about

our to ve inches in length called jerk shad. I usually rig jerk shad weedless,

with the point o the hook pressed into thelures back. Te pro le o this lure is notonly slender but also lands so tly in the

water, which helps to prevent spookingthese already dolphin-wary schools. Youmay want to try a futter hook, which has

weight on the shank that imparts action

on the lure and will help you cast arther.On occasion, you will nd that

anything cast towards a school will sendthe sh feeing when the lure hits the water.Live bait shed on the bottom becomesthe best alternative. I really like to usecracked blue crab with cut mullet as my

second choice. Red sh arescent eeders and you canimage the scent trail crabin uses into the water.Put your bait on a #2/0or # 3/0 circle hook, add

weight to the line near thehook to hold the bait onthe bottom and wait orthe sh to come to you.

A circle hook is designedto catch on the edge o a shs mouth withoutany additional pressureapplied by the angler.

ry not to set the hook

yoursel until that rod is bent over and thesh is taking line much easier said thandone!

Tink about calling in sick the next timea beauti ul day comes along. In February,your boss probably wont suspect you o playing hooky to sh.

See you on the water!

Capt. Geo Bennett operates CharlestoCharter Fishing providing y fshing anlight tackle charters. Clients choose rom ull menu o y rods, artifcial and live b fshing options with charters tailored to thedesires. USCG licensed and insured, CapBennett is committed to providing a sa e a

enjoyable charter to anglers o all skill leand ages. For more in o, call Capt. Bennat 843-324-3332, visit his website at wwwcharlestoncharterfshing.com or email him [email protected].

Late February fshing repoBy CapTain GeoFF BenneTTcondos, villas, townhouses) has declinedthe least on Seabrook, which registered a

19.4% loss since 2006, ollowed by DanielIsland (-27.4%). Te steepest declines areEdisto (-61.9%) and Sullivans Island(-51.2%).

Tere has also been a year-to-yearerosion o the price per square oot (s/ )

rom 2006 through 2009, as illustrated inFigure 2(below ).

Some communities, most notably Daniel Island, have remained relatively unchanged (declining rom $252 s/ to$208), while others have seen dramaticreductions. Te average price per square

oot or a home sold on Sullivans Islandhas dropped rom $873 to $575. It has,however, regained its moniker as thepriciest real estate in the area a ter allingbelow Kiawah and Isle o Palms in 2008.

Although home sale volume (at least inthe rst quarter) likely will be strong inCharleston Countys lower end markets,there is little optimism or a turn-aroundin luxury homes (>$1 million). As I havedetailed in my 2010 analysis, (see theReports and Analysis section at www.searspartners.com), we have yet to seethe bottom o the housing market, andsales will remain anemic at this end o the market during 2010. Foreclosuresand short sales will continue to dragdown prices as buyers wait (maybe toolong!) or prices to bottom out or bargaindown already signi cantly reduced listingprices.

James . Sears, PhD, is a Real Estate Broker, Realtor and Analyst. He works withbuyers and sellers at AgentOwned Premier Realty, where he specializes in residential island real estate and investment properties.He can be reached at [email protected] or at 843-478-3911.

Real Estate fr m g 6


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here are two basic reasons why youshould make, and eat, guacamole.First, it tastes great. Guacamole,

o course, comes rom the avocado plant, which is native to the warm, semitropical

orests o the New World; especially thoseo the Caribbean and Mexico. Avocadoshave received a lot o bad press as oodsources since they contain a good deal o

at, which seems to be the bane o modernexistence, but hold on: it turns out thatthe at inside ripe avocados is largely unsaturated, or good at. rue, there arecalories, but or the amount o guacamoleyou eat, it tends to be a lot healthier thansimilar oods with lots o calories. (Somepeople use ripe avocado to spread on toastin place o butter or margarine. Tereare actually plenty o ways to prepare it.)Besides, avocados are ull o vitamins,especially E and C, as well as plenty o minerals. Te esh is also high in ber,and avocado oil, available as a cosmetic, isgreat or your skin.

Making guacamole can be an act o creative genius. Guacamole purists, suchas mysel , use a simple preparation o lime juice, salt and pepper (and maybe a little hotsauce), whereas ancy versions requently contain combinations o chopped onion,tomatoes, jalapeo, corianderyou get the idea. Perhaps thegreatest guacamole controversiesconcern its texture: really smooth vs. a little lumpy.

By the way, you might beinterested to know that theavocado plant is a member o the laurel amily (Lauraceae ).Tis is the same amily which,around these parts, gives us ournative sassa ras and red-bay.

Te second reason ormaking your own guacamoleis that you get a houseplant outo it. Growing an avocado plant

rom a seed is rather simple; andit is this seed that poses a bit o a mystery.

Te seed is relatively massive

compared to the size o the ruit; a commontrait o many (though not all) tropical treespecies. Te avocado ruit itsel consistso three distinctive layers. Te outermostlayer is the bright, shiny skin (green orbrown depending on the variety), then athick, so t interior layer (the wonder uledible part) and nally a thin, brown shell which covers the seed. Te seed consistso a humble embryo surrounded by twoswollen yellowish or tan halves, whichare what we call the seed-leaves. Teseseed-leaves store energy or the tiny embryoduring its early growth. Wash of the seed,leaving the shell on, and place it big-enddown in a jelly jar holding a little water. A ter a couple o weeks, a root will appearat the bottom as the seed slowly sprouts.Once the leaves start to expand, you canpot up the seed, and there you are. A littlebit o the tropics, right in your kitchen oron the patio.

John Nelson is the curator o theHerbarium at the University o SouthCarolina. As a public service, USCofers ree plant identi cations. For morein ormation about the herbarium, visit www.herbarium.org or call 803-777-8196.

A mushy green mystery By Dr. John nelson

A n s w e r : A v o c a d o , P e r s e a a m e r i c a n a

PHOTO BY JOHn nelsOn

South Carolina Wildli es wenty-Sixth Annua l Outdoor Photography Competition and Print Exhibition

is open to anyone interested inphotography. Te magazines award- winning photography staf will serveas judges or the contest and winningprints will be displayed at the 2010Palmetto Sportsmens Classic to be heldMarch 26-28 at the State Fairgrounds inColumbia. Tere is no entry ee or thecontest.

Te subject matter is wildli e, outdoorscenes and outdoor resource activities inSouth Carolina and photographers canenter either the amateur or advancedcategories. Deadline or submissions is

5pm on March 1. A signed and completedentry orm, available at www.scwildli e.com/photocontest, must be included with photos.

All entries must be mounted on

mount board or oam core, whichshould be thick enough to hold up when hung. Digital 8x10 images willbe accepted; however we ask that therebe no manipulation o image content.Clean up o photos, including changingsaturation and contrast, burning-in anddodging, eliminating dust spots, etc. areallowed.

For the complete set of rules, visit www.scwildlife.com/photocontest.html.Send entries to Tricia Way, SC Wildlife/ Classic Photo Contest, PO Box 167,Columbia, SC 29202-0167, or if using FedEx or UPS, send entry to Tricia Way,SC Wildlife Photo Contest, 1000 Assembly Street, Room 219, Columbia, SC 29201.

Contact Tricia Way at (803) 734-3972 for more information. See a list of 2009 winners and their photographs: www.scwildlife.com/contest/winners09.html.

S.C. Wildlifes 26th annualOutdoor Photo Contest

he Swallow-tailed Kite is a raptor, classi ying it in the same amily as harriers,hawks, and eagles ( Accipitridae ). Kites are diurnal hunters with a var ied diet o insects, rodents, lizards, snakes and birds, which they o ten skill ully plucked

rom tree tops. Tey are most commonly spotted in orested areas and in wetlands.Swallow-tailed Kites usually reach a length o about two eet (including the tail) andboth sexes eature the same plumage. Juveniles are somewhat duller in color andtheir tails are not as deeply orked. Kites are also migratory: they summer in thesoutheastern United States (somewhat near coastal areas) and are ound year-round ina large portion o South America. Although the species is ederally classi ed as LeastConcern, the State o South Carolina lists the Swallow-tailed Kite as Endangered.Destruction o wetlands has directly led to a large decline in populations in thesoutheast, especially in South Carolina and Florida.

I took this photo while I was standing on an island in the ambopata River in arain- orested area abouttwo hours by boat romPuerto Maldonado,Peru. I saw a groupo about 10-15 kitessoaring together about30 eet rom the ground.However, by the time Igrabbed my cameraand changed the lens,the pseudo- ock hadalready dispersed andmost had rapidly gainedaltitude within only a

ew seconds.

Swallow-tailed KiteBy sarah Dargan harper

Swallow-tailed Kite


12/15



Sudoku -solu on

In 2004, my emotional house o cardstumbled down. With it, years o errat icrage became an epidemic and decadeso violent dreams became nightmares ullo wounded and dying Marines.

In a year I would have my secondheart attack so my chest hurt all the time,

ueling anxiety and bizarre obsessionsconcerning germs and door-lockingrituals. Conversely, depression lls in asanxiety ades, pulling its victims into thedarkness o the pit until it alone releasesus.

Vietnam? I guess at some point I wondered i what happened in Vietnamhad something to do with eeling this way.Others had. But why should I complain?I was only a radioman on a mine truck.Heck, my Uncle Joe landed at Utah Beachon D-Day, and Uncle Ben was captured

by the Germans or Gods sake. And they were OK; I guess.

Who was I to suggest that I could be inthe same league with them? Even i I did, who would I tell? Where do I go?

Aw, to hell with it! Quit your whining,Id tell mysel . Get of your butt and getmoving! "Get over it!

Degradation was a common motivatorand of Id go. But one or two blocks, oreven a ew yards out the door, everything would change. Te idea that somewherearound the corner, the despair andhopelessness would disappear was a

antasy, and within seconds, eeling asbad as ever, I would turn toward home ina slump, where beneath the covers I would

nd relie rom the eelings and naggingresponsibilities o the world.

Ten America went to war with Iraq.Te eelings got worse as increasingnumbers o young men and women were wounded and died. Maybe I should tellsomeone!, I thought. Tat was six yearsago.

Seeking nothing more than helpobtaining medications, I visited a VA clinic or the rst time in November. I hadpromised my amily that I would tell thedoctor about everything: the nightmares,the anger and the depression. He re erredme to mental health where a week laterI was diagnosed with Major Depressionand P SD. I started a regimen o antidepressants immediately and enteredindividual and group therapy.

oday I continue rein orcing what Ihave learned rom the VA and I volunteeras a Peer Specialist with the Center orStress Recovery at the VA Medical Centernear Cleveland, Ohio. I recently completeda li elong quest to nish a book about my experience in Vietnam and how the VA showed me the path toward recovery, andI speak wherever I am asked on P SD andveterans mental health.

My wi e Dorothy and I are stayingon the Isle o Palms as my son Michaeland his amily adapt to their new lives inSummerville. My message to veteransand all victims o trauma is simple: Dont

hesitate to come orward.

Jim McGarrity is the author o" Checkpoint One Four: a Vietnam

Veterans Chronicle o Survivor Guilt,Posttraumatic Stress Disorder andMending the Invisible Wound." Jim is available to speak around the Charlestonarea through the end of February and possibly into March. For more informationor to contact Jim, visit www.checkpointone4com or call 330-958-0947.

Finding the words for traumaBy Jim mcGarrity

(above) Author Jim McGarrity. (left) The author during a tour of Vietnam.


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By Megan Carroll

S cott Coopers directorial debut, Crazy Heart ,is a tired storyline that is only brought back toli e through a spectacular per ormance by Je Bridges. Crazy Heart is based on the 1987 novel o thesame name by Tomas Cobb and includes a phenomenalscore produced and written by -Bone Burnett.

Bridges plays Bad Blake, a 57 year-old alcoholiccountry music singer/songwriter who has allowed hisaddiction to run his li e. Once was a star o country music, a mentor to many, and one o the greats, he now earns a modest living playing one night gigs and livingon the road alone or in cheap motels. He spends moretime drinking than singing, and even less time writing.

Lost and ull o guilt and regret, Blake blindly andsarcastically stumbles through his daily existence.However, all o this soon changes when he meets JeanCraddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a young divorced journalist with a our year-old son, Buddy (Jack Nation).Tis relationship is the motivation that Blake needs toget his li e and career back on track, but we soon ndout that old demons are never that easy to shake. As

he struggles down the road to redemption, Blake learnsthat li e will never be easy, but can be satis ying and worth it.

It is hard to pay proper homage to Je Bridgesportrayal o Bad Blake. He brings his extensiveknowledge, cunning, untailored charisma and humblebrilliance to what I eel is his de ning role. He is soattuned to ever eature o this character that you arelost within the two. Even though the storyline wasplayed-out, Cooper lets you experience Blakes slow revitalization right along with him.

Te dry climate, dramatic red rock landscapes andempty fatlands o the US southwest were beauti ully portrayed in the lm. Te stark environment only added to the desolate li e Blake was living. Te score attimes elt more bluesy than country, which should be

no surprise i you are aware o Burnetts extensive andeclectic musical background. -Bone Burnett and RyanBingham have been nominated or an Academy Awardin the category o Best Song orTe Weary Kind and itis well deserved.

Tis lm is more orgiving to its characters thanreal li e, butCrazy Heart is a beauti ul portrait o aman unknowingly searching or redemption. Teper ormance by Je Bridges can not be missed.

C razy H eart


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F o l l y G r a s

2 0 1 0 F b u 1 3

F o l l y B e a chphotos provided by ellie smith


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Documents

Folly Current - February 19, 2010