Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette Blogs

Even swine flu can't stop the Sand Sharks

Posted by jjarrett at 4:07 pm, Friday, May 1st, 2009
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Although sporting events across the country are being postponed because of the dreaded swine flu, the NAIA isn't afraid of no stinkin' swine flu. (OK, yeah, they are, but not afraid enough to start canceling conference tournaments or anything.)

The organization released a statement saying it "is closely monitoring the swine flu outbreak in the United States and throughout the world," but "there are no plans to suspend or cancel NAIA national championship events" as of now.

Why can't singing sensation Susan Boyle sit with the popular kids?

Posted by elizfarrell at 12:49 am, Friday, May 1st, 2009
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No sooner had Susan Boyle finished her stunning performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" on "Britain's Got Talent," than the adoring public made the collective decision that she should remain the frumpy surprise that endeared her to us in the first place.

Knowing that a makeover would be the next logical step for someone of Boyle's general bushiness and sudden fame, the world cried, "No! Don't change!" and "We like you just the way you are!" — which is a very nice thing to hear these days, considering our most popular singing stars seem to think talent is what happens when you push them up and together.

Judge dismisses sexual abuse lawsuit against school district

Posted by kcerve at 5:27 pm, Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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A lawsuit filed against the Beaufort County School District by an 18-year-old who claimed he was sexually abused by a Spanish teacher at Hilton Head Island High in 2003 was dismissed by Master-in-Equity Marvin H. Dukes III in March.

The suit stated that the district and school board members were negligent because they did nothing to prevent the abuse from occurring and under-reacted afterward.

The school district requested dismissal of the lawsuit, which was filed in December 2007, based on statute of limitations. Dukes’ ruled in the school district’s favor March 17.

"Wolverine" and "Bride Wars"

Posted by pmitchell at 4:30 pm, Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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IN THEATERS

Out this week is the action flick, “Wolverine.” Hugh Jackman is back again as the infamous mutant Wolverine. For those who have been living in a cave the past several years, he’s a member of the ever popular X-Men, the wild bunch of humans who have superhuman powers.

Rockapella: The Bobs go a cappella, but not really

Posted by jvrabel at 12:02 pm, Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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Longtime vocal act the Bobs consider themselves “the only New Wave a cappella group in history,” with sounds that range widely “from the 16th century to the 23rd,” singer Richard “Bob” Greene said with a smirk.

And while acknowledging that “most people think of barbershop quartets or the Manhattan Transfer when they think of a cappella music,” Greene says the group doesn’t fall under the typical a cappella umbrella. “It’s almost incidental that it’s a cappella,” he said. “That label doesn’t really fit us.”

The best food Beaufort has to offer

Posted by jpaprocki at 11:39 am, Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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Taste of Beaufort
When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (May 2)
Where: Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in Beaufort
Cost: Free to enter; $1 food tickets for purchase
Menu: Beaufort restaurants serve up samples of everything from seafood to barbecue. Restaurants include Plums, Barbara Jean’s, Panini’s Cafe, Bricks on Boundary and Emily's Restaurant and Tapas Bar.

Movie review: 'Girlfriends Past' hurts like the Dickens

Posted by jvrabel at 11:24 am, Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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You will be shocked to learn that in “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” Matthew McConaughey plays an arrogant womanizer who coasts on his looks and charm but eventually realizes that love does matter after all.

Call it laziness, call it finding your niche. You’ve seen McConaughey in this kind of role before, usually with Kate Hudson as his co-star. (Jennifer Garner stands in as the voice of reason this time.)

To local actor, Twain marks ‘a period of American history’

Posted by jvrabel at 11:45 am, Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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Like many literature fans, Lewis Hankins first fell in love with the books of Mark Twain — the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens — as a child. And that love grew over the years as Hankins continued to discover Twain’s writings, which revealed more of the writer from Missouri.

But in 1971, a tragic event in Hankins’s life changed his relationship to Twain dramatically: Hankins’ 8-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia, and died just nine months later. Hankins also had found solace in Twain’s writings in a similar period in his life, when his oldest daughter died while he was away on a lecture tour in England.

Kevin Bales, Ben Tucker bring the 'Thunder'

Posted by jvrabel at 11:51 am, Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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Atlanta pianist Kevin Bales returns to Hilton Head Island on May 1 and 2 for a pair of shows at the Jazz Corner with Savannah bassist Ben Tucker.

Comedian Geechy Guy is a joke machine — you can ask Guinness

Posted by jvrabel at 11:27 am, Thursday, April 30th, 2009
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Getting into the Guinness Book of World Records is serious business, even for a stand-up comedian.

The Geechy Guy (real first name Mike, don’t don’t worry about the last, he says) knows this, having agreed to do a benefit for flood victims at his friend’s club in 1993 by going for the record for most jokes told in an hour. But first, he had to get his lineup set — the old record was 583, and he had to get a laugh for each one or it didn’t count.