Managed IT Servicesin Kiawah Island, SC

The Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors is pleased to announce its class for the 2023 Hall of Fame. The 2023 class is comprised of ten former athletes, coaches and support personnel. The induction ceremony for this year’s class will be held on May 20th at the Limestone County Event Center beginning at 6:30.

The 2023 inductees include the following:

David Leon Ashford — The Athens High School graduate was an athletic trainer for the University of Alabama Football team under head coach Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant. He later became a lawyer and represented the University of Alabama in cases against the NCAA.

Carlos Franklin — Starred as a wide receiver, running back, return specialist and strong safety for the Athens High School football team. Averaged 15.7 yards every time he touched the football during his senior season with the Golden Eagles. He played collegiate football at the University of North Alabama.

Charlie Gover — A track star for West Limestone High School and was the 1970 Cross Country State Champion. He was a track and field standout at both Calhoun Community College and Austin Peay University.

Greg Haynes — A tremendous all-around athlete who exceled in many sports at Athens High School. He earned 10 varsity letters while participating in many sports at AHS. Earned a football scholarship to the University of Alabama where he was a member of two National Championship teams.

Chasity Campbell Legg — A former basketball and volleyball standout for West Limestone High School. She was named county Most Valuable Player in both sports while earning All-State honors in basketball. She played basketball collegiately at Belmont University and was a three-year starter for the Bruins.

Tracy Lowery — A baseball and basketball standout for Athens Bible School. Earned a dual baseball-basketball scholarship to Florida College and later transferred to Athens State College to play baseball. His batting average for the Bears was over .300.

Ollie McGee — Was a member of eight state championship teams as a member of the Athens High School football and track and field teams. Earned All-State honors in the multiple sports he participated in at AHS. Earned a football scholarship to the University of North Alabama and played defensive back for the Lions.

Bill Murrell — Legendary coach for Athens Bible School. Has led ABS to state championships in both baseball and cross country. The Alabama Sportswriters Association has named him ‘Coach of the Year’ four times. A member of the Alabama High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Robert Stewart — Was one of the first African American students to graduate from a segregated Limestone County High School. He was instrumental in leading Clements High School to a state championship in basketball as he was named to the All-State Tournament Team.

Stewart Whitt — Tremendous amateur golfer who prepped at Athens High School and earned All-State honors for the Golden Eagles golf team. Played collegiate golf at the University of Alabama and was member of the Crimson Tide’s 2008 SEC Championship team. Qualified for the 2014 US Amateur Tournament. He recently won the PGA National Club Championship on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, SC.

Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors President Jeff Hodges states this year’s induces are outstanding additions to the Hall of Fame who are all very deserving for their accomplishment both on and off the athletic field.

KIAWAH ISLAND — A biologist on this barrier island is leg-banding as many birds as humanly feasible to study how the changing environment impacts their migration.

Last fall, wildlife biologist Aaron Given and a handful of assistants and volunteers banded their 80,000th bird on the island. The work has been ongoing since 2009.

“That is a lot of birds in 14 years,” Given said on the morning of Jan. 18 after banding dozens of yellow-rumped warblers in a forested area of Kiawah.

The team achieved another milestone this past fall, too. They banded a record number of birds at the west end of Kiawah Island: 5,709 new birds of 86 different species.

Gray catbirds were the most commonly caught. More than 1,100 were caught — a 6.9 percent increase from 2021 and 24.8 percent increase over the 10-year average.

Collectively, 8,664 birds were tagged across two sites on the island and released back into the wild.

The small metal bands that are attached to the legs of each captured bird contains a unique number that allows biologists to monitor their movements locally around the island during their stopovers.

“We’re seeing what birds are using this habitat, how long they’re staying and when they’re here, are they putting on fat or not,” said Given, who is a paid town staff employee. “If they are, that’s a good indication that the habitat has a lot of food and things like that.”

Biologists here can learn more about the long-distance travels of the species if they are captured somewhere other than on Kiawah Island.

The process to do this work is not a simple one, though.

How it works

Kiawah’s biologists have nets on about 8 to 10 acres of private property near the beach. They are spread across areas where birds are likely to move through, such as the edge of a type of habitat.

The 8-foot-tall nets are always left up but are closed and tied when not in use so birds cannot get caught in them, Given said. On banding days, the team meets before sunrise to get them open and ready for use.

“We open the nets in the dark before it gets light because bird activity is high around dawn when birds wake up and begin to forage for food,” Given said.

More birds are normally caught in the early part of the morning. The captures tend to dwindle as the day goes on.

Birds are caught in 30 nets spread across the west end of the island. And once they are all open, volunteers continuously trek across the island, stopping at each one several times in one morning.

The birds often don’t see the opened nets until they’re right in front of them. And by that time, it is hard for them to alter their movements to avoid falling into the trap.

If a feathered creature is lying in the net on any given round, a team member will place it in a bag, attach it to their belt, and head on to the next stop.

Everyone reconvenes at a makeshift work station in the wooded area once each round is completed. While there, the team weighs each bird, checks for fattiness and records any other important identifying characteristics, like the sex and age of the species.

A small metal band with a number etched into it is placed on each animal’s leg before it is set free again.

Then the process of check nets resumes.

The number of animals caught and tagged in a single morning can vary. On their most successful day, Given said he and the team captured 460 birds in only a few hours. They average about 50 to 55 catches per day during the fall.

“It all depends on the weather in the fall,” Given said. “When the cold fronts move through, the birds move with them.”

There are stretches when they have several busy days, and then it may slow down.

Most of Given’s volunteers are lifelong bird watchers, like retired Charleston resident Bill Kee.

“When I retired, I wanted to do something interesting but also something that contributed to bird science and helping with understanding birds...so that then legislation could be passed to protect the birds,” Kee said.

It’s tougher to pass such legislation without data to back up the need.

Kee works with Given and others on banding days to collect trapped birds from nets and document important information about each one.

He was part of a team that captured more than 120 yellow-rumped warblers on the morning of Jan. 18. In the wintertime, Given said that is one of the most common songbird species in the Lowcountry.

“One of the reasons they like this area is because they’re one of the few warbler species that have the ability to digest the waxy coating on wax myrtle berries,” Given said.

Wax myrtles are a popular shrub on the island.

Work to study bird species on Kiawah Island is ongoing. As with any banding project, Given said this one is long- term because of so much variation in data.

This is the town’s 13th winter collecting data. Leaders there want to determine the quality of the habitat for species, learn how they are using it and whether enough food is available for them.

“The overall goal is basically to maintain the habitat that we have on Kiawah and make sure that it’s good for the birds and other wildlife that’s using it,” Given said.

Players on the LIV Golf tour scored another major victory on Wednesday.

One day after the R&A announced that it wouldn’t ban players from the controversial Saudi-backed circuit from competing in this year’s British Open, the PGA of America followed suit when announcing its criteria for this year’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club outside Rochester.

The decision comes as something of an about face after PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh said during last May’s PGA Championship at Southern Hills that players banned or suspended by the PGA Tour likely would lose their PGA of America privileges, which would prevent them from playing in the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup. While Waugh on Wednesday acknowledged the ongoing civil war between the Tour and LIV, he said the goal is for a competitive PGA Championship with the best field possible.

“Our decisions are always based on what’s in the best interest of the PGA of America and conducting the best Championship possible,” Waugh said. “Sadly, the current division in the professional game is not good for the sport or the future of the game. We hope there might be some resolution soon. In the meantime, as always, our focus will be on our mission to grow the game and improve the lives of our members, who work so hard to impact millions of lives every day.”

The R&A made a similar announcement on Tuesday, declaring that players from LIV who are eligible will be allowed to tee it up at Royal Liverpool this July.

The PGA’s decision means that past winners of the PGA Championship who have bolted for LIV will be allowed to compete in this year’s tournament May 20-23. Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Martin Kaymer all have won the PGA previously and all currently play on LIV.

Winners of the other three majors in the last five years and winners of the Players Championship in the last three years will also get an invite.

Brendan Steele and Mito Periera, both of whom also ditched the PGA Tour for LIV, are also eligible for the PGA Championship after finishing in the top 15 at last year’s championship at Southern Hills.

Mickelson, who became golf’s oldest major champion at age 50 when he won the 2021 PGA at Kiawah Island, skipped last year’s tournament following the fallout from his controversial remarks about Saudi Arabia before he later left for LIV.

The news also means that players from LIV who are eligible will be able to tee it up in all four of golf’s majors, with Augusta National and the USGA previously stating they would not ban LIV players from this year’s Masters and U.S. Open, respectively.

The teens of Outer Banks are either running from the authorities or frolicking in the sea, so where is the Netflix show actually set? From the beach to the famous lighthouse, HITC identifies the hotspots.

The hit Netflix series follows The Pogues, a group of rebellious teens who are eager to uncover a valuable treasure. Mixed with adventure, romance, and friendship, no wonder Outer Banks is a fan-favorite.

The gang is led by John B (Chase Stokes), who falls in love with Sarah (Madelyn Cline), a Kook. Their other female member is another reckless Kook: Kiara, who is portrayed by Madison Bailey.

They are not complete without the brains of the operation, Pope (Jonathan Daviss), and John B’s BFF, JJ (Rudy Pankow).

Fans are captured by their spontaneous and unrealistic antics, but after all, it’s an adventure in the comfort of their home. But if you want to live the Outer Banks life, here’s exactly where to go.

Where is Outer Banks set?

The series is set in North Carolina, but don’t attempt to visit the state for photo opportunities because none of the filming locations are actually there.

Yes, it’s all a lie, but the good news is that Netflix hasn’t moved too far away: the cast film in the neighboring state of South Carolina, specifically, Charleston.

Filming locations of Outer Banks, including the beach and lighthouse

If the Pogues are ever on their dingy boat, chances are they are filming at Mount Pleasant’s Shem Creek. This spot is used as the entrance to Kildare Harbor and it is near the location of Heyward’s Seafood and Kiara’s family restaurant, The Wreck.

Speaking of Kiara’s family business, the real seafood restaurant is similarly called The Wreck of the Richard and Charlene.

Viewers were first introduced to Redfield Lighthouse in season 1 episode 2. The real deal is Hunting Island Lighthouse, so the nearby beach is Hunting Island State Park Beach.

Another lighthouse frequently used is Morris Island Lighthouse, which stands off Morris Island and Folly Beach. Constructed in the 19th century, it is the tallest lighthouse in South Carolina.

In season 1 episode 5, the gang dressed to nines to attend a midsummer’s party, which is the Kiawah Island Golf Resort. The exact address of the five-star hotel is 1 Sanctuary Beach Drive, Kiawah Island. It is the next island from Folly Beach.

Sarah’s elegant family mansion in reality is Lowndes Grove, a wedding venue. Located at 266 Margaret Street, it was built around 1786.

Why isn’t Outer Banks filmed in North Carolina?

The director’s decision to film in South Carolina reportedly boiled down to North Carolina’s anti-LGBTQ House Bill 2, which required transgender people to use public bathrooms for the sex they were assigned at birth.

It was passed in March 2016 by governor Pat McCrory but was partially repealed one year later by his successor, Roy Cooper.

The co-creator Jonas Pate envisioned filming in Wilmington but switched to Charleston after agreeing with Netflix’s inclusivity decisions, reports Star News Online. The city is known for its bustling atmosphere and home to the wealthy – as seen in Southern Charm – but since Outer Banks is a fictional world, directors were able to handpick ideal locations to create their vision.

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When it comes to hotels, one person's must-stay can easily be another's must-avoid. After all, hotels and resorts are highly subjective by their nature, and even ideas around what constitutes luxury hospitality is a moving target these days.

That doesn't prevent plenty of publications from releasing annual lists of top-rated properties. Among the latest of these rosters is a list from U.S. News & World Report, which, though better known for its high-profile list of college rankings, has been publishing a lineup of best hotels since 2011.

Released in early February, U.S. News' best hotels of 2023 ranks luxury properties across numerous countries, regions and destinations, including the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe.

But for travel advisors, the usefulness of such lists can be questionable.

"I look at all these lists and rankings, but I do take it with a grain of salt," said Cindy Salik, a luxury travel advisor with New York-based Embark Collective.

I asked Salik what she thought of the U.S. News list. Did a good portion of the lineup overlap with her own top picks? Were there any choices that she found puzzling? Any glaring omissions?

When it came to the No. 1 U.S. hotel, Salik agreed that the top-ranked Acqualina Resort & Residences in Miami's Sunny Isles Beach was a solid pick. Likewise, in the Caribbean, two of Salik's favorites -- Anguilla's Cap Juluca, a Belmond Hotel and Jumby Bay Island on Antigua, which is part of the Oetker Collection -- also topped the category for U.S. News.

Salik said that U.S. News' frontrunners for best all-inclusive resorts in Mexico -- the Grand Velas Los Cabos and Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit -- were in line with Grand Velas' status as her clients' preferred brand within the luxury all-inclusive space.

But Salik did take issue with a few of the list's selections, with properties like Hawaii's Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, Jade Mountain Resort on St. Lucia and the Tortuga Bay Puntacana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic placing far higher on the U.S. News roster than they would on her own personal list.

That the British Virgin Islands' Rosewood Little Dix Bay didn't crack the top 50 among the best Caribbean hotels was also a miss, according to Salik.

In places, Salik largely agreed with a hotel's ranking but felt there was an important caveat that should be disclosed to clients prior to booking. In the case of the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, which ranked as the fourth-best hotel in the U.S., Salik said she thought it important to mention that some could consider the resort's accommodations overdue for a refresh.

"But every other aspect of the hotel is outstanding," Salik said. "The beach is beautiful. The pool is beautiful. The golf courses are amazing. And the service is really good. But I would want to be forthcoming [that the] hotel needs some renovation."

Another element that potentially undermines the list's utility is that U.S. News says as part of its methodology it considers "overall customer satisfaction expressed in online guest reviews of luxury hotels and resorts provided by Tripadvisor."

"Tripadvisor is a mass-market [platform], so it's probably the wrong place to be pulling luxury hotel customer satisfaction from," said Salik. "These lists might be helpful to younger people just starting to travel or to those who want to do it themselves, but for the luxury travel advisor, I don't feel these lists are too valuable to me. I like to do my own research, visit the properties myself and really do my own due diligence in ranking hotels for my clients."