Behind the Tape…
By Cpl. Richard Dascall
TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | DEC 2017 37
From the
RIVER’S END...
By Woody Hemphill
Ho Ho Ho, Yo! Welcome back, just in time to ‘get our holiday on’ all around
the island. Now I’m not sure about you, but I’m certainly ready to ‘turn
over a couple of new leaves’ next year. This year has seen a boatload of
bonkers and many of us are ready for a fresh start – but before we start
purchasing gym memberships and throwing out our pasta - there’s a
really awesome initiative that we can all get behind! The best part – you
don’t even have to cross the bridge to get ready for Santa!
See this year, like most every year, we are trying to keep some of the
holiday blessings we bestow upon retailers to those right here on Tybee
Island. Now brothers & sisters, we’ve tried just about everything in years
past from granting free parking to inviting ‘The Real Santa’ to attend our
tree lighting – and this year we’re pulling out all the stops - again! Many
of our friends and neighbors that have opened shops and businesses
on the island – as well as the River’s End Campground Gift Shop (5
Fort Avenue) – will be offering sales, incentives, and probably any other
gimmicks we can muster to get you to shop with us. So much of our ‘local
flavor’ is a result of the heavy dose of tireless dedication put forth by so
many of our island businesses. Thanks to their efforts, Tybee Island can
soon become a shopping destination for tourists, travelers, and those
who just seem to wander in, alike. Before you load up the family truckster
with a boatload of breakables before lunchtime on Christmas morning –
or spend your hard-earned money to some impersonal box stores – we
hope you consider paying it forward by keeping your money working for
the folks right here – at home.
Speaking of which, the staff at River’s End Campground have been
meeting directly with “The Big Guy” to find that perfect item for that
hard-to-shop-for person on your list that seemingly has everything they
need, or who wants nothing. While we may not offer everything, we pride
ourselves on offering specialty items that when found – you’ll simply
have to have! This year, we’re partnering directly with Santa’s elves from
the North Pole to the North End to pick out some of the most unique,
original, and one-of-a-kind items that you will not find anyplace else.
Now, I realize that I may be a bit impartial, but we are really very proud of
our store. Each of us enjoy helping locals ‘discover’ our gift shop, and we
promise to do our best to make your shopping experience one that you’ll
run tell all your friends!
While you’re running, also be sure to remember to let us be your
‘guestroom by the sea’ by reserving a cabin for those house guests that
may tend to gravitate towards your place over the next year! This may be
a perfect time to ‘treat yo’ self’ before the in-laws arrive with unsolicited
advice, or whatever strange dynamic exists that you’d rather not explain
to all of your neighbors? As a friend once told me, houseguests are like
fish – after a few days, they all start to stink. As we all know, you never
know how many ‘friends’ you have in life until you have a pick-up truck
- and a house at the beach!
Hey Everybody! Welcome to December and the Christmas season. Hope
all of you had a great Thanksgiving and got to spend it with your loved
ones. Things over at the police department have slowed to almost a
crawl. As such, expect to start seeing our officers spending more time
coming through your neighborhoods and businesses checking to make
sure everybody is safe.
While it has certainly slowed for us, that doesn’t mean we have
stopped working. As I was once told, even standing in the parking lot is
police work, and a few weeks back it turned into just that. Late on a
weekend night about 3am, several of our officers were standing in the
police department parking lot when they saw a car blow through a stop
sign. Doing what they were supposed to do, they went and stopped that
car. And then what tends to happen on those routine traffic stops did in
fact happen. The driver ended up being extremely intoxicated and was
arrested for DUI. Once under arrest the officers searched the subject’s
bag when they found a bag of suspected cocaine. This is a good example
of the giant leap that running a stop sign can become when you’re not
doing what you’re supposed to.
With the Christmas season upon us, I always I want to remind everyone
to stay aware of what’s happening around them. This is prime season for
thefts. If you see something that looks suspicious, please don’t hesitate to
call. We’re more than happy to come check it out. And as you’re opening
all your fancy presents, please don’t leave the boxes by your trash cans.
This can make your home a target for thieves.
As always, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and we look
forward to seeing you in the New Year.