The Island Packet from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina • 1

xiaL Hilton Head Island Bluffton Still chilly but look forward to a warmer weekend 6B islandpacket cop As Obama visits Arizona Palin's 'blood libel1 remark criticized 10A THE ISLAND PACKET THURSDAY JANUARY 13 2011 islandpacketCOT1 SERVING THE LOWCOUNTRY 500 fflw Berkeley Hall residents a driving force behind donations to troops 1C 4 Ijl I ll IfL THE wEaWSSl rww ife JP jaHgLeSMl i JAY KARR The Island Packet Mayor Drew Laughlin delivers his State of the Town speech Wednes day to the League of Women Voters Laughlin outlines priorities By TOM BARTON ibartonislandpacketcom 843 706 8169 Newly elected Mayor Drew Laugh lin laid out broad plans Wednesday to revitalize Hilton Head Island that in clude two new committees one to advise the town on redevelopment and the other to seek improved cell phone wireless and broadband Internet service He also wants action on dredging waterways in Sea Pines which have become clogged with mud and sand making it difficult for large yachts and charter boats to traverse at low' tide Please see LAUGHLIN on 7A MORE DETAILS ONLINE To read more of what Hilton Head Island Mayor Drew Laughlin had to say during his "State of the Town" address go to reporter Tom Barton's blog at blogsislandpacketcom eyeonhiltonhead RIDGELAND 1 95 CAMERA Proposal would refund fines SC GUBERNATORIAL INAUGURATION HALEY SWORN IN Governor vows to seize opportunities for SC AVemustcohimitP ourselvestp WMS theprasititfii "tliatfailureJs not an option a a fSwlln GERRY MELENDEZ The (Columbia) State Nikki Haley delivers her inaugural speech after being sworn in as South Carolina governor Wednesday at the Statehouse In Columbia HBagSy TIM DOMINICK The (Columbia) State Gov Nikki Haley walks up the steps to the Statehouse with her husband Michael daughter Rena and son Nalin By JIM DAVENPORT The Associated Press Republican Nikki Haley made history Wednesday by becom ing the first woman and first minority to run South Carolina and quickly entwined the conservative political movement that helped elect her with the fiercely independent past see: tax protests tea parties the grass roots beating the profes sionals it does have a certain familiar ring to Haley said during a brief inaugural address that forecast an administration aiming to buck federal mandates and cut government spending With her husband holding a Bible and their two children by her side Haley took the oath to become the 90th governor thanks in large part to an outpouring of support from tea party groups Beginning her first speech as governor with a brief history lesson she talked about how the residents dumped tea into Charleston Harbor in 1777 and South Carolina declared its own independence four months before the Declaration of Independence Please see HALEY on 7A By PATRICK DONOHUE pdonohuebeaufortgazettecom 843 706 8152 Drivers who paid fines after being caught on camera speeding through Ridgeland on Interstate 95 would get their money back under a bill intro duced Tuesday in the SC Senate The legislation would require the town to reimburse every driver cited as a result camera ticket ing system and to pay $500 per ticket to the state Office Please see INES on 7A Rep Patrick shelves tax plan for Heritage By JOSH McCANN jmccannislandpacketcom 843 706 8145 State Rep Andy Patrick Hilton Head Island is holding off on intro ducing legislation to allow Beaufort County residents to vote on a local option sales tax to support the Heri tage golf tournament if it find a title sponsor Patrick a freshman legislator was prepared to submit the bill this week but organizers of Hilton PGA Tour event suggested he wait until they could every lead before we go that he said Simon raser chairman of the Heri tage Classic oundation that organiz Patrlck INSIDE Please see HERITAGE on 7A es the tournament said Heritage organizers have considered the idea but are not pursuing it for now really doubt going to be anything filed any time raser said Patrick said the bill is something any of us necessarily Tournament orga nizers seal a deal to use Sea Pines Resort facilities and The Jazz Cor ner plans a Heritage I benefit 7A Jv II Volume 40 ounded 1970 null 7 11 68663 70001' I the Guide COMING RIDAY Although the prospect of not having to cook dinner is motivation enough to take advantage of Restaurant Week there are other appetizing reasons as well the Guide i illlH Kk SlSsE QUOTE THE DAY spend time beating on a wall hoping to transform it into a Coco Chanel.