Tybee Times: Breaking News!

Press Release – Friday, June 10th, 2010:

Local sources on Tybee Island have confirmed that Tybee Police Chief, Jimmy Price has been suspended with pay as of June 9th.

City Manager Diane Schleicher took this action after a recent incident on May 21st during “Beach Bum” weekend that involved the “tasing” and the arrest of autistic 18 year old, Clifford Grevemberg by Tybee police officers outside of the Rock House on Tybrisa Street.

As of Thursday, June 10th, a total of four T.I.P.D. officers had also resigned over the incident.

An independent GBI investigation into the arrest has been ordered, but the results are still pending.

Price’s supporters rallied in his defense outside City Hall on Thursday evening, June 10th passing out stickers that read, “Price is Right,” but were informed that Council had not planned for the matter to be on the agenda that evening.  The chief’s upporters did however have an opportunity to speak to members of the press in favor of his reinstatement..

Council will take up the matter of the Chief’s suspension and what if any other measures will be taken on June 24th.

Stay tuned for more ….

Photo by Lauri Kinkel, copyright 2010

Heading into June 2010, it’s been almost a year and a half since I first began publishing a small monthly newspaper on Tybee Island known as The Tybee Times.

During a time of economic turmoil, a time when many news publications were shutting down across the county, I set out with the help of my daughter, Lauri, family members and contributors to create a news venue that would not only mirror Tybee’s uniqueness, but allow for as much local expression, interaction, and participation in the process of its evolution as possible. This publication isn’t about the publisher/editor’s ideas or opinions, or even about those of our writers and contributors. Instead, it’s intended to be an overview of Tybee’s collective consciousness – a monthly and albeit daily dose of “all things Tybee,” if you will, that blends the flavor and mystique of what makes Tybee tick with the issues that confront this small, southern town by the sea and guide us through it’s current transition.

Still, I’ve some observations, and since this is a blog, I’d like to share a few opinions formed over the course of last 18 months.

Tybee has been going through an identity crisis for years.  Shaped by the same external and internal factors that affect all small towns that depend on tourism for survival, there’s an additional pressure caused by the fact that coastal regions have always remained in high demand – even now it’s true, despite the depressed economy, and the crash of the real estate markets in 2007 – 2009.   People love the coast – in fact many are drawn each year, some waiting and saving for months just to spend a few days, seaside. Because of this, and more recent factors, such as the Miley Cyrus/Disney movie, and other notable accolades, Tybee’s often afforded opportunities inland locations will never see, but there’s a downside.

Tybee is a community of year-round and part-time residents with local customs, beliefs and sensibilities yet virtually everyone’s business depends on tourist dollars to a certain degree. Granted, visitors bring much needed revenue to the island, but they sometimes have expectations that challenge the way things are, and when they come in large numbers, their needs may overburden local accommodations, facilities and infrastructure.  Tybee’s population is suffering from a type of collective schizophrenia – always has to a certain degree – a duality brought on by desire to have it both ways, and we are often polarized at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to addressing local policy.  On one end, there are those who view “old Tybee” as backward and antiquated – on the other, those who see any change as the enemy of our peace and tranquility. We’re not necessarily talking democrats, republicans or independents here, or “townies versus outsiders.”  In the late 1990s, and throughout several elections two distinct factions rose among us – simplistically known as “the tree huggers (the environmentalists) versus the sand bubbas (the good ole boys),” and then the “property rights/development” advocates also made their mark on the political scene.  The latest battle cry from last November’s election was “Got Ethics?” Regardless of the politics, it usually see saws back and forth – three steps forward, two steps back, and still we falter when it comes to settling issues as a whole community.

It boils down to defining a community purpose and a direction with which we all can live, and marketing ourselves accordingly.  Take for instance, the Beach Bum Parade. What began as a local tradition celebrated prior to the start of “tourist season” on LAST LOCAL’S weekend before Memorial Day, has evolved into a free for all that draws crowds from all over the South East and is increasingly more difficult to manage.  Off-season events that includes a parade of pirates, Mardi Gras revelers or Irish families are one thing – but a parade that invites the masses to participate in a gigantic water fight is quite another.

The Beach Bum Parade is “local-specific.” To expect strangers to even understand what it means – the DeSoto ball team, the DeSoto, itself – is a real stretch. No wonder some Tybee folks no longer participate, and it’s a shame. Some things belong to Tybee and probably shouldn’t be billed as tourist attractions!

But like it or not, Tybee continues to evolve. There’s also a changing of the guard, and many who’ve called Tybee “home” for years say they’re afraid we’re losing everything that makes us special. Some say the very essence of what makes visitors seek us out – our laid back charm and unpretentious civility, is disappearing, maybe even by default.   However visitors experience our community, they come because they like what we project, and only after they get here, do they discover what makes us unique.

It’s our privilege and indeed our responsibility to not only project the image we want, but to also frame an identity for them and set policies that reflect it, or else whatever they bring with them will certainly preempt it.

Two questions seem obvious: First, what do we want to save about Tybee Island? Second, what do we have to share with each other that we don’t mind sharing with our visitors, and what, if anything belongs to us, alone?  Perhaps if we can answer questions like these we’ll stand a better chance of moving forward in unity and renewed spirit as a community.

There’s no time like “Tybee Time” to decide who we are, and what we want to be.

Cyndi

NOTE: MARCH 28th – SAVE THE DATE & Spread the Word!
THERE WILL BE AN ISLAND-WIDE  FUNDRAISER FOR EMILY BRENNAN
on Sunday, March 28th from 2 to 6 pm, at the Crab Shack on Tybee Island – Live music, BBQ by the Tybee MRS for $10 plate, silent auction, 50/50 raffle and more!!! Emily is ill and her family truly appreciates everyone’s concern and willingness to help! There will be another committee meeting concerning this project at AJ’s on Tuesday, February 23rd at 7:00 pm. For more info, contact Jackie Burn at jmb9427@aol.com or 912.844.3618.

A Big “Thank You” goes out to all who showed up to help us celebrate our 1st Year Anniversary Sunday night! The turnout was amazing, and the food was simply divine – to all who brought dishes to share at our gathering, please know you certainly did us proud. We hope to incorporate as many of those recipes as you might want to send in another publication later this year – more on this later, so let us know who you are – also if you left dishes or anything else over at the cafeteria, we have them.

Want to thank Tybee photographers Nancy Heffernan, and Sherri Simmons from Spotted for all the great shots. (I think Jim Glass also took some but I haven’t seen them); Feel free to post them on our Tybee Times Facebook Fanpage or email them to thetybeetimes@aol.com. By the way, Jim Simmons pralines were delicious, as was Dicky Trotters gumbo and mater pies, Billy Doniel’s crab dip (sorry, you got sick Billy, we’ll take a rain check on the Chief Kickapoo Stew). Lisa Callahan’s two KING CAKES were excellent (Additionally, Lauri found one of the babies – any idea who found the other one?) So many folks brought great recipes and delicious items, it would take several pages to list them – please, know how much we appreciate you adding to our feast.

Lastly, a special thank you goes out to our dear friends Chip Zulliger (and Judy McCord) for helping with the arrangements, Dicky Trotter for the recipes and the great promotion efforts, and again, Chip as well as Ian & Debi Scott, Hank Weisman, Roeder Kinkel and Jim Simmons for contributing so much in the way of entertainment on such short notice. Also, thanks to Virginia Ward and The Crab Shack, Frank & Judy Outz and Pappa’s BBQ, Sandy & John Major, Tyler & Brenda Marion, Sandi & Dave Postle, Tybee Jack & Nancy Boylston, Frank & Jamie Schuman, Chantel & Steve Morton, Randi Hempel, Gayle Bolton, Richard Adams and the Hal Stillings family for extra help and support, not to mention our own Lauri Kinkel, Phil Kinkel, granddaughter Payton, and all their friends. (I’m pretty sure I’ve left out a bunch of folks, and will keep adding name as I think of them.) We appreciate the many strangers who also dropped in, and those who called or e-mail to say they couldn’t be there, and to wish us well.

If you didn’t make it, we’ll look forward to seeing you next year, in the meantime be sure to join the other festivities taking place between now and Fat Tuesday on Feb. 16th, 2010 – Bon temps roulez, Tybee, and Thanks Again!!!

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