IslandVibesIOP.com 4 Island Vibes Vol. 4, Issue 2 February 2026 PUBLISHER BILL MACCHIO PUBLISHER@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER JAZZY JORDAN ASSISTANT@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM MANAGING EDITOR ZACH GIROUX EDITOR@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM ART DIRECTOR BETHANY LONG ART@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM COPY EDITOR COLIN MCCANDLESS BRAND AMBASSADOR SONYA BUCKHANNON SONYA@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM PHOTOGRAPHY CINDY BRANSCOME @CINDYBRANSCOMEPHOTOGRAPHY DIGITAL MANAGER ALLYAH HARRAR ALLYAH@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ALYSSA FRANCO THEDIGITALTOUCHCHS@GMAIL.COM WEB EDITOR GEORGE CONKLIN CONTRIBUTORS RYAN BUCKHANNON • MARY COY • LAURA FOGARTY • ALLYAH HARRAR • L.C. LEACH III COLIN MCCANDLESS • MEL MILES • KIMBERLYN NAYLOR • PHILLIP POUNDS • SARAH ROSE SUSAN HILL SMITH SALES REPRESENTATIVES STACEY MCLOUGHLIN STACEY@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM SHARI SEBUCK SHARI@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM ELLEN KERR ELLEN@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM ADMINISTRATION & BOOKKEEPING GINGER SOTTILE BOSS DOG REGGIE DISTRIBUTION ISLE OF PALMS • WILD DUNES • GOAT ISLAND • DEWEES ISLAND • U.S. POST OFFICE • HARRIS TEETER • CVS • FOOD LION ASHEVILLE/HENDERSON AIRPORT ALL SC WELCOME CENTERS DIRECT MAIL VIA US POST OFFICE Homes on Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island Affluent neighborhoods rotated monthly Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Asheville, NC Buckhead, Druid Hills, Decatur, Atlanta, Georgia Island Vibes is published locally by a team of independent contractors. Island Vibes is published 12 times per year by Islands Publishing LLC. 1013 Chuck Dawley Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Copyright © Islands Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction electronically or in print format without the expressed written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited and a violation of U.S. copyright laws. Content, including editorial, advertising or comments, that threatens, harasses or degrades others may be revoked or refused from print and online publication at the sole discretion of Island Vibes. Inquiries to: Island Vibes P.O. Box 22617, Charleston, SC 29413 A South Carolina Press Association Award-Winning Publication! FROM THE TEAM Publisher’s Note Isle of Patriots Editor’s Note My last first date Hubba hubba! What a sight she was and what a night we had. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’ve decided to take a personal trip down lovers’ lane. Here is the story of my last first date that took place at The Dinghy on Isle of Palms some eight years ago. The year was 2018, Feb. 23 to be exact, and it had only been a week or so since Valentine’s Day. After spending the holiday raising awareness for fellow bachelors like me, I was yet again bit by the love bug. It was likely a no-see-um, but for all intents and purposes it was a direct shot to the heart from Cupid’s arrow. After a slew of romantic text messages like most millennials do, we decided to meet face-to-face for the first time. Unbeknownst to both of us it would be the last first date of our young dating careers. Her name is Jeanne. She’s marvelous and magical like a genie in a bottle, only better. As a young 20-something, I didn’t have the pomp and circumstance to wow her. But I did have the connections, and I knew right from the start that lady luck was on my side. The Dinghy bartender was and still is my best friend’s sister from my early childhood days. I was playing with house money. I had the home field advantage. Little did I know that she was out of my league. After copious amounts of feel-good drinks that seemed to be in endless supply, it happened. No, it wasn’t a soft kiss on the cheek. In fact, there wasn’t anything subtle about it. My date, the queen of my dreams who would later become my lawfully wedded wife, took a bite out of my face! My gut reaction was to dial 911 and get tested for rabies. But my heart whispered she’s the one. We spent the rest of the night swapping old stories like best friends at that beachside bar. We stayed until last call. They almost had to kick us out just so they could close. We owned the night. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that someone like you actually existed. Thanks for the countless laughs and endless love. And thanks for leaving a mark on my heart that will never recover. Forever yours, Zach Giroux Editor Community is about coming together, right? I hope in some way that’s what happens every time you read Island Vibes in print or digitally, ReadIslandVibes.com; it brings this island together. I’m sure y’all have seen our new, optional standard state license plate displaying the slogan, “Where the Revolutionary War Was Won.” The truth of the matter is that Breach Inlet and Isle Palms did play a role in our new license plates and winning the Revolutionary War. I can hear y’all now, asking, ‘What the heck is Bill talking about now?’ That’s a pretty big statement, and you’re right that this is a big deal! If British Gen. Charles Cornwallis had not landed on Long Island (Isle of Palms) in June 1776 and sent a reconnaissance out to gather information about Breach Inlet, the patriots wouldn’t have won that battle. Cornwallis was told that Breach Inlet was shallow enough at low tide to cross. Of course we know in hindsight he received incorrect information. The Battle of Sullivan’s Island on June 28, 1776, was critical and prevented Fort Moultrie and Charleston from initially being captured, although Charleston would eventually succumb to a British siege in 1780. The saying on our new license plates should read, “Isle of Palms is Where the Revolutionary War Was Won.” Our victory at Breach Inlet not only saved Charleston from being captured, but it also became a defining battle in the Revolutionary War. Go Isle of Palms! Who wants to start petitioning the state to change the motto on our new license plate? Just asking… Thanks for reading Island Vibes. And speaking of the Revolutionary War, 2026 is our nation’s 250th birthday. Happy anniversary, America! Positively yours, Bill Macchio Publisher Jeanne Everett and Zach Giroux spent their first date at The Dinghy on Feb. 23, 2018
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