IslandVibesIOP.com 4 Island Vibes Vol. 4, Issue 1 January 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 RACHEL BASYE COOPERRIVERPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 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 • KIMBERLYN NAYLOR PHILLIP POUNDS • SARAH ROSE SALES REPRESENTATIVES STACEY MCLOUGHLIN STACEY@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM SHARI SEBUCK SHARI@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM ADMINISTRATION & BOOKKEEPING GINGER SOTTILE ALISON REED 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 Publishing positivity Editor’s Note Solutions for your New Year’s resolutions Humbug! I don’t mean to be a Scrooge, but New Year’s resolutions are the bane of my existence. By no surprise, come February studies show that most of these resolutions have quietly fallen by the wayside. Why might this be? Because setting a goal once a year creates unnecessary pressure, unrealistic expectations and unattainable happiness. Truth be told, transformation isn’t an annual change, it’s a daily practice that needs to be preached every day. Making personal goals every day shifts the focus from a distant target to a step-by-step process. Instead of waiting for a symbolic date, give yourself permission to start now. There will be successes and failures, but the important part is to learn from the journey and celebrate the small victories along the way. Maybe your goal today is to take a 20-minute walk, read a chapter from your favorite book or call an old friend you’ve been meaning to reconnect with. These small commitments build momentum, reinforce habits and cultivate a mindset of continuous improvement. Life is unpredictable. Circumstances change, priorities shift and what mattered in January may no longer resonate a month later. Daily goal setting allows you to adapt, experiment and respond to your present reality without anxiety or guilt. Word to the wise: write down your goals instead of keeping them locked in your mind. When you see it in writing it becomes more real. So, skip the annual promises that fade with the calendar. Embrace the small, intentional choices you can make each day. Over time, these daily commitments accumulate into profound progress. After all, the best time to make a positive life change isn’t Jan. 1; it’s today! Positively yours, Zach Giroux Editor As we move into 2026, I think most of us if not all of us will reflect on 2025. It’s hard to transition out of any year without considering the events that defined it. For me, one of the most positive things that happened for Isle of Palms residents in 2025 was the city finding the funding for its annual budget to support massive ongoing infrastructure projects without raising property taxes. This says a lot about the governing body. Speaking of a governing body and whether your vote really matters, if you’re reading this and you voted in the mayoral race and cast your ballot for Phillip Pounds, your vote truly did make a difference since now we know he was reelected by just one vote. No matter who you voted for, everyone was on pins and needles awaiting the runoff results. Regardless of what year it is, beach erosion affects all Isle of Palms’ homeowners. It impacts all property owners because the beautiful Isle of Palms beaches are the No.1 attraction on this island. The money that visitors spend here helps to keep property taxes down, which benefits all property owners. If you believe actions are more important than words, then one particular action taken last year revealed the caring nature of the residents that make up Isle of Palms. In 2025, the city gave the OK to Waymaker Offroad Wheelchairs, a South Carolina-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people with mobility impairments, to independently access outdoor recreation – including beaches. As we embark on 2026, Island Vibes will continue to strive to feature the most impactful stories Isle of Palms has to offer. We will always endeavor to spread positive vibes in print and digitally. Here at Island Vibes, if it shines brightly, raises hopes and helps to put a smile on your face, that’s the type of storytelling we aim to deliver each month. Happy New Year! Positively yours, Bill Macchio Publisher
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