About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 2009)
JSLANDCR- Surfin’ the News • Dave Barry - 8 • Editorial Back Talk -20 • Health -11 • Movie Review Public Emmies -14 • Music - 9 • Pew News -18 Published by Permar Publications • P.O. Box 20539 • St. Simons Island, Ga. 31522 • 912-265-9654 • ssislander@bellsouth.net July 13, 2009 Established 1972 Vol 37 Issue 28 Gateway enters Phase II Man in the middle.... Glynn County Engineer Jim Bruner on site at the intersection of Demere and Sea Island Roads on St. Simons Island working to keep traffic flowing smoothly through the Gateway road construction project last week. Islander Staff Photo Drivers need to pay attention while navigating Gateway project construction Local botanical artist recognized internationally By Ben Friedmon I first met Hillary Parker at my brother’s soccer match and when I heard that she was a painter I thought it sounded interesting, but remembered that the Golden Isles seems to inspire plenty of artists. A few weeks later I saw a watercolor picture of a bird’s nest that Ms. Parker had painted. The nest was so incredibly vivid on the paper. Its edges stretched around the thin branches and every little detail was visible. Considering that a bird placed in front of mirror will assume that it has company; I would wager that if a bird were to see Hillary Parker's painting, it would try to inhab it the nest. Instead of nests, Parker pri marily paints plant life with the flair of a botanist. She describes herself as an ama teur naturalist and her studio attests to this claim. Books for identifying all manners of plants and animals stand side by side with her col lection of painting prints. In a recent interview Parker Turn to Page 6 According to Glynn County Engineer Jim Bruner, there would be less traffic problems at the St. Simons Island Gate way road project if distracted By Matthew J. Permar drivers would hang up their cell phones and pay attention to the road and their driving. “The vast majority of people who come through this project, who are confused, cause a traf fic hold up because they are talking on cell phones,” said Bruner, “It’s distracted driv ers that are causing additional problems.” In an interview last week, Bruner acknowledged that major traffic problems and delays arose on Sunday and Monday July 5 and 6 when the construction contractor switched from Phase I of the project, which focused primar ily on Kings Way, to Phase II, which includes Demere and Sea Island Roads. But since that time Bruner and the County Police Depart ment have worked on-site keeping an eye on traffic and adjusting the timing on the traffic light to keep cars flow ing as smoothly as possible. Bruner said, “This project has been in the discussion and planning stages for more than four years. And all along, especially since we got close to breaking ground, we’ve tried to let people know to expect traf fic delays. This is the case with any road construction project.” According to Bruner the heaviest flow is north bound on Sea Island Rd. through the traffic signal, and the next heaviest is west bound on Demere Rd. going to Bruns wick. The traffic light at the Deme re Rd. Sea Island Rd. intersec tion is controlled by a magnetic loop switch in the pavement. As drivers approach the road construction, they need to not only be aware of other cars, but of the traffic light’s timing as it cycles through its phases controlled by the loop switch. Cars traveling north on Sea Island Rd. will have 120 sec onds of green light before it changes to yellow and then red. But, the critical part is they will only have the 120 seconds Turn to Page 7 Gateway project George Dawes Green returns to island on new book tour St. Simons native George Dawes Green, the author of the critically acclaimed nov els, The Caveman's Valentine and The Juror, is returning to the island in late July on tour for his latest book, the thriller Ravens. Beachview Books will host a book signing and reading for Ravens on Saturday July 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. at 215 Mallery Street, in the Village on St. Simons. For details call 912- 638-7282. The Caveman's Valentine received outstanding reviews, was listed as an Editor's Choice in the New York Times Book Review, and won an Edgar Award. The Juror was an instant New York Times bestseller and the movie was released by Columbia Pictures starring Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin. A movie version of The Turn to Page 5 George Dawes Green Class action sought against Synovus connected to Sea Island Co. dealings • Synovus refutes claims Various News Sources According to the Tuesday, July 7, 2009 edition of the Atlanta Business Chronicle (ABC), and other news sourc es, a class action law suit has been filed against Synovus Financial Corp based on the company's dealings with the Sea Island Company. Filed in U.S. District Corut for the Northern District of Georgia, the suit alleges that some of Synovus's "officers and directors lied about the compa ny’s financial exposure through a loan to the Sea Island Co. resort," said the ABC. "The complaint alleges from Jan. 24, 2008 through Jan. 21, 2009, the company (Synovus) issued materially false and Turn to Page 15 Synovus Corp. Hillary Parker St. Simons Island resident Hillary Parker is an internation ally recognized botanical artist, as well as an art teacher. Here, Parker is at work on a painting of an American Bald Eagle feather, for which she was commissioned. Islander Staff Photo
