Some Beaufort County Voters Will Have Precinct Changes

Some Beaufort County Voters Will Have Precinct Changes

STORY 1 From the Island News With South Carolina’s June 9 primary election approaching, Beaufort County election officials are encouraging voters to double-check their polling locations after several precincts were temporarily relocated and a new precinct was added for the upcoming primary and any runoff election scheduled for June 23. The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections announced the changes in May. The relocations are temporary and apply only to the June 9 primary and June 23 runoff election. The changes affect voters in the Sheldon area, on Lady’s Island, on St. Helena Island and in portions of the Chechessee and Riverbend communities.   Election Day voting will take place Tuesday, June 9, with polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Voters must cast their ballots at their assigned precinct on Election Day. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in a primary race, a runoff election will be held June 23. Early voting is underway and continues through Thursday, June 5. Early voting centers are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections office, the St. Helena Branch Library, the Bluffton Branch Library and the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Hilton Head campus. Voters are required to present a valid photo ID before casting a ballot. Acceptable forms of identification include a South Carolina driver’s license, a South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles-issued photo identification card, a voter registration card with a photograph, a military identification card, a Veterans Affairs identification card or a United States passport.   Election officials are encouraging all voters, even those whose precincts are not among the temporary relocations, to verify their polling location before Election Day by using the South Carolina Election Commission’s “Find My Polling Place” tool or by contacting the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections at 843-255-6900. The changes include several temporary polling place relocations as well as the creation of a new precinct in the Chechessee area.           Story 2 From Bluffton Today   The importance of protecting Bluffton’s waterways became the subject of an art contest and the winners were recently announced by the town. “Local Bluffton students recently submitted artwork to raise awareness of the need to protect our waterways and keep pollution out of the stormwater system,” a Town of Bluffton spokesperson said. One of the winning pieces of art was by A. DiPalma, a student at Cross Schools. The winners will soon have their artwork displayed on storm drains throughout Bluffton’s Historic District as part of this environmental awareness initiative.   The following students had winning designs:   • “What Goes Here, Flows There” - A. Di Palma, Cross Schools   • “Be Mindful - We All Share the Same Ocean” - A. Lindberg, River Ridge Academy   • “Never Litter. Love The May River” - L. DuBose, Hilton Head Christian Academy   • “Keep Bluffton Flowing” - E. Hernandez, Bluffton High School   Installation of the students’ artwork is tentatively scheduled for early June, dependent upon the weather, town officials said. “Thank you to all the students, schools, teachers, and families who participated in this project and helped raise awareness of the importance of protecting the May River and our local waterways,” a town spokesperson said.                         Story 3  From the Post & Courier  June is “Trails Month” in South Carolina, and it kicks off with National Trails Day on June 6. In Beaufort County, officials are taking the opportunity to highlight the much-loved Spanish Moss Trail and its impact on local health and tourism. Considered a crown jewel of the Lowcountry, the Spanish Moss Trail is a recognized segment of the national East Coast Greenway and draws more than 100,000 annual visitors to its scenic pathway. The 10-mile paved greenway features new family-friendly additions, including a specialized kids' track, the Downtown Beaufort Connector and the Ribaut Road Crossing into Port Royal.   “We are incredibly proud of South Carolina, Beaufort County, the City of Beaufort and the Town of Port Royal for collaborating with the national celebration of trails for the entire month of June,” said Dean Moss, executive director of Friends of the Spanish Moss.   Built along the historic Port Royal Railroad right-of-way, the greenway winds over creeks, through wetlands and under moss-draped live oaks, offering pristine coastal wildlife views and historic points of interest. While owned by Beaufort County, the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail advocate for continued development of the popular location. The story of the Spanish Moss Trail begins with the historic Magnolia Line Railroad. Established in 1870, the railroad operations ceased in 2003. Five years later, the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority acquired the right-of-way to use as a utility corridor. In January 2011, they granted a surface easement to Beaufort County to develop 14 miles of the corridor as a recreational trail, what would eventually become the Spanish Moss Trail. Since 2013, nearly 10 miles of the trail have been developed and are open to the hundreds of people who use it each day, connecting the city of Beaufort and the town of Port Royal.   The public can participate in Trails Month by exploring the 12-foot-wide, Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible pathway from dawn to dusk through the six main trailheads: Westvine, Broome, Depot, Beaufort Plaza, Roseida and Clarendon. Participants can support the trail's preservation by practicing "Leave No Trace" principles, keeping pets leashed and adhering to the 15 mph speed limit for bicycles and Class 1 electric bikes. The “Leave No Trace” principles promote outdoor conservation by instructing visitors to plan ahead, travel on durable surfaces and dispose of waste properly. Outdoor visitors should leave natural objects untouched, minimize campfire impacts and respect wildlife by keeping a safe distance.   “The Spanish Moss Trail is a wonderful asset not only to the county but to the southeast area,” said Alice Howard, Beaufort County Council chair. “We see visitors from other states and other counties on the trail. It is a great linear ‘park’ with all ages and stages of people enjoying the trail through marshes and woodlands plus providing another mode of transportation besides vehicles.”   Participants are encouraged to share their experiences on social media using the hashtags #SpanishMossTrail, #NationalTrailsDay and #SCTrailsMonth. Visitors can also download the trail's free mobile guide app or donate directly to the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail at SpanishMossTrail.com.

City of Beaufort takes next step in Waterfront repairs

STORY 1 From the Island Packet A critical decision on restoring Beaufort’s unstable boardwalk and the relieving platform supporting it was made Monday when the Waterfront Park Advisory Committee voted unanimously to endorse one of three options on the table. Committee members voted 6-0 to recommend that the city pursue Option 2, where the failing structure under the promenade known as the relieving platform would be replaced and modernized. The option is most like the current promenade in terms of looks and layout, so it won’t bring major changes to the feel of the park. However, the city’s engineering consultant says it would use contemporary materials and raise the platform 18 inches to add more flood control. It would have a lifespan of 75 years.   The committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council, which will make the final decision and may discuss the issue at a May 26 meeting, said City Councilman Josh Scallate, who serves on the Waterfront Advisory Committee. If the City Council approves it, city staff will begin work on developing an engineering and design proposal that would be advertised.   “This gets it moving to the next step,” Scallate said of the committee’s vote. The decision to pick Option 2 comes a week-and-a-half after the city unveiled three options at a meeting at Waterfront Park attended by some 150 people.   Story 2 From WCSC   The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reported that the first two loggerhead sea turtle nests of 2026 were logged on Wednesday morning at Edisto Beach State Park and the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. The two nests were left in situ, meaning they remain undisturbed, so the number of eggs remains unclear. Loggerhead sea turtles, which comprise the majority of South Carolina nests, are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Female loggerheads do not nest each year and may lay several nests two weeks apart while consuming little to no food at all, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources says. The year 2019 was the highest on record for loggerhead nest numbers in South Carolina, with 8,775 counted.   Last year, 3,901 were reported. Four species of sea turtles may nest on South Carolina beaches, and all are protected under federal and state law. Those species are: loggerheads, green turtles, Kemp’s ridleys, and leatherbacks. Sea turtle nesting season in South Carolina runs from May 1 through October 31. Story 3  From the Post & Courier  Social media posts coming out of Jasper County during the afternoon of May 6 look like they belong back in 2020 or 2021. One post from Keith Horton, the county’s clerk of court, stated that the Jasper County Courthouse is closed until further notice due to a “significant number of employees testing positive for COVID-19.” Reached by phone, Laura Malphrus, the county’s chief deputy clerk of court, confirmed the closure and its cause, stating that several employees tested positive for the virus earlier in the day May 6. She did not disclose the exact number of employees who tested positive.   The courthouse is scheduled to be disinfected on May 7 and due to the chemicals used in that process employees were advised that the courthouse would not reopen until May 11, Malphrus added.

City of Beaufort's Plastic Bag Ordinance Expansion Passes First Reading

STORY 1 From the Island News The City of Beaufort’s City Council voted March 10 to pass amendments to the city’s single-use plastics ordinance on a first reading, making Beaufort the first municipality in Beaufort County to advance the measures. A second and final vote will be required before the rules take effect. The amendments, presented to council by City Manager Scott Marshall, significantly broaden the scope of the county’s original 2018 Plastic Bag Ordinance. Rather than simply addressing single-use plastic carryout bags, the revised ordinance transforms the chapter into a comprehensive single-use plastics and foam reduction policy.   What the ordinance would do Under the amended rules, all plastic carryout bags would be banned outright. Stores would be required to offer customers reusable bags – specifically those made of cloth with stitched, not heat-sealed, handles. The ordinance would also prohibit businesses operating within city limits from providing to-go cups and food trays made of expanded polystyrene foam, commonly known as EPS or styrofoam. “No business establishment conducting business within the city limits may provide plastic carry-out bags or EDF disposable food service ware to its customers,” the amended regulations state. Story 2 From the Island Packet Cyclists, rejoice: a new scenic bike-friendly trail will open soon on Hilton Head Island. The Sea Pines Forest Preserve Foundation is putting “finishing touches” on a new bicycle-friendly trail in the Sea Pines Forest Preserve, according to comments from David Henderson, Director of Special Projects and Operations, during a March 3 meeting of the Sea Pines CSA Board of Directors. Residents and visitors will soon be able to enjoy walking or cycling through the woods on the new leisure trail.    “The experience is unique,” Henderson said at the meeting. “There’s nothing else like it on Hilton Head Island.” Where will the new trail be? The exact location of the new trail has not been confirmed by Sea Pines officials.   Story 3  WSAV - The RBC Heritage tournament is proving again that it’s about much more than golf. The charitable organization, the Heritage Classic Foundation, is making a difference in the lives of the next generation of future leaders from the Lowcountry. 11 Beaufort County seniors were named Heritage Classic Foundation scholars for the 2025-2026 school year. The students come from five different high schools in Beaufort and Jasper County. Applications were reviewed by the scholar committee based on academic success, community service, essays written by the students and financial need. During Monday’s awards presentation, Heritage Classic Foundation Chairman Simon Fraser told the audience, “This is always an exciting day for the Heritage Classic Foundation. We believe the résumés of these young adults are stronger than ever. The teachers and administrators of our school systems, as well as the award winners, deserve special praise.” The Kirby Scholarship, a one-year $4,000 scholar award, was created in memory of past Scholar Committee Chairman Ward Kirby and is granted every year. Two of the scholarships honor Scholar Committee chairmen who have passed, John Zimmerman and Mike Malanick. One honors the late Scholar Committee member Charlie Brown, and the Tartan Club Award recognizes the donations made by the Tartan Club. Created by the Heritage Classic Foundation, the Tartan Club is a group made up of individuals throughout the community who share a desire to help others through the awarding of scholarship grants for area students.