STORY 1

From WCSC

One of the issues South Carolina lawmakers say they hear about all the time from constituents is the shape of the state’s roads.

They have some ideas on how to improve them, but want to first hear directly from South Carolinians on what challenges they face during their daily commutes.

It will be part of the work of a new committee at the State House, which will take a closer look at the South Carolina Department of Transportation. House Speaker Murrell Smith, who established the new South Carolina Department of Transportation Modernization Ad Hoc Committee, said its formation is not meant to criticize SCDOT but to improve and modernize it.

“This job is not to fix potholes. This is not to widen roads. Those are all being done right now. But it’s to build a foundation for long-term growth, safety and opportunity,” Smith, R – Sumter, said.

It comes as South Carolina’s growth shows no signs of stopping. But its infrastructure has not always kept up.

“When our road system was built, it was probably built with 2.5 million to 3 million people in mind,” Smith said, compared to the approximately 5.5 million people estimated to now call South Carolina home. “We have 71,000 miles of state roads, being one of the largest road systems per capita in this whole country, and so we have a lot of challenges.”

Areas where the Speaker wants the committee to focus include congestion, permitting reform, and SCDOT’s organizational structure. He also wants them to figure out whether South Carolina needs to revisit its decades-old toll statute and look at how it raises money to fix infrastructure. This includes potential new resident fees and raising the registration fee that electric vehicle owners pay.

Story 2

From WSAV

****STORY 1*****

Former Beaufort Mayor Billy
Keyserling received South Carolina's highest civilian honor last night. Awarded
to South Carolinians who demonstrate extraordinary lifetime achievement,
service and contributions of national or statewide significance, Keyserling
received the honor at a meeting Beaufort's City Council. Keyserling was
recognized for 50 years of dedicated public service, including 12 years as
Mayor of Beaufort from 2008 to 2020. Keyserling served 16 years on Beaufort
City Council in addition to two terms in the South Carolina House of
Representatives. Representative Shannon Erickson had the honor of endowing
Keyserling, whose candidacy was advanced by resident Stacy Applegate. A local
realtor, Keyserling graduated Brandeis University Magna Cum Laude and later
earned a Master's Degree in Public Communication from Boston University. An
avid boater, Keyserling was friends with author Pat Conroy, whom Keyserling
sailed to visit during his time on Daufuskie Island. Keyserling's personal
photographs of Daufuskie were used in the first print of the book "The
Water is Wide", which his mother transcribed from handwriting to
print. Known for riding a scooter to work and his "Straight Talk
with Billy K" television program, Keyserling championed advancement for
arts, humanities and environmental causes during his time in power. Keyserling
was integral in establishing the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
and Network in Beaufort, a federal landmark. His tenure as Mayor is marked by
the completion of the Boundary Street Project, which constructed Beaufort's
current City Hall. Congratulations to the Honorable Billy Keyserling.

STORY 1

From WSAV

Hosting thousands of fans last year, the Music Festival of the Lowcountry is coming back in June with another day full of free live music and fun.

J.P. Signature Group Events will
present the Music Festival of the Lowcountry at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront
Park in Downtown Beaufort, SC on Saturday, June 7th from 1:00PM – 10:00PM
featuring headliners including Tony Jackson, America’s Favorite Country Music,
and Who’s Bad – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience.

Music Festival of the Lowcountry
ignited in the mind of local real estate expert, Jamie Peart of J.P. Signature
Group – Keller Williams. She and her team have provided the Beaufort, SC
community with multiple free events over the last four years including free
pictures in the park and free movie nights during the fall and winter.

Story 2

From WSAV

FishingBooker.com , the world’s largest platform connecting anglers and fishing guides, recently announce its yearly Angler’s Choice Award . This exclusive recognition acknowledges charter operators for their exceptional customer service, reliability, and quality of fishing trips. Out of 8,732 captains who partner with FishingBooker, only 672, or 7.7%, were recognized for their excellence. When looking at the performance of all US states, South Carolina came in as the #5 state by highest share of Angler’s Choice Award-winning captains.

South Carolina boasts 45 winners on this year’s list – an impressive 16% of the 285 captains featured on FishingBooker in the state. That’s a win rate well above the average, and a testament to the state’s thriving fishing scene. Beaufort County has 11 of the award-winning captains operating from its waters. Breaking it down by location, 9 winners operate from Hilton Head Island , and 1 each from Bluffton and St. Helena Island .

Story 3

From Beaufort County

Beaufort County employees recently celebrated Earth Day 2025 this past Friday by volunteering several hours to help clean up litter and debris at various heavily traveled roadways around Beaufort County.

More than 580 volunteers — representing 24 partner organizations and over 200 Beaufort County employees — worked side by side to pick up litter along 40 miles of roadways, collecting an incredible 9,000 pounds of litter across the Lowcountry.

County Administrator Michael Moore and Keep Beaufort County Beautiful Board Chairman Christopher Campbell and the County's state partner, Esther Wagner, Awareness and Education Coordinator from Palmetto Pride made remarks at the luncheon and ceremony that followed. Volunteers also got a chance to visit at a number of local environmental education booths to learn the impact of litter on Lowcountry wildlife and waterways.

Volunteer opportunities are also available with the Keep Beaufort County Beautiful Board- A Keep America Beautiful Affiliate! The Keep Beaufort County Beautiful (KBCB) Board is dedicated to promoting litter prevention, beautification, and environmental stewardship across our community. The Board meets quarterly and welcomes public participation.

For more information visit Beaufort County Solid Waste and Recycle.

STORY 1

From the Island Packet

Hilton
Head Christian’s baseball team rode a wave of emotion to a state championship
Friday night. Playing without one of their key players, the Eagles used it as
motivation as they defeated Ben Lippen, 7-3, in the deciding game of the
best-of-three SCISA 4A championship series at Minrow Field. It was HHCA’s
second straight championship and first in Class 4A. The Eagles won the 3A
championship last season. HHCA was without starting INF/OF Stone Burd, who had
a medical emergency shortly before the team got on the bus to leave for
Orangeburg and was taken to the hospital.

Coach Jay Scarboro said there was a thought of postponing the game until Saturday. But after the urging of Burd’s parents, the Eagles played the game. “It was a tough emotional day,” Scarboro said. “… One thing his mom asked us to do was go play our hearts out for him and I feel like our guys did.” Slaide Burd, Stone’s brother, played in the game and carried his brother’s jersey out during pregame introductions. HHCA wore purple ribbons in Stone’s honor and both teams gathered at home plate for a prayer before the game.

Slaide called his brother, who was sent home from the hospital later Friday evening, shortly after the game’s final out. “Meant a lot to me coming here and winning it for him,” said Slaide, a Georgia Southern commit. “Thinking in spirit, he was here and got our back. We knew we had to go out there and play the game for him. That’s what we did.”

Story 2

From the Island Packet

The wait was worth it for the Hilton Head Prep baseball team. After having the deciding game of the SCISA 3A championship series pushed back because of graduation, the Dolphins were up to the challenge Monday and defeated Orangeburg Prep, 5-3, to win the best-of-three championship series. The win continues another strong championship haul for the school, which also won championships in boys basketball, boys golf and girls soccer in the last few months.

The Dolphins (29-3) won the series opener, 3-0, on Wednesday but dropped Game 2, 6-5, setting up the deciding game at Dorchester Academy. Orangeburg Prep led 3-1 heading into the sixth inning before the Dolphins responded with four runs to take a 5-3 lead. Hilton Head loaded the bases in the inning on a pair of walks and a Brody Hausher single. A third walk to Sammy Middleton scored JP Pirkey to cut the lead to 3-2. The Dolphins took the lead on an Orangeburg Prep error that allowed Finnian Rooney and Hausher to score and make it 4-3.

Jackson Stanyard made it 5-3 on an RBI single to right field. Orangeburg Prep got two on in the top of the seventh with one out. But Brandon Espinoza got the final two outs, including the final one by strikeout to win the championship. Espinoza pitched a complete-game, allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out five. Sammy Middleton was 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs while Espinoza, Stanyard and Calvin Middleton each had RBIs for Hilton Head Prep. Eli Pantaleon was 2-for-3 with a solo home run to lead Orangeburg Prep.

Story 1

From the Island Packet

The Rev. Kenneth Hodges — a prominent pastor of one of Beaufort’s oldest churches, a former state lawmaker, businessman, community minded promoter and photographer whose pictures ranged from civil rights icons to famous entertainers — has died. He was 73.

Hodges, of Burton, was the pastor at Beaufort’s Tabernacle Baptist Church in the center of downtown. After guiding the church for some 30 years, he was as iconic as the weathered wooden church with the massive steeple on Craven Street. The legendary church is a historic landmark where the enslaved first went to worship in the mid-1800s and continues as an active congregation.

He leaves behind a legacy of community activism and preserving the history of the church and historic figures with ties to it including Harriet Tubman and Robert Smalls. As a state lawmaker, he supported small businesses in rural areas where he said self-employment was a way out of poverty.

Friends and church members confirmed that Hodges died at Beaufort Memorial Hospital Tuesday morning.

Hodges had been in the hospital since last Sunday, April 13 after complaining of weakness in his side, Allen said. But congregation members had expected him to recover, said Allen, who had spoken with Hodges this week.

Allen described Hodges as a “community person.” One example, he said, was how he spearheaded a monument to abolitionist Tubman that was erected at the church in June.

Hodges grew up in Bennett’s Point in Colleton County and attended Greenpoint Elementary and Walterboro High School. He earned an undergraduate degree at Clark Atlanta University and in 1986 and a master’s of divinity at Morehouse University’s School of Religion.

He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2005 until 2016, representing Beaufort and Colleton counties, where he supported legislation that helped people start small businesses and honored S.C. history.

Story 2

From Bluffton Today

Bluffton will be adding yet another option for those in need of healthcare as a groundbreaking ceremony will be held May 7 for the Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Hospital, according to Beaufort Memorial Hospital officials.

The ceremony will be held from 11 a.m. to noon at the hospital's future location at 10 Innovation Drive, on the corner of Buckwalter and Bluffton Parkway in Bluffton.

"Join us to celebrate breaking ground on the site of the future Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Hospital, which was formerly known as Bluffton Community Medical Campus," a hospital spokesperson said.

Beaufort Memorial provided this rendering of the new Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Hospital. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new hospital is scheduled for May 7 in Bluffton.

There will be limited parking available on-site and there will be additional parking on-street and in neighboring public lots. Those attending are also asked to wear flat, closed-toe shoes as construction is active on the site.

The new location was made possible following the approval March 24 of Beaufort Memorial's Certificate of Need to add 28 inpatient beds to the planned medical campus in Bluffton. The approval, a spokesperson said, has allowed the project to transition from the Bluffton Community Medical Campus to the Bluffton Community Hospital.

STORY 3

From the Savannah Business Journal

To celebrate South Carolina Aviation Week--April 27 through May 3--Beaufort Executive Airport is hosting the first Runway FOD Walk Event. FOD stands for Foreign Object Debris and volunteers will help keep the airfield safe and operational by removing any debris from the runway area. That will ensure a clean, hazard-free environment for aircraft operations.

STORY 1

From the Island Packet

Get ready to put your eyes to the sky this weekend for the Beaufort Marine Corps air show featuring the Blue Angels. This year’s show promises to be a can’t-miss event as it is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps. With over 10 different aircraft performing, skydivers, a kids zone, monster trucks, helicopters and more, this event is perfect for the whole family.

The show stretches over two days, April 12 and 13, at the MCAS Beaufort on Geiger Boulevard. If you plan to attend in person, tickets are required for entry due to safety protocols, but free general admission tickets are available. If you’re planning to attend in person, here are a few safety tips to keep in mind: Gates open at 8:30 a.m. and the show is set to start at 9 a.m. on both dates.

Parking is available on a first come, first served basis & handicapped parking will be available for those who have an official handicap placard or license plate. Make sure to review the list of prohibited items and do’s and don’ts before you visit. Attendees should be prepared for ID checks and bag inspections.

Story 2

From Bluffton Today

Burton Educators and local responders partnered together April 4 to deliver an important message to the Whale Branch Early College High School students who are preparing for their upcoming proms.

Local emergency responder agencies partnered with Whale Branch Early College High School educators to stage a realistic crash scene involving an “intoxicated” driver, along with seriously injured students and one who was deceased. Students watched as firefighters cut their fellow students out of a vehicle, provide aid to critically injured students, and placed another in the body bag to be driven away in a coroner’s van.

Following the crash scene, students filed back inside and received educational material from Nexus Care of Beaufort County, and listened to a guest speaker, Jennifer Klepesky of Madison’s Miracles Inc, tell the story of her daughter Madison and her boyfriend JohnPaul Christopher who were killed by a drunk driver in 2021.

Story 3

From WSAV

Queenie Gadson Jenkins — knows at the matriarch of Bluffton — was added to the town’s Wall of Honor Tuesday at the town council meeting.

According to a press release, the Wall of Honor committee members selected Queenie Gadson Jenkins for the honor because her life represents ‘a person of Bluffton who made a difference in the daily life of others and helped create Bluffton’s unique sense of place.’

She assisted in the birth of countless children as a midwife, cared for many Bluffton families as a caregiver, raised seven children and served unforgettable hot meals as a beloved cook for Michael C. Riley School. Born in 1905 to Susie Murray and Ben Gadson, Queenie was a cherished Gullah matriarch who touched many lives in her many roles.

Her memory is honored through storytelling and cultural tributes. Her oral history was recorded by Bluffton author Fran Heyward Marscher in her 2005 book, “Remembering the Way It Was: At Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and Daufuskie.” Queenie died July 25, 1990, at Hilton Head Hospital and is buried in Jaxville Cemetery located on Pinckney Colony Road in Bluffton.

STORY 1

From the Island News

A dream more than 30 years in the making was finally fulfilled for Beaufort City Councilman Neil Lipsitz in December, but the evidence finally aired on TV this week. After 17 failed attempts to get onto the show The Price is Right, Lipsitz was finally selected to be on the show as a contestant, a dream that has been on his “personal bucket list” for a quite some time.

Lipsitz said he has been going to tapings of the show for about 35 years hoping to get picked, and in 2024, he was selected to participate on the December 4 taping of the show. That episode aired on Monday, March 24. Lipsitz was there with his sister, Judy Thornberry. Though she has not traveled with him to every taping, she has been there to support him along the way. His wife has never gone with him to a casting session, though.

“She has no desire to go,” Lipsitz said about why his wife has not gone with him. “She is just glad I got it out of my system.”

After Lipsitz was selected in December, they attended one more casting call for the show to see if his sister would get selected, which she was not.

“I’ve always loved game shows,” Lipsitz said. “The first time I went, I camped out overnight just to get in there. Now they tell you where to sit, but back then it was a free-for-all. Wherever you got was where you sat. I sat towards the front and Bob Barker talked to me quite a bit during the show.”

Lipsitz said that they look for someone who has an abundance of energy, so before he went to his casting, he drank several cups of black coffee, which he said is a lot for him. He is not typically a coffee drinker.

Story 2

From the Post & Courier

A plan by Novant Health to build a hospital in Bluffton is one step closer to becoming a reality. It's the latest development to pit Novant against Beaufort Memorial Hospital in a legal struggle to establish a hospital in the fast-growing region. At the moment, Novant Health appears to have the upper hand after the S.C. Department of Public Health approved Novant's application for a certificate of need (CON), a document that's required before a hospital can be built.

Their plans call for a new 50-bed, 196,500-square-foot facility that is expected to cost $320 million to construct. The hospital, which will be known as the Novant Health Bluffton Medical Center, will be capable of expanding to 100 beds should demand grow. The Post and Courier previously reported that the facility will be located at the intersection of Buckwalter Parkway and Lake Point Drive.

“The approval of our CON application reaffirms Novant Health’s commitment to bring world-class medical care closer to home,” said Jason Bernd, Novant Health's president of the South Carolina Region in a prepared statement. “This hospital is a long-term investment in Bluffton and the surrounding communities to ensure families have access to high-quality care without having to travel great distances.”

Efforts to bring a hospital to Bluffton go back to at least 2018. At that time, Beaufort Memorial announced a joint venture with the Medical University of South Carolina for a 20-bed acute-care hospital. State officials approved the necessary CON, but progress ground to a halt when two local hospitals owned by Tenet Health appealed the approval. Those two hospitals were later acquired by Novant Health, which continued the challenge. The appellants questioned the project's financial feasibility and the need for a hospital in the area.

STORY 1

From WSAV

· One foundation is on a mission to better the mental and physical health of our police officers. The city of Beaufort is the second police force chosen across the entire nation. Today, the unveiling of a new gym inside the department shows the foundations’ first steps toward an overall healthier department.

“We want to bring all that
negativity down and help officers cope with the stress that they’re under and
give them the tools to do that,” said Andrew Cummings, the chairman of the
board for the Cummings Foundation for Behavioral Sciences.

The new gym is just one part of
the Cummings
Foundation for Behavioral Science’s overall goal with the Beaufort
Police department.

“We want to collect data.
We want to design the best wellness program for a police department and prove
that it works and export that to other communities,” said Cummings.

Cummings said there is
overwhelming data showing that officers are under enormous amounts of stress
due to the nature of their job. This leads to problems at home with family,
depression and one of the highest rates of suicide in a profession.

“The model is a holistic model.
It’s based on psychological principles of basic human needs and the things that
we need to motivate us to do well in life and to reach certain goals in life,”
said Davena Longshore, the researcher and designer of the program.

She said mixing physical
exercise, plus added mental health check-ins will help the officers get the
full effect of the program.

“We want to help serve them and
help decrease the incidence of trauma, stress related disorders and other
mental health symptoms that come along with being an officer so that they can
better serve the community.”

The foundation is also looking
to get community partners involved. Beaufort County resident and chief of staff
for the foundation, Dr.
David Baker , said through the partnerships,
they will be able to provide additional mental and physical health resources
for those local officers.

Story 2

From Explore Beaufort SC

O-Cha Noodle Cafe opened its doors in Uptown Beaufort back in the fall of 2019, and now it's announced that it will be moving to Lady's Island next month.

Becoming a much-loved Beaufort restaurant staple ever since, O-Cha Noodle Cafe is the only spot in town that offers a variety of different authentic Asian cuisines in one place; with a variety of noodle dishes including Pho, Ramen, Suki Yaki, and Tom Yum, all inspired from different parts of Central, North and Southeast Asia.

Before they opened, you had to leave town to find similar fare. In fact, the owners of the new restaurant originally opened O-Cha for that very reason: They were tired of going out of town to enjoy their favorite meal.

Now, all we'll have to do is go to Lady's Island.

Management told us that their lease is up at the end of April in their current location, and they will be opening sometime in May at their new spot at 277 Sea Island Parkway, in the shoppes next to the Lady's Island WalMart, joining Ryan's Hibachi and Jersey Mike's at the plaza.

The new location also offers expanded parking, which was very limited at it's Uptown Beaufort location.

You won't find your standard ‘cup-o-noodles’ at O-Cha. Many folks look at a 50 cent bag of ramen noodles and think that’s what it actually is. Real ramen is so much more. Ramen bowls offer lots of fresh vegetables and a variety of meats as well.