From WTOC

A major project to bring more healthcare jobs and another medical option to the rapidly growing town of Bluffton has cleared a key hurdle.

Novant Health is one step closer to building its own hospital along Buckwalter Parkway.

Following its final development plan meeting with the Town of Bluffton, the proposed facility is nearing its groundbreaking phase.

The multi-million-dollar medical facility will join other recent additions to Bluffton’s medical corridor, including a recently opened Novant Health Emergency Room building and a Beaufort Memorial medical facility currently under construction.

Bluffton’s population growth is driving the demand for expanded local healthcare infrastructure.

According to Town of Bluffton Director of Growth Management Kevin Icard, residential space in the town is nearly built out.

“We’re at about 80% developed residential uses in the town,” Icard said.

Town planners specifically designed the Buckwalter Parkway corridor to accommodate higher-density development, focusing heavily on medical services.

From WSAV

Approximately 300 new poll workers are needed throughout Beaufort County for Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026.

Citizens who complete training and work on Election Day will receive a stipend and bonus from the county of $235.

Beaufort County is one of the top 10 counties in the state by registered voters and has 134 precincts.

“We have been fortunate to have capable citizens willing to attend training and serve their neighbors at the polls,” said Mr. Matthew Sweeney, chairman of the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County. “Their commitment is essential, but with continued growth in voter registrations, precincts, and polling locations, we now have an urgent need to recruit new poll workers across Beaufort County.”

From the Island Packet

A 78-year-old apartment complex in Port Royal is offering invaluable training to firefighters before it is demolished. The site, located at 1844 Ribaut Road, will soon be replaced by a new federally-run health clinic dedicated to serving military veterans.

Sea Island Apartments’ nine one-story buildings have stood at this location since 1948. Over the past 10 or so days, the well-known one-story brick buildings became a training ground for firefighters from seven Beaufort County Departments to hone skills they learned in basic training.

The final training day was Friday.

This week, demolition of the apartment buildings will begin, said Josh Hausman with VM Port Royal LLC. VM Port Royal bought three parcels totalling 11 acres, including the eight acres on which the apartments sit, in order to develop a $30 million health clinic that will be managed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.