NEWS BRIEFS

Filing open for Port Royal Town Council election

The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections will be holding a General Election on Nov. 4, 2025, to fill two Town Council seats in the Town of Port Royal.

Candidate filing opened on Aug. 8, and closes at noon on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Filing must be done in person at Port Royal Town Hall at 700 Paris Avenue.

The filing fee for Town Council is $100 and is due at the time of filing. Candidates must be eligible voters residing within the town limits and must complete the Statement of Intention of Candidacy – Non-Partisan form.

State ethics filings, including a Statement of Economic Interests and Campaign Disclosure, are also required. These can be completed through the State Ethics Commission at www.ethics.sc.gov .

Voter registration deadlines are as follows:

• In Person: Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

• Online/Email/Fax: Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025

• By Mail: Must be postmarked by Monday, Oct. 6, 2025

For more information and filing forms, visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/vote.

NOB Democratic Club meets Thursday

The Northern Beaufort County Democratic Club will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 21 at Grace AME Chapel at 502 Charles Street in Beaufort.

With the cuts to SNAP, attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to HELP of Beaufort.

The group will take part in a Labor Day Protest from noon until 1 p.m., Monday, Sept. 1 in front of Beaufort City Hall. The demonstration is tomshow support for the working class against the billionaires.

Service academy nomination applications open through Sen. Scott’s office

The Office of U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) is accepting U.S. military academy nomination applications for the class of 2030.

Sen. Scott is able to nominate a limited number of students in South Carolina for attendance at the following U.S. military academies: the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (the U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require a congressional nomination).

Students who are interested in applying for a nomination should apply by 11:59 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. For more information, visit www.scott.senate.gov/academy.

Road resurfacing continues

Beaufort County daytime road resurfacing continues, weather and schedule permitting. Road work will be done from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Black Skimmer Drive and Chinaback Drive, both on Lady’s Island, were to be completed by Wednesday, Aug. 20. Chinaback Drive and Purdy Way, also both Lady’s Island, are slated to begin Thursday, Aug. 21 and be completed by Friday, Aug. 22.

The resurfacing operations are funded by the Beaufort County Transportation Committee.

During construction, lane closures, road cones and signage will be visible to direct traffic safely. Motorists and residents should be prepared for lane closures and are encouraged to use extra caution when approaching work zones.

For more information, call the Beaufort County Engineering Department at 843-255- 2706.

Factory Creek Pier, Brewer Memorial Park temporarily closed

The Factory Creek Fishing Pier and Brewer Memorial Park were to be temporarily closed beginning Wednesday, Aug. 20 for dock improvements.

According to a Beaufort County media release, construction is expected to last for approximately three weeks, depending on weather.

For more information, contact Beaufort County Public Works at 843-255-2800.

Candidate filing opens Aug. 22 for Yemassee Municipal Election

The Town of Yemassee Municipal General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Voters will elect two Town Council Members and the Mayor, each serving a four-year term. These seats are currently held by Council Member David Paul Murray, Council Member Stacy Pinckney, and Mayor Colin J. Moore.

All Mayor and Town Council seats in Yemassee are at-large and non-partisan. Individuals seeking to run must file a Statement of Intention of Candidacy – Nonpartisan.

The filing period opens at noon on Friday, Aug. 22, and runs through noon, Friday, Sept. 5 at the Yemassee Municipal Complex, during normal business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. (Note: The Town will be closed Monday, Sept. 1, for Labor Day. No filings will be accepted on that day.) Eligible candidates must be a registered South Carolina voter residing in the Town of Yemassee.

Candidates may obtain and complete the Statement of Intention of Candidacy – Non-Partisan form from the South Carolina Election Commission website or at the Yemassee Municipal Complex. Submit the completed form in person along with the appropriate filing fee — $300 for Mayor or $150 for Council Member. All fees must be paid at the time of submission and are non-refundable.

Candidates must also complete the required South Carolina Ethics Commission campaign forms online at https://ethics.sc.gov/campaigns.

County hosting free electronics recycling event

The Beaufort County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling will host a free electronics recycling event for County residents Saturday, Aug. 23.

It will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at River Ridge Academy 3050 Raider Drive in Bluffton. To assist in alleviating traffic buildup, please take Hampton Parkway to Raider Drive to access the event.

Items that will be accepted for recycling include personal computers, laptops, CRT monitors, LCD monitors, CRT televisions, non-CRT televisions, printers, hard drives, and miscellaneous electronics (cell phones, tablets, and fax machines).

Items not accepted at this event include microwaves, vacuums, stereos, speakers, tuners, VCRs, DVDs, lamps, etc. These can be taken to the Convenience Centers for disposal and will not be unloaded at the event.

Residents are asked to stay in their cars during the event. Staff will unload electronics, residential only.

Andrews to speak at joint Indivisible meeting

Dr. Annie Andrews, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, will be the featured speaker at a joint meeting on Indivisible Beaufort and Lowcountry Indivisible at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry at 110 Malphrus Road in Bluffton.

The event is free and open to the public.

Morris Center Executive Director to step down

Tamara Herring, Executive Director of the Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, will step down from her role effective Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.

The Morris Center Trust has engaged Annmarie Reiley-Kay, a respected museum consultant, to lead a comprehensive search for the next Executive Director.

The Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage is a learning and exhibition center dedicated to preserving and cultivating the history, culture and spirit of Ridgeland and its surrounding counties. Housed in a collection of vintage buildings, with the architecturally distinctive Sinclair Service Station as its focal point, the center features ever-changing exhibitions, interactive and dynamic learning opportunities, cultural offerings, storytelling and other forms of art.

Poll workers needed; training available

The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County is holding poll worker training classes. Classes will be held at the main office, located at 15 John Galt Road, Beaufort, S.C. 29906. The classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

To sign up for a class, visit https://beaufortsc.easypollworker.com/home.

United Way of the Lowcountry offers additional free tax prep days

United Way of the Lowcountry’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is offering additional free tax preparation days to help qualifying residents of Beaufort and Jasper counties file their federal and state tax returns accurately and efficiently.

The program – a collaboration between the IRS, Beaufort County Human Services Alliance, and United Way of the Lowcountry (UWLC) – is designed to assist low-income individuals and families, non-English speaking taxpayers, people with disabilities, and seniors with their tax filing needs.

In Bluffton, the service is available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, Sept. 29, at the Bluffton Public Library at 120 Palmetto Drive.

In Beaufort, the service is available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, Aug. 25 at the United Way of the Lowcountry Beaufort Office at 1277 Ribaut Road.

Limited spots are available, and in-person appointments are required. Visit www.uwlowcountry.org/VITAto reserve your spot, check for eligibility requirements and to find a list of necessary documents to bring.

Human Services accepting grant applications

Beaufort County Human Services is accepting applications for the FY26 Grant Program. Applications will be accepted until Friday, Aug. 22. Any application received after that date, will not be considered.

According to the Community Services Grant Program webpage, “Funds for this grant program are provided by County Council of Beaufort County. Established in 2013, the Beaufort County Community Services Grants Program supports local non-profit human service organizations in enhancing residents’ quality of life. All grant awards are contingent upon the availability of funding.”

To be eligible for the Community Services Grant, organizations are required to meet specific criteria:

Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations whose mission aligns with improving quality of life for Beaufort County residents, particularly those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged
Agencies must directly serve Beaufort County and use all awarded funds for the benefit of its residents
Only one application per organization (identified by EIN) will be accepted, and fiscal agents are not permitted
Agencies seeking funding must register their organization prior to applying; instructions are provided within the application

Eligibility, criteria, application timeline and the application itself are all outlined at https://bit.ly/4l8UTe8 for interested groups.

Funds may not be used for: