Freedman Arts District announces major expansion
Freedman Arts District announces major expansion Read More »
News
Coverage of timely local, regional, and breaking news in Beaufort County and the South Carolina Lowcountry. Includes community updates, government decisions, public safety alerts, traffic and weather impacts, and key issues shaping life in Beaufort, Port Royal, Lady’s Island, St. Helena Island, and surrounding Sea Islands. Designed for residents and visitors seeking authoritative, hyperlocal journalism from Beaufort’s newspaper of record.
County Council approves independent inquiry into county operations
Beaufort County Council voted unanimously June 1 to authorize an independent inquiry into county departments and personnel overseen by County Administrator Michael Moore, launching what will become the third major outside investigation commissioned by county government in the past three years.
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Walls cites years of turnover, questions county leadership
Eight county administrators, six chief financial officers, five deputy administrators and four county attorneys in nine years. Those figures formed the foundation of Beaufort County Treasurer Maria Walls’ criticism of county leadership during the May 26 Beaufort County Council meeting, where she argued that administrative instability is creating operational challenges for county government and affecting decisions being made about her office’s budget.
Walls cites years of turnover, questions county leadership Read More »
PRIMARY 2026: Doug Seifert & ‘JoJo’ Woodward, Republican candidates for Beaufort County Sheriff
Ahead of the June 9 primary election, The Island News sent detailed candidate questionnaires to those running in several contested local and state races impacting Beaufort County voters. Doug Seifert and Joey “JoJo” Woodward Jr. offered sharply different views on the current direction of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, with both Republican candidates emphasizing public safety, transparency and support for deputies while differing on priorities, leadership style and the agency’s current performance.
PRIMARY 2026: Joshua Hower, Joe Maiorano & Mary Jeans Otto, Republican candidates for Beaufort County Council District 5
Ahead of the June 9 primary election, The Island News sent detailed candidate questionnaires to those running in several contested local and state races impacting Beaufort County voters. Republican candidates for Beaufort County Council District 5 — Joshua Hower, Mary Jeans Otto and Joe Maiorano — all centered their campaigns on concerns about rapid growth and preserving the Lowcountry’s character, though each candidate offered different ideas for managing development, infrastructure and government oversight.
PRIMARY 2026: Michael Rivers Sr. & Shannon Nehemiah DeLoach, Democratic candidates for SC House District 121
Ahead of the June 9 primary election, The Island News sent detailed candidate questionnaires to those running in several contested local and state races impacting Beaufort County voters. Democratic candidates for S.C. House District 121, Michael Rivers Sr. and Shannon Nehemiah DeLoach, both emphasized affordability, infrastructure and protecting historic Gullah-Geechee communities in their responses, while offering different perspectives shaped by their professional and political backgrounds.
PRIMARY 2026: Michael Andersen & Thomas Grygowski, Republican candidates for Beaufort County Council District 4
Ahead of the June 9 primary election, The Island News sent detailed candidate questionnaires to those running in several contested local and state races impacting Beaufort County voters. Republican candidates for Beaufort County Council District 4, Michael Andersen and Thomas Grygowski, both centered their County Council District 4 campaigns on growth, infrastructure and protecting Beaufort County’s character, though the two candidates often approached those issues from different perspectives.
Late SC GOP redistricting push fails amid record start to early voting
A GOP push to overhaul South Carolina’s congressional map ended Tuesday, May 26, as a record-setting start to early voting prompted Republican senators to abandon their support.
Late SC GOP redistricting push fails amid record start to early voting Read More »
Lowcountry Lowdown: Redistricting, ‘Pinky-gate’ rumors occupy state, county conversations
With the June 9 primaries rapidly approaching, the focus on political candidates builds just like the summer heat.
Honoring their sacrifice: Beaufort community comes together over Memorial Day weekend to pay respects to America’s heroes
Beaufort residents and visitors alike turned out Monday, May 25, 2026, to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country on Memorial Day.