County hosting electronics recycling event
Beaufort County is hosting its next electronics recycline event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, at 140 Shanklin Road in Beaufort. Any personal computers, laptops, CRT monitors, LCD monitors, CRT televisions, non-CRT televisions, printers, hard drives and miscellaneous electronics (cell phones, fax machines) will be accepted.
Zonta Club of Beaufort meeting
The S.C. Nurses Honor Guard of South Carolina will be doing a presentation at the Zonta Club of Beaufort’s monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 27, at The Smokehouse on Paris Avenue in Port Royal. All members, prospective members and friends are invited.
LIBPA hosting Hurricane Preparation event
The Lady’s Island Business & Professional Association will offer a wine-and-cheese event from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 29, at the Beaufort Realtors’ Association Headquarters at 22 Kemmerlin Lane, Lady’s Island.
Colonel Neil Baxley from the Emergency Management Division of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office will make a special presentation. Baxley will give an update on hurricane preparation for the Lowcountry. This informative event is open to the public and free.
ATAX grant applications now available from City
Accommodations Tax (ATAX) Grant Applications for Fiscal Year 2025 are now available from the City of Beaufort. The application may be accessed on the City’s website on the City’s Finance Department page (https://bit.ly/3ysHWsN) or at the City Hall, Finance Department, 1911 Boundary Street. For additional information contact the ATAX Administrator Jay Phillips at jphillips@cityofbeaufort.org or 843-525-7071.
The City of Beaufort will hold mandatory workshops for applicants at the Beaufort City Hall, Community Development Conference Room, 1911 Boundary Street, at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, and at 10 a.m., Friday, Aug, 30.
All potential applicants are required to attend one of the two mandatory workshops.
Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13.
Applicants will present their requests to the TDAC in the Council Chambers on Friday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
South Carolina established in the 1980s a 2 percent tax on overnight accommodations in addition to the statewide sales tax. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 6 Chapter 4 Allocations of Accommodations Tax Revenues states how those monies are to be allocated. A small portion of the ATAX money stays in the local municipality or county where it is collected. The remainder must be used to attract and provide for tourists and must be spent on tourism-related expenditures that promote tourism and attract visitors.
Allison Road to remain closed until Aug. 30
Allison Road, from Ribaut Road to Battery Creek Road, will continue to be closed to through traffic through Aug. 30.
Currently, the City is engaged in a streetscape project along Allison Road, which involves undergrounding of utilities, new stormwater drainage, new sidewalks and landscaping.
Due to the impact of rain from Tropical Storm Debby, the contractors need to work until the end of the month before the road can be reopened.
Allison Road is open to local residents only.
A construction reminder
IPW Construction Group will continue to perform shoulder closures and temporary lane closures the entire length of Laurel Bay Road in Beaufort. Closures will take place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday, until the end of the year.
During this time, please prepare for and expect minor delays in traffic. Drivers traveling through the area are asked to please be mindful of our traffic control team and the crews working within the area. In addition, the ramp coming off U.S. 21 onto Laurel Bay Road is permanently closed.
Free Summer Tax Prep Available for Lowcountry Residents Who Missed Deadline
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is offering a free summer tax preparation program for qualifying residents of Beaufort and Jasper counties who missed the traditional tax filing deadline.
This 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 (age 60+) in accurately and efficiently filing their federal and state tax returns.
“We understand that filing taxes can be overwhelming, especially for those who have limited resources,” United Way Volunteer and VITA Program Coordinator Sherry Halphen said. “Our summer tax preparation program allows residents to receive free assistance from IRS-certified volunteers, ensuring they receive every deduction and credit they deserve.”
Program Details:
- What: Free tax preparation assistance by IRS-certified VITA volunteers.
- When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 22 and, Sept. 26.
- Where: United Way of the Lowcountry Bluffton Office (10 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Suite D, Bluffton, S.C. 29910)
- Appointments Required: Call 843.321.9071 or email lowcountryvitacoalition@gmail.com
- Visit www.uwlowcountry.org/VITAforeligibility requirements and a list of documents to bring with you to your appointment.
ATAX Committee hosting mandatory workshop for interested applicants
The State 2% Accommodations Tax grant cycle will begin in a few months. In order to apply for this year’s State 2% ATAX Grant, the State Accommodations Tax Committee is hosting a mandatory workshop to help ensure proper application and expenditure of funds. This will also allow applicants to ask questions and get a better idea of the process.
To be eligible for State 2% Accommodations Tax funds, a representative from each organization must attend one of the two workshops. RSVPs are not mandatory, but greatly appreciated. RSVP to atax@bcgov.net with name of attendee(s), organization, contact information and the workshop date of choice.
Attendees will be required to sign in at the workshop, to be held at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3, in Beaufort County Council Chambers, 100 Ribaut Road.
The State 2% ATAX Grant Application will be available soon. The process has been streamlined to make it easier for applicants. The deadline this year will be Friday, Sept. 13, at 11:59 p.m. Applications received after this time will not be eligible for funding.
For questions and more information, contact Brycen Campbell, Senior Accountant for Beaufort County Finance at 843-255-2316 or Brycen.Campbell@bcgov.net.
— Staff reports
