NEWS BRIEFS

Turkey Trot 5K set for Thanksgiving morning

Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry’s annual Turkey Trot 5K will take place in downtown Beaufort at 8 a.m., Thanksgiving Day morning, Nov. 28.

Online registration for the race is open until 2 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 26. The link to sign up for the race is https://bit.ly/4hBcoCF. After 2 p.m., Nov. 26, participants can register in person from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., at Grounded Running at 2139 Boundary Street, Unit 108 in Beaufort, and at Freedom Mall on Bay Street in Beaufort on race day until 7:45 a.m.

All proceeds from the race will go directly toward building a home for a local family.

The Turkey Trot is the third race in the Beaufort Triple Crown race series, preceded by the Run Forest Run race in October and the Swing Bridge Run earlier this month.

FOHI hosting ‘The Coastal Birds of Hunting Island’

At 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, Rebecca McCollam, Shorebird Stewardship Director for the Friends of Hunting Island (FOHI), will present an educational program on the Coastal Birds of Hunting Island State Park. 

McCollam will share her knowledge and experience as a birder, Shorebird Stewardship Director and master naturalist to reveal the wonder and challenges facing the many species of birds sharing our coastal beaches. This presentation will focus on identifying, explaining the biological needs and describing the threats facing the birds and ways in which we each can help them. 

The importance of Hunting Island State Park and Audubon’s Shorebird Stewardship program will be emphasized. A question and answer period will follow the presentation.

This program is the first in a series of events to be held by FOHI at the Park’s nature center highlighting the amazing array of wild creatures and places of coastal South Carolina and the efforts and goals of the people and organizations dedicated to their protection.

Seating is limited to only 35 people for this free event. Email Jim Prince at FOHIConservationOutreach@gmail.com to secure your spot before seats are filled. 

‘Lay of the Land’ opens to the public

Reconstruction Era National Historical Park is hosting a free program celebrating the opening of the park’s visitor center exhibit, “Lay of the Land.” The program will take place Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. at the park visitor center, located at 706 Craven Street in downtown Beaufort.

The Old Beaufort Firehouse in downtown Beaufort has been the visitor center for Reconstruction Era National Historical Park since the park was established in January of 2017. 

“For most of our park’s history, we’ve relied on borrowed exhibits from a variety of community partners, and that has been a wonderful experience for the more than 50,000 people who have come to the visitor center” said Chris Barr, Chief of Interpretation for the park. “We’re excited to continue that collaborative spirit in creating our park’s first long term exhibit project.”

“Lay of the Land” was created in collaboration between park staff, volunteers, community partners, and an internship with Morehouse College alumni through the Greening Youth Foundation HBCUI program. The exhibit uses a place-based approach to share stories of locations throughout the southeastern United States to address core themes of Reconstruction: land, labor, education, citizenship, and politics, as well as the long-term consequences and legacy of Reconstruction. 

The exhibit was completed in late October as part of a series of projects to improve the accessibility and visitor experience to the park.

For more information about Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, visit www.nps.gov/reer or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ReconstructionNPS.

Pigeon Point playground survey open for public input

The City of Beaufort is seeking public input on improvements to the Pigeon Point Park playground.

The playground equipment needs to be replaced due to age, the cost of repairs and maintenance, and safety concerns.

The public is asked to provide input via a short survey on Survey Monkey at https://bit.ly/3UPJgxz. The survey will close on Monday, Nov. 25, at noon.

Reconstruction Era National Historical Park hosting free Junior Ranger Park Explorer Program

Reconstruction Era National Historical Park is inviting the public to attend a free Junior Ranger Park Explorer Program at Camp Saxton on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 any time between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Exploring public lands is a great way to shake off the turkey on the day after Thanksgiving. Stop by the Fort Frederick Heritage Preserve at 601 Old Fort Road in Port Royal, part of the site of Camp Saxton to meet a park ranger, and learn about how to safely experience wildlife and preserve historic sites. Participants will have the opportunity to earn their Junior Ranger Park Explorer Badge, as well as learn about the story of Camp Saxton. This program is free and open to the public.

For more information about Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, visit www.nps.gov/reer or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ReconstructionNPS.

County Veterans Affairs celebrating Operation Green Light

In collaboration with the National Association of Counties (NACO), Beaufort County Veterans Affairs is celebrating Operation Green Light for Veterans for the month of November. Beaufort County’s Government Buildings in the County Plaza including the Administration Building, the Arthur Horne Building and the County Courthouse will all be lighted green for the month of November.

According to NACO’s website: America’s counties have a long and proud history of serving our nation’s veterans, a legacy that continues to this day as we work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure that the former service members have access to the resources they need to thrive.

“We encourage the entire Beaufort County community to join in on this initiative, shining a green light on businesses and homes,” said Caroline Fermin, Beaufort County Veterans Affairs Director. “This gesture lets our military community know they are acknowledged, valued, and supported.”

FEMA hiring in South Carolina

FEMA is hiring in South Carolina to support recovery from Hurricane Helene. A wide range of skills and expertise are needed.

Positions include Civil Rights Specialist; Disability Integration Advisor; Environmental And Historic Preservation (Environmental Compliance Specialist, Environmental Floodplain Specialist, Environmental Specialist, Historic Preservation Specialist); External Affairs (Creative Specialist (Writer), Digital Communications Specialist, External Affairs Specialist, Intergovernmental/Congressional Affairs Specialist, Media Relations Specialist, Program Liaison Specialist, Visual Imaging Specialist); Hazard Mitigation (Community Education Outreach Specialist, Data Integration Specialist, Hazards And Performance Analysis Specialist, Insurance Specialist);  Information Technology Specialist; Interagency Recovery Coordination (Community Assistance Expert Specialist, Geospatial Data & Analytics Cell Analyst); Logistics Specialist; Public Assistance (Program Delivery Manager).

Many FEMA employees began their careers in emergency management by helping their own communities recover from a disaster, as a local hire. These temporary positions start as 120-day appointments and may be extended. Benefits include sick leave, health insurance and up to 11 paid annual holidays. Applications are being accepted online.

To see all open positions and to apply, visit USAjobs.gov, type keywords “FEMA, Local Hire” and enter your location as “South Carolina.”

Detailed information is provided for each position, including pay and benefits. More information about FEMA’s hiring process can be found on FEMA.gov/careers and the Local Hire career path at LocalHire|FEMA.gov.

All applicants must be U.S. citizens and 18 years of age or older. Additional requirements vary by position type.

Beaufort County Assessor hosting community events

Beaufort County Assessor Ebony Sanders is hosting multiple community events at County Library Branches to allow the public an opportunity to meet with her staff and share questions and concerns regarding real property.

Each community event will be from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The dates are as follows: 

St. Helena Branch Library, 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road: Tuesday, Dec. 3 — Large Meeting Room.

Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way: Thursday, Dec. 5 — Large Meeting Room.

Lobeco Branch Library, 1862 Trask Parkway: Monday, Nov. 25; Monday, Dec. 16.

In the event of an unforeseeable change in the date, time, or location, the Assessor’s Office webpage will be updated to reflect rescheduling. If you have any questions, please contact Liz Rigg, Appeal/BAA Coordinator at BAA@bcgov.net or 843-255-2404.

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. 

County VA to offer End of Life Planning Seminars for veterans, families

Beaufort County Veterans Affairs is hosting End of Life Planning Seminars for veterans and their families. 

These seminars address things veterans and their families can do today to ensure their personal effects are in order. They also discuss Veterans Affairs benefits that surviving spouses may be entitled to receive.

They will be offered at either 9 a.m. or 1 p.m., at convenient locations around Beaufort County:

  • Tuesday, Feb. 18: Lobeco Branch Library, 1862 Trask Parkway, Seabrook.
  • Tuesday, Feb. 25: Bluffton Branch Library, 120 Palmetto Way.
  • Tuesday, May 20: Hilton Head Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road.
  • Tuesday, May 27: Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street.

RSVPs are required for space and resource purposes. Please contact Crystal at 843-255-6880 to reserve your seat. For questions and more information please contact Beaufort County Veterans Affairs at 843-255-6880.

— Staff reports

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