OCNA holing final neighborhood meeting until August
Beaufort City Manager Scott Marshall will be the guest speaker for the final Old Commons Neighborhood Association (OCNA) meeting for the summer at 6 p.m., Thursday night, May 15, at Wesley United Methodist Church’s Education Building located in the 800 Block of Duke Street. The meeting is on the first floor of the light green building. Thursday night is also the OCNA Covered Dish Potluck Dinner and friends and neighbors in the Northwest Quadrant Neighborhood Association (NWQNA) are invited, as well.
Attendees are invited to please bring their favorite covered dish or dessert to share. Iced tea, lemonade, bottled water, paper products, and plasticware will be provided.
Marshall will be sharing highlights from the City of Beaufort’s City Council Strategic Planning Retreat held February 24-26, 2025.
Coffee & Convos with the City Manager
Come out this May for a unique opportunity to meet Beaufort City Manager, Scott Marshall, over a cup of coffee. This is your chance to engage in casual conversations, share your ideas, and ask any questions you may have about our beautiful city of Beaufort.
The Coffee & Convos will take place on two more Friday’s in May:
— 9:30 to 11 a.m., Friday, May 16, Sunny Summers Cafe;
— 9:30 to 11 a.m., Friday, May 30, Mameem & Maudie.
Grab a coffee, come on in, and share your thoughts. We look forward to seeing you there. Let’s make Beaufort an even better place to live together.
Northern Beaufort County Democratic Club to meet May 15
The Northern Beaufort County Democratic Club will be meeting at 6 p.m., Thursday May 15 at the Old Grace AME Chapel at 502 Charles Street in downtown Beaufort. Our guest speaker will be Mac Deford, who in 2024 ran for election to the U.S. House to represent South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.
The NOB Dems, along with several other groups, rally together every Monday at 4:30 p.m. in front of the Beaufort City Hall to exercise their 1st Amendment rights to speak up for democracy and defend the Constitution. These rallies are going on all over the United States. If the public wishes to add their voice in support, bring a sign (no vulgarity), stay behind the sidewalk, and off the median.
SCDNR using area boat landings for shellfish bed reseeding
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) will be conducting its annual shellfish ground management efforts (oyster shell reseeding) at several Beaufort County boat landings beginning this week and running through the end of May.
The boat landings will remain open to the public, however there will be increased truck and barge activity throughout each day while SCDNR reseeds the oyster beds at each location.
The schedule is as follows:
- Monday, May 12-Thursday, May 15: Broad River Boat Landing, Beaufort.
- Monday, May 19-Wednesday, May 21: Edgar Glenn Boat Landing/Chechessee Landing, Okatie.
The barge will occupy one ramp while it is being loaded. Loading will take approximately two hours. At least one ramp will be available for public use while the barge is being loaded.
For questions and more information, contact County Public Works Director Bradley Harriott at 843-255-2740.
County hosts electronics recycling
The Beaufort County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling will host two free electronics recycling events for County residents Saturday, May 17. They will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at River Ridge Academy, 3050 Raider Drive, Bluffton (to assist in alleviating traffic buildup, please take Hampton Parkway to Raider Drive to access the event) and Beaufort County Public Works, 140 Shanklin Road, Beaufort.
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.
Citzens are asked to please stay in their car during the event. Staff will unload electronics. Residential only.
For residents who would like to schedule a drop off on another date, visit https://bit.ly/3CyFbYU. For questions about Beaufort County recycling events, please call the Solid Waste and Recycling Office at 843-255-2736 or visit https://bit.ly/3OrvP3O.
Poll workers needed; training available
The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County will be holding 10 new poll worker training classes.
All of the 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 the following dates: Saturday, May 24; Wednesday, June 18; Wednesday, July 16; Saturday, July 26; Wednesday, Aug. 20; and Wednesday, Sept. 17.
To sign up for a class, visit https://beaufortsc.easypollworker.com/home.
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, 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.
Leadership Beaufort application window open
The application window for the 41st class of Leadership Beaufort (August 2025-May 2026) is now open. Visit https://bit.ly/3EnhSlz to learn more and access the application.
Deadline to submit applications is Friday, May 23. The program builds community trustee leadership through an in-depth view of cultural, economic, historic, social, educational, environmental and government resources.
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., Mondays, July 28; and September 29, at the Bluffton Public Library at 120 Palmetto Drive.
In Beaufort, the service is available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays, June 23 and August 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.
— Staff reports
