<b>Sanford staff to hold&nbsp;</b><b>satellite office hours&nbsp;</b>

The district staff of U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, R-SC, will be conducting satellite office hours at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at the St. Helena Branch Library at 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road.

Satellite office hours are conducted around the district by the representative’s staff in order to be as accessible as possible to constituents who require assistance with federal agencies, including Medicare, Veterans Affairs, Social Security, the Internal Revenue Service, or even help processing a passport.&nbsp;

Additionally, anyone wishing to express an opinion or ask a question is welcome to stop by.

<b>New poll manager&nbsp;</b><b>training offered</b>

The Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County will be conducting new poll manager training.&nbsp;

Anyone interested in working the polls for the first time can enroll in one of these sessions.

&nbsp;All training sessions will be conducted at the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County Office at 15 John Galt Road, Beaufort.

Training will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, and from 2-6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7.

The sessions will last approximately four hours. It is recommended that attendees bring a snack to eat/drink during short breaks.

To register for the training, call 843-255-6900 or send an email and include your name, mailing address, the preferred date of the training you wish to attend and a phone number where you can be reached during the day to: voter@bcgov.net.

<b>SCDMV offers new&nbsp;</b><b>ID cards online</b>

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) is providing a new way for SC residents to confirm if the documents needed to order and buy a REAL ID driver’s license online are on file with the agency.&nbsp;

Starting in January, airport officials will stop taking driver’s licenses under the Real ID Act from SC, Alaska, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico and Washington state.&nbsp;

However, with the SCDMV’s newly designed mobile-first website, customers can log in and learn if they may be eligible for ordering a REAL ID license online when the cards become available in 2018.&nbsp;

“This eliminates the need to call, wait on hold, and confirm that all of the needed documents are on file for you to get a REAL ID,” said Executive Director Kevin Shwedo. “Customers can now access this information throughout all hours of the day, not just during normal business hours.”&nbsp;

Visit www.scdmvonline.com, search “REAL ID”, and begin the transaction from the REAL ID web page.&nbsp;

You’ll enter your license number, Social Security number and date of birth to see if the required documents are on file.&nbsp;

All of the following must be true for you to be eligible to buy a REAL ID license online next year: &nbsp;

• Required documents are on file with the SCDMV;

• Driving privileges are in good standing;

• Have a regular (Class D, E, F, M, or any combination of the four) license.

If the required documents are not on file and you’re interested in changing your current SC license to a REAL ID, you must bring the following documents to an SCDMV branch now:&nbsp;

• Proof of identity (birth certificate or valid US passport);

• Proof of Social Security number;

• Two proofs of current, physical SC address;

• Proof of all legal name changes.

If you have an identification card, commercial driver’s license, or are an international customer, REAL ID licenses and IDs will not be available for online ordering.

Visit www.scdmvonline.com or email questions to REALID@scdmv.net.

<b>Conservation groups&nbsp;</b><b>to celebrate plant week</b>

Plants, birds, and other wildlife will get a big boost starting this fall, according to a release.

The third week of October this year has officially been designated “Native Plant Week” in South Carolina, and conservation organizations have festivities planned across the state.

“This will be a fun week in celebration of our native plants,” says Matt Johnson, director of Bird Conservation and Engagement with Audubon South Carolina.&nbsp;

Native plants are those that historically occurred in South Carolina and are adapted to the state’s climate. In turn, native plants are important for South Carolina’s wildlife, namely birds, insects and more.

At Audubon’s urging, the SC Legislature passed a joint resolution in May designating Oct. 16-20 as South Carolina Native Plant Week. A companion bill, which Audubon helped draft, is set to pass the General Assembly in 2018 and will make this designation permanent.

Native Plant Week details and more can be found at sc.audubon.org or at www.facebook.com/SCNPS.

<b>Mosquito spraying may </b><b>take place through Oct. 13</b>

Beaufort County Mosquito Control may conduct aerial training, surveillance, and/or spray missions that may include the application of EPA-registered public health insecticides during daylight hours through Friday, Oct. 13.

It uses low-flying aircraft and its aerial spraying is dependent upon ideal weather.&nbsp; It does not treat the salt marsh habitats for adult mosquitoes during these aerial operations.&nbsp;

For additional information, call 843-255-5800.