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<p><strong>United Way of the Lowcountry’s Women United seeks nominations for Woman of the Year</strong></p>
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<p>United Way of the Lowcountry’s Women United is seeking nominations for its 2023 Woman of the Year Award.</p>
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<p>This prestigious award recognizes a Lowcountry woman who, through a lifetime of service-work and volunteerism, has made a difference in our community. Nominations are being accepted until 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20.</p>
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<p>The 2023 Woman of the Year nomination form can be found online at <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rdmxwUyrYWNf6CQ5KrJREzm8G_VZ3FqBsDtAOcV2oz5Nw1xfo-7sWS_aX9_EOTrQ67wvcJfjf6DflpoFizhiMv9aQhZ_hPC57CEWh2LO8xIgri_RMbMCxjjGoalu2_WQjrQ8VyZyXcZoGBjlbsFmvE2o0XyTVFHs&amp;c=rPlTLq7Xgv6t9ok-fpcYODreBz89PS0IX3MN5plNvpGtuhTTdq7mig==&amp;ch=YtUYNUI_ACoC1rqOE9FCrzErx9Vd18eIeEbWD6mSdTAG1438GkJHdQ==">https://uwlowcountry.org/2023wuaward</a>. Nominees need not be affiliated or associated with United Way of the Lowcountry to be eligible. Entries will be judged by a Women United committee.</p>
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<p>The Women United 2022 Woman of the Year Award will be presented during the 11th annual Power of the Purse Gala on Thursday, March 9 at Saltus River Grill in Beaufort.</p>
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<p>Past recipients include Norma Duncan, Nan Sutton, Charlotte Gonzalez, Connie Wegmann, Connie Hipp, Bobbi Weber, Elizabeth Millen and Dr. Renarta Tompkins.</p>
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<p>For more information, contact Bethany Marcinkowski at 843-837-2000 or <a href="mailto:bethanym@uwlowcountry.org">bethanym@uwlowcountry.org</a>.</p>
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<p><strong>Beaufort Lions Club hosting semi-annual Sweetheart Pancake Breakfast</strong></p>
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<p>With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, be sure not to miss the Beaufort Lions Club Sweetheart Pancake Breakfast, from 8 to 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Sea Island Presbyterian Church.</p>
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<p>Treat your sweetheart to luscious pancakes with syrup, fluffy scrambled eggs with sausage, cheesy grits, and Jim Palmer’s famous sausage gravy and biscuits. Coffee, milk, and orange juice will be available as well.</p>
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<p>Not only will you and your family enjoy a warm nutritious breakfast, but you be helping Northern Beaufort County residents with low vision needs. Free vision screenings will be available. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $10 for those younger than 12. Tickets may be purchased from any Beaufort Lions Club member or at the door. Cash, checks, and major credit cards will be accepted.</p>
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<p><br><strong>County offers free electronics recycling event Saturday, Feb. 11</strong></p>
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<p>The Beaufort County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling will host two free electronics recycling events for County residents. They will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations on Saturday, February 11:</p>
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<p>– Beaufort County Public Works, 9 Benton Field Road, Bluffton</p>
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<p>– Beaufort County Public Works, 140 Shanklin Road, Beaufort</p>
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<p>Citizens are asked to stay in their cars during the event. Staff will unload electronics. Residential only.</p>
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<p>Any personal computers, laptops, CRT monitors, LCD monitors, CRT televisions, non-CRT televisions, printers, hard drives, and miscellaneous electronics (cell phones, radios, and fax machines) will be accepted.</p>
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<p>Household 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.</p>
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<p>If you have questions about Beaufort County recycling events, please call the Solid Waste and Recycling Office at 843-255-2736 or visit their website at <a href="http://www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle">www.beaufortcountysc.gov/recycle</a>.</p>
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<p><strong>LIBPA meeting set for Feb.</strong> <strong>14</strong></p>
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<p>The Lady’s Island Business &amp; Professional Association will meet at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 at at the Beaufort Realtors’ Association Headquarters at 22 Kemmerlin Lane, Lady’s Island.</p>
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<p>Beaufort County Planning and Zoning Director Robert Merchant will be the featured speaker. Please stop by for coffee and conversation as Merchant addresses planning and development in our community.</p>
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<p><strong>FWDG’s annual coat drive keeps Beaufort County warm again</strong></p>
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<p>In preparation for Beaufort County’s coldest month, January, FWDG held its 32nd Annual Coat Drive. The coat drive, which ran from November 1 through December 31, 2022, ended with a collection of 611 winter garments.</p>
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<p>The generous donations from residents over the past 32 years have brought the total collected donations to 46,575.</p>
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<p>The furniture store collected winter coats for children and adults in need living throughout Beaufort County. The store’s five drop-off locations collected an assortment of warm clothes, including coats, sweaters, blankets, hats, shoes, and more. All donations were distributed to neighbors in need prior to the coldest days in January.</p>
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<p>FWDG partnered with Help of Beaufort, The Deep Well Project of Hilton Head Island, and Bluffton Self Help to accomplish this mission.</p>
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<p>“I would like to thank all that contributed to our coat drive this year to make it the biggest in several years,” FWDG Founder and President Larry Mark said in a news release. “I especially want to thank those donors that have been living by the mantra of 'buy one and donate one.' One of our employees even purchased two new coats to donate to the drive. All of the items donated will be put to good use.”</p>
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<p><strong>Beaufort Police offer registration for camera security systems</strong></p>
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<p>The City of Beaufort Police Department has a new form on its website allowing home and business owners to voluntarily register their security cameras.</p>
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<p>As security cameras become more popular, especially in homes such as with the Ring doorbell, they have become a tool that has been helpful to law enforcement in solving crimes, Police Chief Dale McDorman said in a news release. “This can help us identify suspects, and bring them to justice,” he said.</p>
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<p>If a homeowner has registered a home security camera with the PD, he said, officers will contact the homeowner if a crime takes place in the vicinity of that home to see if officers can review any footage.</p>
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<p>“Participation in this is voluntary, and there is no cost associated with it,” McDorman said. “If someone participates in the program, we will not access their video system without their approval.”</p>
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<p>The form can be found on the PD’s Request for Services page at <a href="http://bit.ly/3HpIhwx">http://bit.ly/3HpIhwx</a>.</p>
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<p><strong>County Council to hold budget workshop February 9</strong></p>
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<p>Beaufort County Council is wrapping up two days of workshops that will have included presentations from County Administrator Eric Greenway and numerous County departments. Held each year, the budget workshops give guidance to County Council members and staff as they work together to craft the upcoming fiscal year County budget.</p>
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<p>The second session will be held Thursday, Feb. 9, beginning at 9 a.m. until noon, and will resume at 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. The workshop will be held in County Council chambers.</p>
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<p>The second day of workshop topics will include opening remarks by the County Administrator, economic development priorities and goals, tourism goals, and an update on ARPA projects.</p>
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<p>The workshops will be televised live by The County Channel. Watch at http://bit.ly/3YAARxs.</p>
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<p>Public comment will not be available either day as these are Council work sessions.</p>
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<p>For more information and agendas for both days, visit <a href="http://bit.ly/3RKjEQ1">http://bit.ly/3RKjEQ1</a>.</p>
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<p><em>– From staff reports</em><br></p>
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