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<p><strong>Hunting Island spring clean-up April 13</strong></p>
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<p>The annual spring clean-up of Hunting Island State Park will be on Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers are needed, and lunch will be provided. Volunteers should register at friendsofhuntingisland.org.</p>
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<p><strong>Beaufort County offers free secure shredding event</strong></p>
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<p>The Beaufort County Public Works Department Solid Waste and Recycling Section has established a secure document shredding for county residents on Saturday, April 6. The event will be held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. (or until truck containers are full) at the Shanklin Convenience Center site located at 80 Shanklin Road in Beaufort.</p>
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<p>Individuals will be limited to disposing of no more than four boxes or bags. Any types or colors of paper, file folders, or envelopes are acceptable. Staples or paper clips do not need to be removed. Materials can be brought in any container or bag and will be emptied into roll carts for immediate shredding. Only residential quantities will be accepted. No materials from commercial businesses will be accepted. No electronics will be collected at this event.</p>
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<p>For more information contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Section at 843‐255‐2736 or visit www.bcgov.net/recycle.</p>
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<p><strong>Free tax preparation for qualifying taxpayers</strong></p>
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<p>The Lowcountry Area VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program, along with the IRS, United Way of the Lowcountry Inc., Beaufort County Human Services Alliance, and other partner organizations, are again providing free income tax return preparation and electronic filing to qualified taxpayers with the assistance of IRS-certified volunteers.</p>
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<p>The VITA program offers free tax prep help to persons generally earning $64,000 or less, differently-abled persons, persons 60 and older, and those who speak limited English. Services are offered through April 15 at multiple locations across Beaufort County, with many sites continuing to operate beyond the deadline to assist with late filing and prior year returns.</p>
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<p>The VITA program is always seeking volunteers. The primary roles are tax preparer and</p>
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<p>greeter. The IRS provides thorough training for all volunteers. The commitment is as few as three hours or as many as 20 hours or more per week. One-on-one mentoring is also available. To volunteer or obtain more information, visit www.vitalowcountry.org or call 843-321-9071.</p>
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<p>Free online tax preparation is also available at www.myfreetaxes.com.</p>
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<p><strong>County Council retreat video available on The County Channel</strong></p>
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<p>Beaufort County Council recently held its annual Leadership and Strategic Planning Session. All related information is available on the county’s website at www.bcgov.net. The County Channel recorded the sessions, which can be viewed on the county website along with the agenda and presentation materials.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Watch all programming for The County Channel on Comcast channel 2, Hargray channels 9 and 113, and Spectrum channel 1304. Viewers can also watch programming live and on-demand at The County Channel’s website at www.bcgov.net.</p>
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