<b>Northern Beaufort County&nbsp;</b><b>voters will sit out election</b>

Voters in Northern Beaufort County will be sitting out this year’s elections on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

The only items on the ballot will be elections for Bluffton Town Council seats and only voters in Bluffton districts will be casting their ballots.

The other items that would have been on the ballot were for three Port Royal Town Council seats.

However, the Town of Port Royal, in conjunction with the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County, has announced that the town will not be conducting its general elections for two town council seats nor an unexpired town council seat.&nbsp;

Incumbents Mary Beth Gray Heyward and Darryl Owens were the only candidates to file for their open seats. Robert Landrum filed for the two-year term that became open when Tom Klein resigned.

The Town of Port Royal Municipal Election Commission will meet at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, in the Board of Elections and Voter Registration of Beaufort County conference room, located at 15 John Galt Road, Beaufort, to certify the candidates as the official winners.

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

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 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>Indivisible Beaufort SC&nbsp;</b><b>to hold education forum</b>

Indivisible Beaufort SC will hold its November meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, at the large meeting room of St. Helena Branch Library at 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road.

The program will be “Public Education in South Carolina — What’s Next?” &nbsp;

Special speakers will be Bruce Marlowe, Ph.D., professor of education and chair of the Department of Education at the University of South Carolina Beaufort; and Bernadette Hampton, president of the South Carolina Education Association and formerly a longtime math teacher at Battery Creek High School. &nbsp;

The speakers will explore the current state of public education in general, and the upcoming plans and programs in the South Carolina legislature and on the federal level. Attendees will be polled for their ideas on improving public education in our state. &nbsp;

The public is welcome. &nbsp; &nbsp;

<b>Mosquito spraying may </b><b>take place through Nov. 3</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, Nov. 3.

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.

<b>Tree Advisory Committee&nbsp;</b><b>has two open seats</b>

The City of Beaufort’s Park and Tree Advisory Commission (PTAC) has two openings: one for a general citizen and one for a design professional (landscape designer, landscape architect, engineer, architect, etc.).&nbsp;

PTAC provides the Beaufort City Council with recommendations on the city’s parks and open spaces. In addition, PTAC provides guidance on issues related to urban forestry. PTAC hosts the City’s annual Arbor Day Celebration.

PTAC meets monthly at 3 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month.&nbsp;

Brian Franklin, the city’s landscape architect, provides staff support.

Applications must be submitted by Friday, Nov. 10.

Email landerson@cityofbeaufort.org or call 843-525-7012

<b>Foster homes are&nbsp;</b><b>needed in county</b>

With a shortage of loving, supportive foster homes in the area, and throughout the state, the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) is seeking to bridge that service gap.&nbsp;

CAPA is now a licensed Child Placing Agency to recruit, train and support resource (foster) families thanks to funding from United Way of the Lowcountry and a recently awarded Victims of Crime Grant (VOCA). &nbsp;

Through this private public partnership between DSS and CAPA, the agency will recruit families in Beaufort County. DSS currently needs over 1,000 more licensed homes. &nbsp;

Today, CAPA can serve 15 children each night at their Children's Home. However, with the recruitment of just five resource families they can more than double that number. CAPA intends to expand services to the entire 14th Judicial Circuit in the coming years.&nbsp;

"The Beaufort Community has supported CAPA's Open Arms Children's Home for over three decades as we have offered a safe, loving home to over 2,300 children," said Christina Wilson, executive director of CAPA, who is also a foster and adoptive mother. "We are now expanding our services to serve even more.&nbsp;

“As a foster mother myself, I know firsthand how much support foster families truly need. The CAPA board believes that our organization is in a unique position to recruit, train and support loving caregivers to take care of abused or neglected kids just as we have for the past 30 years through our shelter program. It is a natural progression and one we are so very excited to make.”

Anyone interested in serving as a CAPA Resource Family can call Erin Walker at 843-524-4350 or email foster@capabeaufort.org.

<b>Run better meetings&nbsp;</b><b>focus of workshop</b>

Better, shorter, and/or more productive meetings … need a refresher?&nbsp;

A monthly workshop is being conducted to study and correctly apply Robert’s Rules of Order.&nbsp;

The study group will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at the Beaufort Branch Library at 311 Scott St.

Beginners and/or intermediates will learn about agendas, preparation of minutes, proper use of motions, bylaws and more.

This event is free to the public and will be facilitated by Janet Jacobs of the National Association of Parliamentarians. &nbsp;

Call or text 386-871-8855 or email Janet Jacobs at parliamentarystudy@gmail.com for more information. While not necessary, an RSVP is appreciated.

<b>Marines foundation&nbsp;</b><b>accepting nominations&nbsp;</b>

The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation has begun accepting nominations for its 2018 Annual Awards Program.

Each year the foundation presents a series of awards for creative works preserving or advancing Marine Corps history, traditions, culture or service. Marines and civilians are eligible to submit their own artistic entries or the distinguished work of others.

The foundation honors individuals who have demonstrated leadership in their profession by presenting the John A. Lejeune for Exemplary Leadership Award and recognizes those who have provided unique and significant service to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation with the Heritage Award.&nbsp;

Last year’s Lejeune Award winners were President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush, while the former chairman of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, General Walter E. Boomer, USMC, Ret., was honored with the Heritage Award.&nbsp;

Submitting a nomination is free. For additional information on the Annual Awards Program, visit www.marineheritage.org; or to schedule an interview about the program with a foundation representative, contact Paulo Sibaja at psibaja@susandavis.com or 202-414-0798.

<b>County offers shredding event in Bluffton&nbsp;</b>

The Beaufort County Public Works Department Solid Waste and Recycling Section will hold a secure document shredding event for county residents from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4.&nbsp;

The event will be held at the Public Works South site at 9 Benton Field Road in Bluffton.&nbsp;

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.&nbsp;

Only residential quantities will be accepted. No materials from commercial businesses will be accepted. No electronics will be collected at this event.

For more information, contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Section at 843-255-2736 or visit www.bcgov.net/recycle.

<b>County councilman&nbsp;</b><b>to hold public forum</b>

Beaufort County Councilman Gerald Dawson, District 1, will hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, in the cafeteria at James J. Davis Elementary School at 364 Keans Neck Road, Seabrook.&nbsp;

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss solid waste collection and the Dale Recycling Drop-Off Convenience Center.

Residents do not need to register in advance for the meeting. For more information, contact Dawson at&nbsp; gdawson @bcgov.net or by calling 843-255-9536.