<b>Girl Scouts holding Breast Cancer Walk</b>

Girl Scout Troop 4105 will hold its third annual Breast Cancer Walk at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 in honor of its founder Juliette Gordon Low, who died of breast cancer.

The walk begins at Bricks on Boundary Street Restaurant and ends at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Registration runs from 8 to 8:45 a.m. in the Bricks parking lot.

There will be a motivational speech from a breast cancer survivor at walk’s end. For more information, call Barbara Jean Gardner-Hunter at 347-497-9326.

<b>County receives reward for excellence in financial reporting</b>

The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to Beaufort County by Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR).<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. An Award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to the individual(s) or department designated by the government as primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning CAFR.

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

This report provides important information to Beaufort County Council, Administration, all departments and Beaufort County taxpayers concerning how public funds are being spent and managed. To view the County’s financial reports, visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/Finance. More details about the award can be found at www.gfoa.org/awards.

<b>In-person<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>absentee voting<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>open on Saturday</b>

In addition to being open Monday through Friday for in-person absentee voting, the Beaufort and Bluffton Offices will be open on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. The Beaufort Office, is located at 15 John Galt Road.

The Beaufort and Bluffton Absentee Precincts are open for the following elections:

Town of Bluffton General (Town of Bluffton voters only);

Town of Port Royal General (Town of Port Royal voters only);

Town of Yemassee General (Beaufort County Town of Yemassee voters only);

School Bond Referendum Special (All Beaufort County voters)

<b>Public test of<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>new voting system<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>set for Nov. 1</b>

At 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County will conduct a public test of the new Ballot Marking and Ballot Scanning devices for the following November 5, 2019 elections:

Town of Bluffton General Election

Town of Port Royal General Election

School Bond Referendum Special Election

The test will be conducted at the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County office, located at 15 John Galt Road in Beaufort.

For more information, go to https://www.beaufortcountysc.gov/vote or call 843-255-6900.

<b>AMIkids Beaufort earns three<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></b><b>national honors</b>

AMIkids Beaufort, a residential educational and behavior management program that helps young men separate “a troubled past from a bright future,” earned three major awards during the national organization’s 50th annual Board of Trustees conference in Tampa earlier in October.

For AMIkids Beaufort’s successful work connecting board members, staff and students with the community, the local program earned the Community Development Award. Singled out were youth participating in the Adopt A Highway program in Sheldon, vocational training and job placement, and the Board of Trustees continuing efforts to link the program with the local community.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

Chairman of the AMIkids Beaufort Board of Trustees John Harris and the Beaufort program earned the national Governance Award. Harris was cited for his effective and active leadership of the Board, his “unwavering leadership” for the past three years as chair, and his commitment to bring youth from AMIkids Beaufort into his pillow manufacturing plant to gain paid job experiences.

The full Board was recognized for its commitment to governance through raising money, reviewing operational benchmarks and setting goals, and meeting monthly to ensure the Beaufort program continues to succeed.

<b>Beaufort County spraying for mosquitoes</b>

In accordance with Federal/State regulations, Beaufort County Mosquito Control may conduct aerial and/or ground treatments through Friday, Oct. 25. Mosquito Control applies EPA-registered public health insecticide during ideal weather using low-flying aircraft throughout daylight hours and spray trucks from about 11 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. For additional information, please contact Mosquito Control at 843-255-5800.