<b>New Whale Branch fishing pier completed</b>

After months of construction and hard work by Beaufort County’s Public Works crew, the brand new fishing Pier at Whale Branch is finished and open to the public.

In January of 2011, Beaufort Jasper Water &amp; Sewer Authority granted Beaufort County an easement for part of the Port Royal Railroad Corridor that included the Whale Branch trestle. The trestle, located on the northern end of Port Royal Island, has been closed to railroad traffic for years but had become a popular fishing destination. The county decided to bring the trestle up to safety standards allowing the public to fish, bird watch or enjoy the scenery.

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<b>Noxious fumes scare close part of Bay Street</b>

A chemical commonly used by jewelers apparently sickened three downtown Beaufort employees and led emergency workers to close a three-block section of Bay Street last Wednesday morning for about two hours.

Beaufort County EMS and Beaufort firefighters treated three employees of Modern Jewelers and transported them to Beaufort Memorial Hospital for further examination of breathing problems. All three women were treated and released and “are all doing fine,” Modern Jewelers owner Kevin Cuppia said.

About 9:30 a.m., the Beaufort Fire Department responded to a report of a possible structure fire at the jewelry store. Firefighters quickly determined there wasn’t a fire, but found store employees coughing and complaining of nausea.

Fire and police crews blocked Bay Street from Carteret to Charles streets while firefighters checked the air for hazardous substances and possible gas leaks. Although there weren’t any of the most common harmful substances or vapors detected, investigators found a chemical at Modern Jewelers that often is used for cleaning rings.

Crews quickly removed the chemical and neutralized it, Beaufort Fire Chief Sammy Negron said.

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<b>All library branches will be closed April 10</b>

All branches of the Beaufort County Library system will be closed on Wednesday, April 10, for Staff Development Day. Tax assistance, book sales, or other regularly scheduled functions held at the library branches will not be available on this day.

All branches will resume normal operating hours on Thursday, April 11.
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