<b>LIBPA to host candidate forum on Oct. 11</b>

The Lady’s Island Business and Professional Association will host a forum for the candidates (Shannon Erickson, Republican incumbent and Bobby Green, Democratic challenger) for the District 124 seat in South Carolina House of Representatives. The meeting will be at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, in the Beaufort Realtors Association headquarters in the Palmetto Business Park, 22 Kemmerlin Lane on Lady’s Island Drive (behind the BB&amp;T Bank). The meeting is open to the public.

<b>Voter registration deadline is Oct. 8</b>

The deadline to register to vote in South Carolina is Saturday, Oct. 8. To register, visit www.scvotes.com. A valid driver’s license or DMV identification is required to register online.

To register in person, go to the Board of Voter Registration and Elections of Beaufort County at 15 John Galt Road in Beaufort or 61B Ulmer Road in Bluffton.

To get an absentee ballot, visit SCAbsentee.com or go to one of the offices above. Voters are urged to call in advance to make sure ballots are available. For more information, call 843-255-6900.

<b>Drinking water may </b><b>have funny taste</b>

The Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority, the Hilton Head Public Service District and Broad Creek Public Service District will temporarily change their drinking water treatment method and flush water lines throughout their service areas starting Friday, Oct. 14.

Customers can use their water as normal, but may notice a slight chlorine taste or odor in the tap water through Friday, Oct. 28.

The change is part of the routine maintenance program for the utilities’ water distribution systems. There will be no interruption in service as a result of the work.

Customers in some areas may notice brief discoloration in the tap water as a result of lines being flushed. If water appears discolored, customers should run cold water for a few minutes. If discoloration persists, customers can contact BJWSA at 843-987-9200; HHPSD at 843-681-5525; or BCPSD at 843-785-7582.

Customers who are especially sensitive to the taste and odor of chlorine should keep an open container of drinking water in their refrigerators. This will reduce the chlorine taste. Water stored in refrigerated containers should be changed weekly.

<b>Free collection event cancelled due to weather</b>

Due to the inclement weather predicted for Beaufort County in the next few days, the secure shredding and medicine collection event scheduled for Oct. 8 has been cancelled. The event will be rescheduled at a later time. For more information, contact the Solid Waste and Recycling Division at 843-255-2736 or visit www.bcgov.net/recycle.

<b>Flood zone residents invited to workshop</b>

Property owners in flood hazard zones are invited to attend a workshop to learn how to reduce their flood insurance premiums. There will be two workshops held on Thursday, Oct. 6, in the first-floor meeting room at Beaufort City Hall, 1911 Boundary St. The first session will start at 3 p.m. and the second session will be at 6 p.m.

<b>Haley forms committee on veterans policy</b>

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley recently signed an executive order creating a Veterans Policy Advisory Committee.

Following active service, mobilization or retirement, members of the military face unique challenges - from finding jobs to coping with physical and mental health stresses - as they transition to civilian life.

The Veterans Policy Advisory Committee will analyze the contributions and needs of South Carolina's more than 400,000 veterans. It will then make recommendations for policy changes to the South Carolina Military Base Task Force and to the governor about how state government can best serve veterans' needs.

<b>Honor flights offered </b><b>out of Savannah</b>

Honor Flight Savannah will be taking World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans on a free trip to Washington D.C. on Friday, Oct. 14, to visit their war memorials.  The buses will leave from the air terminal at Hunter Army Airfield
in Savannah. The public is invited to arrive no later than 7:45 a.m. to give the veterans a great send-off to begin their trip. Bring a photo ID to get in the Hunter gate.

The mission of Honor Flight Savannah is to provide all-expense-paid trips for veterans to visit their war memorials in the capitol. The nonprofit organization depends entirely on donations from the community to fund these trips. To register for a trip, visit www.honorflightsavannah.org or call 912-366-9020.

<b>Wood duck boxes </b><b>to be available</b>

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with the S.C. State Chapter of Ducks Unlimited and the S.C. Department of Corrections, will continue the construction and distribution of wood duck boxes this winter.

Applications are available online at www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/waterfowl/woodduck/application.html and will be accepted until Tuesday, Nov. 1.

About 1,000 boxes will be available for distribution.

The wood duck is the most important waterfowl species in South Carolina and is the only duck whose breeding habitat can be managed effectively throughout all geographic regions of the state. The project supplements natural production in tree cavities of forested wetlands by providing artificial nesting sites. Fewer natural cavities are available today because of the impacts of human activity upon bottomland hardwoods. For more information, contact the Statewide Wood Duck Box Project at 843-844-8957.

<b>United Way seeking </b><b>committee volunteers</b>

The United Way of the Lowcountry is recruiting volunteers to serve on its Community Impact Committee. These volunteers help determine how undesignated United Way Annual Campaign donations will be distributed to local agencies and services throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties. Those who donate to United Way of the Lowcountry have the opportunity to serve on the Community Impact Committee and help determine what programs will provide the community with the greatest impact. No experience is needed and training is provided.

Contact Chrystie Turner at cturner@uwlowcountry.org or call 843-982-3040 for more information.

<b>Air patrol squadron earns recognition</b>

The Low Country Composite Squadron was recently awarded the 2016 Quality Cadet Unit award, placing it in the top 1 percent of over 1,000 civil air patrol squadrons in the United States.

This is the sixth year in a row in which the Low Country Composite Squadron has received this commendation.

There are 10 qualifying factors and goals which must be met for a squadron to be eligible to receive the Quality Cadet Unit. The Low Country Composite Squadron met nine of the 10 goals.

The Civil Air Patrol Low Country Composite Squadron meets weekly in the Hilton Head Fire Station near the airport.