<strong>League of Women Voters Beaufort Area meeting Sept. 12</strong>

The monthly meeting of the League of Women Voters Beaufort Area is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at Beth Israel Synagogue on Scott St.

Marie Smalls, Director of Beaufort County Voter Registration and Elections, will explain the county’s new voting system. The meeting is free and open to the public.

<strong>MCRD Parris Island holding live-fire training</strong>

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island will be commencing live-fire training Sept. 14 and 15 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The marsh and waterways in the range impact area -- to include Archers Creek, Ribbon Creek, and Edding Creek – will be closed to boater traffic.
For questions regarding firing times and waterway closures please contact the Weapons and Field Training Battalion Range Control at 843-228-3170.

<strong>2 percent state accommodations tax applications deadline changed</strong>

The Beaufort County Accommodations Tax Board is accepting applications from organizations in the County wanting to receive grants from the 2 percent state accommodations tax fund.

Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16. The Board decided to extend the previous deadline of Sept. 9 due to county offices being closed during Hurricane Dorian.

South Carolina law allows for a 2 percent tax levy on the rental of all transient accommodations to help provide financial support to promote tourism and fund tourism-related activities in municipalities and counties within the state. As a result, individuals staying overnight in hotels, motels, inns, and vacation rentals pay 2 percent in addition to the statewide sales tax and any local sales and use tax applied to their lodging cost.

Direct questions regarding the application process to Linda Maietta at 843-255-2297 or <a href="mailto:atax@bcgov.net">atax@bcgov.net</a>.

<strong>SC AG Wilson joins investigation of Google</strong>

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Monday, Sept. 9 that he’s part of a multistate, bipartisan investigation of tech giant Google’s business practices in accordance with state and federal antitrust laws. The investigation includes 50 attorneys general.

The bipartisan coalition announced plans to investigate Google’s overarching control of online advertising markets and search traffic that may have led to anticompetitive behavior that harms consumers. Legal experts from each state will work in cooperation with Federal authorities to assess competitive conditions for online services and ensure that Americans have access to free digital markets.

“No company, no matter how big and how powerful, is above the law. Every citizen has the right to the protection of his or her privacy even from internet giants. We will get to the bottom of and answer these very serious questions regarding Google’s practices,” said Wilson.

<strong>SC AG Wilson files brief in abortion case</strong>

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined a 19-state effort in defending the right of states to prohibit abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

“The very first, most fundamental right is the right to life, and I’ve always been committed to protecting that,” Wilson said. “This is also an issue of protecting the ability of states to pass laws that their citizens want without interference from the federal government.”

The coalition’s brief leans upon the concept a fetus is capable of experiencing pain at the 20-week threshold, if not before.

The Supreme Court has long recognized that states have valid interests in regulating abortion upon the grounds of women’s health and protecting the dignity of human life.

The brief, filed Tuesday with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, supports the constitutionality of North Carolina’s 20-week ban as applied to abortions both before and after the point of viability.