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HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Hampton County School District announced the passing of Angela Heape, a former teacher in the district, in a Facebook post. “It is with great sadness that Hampton County School District mourns the passing of Angela Heape, a former teacher in our district,” the post said.
Jasper County is advancing plans to widen a 4-mile stretch of U.S. 278 to six lanes between the Beaufort County line and John Smith Road. The $80 million project is funded by a 2024 voter-approved penny sales tax, with construction expected to begin in 2033. FULL STORY: Road between Hilton Head and I-95 is widening. What to expect Here are key takeaways: Two options on the table: Alternative 1 widens U.S. 278 to the outside, keeping the 48-foot-wide grassy median. Alternative 2 widens into the existing median, requiring a concrete barrier at intersections and crossovers. Project manager’s view: Jeff Buckalew of Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering said widening to the outside is preferable, “but we’ll see what the public says.” Where things stand: The public comment period has closed, but Jasper County officials said no decisions have been made. They are using public input and other information to determine a preferred alternative that will guide the design work ahead. Timeline and cost: The $80 million project will be built in two phases, with right-of-way acquisition starting in 2029, construction in 2033 and roughly three years to complete. How it’s funded: Voters approved a 1% sales tax in 2024 expected to raise
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) has released its October food inspection reports. Two restaurants, two schools and a Parker’s scored less than A. Inspectors from the SCDA inspect restaurants and other food-serving establishments across the state on a routine basis. The frequency of inspections is based on the establishment’s risk-factor for food-borne illness and its compliance history, according to the SCDA. Grades are awarded on a 100-point scale, with A grades above 87 points, B 78 points, and C less than 78 points. Repeat infractions can result in lower letter grades no matter the points. Here’s why these Beaufort County establishments received their grades, and if their violations were corrected: E-Tang Asian Bistro Inspectors awarded E-Tang Asian Bistro, located at 811 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head Island, a C grade with 75 points in its Oct.15 routine inspection. Inspectors observed: An employee drinking from an open cup and eating from a bowl on the hot line Employees failing to wash hands between cleaning and food preparation, an employee washing hands without soap, and an employee washing hands in a food preparation sink “Fresh rodent droppings in a pool of Lemon-Lime Soda Syrup,” as well as rodent droppings
VARNVILLE – Make no bones about it, Hampton County has gone to the dogs. The rural, Lowcountry county has been in financial disarray and is now under state police investigation. It also suffers the stigma of being the former home of South Carolina’s most-notorious man: confessed swindler and accused family slayer Alex Murdaugh, whose ongoing criminal saga remains in the spotlight. Now, on top of all that, Hampton County is increasingly overrun by stray animals. County employees and nonprofit pet organizations are struggling to respond to an overwhelming number of wild dogs and cats in the 560-...
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) -Three Effingham County residents who previously sued the county over a zoning ordinance have filed a separate lawsuit seeking damages from OpenAI, the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, county commissioners and other officials. The suit alleges a concerted effort to keep Project Camellia, the land transaction and its terms secret from the public until the land was committed.
Past-due Guyton utility balances must be paid by the close of business on Nov. 25 to avoid utility disconnections, a city spokesperson said Tuesday.
BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — Bulloch County held a retirement celebration for a long-term county employee. Pat Lanier Jones is set to retire on Dec. 18 after 41 years of service across three county departments. Jones first worked in the Bulloch County Probate Judge's office. "When elections was moved...
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is hunting for new spots across Beaufort County to expand or replace the landmark 163-year-old Beaufort National Cemetery. One top contender is apparently a 100-acre wooded lot in Bluffton near the May River, about 25 miles away from the current location. That Bluffton property is going for $6.5 million , but local zoning rules currently ban cemeteries, so the owner has been trying to get Beaufort County to change the rules. However, the Beaufort County Council rejected the proposed text amendment in a 7-3 vote Monday, preventing cemeteries within the May River Community Preservation District. Despite the setback, representatives for the property owners intend to explore alternative legislative routes to enable the land sale. Real estate broker John Binder affirmed, “We’re not going to give up.” The urgency for a zoning solution stems from space constraints at the historic 44-acre Beaufort National Cemetery, which is rapidly approaching capacity. Major expansion completed President Abraham Lincoln created the cemetery during the Civil War for Union soldiers who died in local hospitals during the federal occupation following the 1861 Battle of Port Royal. It contains over 18,500 to 19,000 burials spanning every major American conflict from the
BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Beaufort County Council has denied the latest request to make way for a golf course on St. Helena Island, upholding a cultural protection overlay that prevents golf courses from being built there. The decision came after hours of discussion at the Beaufort County Government Building,...
BEAUFORT, S.C. – The City of Beaufort is providing an update on ongoing work associated with the Charles and Craven Streets Drainage Project. Crews will return to Charles and North streets beginning around 5 to 7 a.m. Monday, November 9, to perform additional paving work. The work is expected to take approximately four hours to complete.
The town is getting ready for the holidays and everyone is looking forward to the upcoming City of Beaufort Holiday Weekend Celebration. The weekend of December 4th through 6th will be packed with music, food, entertainment, shopping, parades – and Santa, of course!
Beaufort County constitutes one of our country’s most unaffordable housing markets, worse than major U.S. metro areas including greater Boston, Denver, and Washington, D.C. The median home costs 6.6 times the median income in the Hilton Head Island metropolitan statistical area, according to 2025 data mapped by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. By that […]
Beaufort County isn’t just where I live. It’s home. This community raised me. I attended Lady’s Island Elementary, St. Helena Junior High, and Beaufort High School. My grandmother and mother attended Beaufort County schools. My children attended our schools, and now my grandson does, too. Our schools are part of my family’s story, and their future matters to me.
HARDEEVILLE, S.C. (WTOC) - Hardeeville broke ground on a new fire station that is expected to open in 2027. The more than 12,000-square-foot facility on Village Drive in Ridgeland will have three vehicle bays and 10 private bunks for firefighters. Emergency response. City Manager Josh Gruber spoke about what the...
BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - ERRECINQUE USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Italian manufacturer ERRECINQUE, has selected Beaufort County for a new distribution and customer support facility. The company plans to invest approximately $5 million over five years and create more than 10 new jobs. About the company. Founded in 1981...
BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV) – The 2026 Beaufort County Veterans Day Parade will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday. A community lineup will take place at 8:00 a.m. on Adventure Street in Beaufort County. The parade will start in front of Beaufort National Cemetery. It will then head down Boundary Street, curve onto Bay Street […]
The Town of Bluffton is opening a new 18-hole disc golf course in New Riverside Barn Park. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Friday, November 13, at 10 a.m. The event is free, open to the public, and will include a disc golf demonstration. An area of...
Colleton County announces the appointment of Kenneth DeLee as its new County Veterans Affairs Officer. Kenneth is honored to accept this opportunity to serve the veterans and families of Colleton County. His new role will allow him to assist veterans with accessing federal and state benefits; this includes disability compensation, healthcare resources, education benefits, pension programs, and other services.
BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Beaufort County property owners can get answers about their assessments at four county library branches through mid-December. Staff from the Beaufort County Assessor’s Office will be available to explain how properties are valued, answer questions about exemptions and appeals, and help with general property questions.
The Beaufort County Council voted Monday to extend its data center moratorium from one year to two years.
