Hilton Head News

The University of South Carolina Beaufort and partners have received a $1.3 million federal grant to develop programs at the South Coast Cyber Center. The grant was awarded to the non-profit South Coast Cyber Center, which is a partnership among the University of South Carolina Beaufort, Technical College of the Lowcountry, Beaufort Digital Corridor, city of Beaufort and Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation, and with business leaders. The South Coast Cyber Center aims to help recent graduates, exiting military personnel, and members of the community attain high-paying jobs by delivering affordable and relevant cybersecurity education and training. 

Paul Ianuario has been named chief judge of the 2021 Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival. He was the 2018 Honored Collector. Ianuario is a retired engineer who spent more than 40 years in the automotive supplier industry and has degrees in engineering, mathematics and physics. He is on the steering committees and boards of several major automotive museums, according to the Concours d’Elegance. 

John Farrell has been named director of sports operations at The Sea Pines Resort. Cary Corbitt, vice president of sports and operations, is retiring in May after a 44-year career at the resort. Farrell will be responsible for all golf operations in addition to overseeing golf operations for the RBC Heritage, tennis operations, and the longstanding relationship with the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy, a news release said. Corbitt joined The Sea Pines Resort in 1977 as a golf professional at the original Plantation Club. Corbitt has overseen sports, retail and resort operations, as well as special projects including golf course and clubhouse renovations. 

A Hilton Head Island resident bought a Powerball ticket in honor of her late mother and won $1 million, the S.C. Education Lottery said. The winner purchased 10 Powerball quick picks at the Speedway store on William Hilton Parkway on St. Patrick’s Day. The first five numbers matched to win her prize. The odds of winning $1 million are 1 in 11,688,054. For selling the ticket, Speedway received a commission of $10,000.

The town of Bluffton’s emergency ordinance that required face coverings in certain situations was not renewed. Town Council voted 4-1 not to extend the ordinance, which ended 12 p.m. April 14. “Whether to wear or not wear a mask in Town limits is now an individual’s choice,” Mayor Lisa Sulka said. “However, recognize there are still many who will prefer to wear their mask and we hope that individual choices will be respected by all.”

The University of South Carolina Beaufort has accepted an invitation to join the Peach Belt Conference in NCAA Division II. Upon acceptance of the NCAA Division II provisional process, USCB will begin competing with full conference schedules beginning with the 2022-23 seasons.

Red Cedar Elementary School set the Guinness world record for the most cereal boxes toppled in a domino fashion. On April 5, the school toppled 3,730 cereal boxes. The previous record was 3,416 boxes. The school collected 6,153 boxes, all of which will be donated to Bluffton Self Help with a handwritten message from a student attached to each one, the school said.

As sea turtle season begins, Amber Kuehn, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ permit holder, offers tips for beach goers to enjoy a safe and fun nesting season:

Some island folks consider May the start of the most exciting time to be on Hilton Head Island. That’s when the water temperature reaches 70 degrees and the seaturtles, mostly Loggerheads, come ashore to nest and lay their eggs along the island’s 14 miles of beach.

Jasper County will host a PGA Tour event this summer. Gov. Henry McMaster and Congaree Golf Club announced that the Palmetto Championship at Congaree will be held June 7-13 in Ridgeland. The FedExCup event will field 156 golfers. The tournament is expected to have more than a $50 million economic impact in the Lowcountry. The Palmetto Championship at Congaree will be broadcast on CBS, Golf Channel and PGA TOUR LIVE. The golf course is on U.S. 278 in northern Jasper County. The event joins the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing as a premier golf event in the Lowcountry. 

BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANS OUTDOOR GRADUATION CEREMONIES 

The Beaufort County School District plans on holding in-person outdoor graduation ceremonies for its 2021 graduates. To hold the ceremonies outdoors, the graduation schedule is adjusted in order to accommodate rain days: Beaufort High School, June 14 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 22 at 10 a.m.); May River High School, June 15 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 22 at 7 p.m.); Whale Branch Early College High School, June 16 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 21 at 7 p.m.); Hilton Head Island High School, June 17 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 19 at 7 p.m.); Bluffton High School, June 18 at 10 a.m. (Rain date: June 19 at 10 a.m.), Battery Creek High School, June 18 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 21 at 10 a.m.); June 23 is an extra rain day if needed. The district planned to submit plans to the S.C. Department of Commerce and Department of Health and Environmental Control for approval.

Tennis icons and Hilton Head residents Dennis Van der Meer and Kerry Melville Reid will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Known as the “teacher of teachers,” Van der Meer founded the Van der Meer Tennis Center on Hilton Head and Professional Tennis Registry. He was named Olympic Developmental Coach of the Year in 1997. Van der Meer, who died in 2019 at 86 years old, will be inducted posthumously. Reid, who lives on the island, will be inducted as part of the Original 9, which was a group of women in 1970 who signed $1 contracts to compete in a new women’s tournament, paving the way for the WTA Tour. The induction ceremony is set for July. 

SOLICITOR’S OFFICE COLLECTS ESSENTIAL ITEMS FOR CHILDREN’S SHELTER 

Essential items were donated recently to the area’s only home for abused and neglected children thanks to a community partnership between the Child Abuse Prevention Association, the 14th Circuit Victims Services Center and a Solicitor’s Office program. 

The Victims Services Center and the Pre- Trial Intervention program donated toiletries, healthy snacks, school supplies, and clothing to CAPA and the Open Arms Children’s Home, which primarily serves children ages 12 and older who have been removed from an abusive or neglectful situation. 

A Bluffton woman’s lucky numbers won her a $100,000 prize playing the South Carolina Education Lottery. 

The winning ticket was bought at the Parker’s No. 33 on Buckwalter Parkway in Bluffton. The numbers for the Feb. 25 drawing were 2-12-15-19-35. 

More people are eligible for coronavirus vaccinations. The S.C. Department of Health in March moved to Phase 1b, which includes all people age 55 and older. It also includes people 16-64 with “high-risk” medical conditions, frontline workers with occupational risk, and school staff. The state expects to further expand eligibility around April 12 by implementing Phase 1c, which will include those age 45 and up. Phase 2 is set to begin around May 3, in which people 16 and older will be eligible. Online appointments can be made at scdhec.gov/ vaxlocator or by calling 1-866-365-8110. 

It certainly has been a year like no other. And in no other year have we been more excited or grateful to welcome you back to the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. 

COVID-19 brought great perspective for all of us: Community is so important, especially through the biggest challenges. Challenges unimagined. To have the opportunity to welcome our fans back to the grounds is an honor.