The Lowcountry and parts of the state were unnerved Oct. 5 by a number of fake reports of active shooters at schools. The Beaufort Police Department received a phone call at 9:27 a.m. reporting there was an active shooter at Beaufort High School. Officials said the call was a hoax, but before it was determined, police officers and sheriff’s deputies swarmed the school to make sure it was safe. About 40 officers were inside the school at one point, a news release said. The false alarm was one of 22 received by schools in South Carolina that day, Sheriff P.J. Tanner said.

BY JILL HORNER

Did you know someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease every 65 seconds? Did you know in South Carolina there are 106,233 living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia? Here in Beaufort County the cases of Alzheimer’s have grown by 354% since the year 2000.

HHI RESIDENT RECOGNIZED FOR COMMUNITY COMMITMENT

Eleanor Lightsey was recognized by Beaufort County Council for her “commitment and dedication to the community” in making it a better place to live, work and play. She served the Lowcountry on various boards such as South Island Public Service District Board, Programs for Exceptional People, Forest Beach Owners Association, Board of Osprey Village, Community Vision of Hilton Head, Lowcountry Autism Foundation, Hilton Head Heroes and Safe Harbor and Turtle Trackers. In her professional career, she was named executive vice president of the Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors and became business manager for LowCountry InsideTrack, Ltd.

LOCAL, COUNTRY & STATE RACER

By James A. Mallory

Lowcountry voters will decide on Nov. 8 whether Congressional District 1 stays Republican or flips back to the Democrats. On Hilton Head Island, voters will choose a new mayor from among four candidates. Other state races include governor, U.S. Senator and a State School Superintendent.

DAVID LAUDERDALE RECEIVES PEGGY MAY INSPIRATION AWARD

The Board of the Foundation of Educational Excellence presented the 2022 Peggy May Inspiration Award to David Lauderdale for his “creativity, contributions, and passion throughout the Beaufort County communities over many decades as a journalist.” Lauderdale is a retired senior editor and columnist at The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. He served as Hilton Head Island’s St. Patrick’s Parade grand marshal in 2019.

The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra 2022-2023 season will include concert pairs of the nine Orchestra Series programs, free outdoor Symphony Under The Stars Pops concerts, and Hilton Head International Piano Competition. The HHSO will offer the Coastal Home Supper Club series and a new Gullah Cultural Series at its intimate performance space, SoundWaves at Coligny Plaza.

The Board of Directors of Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity unveiled the house named in honor of retired President and CEO, Pat Wirth. The Patricia Carey Wirth House is a celebration of the nearly two decades Wirth spent at the helm of this affiliate, leading tremendous growth in providing simple, decent housing for so many families in southern Beaufort and Jasper counties.

BY AMY COYNE BREDESON | PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY HILTON HEAD BIG BAND

ECLECTIC ENSEMBLE OF HILTON HEAD BIG BAND HELPS SUPPORT MUSIC EDUCATION FOR KIDS

What began as a club for musicians in Hilton Head Plantation more than a decade ago has evolved into a nonprofit organization that uses its combined musical talents to support music education for children in Beaufort County.

BY LILI COLEMAN

For the first time in U.S. history, older people are projected to outnumber children. The year 2030 will mark this important demographic turning point according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 national population projections. By then, all baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1965) will be older than age 65.