The effects of Hurricane Ian were felt in the Lowcountry, but it did not directly hit the area, and there were no major impact, according to officials. Town of Hilton Head said Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue responded to six downed trees with no injuries or significant damage. Sustained winds of 38 miles per hour and gusts of 52 miles per hour were recorded on Hilton Head Island. Beaufort County saw about 1.5 inches of rain. The storm strengthened (Category 1) as it reached the Charleston area, bringing about eight inches of rain.

A 1.78-acre site at May River Road is the new designated spot for more affordable homes thanks to a new public-private partnership between the town of Bluffton and developer Workforce State of Mind LLC. The homes will be affordable and reserved for those who are income-qualified, regardless of market values, for 30 years, a news release said. Bill Herbkersman, managing member of Workforce State of Mind, says while the need is immediate, the project is currently in the design stage.

The Town of Bluffton plans to host its 51st annual Bluffton Christmas Parade through Bluffton’s Historic District, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. The tree lighting ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at Martin Family Park, followed by Santa’s Workshop at DuBois Park’s Pavilion. The movie, “The Grinch,” will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Martin Family Park. The Town asks parade entrants to give a donation to the Bluffton Lutzie 43 Charitable Fund, in lieu of a parade entry fee. The deadline for parade applications is Nov. 11.

Renovations and a DHEC inspection on the Bluffton Pool on Pritchard Street were completed, which led to its re-opening in mid-October. The repairs cost $900,000, which included replacing the roof panels and structural roof clips that hold the roof to the structural beams. An anti-corrosive paint was added along with replacing the lighting over the pool. The pool had been closed since earlier this year after an initial inspection showed damage that “created a high probability that the roof structure would fail in the event of high winds or heavy rainfall,” a news release said.

Lowcountry voters will head to the polls on Nov. 8. Hilton Head Island voters will choose a new mayor and there are council races. There are also Beaufort County school board and council races. For a sample ballot specific to your district, visit scvotes.org and click “Get My Sample Ballot.”

Brian Mixson, a former fighter in Jasper County, was honored by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Mixson, 32, suffered a stroke while on duty on March 5, 2021. He was transported to a local hospital and died 12 days later. Mixson served as a firefighter and EMT in Jasper County for more than 14 years. He was one of 148 firefighters recognized at an event in October.

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.