Palmetto Dunes Cares seeks grant applications for its 2021 grant program. It looks to provide grants to organizations providing services to citizens impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus will be in the areas of health, education, and human services. Applications are available at palmettodunescares.org and are due Feb. 1, 2021.

Dale McDorman has been named chief of the city of Beaufort Police Department.

McDorman, who was appointed interim chief after the death of Matthew Clancy in July, has been with the Beaufort Police Department since 1995, according to the city of Beaufort.

The Town of Hilton Head Island is selling 2021-2022 beach parking passes, available only to Town of Hilton Head Island property owners and residents. The passes cost $30 per vehicle and are valid until Dec. 31, 2022. The pass allows property owners and residents to park in designated spaces at Islanders Beach Park at 94 Folly Field Road, and Driessen Beach Park at 64 Bradley Beach Road. In addition, pass holders are not required to pay meter fees at any of the Town’s public access beach parking lots. 

This year’s Christmas parade in Bluffton will be a socially distanced celebration. The town of Bluffton plans to host a “reverse” Christmas Parade on Dec. 5. The parade’s entrants will be stationary on May River Road as spectators drive by. Entrants will be positioned a minimum of 10 feet from each other and a safe distance from the traveling vehicles, the town said. No candy or promotional items may be distributed. The parade begins at 10 a.m. 

Southwest Airlines plans to begin service at Savannah/Hilton Head International in 2021. The addition of Southwest Airlines means nine airlines at the airport will operate with non-stop service to more than 28 destinations. No launch date or destinations have been announced. Last year, more than three million passengers flew in and out of the airport. 

A Beaufort woman won $2 million after she bought a lottery ticket after voting. The South Carolina Education Lottery said after casting her ballot, the woman stopped at the Parkers #58 on Savannah Highway in Beaufort with the intention to buy a drink. She also decided to play some numbers. 

The next day, she checked her Mega Millions ticket and thought she won $1,000. But her husband looked at the ticket and disagreed, according to the S.C. Education Lottery. 

The Beaufort County School District will resume face-to-face instruction five days a week beginning Jan. 4, a news release said. 

The district said it decided to return to face-to-face instruction after reviewing COVID-19 infection rates in other South Carolina school districts that have resumed face-to-face instruction. 

The Bluffton Township Fire District has opened Station 38. The facility, its ninth fire station, is off Raider Drive and Hampton Parkway. 

The building is Category 5 rated. It will be the district’s emergency operations center during natural disasters. The station was built for $3.4 million 

Eric Greenway is Beaufort County’s interim county administrator. 

County Council and Greenway agreed to a contract which will keep him at the position until June 30, 2021. 

“I appreciate Council’s confidence in me and am pleased to have this opportunity to further serve the citizens of Beaufort County,” Greenway said.