Hilton Head Monthly Magazine Voice of the Lowcountry Over the next 30 days, the Town of Bluffton will waive fees for permits to make structural repairs for damage sustained to properties from Hurricane Matthew. During this 30-day period, the Town will not be accepting new single family or commercial permits unless a special circumstance is warranted.
“We want residents affected by the storm to have first priority when it comes to fixing their home,” said Town Manager Marc Orlando.
Professional building inspectors will conduct a survey of homes for potential hazards. They will leave behind a placard to communicate the results of their inspection. The color of the placard indicates the condition of the structure, and how safe it is to enter.
Citizens' Drop-Off Sites will be activated on Friday, October 14, 2016. These Drop-Off Sites are for the use of residents/property owners only and will accept landscaping debris, construction debris, and white goods (household appliances) only at these locations. No commercial use is authorized. The Drop-Off Site locations are as follows:
The American Humane Association is teaming up with Palmetto Animal League to create a Pet Disaster Recovery Center at the PAL Adoption Center in Okatie’s Riverwalk Business Park. American Humane’s rescue team has arrived at PAL with two giant, 50-foot emergency rescue vehicles ready to provide emergency aid for animals and pet owners affected by Hurricane Matthew.
The Town of Bluffton, to assist residents with the Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts, is placing industrial-sized dumpsters at three sites for disposal of storm debris:
Dumpsters will be available Wednesday, October 12th, 2016 and will only be in place for a limited time. Residents are reminded that these dumpsters are to be used for storm debris only which includes tree branches, limbs, twigs, trunks and other debris from plants and trees.
Those wishing to make a donation to or volunteer for recovery efforts are asked to work through Community Foundation of the Lowcountry In the wake of devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew, individuals, groups and corporations wishing to donate to recovery and rebuilding efforts in the Lowcountry can make donations to Community Foundation of the Lowcountry's Disaster Recovery and Rebuilding Fund. Community Foundation of the Lowcountry is the organization of record to receive donations for disaster recovery and rebuilding in Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton and Colleton Counties.
Improving the lives of Beaufort’s County’s children, one child at a time
Pristine beaches, meandering bike paths and manicured golf courses create a pretty picture of island living. For most tourists and residents of Hilton Head Island, this epitomizes their way of life; a life that is aesthetically pure and surrounded by beauty and relaxation. There are, however, island residents who live more in the shadows than in the sunshine.
“When those who have the power to name and to socially construct reality choose not to see you or hear you, whether you are dark-skinned, old, disabled, female or speak in a different accent or dialect than theirs, when someone … describes the world and you are not in it, (it feels) … as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing.” — Adrienne Rich, poet
Hilton Head Island recently received more high praise from the travel magazine Travel + Leisure. The publication ranked Hilton Head No. 2 out of 15 on its list of “America’s Favorite Beach Towns.” It stated, “Repeat visitors have been championing this South Carolina golf and beach resort for decades.
The online travel site Expedia recently published a list of its favorite destinations to celebrate life’s biggest moments. For expecting mothers, the site said there’s no place like Hilton Head Island, ranking it the No.1 destination for a “babymoon.”
Southern Living recently included Bluffton on its list of 15 “Best Places to Retire.” The magazine focused on towns that have unique amenities, a low cost of living, opportunities for volunteering, part-time work and continued learning. Other important factors were a stable housing market, access to medical care, and an airport or train station close by.
An English teacher with more than 30 years of classroom experience was named the 2016-17 Beaufort County School District Teacher of the Year. The selection of Elizabeth MacMurray, who teaches ninth-grade English at Hilton Head Island High School, was announced during a recent breakfast celebration to honor teachers of the year from all of the district’s schools.
More South Carolinians will soon be able to harness the power of the sun, thanks to a new solar energy initiative by South Carolina Electric & Gas Company. The company recently announced plans to launch a community solar partnership with Clean Energy Collective. An alternative to rooftop solar, CEC’s RooflessSolar will give SCE&G residential electric customers, schools, churches and municipalities the opportunity to subscribe to or purchase panels in solar farms and receive credit for solar generation on their energy bills each month.
Beginning Oct. 1, operating hours will expand at southern Beaufort County’s two library branches. The Hilton Head Island library will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Town of Hilton Head Island issued $27.885 million GO Refunding Bonds on Sept. 1 to achieve savings through lower interest rates. The new bonds replaced 2005, 2008 and 2010 bonds totaling $28.440 million. The town will realize $3,000,322 in savings over the life of the bonds. Recently, the town underwent a rigorous bond ratings process; all three municipal bond rating agencies affirmed the town's strong ratings citing strong financial practices leading to ample financial reserves and high liquidity as well as a very strong economy.
Open enrollment is the period each year when you’re allowed to start, stop or change your health insurance plan. Normally, you sign up around the end of one calendar year for coverage that lasts the full next year. The open enrollment window for private, individual health plans will last three months for 2017 coverage: Nov. 1 to Jan. 31.
