Hilton Head Monthly Voice Voice of the Lowcountry 
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.
STUDENTS HEAD TO HILTON HEAD FOR COLLEGE ETHICS SYMPOSIUM
BY TIM WOOD
There is a nationally renowned event molding feature leaders that has taken place on Hilton Head Island for more than four decades that you may never have heard of.
The Beaufort County public facilities committee voted to narrow the scope of the U.S. 278 Corridor project down to Moss Creek through Windmill Harbor. At a County Council meeting in mid-September, County Council Chairman Joe Passiment said a memorandum of understanding has been sent from Beaufort County to the town of Hilton Head Island, with the hope of reaching an agreement on the project.
The football number worn by Dwon “D.J.” Fields Jr. will not be worn again after Bluffton High School retired his No. 55. A ceremony was held Sept. 16. Fields was shot and killed March 2021. Fields’ death stunned the community last year.
A 63-year-old Missouri man died Sept. 9 after an early morning fire in Palmetto Dunes. Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue said three occupants of the home at 1 Dinghy Lane evacuated before Fire Rescue arrived, one was rescued from the second floor and another occupant was transported to a hospital with serious injuries.
Residents of the Chimney Cove Village were not expected to be evicted in September, as originally planned. Eviction notices to residents of the low-income apartment complex on Hilton Head Island were rescinded according to a letter they received from management. News of the pending evictions spurred the community to action, including non-profits, religious organizations and businesses.
The Beaufort County School District said results of the South Carolina Palmet to Assessment of State Standards in Science and the South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Assessments examinations in English Language Arts and Mathematics show “a period of academic recovery from the pandemic,” noting that in all grades but one, ELA scores are the highest in the school district’s history since the inception of SC Ready in 2016. ELA and mathematics and science scores are equal to or greater than the state’s in all grade levels.
A proposal to allow golf carts on multi-use paths on Buckwalter Parkway and Bluffton failed to move ahead. The ordinance failed on Beaufort County Council’s first reading with a 5-5 vote. Those voting against the proposal cited safety concerns.
Tickets are on sale for the 55th RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. The event is set for April 10-16, 2023 over the famed Harbour Town Golf Links. The tickets will be 100% digital. Make a purchase by Oct. 15 to be entered into the Ultimate RBC Heritage Experience Sweepstakes, which includes a chance to win accommodations for two at the Inn and Club at Harbour Town and Calibogue Club ticket upgrades. Purchase tickets by visiting www.rbcheritage.com.
The H. E. Trask Boat Landing is open to the public. The cost of the project was expected to cost $288,609. Part of the cost is funded by a Hospitality Tax Grant ($52,309) with the balance of $236,299 covered by the Public Works Department. Beaufort County is conducting a survey of boat ramp users.
The U.S. Department of Transportation selected Hilton Head Island Airport as a recipient of a $250,000 grant award for marketing. The federal grant will educate travelers about the benefits of flying directly to the island’s airport.
BY VICKIE MCINTYRE | PHOTO BY GUIDO FLUECK
LUCY SCANDRETT’S MUSICAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A LIFETIME FULL OF ACHIEVEMENT
Even before greeting Hilton Head Island resident and professional harpist, Lucy Scandrett, I know she’s a master musician by the ethereal glissando I hear as I approach her front door.
JOE DISTELHEIM AWARD RECOGNIZES LITERACY STUDENTS
BY AMY COYNE BREDESON
Throughout his 38 years in journalism, Joe Distelheim was a mentor to many. After retiring from his position as editor of The Huntsville (Ala.) Times, he and his wife, Dottie, moved to Hilton Head Island, where Joe continued to impact lives.
