Some Beaufort County Voters Will Have Precinct Changes

STORY 1From the Island NewsWith South Carolina’s June 9 primary election approaching, Beaufort County election officials are encouraging voters to double-check their polling locations after several precincts were temporarily relocated and a new precinct was added for the upcoming primary and any runoff election scheduled for June 23. The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections announced the changes in May. The relocations are temporary and apply only to the June 9 primary and June 23 runoff election. The changes affect voters in the Sheldon area, on Lady’s Island, on St. Helena Island and in portions of the Chechessee and Riverbend communities. Election Day voting will take place Tuesday, June 9, with polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Voters must cast their ballots at their assigned precinct on Election Day. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in a primary race, a runoff election will be held June 23. Early voting is underway and continues through Thursday, June 5. Early voting centers are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections office, the St. Helena Branch Library, the Bluffton Branch Library and the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Hilton Head campus. Voters are required to present a valid photo ID before casting a ballot. Acceptable forms of identification include a South Carolina driver’s license, a South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles-issued photo identification card, a voter registration card with a photograph, a military identification card, a Veterans Affairs identification card or a United States passport. Election officials are encouraging all voters, even those whose precincts are not among the temporary relocations, to verify their polling location before Election Day by using the South Carolina Election Commission’s “Find My Polling Place” tool or by contacting the Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections at 843-255-6900. The changes include several temporary polling place relocations as well as the creation of a new precinct in the Chechessee area.     Story 2From Bluffton Today The importance of protecting Bluffton’s waterways became the subject of an art contest and the winners were recently announced by the town. “Local Bluffton students recently submitted artwork to raise awareness of the need to protect our waterways and keep pollution out of the stormwater system,” a Town of Bluffton spokesperson said. One of the winning pieces of art was by A. DiPalma, a student at Cross Schools. The winners will soon have their artwork displayed on storm drains throughout Bluffton’s Historic District as part of this environmental awareness initiative. The following students had winning designs: • “What Goes Here, Flows There” - A. Di Palma, Cross Schools • “Be Mindful - We All Share the Same Ocean” - A. Lindberg, River Ridge Academy • “Never Litter. Love The May River” - L. DuBose, Hilton Head Christian Academy • “Keep Bluffton Flowing” - E. Hernandez, Bluffton High School Installation of the students’ artwork is tentatively scheduled for early June, dependent upon the weather, town officials said. “Thank you to all the students, schools, teachers, and families who participated in this project and helped raise awareness of the importance of protecting the May River and our local waterways,” a town spokesperson said.            Story 3 From the Post & Courier June is “Trails Month” in South Carolina, and it kicks off with National Trails Day on June 6. In Beaufort County, officials are taking the opportunity to highlight the much-loved Spanish Moss Trail and its impact on local health and tourism. Considered a crown jewel of the Lowcountry, the Spanish Moss Trail is a recognized segment of the national East Coast Greenway and draws more than 100,000 annual visitors to its scenic pathway. The 10-mile paved greenway features new family-friendly additions, including a specialized kids' track, the Downtown Beaufort Connector and the Ribaut Road Crossing into Port Royal. “We are incredibly proud of South Carolina, Beaufort County, the City of Beaufort and the Town of Port Royal for collaborating with the national celebration of trails for the entire month of June,” said Dean Moss, executive director of Friends of the Spanish Moss. Built along the historic Port Royal Railroad right-of-way, the greenway winds over creeks, through wetlands and under moss-draped live oaks, offering pristine coastal wildlife views and historic points of interest. While owned by Beaufort County, the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail advocate for continued development of the popular location. The story of the Spanish Moss Trail begins with the historic Magnolia Line Railroad. Established in 1870, the railroad operations ceased in 2003. Five years later, the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority acquired the right-of-way to use as a utility corridor. In January 2011, they granted a surface easement to Beaufort County to develop 14 miles of the corridor as a recreational trail, what would eventually become the Spanish Moss Trail. Since 2013, nearly 10 miles of the trail have been developed and are open to the hundreds of people who use it each day, connecting the city of Beaufort and the town of Port Royal. The public can participate in Trails Month by exploring the 12-foot-wide, Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible pathway from dawn to dusk through the six main trailheads: Westvine, Broome, Depot, Beaufort Plaza, Roseida and Clarendon. Participants can support the trail's preservation by practicing "Leave No Trace" principles, keeping pets leashed and adhering to the 15 mph speed limit for bicycles and Class 1 electric bikes. The “Leave No Trace” principles promote outdoor conservation by instructing visitors to plan ahead, travel on durable surfaces and dispose of waste properly. Outdoor visitors should leave natural objects untouched, minimize campfire impacts and respect wildlife by keeping a safe distance. “The Spanish Moss Trail is a wonderful asset not only to the county but to the southeast area,” said Alice Howard, Beaufort County Council chair. “We see visitors from other states and other counties on the trail. It is a great linear ‘park’ with all ages and stages of people enjoying the trail through marshes and woodlands plus providing another mode of transportation besides vehicles.” Participants are encouraged to share their experiences on social media using the hashtags #SpanishMossTrail, #NationalTrailsDay and #SCTrailsMonth. Visitors can also download the trail's free mobile guide app or donate directly to the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail at SpanishMossTrail.com.