IILOCAL NEWSII
“in the know ” Tropical Storm Elsa brought to the Lowcountry heavy rain and power outages, a Bluffton native was crowned Miss South Carolina, and the U.S. 278 improvement project’s recommendation was revealed. Here’s what made news during the previous month:
TROPICAL STORM ELSA
MISS SOUTH CAROLINA
TROPICAL STORM ELSA KNOCKS OUT POWER, BRINGS DOWN TREES
BLUFFTON WOMAN CROWNED MISS SOUTH CAROLINA
Trees and power lines were knocked down the night of July 7 and early July 8 during Tropical Storm Elsa. Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue said it responded to more than 66 incidents, including 33 trees fallen in the road. Palmetto Electric reported approximately 19,800 outages on Hilton Head Island at the height of the storm, a HHI Fire Rescue news release said. Bluffton Township Fire District said it received six reports of trees falling on houses. No injuries had been reported. Rain soaked the Lowcountry with a reported 4-5 inches of rain in Bluffton and on Hilton Head Island. Wind gusts of 81 mph were recorded on the Calibogue Sound at 11:13 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Charleston. The National Weather Service said a storm survey confirmed there were tornadoes in Port Royal and Parris Island.
Julia Herrin of Bluffton was crowned Miss South Carolina on June 26. Herrin, 19, is an Auburn University student. She will participate in this year’s Miss America competition and will receive a $60,000 scholarship. She competed as Miss Clarendon. The Miss America competition is scheduled for December. “I am honored and humbled to be Miss South Carolina 2021,” Herrin said in a Facebook post. “I can not say thank you enough to every person who has encouraged and loved on me, not just over the last few days, but on my entire journey in the Miss America Organization over the last six years.”
14 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M
PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE US 278 PROJECT The U.S. 278 Corridor Improvements documents are available to view, and the formal comment period has begun. View
all materials online through Aug. 22, or schedule an appointment at the Island Rec Center (20 Wilborn Road) Aug. 18-21. The plan, in part, is for South Carolina Department of Transportation to widen U.S. 278 between Moss Creek Drive and Squire Pope Road from four to six lanes. It would replace the existing four bridges to the island with a single, six-lane bridge. Estimated cost is $289,902,745. For more information, visit scdot278corridor.com.
BEAUFORT COUNTY COUNCIL PASSES 2022 BUDGET Beaufort County Council approved a $132.6 million budget for the 2022 fiscal year. It includes a millage rate increase of 0.6 mills. The budget increased by $2 million because of an 8 percent increase in tax revenue because of population growth, the county said. A news release noted eliminating unfilled staff positions creates about $800,000 in savings. The
