March 15, 2022 • Volume 25, Issue 6 • Complimentary • BlufftonSun.com
INSIDE • On the Porch with Josh and Kali Cooke at Corner Perk 10A • TV show features local tale of ghosts, murders, mediums 14A • Newbies Guide: Who’s in town and who’s not 17A • School choice for 2022-23 year ends March 31 24A • Spring arrives when the shad show up 39A
Broadband project to connect entire county to internet access By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
A recent donation from Hargray Communications to Beaufort County highlighted the latest efforts to ensure every resident has access to the internet through fiber-optic cables through the Broadband for Everyone program. At the presentation of a $20,000 check Feb. 28, Hargray representative Richard Knoll noted the efforts made during the past four years in replacing the county’s copper cable lines with fiber-optic technology. “Even today on the island and in Bluffton and Beaufort there’s still copper out there, but we’re making a lot of investments building out more fiber,” Knoll said. “The donation was made to ensure entire residen-
tial communities have internet access and to help this project get started a little bit faster.” The Federal Infrastructure bill, America Rescue Plan Act, state and local initiatives, coupled with local service providers like Hargray, will transform broadband within the county, according to a press release from the county. Knoll also acknowledged the work load he has shared during the past four years with Patrick Hill, assistant county administrator for Communications and Information Technology. “We currently have four providers in Beaufort County,” said Hill. “Hargray and Spectrum are the biggest; Centurylink and Xfinity have very small pockets in the
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COURTESY BEAUFORT COUNTY
Patrick Hill, left, Beaufort County’s assistant county administrator for Communications and Information Technology, accepts a $20,000 check from Rich Knoll, director of business sales for Hargray Telecommunications , as part of Hargray’s Broadband for Everyone program.
Free tuition offer at TCL continues through summer semester Technical College of the Lowcountry’s paid tuition program will continue through the summer of 2022, offering South Carolina residents the opportunity to further their education – for free. Launched in November, the program was made possible through a combination of federal, state and private funding sources
and covered Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters. It now covers tuition and fees for those who are eligible through the summer semester. Registration and enrollment for summer and fall classes begins March 28. TCL’s paid tuition program is available to South Carolina residents with a desire to
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April 11, 2022
Spring Island
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begin or continue their education, including: • Adults with some college • Adults with no college • Recent high school graduates All college-eligible students who enroll in a TCL academic program for six credit hours or more per semester are eligible for TCL’s paid tuition program for Summer 2022.
The program includes required fees but does not include books or required supplies and does not apply to Dual Enrollment and/ or Transient Students. To qualify, students must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), or FAFSA waiver (if applicable). For more information visit tcl.edu.