Hilton Head and Beaufort County endorse airport plan

The top elected officials of Hilton Head Island and Beaufort County have agreed on a direction for potential airport expansion.

At a joint meeting of the town and county councils in July, the two bodies endorsed a proposal that came out of the airport’s master plan process calling for expanding the runway to 5,400 feet from the current 4,300 feet. But the councils also asked the consultant to look at the possibility of expanding the airport to 4,600 feet, town manager Steve Riley said.

Read more: Hilton Head and Beaufort County endorse airport plan

Bluffton starts construction of law enforcement center

Bluffton’s current law enforcement facility is so cramped, police officers have to walk prisoners through office space right by the station’s employees’ desks. Officials have carved extra space out of its 5,000-square-foot facility, including building cages in the garage area of the building and leasing some trailers to hold evidence.

“We’ve been as creative as we know how to be,” Chief David McAllister said.

Read more: Bluffton starts construction of law enforcement center

Mobile classrooms eliminated at Bluffton

For several years, overcrowded schools in Bluffton were forced to use mobile classrooms to accommodate growing student bodies. But this fall, students and teachers will finally be waving goodbye to mobile classrooms.

With the opening of two new schools this fall—Bluffton Middle School and Pritchardville Elementary—in addition to the Red Cedar Elementary and two new early childhood centers that opened last school year, the district will have enough building space to accommodate all of its students.

Read more: Mobile classrooms eliminated at Bluffton

Race for mayor is on

On Nov.2, Hilton Head voters will go to the pollsto elect a new mayor. This interview with mayoral hopeful Tom Crews is first in a series of profiles of the candidates.

Read more: Race for mayor is on

Expanded runway may be on horizon

The long-awaited master plan update for the Hilton Head Island Airport has landed, and for the first time, extending the runway looks like a real possibility.

Read more: Expanded runway may be on horizon

Task force helps create new vision for island

In the early days of the Sea Pines Company when Hilton Head Island was making a name for itself as an up-and-coming place to visit, everyone on the island was on message.

Read more: Task force helps create new vision for island

How does oil spill affect Lowcountry?

When the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded on April 20 in the Gulf of Mexico, 11 people were killed — and oil has been leaking into the gulf since then. Now, tourism officials from Mississippi to Florida are hoping that the oil slick doesn’t come ashore on their beaches. Meanwhile, tourism officials here are trying to gently guide tourists in our direction.

Read more: How does oil spill affect Lowcountry?

Early voting ending on Hilton Head

Beaufort County residents won’t have the chance to vote early on Hilton Head Island this year after Town Hall said it could no longer handle the huge demand for early and absentee ballots. The state allows residents over 65 to vote absentee before Election Day, but the town is eliminating its early voting option after the flood of county residents taking advantage of the program continued to grow.

Read more: Early voting ending on Hilton Head