Hilton Head News

Paul Ianuario has been named chief judge of the 2021 Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival. He was the 2018 Honored Collector. Ianuario is a retired engineer who spent more than 40 years in the automotive supplier industry and has degrees in engineering, mathematics and physics. He is on the steering committees and boards of several major automotive museums, according to the Concours d’Elegance. 

John Farrell has been named director of sports operations at The Sea Pines Resort. Cary Corbitt, vice president of sports and operations, is retiring in May after a 44-year career at the resort. Farrell will be responsible for all golf operations in addition to overseeing golf operations for the RBC Heritage, tennis operations, and the longstanding relationship with the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy, a news release said. Corbitt joined The Sea Pines Resort in 1977 as a golf professional at the original Plantation Club. Corbitt has overseen sports, retail and resort operations, as well as special projects including golf course and clubhouse renovations. 

A Hilton Head Island resident bought a Powerball ticket in honor of her late mother and won $1 million, the S.C. Education Lottery said. The winner purchased 10 Powerball quick picks at the Speedway store on William Hilton Parkway on St. Patrick’s Day. The first five numbers matched to win her prize. The odds of winning $1 million are 1 in 11,688,054. For selling the ticket, Speedway received a commission of $10,000.

The town of Bluffton’s emergency ordinance that required face coverings in certain situations was not renewed. Town Council voted 4-1 not to extend the ordinance, which ended 12 p.m. April 14. “Whether to wear or not wear a mask in Town limits is now an individual’s choice,” Mayor Lisa Sulka said. “However, recognize there are still many who will prefer to wear their mask and we hope that individual choices will be respected by all.”

The University of South Carolina Beaufort has accepted an invitation to join the Peach Belt Conference in NCAA Division II. Upon acceptance of the NCAA Division II provisional process, USCB will begin competing with full conference schedules beginning with the 2022-23 seasons.

Red Cedar Elementary School set the Guinness world record for the most cereal boxes toppled in a domino fashion. On April 5, the school toppled 3,730 cereal boxes. The previous record was 3,416 boxes. The school collected 6,153 boxes, all of which will be donated to Bluffton Self Help with a handwritten message from a student attached to each one, the school said.

As sea turtle season begins, Amber Kuehn, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ permit holder, offers tips for beach goers to enjoy a safe and fun nesting season:

Some island folks consider May the start of the most exciting time to be on Hilton Head Island. That’s when the water temperature reaches 70 degrees and the seaturtles, mostly Loggerheads, come ashore to nest and lay their eggs along the island’s 14 miles of beach.

The Martin family was honored by the town of Bluffton with a ribbon cutting for Martin Family Park. Jake and Ida Martin were recognized for being “exemplary” community leaders, the town said. At 60 years old, Ida founded Bluffton Self Help, Inc. in 1987. President Barack Obama awarded Ida the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2011. In 2012, she founded the Bluffton Community Soup Kitchen. Jacob Martin was a police officer in Michigan and Illinois. He was a teacher at McCracken High School in Bluffton and retired as a district office administrator after 23 years of service. 

Jasper County will host a PGA Tour event this summer. Gov. Henry McMaster and Congaree Golf Club announced that the Palmetto Championship at Congaree will be held June 7-13 in Ridgeland. The FedExCup event will field 156 golfers. The tournament is expected to have more than a $50 million economic impact in the Lowcountry. The Palmetto Championship at Congaree will be broadcast on CBS, Golf Channel and PGA TOUR LIVE. The golf course is on U.S. 278 in northern Jasper County. The event joins the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing as a premier golf event in the Lowcountry. 

BLUFFTON’S BRYSON NIMMER READY TO COMPETE AT RBC HERITAGE

It was the Tuesday before Bryson Nimmer would begin play in the Puerto Rico Open, when he got the phone call he had long dreamed about. 

Steve Wilmot was on the other end. 

The 53rd RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing takes place at Harbour Town Golf Links April 12-18. The prestigious event will feature limited spectators on-site and strict health and safety protocols, which you can learn about in our RBC Heritage Guide. The tournament, held annually since 1969, is expected to feature some of the world's best golfers. Webb Simpson returns to defend his title, and Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia are scheduled to compete. Our guide offers a snapshot of some of the top golfers set to participate, offers an update on the Heritage's safety protocols and takes a look at the economic impact in our community. The guide also provides a complete listing of the televison coverage. Enjoy the action.

TEAM RBC EMBODIES PINNACLE OF PERFORMANCE

Team RBC was established in 2009 and consists of 14 elite male and female golfers who embody the pinnacle of golf performance, according to Heritage Classic Foundation marketing and communications director Angela McSwain. Ambassadors support RBC's client-hosting experiences and marketing initiatives and display RBC branding on their apparel and golf bags. Webb Simpson, the RBC Heritage defending champion, is an ambassador. These are a few of the other ambassadors who are scheduled to play at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing this year, including South Carolina-born Dustin Johnson.

WEBB SIMPSON WILL DEFEND RBC HERITAGE TITLE

Webb Simpson is back to defend his championship at the 53rd RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. The April 12-18 tournament is at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island. 

Simpson, a Team RBC Ambassador, surged through a tightly packed leaderboard last June to win the Heritage. He finished 22-under-par 262 to beat a group that included Daniel Berger, Sergio Garcia and Brooks Koepka. The winning score was a record, beating Brian Gay’s 20-under 264 finish in 2009. 

BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANS OUTDOOR GRADUATION CEREMONIES 

The Beaufort County School District plans on holding in-person outdoor graduation ceremonies for its 2021 graduates. To hold the ceremonies outdoors, the graduation schedule is adjusted in order to accommodate rain days: Beaufort High School, June 14 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 22 at 10 a.m.); May River High School, June 15 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 22 at 7 p.m.); Whale Branch Early College High School, June 16 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 21 at 7 p.m.); Hilton Head Island High School, June 17 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 19 at 7 p.m.); Bluffton High School, June 18 at 10 a.m. (Rain date: June 19 at 10 a.m.), Battery Creek High School, June 18 at 7 p.m. (Rain date: June 21 at 10 a.m.); June 23 is an extra rain day if needed. The district planned to submit plans to the S.C. Department of Commerce and Department of Health and Environmental Control for approval.

This year’s RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing will be played with limited spectators and strict health protocols because of the coronavirus pandemic. The annual event will still make an impact in the community. 

Patrons who flock to Harbour Town Golf Links to watch some of the world’s top golfers have traditionally pumped millions of dollars into Hilton Head Island’s shops, restaurants and hotels.