Estate Planning Attorney inBeaufort, SC

By Delayna Earley

The Island News

It looks like Beaufort is going to get snow for the first time since 2018.

Snow is exceedingly rare for the Lowcountry, an area more used to dealing with tropical storms, but meteorologists with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Charleston have become increasingly certain that Beaufort County may start to see wintery precipitation on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and continue into Wednesday.

When it snowed in January 2018, Beaufort received around four inches of snow, according to totals reported.

Current reports from NWS meteorologists are calling for the Beaufort area to receive freezing rain that will turn into snow and could result in one to two inches of accumulation.

A Winter Weather Warning has been issued for the Lowcountry beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 5 p.m. through noon on Wednesday as the risks of accumulating snow and freezing rain, as well as an “extended period of bitterly cold temperatures,” are expected to impact the area.

The area’s low temperatures are expected to be in the 20s, but with the wind chill, especially on Wednesday night, Beaufort could see near-record lows.

High temperatures during the day are expected to stay in the upper 30s and low 40s.

In northern Beaufort County, there is only one cold weather shelter.

Sea Island Presbyterian Church will be open as a cold shelter from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Wednesday nights and will provide showers, dinner and breakfast.

The church is located at 81 Lady’s Island Dr. in Beaufort.

Call 843-525-0696 for more information about this shelter.

Beaufort County School District announced that students would attend school for half a day on Tuesday and have an e-learning day on Wednesday.

According to spokesperson Candace Bruder, decisions about school closures on Thursday will be announced by 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) began pretreating the interstate and primary routes on Monday and will continue to do so until conditions are unsafe, according to spokesperson Hannah Robinson.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at [email protected].

Three Beaufort County food businesses and one Jasper County business were cited with “B” grades in February’s health inspections by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Here is a rundown of restaurants that received the lowest ratings in February:

Chophouse 119 scored 86% (B) on Feb. 13 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:

Chophouse 119 was reinspected on Feb. 21 and scored 100% (A).

Dolphin Head Golf Club scored 79% (B) on Feb. 11 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:

Dolphin Head Golf Club was reinspected on Feb. 21 and scored 100% (A).

Taqueria El Primo scored 85% (B) on Feb. 25 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:

Taqueria El Primo has not been reinspected as of March 7, but one is required within 10 days.

Bryan’s Country Store scored 79% (B) on Feb. 11 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included:

Bryan’s Country Store was reinspected on Feb. 20 and scored 100% (A).

Inspectors give restaurants a grade of A, B or C, depending on the conditions found at the time. Points are docked for various infractions, and restaurants have a chance to correct the problems and improve their score in a reinspection.

The grade scale is as follows:

During February, SCDA recorded 227 inspections of restaurants, schools, stores and other food establishments in Beaufort County and 43 in Jasper County.

The agency publishes the results of these health inspections on its website.

Newer food-grade decals include a QR code that customers can scan with their phones to see a food establishment’s latest report.

This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM.

Every Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m., a group of men gather for breakfast at Blackstone’s Cafe on Scott Street in Beaufort, South Carolina. They range in age—Steve Lanier just entered his eighties, while Ray Stocks is 100 years old. Many of the men have served in the military; the group spans all wars from World War II to present. Combined, they have 980 years of life experience.

And those are stories worth sharing.

That’s the heart behind “Breakfast in Beaufort: Journeys Through Life,” a new short documentary film produced and directed by Raymond Smith of Modos Media alongside his son, Andrew, the film’s editor and Director of Photography.

“Breakfast in Beaufort: Journeys Through Life” opens with the group of men enjoying company together each week—a continuation of small-town tradition, Robert DeLoach, 98, shares on camera, where men used to gather and talk over a cup of coffee. Their breakfast club covers all kinds of topics, providing a bit of “a history lesson” from the elders to the younger men in the group.

“We share a culture of respect, of learning—you can share who you are and help them grow, but much more importantly, you grow yourself by listening to them,” Lanier, 80, shares in the film.

Eleven men are featured in “Breakfast in Beaufort: Journeys Through Life,” each with their own words of wisdom as interviewed in their homes: W.R. “Skeet” von Harten, Pat Garrett, Guy McSweeney, Steve Lanier, Mike Keyserling, Merle Mulvaney, Ray Stocks, Carter Swenson, Robert DeLoach, Daryl Fergusen, and Tom Mikell. They speak on themes and life lessons they remember from their own parents, including advocacy, kindness, responsibility, and hard work.

The film is airing at the 19th annual Beaufort International Film Festival, which runs through February 23, 2025 at the University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Arts. With its local connection and timely message of turning a listening ear to elders, the film’s screening—happening Saturday, February 22—is already sold out.

“This film is about elders, not a phrase often used in our society—some see older people as past their ‘sell-by date’ or irrelevant,” Smith shared with Southern Living. “In this film, we see a combined 980 years of experience, learning, and wisdom of a group of older men who join each other each week to share breakfast and their stories and thoughts. We see their energy, humor and care for us all.”

As reported by The Island Packet, Smith clarified that while the documentary features many veterans, it is not just focused on wartime experiences. The idea was first brought to Smith by the film’s executive producer, Richard Sribnick—a doctor who lives part-time just northeast of Beaufort on Lady’s Island.

After coming across the men at Blackstone’s one Wednesday, Sribnick approached Raymond and Andrew with the original idea to share stories of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. To Smith, there was a greater opportunity to unearth wisdom from around the breakfast table.

“[Our elders] encourage us to be better toward each other and show that small gestures can bring about surprising impact, sometimes even on a global scale,” Smith told SL. “So next time you see an older person sitting alone, just say hello and you may be surprised by what you will learn.”

This ties into one key lesson that the men themselves share in the film. “Pay attention,” says 92-year-old W.R. “Skeet” von Harten on screen. “Enjoy what you’ve got. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself. If you get tired, sit down and rest. If you want to go, go…Be happy, be kind, be productive, and don’t complain. That’s what this 92-year-old says.”

The director is also working on sharing the short documentary film on SCETV, the state’s public educational broadcast network.

It's a good reminder—whether you're able to catch the screening or not—to cherish the words and memories that are so quickly lost from generation to generation, with thoughtful questions and intentional listening. You may want to digitize some of your old family photos to go along with Nana and Grandpa's stories, as well.

With South Carolina quickly becoming one of the top spots for moving and Beaufort County ranked in the top five best counties to raise a family, it’s important to know some of the basics of living in a new place.

Although not the most exciting aspect of moving, waste collection is a critical function for any city.

Here’s everything you need to know about trash pick-up, convenience centers and trash burn laws for areas within Beaufort County.

For the City of Beaufort, Capital Waste Services provides residents with weekly household trash collection.

They also provide once per week yard waste collection, every other week mixed recyclables collection and bulk item collection by appointment, which you can schedule by phone or online.

For the unincorporated areas of Beaufort County and contracted curbside locations, the following companies provide trash pick-up:

For Beaufort County residents of apartments and condominiums, your complex may provide bulk pick-up from a complex dumpster, but recycling collection may not be offered.

Beaufort County offers convenience centers for residents to dispose of their residential trash. Four of these locations offer recycling options.

To use the Beaufort County convenience centers, you must have a recycling decal and solid waste pass. You can register for one or both online here.

All nine centers are open 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., but different centers are open on different days:

When it comes to burning trash, the state of South Carolina bans burning residential and household trash items.

Open burning can pose environmental and safety risks, according to the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services. In addition to causing brush, residential and forest fires, open burning can release toxic pollutants into the air and produce ash containing toxic metals.

These toxic materials can then be inhaled, ingested by children in contaminated soil or absorbed by produce through soil, resulting in potential health risks.

In South Carolina, it’s illegal to burn:

However, Beaufort County does permit residents to burn certain items.

According to the City of Beaufort Fire Department, these items include natural vegetation, yard debris, limbs, leaves and other natural items.

It is recommended that before you burn any natural vegetation items, you request a permit by calling the burn request line at 843-525-7032 on each day on which burning will be conducted.

For first-time burns, the permit holder must have their property and burn area inspected by a fire official before the permit is issued.

Beaufort County states that all burning must be done before 3 p.m. and that there must be a nearby water source.

However, certain requirements, contact numbers and burn ordinances vary by municipality, so it’s important to check with your nearest fire department for those protocols.

For additional information about burn permits and requirements in Beaufort County, refer to the burn ordinances or contact the City of Beaufort Fire Marshal’s office at 843-525-7055.

This story was originally published January 28, 2025 at 6:00 AM.

BEAUFORT — It's been nearly two days since several inches of frozen precipitation started to fall across Beaufort County. With daytime temperatures hovering in the 30s over the intervening days, the hard-packed snow and ice remains stubbornly in place on the region's roads, prompting schools, businesses and government offices to announce their intentions to remain closed Jan. 24.

"After consultation with Emergency Management regarding current and expected road conditions impacted by ice, frozen sleet, and snow, there will be no school or E-learning tomorrow, Friday, January 24, 2025, and district buildings will be closed," wrote Beaufort County School District spokesperson Candace Bruder in an email, adding that all extracurricular activities planned through Jan. 26 will be rescheduled.

Classes are expected to resume Jan. 27.

Across the border in Jasper County, schools will have an e-learning day Jan. 24 and all evening activities will be rescheduled.

Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head and Port Royal municipal offices will all be closed, as will county government offices.

"After consultation with Emergency Management regarding tonight's forecast and road conditions, county offices will remain closed on Friday, January 24, 2025. This includes the convenience centers," wrote Beaufort County spokesperson Hannah Nichols in an email to The Post and Courier.

Ferry service to Daufuskie Island is expected to resume Jan. 24, though that could change depending up weather conditions. Due to accumulations of ice, both Hilton Head Island Airport and Beaufort Executive Airport remain closed, and travelers are encouraged to check with their respective carriers for more information.

Hours for warming shelters in Beaufort County have been extended as a result of the unusually long cold spell.

In Beaufort, Sea Island Presbyterian Church, located at 81 Lady’s Island Drive, opened its cold weather shelter at 5 p.m. Jan. 19. The shelter will operate from 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. through the morning of Jan. 25. Service animals are allowed, but pets are not permitted.

On Hilton Head Island, Christ Lutheran Church, 829 William Hilton Parkway, opened a cold weather shelter Jan. 20. It will remain open through the morning of Jan. 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Service animal are allowed, but pets are not permitted.

The National Weather Service reported that 2 to 4 inches of snow and sleet fell over the county overnight Jan. 21 into the early morning Jan. 22. Temperatures rose above freezing Jan. 22, but plummeted with nightfall, leaving new layers of dangerous ice on county roads.

Any number of public safety agencies have issued warnings about the potential for the formation of black ice as melting ice refreezes when overnight temperatures drop. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office issued a statement Jan. 23 requesting that drivers stay off the roads unless travel cannot be avoided. Travel on primary roads like U.S. 278 and S.C. 170, the advisory said, is improving, but some hazards remain. However, travel on secondary, rural and private roads remains hazardous.

"Please keep in mind, that regardless of conditions improving on certain roads, shaded areas could potentially still be frozen," read the advisory in part.

Up to this point, residents appear to be heeding the warnings and staying off the roads. The Bluffton Township Fire District reported that it had only received a single call for an auto accident since the winter storm set in during then evening of Jan. 21. North of the Broad River, the Beaufort/Port Royal Fire Depart responded to a single multivehicle accident with injuries and two noninjury auto accidents.

"Thankfully, residents are listening to public safety officials and staying off the road," said Stephen Combs, public information officer for the Bluffton Township Fire District.

The National Weather Service has advised that the cold weather that has gripped the area in recent days will likely continue through the weekend, though daytime highs will begin to creep up. The warming trend is expected to continue into next week, when highs in the 60s are forecast.