🌱 How are Beaufort’s rural fire crews preparing without hydrants?
Beaufort, South Carolina Patch AM: a 5 min readGreetings Beaufort! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How are Beaufort’s rural fire crews preparing without hydrants?
- Would you spot this Beaufort County phone scam before it’s too late?
- How worried should Beaufort County residents be about West Nile now?
Also on today's calendar: We Need Early Childhood Education To Close Student Achievement Gap and 5 more events.
Today's riddle: Why did the football player hit the vending machine? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Friday: Humid with a thunderstorm, with a high of 92 and low of 79 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Saturday: Mostly cloudy and humid, temps: high: 87, low: 75.
- Sunday: An afternoon t-storm; humid, with a high of 87 and low of 74 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Lowcountry fire districts hold joint mobile water supply training (wsav.com) — Fire crews in Burton and Sheldon are teaming up to practice hauling water to rural parts of northern Beaufort County that lack hydrants, strengthening response when a real fire breaks out. Their annual joint training focuses on moving 2,000-gallon tenders efficiently so firefighters aren’t learning under emergency pressure. This preparation directly boosts fire protection for Beaufort’s outlying communities. 
2. Sheriff's Office warns of scam calls across Beaufort County (wjcl.com) — Beaufort County residents are being urged to hang up on suspicious callers after a rise in scam reports, especially those pretending to be law enforcement demanding immediate payment. Deputies stress that no legitimate agency will ask for gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency over the phone. Locals are advised to slow down, verify numbers independently, and report any scam attempts quickly.
3. West Nile virus detected in South Carolina mosquitoes (wyff4.com) — West Nile virus has been confirmed in mosquitoes trapped in Beaufort County, prompting health officials to urge residents to step up mosquito protection. Doctors recommend EPA-approved repellents, long sleeves, window screens, and removing standing water, noting most infections are symptom-free but some can cause serious neurological illness. Locals are also asked to report heavy mosquito infestations to area control programs.
4. Bluffton man charged with felony drug offenses in Beaufort County (wjcl.com) — A Bluffton resident has been booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center on multiple first-offense felony drug charges involving methamphetamine and crack cocaine. Details on the underlying investigation, raid, and any seized items have not yet been released, but the case will proceed in General Sessions Court. Local readers should expect more information as authorities share updates.
5. USCB collaborators featured in Science Advances paper on coral conservation (yourislandnews.com) — Researchers and artists connected to the University of South Carolina Beaufort are helping shape a new global approach to coral conservation that blends science with creative storytelling. Their work, including projects based on USCB’s Beaufort campus and Pritchards Island, emphasizes engaging local and Indigenous communities. The Science Advances paper argues that art can make complex reef science more personal and actionable worldwide.
📸 Around Beaufort
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🗓
Upcoming Events in
Beaufort
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
-
Gullah/Geechee Famlee Day 2026 →
Penn Center, 16 Cir E, St Helena Island
12:00 pm
Saturday July 25
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
-
Beaufort Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees (FINANCE MEETING)
Beaufort County Government Center Boardroom, Third Floor, Beaufort Memorial Medical and Administr
9:00 am -
Planning Commission Meeting →
Port Royal Town Hall - Port Royal SC 29935
5:00 pm -
Southern Lowcountry Regional Board (T)
Beaufort County Government Center 11 Recreation Court, Bluffton, SC - Rotary Community Center
10:00 am -
Beaufort Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees (BOARD MEETING)
Beaufort County Government Center Boardroom, Third Floor, Beaufort Memorial Medical and Administr
7:30 am -
Burton Fire District Commission
Beaufort County Government Center 14 Bruce K Smalls Road, Beaufort
12:00 pm -
Annual Meeting + Business After Hours Hosted by South Atlantic Bank
Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce 37 Robert Smalls Pkwy, Beaufort, SC 29906
5:00 pm -
We Need Early Childhood Education To Close Student Achievement Gap →
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 178 Sams Point Road, Lady’s Island, SC
10:00 am
Monday July 27
Tuesday July 28
Wednesday July 29
Thursday July 30
Sunday August 2
📣 Beaufort Shout Outs!
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🗓 Events Nearby
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Northern Beaufort County Regional Plan Implementation (T)
Beaufort County Government Center Executive Conference Room, Administration Building, Beaufort Co
9:00 am -
McIntosh Book Shoppe, Beaufort, SC →
McIntosh Book Shoppe, 917 Bay St, Beaufort
1:00 pm -
Noel & Maria: You Make My Dreams Come True: A Jazz Celebration of Hall and Oates →
The Jazz Corner, The Village at Wexford, 1000 William Hilton Pkwy C-1, Hilton Head Island
6:30 pm -
Rockin' the River →
Beaufort Water Festival HQ, 103 Charles St, Beaufort
7:00 pm
Friday July 24
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Beaufort PatchAM possible:
- John W. Molony Law Firm, LLC — (843) 762-5732
Arrested? Call Criminal Defense & DUI Lawyer John W. Molony!
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Neighbors, PLEASE, remember.
NO COMPANY, your bank, your investment company, your phone company, your cable and internet company, your HVAC, roofing, or plumber, the butcher, the… (Nextdoor Ladys Island) - Hi, neighbors!
I’m originally from South Africa and have happily made the Lowcountry home. I work in public service and enjoy being involved in the community, but… (Nextdoor 100 Pines)
- MCR Hotels posted a job opening for Houseperson in Beaufort. Apply here.
- Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Inc. posted a job opening for Part Time Meat Clerk in Beaufort. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Beaufort here.
Ok Beaufort! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: He wanted his quarter back. (Thank you Pat S. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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