THE HUNDREDS OF ATTENDEES TO AN OPEN HOUSE AT THE HILTON HEAD REC CENTER HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE BRIDGE PROJECT TO GET THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC ONTO HILTON HEAD ISLAND EASTBOUND IS NOT GOING TO BE FINISHED IN SOME OF THEIR LIFETIMES. NEARLY 20 STAFFERS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PUT ON A VIDEO SHOW FOR ATTENDEES TO EXPLAIN HOW THE THREE-LANE EASTBOUND BRIDGE IS LIKELY TO LOOK BETWEEN THE BLUFFTON PARKWAY FLYOVER AND WINDMILL HARBOR, WHERE THE PROJECT WILL HAVE TO BE PICKED UP BY THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD. IT SHOWS A NEW CONFIGURATION FOR PINCKNEY ISLAND TRAFFIC THAT WILL ELIMINATE ANY LEFT TURNS WITH A NEW ROAD UNDER THE BRIDGE. HERE’S THE BAD NEWS. FINAL DESIGN IS NOT EXPECTED UNTIL THE SPRING OF 2027, WITH CONSTRUCTION NOT BEGINNING UNTIL EARLY 2028, WHICH MAKES COMPLETION NOT LIKELY UNTIL INTO 2031.
BEAUFORT MAGISTRATE JUDGE THOMAS HOLLOWAY GOT A FIRST-HAND LOOK AT WHAT DETAINEES HE SEES FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY DETENTION CENTER, SPENDING NEARLY SIX HOURS BEHIND BARS AFTER AN ARREST FOR SUSPICION OF D-U-I. THE 61-YEAR-OLD HOLLOWAY WAS INVOLVED IN A WRECK ON SEA ISLAND PARKWAY WHERE ANOTHER CAR TURNED INTO HIS. BOTH DRIVERS WERE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES. HOLLOWAY SUFFERED A BROKEN NOSE AND POSSIBLY A CONCUSSION. HE REFUSED A BREATHALYZER TEST AT THE SCENE AND WAS CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT WITH A BLOOD-ALCOHOL CONTENT UNDER POINT-10. HE’S A LONG-TIME ATTORNEY AT THE LAW FIRM OF HARVEY AND BATTEY, BUT ALSO PRESIDES OVER CRIMINAL AND TRAFFIC CASES AS MAGISTRATE, INCLUDING THE BOND HEARING FOR FORMER SHERIFF’S DEPUTY BILLY SQUIRES LAST WEEK.
YOUR HALLOWEEN TRICK-OR-TREATERS SHOULD BE A BIT SAFER TONIGHT AS THE STATE PAROLE BOARD IS ENFORCING A HALLOWEEN CURFEW FOR ALL SEX OFFENDERS WHOSE CRIMES INVOLVED A CHILD. OFFENDERS HAVE TO REMAIN INSIDE THEIR HOMES BETWEEN 5:30 AND 9 TONIGHT, TURN OFF ALL PORCH AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS AND ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DISTRIBUTE CANDY OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHER HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES. PAROLE AGENTS WILL BE CONDUCTING HOME VISITS AND SURVEILLANCE CHECKS THROUGHOUT THE EVENING.
GOT YOUR HALLOWEEN CANDY READY FOR THE TRICK-OR-TREATERS? THE FOLKS AT INSTACART SAY WE AMERICANS BUY TWICE AS MUCH CANDY FOR HALLOWEEN THAN ANY OTHER DAY OF THE YEAR, EVEN MORE THAN VALENTINE’S DAY. SOUTH CAROLINIANS ACTUALLY BUY 1% LESS HALLOWEEN CANDY THAN THE NATIONALL AVERAGE. UTAH IS THE NUMBER ONE STATE IN THE BUMP IN CANDY SALES IN OCTOBER, FOLLOWED BY WYOMING, OREGON AND IDAHO. THE LOWEST RATES OF CANDY PURCHASES OVER THE REST OF THE YEAR ARE IN HAWAII, FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA. REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS ARE STILL THE MOST POPULAR CANDY PURCHASED, FOLLOWED BY PEANUT AND CLASSIC M&M’S AND KIT KAT BARS, THOUGH HERSHEY’S MILK CHOCOLATE BARS RE A UNIQUE FAVORITE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. AND WE’RE ALSO PARTIAL TO WHAT INSTACART SAYS IS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL TREAT- CANDY CORN.