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City to celebrate Arbor Day
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BEAUFORT ity of Beaufort officials will be celebrating Arbor Day Friday, Dec. 5, with planting of a new tree in one of the city’s public parks. The ceremonial planting is done in conjunction with the city’s designation of Tree City USA, an acknowledgment from the U.S. Forestry Service that Beaufort has held for the past 33 years, along with 3,586 other recognized municipalities. The national recognition goes along nicely with all the publicity our lovely, moss-laden oak trees get when tourism and real estate folks are trying to sell the area. The City Parks and Tree Advisory Board has been pushing for years for an official tree survey which would show just how much of the tree’s canopy exists and to be used as a measuring stick to show how it’s being reduced. But the cost of that survey is estimated to run high, and with the City’s current list of major pending projects such as restoration of the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park seawall, those funds for a tree survey don’t seem to have been earmarked. While celebration of the “Tree City” designation takes place, it’s interesting to note the city Planning Commission, just last month, gave a nod to a preliminary sketch plan for The Grove at Broad River, a 204-unit apartment complex to be built on a currently wooded piece of property between Broad River Boulevard and Paris Island Gateway. City planners said the developers from Raleigh, N.C., had worked with the city regulations to reduce some of the tree removal. Maybe they could be convinced to follow the lead of some
SEE LOWDOWN PAGE A6
Wreaths Across America Day is set for noon, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 at Beaufort National Cemetery. File photo
Beaufort cutting it close Wreaths Across America still more than 5,000 wreaths away from covering all headstones
By Mike McCombs The Island News It’s less that two weeks before Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, and David Edwards is in an unusual position. The Beaufort coordinator for the event at Beaufort National Cemetery, Edwards admits he’s worried that they won’t be able to place a Remembrance Wreath on every headstone at this year’s event. “Were at 19,000,” Edwards said by phone Monday, Dec. 1. “I need 5,600 more and I’m not sure if I’m going to get there or not.” According to Edwards, there are roughly 30,000 interned at Beaufort National Cemetery, and roughly
Despite the streak, Edwards did not take for granted that all the headstones would be covered this year. Edwards has had this job for 18 years and he remembers how difficult it was to even get to that point to begin with. “I thought it would get easier but it really gets more stressful every year,” he said. “Some of the people that used to sponsor the wreaths … well, they’re out there with their loved ones now and they can’t spon25,000 wreaths are needed to cover sor a wreath.” And he said other National Cemeall the headstones. Should Edwards and the Beaufort teries are facing the same challenge. “It seems like sponsorships are community close the gap in time, it would make six straight years every headstone had been covered. SEE WREATHS PAGE A6
Celebrate the Holidays with these Beaufort events
By Delayna Earley The Island News The holiday season is here, and Beaufort has no shortage of festive events available to help everyone celebrate the season, beginning this week.
Gullah Kinfolk Christmas Wish…Freedom 2025 – USCB Center for the Performing Arts On Thursday, Dec. 4 and Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m., history comes alive in this interactive full-stage musical about the last
Christmas before the Civil War. South Carolina has just seceded from the Union, talk of war is in the air and talk of freedom is spreading among servants in the Quarters. Tickets are available for purchase.
A Night on the Town – Downtown Beaufort On Friday, Dec. 5, from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Beaufort. Kick off the season with music, shop-
SEE HOLIDAYS PAGE A4
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LWS seeks co-commissioners for Melillo’s ‘The Hope of Humanity’.
Beaufort U10 Girls All-Stars win state championship.
Sinus infection? Learn how to relieve the pressure
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VISIT THE Maritime Center THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
FREE ADMISSION! Closed Dec. 24-25, 31 & Jan. 1 310 Okatie Highway | (843) 645-7774 | VisitPRSF.org
OPEN Tues-Fri: 10am-5pm, Sat: 10am-4pm
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