Stem Cell Injections in Okatie, SC

The three-story 54,000-square-foot medical office building will be located at 700 Buckwalter Towne Blvd. Construction of this new facility will consolidate existing services in the Bluffton area into one location and provide new specialties for the community. The new services to be provided include:

To inform program recommendations, market share and demographic analyses and growth projections for nearby communities were considered.

The MUSC Health Bluffton Medical Pavilion will create nearly 60 new jobs, including 17 providers. Increasing the medical staff in the Bluffton market is a collaborative effort with MUSC Health and Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

The MUSC Health Bluffton Medical Pavilion will be constructed on a parcel of land adjacent to the planned Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Community Medical Campus that includes a freestanding Emergency Department and an ambulatory surgery center.

“MUSC Health is aligned with Beaufort Memorial Hospital on recruitment priorities to increase the medical staff in the Bluffton area,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., MUSC Health CEO and executive vice president for Health Affairs, University. “We are committed to supporting Beaufort Memorial as the organization grows in Bluffton and to bringing medical specialties closer to home.”

The MUSC Health Bluffton Medical Pavilion is scheduled to open in spring 2026. For more information about this project, please visit MUSCHealth.org/BMP.

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About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org. MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.

Update: Service returned to the area late Tuesday night after crews completed repairs to the cut fiber, Sparklight announced at 11:55 p.m.

Hundreds of Sparklight customers were without internet in Beaufort County and beyond due to a third-party fiber cut, the company said Monday afternoon.

Sparklight, which rebranded from Hargray Communications in August of last year, said residents of Beaufort, Lady’s Island, Okatie, Ridgeland, Estill and “a portion of Hardeeville” were affected by the outage.

“Our technicians are on-site and working diligently to repair and restore services as quickly as possible,” read a social media statement posted around 2 p.m. Monday.

Local outage reports began to spike around 1:45 p.m., according to Downdetector, which monitors internet issues across the country.

Owned by Cable One, Sparklight serves over 1 million customers in 24 states. It’s the phone and internet provider for the vast majority of residents and businesses in the Beaufort County area.

Phones went down around 1:45 p.m. at the offices of Beaufort County Animal Services. Many county offices use Sparklight as an internet and phone provider, so issues across local government buildings were likely.

911 services across the county were unaffected by the outage, according to Master Sgt. Danny Allen, a spokesperson for the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. The department’s non-emergency dispatch line was still operational, he added.

Monday’s outage follows a 10-hour internet disruption in September, less than a month after Sparklight’s rebrand. Caused by four separate fiber cuts made by a “third party” in Georgia and South Carolina, the outage plunged the workday into chaos for thousands of residents and local businesses.

This story was originally published February 3, 2025 at 3:23 PM.

While Winter Storm Enzo may have delayed the grand opening of Bluffton’s newest playground, once children see all of the rope climbing structures, swings and slides, it’s going to be difficult to keep them away in advance of the grand opening on February 22.

This playground may be the area’s best, eclipsing Lowcountry Celebration Park the Town of Hilton Head Island opened in 2020 in the Coligny-area.

That will soon be decided by Bluffton’s families that have moved to the greater Bluffton area.

This playground is located on the 37-acre parcel named the New Riverside Barn Park where the iconic red barn sits that greets drivers as they whisk around the May River Road and Okatie Highway traffic circle.

It is the first phase of the 37-acre property that the Town of Bluffton purchased from Palmetto Bluff in 2018. In 2019 then Bluffton Town Manager Marc Orlando said, “It’s important to create community open space in this section of Bluffton.”

What will likely be the biggest attraction will likely be the zip line (watch video above).

There are activities for all age groups and swing sets that allow parents and children to swing as a duo.

There are several structures that young people can practice their parkour talents.

A built up berm that allows kids to crawl through a tunnel or take a slide.

There are plenty of rope structures for young people to climb to improve dexterity and balance.

While there isn’t much natural shade from vegetation, the town has built several structures at New Riverside for people to get out of sun or rain - or just to take a rest.

There is a sitting area outside the park covered by a pergola with bathrooms and water fountains that lead to the park’s entrance.

The ground is covered by a cushioned turf that in areas is highly colorful., especially if children get dizzy from a new take on merry-go-rounds - the spinner bowl.

The full plan for New Riverside Barn Park

The second phase, currently under development, is the barn. Plans include expanding it and renovating it into a space that can be used for private- and community-wide events. It is scheduled to be finished by this year.

Date for grand opening and park hours

The grand opening for the park has been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22 starting at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the normal operating hours for the park will be from sunrise to sunset.

This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 4:00 PM.

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March 31, 2025 12:55 PM

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Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette visuals editor Drew Martin has been in the media industry for more than 25 years in visual storytelling. He has disseminated news using a variety of storytelling methods, including the use of info-graphics, photography, animation and video. Support my work with a digital subscription

Palmetto Animal League announces Pets for Adoption

Foxie is a sweet, affectionate, 1-year-old girl who has seen a lot with those amber eyes. When she first arrived at Palmetto Animal League, she was terrified of everything. But that all changed when she went into a foster home. Showered with patience and understanding, Foxie blossomed into a confident, happy dog who is full of life. Now, she's more than ready to share her heart with someone who will love her forever. She is spayed, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped. For more info, call PAL at 843-645-1725 or email Info@PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.

Jethro is a true gentleman with a heart of gold. This 4-year-old stunner was blessed with fur as soft as silk. His blue eyes, undeniable good looks, and charming personality are sure to make you fall in love. Don't wait! If you think Jethro might be your soulmate, come meet him at Palmetto Animal League today before someone else snatches him up! He is neutered, up to date on vaccinations, and microchipped. For more info, call PAL at 843-645-1725 or email Info@PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.

Attorney General announces SC Human Trafficking Task Force partners with Safe House Project to help ensure the safety of victims

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Chair of the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force, announced the launch of a statewide certification program for service providers working with human trafficking victims. The new program is in partnership with Safe House Project, a national non-profit providing certification, survivor support, and safe housing options for those that have been trafficked.

“South Carolina’s efforts to better protect human trafficking victims began with the 2019 launch of a Victim Service Provider Certification for Human Trafficking Professionals, the first of its kind in the nation,” said Wilson. “The State will now require Safe House certification for residential and community-based programs, another first in the nation.”

Up to 20 programs in South Carolina will receive certification services each year. Eight non-profits will be invited for the first cycle of the process. The State Task Force will include those who receive certification in its online resource directory. Certified programs will also be included in the National Human Trafficking Hotline victim services referral list.

Kristi Wells, CEO of Safe House Project, said, “South Carolina will become the first state to require Safe House Certification for both residential and community-based services supporting survivors of trafficking.”

“As we work to expand Safe House Certification across the country, partnerships like South Carolina’s will serve as a model for other states,” said Brittany Dunn, COO of Safe House Project. “Our goal is to strengthen survivor care nationwide by ensuring every program has the tools, training, and resources to provide the highest level of trauma-informed, survivor-centered support.”

For more information about anti-human trafficking efforts in South Carolina, please visit the State Task Force website at humantrafficking.scag.gov. To report an incident or seek victim services, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. The Hotline is confidential and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Beaufort Memorial now accepting applications for Rising Star Youth Volunteer program

BEAUFORT, S.C. – For its fourth summer, Beaufort Memorial will be hosting a select group of area high school students as “Rising Stars” to learn about career opportunities in health care and the pride that comes with serving the community in such a meaningful way.

Only a few days remain for interested high schoolers to submit their applications for one of Beaufort Memorial’s two Summer 2025 Rising Star Youth Volunteer program sessions. The deadline is April 4.

The two sessions will be held June 9-20 and July 7-18. High school students will document 60 volunteer hours over the two-week-long sessions, earn Basic Life Support and Stop the Bleed certifications and see first-hand what it is like to work in a variety of health care settings, such as hospital units, physician offices, adult and pediatric physical therapy, cancer services, operating room and cardiac rehabilitation.

In addition to spending time working within clinical areas, Rising Star Youth Volunteers will learn about the variety of positions found in Beaufort Memorial’s five career clusters: Hospitality, Business, Support Services, Diagnostics/Therapeutics and Direct Patient Care. Upon completing the program, volunteers will receive a certificate of participation and a letter confirming volunteer hours for their college applications.

“The health care industry involves a wide variety of career paths, both clinical and non-clinical,” said program coordinator Kathy Bingham. “The Rising Star Youth Volunteer program allows high school students to learn about each career cluster at Beaufort Memorial, giving them valuable tools to help them determine where their passions lie and their future career path.”

To be eligible for the Rising Star Youth Program, volunteers must be currently enrolled sophomores, juniors or seniors in high school, at least 15 years old by June 9, 2025, and fully vaccinated against hepatitis B; measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); varicella; tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap).

Additional eligibility requirements, as well as program guidelines, a full list of important dates and application information can be found at BeaufortMemorial.org/RisingStar.

Local sales tax changes coming to five SC counties on May 1

​​​​​New Local Sales and Use Taxes will take effect in five South Carolina counties on May 1. Those counties are:

The statewide Sales and Use Tax is 6 percent. Counties may impose an additional 1 percent Local Sales Tax if voters in that county approve.

Almazan named to Washington University's Dean's List for Fall 2024

Rosy Almazan, of Bluffton, was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2024 semester at Washington University in St. Louis. Almazan is enrolled in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences.

To qualify for the Dean's List in the College of Arts and Sciences, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above and be enrolled in at least 14 graded units.

Washington University in St. Louis is among the world’s leaders in teaching, research, patient care and service to society. WashU is distinctive in its purpose-driven scholarship across a wide range of academic disciplines, its highly supportive residential undergraduate experience and its world-class research enterprise, which addresses scientific, social and economic challenges locally, nationally and globally.

Bluffton students named to 2024 University of Minnesota Twin Cities Dean List

The following students have been named to the 2024 fall semester Dean's List at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the university recently announced.

To qualify for the Dean's List, a student must complete 12 or more letter-graded credits while attaining a 3.66 grade point average.

The two Bluffton students include John Crousore, a Freshman at the Carlson School of Managementand Charles Desrosiers, a Senior in the College of Liberal Arts.

Smith, Shepherd named to Ohio University's Fall 2024 Provost's List

Ohio University College of Business student Tanner Smith of Bluffton, SC has been named to OHIO's Fall 2024 Provost's List. Ohio University Russ College of Engineering and Technology student Shenkliay Shepherd, of Ridgeland, was also named to OHIO's Fall 2024 Provost's List.

At the end of each semester, Ohio University's undergraduate students are evaluated based on their semester GPA and hours to determine placement on the President's List, Dean's List or Provost's List.

The Provost's List recognition is shared with high-achieving, part-time undergraduate students who exemplify academic success. Qualifying students must possess a 3.5 or greater GPA and between 6 and 11.99 credit hours attempted for letter grades that are used to calculate GPA.

Sanchez named to fall Dean’s list at Pitt-Bradford

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has named 345 students to its fall 2024 Dean’s list.

Dean’s list status is awarded to students who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

Among those named to the Dean’s list was Lisa Sanchez, a freshman nursing student from Okatie, S.C..

Police were still searching for a suspect after a stabbing victim was found passed out in front of an Okatie convenience store early Sunday morning, leaving a trail of blood from a restaurant across the highway.

Around 2:45 a.m. Sunday, about a half-dozen deputies from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Parkers Kitchen on Barrel Landing Road, just north of the interchange of U.S. 278 and S.C. 170. A caller reported that a man was bleeding and “laying at the doors” of the convenience store, according to an incident report.

The man appeared to be passed out and his left arm was “completely covered” in blood, according to the report. Before taking him to the hospital, EMS crews confirmed the man appeared to have been stabbed “multiple times” across his arm and the rest of his body.

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Starting in front of the Parkers Kitchen, one deputy followed a “blood droplet trail” that ran through the gas station parking lot, across S.C. 170 and to the Las Palmas Bar and Grill.

Sheriff’s office spokesperson Staff Sgt. Robert Herlong said the stabbing likely took place at the restaurant, although he would not say if it happened inside or outside. There had been no arrests related to the case as of Thursday.

The stabbing victim was released from the hospital the same day as the incident, Herlong said. Police were unsure of the weapon used in the attack.

Las Palmas was listed as “permanently closed” on Google Maps as of Thursday afternoon. Calls made to two numbers associated with the restaurant did not go through.