***STORY 1****
Lowcountry home values have jumped overall in recent years, but some areas have done much better than others, new U.S. Census data shows. The 2019-2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates released last week show that home values in the U.S. jumped 21.7% compared to similar 5-year data taken for 2014-2018. Median value jumped to $303,400 from $249,400 over that time frame.
Meanwhile, the number of owner-occupied homes in the U.S. rose by 8.4% to 82.9 million from 76.4 million, the data shows. Lowcountry home values Like the rest of the nation, median home values increased in the Lowcountry between the 2014-2018 and 2019-2023 data periods. For the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal metro area, median home value jumped to $393,100 from $273,600 during the above time periods — a 44% increase.
***STORY 2*****
Funds will go toward TCL’s workforce training center being planned for the college’s Bluffton campus
The Technical College of the Lowcountry recently received a $150,000 grant from the City of Hardeeville to go toward the construction of the college’s Arthur E. Brown Regional Workforce Training Center.
“We truly appreciate the City of Hardeeville and its commitment to advancing education and fostering economic growth in our communities,” said TCL President Dr. Richard Gough who, along with representatives from the city, was on hand for a check presentation held Dec. 10 at TCL’s New River Campus.
TCL broke ground on the training center earlier this year following a $10 million appropriation from the State of South Carolina in 2023, part of a total $21 million in combined support from the state and Beaufort County. When completed, the new facility will feature 50,000 square feet of space with a capacity for 850 students.
Attending Tuesday’s presentation were members of Hardeeville City Council, Hardeeville Community Transformation Board, Beaufort Economic Development Corporation, TCL’s Foundation and Area Commission. In addition, U.S. Army (retired) Gen. Arthur E. Brown Jr.,the workforce center’s namesake, was on hand for the presentation.
**STORY 3***
‘Tis the season of spreading Christmas cheer — whether it’s through baking cookies, singing carols or hosting festive parties, but for one family in Beaufort, their way of spreading joy comes in the form of tens of thousands of twinkling Christmas lights, lighting up the night for all to see.
The Cadd family on Lady’s Island has been hosting their annual Christmas light display for close to 19 years. What started as a simple idea has now become a beloved tradition in the community. David Cadd, a holiday enthusiast, said it all began when he and his wife moved to Beaufort and noticed a lack of holiday activities on the north side of the Broad River.
“When we were kids, we used to do this all the time,” said Cadd. “Go around, drive around. You know, we always wanted to see the house with the Christmas lights on when we drove around here. You really didn’t see that. So we’re like, you know what? That’s our calling. We always want to give back to the community. So, we started doing a Christmas light display for everybody to come see.”
And that’s exactly what they did – transforming their home into a Christmas wonderland year after year. Each year, the display grows, with new lights and holiday figures added to the collection. It’s a labor of love for the Cadd family, but David admitted that it doesn’t come without its costs.
Информация по комментариям в разработке