Eye on Hilton Head

More good news seems in store for Hilton Head Island residents and visitors frustrated by dropped calls, sluggish downloads and wireless dead zones.

American Tower plans to build several new cell towers within a year, according to town staff members. The news comes a few weeks after AT&T activated two new cell sites on the island to improve service.

Traffic headed off-island from Sea Pines Circle on William Hilton Parkway will be reduced to one lane during the night, beginning tomorrow (Tuesday) and lasting through Friday.

The outer lane of traffic will close from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., beginning 400 feet south of New Orleans Road, while construction crews lay asphalt for a right-turn lane on William Hilton Parkway at New Orleans Road.

All lanes will reopen from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to the Town of Hilton Head Island.

Traffic will be controlled through the work zone via signs, traffic control devices and flagmen.

Islanders Beach Park off Folly Field Road on Hilton Head Island is one of the best places in the country for vacationers to dig their toes into the sand, according to Coastal Living magazine.

The publication, part of Time Inc. Lifestyle Group, chose the beach for “its crowd-free beach and fantastic swimming,” according to a news release.

It was the only South Carolina beach named in the magazine’s state-by-state guide of “the coolest getaways,” including the best spots for golf, fishing, relaxing in the sand, spotting wild animals, and more.

The agenda for the July 10 meeting of the Town of Hilton Head Island Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee includes swearing in of new committee members.

U.S. Rep. Tim Scott of Charleston will join fellow Republicans to try to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act following last week's split Supreme Court ruling that upheld much of the law.

His health temporarily sidelined him. He has been chided for public outbursts, and he has pleaded guilty to domestic violence.

Still, Hilton Head Island's longest-serving Town Council member and lone minority, Bill Ferguson, is running for another four-year term, and so far no one is challenging him.

Filing begins July 31 for candidates seeking Town Council seats in the Nov. 6 general election. Voters will elect council members representing Wards 1, 3 and 6 in the nonpartisan elections.

Here's a look at those who say they'll run.

WARD 1

House blocking the wireless signal to mobile devices? High-speed Internet not available? Looking for an alternative to Hargray or Time Warner for Internet access?

Verizon Wireless thinks it may have a solution.

The wireless carrier began offering in-home broadband Internet service nationwide, including Beaufort and Jasper counties, in May. The new service uses Verizon's 4G LTE network, providing households in areas with limited broadband options a reliable alternative for Internet access in their homes.

MONDAY, June 18
Town of Hilton Head Island
LMO Rewrite Committee Workshop: 9 a.m. to noon, council chambers, 1 Town Center Court
Agenda: Discussion of code assessment changes, including zoning and community character, design standards, redevelopment and nonconformities
On the Web: www.hiltonheadislandsc.gov

TUESDAY, June 19
Town of Hilton Head Island