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Daily editionThursday, October 29th, 2026

Good morning, Hilton Head Island.

The 5AM Hilton Head Island Team

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Here’s your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 29th of October.

Community

  1. After 21 years in the Marines, TJ Johnston moved to the Lowcountry and found community through Operation Patriots FOB (a 268-acre outdoor retreat in Ridgeland serving veterans, active-duty service members, first responders and families).

    He now co-owns veteran-led Craftsman's Vault Construction and partners with OPFOB to repair homes at no cost.

    LOCAL Life SCRead more

  2. Five island traditions will fill November with oysters, ballet, lanterns, a free community Thanksgiving, and holiday concerts: Oyster Festival Nov. 6–7, The Nutcracker Nov. 13–15 & 20–22, Lantern Parade Nov. 14 (5:45 p.m.), Community Thanksgiving Nov. 26, and Holiday Pops Nov. 28–30.

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  3. Phil Propst became Hilton Head Island's first rural mail carrier in 1965 and served until retiring in October 1992, delivering on unmarked dirt roads, using community knowledge to find addresses, and once ferrying mail by shrimp boat when the swing bridge was out in 1974 (he later served as assistant postmaster).

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Education

  1. Seven seats on the nonpartisan Beaufort County School District Board of Education are on the ballot Nov. 3, with contested races in districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10; candidates who responded to questionnaires outlined priorities including staffing, overcrowding, library policies, budgets, and classroom technology.

    The Post and Courier - Beaufort CountyRead more

Lifestyle

  1. Longtime Lowcountry chef Mike Sigler shares his Schnitzel à la Holstein in this month’s Signature Dish, a recipe that was a favorite at Sigler’s Rotisserie & Seafood (Bluffton) for 23 years and shows how to make crispy breaded cutlets topped with sunny-side-up eggs, anchovies, capers, and a lemon pan sauce.

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  2. Five local chefs shared party-ready dishes: shrimp ceviche from Cactus Street Cantina; lasagna and meatballs from Nunzio Restaurant + Bar; homemade pizza or nachos from Michael Anthony’s; Bloody Mary cherry tomatoes from Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe; and smoked salmon dip from Russo’s Fresh Seafood.

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  3. Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte shared a chocolate espresso cake recipe this month in Local Flavor that adapts three chefs’ methods into a 9-inch, three-layer cake with espresso cream-cheese frosting and a chocolate ganache finish for home bakers.

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  4. Hardeeville gardener Linda Kurecki shows how to use fresh thyme and tarragon in Thanksgiving stuffing, mint in Old-Fashioneds, and lemon peels for limoncello + homemade gifts, and she offers November care tips for thyme, spearmint, Meyer lemons, and seasonal flowers.

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  5. This November a local style guide shows how to remix one wardrobe into four party looks using pieces from The Back Door, Brims on the Bluff, Spartina 449, and Evelyn & Arthur, with ideas from Western inspired layers to full‑glam eveningwear.

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  6. Local boutiques are rolling out November occasion wear with rich colors, velvet, satin, statement accessories, and polished men's shirts for Thanksgiving and holiday parties; shop Palmettoes, Maggie and Me, Island Child, John Bayley Clothier, and Outside Hilton Head.

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