Women's Clothing Boutique in Beaufort, SC

With construction started last fall, we’re getting much closer to the new ALDI opening at the new Beaufort Station Shopping Center.

The 21,000 square foot store is expected to open before September. This ALDI will join other retailers that opened in 2024 at the shopping center which include, including Hobby Lobby, Old Navy, Ulta Beauty, and Ross Dress for Less.

In February 2025, ALDI also announced its plan to open more than 225 new store locations in 2025 as part of the next phase of its five-year national growth strategy. This is the most stores ALDI will open in one year in its nearly 50-year U.S. history.

The new stores will open through a combination of organic growth and converting select Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to the ALDI format. In total, ALDI will convert approximately 220 Southeastern Grocers locations to the ALDI format through 2027.

ALDI has become a go-to destination for budget-conscious shoppers, known for its low prices and private-label offerings. ALDI was recently ranked as the most affordable grocery chain in the U.S., with shoppers saving an estimated $8.3 billion annually. It’s said that households that switch from name brands to ALDI-branded items can save up to $4,000 annually.

With nearly 3,200 locations across the country, ALDI has surged in popularity recently, particularly as grocery costs rise.

The German-founded retailer is now the third-largest grocery chain in the U.S. by store count. In 2024 alone, ALDI attracted 19 million new customers, underscoring its growing appeal.

The new store will provide affordable groceries and create job opportunities for the local community. ALDI’s expansion continues to support our local economy while providing convenient access to budget-friendly essentials for residents.

ALDI joins several other grocers in the Beaufort area including four Food Lion locations, two Publix locations, Harris Teeter, and Piggly Wiggly.

Visit ALDI’s website here. Learn more about ALDI here. Sign up for the ALDI Newsletter for its weekly ads and more.

BEAUFORT — Just a few days before he was relieved of duty as the commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Col. Mark Bortnem stood on the air station's flight line during a media event in advance of the upcoming air show.

An experienced F/A-18 pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours and 500 hours of combat time, Bortnem wore his flight suit as he chatted amiably with reporters, officers and enlisted Marines on hand to witness the arrival of the Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team. Clouds of no-see-ums engulfed everyone waiting on hand. If the biting, blood-thirsty insects endemic to the Lowcountry bothered Bortnem, he didn't let on.

Instead, he answered questions casually, spoke about his various assignments as a Marine and said he was looking forward to giving neighbors a good look at what "their Marines" are up to behind the fences of the sprawling air station off U.S. Highway 21.

Bortnem's ability to put people at ease may have been a factor that made him well liked in Beaufort and the surrounding area. In March 2024, Bortnem, for example, labored in the mud and pouring rain alongside volunteers and enlisted personnel trying to get the final phase of an artificial oyster reef constructed off the shoreline near Laurel Bay, a housing community for those stationed at the air station. Drenched to the skin and covered in mud, Bortnem wanted to talk about the progress the project had already made.

Kate Schaefer, director of land protection at the Beaufort-based Open Land Trust, worked with Bortnem regularly on land conservation initiatives for properties surrounding the air station. Over the last two years, land protection around the air station doubled, she said, calling called Bortnem "incredibly genuine."

"You would have thought that land conservation was the most important thing to him. It's clear that everyone who worked with him thought their issue was the most important thing to him. That's a rare thing," Schaefer said.

Bortnem particularly endeared himself to the conservation community during another March 2024 event commemorating the conservation of about 4,400 acres in Jasper County known as Gregorie Neck. The Department of Defense contribute $6 million to the conservation effort, stating that the initiative supported the military's goal of preserving mission readiness.

Speaking during the event, Bortnem improvised a line during his speech as the sounds of military jets flying overhead faded. The line has been oft repeated since that muggy, gray morning a year ago.

"That noise you hear is the sound of freedom, and the silence you hear is the sound of conservation," Bortnem said.

During the April 12 air show performance, Bortnem enthusiastically told The Post and Courier that as many as 70,000 people had attended each day of the two-day event. It appeared that he couldn't have been more pleased with the show's success.

Then came an abrupt change.

On April 14, Brig. Gen. Ralph J. Rizzo, Jr., commanding general at Marine Corps Installations East-Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, released a statement saying Bortnem had been relieved of his duties, effective immediately.

"This decision was made due to a loss of trust and confidence in Bortnem's ability to command," Rizzo said in the statement.

While no further information has been forthcoming from the Marine Corps, there have been reactions from across the community that interacted with Bortnem over the course of his two-year tenure as the base's commanding officer.

Bortnem has been reassigned to duties at nearby Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island.

A change.org petition started by Marine veteran Joan Petrucci brings attention to the impact that Bortnem had in both the military and civilian realms. The petition, which has garnered nearly 300 signatures so far, is not intended to influence the actions of the Marine Corps, said Petrucci. Rather, it's intended to express support for Bortnem, calling his firing a significant loss for those on and off the base.

"While it may not alter the formal outcome for Colonel Bortnem, it can influence the perception of the leader's effectiveness and character within the Marine Corps community, highlighting the loyalty and admiration they garnered from their team," wrote Petrucci.

David Bartholomew, who sits on Beaufort County Council, said Bortnem worked positively with local governments and looked for out-of-the-box solutions to improving interactions between the base and the community. News of Bortnem's firing came as a shock, Bartholomew said.

"From what I could see in the interactions that we had, he was trying to do a lot of good things," he added.

Reach Tony Kukulich at 843-709-8929.

Tony Kukulich

Tony Kukulich is an editor/reporter working in the Beaufort County bureau. Turning to journalism as a second career, he started as a photojournalist in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2015. After moving to Bluffton in 2021, he wrote for several area publications before starting with The Post and Courier the following year. His work has been recognized by the National Newspaper Association, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the South Carolina Press Association. Tony covers local government, environmental issues and development in addition to authoring the Hurricane Wire newsletter.

Beaufort, SC did it again and this time it was USA Today’s readers who named Beaufort to the list of the Ten Best Coastal Small Towns in America, in an article published this month.

We couldn’t agree more.

”Big cities have their perks, but these 10 coastal small towns — nominated by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best in the country — offer a calm and charm that is hard to find in more heavily populated areas. Each one has a population of 25,000 or less, and you can enjoy scenic views, historic attractions, delicious food, and plenty of things to do both on and off the water.” USA Today said.

When it came to Beaufort, USA Today said, “Beaufort is a Lowcountry hidden gem located on Port Royal Island on the Atlantic Coast.”

“Founded in 1711, the town is steeped in history, with the downtown buildings all preserved as a historic district. Find shopping, arts and classic Southern dining experiences there, as well as famous fishing spots, hiking trails, water sports, and more."

"Plus, experience the rich Gullah culture in Beaufort, where descendants of enslaved Africans have preserved and developed a unique heritage blending African traditions with local influences," the USA Today article added.

Coming in at #10 on the list, Beaufort enjoyed being in some good company. Pismo Beach, CA took the top spot, Cedar Key, FL came in at #2 and Gulf Shores, AL and Morro Bay, CA are on the list as well.

The top 10 Best Coastal Small Town are:

Beaufort, SC last made the list from USA Today in 2021.

The accolades have been pouring in for Beaufort recently.

Beaufort has also recently been named one of the Best Beach Towns in the South, and was the only town in South Carolina named on the list of Best Small Towns to Live in the U.S.

Beaufort's historic downtown district has been named one of the Ten Best Downtown's in the U.S., and Beaufort County has been named the Healthiest County in South Carolina as well.

We’re grateful for the USA Today readers who thought enough of Beaufort to vote for her and we're proud that she repped South Carolina so well on the list.

A husband and wife from Beaufort County have been charged with knowingly receiving over $20,000 in fraudulent food stamp benefits over a 4-year period, according to the South Carolina Department of Social Services.

Dennis Lee Phillips, 42, of Beaufort, and Jennifer Nichole Phillips, 44, were each charged March 31 with a felony count of fraudulent acquisition or use of food stamps. The offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a maximum fine of $5,000.

Arrest warrants from the DSS say Daniel Phillips wrongly received $20,369 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits after failing to report his wife and her income in the couple’s “household composition” forms in 2018 and 2019.

Jennifer Phillips, who during that period worked for three health care and assisted living companies around the Bluffton area, allegedly “assisted” her husband in the reporting errors, according to the warrants.

The couple received the fraudulent benefits between May 2018 and September 2022, according to the DSS.

Shortly after their March 31 arrests, each defendant was released from the Beaufort County jail on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond, meaning they would not be required to pay the amount unless they violated court conditions.

A Beaufort County woman was ordered to pay restitution earlier this year after pleading guilty to food stamp fraud.

Reports of program fraud can be made to the DSS Office of Inspector General at dss.sc.gov/about/fraud or by calling 1-800-694-8518.

From staff reports

Beaufort County School District (BCSD) honored 115 eighth-graders for being named Junior Scholars by the South Carolina Department of Education, including 22 from northern Beaufort County.

The students and their parents were recognized at a Junior Scholars banquet sponsored by the Beaufort County School District.

“These students have shown phenomenal potential, as their selection as Junior Scholars demonstrates,” BCSD Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in a news release.“I know they will work hard on achieving their potential, and it will be our educators’ joy to support them on this journey.”

The featured speaker was Mary Ruff, a Beaufort High School senior accepted to Duke University who shared her experiences since being named a Junior Scholar in middle school. Ruff emphasized that although maintaining a high GPA is important for academic and financial opportunities, what is most important is to seek challenging environments and classes that build one’s character and leave a more lasting impact, noting that “failure and struggle are key to growth.”

The Junior Scholars Program was developed by the South Carolina Department of Education to identify eighth-graders with exceptional academic talent and to develop strategies for inclusion into special programs that facilitate intellectual growth, broaden individual interests, and promote scholastic achievement. The program includes a process for screening, identifying, and recognizing students with high scholastic achievement and intellectual ability. Eligible students include those whose PSAT/NMSQT scores are 550 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion or 530 or higher on the Mathematics portion.

Students who qualify as Junior Scholars receive an award of merit from the South Carolina Department of Education as well as information regarding summer academic experiences sponsored by South Carolina colleges and universities. They can use that special recognition to bolster their applications to colleges and universities.

This year’s BCSD Junior Scholars from northern Beaufort County are Rita Chen, Sophie Brister, Ryan Allen, Naomi Ekiert, Henry Everhart, Robert Ferguson, Jaiden Ferguson, Elaina Horne, Jacob Mansker, Carter Mason, Kellan Newman, Mercy Par, Nathan Peeples, Henry Pettit, Nia Polkey, Damien Rivers, Lydia Sargent, Gabriel Seronka, Chloe Snyder, James Sullivan, Keyari Tieland, and Rowan Wilson.