Buy a home at a reasonable rate with a VA loan in Beaufort, SC

Everybody knows that Beaufort’s sea islands are among the best and Southern Living magazine wants to be sure that absolutely everybody knows that Beaufort, SC is special; so much that the popular magazine has put our little coastal town on its newly published list of 50 Best Beach Towns in the South.

Beaufort came in an a very impressive #16 on the list, ranked higher than more popular destinations including Folly Beach, SC, Pawley's Island, SC, Naples, Florida, Islamorada, Florida, Cocoa Beach, Florida, and even Nags Head, North Carolina.

"With all the charm and character of beloved cities like Charleston and Savannah plus the 5 miles of beaches at nearby Hunting Island State Park it would be hard to imagine a better getaway than Beaufort," Southern Living said in its article.

"Spend time wandering along the river at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park or shopping on Bay Street, and then check into a historic inn shaded by the generous arms of an ancient live oak."

Listing the Best 50 in the south is not an easy task. But, Southern Living seems to have hit the nail on the head with this one. We can't argue much with their list, especially the first ten at the top. With the possible exception of Myrtle Beach.

The top ten on the list are:1. St. Simons Island, GA2. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, AL3. Hilton Head, SC4. Tybee Island, GA5. Jekyll Island, GA6. Sanibel Island, FL7. St. Augustine Beach, FL8. Myrtle Beach, SC9. Fairhope, AL10. Fernandina Beach, FL

When you think about it, Beaufort isn't really even a beach town. It's a town that has a beach. But being made up of dozens of islands with daily life centered around the water, that will suffice.

Close to Beaufort, Edisto Beach came in at #34, and we were surprised to see that Sullivan's Island in Charleston was lower than we had expected, coming in at #30.

Recently, Beaufort, SC was named the Most Charming Small Town in SC, the Best Small Town in SC, one of the Best Small Towns to Live in the U.S., and one of the 15 Most Beautiful Coastal Towns in the South.

Impressive.

BEAUFORT — Col. Mark Bortnem has been relieved of his duties as commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.

"Brig. Gen. Ralph J. Rizzo, Jr., commanding general, Marine Corps Installations East-Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, has relieved Col. Mark D. Bortnem of his duties as commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, effective immediately," Nat Fahy, a Marine Corps spokesperson, wrote in a prepared statement April 15.

The decision was made due to a loss of trust and confidence in Bortnem's ability to command, Fahy said. No further details regarding the decision were provided.

Bortnem's firing comes just two days after more than 100,000 people were estimated to have attended the MCAS Beaufort Air Show, which is held at the base every two years.

"It's a great opportunity for the people of the Lowcountry to come out and see their air station and look and see the things that their Marines do every day," Bortnem told The Post and Courier before the air show.

Bortnem, a Michigan native, attended flight school in Pensacola, Fla., in 2001 and 2002. After graduating with distinction, he joined Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 332 and flew combat missions in Iraq. He was deployed twice to Japan and served as an exchange officer with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Bortnem, who has more than 30 years of service in the Marine Corps, took command of the base in July 2023. Bortnem replaced Col. Karl Arbogast.

In September 2023, an F-35B Lightning II flying a training mission out of MCAS Beaufort experienced a cascading series of electronics failures over North Charleston. The pilot ejected from the plane, which continued to fly for 11 minutes and 21 seconds.

The hunt for the jet sent searchers across a wide swath of South Carolina before it was finally found more than 24 hours later. The wreckage was discovered in a rural expanse of farmland and swamp outside of Stuckey, in rural Williamsburg County.

Bortnem is being reassigned to duties as directed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, according to Fahy.

In the interim, the air station’s headquarters and headquarters squadron executive officer, Lt. Col. Michael R. Eubanks will serve as acting commander until one is formally appointed.

A prominent Savannah-based personal injury lawyer has been admonished by the South Carolina Supreme Court for misleading advertising following an investigation.

The court on Wednesday issued a public reprimand of Michael Hostilo for advertising violations and ordered him to pay a $1,000 fine and pay legal costs of an investigation by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC), which looks into allegations of ethical misconduct brought forward by lawyers and judges or the public. Hostilo voluntarily entered into the discipline agreement with the ODC and admitted to the violations.

In South Carolina, lawyer discipline is administered by the Supreme Court through the ODC, rather than the South Carolina Bar.

Hostilo is licensed to practice law in Georgia, not in South Carolina. But he employs South Carolina-licensed attorneys in Beaufort, Charleston and Columbia. As such, he is subject to the supervision of South Carolina Supreme Court for any violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Messages left with Hostilo’s office had not been returned as of late Thursday afternoon. His attorney would not comment on the case.

Hostilo, a Savannah-based attorney who grew up in Beaufort, owns The Mike Hostilo Law Firm. He is one of the region’s most recognizable personal injury attorneys thanks to his flashy advertisements on television, YouTube and billboards. Television ads for his firm, which has 13 offices across Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama, were among those shown during Monday’s NCAA title game between Houston and Florida.

In one super hero ad currently running on YouTube, which was not part of the investigation, Hostilo dons a cape and mask and urges potential clients to call his firm if they’ve been injured in a car wreck.

The Rules of Professional Conduct guiding attorneys in South Carolina forbid misleading statements about expectations and require that people who give testimonials be properly identified. The rules also say factual information must be prioritized over attention-grabbing techniques. Disclaimers are required.

Hostilo admitted to violating those rules in some of his advertising.

A billboard advertisement cited in the Supreme Court’s order featured Hostilo’s picture and a background of dollar signs including one representing the letter “s” in his name. Hostilo admitted it was likely to create an unjustified expectation about results, and was not predominantly informational, which the Rules of Professional Conduct governing the conduct of lawyers require.

The court also took issue with a YouTube advertisement that said: “Most people think that lawyers are bad at math. 1 + 1 = 2. But let me give you a simple formula. Mike Hostilo Law Firm + Car Wreck = big settlement! [$100 bills fill up the background of the screen].” The add then gives the firm’s phone number and website and concludes: “We’re great at math.” “Respondent admits this advertisement is likely to create an unjustified expectation about the results his law firm can achieve,” the reprimand says.

At the time of the ODC investigation, the firm’s website contained various misrepresentations and misleading statements, the court said. It contained a results page with a disclaimer, for example, that advised viewers that South Carolina cases are handled by an attorney who had not been employed by Hostilo for more than two years. The website also said the firm had been “proudly serving the injured in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina for nearly 30 years.” But the firm, the disciplinary order said, had only been offering services in South Carolina since 2018, and the firm itself had existed for 18 years (Hostilo, as an attorney, had been practicing in Georgia for nearly 30 years).

The wrongful death page of the website also incorrectly stated the statute of limitations for wrongful death claims in South Carolina.

“Further, several individual attorney profile pages on respondent’s firm’s website indicated that the attorneys handled cases in jurisdictions in which they were not licensed to practice law,” the court wrote. “Respondent explains that this was due to blocks of content being cut and pasted into each attorney’s profile page by the firm’s content creators. Respondent admits these were material misrepresentations.”

Following any ODC investigation, several possible outcomes are possible: Dismissal, referral to another agency, notifying the lawyer of an intent to impose an admonition, formal charges or an agreement for discipline by consent. In Hostilo’s case, he entered into an agreement for discipline by consent with the ODC and the Supreme Court. The public reprimand was published Wednesday.

“In the agreement, respondent admits misconduct and consents to the imposition of a confidential admonition or a public reprimand,” the opinion states. “We accept the agreement and issue a public reprimand.”

Hostilo’s discipline would have included completing the Legal Ethics and Practice Program Advertising School, a comprehensive study of the fundamentals of legal ethics offered by the ODC and South Carolina Bar, the Supreme Court said. But Hostilo had already completed it in March 2023.

Hostilo also was taken to task for several advertising statements that could not be substantiated such as, “Mike Hostilo’s team fights like no other law firm for our accident victims,” and, “Our experienced Worker’s Comp layers have handled many cases like yours —with the record of results to back us up!” These also were likely to create an unjustified expectation about the results the firm can achieve, the reprimand says.

This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 4:34 PM.

The Island Packet

843-256-3420

Karl Puckett covers the city of Beaufort, town of Port Royal and other communities north of the Broad River for The Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet. The Minnesota native also has worked at newspapers in his home state, Alaska, Wisconsin and Montana.

It’s BACK! The MCAS Beaufort Airshow is back this weekend to entertain everyone and light up the Beaufort sky. Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is scheduled to host nearly 100,000 friends and neighbors at the MCAS Beaufort Air Show this Saturday and Sunday, April 12th & 13th.

There is no cost to the general public to attend the show, however special seating and VIP tickets are available.

The weekend will showcase Naval aviation at its best with a demonstration by the United States Naval Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue Angels. It’ll be loud around the Lowcountry in the next few days, as the Blue Angels will be able to be seen in the sky around the area later this week as they practice for the show and drum up lots of excitement in the community.

But, as amazing as they are, there’s actually a lot more to the show than the Blue Angels.

According to the MSAC Beaufort Airshow, performers at the event will include Red Thunder Airshows, the nation’s only 2-ship Yak-50 demo team! Barry Hancock and Karl Gashler are veteran pilots who know how to put all their skills and precision to the test in a way that captivates audiences across the country! Between the sound of the heart pounding radial engine and their thrilling maneuvers, the Red Thunder Airshows’ performance is unforgettable!

Also included is Goulian Air Shows. Millions of air show spectators around the globe have witnessed the ferocity of a Mike Goulian air show performance. Every roll, pull, and tumble of his flight is a deliberate execution of precision. With his aggressive approach to the air show arena, Mike Goulian has mastered the ability to convey his message of passion through flight. Mike’s crisp, athletic style of flying is the evolution of his landmark career as an aerobatic competitor. Mike reached the pinnacle of the sport when he won the United States Unlimited Aerobatic Championship at only 27 years of age. He was honored to represent the United States at the World Aerobatic Championship on three separate occasions.

Also on the schedule for the weekend is Vanpire Airshows. The Vampire Airshow profile grips audiences with speed, noise and jet warbird aerobatics. While the pilots banter with the announcer, crowds are drawn into learning about this sensational aircraft.

The deHavilland Vampire is a fully aerobatic aircraft that wows audiences by performing rolls, Cuban eights, shark tooths, inverted flight, high-speed passes and all with a killer smoke system. The Vampire is awe-inspiring as the aircraft that led the way for ALL modern jet aviation.

Included in the show is the United States Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team based out of Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. This single-ship performance travels across the country to demonstrate the professionalism instilled in Air Force pilots and to show the capabilities of the F-16C Fighting Falcon.

Spectators will also be treated to several techniques possessed by the F-35B, the MCAS Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration, the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, helicopter rides, monster trucks, and the Top Gun Experience; the opportunity to dress as a real Fighter pilot complete with flight gear and helmet for a hands-on tour and experience.

For the full schedule of events at this weekend’s MCAS Beaufort Airshow, visit here.

For a list of Do’s and Dont’s while attending the show, visit here.

As always at the MCAS Beaufort Airshow, there will be lots of exhibitors to visit and food and beer vendors will also be on hand. There is also a Kids Zone featuring a variety of bounce houses, including the iconic U.S. Navy Blue Angels® Bounce House, kids can jump and play to their hearts’ content.

The mission of the MCAS Beaufort Air Show is three-fold: to promote the Marine Corps and Navy recruiting efforts, to demonstrate the full force and capabilities of our military and to say a big “THANK YOU” to all of the members of the surrounding communities who support the men and women who serve this nation and are stationed at the Beaufort Air Station and in the Tri-Command area.

For the 14th straight year, Beaufort County has ranked the healthiest county of all 46 counties in S.C., according to the County Health Rankings by Niche.com, one of the most popular rankings sites in the U.S.

Beaufort is a very active community and the findings show that Beaufort surpasses all of the other counties in South Carolina in its quality of life.

“Beaufort County is one of the best places to live in South Carolina. In Beaufort County, most residents own their homes, and many young professionals and retirees live there,” Niche.com said in the report.

Beaufort County’s grades were pretty good, and it received an overall A+.

Beaufort County received an A for Health & Fitness, Outdoor Activities, being Good For Families, and for its Public Schools.

A- were bestowed on Beaufort for Weather, and Nightlife.

Beaufort County also received a B+ for Jobs, a B+ for [daily] Commute, a B+ for Diversity.

Beaufort County did, however, receive a B- for Housing, and a C+ for Cost of Living.

According to Niche.com, the 2025 Healthiest Counties ranking is intended to provide a comprehensive assessment of the general levels of health among residents at the county level.

“This grade takes into account key indicators of personal health, such as smoking, excessive alcoholic consumption, rates of obesity, as well as the availability and proximity of fitness facilities, doctors, and mental health practitioners, in an attempt to measure an area’s performance in health and fitness.”

Other popular studies have shown that Beaufort County residents enjoy the longest life expectancy in the state as well as the best quality of life in South Carolina. They’ve also found that Beaufort County leads the Palmetto State when it comes to health behaviors. This includes a lower amount of cigarette smokers, a lower rate of adult obesity and the ease of access to many exercise opportunities.

How other counties ranked

No South Carolina counties ranked in the top 100 of the list. Beaufort came in at #155 in the U.S, and is the only county in South Carolina to be in the top 200.

According to the study, the top 5 healthiest counties in SC are (in order) Beaufort, Charleston, Greenville, York, and Spartanburg.

According to the study, the counties with the poorest health in SC are Barnwell, Allendale, Hampton, Marlboro, and Lee.

See the full list of U.S. Counties and see how they ranked here.

See the full list of South Carolina counties and see how they ranked here.

Beaufort is surrounded by sea islands and that provides an easy way for folks to enjoy the water, do some fishing or take the kayak out for a few hours. Lots of beaches, trails and parks in the area make for some fabulous long walks as well.

If you’re looking for a good quality of life….Beaufort County is your obvious choice. Beaufort is the healthiest county in S.C., after all.