Sunday's news briefs

Tea Party brews in Beaufort Tuesday

The Tea Party Express Tour II will stop in Beaufort at 3: 30 p.m. Tuesday at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.

Speeches will focus on government bailouts, the cap and trade proposal, and government spending, healthcare andtaxes.

The event is nonpartisan and open to the public.Details: www.teapartyexpress.org/ School District to improve energy efficiency with stimulus money

The Beaufort County School District has been awarded $737,054 in stimulus funds by the S.C. Budget and Control Board's State Energy Office to make energy efficiency improvements.

The district will replace inefficient lighting fixtures with newer models, replace and repair doors, upgrade heating and air conditioning units, install occupancy sensors in hallways and bathrooms to control after-school lighting and place timers on water heaters to reduce energy consumption. The district also plans to plant trees on south and west walls of some schools to provide natural cooling, and install timers on all electronic instructional boards.

The state's 85 school districts are sharing $20.3 million in grants and loans for energy efficiency.

Bluffton begins sidewalk repairs Monday

Repair work is to begin Monday on broken sections of the sidewalks on Boundary, Bridge, and Pritchard streets and at Town Hall in Bluffton. One lane of traffic will be closed during the work, town officials said. The work is scheduled run between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and be completed by Nov. 24.

Details: call facilities director Tammy Malone at 843-706-4534.