By James Pease II On November 20, 2025, the North Myrtle Beach Rotary Club held a rededication ceremony for the memory garden at North Myrtle Beach High School. The memory garden was started in the early 2000s by Lynn Myrick. Since his passing, the garden has been neglected, at least until now. Thanks to the help of North Myrtle Beach High School students in the Interact Club and Engineering students, the memory garden has been brought back to its former glory. The ceremony began with North Myrtle Beach High School student Sadie Averitt giving a prayer. Melissa Wober, president of …

The North Myrtle Beach Tree Board has chosen a Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) at 702 12th Avenue South as the January Tree of the Month. The homeowners believe the tree to be at least 50 years old since the house was built in the 1960s. Magnolias are evergreen trees known for their large glossy leaves, fragrant white summer blooms and red-seeded pods in the winter. These trees are native to the central and southeastern coastal plains.

By John Smithson The North Myrtle Beach High School varsity basketball teams have finished the “preseason” part of their 2025-26 schedule and now head into region 6-5A games this week. The Chiefs boys team finished their non-region games last week at the HTC Invitational Tournament at Waccamaw High School. The Chiefs opened tournament play with a 41-39 win over Ragin Prep Christian Academy. The Chiefs outscored the Rams 13-2 in the first quarter of the game and led 22-10 at halftime. However, Ragin responded with a 20-point third quarter to narrow the Chiefs lead to 31-30 after three quarters. The …

By John Earnest All boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition for the 2026 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship. The local competition will be held on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the North Myrtle Beach Middle School Gymnasium at 11240 SC-90 in Little River. The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district and state competitions. All boys and girls 9 to 14 years old are eligible to participate and will compete in their respective age divisions. Last year …

By Kaye Collins The City of Loris conducted the swearing-in ceremony for the City Council on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the Council Chambers of Loris City Hall. Three council members who were re-elected, Andrea Coleman, Kelli Gerald, and Carroll D. Padgett, Jr., took their oath of office in front of Municipal Judge William N. Hutson. Loris Council member Joan Gause, Mayor Mike Suggs, and City Clerk Melinda Price were present at the ceremony, along with residents of Loris and the families of the three individuals taking the oath. the Rev. Thessalonia Graham, Pastor of Mt. Rona …

By Kaye Collins In 2025, extending into early 2026, the Loris City Council has focused on modernizing infrastructure, overseeing substantial growth proposals, and tackling administrative financial challenges. The significant infrastructure enhancements involve upgrades to water and sewer systems. In 2025, the city initiated a multi-phase project costing $5.3 million to replace outdated utility lines, which includes 10-inch water mains located in the downtown region. This initiative, primarily financed by a $4.5 million grant, also encompasses the installation of new digital water meters to resolve persistent billing discrepancies. Sewer rehabilitation efforts commenced with the Pinewood Drive Sewer Rehabilitation project, which employs …

By Kaye Collins The new year will introduce various changes to the laws in South Carolina, with significant legislation coming into effect starting Friday, January 1, 2026, and additional measures scheduled to be implemented later in 2026. One of the most notable changes affects bars and restaurants that offer alcohol, after years of worries from business owners regarding increasing insurance expenses. A new law regarding liquor liability and insurance requirements will come into effect on Thursday. According to a statute from 2017, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol after 5 p.m. were mandated to maintain a $1 million liability insurance …

By Kaye Collins As the wildfire season draws near, the South Carolina Forestry Commission has issued a statement regarding the potential risk of wildfires in the coming months throughout the state and specifically in Horry County. The Storm Prediction Center has released a fire weather outlook for the region. Communication Director Doug Wood mentioned that the period from January to April is the peak season for wildfire outbreaks. He noted that approximately 2-3 incidents occur daily throughout the state, totaling around 1,400 annually. He explained that these wildfires are triggered by a combination of factors. The period from January to …

By Kaye Collins Later this month, lawmakers in South Carolina will reconvene at the State House, where income tax reform, modifications to DUI laws, and transportation priorities will be at the forefront of their agenda. South Carolina legislators are set to reconvene at the State House later in January for the second year of the two-year legislative session, in anticipation of a much-anticipated gubernatorial race and several significant issues coming to the forefront. Republicans maintain majorities in both the House and Senate, and House GOP leaders indicate that reforming the state’s income tax system is their primary focus as they …

The City of North Myrtle Beach wants to notify residents and the traveling public to expect altered traffic patterns at the intersection of Windy Hill Road/Windy Hill Road Extention with Highway 17 South between Monday, January 5, 2026, and Friday, January 16, 2026. Beginning January 5, the contractor for the 30-inch Water Transmission Line project will install traffic control devices to close both lanes of Windy Hill Road between Highway 17 South and Poinsett Street. In addition, the inbound lane of Windy Hill Road Extension will be closed from Highway 17 South to the rear driveway of Walgreens. These closures …