North Myrtle Beach

By Ruben Lowman In a series of decisive votes recently, the Horry County Council effectively halted the Solid Waste Authority’s (HCSWA) multi-million dollar plan to expand the Highway 90 landfill into over 100 acres of protected wetlands. The conflict pits the HCSWA’s dire warnings of a “trash crisis” against a community that is no longer willing to accept wetland destruction as the cost of doing business, with councilmembers seeminly agreeing for the time being. Officials with the waste authority had requested upwards of $30 million for the initial phases of an expansion designed to keep the landfill operational through 2051. …

By Ruben Lowman In a move that surprised both proponents and critics, the Horry County Council’s Administration Committee unanimously voted to table the 1% Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), effectively ending any chance of the measure appearing on the November 2026 ballot. What began as a “win-win” proposal to shift the tax burden onto tourists has succumbed to a mix of bad timing, internal skepticism and a lack of organized political backing. Committee Chair Tyler Servant helped lead the opposition against the proposed penny sales tax, arguing that for the average resident the tax was essentially a “wash.” While a …

By Ruben Lowman The leadership core of the Horry County Police Department (HCPD) has been dealt a blow following the sudden retirement of Deputy Chief Lance Winburn. Winburn’s exit on April 28, after more than 40 years of service, comes as a direct consequence of a newly reopened Internal Affairs (IA) investigation into a 2022 “unarrest” incident that has exposed allegations of political weaponization, civil rights violations and a systemic lack of accountability. Winburn is now the third high-ranking official to leave the department in just over a year, joining former Chief Joseph Hill and former Deputy Chief Brandon Strickland …

By Ruben Lowman Horry County’s ongoing effort to address the chronic drainage failures in the Longs area reached a significant milestone last week, as two major stormwater projects, centered on the high-traffic corridors of Highway 9 and Highway 90, are nearing completion. These initiatives, primarily funded by the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA), represent a strategic investment in the resilience of the Longs community, an area historically prone to severe inundation during storms. The first phase of this regional overhaul involves a $3 million project at the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 57. Crews have completed the installation …

By Ruben Lowman In a historic push for structural reform, Horry County is facing a reckoning over its dual law enforcement system, a setup that makes it a singular outlier among South Carolina’s 46 counties. A coalition of grieving families, former officers and high-ranking officials is demanding that the Horry County Police Department (HCPD) be folded into the Horry County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), arguing at a recent county council meeting that a decades-old “culture of cover-ups” has finally reached a breaking point. The movement is driven by a series of high-profile scandals that critics say reveal a fundamental lack of …

By Joyce Thomas It was an evening of laughter, lively bidding and high style as the GFWC North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club hosted its annual “Purses with Purpose” Charity Event at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes — and this year, the charity tradition reached a new milestone. Now in its 13th year, the club’s signature “Girls Night Out for Charity” drew approximately 350 guests for a night that blended generosity with entertainment, ultimately raising a record-breaking $102,000 to support local charities. The evening began with a festive atmosphere as guests enjoyed a buffet dinner and browsed one of the …

By Lauren Jessie On Tuesday, May 5, the city of North Myrtle Beach was proud to celebrate hometown icon Vanna White with a special presentation at The Surf Golf and Beach Club. Vanna was honored by The Surf Golf and Beach Club with a personalized golf bag and a personalized engraved plaque on a dedicated locker in the ladies locker room. A formal city recognition was presented by Mayor J Baldwin. The recognition highlighted her remarkable career on Wheel of Fortune, her philanthropic impact, including more than $2 million raised for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and her lasting connection …

By Carl MacLeod and Matt Davis A local veterans organization is seeking community support to help build a permanent memorial honoring the victims of Sept. 11, 2001, as well as veterans, first responders and others who have served during times of crisis. Space Air Land Sea HQ Veterans Post 1, known as SALS, is working with the Little River Chamber of Commerce and a volunteer committee to plan the Veterans, First Responders & Patriots 9/11 Memorial at Vereen Memorial Historical Gardens. Organizers say the memorial is intended to provide a lasting place of remembrance and reflection for families, residents and …

By Ruben Lowman In a move that deeply honors the roots of Atlantic Beach, the town council voted unanimously at their most recent meeting to appoint Titus Leaks as interim town manager. Leaks is a third-generation resident whose family legacy is literally etched into the foundation of the community. His grandfather, Leonard Evans, was the bricklayer who built Woods Villas, which is the town’s first motel. This appointment feels particularly poignant following the recent addition of Woods Villas to the National Register of Historic Places, a milestone that Leaks helped celebrate last November. For the residents of “The Black Pearl”, …

By John Smithson The 9th annual Ocean Drive Beach Music Festival was expected to be a full day of live music from The Commodores, The Band of Oz and Jim Quick & Coastline, dancing, and good vibes, at the parking lot between Main Street and First Avenue South. Instead, concert-goers who arrived at 10 a.m. were greeted by umbrellas, puddles, and a bandstand with instruments covered. There was music provided by The Surf 94.9 radio. Attendees set up their chairs close to the stage under umbrellas. The event organizers hoped the rain would move out and allow the festival to …