By Annie Rigby Horry County Schools (HCS) will open to students on Tuesday, Sept. 8, with the main goal to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for all students and staff with instruction delivered in the most effective way. Students were provided two choices to attend school. Option one is for face-to-face in school learning and option two is to attend online classes. The online instruction has limited subject choices and has been suggested that the student follow up with their guidance counselor for assistance. HCS created the HCS Re-Opening Task Force and formulated a comprehensive plan utilizing the …

By Annie Rigby Elementary and Middle schools across Horry County opened for the LEAP Days program from Thursday, Aug. 20, to Wednesday, Aug. 26, for the five day assessment Learn, Evaluate, Analyze and Prepare program (LEAP). This includes Loris Elementary, Daisy Elementary and Loris Middle School. Daisy Elementary began the school year with Leap Days welcoming students to the classrooms on Thursday, Aug. 20. Josh Todd, principal, and Sandy Carland, assistant principal, created an instructional information video to help parents and students understand what to expect as school begins each day at 7:30 a.m. The video can be viewed on …

By Annie Rigby The Loris Police Department (LPD) held their participation in the National Night Out event on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. in the Fox Bay community beginning at 329 Ross Road and walked through the neighborhood. Lt. Larry Williams said, “This is a community building campaign that forms police and community partnerships to show support both ways.” Williams stated every agency chooses how they celebrate the program to say, “We are here for you and how can we make your lives a little easier, safer and vice versa”. He said, “Before the coronavirus we were able to …

By Annie Rigby Vandals damaged one of the baseball fields and stole the first base at Green Sea Floyds (GSF) Recreation Center on Saturday, Aug. 1. Will Dunn, a member of the board of directors for the department, stated someone determined to enter the fields damaged a fence with an attempt to tip it over, stole the first base and drove doughnuts on one of the fields. Video footage is being reviewed and tire tracks left behind will determine who the responsible party is for the vandalism and damage to the baseball field. Dunn said, “The department is a volunteer …

By Annie Rigby The Loris City Council and mayor met in executive session on Monday, July 20, at 6:16 p.m. to discuss personnel issues.When council returned to the special council meeting Mayor Todd Harrelson announced the decision made in executive session and offered the position of interim city administrator to Brandon Harrelson. Harrelson accepted the position on Tuesday, July 21. He said, “I think I can bring the same attitude and desire to push Loris in the right direction as I have tried to do since my employment in Loris.” He has been with the city for three years and …

By Annie Rigby Loris Fire Department (LFD) Chief Jerry Hardee addressed the city council on Monday, July 20, in a special council meeting of the department’s need for the a new fire apparatus light rescue truck. Hardee said the vehicle that is used to respond to a fire call is 24 years old. He said, “If you have 20 years with a fire apparatus you’ve done good.” He continued, “We need something more dependable and reliable to respond to a call.” Questions were raised regarding the bidding process versus state approved agencies to purchase the light rescue truck. Hardee explained …

By Annie Rigby Amanda Causey was offered the position of clerk for the city of Loris after the Loris City Council met in executive session on Monday, July 20. Causey said, “It is an honor to work alongside the talented employees at the city of Loris.” She stated it is more than just a job, more than just a city; it is her home and hometown. She said there is much work to accomplish and as a team it will be done. Mayor Todd Harrelson said, “I think the city of Loris is blessed to have Amanda as the new …

By Annie Rigby Janna-Reese is a bright young fourth grader who likes to keep busy, especially now when people are staying home. She has found a way to be creative and share her talent with others by painting rocks and hiding them throughout Loris. She said, “Because of the COVID it’s really boring cause you can’t go anywhere.” While cleaning she came upon a ladybug rock that she painted two years ago inspiring her to start painting and hiding rocks again. When someone finds a lion, tiger or bear, oh my, along with many other characters she creates and re-hide …

By Annie Rigby In response to the many areas surrounding Loris, including Horry County, that have mandated wearing face masks Mayor Todd Harrelson provided a proclamation for the residents and visitors of Loris. The proclamation for the City of Loris reads as follows. “Whereas, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease that can result in serious illness or death by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is a new strain of the coronavirus previously unidentified in humans and which can spread from person to person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned of the high public health …

By Annie Rigby Early morning on Tuesday, June 30, a task force of more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers participated in the investigation and the arrests of 24 individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking organization operated out of the Cedar Branch area; four additional defendants remain at large. The United States Attorney District of South Carolina, Peter M. McCoy, Jr, said the 24 subjects have been taken into custody and are charged in federal court for their roles in trafficking heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs. Authorities seized more than a dozen …