North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years

The North Myrtle Beach girls and boys basketball teams continued a successful start to their regular season with wins over Carolina Forest and Loris last Tuesday and Friday at home. The Lady Chiefs beat a pesky Carolina Forest squad 42-34 on Tuesday, then took care of Loris Friday night by a 50-31 score. The boys won their game against Carolina Forest by a 66-59 score, then scored in the last seconds of the fourth quarter to beat Loris 44-43. Tuesday’s action began with the Lady Chiefs starting slowly against Carolina Forest. North Myrtle Beach had trouble against the Lady Panthers …

Master Sgt. James Darrell Vaught (Ret.), 73, of Loris passed away on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, at his home following an illness. Mr. Vaught was born on March 16, 1946, in Loris to the late Lundy Monroe Vaught and the late Flora Anderson Vaught. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend and longtime member of Olyphic Baptist Church in Tabor City, N.C. Upon graduating from Loris High School, Mr. Vaught joined the United States Army in 1964 and served his country with courage, honor and distinction in the Vietnam War. He was later stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia, …

Irene Thompkins Cohen of Myrtle Beach passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. Mrs. Cohen was born on Sept. 18, 1927, in Conway to the late Eddie Samuel Thompkins and the late Beulah Lilly Graham Thompkins. She was a longtime member of Ocean View Baptist Church in Myrtle Beach. Mrs. Cohen was predeceased by her husband, Henry Cohen. Services were private. Sign Mrs. Cohen’s online guest book at hardwickfuneralhome.com. Hardwick Funeral Home served the family.

It is that time of year when many area children are in need of a good winter coat and they have none. North Myrtle Beach Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10804 and its Auxiliary are doing their part in seeing to it that as many needy children as possible do not go cold for want of a coat. Post 10804 Auxiliary member Jacqui Williams took on this project this year in honor of her recently passed sister Bonnie who was a dedicated worker in trying to help the less fortunate children of Horry County.  Along with the children’s coats, adult …

Scott Childers and Todd Fineran, owners of The Shack restaurant in the Cherry Grove section of North Myrtle Beach, collected 55 bicycles this season, their third year of assisting in the Yachts for Tots toy drive in the North Myrtle Beach area. The bikes for Christmas idea came about three years ago when a customer challenged other customers of the restaurant to donate bikes as part of the effort to help area kids have a happy Christmas. Last year the restaurant collected 65 bikes, but Childers was still very happy with this year’s drive. “It was a great success. The …

At our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church five members of the Knights of Columbus received their quilts of valor. The purpose of the QOV Foundation is to cover service members and veterans who have been touched by war with comfort and peace and healing. In 2003 Catherine Robert had a vision of a young man and woman surrounded by war. Her next vision was seeing the servicemen and women being wrapped in quilts of comfort and peace. This began the journey of the quilts for soldiers, not recognized as the Quilts Of Valor Foundation . The first quilt …

By Meg Williams : Michelle Rusback teaches 4th grade at Waterway Elementary School. She has been teaching 19 years with the last 13 being in Horry County. Previously, she taught six years in Florida. Michelle is married to Tom Rusback and they have one daughter, Maddie. Michelle graduated in 1992 from Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, earning a bachelors degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. She was inspired to teach by her dad. He taught high school for 43 years before retiring just a few years ago. “Watching your students’ faces light up when they get it for …

During the Dec. 16 City Council meeting, Employee Longevity Awards were presented to Public Safety Officer Chris Shick (15 years of service), Public Safety Sergeant Ray Pollock (15), Public Safety Officer Bobby Hall (10 years), and Public Safety Officer Jake Hoard (5 years). Employee Longevity Awards are presented in five-year increments to employees who continually offer excellent customer service. The city thanks these city employees for their continued commitment to customer service excellence.

Jammie Livingston is still farming at 87 years old. He is better known in the community as Sonny Livingston, one of the biggest farmers in the Wampee section of Horry County. He farmed acreage of crops for over 6 decades but now he is farming his yard such as peppers, okras, a variety of teas, collards and a lemon tree. His biggest accomplishment for this year has been his first ever lemon tree which the lemons grew as large as navel oranges plus collard leaves as long as 41 inches. Mr. Livingston states “Once a farmer, you will always be …

During the December 16 City Council meeting, Employee of the Month Awards were presented to Public Grounds Maintenance Worker Stewart Stevenson (September), Senior Planner/Urban Designer Suzanne Pritchard (October) and Seasonal Beach Cleaner Contrez Dewitt and Motor Equipment Operator Kareem Hemingway (November). Stewart Stevenson received his award for volunteering to be the point of contact for the Right of Way Crew when its leader had to be out of work for an extended period of time. He ensured that the crew understood and stuck to established priorities, attended crew meetings and carried information back to the maintenance staff. Meanwhile, he continued …