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By Ruben Lowman The Town of Atlantic Beach made the decision on Monday, June 6, to cancel its annual motorcycle rally and pass an ordinance requiring the use of face masks in public places. The event, officially named “The Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival” but commonly referred to as “Black Bike Week”, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Grand Strand every Memorial Day, when it has been held since 1980. Town officials previously rescheduled the bike festival for Labor Day, as a result of the effects the coronavirus pandemic has had on the area. Mayor Jake …

By Ruben Lowman During an emergency meeting last Tuesday North Myrtle Beach City Council approved an ordinance mandating the wearing of face masks in public places to prevent the spread of COVID-19. North Myrtle Beach was the first municipality in the county to pass facial covering legislation, which took effect last Thursday, July 2, at noon, followed closely by the councils of Myrtle Beach, Horry and Georgetown Counties and Atlantic Beach. This comes amid an alarming acceleration in positive confirmed coronavirus cases along the Grand Strand since the Memorial Day weekend. Previously, the numbers for new positive tests in Horry …

By RUBEN LOWMAN North Myrtle Beach City Council unanimously approved second and final reading on this fiscal year’s $89 million amended budget, as well as a 7.9 mils property tax increase within city limits, during a council meeting held last week. City officials have been left reeling financially by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic since March and as a result, have been forced to cut around $30 million from the projected budget that emerged from their annual retreat in Pinopolis in February. When passing the ordinances last Monday, June 29, Mayor Marilyn Hatley acknowledged the challenging choices those officials, …

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 …

By Annie Rigby The Loris City Council met on Monday, July 6, at 5:30 p.m. to discuss issues with the budget and met again at 6 p.m. for the Regular City Council Meeting for July. Council members present at both meetings were Joan Gause, Lewis Hardee, Carroll D. Padgett Jr., Mike Suggs and Jan Vescovi, with Mayor Todd Harrelson presiding over the meeting. Department heads present were Loris Police Chief Gary Buley, Loris Fire Chief Jerry Hardee, Brandon Harrelson, director of facilities, Kenneth Moss, city attorney and operations, and Amanda Causey, acting clerk. Present via Zoom social media program was …

By Annie Rigby Kenya Wright, owner of Cotton Pickin’ Cute Boutique, has moved two doors down to 4160 Main Street She opened on Wednesday, July 1, at 10 a.m. Wright said, “The move is mainly due to issues with the air conditioning unit in the original store at the corner of Main and Broad Street.” She said her landlord was accommodating to her making the move into the new shop and understanding the issues they experienced with the air not working properly; she stated he was more than happy to work with her. The new store’s amazing plus is the …

By Annie Rigby The Loris City Council met on Monday, June 29, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall. Due to COVID-19 pandemic the Special Council Meeting is open to the public and press via Zoom, the social media outlet through the App or dial in to attend the meeting. Mayor Todd Harrelson stated in last week’s meeting that social distancing was a priority, only council members and city staff are able to meet in person. Present at the meeting were council members Joan Gause, Lewis Hardee, Terrence Hardee, Carroll D. Padgett, Jr., Mike Suggs, Jan Vescovi …

By Annie Rigby Many activities were planned for high school graduates for the class of 2020, the biggest first milestone marked in many diaries, yearbooks and memories. However, there are two other milestones in the Loris community that were almost overlooked; the 5th grade graduation at Loris Elementary School (LES) and Daisy Elementary School (DES), and the 8th grade graduation at Loris Middle School (LMS). Loris Elementary and Daisy Elementary fifth graders were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, they missed the end of the year activities, the Field Day was cancelled, PTO activities and their recognition with their peers to …

By RUBEN LOWMAN North Myrtle Beach City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a $89 million amended budget on Tuesday that raises property taxes within city limits. The proposed budget would cut a little over $30 million in major projects and carry a tax increase of 7.9 mils, bringing the city’s rate to 45 mils. At a workshop last week Councilman-at-large Hank Thomas was the only member to voice opposition to the proposed increase, saying he was concerned about the impact it would have on businesses and second homeowners. After deliberating with the rest of the council this week, …

By Ruben Lowman The primary elections for Horry County Council District 9 and Horry County Auditor were close enough last week to necessitate a runoff between the top two candidates in each race. Mark Causey and Terry Fowler will compete for the District 9 council seat, while R.A. Johnson and Beth Calhoun will vie to be the next county auditor. Both individuals who currently hold these seats are retiring after long and illustrious careers serving the public from these positions. Paul Prince is retiring after nearly two decades as the district’s councilman and hoped to pass the baton to his …