Coastal Observer

Sales tax: Referendum campaign is race to answer voters’ questions

Walt Ackerman has lost count of the number of presentations he has made about the two sales tax initiatives on the November ballot. Mark Hawn estimated he has attended about 30. That’s more than...
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THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Tourism: Firm will use phone data to track county visitor numbers

A firm that works with top U.S. retailers will start providing data to the Chamber of Commerce to help figure out just how many people visit Georgetown County. Every year the chamber gets the...
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Education: District cellphone rules evolve with state policy

The feedback Superintendent Bethany Giles has received from students about the Georgetown County School District’s ban on cell phones has been positive. “They’ve definitely shared that they’re on board,” she told the school board...
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Sales tax: Pawleys Island got a seat at the table, then a place on the ballot

The town of Pawleys Island doesn’t claim ownership of the jetty that defines its northern tip. But its stake in seeing that the 72-year-old structure remains in place is greater than that of the...
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Waccamaw High: Warriors surf club riding a wave of tradition

A group of Waccamaw High School athletes competed against Socastee, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach on Saturday. But it wasn’t on the football field, the baseball diamond or the basketball court. It was...
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Pawleys Island: Sandbags placed at Prince George as inlet migration erodes dune

Sandbags now line the beach at Prince George where Pawleys Inlet has continued its southern migration as property owners and the town of Pawleys Island continue negotiations to relocate the inlet. “Emergency conditions have...
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Land use: Foes of rezoning see ‘chilling effect’ in counterclaims

Neighbors who oppose the rezoning of property on Pawleys Creek for a residential development have asked the Circuit Court to dismiss claims by the developer that they conspired with a citizens group to block...
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Environment: Commission wants to review changes to natural resources plan

An update to Georgetown County’s plan for natural resources drafted nearly two years ago won’t be adopted until early next year at the earliest after a mistake on the County Council agenda delayed action...
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Education: A product of Georgetown County schools is set to lead them

Bethany Giles took over as interim superintendent of Georgetown County Schools on July 1, but she stayed in her assistant superintendent office while the school board went through the process of looking for a...
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Pawleys Island: ARB turns down design for house in preservation agreement

The design for a beach house that would replace a house from the 1940s in the Pawleys Island historic district was denied by the town’s Architectural Review Board after members said it wasn’t compatible...
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Environment: Living shoreline comes to life on Winyah Bay

Three years after the planning for a living shoreline at the head of Winyah Bay started, installation has begun. “It’s a great area and it is massively eroding,” said Liz Fly, director of resilience...
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Land use: Dark clouds of opposition gather over proposed solar farm

An investment firm has delayed its request for approval for Georgetown County’s second large-scale solar farm in the face of opposition from residents and property owners in the Plantersville community. Sunrise Renewables is seeking...
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THE WEEK’S FEATURED STORIES

Beaches: Sand will run out before the money does, hazards expert says

Rob Young thought he could improve on the WNC Strong slogan created after flooding from Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in the mountains of western North Carolina. How about WNC Smart? It hasn’t caught on....
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BUSINESS NEWS

Observer staff wins 15 state press awards

The Coastal Observer staff received 15 awards for reporting, writing, photography and design, in the S.C. Press Association’s annual news contest. The paper won first place for General Excellence among the state’s medium-sized weeklies....
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LOCAL EVENTS

Meetings

Georgetown County Board of Education: First and third Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m., Beck Education Center. For details, go to gcsd.k12.sc.us . Georgetown County Council: Second and fourth Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers, 129 Screven St., Georgetown. For details, go to georgetowncountysc.org. Pawleys Island Town Council: Second Mondays, 5 p.m. Town Hall, 323 Myrtle Ave. For details, go to townofpawleysisland.com. , .

COASTAL OBSERVER