Coastal Observer

Land use: Proposed changes to landscape rules call for more and greener plants

A plan to put more green into green spaces is under review by the Georgetown County Planning Commission. Members say they want to make sure that the measure provides enough space for landscape plants...
Read More

THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Pawleys Island: Planners renew effort to take control of building permits

With architectural guidelines in place, the town of Pawleys Island needs its own building inspector to enforce them, Planning Commission members say. They made their third pitch in three and a half years to...
Read More

Environment: Researchers will measure sinking lands along with rising sea level

A geologist at Coastal Carolina University didn’t find much interest among local officials when he told them data suggests that sinking land is exacerbating the problems caused by rising seas. He got a better...
Read More

Tourism: Panel sorts through $1.8M in requests for tax grants

Officials are not sure how much money Georgetown County will get from the state accommodations tax, but more than a dozen entities are ready to step up to help spend it. Funds from the...
Read More

Education: District planning for next five years

The Georgetown County School District is working on a strategic plan for the next five years and is seeking input from as many people as possible. The district brought together more than 100 people...
Read More

Georgetown County: Challenge to road user fee seeks $260M in damages

A Georgetown man is seeking $260 million from Georgetown County for himself and others who paid a road user fee adopted by the county in 2001. A class action suit filed last week in...
Read More

Land use: Council vote on rezoning still under review

Georgetown County Council is expected to learn next week the outcome of its vote last week on a rezoning request that drew opposition from Waccamaw Neck residents. At issue is whether the decision of...
Read More

Education: Montessori school gets grant to introduce pre-schoolers to the circle of life

Take a walk past the Montessori School of Pawleys Island and you might see some of its youngest students digging in the dirt and watering plants. Students in pre-K classes are learning about food...
Read More

Safety: Emergency vehicles now get green lights on Highway 17

It took nearly four years to get the green light from Georgetown County for a system that controls traffic signals for emergency vehicles. Now fire and rescue units are seeing nothing but green. “We...
Read More

Politics: GOP slate ousts Democrats in sweep of city election

Republicans flipped the leadership of Georgetown city government this week, claiming the mayorship and three seats on council. Carol Jayroe collected 1,330 votes to defeat Mayor Brendon Barber in his bid for a second...
Read More

Nonprofits: As Habitat’s first senior cottage goes up in Georgetown, donors plan two more

Volunteers finessed the first section of wall into place last week for the first Habitat Cottage, a new initiative that will provide decent housing for low-income seniors. “Everybody says it’s a tiny house,” said...
Read More

Planning: Engineer pulls townhouse plan after group questions zoning’s validity

Questions raised about the validity of a development plan approved more than two decades ago prompted the owner of a tract on Highway 17 at Hagley to withdraw a request to change that plan....
Read More

THE WEEK’S FEATURED STORIES

Tourism: Tax revenue increases, but grant requests still face cuts

A windfall in taxes paid by people who rent vacation properties has yet to find its way to the organizations that rely on the revenue to help fund their activities. Despite a rise in...
Read More

BUSINESS NEWS

Observer wins 10 state press awards

Coastal Observer staff won 10 awards from the S.C. Press Association for their work in 2019 and 2020, including third place for General Excellence among the mid-sized weekly newspapers. Awards were presented last week...
Read More

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., Howard Auditorium, Hawkins Street, Georgetown. For details, go to georgetowncountysc.org.

Pawleys Island Town Council: Second Mondays, 5 p.m. Virtual meetings.For details, go to townofpawleysisland.com.

, .

COASTAL OBSERVER