Coastal Observer

Georgetown County: New development director sees familiar problem along with unique opportunity

The county’s largest employer announced it would close, leaving behind a 350-acre site on the waterfront in need of environmental cleanup. “They were entertaining several different potential purchasers of that property,” Kelly Robertson-Slagle said....
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THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Elections: Forum sparks interest in school board race as voting begins

More than 50 people came to Waccamaw Library to figure out who the three candidates are that are running in a special election for the Georgetown County School Board in District 6. That was...
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Land use: New owner of former tech site won’t pursue townhouse plan

The new owner of Georgetown County’s former technology park site doesn’t have immediate plans for the 14.4 acres. But its future plans don’t include the 90 townhouses currently approved for the site or the...
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Environment: Manager who built Waccamaw Refuge leaves for private sector

Craig Sasser’s life has come full circle. After he graduated from Furman University, he worked at Kinloch Plantation. Now he has left the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, which he helped start 28 years ago,...
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Land use: For coalition, density is not a dirty word

A coalition of environmental and business groups that began organizing last year wants to make sure that an update of Georgetown County’s zoning and development regulations fulfills its promise of “smart growth.” Thrive Georgetown...
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Georgetown: Utilities, but not county, part of bid for paper mill property

Two electric utilities are part of a bid for the former International Paper Co. mill in Georgetown, officials said this week. Georgetown County, which has an agreement to share information with the utilities, says...
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Land use: Former tech park site sold to firm with nonprofit ties

Property at Pawleys Island that was once planned by Georgetown County for a technology park was sold last week to a buyer tied to a nonprofit foundation. The sale by the Economic Development Alliance...
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Incorporation: Sheriff casts doubt on group’s plan for policing town

Voters in Pawleys Island and Litchfield can’t be sure they will continue to get the same service from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office if an effort to form a new town in the area...
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Education: Childhood friendship survives service academy rivalry

Alex Mills and Tyler Fico were once boys growing up in Pawleys Island, playing tag football and drawing pictures of tanks, guns and soldiers. Now they’re paving their own paths to become military officers....
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Environment: Threatened seabirds create state’s second largest colony on Litchfield Beach

Mary-Catherine Martin looked through her binoculars to see if the chicks had grown their downing feathers. “Yay!” she said. The state’s second largest colony of least tern nests sits atop the bare sand on...
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Georgetown: County denies playing favorites in bids for IP mill site

Officials were scrambling this week to find out if Georgetown County was included in a bid submitted to International Paper Co. by a prospective buyer for its closed mill in Georgetown. They said the...
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Land use: Golf course rezonings advance with pledge for future tweaks

A zoning change for two area golf courses moved forward last week with amendments that will further restrict future development if the courses close. Georgetown County Council Member Bob Anderson said there could be...
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THE WEEK’S FEATURED STORIES

Recreation: County tries to beat the heat with repairs to rec center cooling system

It was hot inside the Waccamaw Regional Recreation Center, where users have complained for months about the faulty air conditioning. It was hotter on the roof. “I think the heat index here was like...
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BUSINESS NEWS

Observer staff earns top honors in news contest

Coastal Observer staff won 20 awards for writing, photography and design – including the President’s Cup for excellence among mid-sized weeklies – in the S.C. Press Associatioin’s annual news contest. It was the 10th...
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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