Coastal Observer

Elections: GOP candidates for governor meet county voters

Two of the five candidates for the Republican Party nomination for South Carolina governor brought their campaigns to Georgetown County in recent weeks. The primary, still six months away, will decide who will replace...
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THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Waccamaw High: Murder mystery dinner helps debate team sharpen skills

There’s a killer in their midst. While the the Waccamaw High speech and debate team prepares to find out who it is, they are also figuring out where competitive speech and theater intersect. “Yule...
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Environment: County drafts plan to protect wetlands

A long-awaited wetlands ordinance will establish a minimum 35-foot “undisturbed” buffer between wetlands, water bodies and development. That increases to 50 feet when the wetlands are adjacent to a river or tributary and 100...
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Tourism: County faces tough choices on accommodations tax requests

Now that they are done carving the turkey, members of the Georgetown County Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee will go to work this week slicing nearly $2.8 million in grant requests to fit the $1.9...
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Georgetown: Mixed-use waterfront development plan on hold

The fate of the 3.4 acres on the Georgetown waterfront is uncertain after the developer withdrew a request last week to rezone the property for a mixed-use development. The proposal to create a “master...
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Churches: Thanksgiving dinner has fellowship on the menu

Those who eat Thanksgiving dinner at Low Country Community Church take home more than leftovers. They leave with a sense of fellowship. “A lot of people meet new friends. A lot of people meet...
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Land use: Commission agrees to cut kayak facility it never approved

A proposed kayak launch on Pawleys Creek that is at the center of a legal dispute over Georgetown County’s approval of a residential development is recommended for removal by the Planning Commission. The fact...
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Land use: Coalition wants zoning update to reduce footprint of future growth

As Georgetown County rewrites its rules for land use, a coalition advocating “smart growth” wants to make sure the public is engaged. And one way to have an engagement is through sound land use...
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Education: Board extends superintendent’s contract, but details still unknown

Two weeks after the Georgetown County School Board agreed to extend its contract with Superintendent Bethany Giles, the contract and the board’s evaluation have not been made public. The board voted Nov. 4 to...
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Incorporation: Incorporation group hopes to negotiate police agreement

The group leading an effort to create a town in the Pawleys Island-Litchfield area has asked its lawyers to help negotiate an agreement with Georgetown County to provide law enforcement. “They’re in negotiation,” said...
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Churches: Former Belin leaders sue to force vote on leaving United Methodists

Three former leaders at Belin Memorial United Methodist Church are seeking a court order to allow the congregation to vote on whether they should leave the national church. In the meantime, they want to...
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Education: Early adopter of classroom tech hears familiar concerns over AI

Artificial intelligence won’t replace teachers in the classroom, says Brian White, a history teacher at Waccamaw High. But it will if current and incoming teachers don’t learn how to use it, he said. “It’s...
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THE WEEK’S FEATURED STORIES

Georgetown: Third-party candidate begins transition after historic win in mayor’s race

Control of Georgetown City Council has shifted between Republican and Democrats over the past four years, but the city’s new mayor occupies the middle ground. Jay Doyle was elected last month after running as...
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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. , .