Coastal Observer

Education: Virtual gives way to reality

It took nearly two weeks, but Georgetown County students and teachers were finally reunited inside classrooms on Monday. Superintendent Keith Price said principals from across the district told him the first days went really...
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THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Land use: Goggans unsure of role as rezoning comes up for vote

Council Member Steve Goggans is still considering whether to recuse himself from a vote Sept. 22 on a rezoning that has drawn opposition from area residents. The project, known as Waverly and Kings, originally...
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Pawleys Island: Judge denies town’s bid to end suits over beach easements

A challenge to efforts by the town of Pawleys Island to condemn easements on three oceanfront lots for beach renourishment can move forward, a Circuit Court judge has ruled. But Judge Ben Culbertson told...
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Pawleys Island: NAACP threatens legal action to force mayor to resign

The local chapter of the NAACP this week turned up the pressure on Mayor Brian Henry to resign following a racially charged Facebook post last month. A protest outside Town Hall drew about 60...
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Environment: Moratorium on drilling sparks questions of timing

Opponents of oil and gas production off the South Carolina coast said they have tried to get support from Sen. Lindsey Graham for five years. But they were skeptical this week about his support...
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Veterans: Illness tied to Afghan war a legacy of 9/11

Immediately after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the United States government set up a base in Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan to launch strikes against the Taliban and al Qaeda. Nineteen...
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Pawleys Island: Mayor’s apology draws new wave of criticism

An apology from Pawleys Island’s mayor for a Facebook post that was condemned for racist language and led to calls for his resignation brought a new wave of criticism last week from people who...
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Land use: Townhouse project cuts numbers and height

A plan for townhouses at the intersection of Waverly and Kings River roads has been changed to duplexes in the face of criticism from area residents. “I’ll say it to the community: I heard...
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Murrells Inlet: Residents see possibilities in land the county doesn’t want

Hickory, poplar and pine trees rise overhead. Empty beer bottles, old tires and chunks of concrete are underfoot. But whichever way you look, the 13 acres in Murrells Inlet belong to the public. Area...
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Georgetown County: Council members will get $1M in sales tax surplus for district projects

Each of Georgetown County’s seven council districts will get $1 million worth of projects from the surplus raised by the capital surplus sales tax, under a plan presented to council members last week. Each...
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Pawleys Island: Mayor contrite, but won’t quit over post

Pawleys Island Mayor Brian Henry said this week he does not plan to resign in the face of the protests that followed a social media post that was condemned as racist. The first-term mayor...
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Education: Fall in virus numbers raises hopes for return of kids to classrooms

The Georgetown County School District is on the verge of moving into its hybrid phase, which would put students back in classrooms by the end of the month. “We are all eagerly awaiting that...
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THE WEEK’S FEATURED STORIES

Legislature: Santee Cooper agrees to talks with HOAs on streetlights

Communities that pay a monthly fee for street lights could see a savings if Santee Cooper agrees to let them buy the light fixtures and poles. Officials at the state-owned utility have told property...
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BUSINESS NEWS

LOCAL EVENTS

Meetings

Georgetown County Board of Education: April 8, noon. Virtual meeting. For details, go to gcsd.k12.sc.us .

Georgetown County Water and Sewer District: April 9, 6 p.m. Virtual meeting. For details, go to gcwsd.com.

No other local government meetings are scheduled at this time. , .

COASTAL OBSERVER