Coastal Observer

Politics: Goldfinch takes on history in statewide campaign

Stephen Goldfinch is the only declared candidate to replace Alan Wilson as South Carolina’s attorney general, so he is running against the government. “As attorney general, I will get between the citizenry, the people...
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THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Elections: School board candidates focus on turnout

The first week of early voting saw 56 ballots cast in the special election for the Georgetown County School Board seat in District 6. Early voting ended last week and the election is today...
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Nonprofits: Rezoning hearing highlights need for addiction recovery center

One couple’s son died from a fentanyl overdose. A retired nurse used to bail her brother out of jail to get him into rehab. A woman saw her brother and sister struggle with addiction....
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Environment: Halfway through hatching, new seabird colony faces busy holiday weekend

The least tern nests on the southern tip of Litchfield Beach must go through one last test to make it through the season: the Fourth of July weekend. “People don’t realize their effect on...
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Beaches: Outcry over surf fishing limits leads to revisions

Georgetown County is revising a proposed change to its beach regulations that would restrict surf fishing in order to prevent businesses from conducting shark fishing trips to its beaches. The measure received the second...
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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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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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Beaches: Shark venture prompts county to limit surf fishing

Surf fishing on Georgetown County beaches will be prohibited during the daytime under a measure approved by County Council this week. The move comes after complaints about a company in Myrtle Beach bringing people...
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Georgetown: Citizens groups give voice to concerns about future of paper mill site

The citizens of Georgetown are concerned about the future of the International Paper Co. mill site. Really concerned. Enough so that there are three groups that share similar names. Citizens for Georgetown was started...
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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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THE WEEK’S FEATURED STORIES

Education: Safety panel ends work with input from law enforcement

After a two-hour closed-door session to review security issues, the Georgetown County School Board’s safety committee wrapped up three months of work by deciding to let Superintendent Bethany Giles draft its recommendations. Giles will...
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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