🌱 2 Die In Pawleys Fire + No COVID Deaths In Horry County

Hey, people of the Grand Strand! It's me again, Kathy Mandell, your host of the Myrtle Beach Daily. Today is Friday, January 7, 2021 and here's what you need to know happening in and around town.

---

Let's have a look at Friday's weather:

Cooler with clouds, then sun. High: 50 Low: 31.

---

Shoutout to our premier local sponsor:

Lapiere and Josie Senior Insurance Consultants, trusted local agents in Myrtle Beach, can help you out during the current Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. During this period, which ends March 31, you can switch Medicare Advantage plans or return to Original Medicare. Visit lapiereandjosie.com to learn more or schedule a consultation for all your insurance needs — including Medicare, life, health, retirement planning and more. Career opportunities are also available.

Want to see your business featured in this spot? Click here to see the options.

---

Here are the top five stories in Myrtle Beach today:

1. Two people are dead from a three-alarm house fire in Pawleys Island that damaged one home and other buildings nearby. Midway Fire Rescue and four other fire departments were called to Windy Lane in Pawleys early Thursday morning. There are not many details, but officials have confirmed that a couple in their 70s died. The couple's daughter and a dog were able to escape the blaze. Ocean Highway was closed to accommodate emergency personnel and equipment. (WMBF)
2. The Grand Strand Boat Show returns to Myrtle Beach Convention Center this weekend for the first time since the pandemic began. The 2022 Grand Strand Boat Show and Sportsman Expo is celebrating its 39th year. Boats, golf carts, fishing gear, all-terrain vehicles and more will be showcased all weekend. The show runs from today through Sunday. (wpde.com)
3. That RV park proposed to be placed next to Bojangles on Highway 544 got closer to approval by Horry County officials. The project will consist of over 100 RV sites on 17.5 acres. A right-turn lane will be added to Highway 544 to accommodate the extra traffic. The land does need to be rezoned, and the Council will be doing a final vote January 18th. (MyHorryNews.com)
4. A $5,000 reward was announced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for information on the Myrtle Beach man who was killed in crossfire a year ago. Peter Franco was killed by gunfire between two groups on January 2, 2021 on his way home from work around midnight. Anyone with information is asked to call HCPD, and all tips will remain anonymous. (WBTW)
5. In Thursday's COVID-19 report from SCDHEC, Horry County did not register any additional coronavirus deaths. Horry County confirmed 441 new COVID-19 cases. Statewide there were close to 9,500 new COVID cases and 17 additional COVID deaths. The data was collected as of January 4th at 11:59 p.m. (WMBF)

---

From our sponsor:

Today's Myrtle Beach Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Myrtle Beach!

---

Today in Myrtle Beach:

• Grand Strand Boat Show and Sportsman Expo @ MB Convention Center (7:00 AM) through January 9th at 10:00 PM.
• Red Cross blood drive @ Surfside United Methodist Church (1:00 PM) — donate blood at any of the sites listed during the month of January, and get entered into a drawing to win Super Bowl tickets or a home theater package. (Patch)
• Janko Winehart @ Wicked Tuna Murrells Inlet (2:30 PM)
• Chocolate Chip & Company @ 810 Market Common (8:00 PM)

---

From my notebook:

• Former Horry County deputy coroner Chris Dontell has responded to a wrongful death suit filed against him by the family of Gregory Rice, whom Dontell and Meagan Jackson are accused of murdering. Dontell filed an answer to the wrongful death complaint, denying the allegations and asking that the lawsuit be dismissed. Jackson has not responded to the lawsuit yet. (WMBF)
• The owner of the Sea Hawk and Sea Horn motels on Ocean Boulevard has been asked by the Myrtle Beach Planning Commission to clarify his redevelopment plans for the properties. Seraj Patel has proposed demolishing the motels and building a single unit on the adjoining properties. (Myhorrynews)
• Congressman Tom Rice announced that forty grants will be distributed throughout Horry County. The City of North Myrtle Beach and Horry County Community Development have both been awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant monies, along with 38 other entities within the Seventh District. (WBTW)
• Surfside Beach Mayor Bob Hellyer is excited about the completion of Surfside Beach pier by October. 2022 will be "the year of the pier" for Surfside! A workshop will be held to suss out details of plans for the town next Thursday, January 13th, at 5:30 p.m. at Johnson Civic Center. (WMBF)
• Horry County Government has announced members of Council Standing Committees, and meeting dates for each committee. (HorryCounty.org)

---

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Divorce Boot Camp – Vesta's South Carolina Hub (January 11)
• Add your event

---

Loving the Myrtle Beach Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Become a supporter (there are perks!)
• Get your local business featured in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at myrtlebeach@patch.com

---

Thanks for following along and staying informed this Friday! See you all Saturday for a Myrtle Beach weekend update!

— Kathy Mandell

About me: The best decision I ever made was relocating to the Myrtle Beach area from New England a few years ago, with my three dogs and three cats. I enjoy dogs, cats, road trips, photography, writing, vegetarian food, live music, bicycling and above all my daily walks on the beaches in and around the Grand Strand.