Drive-Thru COVID Testing +Turtles Leave Nest+MYR Busier Than Ever

Good morning, people of the Grand Strand! It's me again, Kathy Mandell, your host of the Myrtle Beach Daily. It's Monday, August 23, 2021 and today I'll tell you about free drive-through COVID-19 testing at Conway Medical Center, 27 turtle hatchlings left the nest on Litchfield Beach, the county sheriff's office is seeking help locating a Georgetown woman, the body of a man found inside a submerged vehicle has been identified, and summer statistics show Myrtle Beach airport was busier than any other SC airport.

Check out Monday's weather: Rain until afternoon, starting again overnight. High: 86 Low: 75.

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Here are the top stories today in Myrtle Beach:

1. Starting today, Conway Medical Center will offer free drive-through COVID-19 testing at its 280 Singleton Ridge Road campus. Appointments are necessary at this time, and should be scheduled through a new app called the CMC Care app. A referral is not needed for testing. The hours are 8 am - 4 pm daily. (WBTW)
2. South Strand turtle enthusiasts released 27 baby loggerhead hatchlings at Litchfield Beach. The South Carolina Turtle Enthusiasts Group (S.C.U.T.E.) observed the nest to do a count of how many sea turtles hatched from a protected nest on the beach. They estimate that 90% of the eggs laid in that particular nest hatched successfully. (WPDE)
3. The Georgetown County Sheriff is seeking the public's help in locating Jessica Diane Hewitt, who lived at 110 Cove Lane in Georgetown. If you have information, contact Lt. Ben Marlow at (843) 546-5101. (WMBF)
4. The Horry County coroner has identified the body of a man who was found inside a submerged vehicle in a stormwater pond in Myrtle Beach over the weekend. 31-year-old Najibullo Shermatov of Myrtle Beach was found inside the car located near Cole Street off Grissom Parkway. The coroner's office will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Anyone with information is asked to contact the MBPD. (MyHorryNews.com)
5. Myrtle Beach International Airport was the busiest airport in South Carolina this June and July, surpassing Charleston's airport in statistics. The highest passenger counts ever recorded in the state occurred during those two months, proving how popular Myrtle Beach has become for tourists and visitors. The airport did have some hiccups when Spirit Airlines had a week full of flight cancellations. Southwest Airlines brought new service to MYR in May, and some other airlines also added service to Myrtle Beach for the first time this year. (Patch)

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Today in Myrtle Beach

• Red Cross blood drive @ Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center (7:45 AM)
• Quilting Club @ Socastee Library (10:00 AM)
• Chris Cary @ Snooky's Oceanfront (5:00 PM)
• Alvarado Road Show @ Lulu's NMB (5:00 PM)
• Matt Lambe @ Duffy Street Seafood Shack (6:00 PM)

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Myrtle Beach Patch Notebook

• News13 Pet of the Weekend is Ravenclaw an 8-year-old mutt available for adoption at Grand Strand Humane Society. (WBTW)
• Green's Discount Beverages was named leading business of the month for August by the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce. (Patch)
• St. James High School football won against Loris in the first game of the season with a final score of 10-0. (MyHorryNews.com)
• Check out this photo of a lightning bolt and shelf cloud over Myrtle Beach! (Instagram)
• Visit Myrtle Beach shows off its beauty in this photo by B. Lambert Photography. (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll be back in your inbox Tuesday morning with another update.

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— 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Myrtle Beach Daily? I'm all ears. You can email me at myrtlebeach@patch.com.