🌱 Horry COVID Update + MB Bed Bug Law + Get In On The MLK Parade

Hey, Myrtle Beach! Here's everything you need to know to get the New Year's holiday started off right. Today is Friday, December 31, 2021 — the last day of the year! Keep your safety and health in the forefront of your mind if you are venturing out and about. The Grand Strand is crowded with visitors and locals going out to NYE events. Happy New Year!

Here's a peek at your New Year's weekend weather:

• Friday: Very warm with clouds and sun. High: 74 Low: 62.
• Saturday: Breezy in the afternoon. High: 75 Low: 63.

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Here are the top four stories today in Myrtle Beach:

1. Horry County continues to be listed as a "high" incidence area of COVID-19 transmission as the state's daily confirmed case number increased to 3,354 after the Christmas holiday. This is the highest number of cases for the state since September. There were nine confirmed deaths statewide. These numbers are as of December 28, 2021 at midnight. (WBTW)
2. Myrtle Beach police are looking for a woman who may have knowledge of what sparked a suspicious fire in the laundry room of the Montego Inn on Sunday. A surveillance camera photo of the woman was released by police to the press. They are asking anyone with information to call MBPD at (843) 918-1382. (WPDE)
3. Rep. Wendell Gilliard, D-Charleston County, has created a bill that would address bed bug infestations in hotels and vacation rentals. The bill will initiate fines and/or jail time for hotel owners or landlords who do not disclose bed bug infestations. The charge would be a misdemeanor, and anyone convicted could see 60 days in jail or a fine of up to $300. Myrtle Beach has been described as a bed bug epicenter by at least one lawyer who handles bed bug lawsuits. (WBTW)
4. Organizers of the Myrtle Beach MLK parade are asking businesses to get on board and join in on the parade, scheduled to happen on Saturday, January 15, 2022. The originally scheduled date of January 17th (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) was changed to the Saturday before the holiday to encourage more businesses to participate in the parade. During the festival, Bennie Swans, who helped create the annual parade, will be honored. Swans died in September of 2020. This will be the first parade held since his death, because the event was cancelled a year ago due to the pandemic. The parade is part of Grand Strand Freedom Week. (WMBF)

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NYE and New Year's Day in Myrtle Beach:

Friday, December 31

• Noon Years's Eve @ LuLu's NMB Barefoot Landing (12:00 noon)
• The Christmas Show @ Alabama Theatre (3:00 PM and 9:30 PM)
• New Year's Eve Celebration @ Surfside Bowl (3-7 PM or 8 - midnight)
• New Year's Eve on the Marshwalk @ Murrells Inlet Marshwalk (5:00 PM)
• Red Velvet New Year's Eve Celebration @ Asher Theater (8:00 PM)
• Trey Calloway Band @ Captain Archie's (8:00 PM)

More New Year's Weekend live music on the Grand Strand (MyrtleLive.com)

Saturday, January 1, 2022

• First Day Hike @ Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail @ Huntington Beach State Park (10:00 AM)
• New Year's Resolution "Nature-ly" Hike @ Myrtle Beach State Park (10:00 AM)
• Noon Year's Day Party @ Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach (11:00 AM)
• Brunch & The Beatles Live Music Brunch @ Tin Roof Myrtle Beach (12:00 noon)
• Meet & Greet with Greg Rowles (see next item) @ Barefoot Bistro (3:00 PM)
• The South's Grandest Christmas Show and final performance by cast member Greg Rowles @ Alabama Theatre (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Hospital capacity numbers reported from South Carolina state health officials to the federal government on December 29th indicate that 75 percent of the state's inpatient hospital beds were occupied. The latest figures for Horry County shown in this report are from December 17 through December 23 for three hospitals: Grand Strand Medical Center, Conway Medical Center and McLeod Hospital in Loris. (Patch)
• GOT SOCKS? 🧦 The NMB Public Safety Department, in conjunction with Sea Haven, Inc., will be collecting new socks for homeless youth and adults from January 1 through January 31. You can drop off new socks at one of five NMB fire stations. (wpde.com)
• The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach: WANTED: Dog owner looking to add another dog to their family! Shy, the beautiful brindle girl on the right, is an extremely sweet but timid gal. We don’t know what happened in her past, but Shy is very nervous around strangers. Shy has never shown any meanness, she just hides in a corner when she first meets someone. (Facebook)
• Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon: Mark your calendars!!✔️ We have a full list of running events that you won't want to miss! https://www.nspromos.com/races * Plan to run 5 or more races with us in 2022?? For a limited time, We are offering the 2022 RACE PASS!🏁 (Instagram)
• Myrtle Beach International Airport: MYR is hosting a TSA Pre✓® Temporary Enrollment Center event January 17-21! New enrollments and existing renewals are both accepted. (FlyMyrtleBeach.com)
• Post from Nextdoor Neighbor, Market Common: "Market Common New Year's Eve Celebration - I went to get my tickets after spending the necessary money at one of the restaurants in Market Common. I was told that no folding chairs or purses or coolers are allowed at this event...very disappointing. The thought of having to stand for hours to listen to music is not very appealing. Does anyone else feel this way or am I just getting old?" (Nextdoor)

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Events:

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Before I sign off for the last day of 2021, I want to say thank you to all my readers and followers! Your personal notes and feedback are so encouraging! I started curating the Myrtle Beach Daily back in May of this year, and I'm having so much fun bringing you the news every day. I am truly grateful for all of you! I wish everyone a very safe and happy Grand Strand New Year! I'll see you in 2022!

— 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.