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Community Corner

🌱 Plyler, Bethune Back Biz Tax Increase + Grand Strand Home Prices Up

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening this weekend in Myrtle Beach.

Kathy Mandell's profile picture
Kathy Mandell, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Happy Saturday, Myrtle Beach! Today is April 16, 2022. Let's get you all caught up to start today off on an informed note.

First, your weekend weather:

  • Saturday: A shower and thunderstorm. High: 72 Low: 62.
  • Easter Sunday: Low clouds may break. High: 71 Low: 60.

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Here are the top five stories in Myrtle Beach today:

  1. One of the most well-known business owners in Myrtle Beach says he supports a proposed tax increase for commercial properties in a zone that will be called the Municipal Improvement District. "It's going to be difficult, but we've got to do something," said, Buz Plyler, owner of the iconic Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, who says he backs the proposed 1% assessment increase on commercial properties in the new MID zone. Mayor Brenda Bethune, who also owns commercial property within the boundaries of MID, supports the measure as well. (WBTW)
  2. Myrtle Beach area companies are still struggling to find workers more than a year after COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed and the local economy reopened. The problems are mainly in the service/hospitality industry, and the construction industry — two areas that are exploding with activity all along the Grand Strand. The SC Department of Employment and Workforce has created a Labor Force Participation Task Force to dig deeper into what is driving difficulties in finding people who want to do the available jobs. (Myhorrynews)
  3. Fifteen rescue crews responded to a water rescue call on Friday afternoon on the beach at 72nd Avenue North, in Myrtle Beach. Initial reports showed that several people needed to be rescued from the water. MBFD later said two surfers were rescued, and both were taken to the hospital. Crews from MBFD, MB beach patrol, and lifeguards all responded to the call. (WMBF)
  4. You may not even know it is there, and if things continue the way they are going, you may never know about Heart Lake near 11th Avenue North, in North Myrtle Beach. According to homeowners and locals, Heart Lake is drying up, but not only because of the drought conditions we've been experiencing all year. Some are blaming a stormwater drainage project that prevents runoff from going into the lake, which was a natural retention site for rainwater for many years prior to the stormwater drainage installation. A rally is being held today around noon at the 11th Avenue North home of David Serrell, who wants residents to sign a petition to restore runoff flows into the lake. (wpde.com)
  5. Data released from Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors indicates that home prices in the Myrtle Beach area are rising significantly, while new listings are down. Prices are higher than last year at this time, by about 23% for a single-family home. Meanwhile, new listings are down about 24% compared to a year ago. (WBTW)

This weekend in Myrtle Beach:

Saturday, April 16

  • Conway Ford Cares Adopt-A-Pet event @ Conway Ford (10:00 AM)
  • 40th annual North Myrtle Beach Easter Egg Hunt @ McLean Park (10:00 AM)
  • Crabtree Gym's Spring Fest @ Crabtree Gym, 1004 Crabtree Lane, MB (10:00 AM)
  • Smoke on the Beach BBQ Festival @ Pavilion Park (10:00 AM) (Facebook) (wpde.com)
  • Easter Egg Hunt & Children's Fair @ Huckabee Complex, Surfside Beach (1:00 PM)
  • Brian Roessler @ Bumstead Pub (8:00 PM)

*More Saturday events on Visit Myrtle Beach website: (April 16)

Easter Sunday, April 17

  • Crooked Easter Egg Hunt @ Crooked Hammock Brewery (1:00 PM)
  • Easter Bunny @ Lulu's in Barefoot Landing (1:00 PM)
  • Easter Sunday with Jim Quick & Coastline @ Captain Archie's (3:00 PM)
  • N'tranz @ Dead Dog Saloon (7:00 PM)
  • Jarrett Forrester @ Bar Louie (7:00 PM)

* More Easter Sunday info on Explore North Myrtle Beach website: (Easter Sunday)

From my notebook:

  • Violins of Hope are coming to South Carolina for the first time ever, and performances will be held in Horry County on three occasions this month. The instruments were once owned by Jewish families during the holocaust, and were played as a message of hope. The collection has been restored and musicians tour with the instruments around the world. The violins can be heard on April 19 at Coastal Carolina University, at Myrtle Beach Train Depot on April 23, and at Myrtle Beach High School Music and Arts Center on April 24. (wpde.com)
  • ICYMI: Surfside Beach Town Council has suspended its dog license ordinance amid a lot of confusion and concerns from dog-owning visitors and residents alike. The council announced that anyone who purchased a dog registration certificate already can receive a refund of the $10 fee. The ordinance for dog licenses/registrations will remain suspended until town council can come up with a different plan. (WMBF)
  • A section of sidewalk underneath the Main Street bridge in Conway was closed when reports of debris falling from the structure were called in to authorities. The city installed barricades, but the bridge is open. SCDOT released a statement saying repair options are being evaluated, but a timeline for repairs is unknown. (WBTW)
  • This week was spring break for Horry County, with next week being Georgetown County's turn. Surprisingly, bookings for rental homes and condos were actually down this spring break as compared to last year at this time. Spring break in 2021 was a week earlier, and 87% of the units were booked that week. For 2022, 62% of rental properties were booked for vacationers this week. Hotel bookings were no different, and forecasters say the trend may continue through early June. (wpde.com)
  • Law enforcement will be out and about patrolling Highway 17, Highway 9, and Highway 544 as part of the SC Highway Patrol's Area Coordinated Enforcement (ACE) program to reduce collisions and fatalities on our roadways. The focus will be on speed, DUIs, aggressive driving, and distracted driving. Horry County has had 20 traffic fatalities so far this year. (wpde.com)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Saturday! I'll be back in your inbox soon with another edition of the Myrtle Beach Daily.

— 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.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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