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Community Corner

🌱 Trafficker Enters Plea + Bar Fight + Black Friday Robber Found

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

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Kathy Mandell, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Good morning, people of the Grand Strand! It's me again, Kathy Mandell, your host of the Myrtle Beach Daily. Today is Friday, December 10, 2021 and here's what's happening as we head into the weekend.

First, Friday weather:

Partly sunny and milder. High: 65 Low: 59.

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Here are the top stories in Myrtle Beach today:

  1. The main defendant in an alleged drug trafficking ring that operated out of Myrtle Beach pleaded guilty to charges in the case last week. As a condition of his plea agreement, Leroy Cunningham of Myrtle Beach must provide authorities with information about any criminal activities of which he has knowledge, and must testify if the government calls on him to do so. He may be fined $10 million and/or be sentenced to prison for 10 years to life in an upcoming sentencing hearing. Others involved in the case are still at large. (WMBF)
  2. Horry County Police were called to Spencer'z Sports Bar in the wee hours of Thursday morning because of a fight that had broken out at the Surfside Beach watering hole. While en route, the officers were told that a shooting had also occurred there. A person was injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. No arrests have been made yet. (WBTW)
  3. In a press release from Horry County government, it was announced that the 2021 Tax Sale has been completed. County electronic payment processes were temporarily suspended for about three days while the 2021 Tax Sale was conducted. Online and telephone payment processes for real estate and personal property taxes have been reinstated so that folks can make payments using computer or phone again. (Press Release Desk)
  4. The redistricting plan approved by the South Carolina Senate and House gave Horry County an additional seat in the House based on significant growth in the county. More than 80,000 new residents have been added during the past ten years, according to the 2010 and 2020 Censuses. The county will have eleven seats now. Cedric Blain-Spain, state executive committeeman for the HC Democratic Party expressed concerns about gerrymandering. Other representatives disagreed or were vague on the topic. (MyHorryNews.com)
  5. A Florida man was arrested in connection with two armed robberies that occurred on Black Friday on the Grand Strand. The robberies occurred at a Circle K gas station and a Family Dollar store on November 26th. The man, from Ocala, Florida, was charged with the crimes and taken into custody this week. (wpde.com)

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:

  • Santa's Wonderland @ Bass Pro Shops Myrtle Beach (10:00 AM)
  • Photos with Santa @ Everything Under the Sun Indoor Flea Market, 3830 S. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach (not the North Myrtle Beach location) $5 (12:00 PM)
  • Photos with Santa @ Tanger Outlets, Myrtle Beach (2:00 PM)
  • Christmas Fireworks Extravaganza @ Pelicans Stadium (6:00 PM)
  • Chocolate Chip & Co @ Local On The Water (6:30 PM)
  • Miracle Max and the Pet Monsters @ 810 Market Common (8:00 PM)

THIS WEEKEND:

  • Myrtle Beach area events calendar: Check out what's happening this weekend (Myrtle Beach Patch)
  • Brunch with Santa @ Liberty Tap Room (11:00 AM)
  • Wicked Holiday Market @ Murrells Inlet Marshwalk, December 11th and 18th. (12:00 PM)
  • Marshwalk Santa Crawl @ Murrells Inlet Marshwalk (5:00 PM)
  • Live music galore! Check the Myrtle Live calendar for your favorite venue or artist! (MyrtleLive)

From my notebook:

  • Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Wishing the best of luck to Carlos Ocampo! He was selected by the New York Mets in the Rule 5 Draft. (Instagram)
  • Myrtle Beach International Airport: Santa Paws is coming to town! 🎅🐾 Introducing Orio and Quint and announcing our new P.E.T.S. (Pups Easing Travel Stress) Therapy Dog Program just in time for the holiday season! We know travel can be stressful which is why our thoughtful volunteers are here to provide all of the puppy cuddles. (Facebook) See also: MYR launches therapy dog program for holiday season. (WMBF)
  • Scrooged: Horry County man told to take down his Christmas lights. WMBF News broadcasted live from a Myrtle Beach man's condo in the Myrtle Beach Golf & Yacht Club after the community's HOA demanded he take down his Christmas light display. (WMBF) See Douglas Dwyer's post on Nextdoor that caused his community to rally behind him. (Nextdoor)
  • Check out the October unemployment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It shows that the unemployment rate in Horry County improved a tiny, little bit since September! (Myrtle Beach Patch)
  • Lack's Beach Service — a company that trains and recruits lifeguards — is already busy recruiting for 2022. They are aiming at hiring 40 single-duty lifeguards, as well as beach attendants. Previously, lifeguards had a dual role, patrolling the water and dealing with beach equipment. In 2022, they want two separate groups of people to fill those roles, so the lifeguards can be more focused. (WBTW)
  • One thing arguably missing in Surfside Beach is a dedicated dining district on Ocean Boulevard. A group of three people who all grew up in Myrtle Beach are hoping to see that change. The new pier will be finished at the end of next summer, and with that comes a plan for more restaurants along the beach. Having more dining options will prevent tourists in the popular vacation destination from having to battle Highway 17 traffic just to get a meal. (WMBF)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday. See you all tomorrow for another 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.

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

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