http://www.gtowntimes.com/ en-us http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Murrells-Inlet-underwater2012-05-16T13-23-32 Most of the Waccamaw Neck saw significant flooding Wednesday as a series of very slow moving storm cells moved through causing major headaches for residents, visitors and emergency workers. As the rain began to taper off at about 4 p.m., some areas near Murrells Inlet had picked up between 3.5 and 5 inches of rain, according to National Weather Service radar estimates. The heavy downpours were to blame for several traffic accidents and lightning was believed to have caused damage to a home in Murrells Inlet. The strike occurred at about 2 p.m. in front of a home on Cypress Estates Drive and prompted a response from Murrells Inlet - Garden City Fire. Major damage was reported in the upstairs portion of the home. No one was home when the ligh ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Murrells-Inlet-underwater2012-05-16T13-23-32 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/WHS-tennis-wins-state-title By Chris Sokoloski csokoloski@gtowntimes.com Waccamaw High's tennis team defeated Christ Church 4-3 last weekend to claim the Class AA tennis title. It's the fifth state title for the boys team, and ninth for coach James Brown, who has also won four with the Waccamaw girls team. "They're all great," Brown said of the titles. "Our first one in 2007 and this one are the most special." Against the Cavaliers, Harrison Richmond won 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1 singles; Paul Hendrix won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2; Matthew Fisher lost 7-6, 7-2, 6-0 at No. 3; Robert Jones lost 6-4, 4-6, 5-10 at No. 4; and Jaz Green lost 2-6, 3-6 at No. 5. Waccamaw needed wins from Richmond and Joey Hewes at No. 1 doubles and Hendrix and Alex Czechner at No. 2 doubles to se ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/WHS-tennis-wins-state-title http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Dreams-of-state-titles-end-for-Bulldogs-and-Yellow-Jackets Georgetown and Andrews high school's softball both ended the season within sight of Lower State titles. Georgetown The Bulldogs scored a come-from-behind victory over Chapin in the Lower State semi-finals and then lost to Hartsville in the finals. "A chance to play for the Lower State championship was a very big thing for us," said coach Al Hutchinson. "I hope it prepares us to be state champions next year." Chapin took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and had runners in scoring position but the Georgetown defense came through in the clutch, including outfielder Blakely Graham, who threw out a Chapin runner trying to score. The Bulldogs rallied for six runs in the sixth inning. Katie Lunsford led off with a triple, and after a walk ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Dreams-of-state-titles-end-for-Bulldogs-and-Yellow-Jackets http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/County-athletes-bring-home-four-state-track-titles- Waccamaw High School's Grace Barnett won three state Class AA titles at the state track meet on Saturday at Spring Valley High School. Barnett won the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meters, and was part of the 4x800-meter relay team, along with Mackenzie Arnold, Kristina Chandler and Amelia Jones, that placed second. "Grace Barnett is a beast on the track," said Waccamaw girls coach Robert Del Bagno. Jones also finished fourth in the 3,200-meters. Other Warriors who competed at state were: Jamaica Alston, who finished fifth in the 200-meters; and Valencia Syndab, who was fourth in the shot put. Alston, Jasmine Torrence, Brianna Brooks and Kristina Chandler finished third in the 4x400-meter relay. The Waccamaw girls team finished second. "Th ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/County-athletes-bring-home-four-state-track-titles- http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/16th-time-is-the-charm-for-Waccamaw-boys-against-Bishop-England By Chris Sokoloski csokoloski@gtowntimes.com King Kong has thrown away his Waccamaw High soccer jersey. Waccamaw's boys team beat Bishop England 4-1 last weekend to advance to the Lower State final. The Bishops had beaten the Warriors 15 straight times, including eight in the playoffs. "It was nice to win that game," Warriors coach Ben Schoen said. "It was exciting night for everybody. It was for anybody who's ever been part of this program." It will be the first time since 1996 that someone other than Bishop England will represent the Lower State in the state Class AA soccer championship. The Bishops have won 10 state titles during that span. On Saturday night, Lucas Vozniak had two goals, and Robin Muegge and Covington Watson e ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/16th-time-is-the-charm-for-Waccamaw-boys-against-Bishop-England http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Police-Blotter--Merchandise-stolen-and-resold The owner of Waves Surf and Sport in Pawleys Island said around $100,000 worth of merchandise has been stolen from a warehouse on the property. He said the stolen items were sold to other stores. The man said he went to other beach stores and saw his merchandise. There was no sign force was used to enter the warehouse. An investigator was not called because the theft was discovered about a week after it occurred and any evidence would have been contaminated. Teen  goes ‘crazy’ A teenage girl from Mariner Avenue in Murrells Inlet called 911 May 2 because a 14 year old boy stopped at her home and “went crazy” and began to vandalize her house. The girl said when the boy showed up uninvited she told him he could n ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Police-Blotter--Merchandise-stolen-and-resold http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/County-plans-on-3-percent-bonus-for-employees Most Georgetown County employees will receive a 3 percent bonus in the next fiscal year, according to a preliminary budget presented to County Council at a workshop on Monday afternoon. It’s the second year in a row that the budget has included “supplements.” Last year, bonuses were based on how long an employee had worked for the county. Next year’s bonuses would total $380,000. County Administrator Sel Hemingway told Council that projected expenditures in the next budget are $22.42 million, and projected revenues are $22.35 million. There are no tax increases or reductions in services in the proposed budget. For the past three years, department directors and elected officials were asked to submit budgets smaller th ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/County-plans-on-3-percent-bonus-for-employees http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Submit-your-questions-for-Congressional-candidates-forum Candidates for the new 7th Congressional District have been quite active as they seek their party’s nomination for the newly-created seat that includes Georgetown County. You may well have attended a meet-and-greet, a drop-in, or received brochures, letters or e-mails for one of the nine Republican candidates for the new district. If there’s a question you’d like to ask these seven men and two women, you’ve got your chance through a Facebook page set up especially for a forum for the candidates. The Georgetown County Republican Party, the Georgetown County School District, the three newspapers of Georgetown Communications — Georgetown Times, Waccamaw Times and Inlet Outlook — and the Coastal Observer are ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Submit-your-questions-for-Congressional-candidates-forum http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Voting-poll-moved-without-approval Carol Jayroe, who ran for a seat on Georgetown City Council last year and lost by three votes, says an unapproved polling place move may have possibly cost her the election. At issue is the Georgetown No. 3 Precinct which, for many years, has been located in the Georgetown County School Board conference room inside the School District offices on Church Street. When last year’s municipal elections — and this year’s Republican Presidential Primary — were held, the voting in that precinct took place in the gymnasium of the Beck Recreation Center, located on the same property. Donna Mahn, Georgetown County director of elections and voters registration, said she made the change to provide easier access to voters. “I ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Voting-poll-moved-without-approval http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Candidate-questions-removal-from-ballot Rod Stalvey of Georgetown is still running for Georgetown County auditor, even though his name doesn’t appear on the ballot for next month’s primary. Stalvey was one of nearly 200 candidates across South Carolina who were disqualified because they didn’t properly file State Ethics Commission disclosure forms at the time they filed to run for office. Tammie Avant, who filed to run for Georgetown County clerk of court, was also disqualified. Stalvey said when he filed his Statement of Candidacy form, Jim Jerow, chairman of the county Republican Party, did not have a computer with him, so Stalvey could not file his Statement of Economic Interest. Stalvey said Jerow told him to go home and file the Statement of Economic Intere ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Candidate-questions-removal-from-ballot http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Boat-found-drifting-offshore-is-from-accident-near-the-Bahamas As reported Tuesday, a boat found floating off the coast of the Grand Strand was believed to be a vessel that went missing from the Bahamas. Surfside Beach Police Chief Mike Frederick says preliminary inquiries show that is indeed the case. The preliminary ID was made based upon partial hull markings, and should be confirmed sometime tomorrow. The large piece of the racing catamaran was first spotted about a mile offshore from Murrells Inlet Tuesday afternoon but drifted northward to the Surfside area before it was recovered at about 7:30 p.m.. Frederick said his department worked along with the Coast Guard to identify the boat. “Our primary focus tonight was to get it out of the water so as to eliminate it as a navigation hazard,&rd ... 5/16/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Boat-found-drifting-offshore-is-from-accident-near-the-Bahamas http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Op-Ed--The-truth-about-postal-reform By Reed Anfinson, President National Newspaper Association Now that U.S. Senate has passed a bill, S 1789, to reform the ailing U.S. Postal Service, critics are trying to disable the bill on its way to the House of Representatives. Business Week recently catalogued unhappy stakeholders, including postal unions, postal management and some Republicans who wrongly think the bill burdens taxpayers. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-CA, whose own bill awaits action in the House, blasted "special interests." But Business Week says, "Considering how many people are unhappy with the bill, it isn’t clear which special interests Issa is referring to." Some see the Senate bill as the inevitable product of the sausage machine. But it is neither a budget bu ... 5/15/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Op-Ed--The-truth-about-postal-reform http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Lynn-Mueller--The-Georgetown-City-Budget---You By Lynn Mueller The Mayor and the Georgetown City Council have been holding a series of budget workshops and public forums over the past several months. The next budget workshop is on Thursday, May 17th. Citizens are encouraged to attend, observe and make public comments. In order to make public comments, one needs to be at City Hall prior to 5:30 p.m. to sign up. The budget, which is required to be passed by law, will affect every aspect of our life as a city resident. It will also chart a specific course of expenditures over the next twelve months from police to fire, to planning and the balance of city services upon which we all rely. It is estimated the total budget will be in the neighborhood of $30 million. Our city, like the r ... 5/15/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Lynn-Mueller--The-Georgetown-City-Budget---You http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Erin-Spatz---Scaring--mommy-is-contagious-and-pure I do not like to be snuck up on! I believe this stems from my childhood. My Dad, brothers and truth be told, my Mom too, would hide behind anything, then jump out and scream! The thing is, I kind of like to sneak up on other people. I just don’t like to have it done to me! My favorite “victim” is Eric. Sometimes I jump out on purpose from behind the closet door and scare him, which I think is so funny. Him, not so much. When we lived in Florida, our screen door used to blow open and bang the house. Once in a while it would happen in the middle of the night, and Eric would get up to go close and lock the door again. Once I thought it would be funny (and it was) to hide behind the bedroom door and jump out when he ... 5/15/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/Erin-Spatz---Scaring--mommy-is-contagious-and-pure http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/John-Brock--President-puts-same-sex-marriage-back-on-the-front-burner So President Obama has now “evolved” in his views on homosexuality and is now in favor of same-sex marriage. Many folks believe it was his view all along but like in so many other cases, he always makes politically expedient decisions. He probably would not have “come out” now but for the utterances on his motor-mouthed vice president who jumped the gun several days earlier and made it almost mandatory that the president come forth with his newly “evolved” stance. No logical reason The president’s views aside, I have tried to conjure any logical reason why any sane society should legitimize same-sex marriages. Call me a bigot if you must because that is the usual charge hurled at anyone who does ... 5/15/2012 http://www.gtowntimes.com/story/John-Brock--President-puts-same-sex-marriage-back-on-the-front-burner