2019 North Myrtle Beach Holiday Events

by the City of North Myrtle Beach North Myrtle Beach has a lot to offer in the holiday season and invites everyone, visitors and locals alike, to enjoy these jolly events. THE GREAT CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW Visit this park-wide lighted celebration that captures the spirit of the season. The two mile drive-through light show features over two million festively displayed lights.  Over 500 magical light displays, some up to 55 feet tall, are custom made for the Great Christmas Light Show— at least forty of them animated. Admission is $15 per vehicle of 1-15 guests, $30 per vehicle of 16-30 guests, and $60 per vehicle of 31+ guests. Come see Santa’s Village to experience Santa’s Village Treats, visit with and have your photo taken with Santa, ride the Santa Express Train, see a petting zoo, and more. Some additional attractions require a ticket purchase. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday only November 29-December 15. Open nightly December 19-30; closed Christmas Day. For more information visit www.greatchristmaslightshow.com. NORTH MYRTLE BEACH CHRISTMAS PARADE It would not be Christmas without the annual North Myrtle Beach Christmas Parade. Join your friends and neighbors on December 7 to enjoy the lighted floats and units representing groups from across the area. The parade travels down Main Street to Ocean Boulevard and disperses on 2nd Avenue North. Any location along Main Street provides a great view of the parade. For more information and details, or to enter a group in the parade, contact Charlene Lynam at the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce at (843) 361-3045 or charlene@northmyrtlebeachchamber.com.  THE GRINCH’S CANDY CANE HUNT Help! The Grinch has come to North Myrtle Beach and is threatening to turn all of our Candy Canes GREEN. Please join us on December 12 at The North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex Wyndham Baseball Complex and help us gather them before it is too late. After all of the Candy Canes are safe, we will cozy up with hot cocoa and watch the movie: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966). Bring a beach chair and blankets.  SHOP WITH A HERO CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT The City of North Myrtle Beach and Barefoot Resort & Golf annually collaborate on a wonderful golf tournament that benefits children in need in our community. All proceeds from the event go towards the North Myrtle Beach Public Safety Department’s, “Shop with a Hero” program, which makes sure that children in need have a special Christmas that includes lunch, presents and important items such as winter coats. This year, join us on Friday, December 13 at 11am at the Dye Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf.

Info for the City of Myrtle Beach’s Solid Waste Customers

by the City of Myrtle Beach Need a refresher about when to bring your trash receptacle inside and what’s recyclable? Here are helpful tips regarding the City of Myrtle Beach’s curbside solid waste services for residential customers. City Code and Curbside Containers It’s a violation under city code to leave your trash receptacle or recycling containers at curbside after your collection day. The ordinance has been in place since at least 1980. Residents are required to roll their containers to the curbside in time for their designated collection day, then remove them from curbside by 11pm that same day.  The goal is not to have garbage cans sitting by the curb all week long. The requirement also may prevent containers from being lost, stolen or blown into the road, creating a safety hazard. Your neighbors will be very happy if you bring your garbage can in, too. Contaminated Recycling The Horry County Solid Waste Authority recently informed the city of an increase in contaminated recyclables and announced that it will charge the city for future contaminated deliveries. Here are some reminders about recycling to help ensure we, as residents, don’t get penalized. Rinse and wash food, beverage and detergent containers. Containers with food residue will contaminate an entire batch of recycling. Do not bag your recyclables. They won’t be picked up. Do not sort items; we have a co-mingled system. Here’s a list of items that can be recycled: Aluminum and tin cans Non-greasy cardboard and corrugated cardboard boxes (remove all packaging from inside) Catalogs and magazines Newspapers Clean paper bags Empty aerosol cans (without caps) Glass bottles and jars (without lids) Paper (office, school, junk mail) Paperback books Telephone books Pourable plastic bottles and jugs (#1 through #7). Here’s a list of items that cannot be recycled: Appliances Cardboard pizza boxes Clothes Shoes Garden hoses Non-pourable plastic containers Plastic butter tubs Plastic plates or dishes Plastic to-go containers Plastic yogurt containers Scrap metal Tires Toys. Transfer Station Materials The city also operates a solid waste transfer station at 3221 Mr. Joe White Avenue. It is open to the public on Fridays, from 7am-3pm. The same materials accepted for curbside pick-up are accepted at the transfer station from city residents.  This includes garbage, recyclables, bulk waste and yard waste. In addition, clean wood waste and tires (limit is four tires per day, per person), also are accepted for recycling at the transfer station. Contact the Solid Waste Division at 843-918-2160 for any questions. 

Enjoying the 2019 Christmas Season in Surfside Beach

by the Town of Surfside Beach Pack up the family and clear the calendar for the upcoming Christmas events in Surfside Beach.  Join us for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting on December 5 from 6-8pm at Town Hall, located at Pine Drive and 17 Business South. Singing and music will be performed by 4 Pillars Church of Surfside Beach, Lakewood Elementary School Chorus, and Lakewood Steel Drum Band. Bojangles will be providing hot chocolate and mini boberry and cinnamon biscuits. There will be face painting, a bouncy house, and princess and superhero characters, too.  While in town for the tree lighting, take a cruise through town to experience the second annual “It’s a Wonderful Life in Surfside Beach,” in which Surfside Beach will light up their homes and businesses in a spirit of festive fun.  “Light the Nights” begins December 5, 2019, and runs until January 1, 2020. We welcome you and your family to experience the town’s Christmas spirit we are so proud to display. There will also be free trolley rides December 5, 12, and 19. Our area businesses will be ready to welcome you. To learn more or get involved, check out the Keep Surfside Beach Beautiful Facebook page. The fun continues with the Surfside Beach Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 14 at 2pm. This annual event, started in 1968, has something for everyone—music, floats, candy give-aways, dancers, cars, and of course, Santa. The parade route starts at Melody Lane, goes north on Ocean Boulevard, and then turns left, heading west up Surfside Drive; it disbands at Poplar Drive. If interested in being in the parade, please contact Debbie Ellis at Town Hall. Please note that Town Hall will be closed 12/25, 12/26 and 1/1/20 in honor of Christmas and New Year’s Day. We invite you all to partake in the festivities, and look forward to another year of heartwarming magic and making memories. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest New Year. 

Emma’s Health Talk: Butter vs. Margarine, Part 2

Continued from last month. Click here to read.  by Emma Ware This month’s discussion on the health benefits, or not, of butter and margarine is formulated from information from an article written on April 22, 2016, in the Doctors Health Press and online at www.mayoclinic.org. As we said in Part 1, butter is a natural dairy product, and margarine is a heavily processed product made from vegetable oil. It is less healthy than an all natural product. But the question still remains: which is the better choice based on the final outcome on the body? The following chart will help you see the differences between the two.  We can see that butter is higher in different kinds of fat, but what does that really mean? To make butter, cow’s milk is shaken, agitated or churned until the fats separate from the liquid, which eventually results in butter. Margarine, on the other hand, is a man-made, highly processed product made from vegetable oil. It was created in 1869 in France as a replacement for those who couldn’t afford butter’s high price tag. It was primarily used by the military and poor families.  Margarine is similar in taste, appearance and consistency to butter. Unfortunately, these similarities are achieved by adding a variety of artificial ingredients, including emulsifiers and artificial coloring. It is then put through a process of hydrogenation which extends its shelf life but increases the trans fat content. Originally margarine was considered better. It was believed that butter was bad for heart health as a result of its saturated fats and cholesterol— both of which are found in high levels. In turn, it was thought that butter would raise people’s cholesterol levels, which in turn raises their risk of heart disease.  However, there are two types of cholesterol: one that’s good for us, HDL, and one that’s bad for us, LDL. Research has since found that saturated fat and dietary cholesterol raise HDL cholesterol, and that they don’t raise LDL cholesterol.  Instead, they actually improve LDL, making it more benign and less harmful. This means that the saturated fat in butter does not increase the risk of heart disease. Many subsequent studies have confirmed this. From the Mayo Clinic website: “When it comes to butter versus margarine, it may surprise you as to which food is worse for your heart health. It’s the margarine, because of its trans fat content. Trans fats have been linked to heart disease; margarine also contains other ingredients that may lead to cancer and other ailments.” To sum it all up— the main difference between butter and margarine is that one is all natural and one is highly processed.  I personally prefer the taste of butter and am happy to discover that even though butter is high in both saturated fat and cholesterol, it is low in trans fat which is now the culprit being linked to heart disease. Moderation is always the key to making healthy choices. As in all my articles, I suggest that you always check with your doctor before deciding to make any changes to your health routine. Let me know your take on this information, there is much more out there on this subject. Next month we will talk about the stress of holiday seasons and the effect stress has on our health. Stop by the office at 2798-D Howard Ave. in Market Common or give me a call at 843-997-7037.  Blessings, Emma

The MBAF Base Throughout the 20th Century, Part 5

The Contentious ’70s by Melissa LaScaleia Continued from last month. Click here to read Part 4.  During the Vietnam War years, needs abroad for fighter units left the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base without any squadrons.  Air guardsmen were dispersed throughout parts of Europe, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam as part of the war effort.  It has been argued that the fighter pilots of the Vietnam era who were stationed to serve in Korea had more difficult assignments than those who were staying in Vietnam.  Most who were serving terms in Korea had been taken individually from their original units and then reassigned with unknown troops. Alienated from their unit, and in a foreign place, their morale was severely impacted. The disorganization that ensued was eventually sorted, but caused many time-consuming hiccups along the way. After the prisoners of the USS Pueblo were released, and Operation Combat Fox subsequently ceased, the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing again returned to duty in Korea.  In Korea, the military realized that the F-100C aircraft was not the optimal choice for the burden placed upon it— that of speed and agility in the event of an attack by the North Korean armies. Moreover, the plane lacked an effective all-weather, air-to-air combat capability— something which was essential for fighting in Korea.  On June 14, 1970, the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing was inactivated at Kunsan, and the following day, re-activated and transferred to Myrtle Beach. The wing was assigned with the new duties of combat crew training in T-33s and proficiency in operating the new A-7D aircraft.  By November, the 355 Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned to the 354th TFW; it was the first Myrtle Beach squadron to be equipped with A-7Ds.  The 354th TFW also received the manpower and equipment of the 4556th TFS and the 356th TFS from its deployment in Japan. In July 1971, the 353rd TFS was also reassigned to the 354th after its deployment in Spain, bringing more A-7D fighter craft as well.  Initially, the aircraft had separate codes painted onto their tails to distinguish one squadron from another. But by 1972, the military abolished this practice and all the tails were designated with a simple ‘MB’ for Myrtle Beach.  In September, squadrons from the 354th deployed into Southeast Asia with their A-7D aircraft in what was called operation Constant Guard VI. This was the first overseas deployment with that particular craft.  The wing was split into two components— Rear and Advanced. The Advanced ran combat operations from Korat, Thailand, and a small number were also stationed at Bien Hoa Air Base in South Vietnam.  While there, personnel from the 354th were responsible for halting enemy supply lines of the North Vietnamese, supported U.S. ground troops, and guarded ally supply ships up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  In November, the 354th took over Combat Search and Rescue operations in Vietnam. The 354th TFW earned a Presidential Unit Citation for their courage, prowess, and service during the years 1972 and 1973 in Vietnam.  During the Linebacker II military campaign, they helped with 22 rescues of downed planes and flew over 4,000 combat attacks.  By March 1973, deployed squadrons from the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base were permanently assigned to Korat, Thailand, along with their A-7D aircraft.  To be continued. Click here to read Part 6. 

The Legend of the Christmas Stocking

Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of Market Common. Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life alongside their human companions. Here, we’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together.  This December, Charlie makes some holiday magic and receives a gift by the mantel. Oh boy the holidays are here again! I just love this beautiful season of peace, harmony, and guaranteed turkey. And this year I’m especially excited because one of my fans knit me a stocking to hang from the mantelpiece. Not only can I wear it like a body sock (it’s now my new favorite snuggling equipage), but it’s also like hanging a fabulously chic sign in your home that reads, “DEPOSIT CHARLIE’S PRESENTS HERE.”  Moreover, all the colors in the design are just delightful− the pink and blue, and red, and green, and yellow. It’s bound to bring a smile to anyone’s face who sees it hanging there.  And because I’m nerdy like that, I just had to know— who came up with the tradition of hanging stockings over the mantelpiece and why?  I don’t know, but not only am I going to find out, I am willing to bet it’s a good story. I’m going to hunker down in my sock, put on my research cap, and find some stories.  Here it is… sure enough. A legend. And one that captures the Christmas spirit of hope, love, and the importance of neighborly connections.  Once upon a time, there lived a father who had three beautiful daughters. Christmas was approaching, and he was reflecting on families and togetherness, but despaired that any of his daughters would ever know such bliss. He was so poor he couldn’t afford a dowry for his daughters, and thought because of this, no one would want to marry them. They would be sad and lonely their entire lives, he feared.  … Hmmmm. That seems like a pretty shoddy reason to discard someone as a potential mate to me. I tend to go for ladies with great personalities and bushy tails. But I think priorities were a lot different back then. So, back to the worrying farmer. Apparently, all the town knew about the family’s situation, and knew also that the man would never accept financial help. So everyone pondered and fretted and stayed up late talking about what to do. Until, one night, jolly old St. Nicholas wandered through the town and overhead the well-intentioned conversations, and set about to fix it.  Relying on the fact that he’s magic, and presents from him don’t count as a hand-out, he snuck down the chimney of the girls’ house late on Christmas Eve, as he is wont to do.  He looked around, and they were so poor, they had no tree for him to leave the present under. But, being tidy folk, they had just done their laundry, and hung some stockings up over the fireplace so they would dry.  Thinking that would be a fun surprise for them when they went to put their hosiery on in the morning, St. Nicholas slipped some gold nuggets into each stocking, then put his finger next to his nose, and whisked back up the chimney, to spread more largess throughout the world.  The trick worked like a charm. The farmer was overjoyed at the magic money, the daughters had dowries and knew conjugal bliss, and their friends rejoiced. It was a win-win for everyone.  To commemorate the spirit of giving and receiving, of having hopes and having those fulfilled by little angels who light up our lives, the tradition of hanging your stocking by the mantel took off and blossomed. And we’re still loving and living it today. I know I am! Until next time, 

Q&A with Larry Kave

Q&A with Santa - Larry Kave

Meet Larry Kave, A Laid-Back Santa Who Added Photography and Cycling to His Hobbies by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family.  It’s myself and my wife, Dianna. I have two daughters. The eldest, Shannon, lives in West Virginia. Our youngest, Kristen, lives in Colorado. I have a grandson in West Virginia too.  Where are all the places you came from? Where do you live now? We started out in Northern Virginia. Then my wife got transferred to Parkersburg, West Virginia for work, where we lived for twenty years. We’ve been here now seven years. We live in the Highlands in the Market Common.  Why did you move to Myrtle Beach? We used to come here several times a year. My wife was up for retirement, and then I was too, so we decided to move down.  What is your favorite place in Myrtle Beach? The Pelican’s ball field. That is where I work as the team photographer. What do you like the most about living here? The weather, and the fact that there is no snow. We love the beach.  How has your lifestyle changed since moving here? I’m busier. I go through the season with the Pelicans, shooting for them, which lasts from April through September. Then I volunteer to be a Santa— I do events for the Market Common and Toys for Tots, all their breakfast, lunch and dinner events. Thirty-one years ago, I was asked to be a Santa for my daughter’s pre-school, and I’ve done it ever since. I also do some photography work for the Market Common. What new activities have you taken up since moving here? Bike riding. I used to ride a bit in West Virginia but I was limited because of the weather. Now I ride twenty miles every day at dawn, and take photographs of the sunrise. I love taking pictures; I see a lot of things that I think are interesting and take photos of those things.  Do you find people friendlier or more at ease? Yes, I do. Things get so hectic in the summers though. I’m just a laid-back kind of guy.  What are your favorite things to do here?  My favorite things are watching baseball and the work I do for the Pelicans. My next favorite is having dinner on the beach. My wife and I grab a couple of subs and stay until it gets dark. I also love my Santa Claus gig. I have so much fun doing that.  Is there anything that you miss or would like to see in Myrtle Beach? We have everything; there is always something to do here. I’d like to see more patient drivers. 

Parks & Recreation Centers in Little River

 by Danielle McFadden  There are three community/recreation centers in Little River: C.B. Berry Community Center, North Strand Recreation Center, and the NMB Park & Sports Complex. C.B. BERRY COMMUNITY CENTER Run by Horry County Parks and Recreation, the C.B. Berry Community & Historical Center provides space for recreational programming and community events, and serves as a visitors center for Vereen Memorial Gardens. Vereen Memorial Gardens is comprised of 115 acres of forest and marshland along the Intracoastal Waterway. Open to the public, it provides easy-to-traverse nature trails and boardwalks. The center is also very popular as a wedding venue. All are welcome to the Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 3 at 6 pm, located at 2250 Hwy 179, Little River, SC 29566. NORTH STRAND RECREATION CENTER Run by Horry County Parks & Recreation, North Strand Recreation Center offers fitness classes, art classes, after-school and summer camp programs, youth and adult sports, and more. The center features a full-size gymnasium, walking track, fitness room, multipurpose room, baseball/softball diamond, three multipurpose fields, and more. All are welcome to the Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 5 at 6 pm. It is located at 120 S. Hwy 57, Little River, SC 29566. NORTH MYRTLE BEACH PARKS & SPORTS COMPLEX Located in Little River at the intersection of Highway 90 and Robert Edge Parkway, the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex accommodates a variety of sports tournaments and offers numerous programs for locals. They also have separate dog parks for small and large dogs. This month, they are the location of the Christmas Light Show, featuring lit holiday scenes, hot chocolate and s’mores, visits with Santa, a village obstacle course, and more. It is located at 150 Citizens Circle, Little River, SC 29566.

Festive Carolina Forest in 2019

by Emily Smith No matter what’s being celebrated during the holiday season, twinkling lights are sure to inspire a magical feeling for all.  Light shows have grown in popularity over the past few years, with determined and creative individuals now able to transform their home into a dazzling wonderland. Below are some tips to help you get started creating your own display.  It can be helpful to plan your light installation vision with the aid of some pen and paper in advance, to avoid hanging lights that may be broken, too short, or too long.  Take measurements of your home and the area you want to cover. That will provide a starting point to figure out the type of lights you wish to use and how many will be needed. Each unit of lights is referred to as a “channel” and it’s been recommended for beginners to start with 16-32 channels.  Many light displays require a control system and the applicable computer software. Many brands offer basic controllers to start beginners off simply, and can even come pre-programmed, as well as offer different levels of user-engagement complexity.    For more personalized control, which also allows for greater customization, there are kits and individual pieces like digital I/O (input/output) boards. Be sure to keep in mind that both pre-made and custom-built systems require high voltage, so take all precautions with your adapters and power source.  Multiple programs exist to help create light shows, typically breaking down the chosen songs into seconds, making it easier to assign light patterns to the beat. Some companies sell the software along with the hardware needed in one convenient package. Last but certainly not least, some impressive speakers tie everything together. If your HOA does not have specific sound level limitations for your neighborhood, please keep in mind Horry County ordinances do, particularly between the hours of 11pm and 7am.  Many residents have discovered that creating their own neighborhood show takes months of planning, plus trial and error. This also makes post-season a good time to prepare for next year. Stringed Christmas lights are typically still available to buy after the holidays end, when seasonal products go on clearance. It’s the ideal time to stock up and purchase additional lights as needed, perhaps even a little extra. For those who would rather abstain from bedecking their own house, the Grand Strand has a number of lights shows open to the public throughout the month of December.  The beloved Nights of a Thousand Candles at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet begins Thursday, December 5.  Each weekend before Christmas, thousands of lights and candles shimmer in the night, while guests can enjoy holiday music and warm festive drinks.  In North Myrtle Beach, The Great Christmas Light Show runs throughout the entire month of December. Over a mile of lights to drive through, and Santa’s Village to play in, means this attraction is as fun as it is beautiful.  Beyond these two popular, festive events, there will be ceremonies and parades throughout the area. Whether you decide to create your own festival of lights, or prefer to admire the ingenuity of another, this season remains the most magical for a reason. 

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies There are many sundries characteristic of the holiday season, but none so quintessentially homey as the sight and smell of gingerbread.  Gingerbread traces its origins to ancient Greece and was immensely popular by the Middle Ages. Over time, as is wont to happen, creativity took hold, and gingerbread were fashioned into all manner of shapes and sizes, and decorated elaborately, even gilded in gold.  Today, rather than gold, most people opt for Royal Icing, candy canes, gum drops, nonpareils, and the like. There’s also the tradition of making gingerbread to hang from your tree. So this month, gather family and friends round the table, grab your tub of icing, and see where your creativity takes you. This recipe can be used both for cookies as well as a traditional gingerbread house.  Dough Ingredients ½ cup butter, at room temperature ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar ¼ cup molasses 1 Tbs ground cinnamon 1 Tbs ground ginger 1 ½ tsp ground cloves 1 tsp baking soda 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 Tbs water parchment paper Dough Directions Oven 375 degrees. Bake time: 7-15 minutes (longer for a house).  In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugars, spices, and soda until fully incorporated and smooth. Turn the beater to low, and gradually add flour and water until a stiff dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  On a flat surface, roll dough out to your desired level of thickness and cut into shapes, or follow a gingerbread house pattern. Place the cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and be sure the edges aren’t touching. Allow the cookies to cool before removing, and cool thoroughly before frosting.  Royal Icing Ingredients 3 ¾ cups of confectionary sugar/powdered sugar 1 large egg white 1 tsp almond extract, or lemon juice Royal Icing Directions Using a beater, mix all ingredients together at high speed until smooth. The icing should be thin enough to pass through a pastry bag with a narrow decorating tip, but not so runny that it looses its shape. Add slightly more lemon juice, one teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

Introducing Pawleys Island

by Kevin Gunn The Coastal Insider is excited to welcome the Pawleys Island section to our ever-growing community publication. We look forward to providing the residents and visitors of this area with relevant information about the events and activities happening in their community.  The locale is quietly tucked away on the Southern part of the Grand Strand, roughly thirty minutes south of Myrtle Beach. Sporting pristine beaches, white sand dunes, adjacent creeks for crabbing, and world class golf courses, Pawleys Island is known for its laid-back lifestyle, and upscale, unpretentious peace and calm.  The area also has a fantastic restaurant scene. Most of the restaurants and bars are locally owned, each with its own unique personality and charms.  If you’re looking for an elegant night out, Franks, and Franks Outback are two must-try spots. Looking for that classic Italian eatery? Check out the flavors at Pastaria811 which offers mouth-watering homemade sauces and bread. If you appreciate eclectic, modern fare with low-country themes, Perrone’s Restaurant & Bar is the place for you. And if it’s just a pint you desire, Quigleys is an old staple.  Pawleys is also filled with boutique shopping venues. You won’t find big box stores here, and that’s just the way Pawleys residents want it.  Take a stroll through the Hammock Shops, a shopping plaza that will make you feel like you stepped back in time. Or explore one of the many galleries that wait at every turn, showcasing the craftsmanship and style of local artists.  So next time you’re thinking about a day trip, instead of searching for places far off, why not take a short trip south to one of the Grand Strand’s hidden gems? This peaceful, unassuming town is waiting for you. 

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