🌱 Beach Festival To Celebrate The Holidays + Area Power Grid Safety

Morning, everybody. Happy Friday! It's me, Karena Garrity, your host of the Myrtle Beach Daily — here to impart all the most important things happening in town these days. Including updates on:

• New disc golf course!
• Assurance that the power grid in the area is safe!
• Beach Festival for the holidays! Hope to see you there!

But first, today's weather:

Sunshine. High: 60 Low: 42.

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Here are the top five stories in Myrtle Beach today:

1. Disc golf enthusiasts take note, the newest disc golf course in Myrtle Beach is officially open. According to wpde.com, "Swashbuckler Disc Golf Course is six and a half acres with 18 holes in Withers Swash Park at 314 Withers Swash Drive. City officials said the $30,000 project began in September and is considered a "short course" so that it is more friendly to all levels of disc golf players. However, tree and water obstacles also give more advanced players the challenges they are looking for. The city thanked the Myrtle Beach Disc Golf Club for their course design work and course signage donation. The Swashbuckler and Splinter City Disc Golf Courses are free to play with free parking. No reservations are required. (wpde.com)
2. Capt. Tim Rainbolt, Horry County’s new wildfire coordinator is no stranger to the Grand Strand. According to WBTV, "[He] has been with Horry County Fire Rescue for more than 10 years, having served as the part-time coordinator before being appointed to the job full-time in September. He’s excited about the added responsibilities. “It’s been a win-win for me,” Rainbolt said. “It’s been like a, sounds cliché, but like a dream. It’s the dream job, so I’m really happy with it.” The last major wildfire in Horry County was the 2009 Highway 31 fire. The county still experiences minor wildfires from time to time, but the department stays ready. “We’re in the hotbed of wildfires,” Rainbolt said. “Horry County is just historically known for big fires. It’s a big part of what our department does, so tactically we know we need to be good when it comes to combatting the fires.” Rainbolt said his No. 1 goal is to bring the department up overall. His main focuses are improving training, creating a comfortable team atmosphere and improving the equipment."(WBTW)
3. The attack last week at a Duke Energy substation in Moore County, North Carolina has prompted questions about power grid safety in the area. According to WBTW,"Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned energy provider, which powers parts of the Grand Strand and Lowcountry, reassured News13 Wednesday that its power grid is safe. Santee Cooper prioritizes security with its own police force and partnerships with local and federal law enforcement. Spokesperson Tracy Vreeland said the company has protocols in place to safeguard against physical attacks and online threats. “Everything at Santee Cooper is very secure,” Vreeland said. “There are emails that we can’t open or websites we can’t go to because our online security is so tight, so security is a big part of what we do. Safety for our law enforcement and our employees is our No. 1 priority.” The company hasn’t received any credible threats recently but Vreeland said they are, unfortunately, common across the industry. There are roughly 55,000 substations across the U.S. It’s estimated that knocking out 20 critical substations at once could lead to a nationwide blackout." (WBTW)
4. On the hunt for a new home nearby, but tired of seeing the same old listings again and again? You've come to the right place! To help simplify your search, we've got a fresh batch of new listings nearby. Here’s a sampling of the latest batch of properties to go up for sale in the Myrtle Beach area — including a home with 3 beds and 2 baths for $305,070, and another with 5 beds and 3 baths for $396,000. Want more information on one of the houses listed below? Just click on any address to learn more. Happy house hunting! (Myrtle Beach Patch)
5. According to a press release from the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber Of Commerce, "The City of Myrtle Beach in partnership with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (MBACC) and Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) are pleased to announce Myrtle Beach KOA Kampground Resort as a bronze-level sponsor of Winter Wonderland at The Beach festival.“We’re very pleased to welcome Myrtle Beach KOA Resort as a bronze sponsor for this year’s second-annual Winter Wonderland at The Beach. This KOA resort is a stellar example of how our area businesses come together to support the community and family focused events like Winter Wonderland at The Beach,” said MBACC President and CEO Karen Riordan. Winter Wonderland at The Beach presented by Southwest Airlines runs through Dec. 23, 2022, along the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk from Plyler Park to the 2nd Avenue Pier. This year, the lights are free to experience. Tickets for individual attractions in the Family Fun Zone are $1 or an all-day wristband for $5 each. The Family Fun Zone is open Thursday through Sunday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and located at 8th Ave. North. Photos with Santa are available on Saturdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 9th Ave. North." (Press Release Desk)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Myrtle Beach Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Myrtle Beach newsletter possible.

Today in Myrtle Beach:

• The Carolina Opry Christmas Special Matinee (1:00 PM)
• The Carolina Opry Christmas Special (7:00 PM)

Special notice:

Patch has partnered with T-Mobile for two new series: Local Heroes and Star Student Athletes. The goal is to highlight heroes and star athletes in Myrtle Beach!

• If you want to nominate a local hero, click here
• If you want to nominate a local athlete, click here.

From my notebook:

• South Carolina Stingrays: "If you’re not shopping at @harristeeter you’re not shopping at all! Harris Teeter Food Drive all weekend long at the Coliseum benefitting @lcfoodbank - All shelf-stable items are welcome! " (South Carolina Stingrays via Instagram)
• South Carolina Aquarium: "Looks great! Little full, lotta sap. #snake #holidays #southcarolinaaquarium #scaquarium #clarkgriswold #nationallampoonschristmasvacation #chs #aquarium" (South Carolina Aquarium via Instagram)
• Horry County Schools: "With over 30 years of experience in Horry County Schools, Horry County native, Dawn Brooks knows the value of that both family and mentors can have in a career. Discover more about Kingston Elementary's Mrs. Brooks." (Horry County Schools via Facebook)
• North Myrtle Beach Police: "We would like to thank the FFA Camp of North Myrtle Beach for dropping off sandwiches. They were delicious 😋. #communitylove #ThankfulThursday" (North Myrtle Beach Police via Facebook)
• The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach: "Today’s featured #PetOfTheDay is Raya! Her adoption fee is being sponsored today by Bully's Pub. Raya was found abandoned with her older puppies in a rental until back in May. Her pups were quickly adopted, but Raya is still waiting for her home. Sadly, people don’t ask to meet Raya, and they are missing out big time! Raya is literally a ray of sunshine! This vivacious girl has so much spunk and energy! Her tail is always wagging and instantly puts a smile on everyone’s face. Raya would be best in a home without other dogs so she can have all of your cuddle time to herself. Please call 843-249-4948 to meet Raya!." (The Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (December 20)
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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with another update!

— Karena Garrity

About me: Journalism is in my veins! I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Myrtle Beach Daily? Contact me at karena.garrity@patch.com