On assignment

I Think It's Going Around...

I'm talking about the worst part of winter: the common cold!  I have been suffering from it all week, and from the numbers of people needing a day off around here, it seems I'm not the only one.  I think we've had at least one person fall ill everyday this week.  I'm no different... I needed Monday off. 

It seems that just when you're getting into the heart of winter, you let your guard down and BAM!  You're struck with the stuffy/runny nose, sore throat, headache and all over body pain.  All you can hope for a day is bed.  Luckily, everyone here is willing to put in extra time and help out, and that what makes a workplace actually "work".

Tomorrow, if you're looking for something to do, you should stop by Springmaid Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach.  That's where they're holding the "Freezin' for a Reason Polar Plunge" to benefit Special Olympics.  It starts at 10am and there will be a "costume contest" which I will help judge (still not sure what this entails, but hopefully no speedos!) at 12:30pm.  The actual plunge is at 2pm, so if nothing else, at least come see all the great souls who will brave the forecasted 40 Degrees to jump in the Atlantic for a good cause!

No plunging for me though, still trying to kick this cold.  And good luck to all of you trying to do the same!

Need more information?  Check this out! http://www.polarplungesc.com/

Paula Caruso | pcaruso@wmbfnews.com

Obama & GOP Listening To Each Other

  It's rare for an American president to go up to Capitol Hill and lobby lawmakers face-to-face about a bill he wants them to pass.

But President Barack Obama did just that yesterday.

And, as you may have heard during our Big Stories segment on WMBF News Today, Republicans are thankful for it. They give him high marks for at least listening to their views that his bill doesn't contain enough tax cuts and includes too much spending on government programs they believe won't stimulate the economy.

Meanwhile, members of the GOP don't have as many kind words for their Democratic counterparts in Congress. As minority parties often complain, they feel the Democratic leaders have shut them out of the process of writing the legislation that will ultimately become President Obama's economic stimulus bill.

So the old politics are mixing with the new.

But let's hope this is at least a start.

No minds may be changed in those closed door meetings between Obama and Republican leaders. But at least they're talking.

 Matthew Nordin | mnordin@wmbfnews.com

Making News Today

This morning the trial of a man charged with the death of a 10 year-old boy continues in Dillon.

Bentley Collins is charged with involuntary manslaughter after investigators say his six dogs mauled and killed John Davis.

An investigator with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division called as a witness Tuesday said “that was something I’d never seen in all my years of working crime scene[s].” 

Today the state will call more witnesses to the stand.

Freezin’ For A Reason, that’s the slogan for a local event benefiting Special Olympics South Carolina.

The Polar Bear Plunge as it’s called asks people to plunge themselves in frigid waters for a cause.

In its first year here on the Grand Strand this event raised about $15,000 and last year raised about $80,000 with about 465 plungers.

The event continues to grow and organizers hope to raise.

This afternoon we’re talking to a family that’s helped by this invigorating cause.

Today the Horry County Humane Society’s Board of Directors is holding a special meeting.

The board will elect a new secretary and discuss open positions at the shelter.

Tomorrow the deadline for anyone applying for the shelter’s executive director position.

We’ll find out how many people have applied for the position.

Good Morning from Washington, DC

Good morning from the nations captial. We're starting our Wednesday after a very informative day on Tuesday, learning from lawmakers about the economic stimulous package that will include federal funding for infrastructure projects.

 

Congressman Henry Brown was very optimistic that we might be able to get some money for projects like Interstate 73, but it will be up to the states to decide how to spend the money.  Senator Jim Demint doesn't like the bill as much, saying it's unlikely he'll support it.  Today the House is voting on the bill.

 

There's a lot of ice that's on the ground here today, and Congressman Joe Wilson from South Carolina wasn't able to make it, but we wer able to hear from Congressman Gresham Barrett who represents Florida. He spoke to us about some of the work he's been doing on the bill.  He hopes to pass another long range infrastructure bill sometime soon, that may specifically include projects like I-73.

 

I'm going to be working on some stories for the 4, 5, & 6pm news today and will be broadcasting many of these speaches on WMBFNews.com.  We hope you'll join us.

 

Kyle

 

Kyle Grainger | kgrainger@wmbfnews.com

Leaving for Washington, DC

Good morning, at this 6:00 am hour, I'm up and reporting for WMBF News Today about my trip to Washington, DC. 

I'll be joining area leaders as they pitch the areas needs for Interstate 73 and other infrastructure projects like expansion of the Myrtle Beach International Airport.  Members of the Chamber of Commerce, City of Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Horry County, Dillon city will all be meeting with federal lawmakers about the needs of the area.  Many of them say this could be one of our best chances at getting money for some of these projects.

We leave about 8:30 this morning from Myrtle Beach General Aviation and arrive in Washington, DC around noon where we'll have a reception with congressman Henry Brown.  I'll have reports here on WMBFNews.com and on WMBF News tonight starting at 4.  We hope you'll join us.

Kyle

Kyle Grainger | kgrainger@wmbfnews.com

My 1st day at a new roll

Good morning everyone. This is my first day as a reporter here at WMBF News. I am making the transition back into being out in the community so I hope to see all of you.

I have spent much of my day getting our new assignment manager Rob Blomquist up to speed of how things operate here at WMBF News. The afternoon is going to be packed finalizing my trip to Washington, DC tomorrow. I'll be traveling up there with the chamber Tuesday and Wednesday as they try to get lawmakers to put us on this list to get federal money for infrastructure projects in Myrtle Beach. Thursday, I'll be reporting from Columbia at a meeting about Interstate 73 at the state house.

I hope you have a good day and I'll see you tomorrow morning.

Kyle

Kyle Grainger Kgrainger@wmbfnews.com

A Greenway...that's buck!

I learned the term "buck" from our hip general manager, Ted Fortenberry. I've actually learned several terms from him that I'm proud to use.  Some say the word "buck" is short for the term "buck wild".

This words fits perfectly for the section of cleared trees on the corner of 29th Avenue North and Grissom Parkway. A beautiful patch of trees used to stand where a large patch of dirt is now. I almost wrecked my car a couple weeks ago when I saw crews chopping down all those huge beautiful pine trees next to Myrtle Beach elementary.

Ironically, those trees sat along the side walk that's actually part of a greenway. To give it the name "greenway" is absolutely buck if there are no trees along the sidewalk! So what's going to be built on this plot of land? A bank! The city of Myrtle Beach says the trees aren't historic enough to be saved; in that case, it's okay to kill the little nature left in the city to put up another big  building.The last thing Myrtle Beach needs is another bank, especially with today's economy.  Hopefully they won't put up those little sprigs of trees in the parking lot either.

Tayleigh Davis |Tayleighdavis@wmbfnews.com

What we're covering January 23, 2009

Good morning from WMBF News.

There is breaking news out of Marlboro County today. Investigators with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are on the scene in Marlboro County, where a body was found off of Academy Road outside Bennettsville. According to Marlboro County's Jamie Seales, Scotland County, NC officials have been investigating a missing persons case. Their investigation led them to Marlboro County where the body was found. SLED is investigating the scene, and Marlboro County is assisting. Lindsay Housaman has been in Marlboro County since early this morning and will have live reports this evening.

It's a road project that could help put thousands of people back to work in our area, but there are a few obstacles in the way of Interstate 73. I-73 would start in Myrtle Beach at Highway 22 and then proceed northwest into Highway 31 until it linked up with Interstate 95. The project is expected to cost around $2 billion to complete. Today, we're going to be looking at the area this road would go and how people there feel about it. And we'll look at the big trip I'll be taking next Tuesday and Wednesday with the chamber as they push for federal funding for major infrastructure projects.

A woman who stole $25 in cash from a local convenience store is being sought by the Horry County Police Department Thursday, according to officials. Sgt. Robert Kegler of the Horry County Police Department says on Wednesday morning at 1:55, an unidentified woman entered The Pantry on U.S. Highway 501, told the clerk she had a gun in her coat and demanded money. Watch the surveillance video on WMBFNews.com and today we'll look at if police have made any progress with this case.

Live Local Late Breaking news all day on WMBFNews.com and starting at 4.

Kyle

Kyle Grainger | Kgrainger@wmbfnews.com

It's Only Thursday?

It sure feels like the weekend should already be here, considering we've covered enough news just in the first three days of the week to last us quite a while!

In news, some days we're lucky if we get one big story.  But Tuesday, we got two.  The Inauguration of our first black president, Barack Obama, and a winter storm in the Carolinas that I'm sure will have people talking for a while.  I think the WMBF News Team did a wonderful job covering both events for you, offering every way of delivering the news to you we have available to us... television, our website, alerts on your phone, emails, webcam video... we used every tool in this newsroom.

As I said, some days we're lucky to get one big story.  When we do, it's even rarer that the big story is one of a happy nature.  I can say I think both of our big stories this week were heartwarming... here's why:

First, the Inauguration.  I tuned in to Brian Williams and the NBC News Team's coverage Tuesday morning to see the "official" stuff... basically the Oath of Office.  I ended up glued to my TV until NBC's coverage ended at 5pm.  I couldn't get enough.  And everyone I've talked to felt the same way.  It was amazing to see the amount of people who gathered in our Nation's Capitol for the event, amid the freezing temperatures.  Through my TV, I felt such a sense of togetherness, like everyone in the country paused for a moment and said "Let's start over."  From what the commentators were saying, the energy in the crowds wasn't even being conveyed in the least over the airwaves.  To think one man's message made that all possible.  No matter which way you voted, you can't deny the positive spirit that soaked Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day.  Let's pray our new President can continue his message of Hope through what could be some of the darker days of his term.

Now, the winter weather.  It was the first storm of 2009, and to be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I had heard rumors to the tune of "when there's snow flurries... towns shut down, schools close, stores run out of essentials, etc..."  I was prepared for the worst.  I think we got the best.  Towns did go on delays and schools did cancel, but the stores were just fine.  And everyone we talked to was excited about the snow.  Parents were calling and emailing us pictures.  Their children had never seen snow!  I can't imagine that, being from Michigan and all.  You should see the smiles on these kids faces, laughing, playing out in the snow.  Instead of worrying about driving in the conditions and rushing to the store to stock up on water and bread, it seemed families stayed home, together, and enjoyed the winter weather.  You can see some of the pictures on the News Nation part of our website.

After all this, doesn't it seem like the weekend should be here already?  I agree.

Paula Caruso | pcaruso@wmbfnews.com

What we're covering January 22, 2009

Good morning from WMBF News.

A baby boy was killed Wednesday night when the car it was in crashed into a tree. According to South Carolina Highway Patrol spokesman Paul Brothers, the vehicle was southbound on Oakland Road in Dillon County around 8:30 p.m. when it hit a tree. Troopers say the baby was not in a car seat with the vehicle flipped. The baby was ejected from the vehicle. Listen to the 911 call for help on WMBFNews.com and from the mother of the child tonight on WMBF News.

Horry County Police are investigating an armed robbery that happened just outside of Conway at a gas station. A clerk at the station told officer around 10:25 p.m. Wednesday a man went into the Scotchman Store on Highway 544 with a gun and demanded money from the register. Police say the clerk reported the man left the store, and they don't know how much money he got. Police say the only description they have is the man was black, wearing a black hoody and a red scarf over his face.

Authorities have arrested and charged four people suspected in a string of burglaries, and are looking for a fifth person. Darlington County deputies, along with Hartsville and Darlington police, are investigating a series of burglaries of local business. The Sheriff's office and Hartsville Police arrested four people and looking for a fifth in connection with a string of convenience store break-ins. Darlington Police believe the same subjects are involved with area break-ins, as well.

The South Carolina Employment Security Commission says it's run out of money again to pay unemployment benefits. Executive Director Ted Halley said Thursday the commission is going to have to borrow more money from the federal government because it would have run out of money by Monday to pay claims. The agency is borrowing an extra $15 million for checks this month, an extra $52 million to make February payments and $92 million to cover March.

Live Local Late Breaking news all day on WMBFNews.com and starting at 4. We hope you'll join us.

Kyle

Kyle Grainger | Kgrainger@wmbfnews.com