Winter Storm Watch - City of North Myrtle Beach Preparations

We are currently under a Winter Storm Watch and have the potential for 2 or more of inches of snow Wednesday, January 3. The Watch will likely be upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning later today.

KEY POINTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

-- Increased confidence of a winter storm producing 1"-3” of snow and sleet on most surfaces. A trace to 0.04” of freezing rain is possible along the immediate coast.

-- Wintry precipitation is expected to develop late Wednesday morning, and persist through Wednesday night. Travel will become hazardous.

-- The next winter storm briefing will be issued by 5 PM Tuesday.

CITY OF NORTH MYRTLE BEACH PREPARATIONS

-- A coastal city such as ours does not make a huge investment in snow plows and other snow removal equipment but we do have several trucks equipped with snow plows and a motor grader with plow that we use to remove snow when it occurs. We also maintain a supply of road salt and salt spreaders.

-- The snow plows are prepped and ready to roll, as are the salt spreaders.

-- We do not put salt on roads until the initial moisture hits them. If salt is put down while the roads are dry, passing cars just blow it to the side of the road. Also, road salt is activated by moisture. So, when the first moisture hits the roads, we will begin our road salting operation, the initial pass taking about 2-1/2 hours. Initially, we do not salt or plow all roads in the city. Our initial objective is to salt and plow major intersections and roadways as needed.

-- Street Division staff have already been placed on a Wednesday work schedule that reflects current projections for the storm's arrival in our area.

-- City Hall and all other city services and facilities will be open for business throughout the week.

-- Wednesday sanitation collection will occur according to the regular schedule. Plan on a normal sanitation collection forThursday, and, if the storm's impact on roads interferes with normal collection, we will post that information here.

Dune Restoration Work Underway in North Myrtle Beach

The city of North Myrtle Beach dune restoration project is underway.

The $616,000 project with A.O. Hardee & Son as the contractor will use up to 60,000 cubic yards of sand to restore sand dunes from 45th Avenue South to 48th Avenue South and from 42nd Avenue North to 55th Avenue North.

Dunes is these areas were severely eroded or destroyed by Hurricane Matthew, leaving oceanfront structures exposed to potentially damaging storm surge.

The contractor started in the Cherry Grove section and is working north to south along the beach.

Sand used in the project comes from a dredging spoils basin located on Little River Neck Road. The sand currently in the basin is from the Cherry Grove dredging project. Prior to dredging the canals, sand located in the canals was tested and found to be compatible with existing dune and beach sand.

Street trucks haul sand from the spoils basin to the beach off-road vehicles carry the sand along the beach to the dune line. From there, bulldozers work to achieve the desired dune berm configuration, which is 7 feet high by 35 feet wide.

There may be some intermittent closures of sections of beach, particularly when the tide is high.

The dune restoration work follows the recently completed $10.6 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers emergency beach renourishment project, which focused on protecting previously exposed oceanfront structures from storm surge.

North Myrtle Beach Shop With a Cop Charity Golf Tournament Moved to December 15

Due to rain that has already fallen and the 100 percent forecast for rain tomorrow, the annual North Myrtle Beach Shop With A Cop Charity Golf Tournament, previously scheduled forDecember 8, has been moved to December 15.

The tournament will still start at 11:00 a.m. on the Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf. All other aspects of the tournament also remain the same.

Registered teams may contact the North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation Department at 843-280-5584. If you have not yet registered for the tournament but would like to do so, please call the same phone number.

Proceeds from the seventh annual tournament go to theShop with a Cop program, managed by the North Myrtle Beach Public Safety Department.

Shop with a Cop is a Christmas program for children in need at the Ocean Drive Elementary School. Guidance Counselors at the school choose children to receive the benefits of this program. Children enjoy lunch and receive a $150 Walmart gift card.

North Myrtle Beach police officers and volunteers help guide children on purchasing presents and necessity items, such as winter coats. The goal is to raise enough money to provide an unforgettable Christmas for children in the community.

Tournament fees are $65 per person or $260 per team. Players may register individually or as a team.

The tournament fee includes green fees, cart, range balls, non-alcoholic beverages, continental breakfast, lunch, a $10,000 hole-on-one contest, and three additional hole-in-one contests valued at $500 each.

Applications for the 2018 North Myrtle Beach Citizens Academy Now Being Accepted

The City of North Myrtle Beach is now accepting applications for its 2018 Citizens Academy from North Myrtle Beach residents who wish to participate. Participation in the academy is free.

The deadline for submitting applications is December 22 at 5:00 p.m.

The first meeting of Citizens Academy participants will be Thursday, January 11 at 3:00 p.m.

 at City Hall.

The 2018 North Myrtle Beach Citizens Academy will expose participants to all facets of North Myrtle Beach government, and will include tours of key City facilities.

The schedule for North Myrtle Beach Citizens Academy meetings is as follows:

·     January 11, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Focus on City Manager, Legislative, Administrative and Legal divisions and current issues facing the City. Tour of the City’s public safety facility.

·     January 18, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Focus on Public Works Department – water, wastewater, streets, storm water, and sanitation. Includes tour of pump station and water tank facilities at Little River Neck Road and tour of water tank facility at Main Street.

·     January 25, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Continued focus on Public Works Department – water, wastewater, streets, storm water, and sanitation. Includes tour of the solid waste transfer station and waste water treatment plant.

·     February 1, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Focus on Parks & Recreation Department – athletics, sports tourism, grounds maintenance, programs, events, Aquatics & Fitness Center, Keep North Myrtle Beach Beautiful, beach services. Tour of the Aquatic & Fitness Center.

·     February 8, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Continued focus on Parks & Recreation – athletics, sports tourism, grounds maintenance, programs, events, Aquatics & Fitness Center, Keep North Myrtle Beach Beautiful, beach services. Tour of NMB Park & Sports Complex.

·     February 15, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. – Focus on Planning & Zoning, Human Resources, Support Services, Finance and Information Technology Departments.

·     A Graduation Ceremony will be scheduled with the group to occur at a City Council Meeting.

Applications are available at City Hall or via https://tinyurl.com/yco5tcyk or at www.NMB.usunder "Press Releases" on the homepage.

More Information: City Clerk Merideth Smith at (843) 280-5604 or mjsmith@nmb.us

Enjoy These North Myrtle Beach Holiday Events

NOVEMBER 24 - DECEMBER 31:

THE GREAT CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW - Over 2 million lights festively displayed along a 1.5 mile drive throughout the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex. Over 500 custom made magical light displays, some up to 55 feet tall. Visitors will also experience 20 enchanting animated figures and holiday scenes where the lights will come to life - HOURS: The Great Christmas Light Show Drive-Through Experience open November 24 – December 31 (Closed December 25) 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm - Santa’s Village open Fridayand Saturday November 24 – December 9, and open nightly December 15 – 31 (ClosedDecember 25) - ADMISSSION: 1-15 guests: $15 per vehicle, 16-30 guests: $30 per vehicle, 31+ guests: $60 per vehicle (call 843-280-5570 to schedule buses) - MORE INFO: http://parks.nmb.us

NOVEMBER 25:

INTRACOASTAL CHRISTMAS REGATTA - 5:00pm - Each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the curtain rises on this spectacular maritime parade at the Little River Inlet at 5:00pm and travels south along the Intracoastal Waterway, arriving at Dock Holidays Marina at 7:00pm. Gather your family and watch the parade as it passes various viewing areas along the waterway from Little River to Dock Holidays Marina - FREE but why not bring a new toy and drop it off at a collection point at any marina in Little River or North Myrtle Beach. You can help make sure there is not a single child in Horry County without a present to open on Christmas morning.

DECEMBER 1:

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH COMMUNITY BAND CHRISTMAS CONCERT - Free Admission - 7:30pm - J. Bryan Floyd Community Center, 1030 Possum Trot Road

DECEMBER 2:

CHRISTMAS PARADE - 5:30pm to 7:00pm - Main Street - Lighted floats and units representing groups from all across the area. Sponsored by the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce. Get there early in order to get a good viewing spot!

DECEMBER 2 AND DECEMBER 3:

CHRISTMAS CANTATA - Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church, 6th Avenue South & Hillside Drive - TIMES: December 2 at 3:30 pm and December 3 at 3:30pm and at 6:30pm - Church choirs from the North Myrtle Beach area join together to create a musical program you will not soon forget - FREE EVENT BUT TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY and you can get them from the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, 1521 Highway 17 South or call 843-281-2662. This is a popular event so don't delay!

DECEMBER 5:

CITY CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING - 5:30pm - NMB Park & Sports Complex - Free for all ages - Join Santa and his friends! - Activities, entertainment and refreshments are available for children of all ages. A great start to your holiday season!

DECEMBER 5:

WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP - J. Bryan Floyd Community Center - 1:00pm – 4:00pm- All ages - Learn the tricks to making your own Christmas wreath. Center will supply the greenery and instructions and participants should bring a wreath form, preferably straw. Thank you to the Driftwood Garden Club for providing instruction at this free event.

DECEMBER 8:

SHOP WITH A COP CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT - Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf - December 1 entry deadline - Fundraiser for NMB Public Safety Department Shop with a Cop program that provides a luncheon, gifts and more to children in need - For more info call NMB Parks & Recreation at (843) 280-5584.