Wednesday, September 08, 2010
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Your opinion is important to us.  Please feel free to submit comments about any story appearing in our newspaper or anything happening in our community.  We reserve the right to delete any comment from the forum, and will block members from commenting if necessary. No slanderous, libelous or malicious entries will be tolerated.
Visitor Comments
 
Submitted By: Michael Angwin Submitted: 7/27/2010
The Myrtle Beach Riptides hosted the South Carolina Long Course State Swim Meet this past weekend at the Augusta Aquatics Center. Over 600 swimmers participated in the event from all over the state of South Carolina. We want to thank the local companies that generously donated items and materials to help make this event a huge success. The following is a list of supporters: Wine Styles, Carolina Forest Bi-Lo Food Lion, Carolina Forest CostCo Lowe’s Foods KW Cafeteria Chick-Fil-A Garden City Café Bobby and Betty Benton P.F. Changs, Market Commons IHOP Cold Stone Creamery, Market Commons Darden Restaurants, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn, Bahama Breeze Thank you very much, Myrtle Beach Riptides Swim Team

Submitted By: Peter Submitted: 7/8/2010
The Top 12 list for polluted beaches concerning Myrtle Beach and Surfside is patently false. Myrtle Beach is NOT the 5th most polluted beach in America. Ridiculous. Check this URL for the actual DATA for 2008. http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/overview.pdf Look at the bottom for Table 2. Beaches with More Than 25 Percent of Samples Exceeding Daily National Standards in 2008. In the list of the worst 20 there isn't a single entry for SC. Horrible story. Please retract. We don't need bad publicity for our economy. Especially untrue publicity.

Submitted By: Peter Submitted: 7/8/2010
The survey of polluted beaches was unclear. How could we be in the top 10 when we aren't even in the top 20 of The Natural Research Defense Counsel list? In fact on their list there isn't even ONE beach from the whole state of SC. http://www.listafterlist.com/tabid/57/listid/8106/Travel++Places/Americas+Dirtiest+Beaches.aspx

Submitted By: Tammy Submitted: 6/22/2010
Looking for my brother. Michael Dane Smith dob 9-9-63 Mother was June Alice Tuttle,father A.B. Smith (I think) He was born in Harris County, TX

Submitted By: Patricia Long Submitted: 6/17/2010
Just wanted to make a comment about using your signal lights on your automobiles. I've seen several incidents whereby a car would just change lanes, without using signal light to let the car in the lane see an oncoming lane change to prevent an accident. Remember, also, that if you're turning off the main road onto a side road, to also, use your signal light, as the driver behind you doesn't know you're making the same turn he is. Just some reminders to use your signal lights more often than not. Thanks.

Submitted By: Jill A. Dore Submitted: 6/1/2010
I would like to offer the highest praise to Velna Allen and her entire staff for the fantastic way they met the Westboro Baptist issue. The manner in which a plan was put into place to ensure our children's safety, and limit their exposure to this people hate group was seamless. I initally had great concern over what might come of having to pass by the protest as I dropped my daughter off that morning, but it was all for not. The morning drop off was smooth as ever, and so was the communication of all necessary changes for that morning. Kudos to Carolina Forest Administration and Staff!! Job well done protecting our children! Thank you for all you do each day.

Submitted By: Rick P Submitted: 3/7/2010
The story on what the Horry County school administrator's salaries was almost incomprehensible to imagine. The fact that these bloated salaries are so far out of skew with the rest of the pay scale of state officials and of society as a whole is incredible. It is no wonder the education system here ranks 49th out of 50 for the worst in the country. This economy couldn't sustain salaries one half of these nor could a good economy. Myrtle Beach and most of South Carolina pay the average Joe minimum wage and even college graduates only make a paltry sum here. This entire education system needs revamped to emphasize the classroom teacher and what curriculum is taught in school. The administrators do little if any in the actual education of our children and therefor their pay should be put in line accordingly. A salary of $215,000 a year for the superintendent of Horry County schools is absolutely ridiculous! Good work CF Chronicle! We need to put pressure on the Board of Education to get these salaries back in line. I will not support any more school tax increases until this is done.

Submitted By: L & S Tuttle Submitted: 3/6/2010
Letter to the Editor: We were dumbfounded to see the outrageous salaries of Horry County school officials ("59 Administrators Make More than $100K a Year" 3/4/10). Most shocking: Horry County School Superintendent's $215,200 per year salary, an amount over twice the Governor's pay. The school board should be utterly ashamed of its fiscal management of tax dollars. Board members need to do some major pay scale cuts to bring salaries in line with reality, or step down.

Submitted By: Dennis Gorman Submitted: 2/20/2010
Re: 2/18/10 Editorial On your editorial page I read a partial comment from a reader who refused to provide her identity. As a result and rightfully so - the entire content of her comments were not printed. I would like to comment on the topic of her comments. Is Carolina Forest being targetted by the police? I am a retired police officer and I was in charge of my department's Traffic Enforcement Unit. Concentrated enforcement is normally a result of: 1) Public Requests for additional patrols. At least two developments in Carolina Forest have erected speed humps / bumps. These are normally erected to deter speeders. These are normally erected in conjunction with a request for additional police presence for speed enforcement. 2) Crash Analysis by Police. A high volume of crashes, especially fatal crashes, in a localized area may cause the police to increase their presence. It should be noted that according to SCDOT statistics Horry County lead the state with the highest volume of fatal crashes in 2009. So are we being targetted or protected? If we drive responsibly, stop speeding and the volume of crashes decrease so will the enhanced police presence. Dennis Gorman

Submitted By: Paul Submitted: 2/5/2010
Since the county, not the school system, is now paying for this league, are private school kids still excluded from trying out and participating?

Submitted By: Horry County Resident Submitted: 1/31/2010
I have applauded your paper many times for taking a hard/critical look at our government and to the businesses that control ANY taxpayer money, however I find it VERY unsettling that you have not taken the same stance with the MB Area Chamber of Commerce (MBACC). I have noticed full page ads being taken out with your paper by MBACC and since have not seen any further investigative questions/articles on the MBACC. This organization has been "entrusted" with a LARGE amount of taxpayer funds (that NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO VOTE FOR OR AGAINST) yet I have seen neither your paper OR any other paper demand accountablility of how that money is spent. I am beginning to believe that you just like the Sun News have been bought by both the MB City Players and the MBACC. SHAME ON YOU. Start holding them accountable for our taxpayer money and HOW EACH PENNY IS SPENT.

Submitted By: Michael Smith Submitted: 1/1/2010
Thank you for the post about the Plantation Lakes column. We've reviewed it and found everything in it to be factually accurate and balanced. Unfortunately, news isn't always positive, as much as we'd like it to be. We can't ignore the news that we don't like. That would be censorship. As always, we at the Chronicle welcome letters to the editor. Thank you for reading our publication. Michael Smith, Editor Carolina Forest Chronicle

Submitted By: Plantation Lakes resident Submitted: 1/1/2010
What is with Tony McDonald and his negative articles? Can't you find someone that is interested in writing for this paper on behalf of P.L. that can have some positive comments to say? Do you really think any of the readers want to see a recap of all the bad things that have happen in the last year? Come on get with it.

Submitted By: Judy Wooding Submitted: 12/9/2009
Living in Carolina Forest, I made an online purchase with Wal-Mart.com, and was charged 9% sales tax. I followed SCDOR instructions to request 1% refund for improperly charged City of Myrtle Beach tourist tax, and after many e-mails, I was told that Wal-Mart's policy was to go by the zip code and will not issue refunds.

Submitted By: Horry County Resident Submitted: 10/9/2009
In response to Brad Deans Opinion 10/8/2009 referencing the 1% sales tax. What exactly was all the taxpayer money the Chamber had been receiving all of these years for promotion being spent on? Dean states, and I quote “For too many years, the Grand Strand has been outspent by its tourism competitors. It's hard to imagine Gatlinburg, TN or Virgina Beach, VA, spending more to promote their destinations than we spend to promote ours, but that's been true for quite some time. For many years, we relied on word-of-mouth advertising and repeat visitation to build our tourism industry..." Seriously this does not bode well with all the taxpayer money the MBACC has been receiving for YEARS to promote tourism. Why on earth are WE TRUSTING THE MBACC WITH MORE TAXPAYER MONEY, when the last few years of tax revenue received by the MBACC for promoting tourism obviously has not been spent promoting tourism? Dean’s own words give us pause….”we relied on word-of-mouth advertising and repeat visitation”. His own words state that tourism promotion has NOT been at the top of the list for expenditures. Another irritating part of his “AD” for the 1% sales tax is Dean’s comparison of Gatlinburg, TN and Virginia Beach, VA to the promotion dollars spent for Myrtle Beach, SC. According the census bureau’s website Virginia Beach has a 2008 estimated population of 433,746 and Gatlinburg’s population in 2000 was 3382. Myrtle Beach’s population in the 2000 census was 22,759. If Dean is going to compare cities, he should at least compare cities of similar size. Another interesting piece of information Dean fails to mention about these two cities is that NEITHER of the two cities mentioned has had to enact an additional sales tax for the SOLE purpose of promoting TOURISM. It would seem to me that the chamber in each of the cities named, Gatlinburg and Virginia Beach, better allocates their MONEY where it needs to go, which is TOURISM promotion and not overhead costs at the respective Chambers. Apparently we have closed our eyes for far too long at where exactly taxpayer money allocated to the MBACC has been going all along. Maybe an audit of the books, as it relates to taxpayer funding, needs to happen at the MBACC so that we, as residents who are directly affected by the MBACC ability to promote our area, are assured that our taxpayer money was spent and continues to be spent for tourism promotion and NOT spent towards what I suspect to be MBACC overhead first and tourism promotion last. Finally in response to Brad Dean’s opinion column: This is nothing more than an AD for the 1% sales tax. Dean, if you truly feel that this 1% sales tax is such a great and wondrous tax to have, why not: 1. Have the City of MB put it on the ballot for the voters to decide and 2. Open up your financial books in regards to ALL taxpayer money you’ve received over the years (at least the last five), so that we can be assured that the MBACC is the best steward for this additional 1% promotional tax we’ve had bestowed upon us.

Submitted By: Joe Biskup Submitted: 9/19/2009
As a past ARB member, husband of a past HOA board member, and Southgate homeowner, I take offense to the article written by Rae Jean West in Southgate Scene. I will address her concerns, which are thinly veiled as e-mails from residents. The plan to install fountains in every pond is addressed in the budget. We as homeowners paid for the fountains with our HOA dues. Knowing how involved Rae Jean was with the board, she can answer this in her next column. She makes it seem that the absence of a web site for Southgate is the new BODs problem. The past board was promising a web site for the last two years. The past board was run by two people, who were only interested in promoting an agenda to serve their interests. I speak first hand, since I was an ARB member for over a year, and received only one ARB request. I denied the application, since it did not meet the standards set forth in ARB guidelines. It was approved by the other two members. And when I questioned why I never received any other applications, it was because my vote or input was not needed since it only took two votes to approve requests. I have extensive contact with many HOAs due to my job. It is interesting to find out how they keep the homeowners updated as to meetings and concerns. To be able to address the Southgate board, you need to be on the agenda. To be on the agenda, you need to know when these meetings are. I knew when these meetings were, since my wife was on the board. My neighbors did not. Use this forum to address community issues, not the newspaper. I would like to meet these so called residents that only bring their concerns to Rae Jean. Marilyn Tabor is paid as a representative of the management company to ensure that all residents, including board members follow guidelines for the community. If there are board members in non compliance, I hope they have been fined as have other homeowners. The whole time my wife spent on the board, she was not once approached about community issues or concerns. The biggest complaint was why something was approved or denied, since the guidelines did not address it. My biggest concern with the ARB guidelines was the lack of depth with many items. When I asked about items, I was told “That is grandfathered in”, or “That’s not what we meant”, or “We can make any decision that is not covered in the guidelines”. When I said we needed to address the issues that were not clear, I was told “Do you realize how expensive that would be to give everyone new guidelines? We will include them on the website.” We are still waiting. The new president of the board cleaned house, by starting anew. He followed established rules, and I know he ruffled feathers. I have received e-mails from Rae Jean concerning the new ARB and general items. Rae Jean, don’t make this a personal crusade against certain members of the board. Your husband is on the board, so you have more information about the board’s goings on than you let on. I am positive any questions you asked in your column, you can answer. I am personally embarrassed to have a column written about what is wrong with Southgate. In your two columns you only address negatives. I challenge and encourage every Southgate homeowner to make a concerted effort to attend the Annual meeting of the HOA. I do not know when this is, but I do know that I will be on the agenda to address concerns I have. Joseph Biskup

Submitted By: john Submitted: 9/15/2009
to the person who questioned strip clubs. Golf and strip clubs have been in this area for 50 years. Its part of 'the beach'. Forget your thoughts on 'family only'. MB needs 20 million tourists to survive.

Submitted By: Submitted: 9/7/2009
I am a homeowner in the Farm subdivision. We have lived in the neighborhood for 5 years. We have seen the neighborhood grow drastically in size, and we have witnessed the building of all 3 Horry County schools that lie just outside the neighborhood. My concern as a parent and a homeowner is for the safety of our children walking and riding their bikes to school. DR Horton chose to put the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road of the bus "hut." The bus hut is located on the same side of the road that all the children are expected to exit the schools from. This gives these children two options, either walk or bike through the uneven, often wet grass or cross the street to get to the sidewalk. The latter is extremely dangerous since most cars don't stop to let the kids cross safely. Their first option is not a great one either. I ride my bike along with my daughter, and in the morning when the grass is wet, you get coated in wet grass and dirt. I have contacted the HOA and DR Horton regarding this issue and have gotten no response. What can be done to add a sidewalk? Every parent I know would support adding a safer way for the kids to get to school even those who drive their children.

Submitted By: Avalon homeowner Submitted: 8/22/2009
Ed Stapleton responded this week with a letter to the editor in response to an article last week in the Horry county Business Journal that asked, "Are HOAs Nazis?" Stapleton responded that it was insensitive to the Jewish community to suggest that HOAs are as bad as the Nazis, and her is probably correct. However, in the interest of full disclosure, I believe it should be noted that Stapleton is the President of the Avalon POA, and has enacted several rules and regulations that were not agreed upon by the residents that he supposedly represents. He, too, tried to force a veteran to take down his American flag, outlawed fireworks in the newborhood without asked the opinion of the residents, and has told several residents that disagree with his views that they are "spewing negatively," and "being negative" even when they are simply offering other solutions. Perhaps THIS is why he took so much offense to an article that represents his POA well.

Submitted By: Submitted: 7/26/2009
The only place in Myrtle Beach that strip clubs are allowed is in the Seaboard Industrial park area only so the comment that they are all over Myrtle Beach is so wrong. Now people who will bring up the ones out on 501 need to remember that is not Myrtle Beach city limits and not a thing Myrtle Beach can do about those. The county is the only ones that can regulate those so don't point fingers the wrong direction. The "family beach" tag is silly when 14 million people come here from all different group types and most every night most of what makes up the revenue the beach takes in sure is not family type activities from all the bars, nightclubs and alcohol consumption here. And as far as Liz Gilland's trip to Dubai to learn what they do to be a tourist spot you could learn just by watching the TV. They spend oil money by the billions to grow the tourism sector as they know that the oil is going to run out at some point not far away even though they have the most oil in the world at tap. The small country of Dubai accounts for 10% of the worlds oil as far as we know of now and even they admit it is going to run out soon. Also you would think we are all working to change the world by all the "Green" projects being thrown at us but unfortunately if you look at the rest of the world it is not so. Look at China for example they had to shut down factories, cars and power production for months just to be able to clear the air enough to see and breath as they did not want the world to see how bad they were destroying the world we live in. The global warming also is following the historical sun temp cycle that has far longer time span than our lives are so we don't get how much variant there is. There have been ice ages many times and hot periods many times. The cycle will continue no matter what we do. The government could have more impact if they just made white roofing the only color that could be used. This would reduce more warming than taking all the cars off the road and would cost nothing to implement as over time as roofs are replaced naturally we would benefit from it. So many things we could all do and it only takes a few percent to make a major impact on several of the issues that affect us all at the same time. 1 million less SUVs off the road would greatly impact the cost of gas and lower the oil use. We need to get off oil now not later. If we would offer an incentive like we did for the Manhattan project we would have the needed technology in no time to stop selling gas vehicles. I hope the next vehicle I buy is hydrogen powered as that is what we need to stop the cycle.

Submitted By: Submitted: 6/26/2009
Maybe now is the time to start looking into the real reason Liz Gilland took that trip to Dubai!

Submitted By: Submitted: 6/24/2009
If Myrtle Beach is aiming for family friendly.....then why do we have so many strip clubs. I am sure that is what families want to see all up and down the beach. Bikes are bad but bare women on billboards ok????

Submitted By: Art Shorthouse Submitted: 5/19/2009
How ironic that the noise from the motorcycle rallies won't be missed.What will be missed is the noise from the cash registers that fill the city and county coffers.

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