Palmetto Pulse Grand Strand

HOME CARE

Caring Senior Service Expands its South Carolina Footprint with New Myrtle Beach Location

Caring Senior Service, a non-medical, personalized home care services company, announced it has opened its second South Carolina office, located at 1000 2nd Ave. in North Myrtle Beach. Caring Senior Service of Myrtle Beach owner Mike Davis brings both a professional background in human resources and personal insights into the challenges families face when caring for aging loved ones to his new business.

FORWARD LOOKING

YMCA of Coastal Carolina Announces Launch of New Mission Advancement Center in Downtown Myrtle Beach

The YMCA of Coastal Carolina officially opened its new Mission Advancement Center on Jan. 29, marking a major milestone in the organization’s regional growth and community impact strategy.  Located at 529 Broadway St. in downtown Myrtle Beach, the new center will serve as the YMCA’s Regional Headquarters and Vision 2030 Hub — a space dedicated to strengthening partnerships, sharing stories of impact, and advancing the Y’s mission across Horry, Georgetown, and Williamsburg counties. 

ENVIRONMENTAL UPKEEP

Beach Renourishment Begins in Myrtle Beach

Mobilization of beach renourishment equipment began mid-February in the city of Myrtle Beach, according to the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. The officials said this $72 million project is fully funded by the federal government and covers beach renourishment from North Myrtle Beach to Pawleys Island, addressing erosion caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022 and Hurricane Debby in 2024. Construction of the Myrtle Beach segment remains on track to be completed by Memorial Day, the officials said.

BANKING

South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc. Declares Cash Dividend

South Atlantic Bancshares, Inc. (OTCQX: SABK), the parent of South Atlantic Bank, announced that its board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.10 per share on its common stock. The dividend will be payable on Feb. 27, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Feb. 13, 2026. 

LITERACY & COMMUNITY

New Friends Centre Opens at Georgetown Library

The Georgetown County Library has welcomed a new chapter of community engagement with the opening of the Friends of the Georgetown Library Centre, now located in the former Heritage Center space at the main library branch in Georgetown. The center offers hardback and paperback fiction, children’s books, and a growing selection of magazines published within the last two years. Children’s books are especially affordable, priced at 50 cents each or four for $1.

SPOTLIGHT

ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic Wins South Carolina Governor’s Cup Award for Best-in-Class Event

The ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic has announced that Myrtle Beach’s PGA TOUR event has won this year’s South Carolina Governor’s Cup Award, an honor given to an attraction, destination, or development that demonstrates extraordinary success in tourism in the Palmetto State. The 2025 edition of the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic generated $15.8 million in economic impact, saw television viewership increase by more than 1 million, and delivered over 31 million social media impressions across the week. The tournament also raised $225,000 for nine local charities.

EDUCATION

The Educational Empowerment Group Set to Open Two Myrtle Beach Schools

The Educational Empowerment Group has officially expanded into Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with two new schools set to open in August 2026. South Carolina Construction Academy is a high school that intends to empower students through hands-on Career Technical Education (CTE), providing clear pathways into the high-demand construction industry. Morning Star Academy will serve grades K-8. This school will ignite young minds through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) and project-based learning.

HEALTH CARE

CCU Secures $2.4M to Expand Hands-On Nursing and Health Sciences Training

Coastal Carolina University has secured $2.4 million to support the creation of an Advanced Nursing and Health Sciences Simulation Laboratory, significantly expanding hands-on training opportunities that prepare graduates to meet the region’s evolving health care and workforce needs. The federal funding, supported by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will be used to purchase state-of-the-art simulation equipment to enhance the nursing and health sciences programs in the Conway Medical Center College of Health and Human Performance (CMCCHHP).

CIVIC RESTRUCTURING

Georgetown County Announces Organizational Restructuring to Improve Efficiency, Service Delivery

Georgetown County has added two assistant county administrator positions, filled by Emergency Services Director Brandon Ellis and new Public Services Director Carla Harvey. Both will retain their current roles while taking on expanded responsibilities to help oversee county operations. Those priorities include construction of projects that will be funded with the 1 Percent Capital Project Sales Tax voters approved in 2024, as well as getting a Local Option Sales Tax referendum on the ballot this November.

HEALTH CARE

Tidelands Health to Receive $5 Million for Women and Children’s Health Care

Tidelands Health will receive $5 million in federal funding to enhance access to care for women and children along the Grand Strand. The funding, which was secured by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will be used to develop, in partnership with MUSC Health, a comprehensive women and children’s center in south Horry County on the campus of the planned Tidelands Health Carolina Bays Hospital. The center will include maternal-fetal medicine specialists for high-risk pregnancies, general and urgent pediatric care, and full-time subspecialty pediatric services aligned with MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital.

SMALL BUSINESS

SC Manufacturers and Commerce Lends Support to Small Business Tax Cut

The South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce (SCMC) led 24 local Chambers of Commerce in sending a letter of unified support for the South Carolina Small Business Tax Cut of 2026. The bill, H. 5006, delivers significant tax relief for South Carolina businesses by exempting the first $10,000 of business personal property from taxation. In addition, H.5006 reduces unnecessary paperwork and compliance costs by simplifying filing requirements.

BOOK RELEASE

Local Research, Community Leadership, and Events Highlight Release of Death in Surfside, the Ninth Book in the Myrtle Beach Mystery Series

Award-winning mystery author Caleb Wygal released "Death in Surfside," the ninth installment in his popular Myrtle Beach Mystery Series, on March 3, 2026. The new novel continues Wygal’s tradition of weaving suspenseful mysteries through authentic Grand Strand settings, supported by academic collaboration and strong community involvement. To ensure accuracy and depth in the novel’s coastal and environmental elements, Wygal partnered with Professor Erin Hackett of Coastal Carolina University during the research phase of the book. 

RENT QUALIFICATION

Cosign Expands in Myrtle Beach as Approval Barriers Persist Despite High Vacancy

Cosign, a third-party guarantor platform designed to help qualified renters get approved while protecting property owners, has officially launched in Myrtle Beach, addressing a growing disconnect between apartment availability and renter access in the market. The platform is now in use at The Brixley at Carolina Forest, where property managers say Cosign has helped them approve renters who can afford the rent but would otherwise be denied due to the lack of a traditional cosigner – a common barrier for workers with seasonal, hourly, or nontraditional income.

VACATION TRAVEL

Upgraded Points Reveals Each State's Top-Searched Spring Break Destinations for 2026

Upgraded Points' latest study examines which destinations U.S. travelers are most curious about visiting for spring break this year, based on Google search interests. The analysis identifies every state's top-searched domestic and international destinations. Cancún, Mexico, is the top-searched international spring break destination in 13 states, making it the most searched overall. Key West, Florida, is the top result domestically in 17 states, with Florida destinations making up 37 of the top 51 domestic searches. Specifically in South Carolina, Myrtle Beach outranks Hilton Head Island as the most Googled spring break locale.

SPOTLIGHT

The Ellie Beach Resort Debuts Coastal-Inspired Meeting & Event Spaces on Springmaid Beach

The Ellie Beach Resort, part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, has debuted more than 38,000 square feet of newly reimagined meeting and event space, including oceanfront ballrooms, flexible breakout rooms, and expansive outdoor venues set across 30 acres of Springmaid Beach. Highlights of The Ellie’s offerings include: indoor-outdoor venues with ocean views and natural light; custom catering menus featuring coastal Carolina cuisine; beachfront team-building experiences and wellness programming; on-site accommodations with ocean-facing guest rooms and suites. The resort is located less than 10 minutes from Myrtle Beach International Airport.