The week ahead for the Myrtle Beach area

THE WEEK AHEAD

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tear it down

Democratic women from Horry County will demolish Mount Myrtle, the sand sculpture erected for the GOP debate last week, beginning at 11 a.m. Monday. The sculpture was built by Team Sandtastic of Sarasota, Fla., and featured the faces of the six candidates who were vying for the Republican presidential nomination. But the sculpture deteriorates quickly, especially when there has been rain, and the more than 700,000 pounds of sand have to be moved from the site on Oak Street across from the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Instead of paying the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce for the rights to demolish the sculpture, the women will make a contribution to Mothers Against Violence. For more information, call Sally Howard at 455-1936 or email sallyphoward@aol.com.

Smoke free?

The North Myrtle Beach City Council is expected to take a first vote Monday on a non-smoking ordinance. The ordinance is to regulate smoking in public places, work places, and certain outside facilities throughout the city. The meeting takes place at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, City Hall, 1018 Second Ave. S.

State of the Union

President Barack Obama will deliver the annual State of the Union address beginning at 9 p.m. Tuesday. He speaks to a joint session of Congress, but the speech will be telecast on major networks. The White House will also stream the speech online, with charts and data on which Obama is basing his speech. To see that, visit www.whitehouse.gov/SOTU beginning at 9 p.m. Tuesday. There’s a preview of the speech and more information provided by senior advisor David Plouffe at www.whitehouse.gov.

Open it up

The extension of Harrelson Boulevard is set to open Thursday, connecting U.S. 17 Bypass with Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, running past the Myrtle Beach International Airport, giving visitors a quicker way to reach downtown Myrtle Beach. The ceremony to open the new road begins at 11 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of S.C. 15 and Harrelson.