Police | Conway man charged with trying to steal bedding from Myrtle Beach store

POLICE

CONWAY

Man charged with trying to steal linens

A Conway man was charged with trying to steal a set of sheets and pillow cases from Wal-Mart in Myrtle Beach, according to a police report.

Charles Jeffrey Hamilton, 30, was charged with shoplifting after officers were called at 2:40 p.m. Thursday to the store at 541 Seaboard St., police said.

A loss prevention employee told police he saw Hamilton take a blue reusable Wal-Mart cloth shopping bag from the cash register area and walk to the home good section of the store, according to the report.

The employee said he saw Hamilton take a set of sheets and several pillowcases and put them inside the bag and then try to leave the store without paying for the merchandise.

Hamilton was stopped by the employee at the exit and detained for police, according to the report.

Officers noted that Hamilton has several pending shoplifting charges, but no convictions.

Local

MYRTLE BEACH

Pancake supper benefits adult school

Horry County Schools is holding its annual Adult Education Pancake Supper from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday Jan. 31 at Pan American House of Pancakes, 1303 S. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach.

Tickets are $5 for pancakes or French toast, a choice of meat and a drink.

For more information, call Frank Clark at 839-5400.

MYRTLE BEACH

African-American museum opening

The Canal Street Museum of African-American History will open in time for Black History Month in February at the city’s recreation center.

The museum exhibit will run from Wednesday through March 8 and will focus on the contributions blacks have made in athletics, entertainment, science and other categories.

For more information, call Canal Street Recreation Center at 918-1475.

MYRTLE BEACH

Gala planned for Humane Society

It is unknown whether people will actually get to kiss dogs and cats at an event Grand Strand Humane Society planned for next month, but Grand Stranders will be able to celebrate Valentine’s Day and help a local nonprofit at the same time.

The Humane Society, which operates the animal shelter in Myrtle Beach, is holding the Smooch a Pooch, Kiss a Kitty gala from 7 to 10 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Grande Dunes Members Club.

The Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc., is hosting the event. Tickets are $150 per couple and are available now.

To reserve tickets, call Amy DuPre at 918-4913 or email her at AmyDupre@sc.rr.com.

or visit the North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety offices at 1015 Second Ave. S. (across from City Hall).

HORRY COUNTY

School gets Blue Ribbon recognition

Horry County Schools’ Forestbrook Elementary School is one of five schools in South Carolina to be named a finalist for the 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award.

The program, run by the U.S. Department of Education, honors public and private K-12 schools that are either academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.

All five nominees have more than 50 percent of students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, have exemplary high performance and have notably smaller performance gaps between subgroups than schools serving similar populations.

South Carolina is allowed to nominate five schools per federal guidelines, and each of those schools has to make Adequate Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind for the past two years in order to qualify for the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

HORRY COUNTY

Horry County police plan polar plunge

Horry County police are planning for their annual Polar Plunge, which benefits the state’s Special Olympics, Sgt. Robert Kegler said.

Police officers will be among more than 500 people who will take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean during the event at 2 p.m. Feb. 4 at Springmaid Beach Pier.

CONWAY

Chief officer at charter school resigns

The Rev. Joseph E. Washington, founder and chief executive officer of the Academy of Hope charter school has resigned, according to a news release.

“This decision was not entered into lightly and follows on months of efforts to change the direction of both the board and the administration of Hope,” Washington said in a statement.

Washington founded the year-round school in Conway in the summer of 2009.

It opened its doors in July with 141 students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade, with plans to grow by one grade each year up to the eighth grade.

“It’s my belief that the board and administration are no longer meeting the vision that we set forth, therefore, I have no choice but to submit my resignation,” Washington said.

For more information on the school, visit www.theacademyofhope.org.

From staff reports