Local | Horry County homeless man burned in overnight fire

POLICE

HORRY COUNTY

Homeless man burned in overnight fire

A Horry County man is at the Burn Center in Augusta, Ga. after an overnight fire.

Horry County police responded to Robert Grissom Parkway near Executive Avenue where the 47 year old man was found sitting in the middle of the road. A county police incident report said the man was homeless and had severe burns on his lower body.

The man had been asleep at a campsite and awoke to flames. The report said the fire occurred just after midnight Friday.

A 52 year old homeless woman had started cooking at the campsite when the fire started, the report said, but officers said she was intoxicated and unable to say how the fire started.

Both were transported to Grand Strand Medical Center.

The man told officers he had been drinking alcohol before falling asleep and did not know how long he had been out before the fire started.

No charges were filed Friday.

MYRTLE BEACH

Man found with heroin, arrested

Myrtle Beach police charged a man who told officers he had drugs on him, according to a police report.

Police said that during a traffic stop, an officer noticed that a 53-year-old man appeared fidgety and uncooperative.

The man, Lamar Josiah McDaniels , told police he had drugs on him, according to the report. Officers found a cigarette pack containing three small foil balls, each containing a substance that tested positive for heroin, according to the report.McDaniels is charged with first-offense possession of heroin.

McDaniels was booked at J. Reuben Long Detention Center just before 3 p.m. Friday, jail records show.

MYRTLE BEACH

Man charged in florist hold-up attempt

Myrtle Beach police arrested a man they said tried to rob a flower store Friday morning.

Jeremy Lee Koonce, 27, was arrested and charged with strong armed robbery in connection with the incident that occurred at 10 a.m. at Flowers by Richard, Capt. David Knipes said. The flower shop is located at 2817 North Oak Street.

Knipes said a man entered the building and demanded cash from the register, but left empty-handed.

Koonce was arrested a short time later at 301 South Kings Highway.

Local

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH

Park playground opens to public

The Central Park playground in North Myrtle Beach is now open to the public, according to a news release from city spokesman Pat Dowling.

The park playground, located across from the J. Bryan Floyd Community Center on Possum Trot Road, was closed for renovations since mid-December, Dowling said.

He said the playground’s worn out and outdated play equipment has been replaced with new play equipment, and its safety surfacing replaced.

ATLANTIC BEACH

Food distribution happening Saturday

The North Strand Helping Hand and Barefoot Church will host a mass food distribution Saturday in Atlantic Beach for the first 200 people in need of food, according to a news release from Margaret Owens, director of the North Strand Helping Hand.

The distribution will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Atlantic Beach Community Center, 1010 32nd Ave. S., Atlantic Beach.

In addition to food, a free lunch and other social services will be available.

The Benefit Bank volunteers will be available to assist individuals and families with applying for benefits such as SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid.

GEORGETOWN

Maritime Museum opens first exhibit

The South Carolina Maritime Museum is opening their first exhibit.

Located at 729 Front Street in downtown Georgetown, the museum opened in December 2011. Their first exhibit opens for viewing Thursday and will feature a photographic display of the lumber schooners.

Susan Sanders, museum director, said the lumber schooners sailed in and out of the Georgetown between 1890 and 1920 when Georgetown carrying millions of feet of pine and cypress limber from South Carolina to cities in the northeast.

The exhibit features 26 photographs, charts and maps that have been reproduced. Sanders said a large portion of the exhibit features a reproduction of a four-masted sailing schooner that was chartered by the Atlantic Coast Lumber Company.

The photos are in black and white and sepia.

There will be a reception at the exhibits opening on Feb. 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information visit scmaritimemuseum.org.

Food fundraiser to aid animal shelter

The annual Super Bowl BBQ will be held Sunday from 11 a.m. to game time, with all proceeds going to the care of abused and abandoned pets at Coastal Animal Rescue.

Danny’s BBQ will be serving in the parking lot at Divine Fish House, 3993 U.S. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet. A plate of BBQ with sides will be $7.

Coastal Animal Rescue is a 501(c)3, no-kill shelter in Murrells Inlet, run 100 percent by volunteers. There will be music, as well as some of the four-pawed friends from the shelter that need a permanent home.

For more information, call 651-2663.

From staff reports