South Carolina Ping 
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Posted on 07/01/2017 8:05:33 AM PDT by upchuck
Just as summer is ramping up, Myrtle Beach, a top South Carolina summer destination, is dealing with a flurry of violence that has city and state officials scrambling to calm worried visitors and residents.
In the city's most prominent incident, at least seven people were injured in a June 18 shooting that was live-streamed on Facebook. That shooting -- and two others that weekend -- followed six over the Easter holidays in April.
The violence prompted South Carolina's Republican Gov. Henry McMaster to visit the city not long after and order steps to beef up security, such as bringing in officers and staff to support local police. The city, meanwhile, has placed barricades along Ocean Boulevard, the beach's central artery where the June shooting happened.
"Whatever it takes to make sure that this aberration does not take place again," Gov. McMaster said. "Our tourism industry is huge; it's very important to us."
The state estimates that tourism is a $20.2 billion industry in the Palmetto State, generating about $1.5 billion in state and local tax revenues in 2015, according to the latest data available.
Tourism drives Myrtle Beach's local economy, and each group visiting the city spends about $2,766, according to the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Grand Strand, a group of South Carolina beach communities which includes Myrtle Beach, has seen an increase in tourism in recent years, with arrivals via plane rising 6% in 2016 from the year before, according to data from Myrtle Beach International Airport. The vast majority of visitors drive to Myrtle Beach from the Southeast.
With only about 32,000 year-round residents, Myrtle Beach becomes "a relatively large city" every summer and the police force hasn't grown enough to meet current needs, said Brad Dean, president of the chamber.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
Din’t do nuf’fin.
:)
Just guessing it’s already beyond control since initiatives to curb the violence have been getting publicity. One can’t help but wonder how long the escalating problem has been ignored because of political correctness and/or a desire to not scare away tourists.
other dude did it
I’m guessing PC and a fear of Holder’s/Lynch’s Justice Department.
We visited Waikiki beach.
Honolulu itself looked like a third world slum. But the moment you passed to Waikiki, instant change and there were Cops EVERYWHERE!
Literally on every corner, you have to keep your tourists safe, otherwise they will not comeback.
Let’s let in more Muslims. That way any non-Muslim inspired violence won’t look so bad./sarc
Wild guess, youts again?
“Whatever it takes to make sure that this aberration does not take place again,”
if it was an abrrration why beef up security?
Excellent point. MB has been a problem for awhile.
Good comment! By the time we hear about things like this, you can be sure it was preceded by other incidents that led to the escalation. Tourist towns are notorious for putting the lid on crimes and other “disturbances” out of a fear of scaring away the visitors who spend lots of money.
Bingo!
“Obama’s sons and their “vibrant culture”. Repeat after me the liberal mantra. Diversity is our Strength.
I used to love Myrtle Beach, even saw Vanna White having lunch with her parents in the same restaurant we were eating in once.
It has changed and not for the better.
Really?...Or is it the new normal?
Myrtle Beach was taken over by Progressives quite a few years ago. I moved there in 1976 and stayed until 1987. Although we frequently vacationed in the area, It was not until we moved back down in 2010 that I realized how badly the leadership of that community had messed it up for the average citizen. We moved to West Texas in 2013 and have been in Western Kentucky since 2015 with no desire to hit that beach again.
Sad. Used to vacation there with family when I was a kid in the late 60’s. Happy memories of stops at SOB (stopped there for old time’s sake with my own family a few years ago - looked like the place hadn’t been cleaned since I was young) and lighting Roman candles on the beach.
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