Latest news with #CarolinaCountryMusicFest
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Myrtle Beach officials talk CCMF safety protocols after Ocean Boulevard violence
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Myrtle Beach officials held a Carolina Country Music Fest news conference on Monday, after some residents and visitors expressed safety concerns with recent gun-related crimes on Ocean Boulevard. City officials say more than 30,000 people attended each day of CCMF in 2024. The event also brought $50 million to Myrtle Beach. Officials say to keep the event successful, they must keep people safe. 'You'll see several safety features throughout the venue, such as fencing, hydro-barricades, and meridian vehicle barriers will be installed tomorrow,' George Johnson, Myrtle Beach Special Events and Police Master Corporal, said. 'These are all in place to help guide traffic, protect concertgoers, and maintain a secure environment.' The Myrtle Beach Fire Department says dehydration has been the most common medical emergency at CCMF. The department responded to more than 200 heat-related emergencies at last year's festival. Travis Glatki, the city's Emergency Management Coordinator, says that since first responders started treating people at an on-site medical tent in 2022, they decreased the number of transports from CCMF to local hospitals by almost 90%. 'Depending on the time of day, we will feature between five to seven dedicated medical response teams, comprised of certified EMTs and paramedics, stationed exclusively at the event site,' Glatki said. 'This substantial medical presence ensures rapid response capabilities for any health emergency that may arise.' He also says two ambulances will be on standby for anyone who needs hospital care. But with recent gun-related crimes on Ocean Boulevard, some residents and visitors say they are worried about their safety at CCMF. Myrtle Beach police say their staffing and procedures this year will be the same as last year. The police department will still have help from other agencies, but roads around CCMF will have even more barricades this weekend. 'We have reached out not only to our local partners, but also to our federal partners to receive additional assistance,' Johnson said. 'So, for us, all hands will be on deck. We will all be working that weekend to ensure everyone is as safe as possible.' Dana O'Brien, a city Emergency Management Specialist, told News13 that if severe weather forces everyone to evacuate, CCMF officials will let people know through announcements, screen displays, and the CCMF app. 'If lightning or severe weather ever becomes a concern within an eight-mile radius of the event, the grounds will need to be cleared,' O'Brien said. 'So, it's good practice to know your exits and have a plan for where you would seek shelter.' A city spokesperson says 9th Avenue North is the main pedestrian walkway. There are two exits: one on 9th Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, and the other on 9th Avenue and Kings Highway. * * * Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gun crimes on Ocean Boulevard spark concerns ahead of Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Myrtle Beach residents and visitors have mixed feelings about their safety heading into the Carolina Country Music Festival after recent gun violence on Ocean Boulevard. The latest incident happened Saturday afternoon and left one person with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, Myrtle Beach police said. Terrell Moore, 44, of Myrtle Beach, was arrested Sunday in connection with the shooting, which happened in the area of 14th Avenue South and Ocean Boulevard. Myrtle Beach road closures announced ahead of Carolina Country Music Fest Moore was being charged with one count of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime and booked in the Myrtle Beach Jail on a $105,000 surety bond, according to online jail records. CCMF officials said more than 30,000 people attended the festival each night in 2024. However, this year, with recent gun violence in Myrtle Beach, some people are changing their plans. 'My son came last year and went with his wife,' resident Larry Paige said. 'This year, they sold their tickets. In fact, they sold them about a week ago. I think it was more about the crimes and the shooting. We shouldn't be dealing with that.' Saturday's Ocean Boulevard shooting is the third gun-related crime in the city of Myrtle Beach in a little more than a month. Two people were charged on May 22 after shooting at officers and crashing a stolen vehicle, police said. Officers chased them along Highway 17 Bypass. On April 26, police said Officer Brandon O'Rourke shot and killed 18-year-old Jerrius Davis of Bennettsville after Davis shot into a crowd on Ocean Boulevard. At least 11 people were injured. News13 spoke to another resident who said the recent crimes should not keep people from going to CCMF. 'My son's going,' Kelly Hubbard said. 'He went last year. It's the same as usual.' Another Myrtle Beach visitor said if he had tickets to the festival, he would think twice about going because of the gun-related incidents. However, he said those crimes will not stop him from visiting the city. 'We come here every year, around this week,' Joe DeMarco said. 'We've never had a problem, never felt unsafe. Unfortunately, I think these things kind of go on everywhere.' Hubbard said the city and Ocean Boulevard are safe, but people should be mindful of how late they are staying out. 'If you're coming late at night, in the hours that you wouldn't go anywhere, you're not going to feel safe,' she said. 'It depends on what you're doing. Just use your own judgment.' News13 reached out to Myrtle Beach police for a report on Saturday's shooting and to CCMF officials for a statement, but we have not heard back from either. * * * Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sunny start to the new workweek
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Today will be mostly sunny, with highs staying near normal. Some Canadian wildfire smoke is making its way south, leaving us with fairly hazy sky conditions. A chance for an isolated shower is possible this afternoon, but most look to stay dry. We will have mainly clear skies tonight, with lows dipping into the 60s. High pressure will control our weather for much of the upcoming week. This will bring sunny, warm weather through Wednesday. High temperatures will be in the 80s through midweek before the Pee Dee sees a chance for low-90s. Humidity will increase toward the end of the week as high pressure weakens. This will bring a chance for scattered late-day thunderstorms. A cold front could move into the Carolinas by Sunday, bringing a better chance for thunderstorm activity. The Carolina Country Music Fest begins later this week. The chance for scattered showers is increasing, although there will be some periods of dry time. Plan for some rain in case. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Storm leaves more than 9,000 without power in Horry, Georgetown counties
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Nearly 9,300 Horry Electric Cooperative and Santee Cooper customers are without power after a strong storm moved across the Grand Strand shortly before 7 p.m. The bulk of the Santee Cooper outages are in the Carolina Forest area, according to the utility's online outage map. There are also outages near Litchfield and Pawleys Island in Georgetown County and north of Bucksville in Horry County. The Horry Electric outages are spread across the county. The storm, which generated a brief tornado warning in southeastern Robeson County before trekking toward the Grand Strand, also knocked down some tents in downtown Myrtle Beach, where setup was underway for the Carolina Country Music Fest, which is set for June 5-8. Numerous trees were also reported down across the region. This is a developing story. Count on News13 for updates. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
