Defense Contractor Attorney Near Pawleys Island, SC

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WPDE) — The festivities won't end on Independence Day.

The third annual Wave That Flag Festival and a laser-light show will be on Sunday, July 6 from 6-8 p.m. at Retreat Park in the Litchfield community of Pawleys Island.

There will be a Bocce Ball tournament, live music (including headliner Elise Testone), vendors, food trucks and a laser-light show produced by Stone Entertainment and sponsored by South Carolina’s Hammock Coast and the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce.

We invite the community out to enjoy a free evening that is family friendly and won't break the bank," said VibeTime’s Blaine Harvey, who has organized the event every year. “ will be an affordable event with a wow factor for local families and tourists visiting the Hammock Coast from all over the United States.

Harvey said the festivities exists to create one last special event for Independence Day weekend.

We don’t want all the fun to end on the Fourth of July,” he said. “We will have a lot of local and regional vendors, allowing people to enjoy dinner and local craft beers. People will really enjoy the line up of musicians, too. The gates open at 6 p.m., and bands hit the stage at 6:30 p.m., all leading up to the laser-light show that Stone Entertainment does so well. It’s a fun night to complete the holiday weekend.

Here's the lineup of events:

Testone, finished sixth in the 2012 season of 'American Idol.' Her music is described as the perfect combination of soul, rock, attitude and restraint.

She has a vocal performance degree from Coastal Carolina University and has appeared on The Tonight Show, Good Morning America and more.

Entry is free. The event is hosted by the Georgetown County Parks and Rec Department and coordinated by VibeTime.

PAWLEYS ISLAND — A Charleston real estate investment and development firm has made its first purchase in the Grand Strand area.

Stono Group, in partnership with the Maryland-based real estate investment firm Matan Companies, bought an industrial warehouse at 312 Commerce Drive in Pawleys Island with the goal of updating and leasing the 1.2-acre property. It includes a 13,000-square-foot warehouse split into three units.

Kevin Hann, managing partner of Stono Group, said his firm was drawn to the Grand Strand area because of its growing population. The fact that they were able to acquire a property in Pawleys Island was a plus because Hann's business partner, Sanders Chapman, grew up there.

“So there's some sentimental value there," Hann said. "He's always wanted to kind of plant a flag there."

Cabana Boy Beach Services and Marsh Tacky Carbon occupy two of the property’s units. An approximately 4,768-square-foot space with an air-conditioned warehouse, office and drive-in loading area is available for lease.

Hann said the vacant space would be a good fit for plumbers, electricians, HVAC contractors or anyone else that would benefit from a loading garage.

There aren’t many opportunities to acquire properties in Pawleys Island, and there aren’t many building options for tenants, Hann said.

"So if you can provide a building that is both functionally and aesthetically appealing to the majority of businesses in the area, theoretically speaking, it could be a good real estate investment opportunity. So, that’s what we’re looking to do," he said.

Planned improvements to the building include updating the landscaping, repairing the parking lot, installing new signage and updating the paint scheme and other aesthetic elements of the property.

A Grand Strand woman knew exactly which scratch-off lottery game she was going to buy when she stopped at a convenience store along the coast, according to South Carolina Education Lottery officials.

She had been having good luck playing the $5 Money Money Money scratch-off, officials said in a news release. Her latest ticket purchase didn’t disappoint, as the woman won the game’s $200,000 grand prize, according to the release.

“It was so exciting,” the winner said in the release.

The winning ticket was purchased at the Pawleys Express gas station/convenience store on Ocean Highway in Pawleys Island, officials said.

The winner will be allowed to retain some privacy, as South Carolina is one of 11 states — along with Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas and Virginia — that allow lottery winners to remain anonymous.

The winner did not reveal how she plans to spend her newfound windfall, saying only the six-figure jackpot has “definitely made life better.”

The woman overcame 870,000-to-1 odds to win the Money Money Money game’s grand prize, according to the release. One of the game’s four top prizes remains unclaimed, officials said.

Pawleys Express received a commission of $2,000 for selling the claimed ticket.

As June 19 nears, the Grand Strand is preparing to celebrate Juneteenth. Although South Carolina still doesn’t recognize the holiday, Juneteenth was nationally recognized in 2021.

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued Sept. 22, 1862 and took effect Jan. 1, 1863, but it would be a full 900 days before the proclamation was enforced in Texas.

At the time news traveled slowly and many slave owners around the Southeast evading the Union army fled to Texas, forcing an estimated 150,000 enslaved Black people down with them.

On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger issued the order that “the people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

Also known as Jubilee Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is celebrated as a marker of liberation by many every year. This year, the Myrtle Beach area will feature concerts, expositions and more. Here are some of the biggest celebrations to check out.

June 14, 16 and 17

Various times

405 Cleland Street, Georgetown, SC 29440

Georgetown County Library is debuting its inaugural Juneteenth Festival this year with line dancing, a writer’s circle, food, crafts and more. At the Black Business Expo, visitors can explore Black-owned businesses, shop local vendors, attend workshops and enjoy live performances. The Artist Alleys will offer Gullah dollmaking and storytelling, with cakes and books available for purchase.

June 14

2- 8 p.m.

1420 Carver St., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

The city of Myrtle Beach’s annual Juneteenth celebration will bring food and craft vendors, a kids’ fun zone and live performances to Charlie’s Place on Saturday. Visitors are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and enjoy the celebration of freedom, unity and community. In the event of inclement weather, festivities will move indoors to the Mary C. Canty Recreation Center at 971 Canal Street.

June 18

10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

1931 Brookgreen Drive, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

Brookgreen Gardens will host a Juneteenth Program to honor freedom, heritage and resilience through storytelling for all ages. Gullah storyteller Frank Murray will share oral traditions and insight into the lives, culture and wisdom of the Gullah Geechee people. The event is free for members and included in garden admission for non-members. All attendees must register, which can be completed online here.

June 18

5 p.m.

1067 Petigru Drive, Pawleys Island, SC 29585

Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art will celebrate Juneteenth with an evening of African American heritage, music, culture and history at The Quad. The free event will feature emcee and historian Lee Brockington on how blues shaped African American resilience and influenced American music. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawnchairs to enjoy the music of blues guitarist Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’Blues, as well as food and drinks for purchase.

June 21

1 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Atlantic Beach, SC

The town of Atlantic Beach is partnering with the United Communities Assistance Network for an unforgettable Juneteenth festival. The celebration will feature Gullah Geechee cultural showcases, food, contests, live performances and even a flash mob. Before the event, bikers and drivers can meet in Shallotte, North Carolina, for a motorcycle freedom ride down the Gullah Geechee corridor.

PAWLEYS ISLAND — Michael Van Arsdel hasn’t given up hope that his father, who disappeared while sailing on the Waccamaw River last week, is safe.

Kerry Van Arsdel, a 66-year-old Indiana resident, was last seen May 19. He departed from The Reserve Marina, but his boat was found unmanned near Butler Island on May 22, miles from the docks.

His phone, wallet, ID cards, tablet and medication were found inside the boat. There was no sign of a struggle, according to a report from the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.

“The situation is very, very unusual for him. I mean, it's not like him to be out like that,” Michael Van Arsdel said. “But we're just hoping for the best right now that he did swim ashore or jumped on a different boat.”

The sheriff’s office and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources are continuing to search the river, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office.

Since Kerry Van Arsdel's disappearance, Midway Fire Rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard and the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) assisted in the search with boats, drones, airplanes and a helicopter.

Michael Van Arsdel said his father often sailed on the Waccamaw, typically anchoring for a couple of nights before returning to the marina.

Although he’s trying to remain optimistic, he said he can’t help but feel something went wrong.

"I don't know. I really don't know what happened," he said. "It’s odd, and it's hard to wait. You just don't — you just don't know. And it's frustrating."

Michael Van Arsdel lives in Hawaii and is trying to coordinate a trip to Pawleys Island to aid in the search effort. He said his sister is planning a trip to the area as well.