Roofing company in Myrtle Beach, SC

Spring is underway in South Carolina, filling yards again with life, including the buzzing of bees.

However, when you think of bees, it’s probably about swarms of them in hives above ground, filled with honey. But in early spring in South Carolina, those types of bees will likely not be the ones you see zipping around your freshly bloomed flowers.

Instead, what you’ll most encounter are ground bees or mining bees. Unlike the more familiar hive-making kind, these bees prefer to dig and live below ground. Still, they’re just as important and as helpful to your yard as their above ground counterparts.

Here’s what to know about them.

There are multiple species of ground bees, and most are similar in size — typically one-half of an inch long or smaller, according to Terminix. They can look the familiar black and yellow, but also blue, red, green, or purple.

Mating season is March to May, with many species exiting their underground burrows in March. Ground bees are solitary, meaning they have no queen. Instead, all female ground bees are fertile and also serve as worker bees, building burrows and collecting food.

During mating season, each female will dig a burrow at least 6 inches deep. Most types of ground bees will fill these burrows with eggs, pollen, and nectar. The young bee will slowly feast on the pollen until they are ready to emerge the next year.

For some homeowners, welcoming an insect that digs small holes in yards may not be their first instinct. Will those underground nests damage yards and plants?

Turns out that ground bees do not damage yards, even if the little dirt mounds from their digging may look unattractive, according to DTEK Live Bee Removal. Ground bees are considered to be great yard aerators.

Spring mining bees are also generalist pollinators, which is why they’re found on some of the earliest blooming flowers of the season.

“They are absolutely no threat to humans or pets — even though several hundred may construct their burrows in the same area,” said Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and host of the “Making it Grow” television program. “Also, you should be thrilled to have them on your property as they are native pollinators and equally important to the natural world and agriculture alike as European honey bees, but are not interested in defending their turf by stinging.”

Given that ground bees are so important for pollination, homeowners should avoid killing them or even controlling them unless absolutely necessary. But, if for some reason you don’t want them around your home, here are some measures to take, according to Terminix.

The State

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Patrick McCreless is the service journalism editor for The State, where he and a team of reporters write about trending news of the day and topics that help readers in their daily lives and better informs them about their communities. He attended Jacksonville State University in Alabama and grew up in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Myrtle Beach has some of the cleanest air in the country, but other South Carolina cities are seeing increasing levels of air pollution that can create health problems for children, the elderly and those most at risk, a new report finds.

Metro areas of the Palmetto State, except for those just south of Charlotte, earned mostly passing grades, but many are seeing worse conditions than the previous year, according to the American Lung Association's annual "State of the Air" report card.

Myrtle Beach's air was ranked among the cleanest in the country for the sixth year in a row with regard to ground-level ozone or smog but did not receive a grade for particle pollution due to incomplete data, the report found. Charleston saw increased ground-level ozone, perhaps caused by increased traffic, while all pollution measures in the Greenville and Spartanburg areas got dirtier.

Columbia's grade worsened for ozone and its ranking slipped for particle pollution.

Air pollution got worse for some South Carolina cities

Map shows the number of days with high pollution for South Carolina urban areas in 2024

Air Quality Rating

A

B

D

C

Number of days not meeting standard comparing to last year

Increased

Unchanged

Decreased

Ground-level Ozone Pollution

Short-Term Spikes in Particle Pollution

Charlotte

Charlotte

1.3 Days

2.7 Days

Greenville

Greenville

0.7 Day

1 Day

Florence

Florence

0.3 Days

Columbia

0 Day

Columbia

0.7 Day

1.3 Days

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach

No Data

0 Day

Charleston

Charleston

0 Day

0.7 Day

SOURCE: AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION

HONGYU LIU/STAFF

Why air pollution would increase or decrease from year to year can be difficult to pinpoint, said Danna Thompson, the lung association's advocacy director for South Carolina.

For instance, ground-level ozone is formed by nitrogen oxides combining with volatile organic chemicals in the air. Those reactions are fueled by heat, so unhealthy levels are most likely on hotter days, particularly in urban areas, the Environmental Protection Agency said. Those chemicals come from car exhaust, smokestack emissions and other industrial sources.

South Carolina overall is seeing a massive population boom of about 90,000 people a year, The Post and Courier previously reported. In the greater Charleston area alone, that averages out to just under 50 people relocating a day. And they are bringing their cars, trucks and emissions with them.

"That could be a contributing factor," Thompson said, though she added it was curious that the area's particle pollution measure did not rise, as well. Because ozone, the main component in smog, is more likely to happen as it gets hotter, the warming atmosphere will not help, she said.

"Rising temperatures due to climate change are making it harder to reduce ozone pollution," Thompson said.

The Greenville, Spartanburg and Columbia areas also saw an increase in bad ozone days, the report found. Columbia and Florence were dinged for higher levels of particle pollution, and those South Carolina counties near Charlotte shared in its worsening air, including a near-failing grade for ozone levels and a failing grade for year-round particle pollution.

There are particular health concerns with that rise in fine particle pollution, which can come from burning fuel or natural sources such as wildfires, but also chemical and industrial sources and even tiny bits from tire wear, the lung association noted.

Beginning in the mid-'70s, a team at Harvard University and other research universities began studying the potential health effects of these fine particles that were 2.5 microns or smaller in different cities around the country, said Douglas Dockery, emeritus professor of Environmental Epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The research showed that in cities with higher levels of that pollution, adult lung function worsened and people appeared to be dying up to two years earlier than comparable places.

The particle pollution "was a clear public health risk in that early death," Dockery said during an event on the school's YouTube channel. The Environmental Protection Agency in 1997 started requiring fine particle pollution be monitored in cities and counties. Since then, that and other air pollution have been linked to a number of health problems.

The fine particles "make their way deep into the lung" and begin to cause injury. Then, as the body reacts to it, inflammation can spread throughout the body and cause wide-ranging effects, said Dr. Mary Rice, a pulmonologist and researcher at the Harvard school of public health. The process happens quickly.

With higher levels of particle pollution in the air, "we have found that lung function of generally healthy adults is lower after just one day of exposure," Rice said. "That's just one day."

The cumulative effect of breathing in that air day after day can be significant — whether as an asthma rate three times as high among children who live near major roadways compared to children who live further away, or scarring on the lungs of otherwise healthy adults who live in more polluted areas. Air pollution is toughest on the most vulnerable: children, the elderly, women who are pregnant and their babies, and those with chronic health conditions, particularly those with lung problems, the report noted.

But advocates worry that federal cutbacks from the Trump administration could hinder the ability to keep track of these harms in the future.

Many of the standards for particle pollution were recently strengthened to be implemented next year and other standards were also set to be raised in coming years, including tougher rules on emissions for cars, trucks and buses. But President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January entitled "Unleashing American Energy" by in part removing "burdensome" regulations. Then the EPA announced March 12 as "the greatest and most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history." In what it says is a furtherance of energy expansion and relief, among other things, the order would roll back the recent particle pollution standards as well as repeal some limits for power plants. The lung association insists the laws are still on the books and must be followed.

"Anything less means people will suffer health harms from dirty air that could have been prevented," the report noted.

Reach Tom Corwin at 843-214-6584. Follow him on X at @AUG_SciMed.

In 2024, a wave of Myrtle Beach area hotels went on the market.

Comparable to cities like Miami, Fla., the number of properties for sale indicated macro forces driving many independent hoteliers to exit the industry.

Now, an apartment complex that once counted itself among their ranks is for sale, too.

Built in 1968, the 67-unit complex at 2010 South Ocean Blvd. in Myrtle Beach is for sale on the real estate website Crexi.

Listed for $7.25 million on Crexi, the apartment complex went on the market April 8, 2025. Liat Edri, the real estate professional representing the property on Crexi, declined to comment when reached by The Sun News.

The apartment wasn’t always a hotel. Once known as the Rosen Sea Inn, a Horry County judge ruled in 2020 that the place was a nuisance due to a litany of problems with the hotel.

The county’s records show the tract sold in January 2024 for $4 million.

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The Sun News

Ben Morse is the Retail and Leisure Reporter for The Sun News. Morse covers local business and Coastal Carolina University football and was awarded third place in the 2023 South Carolina Press Association News Contest for sports beat reporting and second place for sports video in the all-daily division. Morse previously worked for The Island Packet, covering local government. Morse graduated from American University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism and economics and is originally from Prospect, Kentucky.

The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom. Read more on our AI policy here.

The NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC issued an updated report at 3:59 p.m. on Tuesday for strong thunderstorms until 4:45 p.m. The alert is for Laurens, Union and Chester counties.

Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and marble-sized hail (0.5 inches) are predicted.

"At 3:58 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm 8 miles southwest of Union, or near Rose Hill State Park, moving northeast at 30 mph," states the NWS. "Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor objects is possible."

Locations impacted by the alert include Cross Keys, Rose Hill State Park, Leeds, Lockhart, Sedalia, Adamsburg, Monarch Mill, Santuc, Union and Buffalo.

According to the NWS, "If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building."

This alert is in effect until 4:45 p.m.

Lightning hits the United States approximately 25 million times annually. The majority of these strikes happen during the summer, causing around 20 fatalities each year, according to the NWS. The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead. This risk decreases as the storm moves away.

Here are suggestions for staying safe during a thunderstorm:

If finding indoor shelter is not an option:

What is hydroplaning?

Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.

This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way. The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control. The three main causes of hydroplaning are:

In the event of your vehicle hydroplaning, here's what to know:

Source: The National Weather Service

This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 4:03 PM.

A lease has been drawn up, and Myrtle Beach and Horry County are on deck.

After months of uncertainty as to whether the Myrtle Beach Pelicans would play on the Grand Strand past the 2025 season, a resolution seems near.

“This has been a very long time coming. Please understand when it takes a long time it is because there are other parties involved,” Myrtle Beach Mayor Bethune said Tuesday, April 22.

Myrtle Beach's vote on the lease Tuesday doesn't mean it's a homer just yet.

Myrtle Beach City Council took its first vote Tuesday on a 30-year lease, but Horry County Council must be on board, too. The city and county jointly own Pelicans Ballpark along 21st Avenue North in a 70% and 30% split, respectively, and are responsible for “capital maintenance and upkeep of the facility.”

Horry County Council voted Tuesday afternoon to authorize the county administrator to execute a lease agreement between the city and county.

The county's ordinance Tuesday mentions the city must agree to the creation of one or more multi-county industrial parks including the property and restoring funding to the Myrtle Beach International Airport.

County officials were tight-lipped after the vote, and a county spokesperson declined to provide further details.

The lease would keep the Chicago Cubs Minor League affiliate at the stadium across from Broadway at the Beach. The Pelicans have been there since 1999, the year after the stadium was built.

“We’re very pleased with the city council’s vote today," Myrtle Beach Pelicans president Ryan Moore said Tuesday morning. "We’re looking forward to county council’s vote later today at 4 o’clock in Conway. It’s a great first step to keeping the Pelicans here in Myrtle Beach for many, many generations to come.”

The lease between the team and joint owners Myrtle Beach and Horry County requires that the Pelicans pay an annual rent of $750,000 in the first 10 years, $850,000 in the decade following and $950,000 in years 21 through 30.

That’s a large increase over the team’s current lease that requires a $150,000 annual payment, which ends 30 days after the 2025 season.

Bethune signaled that the team is on board with the agreement.

“If [the team] had not agreed to [the proposed lease], I can tell you we would not be voting on it," Bethune said.

City council member Deborah Conner made a motion Tuesday to amend the ordinance to extend the lease from 20 years to 30 years, with a $950,000 annual payment from years 21-30.

Myrtle Beach council voted 5-2 in favor of the amended lease. As part of the agreement, $20 million in MLB-mandated stadium improvements would be made to the 27-year-old stadium.

The lease between the city, county and team states that the city will provide the team a $20 million allowance for the improvements, “a portion of which will be financed by bonds issued by the city.”

“It is a lot of money, however this is a much more fair lease than what we’ve had in the past," Bethune said. "We have an opportunity here with the Pelicans to not only have a stadium that is going to get some great upgrades and keep the team here, but we need to look at the value this team brings to the community and what they give back."

Bethune added the extended 30 year lease will accommodate maintenance anticipated 20 years down the road.

“I appreciate all the work that they've done and I am excited about the next now 30 years that they will be with us,” councilman Gregg Smith said. “This is a deal that works for the city, for the taxpayers, and the Pelicans as well.”

Council members Mike Lowder and Jackie Hatley voted against the proposed lease.

“It’s nothing against the Pelicans at all, but as far as the amount of money that we’re going to have to take out to do the improvements and everything else, I’m still having some heartburn over the money part,” Hatley said.

The Pelicans will pay to the city a per-ticket fee at varying amounts for home games and “other events” in increasing increments over the next 20 years.

For the first five years, there will be no fee for home games, but a $2 fee for “other events.” In years 6-10, the per-ticket fee for home games will be $1, then $1.50 for the next five years and $2 for years 15-20.

“The per ticket fee will be used for maintenance and upgrades,” Bethune said. "So, we want this to be a financially viable project. And when you look at what they bring to the community, what they give back to the community, not just in taxes, but this is a human investment. We have a library that does not have a return on investment. We have a recreation center that does not have a return on its investment."

City council voted in favor of the lease in the first reading, but will need to approve the ordinance at another subsequent meeting for final approval.

County council must take three votes before it approves the lease.

Tommy Cardinal is the managing editor of MyHorryNews. Reach him at 843-488-7244 or tommy.cardinal@myhorrynews.com. Follow him on X @BySTCardinal.