Horry County sees stimulus cash

Graeme Moore

Various departments within Horry County have secured almost $7 million in stimulus cash, and they're asking for at least $88 million more. Also, the S.C. Department of Transportation has allocated $10 million for the Highway 31 extension project from money it received from the stimulus package.

Records show that law enforcement, airports, the solicitor's office and community development efforts are benefiting most from the stimulus money.

The Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach secured a $1,387,385 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. The money is going toward new runway lighting.

Myrtle Beach International Airport landed a $3,491,545 grant, also from the FAA, for upgrades to the passenger terminal apron.

Four JAG (Justice Assistance Grant) grants were secured and will be distributed among the solicitor's office, county police, the sheriff's office and J Reuben Long Detention Center.

For example, Horry County Police Department is receiving close to $500,000 of the JAG money, and much of it will go toward new in-car cameras for police cruisers.

"It just gives us more tools to do our jobs better," said Sgt. Robert Kegler.

"Money for the equipment that we obtained through the grants were not in the budget, so without the grants, it wouldn't have gone through this year," Kegler added.

The solicitor's office is receiving $334,000 -- money that will go to fund it's five-year-old Drug Enforcement Unit. The DEU consists of various agencies from Horry and Georgetown Counties and tackles drug problems.

Another group benefiting from the stimulus money is Horry County Community Development. They will receive $622,000 through the The Department of Housing and Urban Development for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing programs.

The program, which will be run by the housing authorities in Conway and Myrtle Beach, focuses on rental assistance, utility assistance and homeless prevention.

It's meant for those "who are working, those who just need that extra boost to get over the hump to keep them in their house," said Montele Burton, the director of daily operations at the Housing Authority of Conway.

Interested applicants must be employed and must fall within certain income requirements as established by HUD. For more information, you can contact the Myrtle Beach office at 843-918-1525 or the one in Conway at 843-248-6234.

An additional $88 million in requests are pending for things like fire stations, energy upgrades and transportation projects throughout Horry County.