Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

Police | Residents evacuate from apartment fire in Myrtle Beach

Police

Myrtle Beach

Residents evacuate from apartment fire

Myrtle Beach firefighters responded Sunday night to a fire at 405 N. Eighth Ave., fire officials said.

The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Residents were evacuated from the apartments above the location, officials said.

There were no reported injuries at the time.

Conway

Stanko murder case in court this week

Convicted killer Stephen Stanko, on death row for his girlfriend's murder, is due in court this week for pretrial motions in the death penalty case against him for the slaying of a Conway man.

Attorneys will discuss the motions Wednesday and Friday, 15th Judicial Circuit Deputy Solicitor Fran Humphries said.

Stanko is set to stand trial beginning Nov. 9 for the death of Henry Lee Turner, 74, who was found shot to death in his home.

Police say Stanko killed Turner on April 8, 2005, after he attacked his live-in girlfriend, Laura Ling, and sexually assaulted her teenage daughter earlier the same day.

In August 2006, a jury found Stanko guilty of two counts of kidnapping, and one count each of assault and battery with intent to kill, armed robbery, murder and first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Ling's death and the sexual assault of the teen.

Stanko is being held on death row in Ridgeville but has been transferred to J. Reuben Long Detention Center for the trial. No execution date has been set.

Myrtle Beach attorney Bill Diggs will represent Stanko in the November trial.

Diggs, who was also Stanko's lawyer in 2006, will be assisted by attorney Brana Williams.

Myrtle Beach

Gunshot let loose in the mall

A man walking through a Myrtle Beach mall accidentally discharged his gun Saturday evening, said Cpl. Bill New with the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

In the midst of adjusting his belt, the man accidentally fired the handgun while walking through Coastal Grand mall, New said. The man was authorized to carry the weapon.

The gunshot, which occurred around 5 p.m., struck the floor in the corridor that goes from the center of the mall to Dillard's.

No one was injured, New said.

Conway

Burglar inside when employee shows up

Conway police are investigating the burglary of Jamestown Laundry after an employee found a man inside the business, according to a police report.

The 57-year-old man told police he went to open the business at 6 a.m. Thursday at 2605 Fourth Ave. and found a man inside, police said.

The man ran out of the business and rode away on a bicycle, but police learned a change machine inside the business had been pried open, according to the report. At first it did not appear the man had forced his way inside the business, but police learned the pins in the front door were removed and the door unlocked.

About $100 in change was estimated to have been taken from the machine during the incident, according to the report. Police estimated that $500 in damage was done to the machine.

Local

Atlantic Beach

Town meets with mayor suspended

Councilwoman Charlene Taylor will preside at the Atlantic Beach Town Council meeting today, the town's first since Mayor Retha Pierce was suspended.

S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford suspended Pierce following her indictment on a charge related to a hit-and-run accident in April. She is accused of leaving the scene of an accident that involved property damage.

The meeting will begin with an executive session at 6 p.m. to discuss existing legal cases. The general session will begin at 7 p.m. at the town community center, 1010 32nd Ave.

North Myrtle Beach

Cleanup day is coming to beach

Residents of North Myrtle Beach will have a chance to get rid of unwanted items in a citywide cleanup day Saturday.

From 9 a.m. to noon, residents can drop unwanted items off at Rose's in Windy Hill, 3500 U.S. 17 S.; the old Food Lion parking lot at 811 U.S. 17 S.; and Creek Side in Cherry Grove.

Residents who are unable to take their items to the drop locations can leave them for curbside pickup on Nov. 9.

For information, call Gregg Barnhill, 280-5673.