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Myrtle Beach received more than $25.8 million in free publicity in 2008, with about $12.4 million coming from broadcast and print coverage of the January 2008 presidential primary debates and about $13.5 million coming from travel stories, according to figures from the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

A recent Florence Morning News editorial republished Jan. 8 in The Sun News as "Don't wait for laws to save lives" appropriately describes the importance of a new national law that requires commercial swimming pools and spas to be outfitted with new drain cover systems. These new regulations, passed within the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, took effect Dec. 19. Ultimately, the regulations will enhance pool safety and may save lives (nine deaths between 1997 and 2007 are attributed...

EDITOR'S NOTE: Originally published in The Sun News on Jan. 6, 2008.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Originally published in The Sun News on Jan. 12, 2008.

Sand castles do not usually include giant heads of presidential candidates. Or have company logos on them. Or Web addresses.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Originally published in The Sun News on Jan. 22, 2008

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce had a sand sculpture built Monday night to squeeze one last drop from the deluge of publicity its presidential sand sculptures brought to town.

Hosting the presidential primary debates this month put few more heads in beds during the beach's slow season, but the real dividends came in the media coverage, city and tourism officials said.

For the first time ever, the road to the White House ran through the Grand Strand in 2008, and there is no doubt our entire community shined. Though the polls and pollsters will tell us who won the Myrtle Beach debates and why, the one clear winner in all of this is certainly the Grand Strand

What started out as a bid to attract Canadian customers has evolved into a jam-packed festival capped by a bona fide diplomatic and economic summit.