Post by freebird on Oct 1, 2009 8:30:03 GMT -6
Thursday, Sep. 17, 2009
Haters Keep Hating
by Eric "Big E" Rutherford - for Weekly Surge
You have got to be kidding me. With the economy still struggling, Santee Cooper raising its rates, and the steel mill in Georgetown on shut-down mode, Georgetown County officials appear to be jumping on the “let’s-run-off-tourism-dollars” bandwagon being driven by Myrtle Beach, while others attack the Long Bay Symphony for celebrating America.
At the Sept. 8 Georgetown County Council meeting, officials launched an attack on vendors in an effort to reduce traffic (read: reduce tourists) at the annual motorcycle rallies along the Grand Strand. They passed first reading of a new ordinance that includes stricter limitations on vendors and raising vendor fees. WBTW reported, “Councilman Jerry Oakley, who represents Murrells Inlet, said some people who live in the small four-mile community told council they are worried about the large crowds they associate with the rallies and that’s why changes to the existing ordinance are being proposed.” His quote was followed immediately by one from some 76-year-old-fart who owns property on U.S. 17 in Murrells Inlet who wants “peace and quiet.” May I suggest a retirement community instead of the heart of Restaurant Row along a coastal tourist destination?
The telling fact: Georgetown County has not received any vendor permit applications for this month’s fall rally, and did not issue any for last year's event. Vendors aren’t the issue. This is another attack on Bike Week. I would strongly advise all Georgetown County and Murrells Inlet area residents and business owners who want to avoid the same kind of financial decimation Myrtle Beach experienced during the May rally to start making some noise now. Contact your representatives and show up at the next Georgetown County Council meeting scheduled for Sept. 22, one week before the start of the Fall Rally, which runs Sept. 30 through Oct. 4.
a profile boost?
On another front, details are coming to light about allegedly surreptitious efforts by individuals and businesses who oppose bikers to sabotage the Grand Strand Freedom Festival held this past weekend. Flak is being generated because the festival, which was intended to commemorate Sept. 11, to celebrate American military veterans and to promote tourism by hosting a major event, was sponsored by BOOST (Business Owners Organized to Support Tourism) which supports motorcycle rallies along the Grand Strand as valuable tourism events.
At the center of the discussion is the Long Bay Symphony, which as part of the Freedom Festival performed a “Concert For America” at La Belle Amie Vineyard on the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The concert was originally scheduled to take place at Broadway at the Beach, but according to statements made at the event by Horry County Council Chairperson Liz Gilland and echoed by BOOST Spokesman Tom Herron on WRNN radio on Monday, the concert was hosted outside of city limits because of political pressure.
According to the news forum on www.discovermyrtlebeach.com, Gilland was quoted as saying, “Tom [Herron of BOOST] and I have been friends for years and BOOST is billed as the pro-biker group. So the powers that were to be in Myrtle Beach said, ‘we don't want you in Myrtle Beach’ and they kicked them out of their venue. So Tom called me and I called my friends Chuck and Vicky [of La Belle Amie Vineyard] and said they need a home and this is going to be a great event for the area.” The post continued to say her statement was met with a loud round of applause from the audience, which included area residents, veterans and wounded servicemen home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Gilland continued, “…when they found out they were still going to have the event, the Long Bay Symphony began taking heat. And those who helped form the symphony and funded them for years said ‘we're going to pull our money from you and our support from you if you play for that organization.’”
WRNN’s Steve Porter accused BOOST of having ulterior motives, suggesting BOOST wanted to undermine efforts by Myrtle Beach officials to host another event designed to recognize veterans. Herron refuted the accusation. The truth is both groups are using the veterans and the anniversary of Sept. 11 to solicit business, but can you really say “thank you” to our veterans too many times? When Herron, in an effort to set the record straight, told Porter how two banks and unnamed people had threatened the symphony (on whose Board of Directors Porter sits) for participating, Porter’s response was, “Well. Can you blame them?”
I know I can. I blame them (including Porter) for tainting an event in honor of veterans and in memory of the Sept. 11 attacks, for attempting to use intimidation, and for making the whole affair a political sideshow. Thank you, Long Bay Symphony, for standing your ground and thank you, veterans, for your service.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions of bike-related topics send a "Big E-mail'' to surgebiker@yahoo.com.
Click here for previous Ridin' with Big E columns
Haters Keep Hating
by Eric "Big E" Rutherford - for Weekly Surge
You have got to be kidding me. With the economy still struggling, Santee Cooper raising its rates, and the steel mill in Georgetown on shut-down mode, Georgetown County officials appear to be jumping on the “let’s-run-off-tourism-dollars” bandwagon being driven by Myrtle Beach, while others attack the Long Bay Symphony for celebrating America.
At the Sept. 8 Georgetown County Council meeting, officials launched an attack on vendors in an effort to reduce traffic (read: reduce tourists) at the annual motorcycle rallies along the Grand Strand. They passed first reading of a new ordinance that includes stricter limitations on vendors and raising vendor fees. WBTW reported, “Councilman Jerry Oakley, who represents Murrells Inlet, said some people who live in the small four-mile community told council they are worried about the large crowds they associate with the rallies and that’s why changes to the existing ordinance are being proposed.” His quote was followed immediately by one from some 76-year-old-fart who owns property on U.S. 17 in Murrells Inlet who wants “peace and quiet.” May I suggest a retirement community instead of the heart of Restaurant Row along a coastal tourist destination?
The telling fact: Georgetown County has not received any vendor permit applications for this month’s fall rally, and did not issue any for last year's event. Vendors aren’t the issue. This is another attack on Bike Week. I would strongly advise all Georgetown County and Murrells Inlet area residents and business owners who want to avoid the same kind of financial decimation Myrtle Beach experienced during the May rally to start making some noise now. Contact your representatives and show up at the next Georgetown County Council meeting scheduled for Sept. 22, one week before the start of the Fall Rally, which runs Sept. 30 through Oct. 4.
a profile boost?
On another front, details are coming to light about allegedly surreptitious efforts by individuals and businesses who oppose bikers to sabotage the Grand Strand Freedom Festival held this past weekend. Flak is being generated because the festival, which was intended to commemorate Sept. 11, to celebrate American military veterans and to promote tourism by hosting a major event, was sponsored by BOOST (Business Owners Organized to Support Tourism) which supports motorcycle rallies along the Grand Strand as valuable tourism events.
At the center of the discussion is the Long Bay Symphony, which as part of the Freedom Festival performed a “Concert For America” at La Belle Amie Vineyard on the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The concert was originally scheduled to take place at Broadway at the Beach, but according to statements made at the event by Horry County Council Chairperson Liz Gilland and echoed by BOOST Spokesman Tom Herron on WRNN radio on Monday, the concert was hosted outside of city limits because of political pressure.
According to the news forum on www.discovermyrtlebeach.com, Gilland was quoted as saying, “Tom [Herron of BOOST] and I have been friends for years and BOOST is billed as the pro-biker group. So the powers that were to be in Myrtle Beach said, ‘we don't want you in Myrtle Beach’ and they kicked them out of their venue. So Tom called me and I called my friends Chuck and Vicky [of La Belle Amie Vineyard] and said they need a home and this is going to be a great event for the area.” The post continued to say her statement was met with a loud round of applause from the audience, which included area residents, veterans and wounded servicemen home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Gilland continued, “…when they found out they were still going to have the event, the Long Bay Symphony began taking heat. And those who helped form the symphony and funded them for years said ‘we're going to pull our money from you and our support from you if you play for that organization.’”
WRNN’s Steve Porter accused BOOST of having ulterior motives, suggesting BOOST wanted to undermine efforts by Myrtle Beach officials to host another event designed to recognize veterans. Herron refuted the accusation. The truth is both groups are using the veterans and the anniversary of Sept. 11 to solicit business, but can you really say “thank you” to our veterans too many times? When Herron, in an effort to set the record straight, told Porter how two banks and unnamed people had threatened the symphony (on whose Board of Directors Porter sits) for participating, Porter’s response was, “Well. Can you blame them?”
I know I can. I blame them (including Porter) for tainting an event in honor of veterans and in memory of the Sept. 11 attacks, for attempting to use intimidation, and for making the whole affair a political sideshow. Thank you, Long Bay Symphony, for standing your ground and thank you, veterans, for your service.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions of bike-related topics send a "Big E-mail'' to surgebiker@yahoo.com.
Click here for previous Ridin' with Big E columns