Latest news with #Leonhardt
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Where are most crimes happening in Myrtle Beach area? These areas have the highest
The amount of crime happening in Horry County has been a top concern of local residents. It's not just crime that is increasing, it's also the boldness of the suspects who commit the crimes. In recent months, law enforcement has dealt with a string of high-profile crimes in Horry County, including a shooting at a Little River boat party, suspects shooting at police during a high-speed chase and three shootings – two that were deadly – on North Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach. Data shows that certain areas of Horry County receive a higher number of crimes than other areas. But, in reality, no area has been immune from criminal activity. Horry County Police Chief Kris Leonhardt said that this year is on track to be one of the busiest in the number of incidents for police. Most of it is occurring near permanent residents along the coast with gang activity heightening near inland towns of Aynor and Longs, Leonhardt said. However, an independent crime statistics organization shows that most of the violent crimes are happening in the tourist areas of the county, as well as in the Carolina Forest area. Carolina Forest in the Myrtle Beach area has seen a tremendous population growth, requiring additional schools to be built, roads to be widened and emergency services to build additional fire stations and add more police units to keep up with the influx of crime and growth. Horry County Police is adding a fifth police precinct in the Carolina Forest area to be implemented in August and a new gang police unit which is already in place. During a public safety meeting in June, Leonhardt highlighted a high in calls for service with more than 16,000 received in May. That includes 337 calls for violent crimes, according to Horry County data from a May Public Safety Committee meeting agenda. Calls for service occur when emergency personnel are requested to respond to an emergency situation, such as a 911 call or a directive from a passerby. During the same time last year, police received more than 17,000 calls for service. But Horry County Police also did not have as many deadly or violent incidents as they have this year, the chief said. Where's the most crime? Tourist areas dominate calls for service in Horry County, police data shows. The south precinct encompasses Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Socastee, which from 2023 to May 2025 has almost always received the most calls for service out of Horry County Police's four precincts. Leonhardt said the south is the busiest because it's where most permanent residents live. But a more detailed map from Crime Grade shows that most violent crime incidents per capita in Horry County occur in tourist areas where fewer residents live, not in Socastee or other residential areas. Crime Grade rates counties across the country based on machine-learning projection from previous reported data. At the end of each projection, it gives a grade. Myrtle Beach earned a D+ for its overall crime grade. Crime Grade's map shows that more crime occurred in Myrtle Beach in Myrtle Heights, near 21st and 22nd avenues North to Springmaid Beach, and even the Market Common district. That area includes popular tourist destinations like North Ocean Boulevard. However, Crime Grade pointed out that these areas may show high crime in part because of the few permanent residents in the area. 'Areas with high visitor traffic, such as shopping districts, may appear to have higher crime rates simply because more crimes occur where people gather – even if few residents live there,' according to the interpretation from Crime Grade's website. 'The south part of the county has more retail establishments, which can artificially inflate violent crime rates in that area.' It is the same explanation offered by Myrtle Beach city officials and Police Chief Amy Prock, who said that many of the recent violent crimes happening in the city have been committed by people who are not from Horry County. The deadly mass shooting that involved a Myrtle Beach Police officer in April occurred in the 900 block of North Ocean Boulevard and begun after a Marlboro County teenager allegedly fired his weapon into a crowd along a busy sidewalk downtown. Marlboro County, which includes Bennettsville, where the gunman lived, was given an F for crime and the city is shown with a high level of crime, according to Crime Grade's data. Other high violent crime areas in Horry County include Carolina Forest and neighborhoods along S.C. 9 between Loris and Longs where Horry County Police have said gang activity is high. The latest data showed the south precinct had received more than 6,000 calls for service in May. The north precinct, which contains Longs, Little River and North Myrtle Beach, is the fastest growing precinct in the county and where the county's new gang unit focuses much of its efforts, Leonhardt said. It received more than 4,700 calls for service in May. Leonhardt said that Horry County is not necessarily becoming more dangerous, but residents are seeing more crime because of the department's transparency efforts and media coverage. 'We see more bigger crime, so to speak,' Leonhardt said. 'We've always had crime issues. I think we're doing a better job of getting that information out there to our public so we are more transparent showing what is going on in your community. So I think that is great.' Locals commit crime too Myrtle Beach, however, continues to be reported as one of the most dangerous cities in South Carolina, according to previous reporting. It's something that city officials have continually refuted. Police agencies in Horry County reported 19 murders, according to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's most recent crime report in 2023. That number is greater than almost all other police agencies in the state, though the murder rate per capita is lower than other counties such as Marlboro, Florence and Marion counties, the report showed. Leonhardt said that despite skepticism that most crimes come from people from outside the Myrtle Beach area, it's more complicated than placing most blame on non-residents. Many permanent residents commit crime in Horry County too, he said. More than 17 million people visit the Myrtle Beach area every year according to Visit Myrtle Beach. 'We have a mixture really because we are such a destination area,' Leonhardt said. 'So you'll see some of what I call 'transient crime' come here, they'll look for opportunities, if they find those, they exploit them, then they leave.' HCPD's strategy To deal with the influx of people in Horry County, the department will implement a fifth police precinct in the Carolina Forest area by Aug. 26. The department has also filled around 50 positions in two years which is unprecedented for other departments in the area, HCPD Public Information Officer Mikayla Moskov said. Myrtle Beach Police has previously said it has a shortage of 50 officers. 'We always keep track of our statistics,' Leonhardt said. 'Growth really drove the desire to start a new precinct and to be able to provide better services.' Horry County's population has grown by more than 60,000 people or 17.1% from 2020 to 2024, according to the U.S. Census. Leonhardt said the department's main safety strategy is deterrence through visibility. 'Being that visible deterrent is a huge first step,' Leonhardt said. 'But on the backside of that, it goes to growing those specialty units that can focus on special crimes. We've grown our traffic team, we've grown our street crimes team, our narcotics team, the implementation of the new gang unit has helped, I think it's a fine combination of all that is making a difference to make our community safer really.' Leonhardt has been working with HCPD since 2002, and has lived in the county since he was 6 or 7 years old, he said. Despite many of the crimes residents are seeing around the area, he couldn't pick a place he wouldn't live in. 'I live in Little River. I've lived there my whole life. I don't plan on going anywhere,' Leonhardt said. 'I love it. It's just my area, and so I think to say one area I couldn't do it, because it's all unique and it brings its own special flavor.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Horry County crime rates on record-breaking pace midway through the year, police chief says
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Driven in part by a violent string of May crimes, Horry County crime rates are on a record-breaking track, Chief Kris Leonhardt told officials Tuesday. Through the first quarter of 2025 that ended March 31, authorities took more than 121 pounds of drugs off the street, seized nearly $138,000 worth of assets, arrested 55 fugitives and took 59 firearms. 'Our officers are out there doing the work, getting things done, identifying folks and getting charges on these cases,' Leonhardt said. Leonhardt said 10 known Blood gang members were also arrested after police broke up a crime ring in the Little River area earlier this year. May was a particularly grueling month with a spate of high-profile incidents including a mass shooting in Little River, disciplinary action against several officers tied to the 2022 road rage death of Scott Spivey and multiple home invasions in the Conway area. 'Thank you for the great work that the Horry County Police Department's doing. You've had a lot of distractions the last couple of months. You've put up with a lot of crap, but I appreciate the great job,' council member Tom Anderson said. 'I think the gross majority of our police are professionals, and I'm on your team and in favor of you.' Public safety administrator Randall Webster said events like Memorial Day weekend, motorcycle rallies and the Myrtle Beach Classic already require a heavier law enforcement presence, but over the past couple of years it's been even more of a challenge. 'The call volume is increasing every year, and the incident types are getting more severe each and every year,' he said. Councilwoman Jenna Dukes said she's concerned about the crime spike and strain it has on law enforcement. 'May is getting bigger and bigger, like you said. And we did have a few incidents that could have went another direction. So as we move into next year, can we just take a deeper look at May and how it's affecting us, both manpower and financially,' she said. 'Honestly, I mean, people are exhausted.' * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. * * * Shelby Martin is a multimedia journalist who joined the News13 team in May 2025. Shelby is from Orange County, California, and graduated in 2023 from California State University, Fullerton. You can read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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First Post
06-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
The Chenab Bridge: The making of world's highest railway bridge that can weather an earthquake
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway bridge, in Jammu and Kashmir today. This structure, constructed for Rs 1,486 crore, is an engineering marvel; it's been built high up in the mountains — it's actually 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower and designed to withstand a powerful earthquake or a 40 kg-TNT blast read more Chenab Rail Bridge, world's highest railway bridge, over the Chenab river in Reasi district. It is part of Indian railways' Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project. PTI It's been called an engineering marvel, a man-made wonder, a symbol of naya Kashmir. But the many adjectives still fail to capture the masterpiece that is the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6. The world's highest railway arch bridge, located in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project (USBRL), that aims to boost connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ahead of the big day, we take a closer look at how the Chenab Bridge is indeed a remarkable feat of engineering and how it's been designed to withstand earthquakes and a whopping 40 kg-TNT blast. Designed in Finland, executed in India The Chenab Bridge, touted to be the world's highest railway bridge, has been designed by WSP Finland with German firm Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner designing the bridge arches, and Vienna Consulting Engineers aiding in the design of the pylons. Once designed, the workers and engineers of Konkan Railway Corporation brought the plans to life. History in the making! The Chenab Bridge—the world's highest railway arch bridge—is now a reality! Spanning the Chenab River in J&K, it symbolizes India's infrastructural excellence. Prime Minister @narendramodi is all set to inaugurate the world's highest railway bridge — the… — DD News (@DDNewslive) June 4, 2025 And it has been no easy feat. Measuring 1,315 metres long, it is built over the Chenab river in the Kouri region of the Reasi district. What makes the bridge truly astounding is the fact that it stands high at 359 metres (1,178 feet) above the Chenab riverbed, making it the world's highest railway bridge. For those who want perspective — 359 metres is about 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The bridge construction involved 28,660 metric tonne of steel, 10 lakh cubic metre earthwork, 66,000 metre of concrete and 26 km of motorable roads. According to those involved in the building of the Chenab Bridge, the overall weight of the arch is a whopping 10,619 metric tonnes. The construction of this bridge has been an expensive affair too; it's taken Rs 1,456 crores and at its peak a whopping 3,200 workers and engineers working simultaneously. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Once inaguruated and open to use, the Chenab Bridge will see trains being able to travel at speeds of up to 100 kmph on the bridge, with all necessary safety measures in place to ensure smooth and secure travel. The Chenab Bridge stands high at 359 metres (1,178 feet) above the Chenab riverbed, making it the world's highest railway bridge. Image Courtesy: DD News/X Chenab Bridge built to sustain quakes and explosions The Chenab Bridge isn't just beautiful to look at. It's also the culmination of the best engineering minds in the country. Realising that the bridge will be built high up in the seismically active mountains, experts from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee studied the rock slopes and then suggested ways to ensure that the construction wouldn't collapse in case of a quake. For instance, they stabilised the slopes using used three techniques: grouting, anchor blocking, and shotcrete. Moreover, the Chenab Bridge's rail deck is isolated from its substructure using spherical bearings. It is this isolation that the rail deck and the train experience minimal impact from the earthquake. All of these steps taken during construction now ensures that the bridge can withstand an earthquake measuring a whopping eight on the Richter scale. Additionally, it can withstand high wind speeds of up to 266 km/hour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Chenab Bridge has been built with 63 mm-thick special blast-proof steel. Image Courtesy: Speaking on the sturdiness of bridge, Chief Engineer (Coordination) R K Hegde of Konkan Railways told news agency PTI, 'It can withstand high-intensity blasts of up to 40 kg of TNT and an earthquake. Even after the blast, a train can run at a speed on 30 kmh.' Explaining further, he said that the bridge has been built with 63 mm-thick special blast-proof steel owing to Jammu and Kashmir's tendency to witness multiple terror attacks. He added, 'It is for the first time that self-compacting concrete is being used for filling steel boxes and ends of plate girders.' Design firm WSP has also used Tekla software in the construction of the Chenab Bridge. Tekla structures is a software used in the construction industry, primarily for structural engineering and detailing, particularly for steel and concrete structures. It allows professionals to create, manage, and share 3D models, from conceptual design to fabrication, promoting accuracy and efficiency. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People involved in the construction note that the bridge's life is estimated to be 120 years. To ensure its longevity, corrosion-resistant paint has been used. Moreover, it has been equipped with an online safety monitoring system for real-time alerts. The Chenab Bridge construction involves 28,660 metric tonnes of steel, 10 lakh cubic metre earthwork, 66,000 metre of concrete. Image Courtesy: Ministry of Railways/X A bridge many years in the making The inauguration of the Chenab Bridge by PM Modi comes several years after the project was initially announced. Construction on the bridge began in 2004 but alignment and safety concerns delayed progress. Work resumed after design adjustments in 2010. The deck was joined to the steel arch in April 2021, followed by the deck joining in August 2022. In June last year, the Indian Railways carried out a successful trial run of an eight-coach Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) train on the famed Chenab Bridge. The trial on June 21, began at 12.35 pm from Sangaldan and reached Reasi at 2.05 pm, traversing nine tunnels spanning 40.787 km, including the longest tunnel T-44 stretching 11.13 km. With inputs from agencies
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Making of ‘Beast Games': Behind the scenes of Prime Video's record-breaking competition series
"What if we brought together more contestants than any competition show ever, offered the largest cash prize in history, designed the craziest games imaginable, and built it all on the most massive sets ever seen?" That was the spark behind Beast Games, according to host, cocreator, and executive producer Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson. The record-breaking Prime Video competition series assembled an astonishing 1,000 contestants to face off in intense physical and mental challenges — all for a jaw-dropping $10 million grand prize. More from GoldDerby How 'Rebel Ridge' became the Emmy frontrunner for Best TV Movie TV Documentary panel: 'Brats,' 'Chef's Table,' and 'Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band' 'Road Diary' director Thom Zimny reflects on 25 years with Bruce Springsteen and capturing fans as 'music hits their soul' "I've always wondered why $1 million was the artificial ceiling [for winning a competition series]," Donaldson says. "Shows get paid a lot more than that." However, the creator admits Beast Games lost money. "My goal with Season 1 wasn't to make money, it was honestly just to make the greatest competition possible. We went a little overkill." One of the show's most significant expenses was the construction of an entire custom-built city, designed by production designer Stephen Leonhardt. SEE'Beast Games' production designer Stephen Leonhardt on redefining reality TV with the most complex sets in TV history "Nobody's done anything like it — and that's what was both so exciting and terrifying about it," says Leonhardt. "We had the same amount of time you have to put together a set for a regular television show, except instead of trying to set up an existing house for a reality cast of 30, we had 500. Just the logistics — how are we going to deal with people going to the bathroom — were overwhelming and only comparable to huge events. It was the mix of a TV set and a full Coachella festival." Leonhardt also notes that much of the industry is geared toward cutting costs. "Every call you get is about doing the same show for less than you did it before. Suddenly, we have these guys who just want to swing for the fences. How can you not get excited about being a part of that? They said, 'We're going to have the highest-budget sets in the history of television.' At first I wondered if I was being taken for a ride, but when I realized they were serious it was thrilling!" For over 20 straight days during preproduction, the set design team had a role call of over 1,000 employees. "They may not be the biggest sets ever made, but they were definitely the biggest sets ever made in that timeframe," Leonhardt says. With 380 million-plus subscribers and more than 2 billion monthly views, MrBeast is the most-subscribed YouTube channel in the world. Beast Games cocreator and executive producer Sean Klitzner credits Donaldson's understanding of digital audience engagement for the show's success "It's learning and understanding what Jimmy has spent tens of thousands of hours studying – the psychological connection an audience member will have with a piece of content," Klitzner explains. "It takes years to understand that. Once you get into that realm, you're able to ask, 'How do we translate your style and your vision of creating content to television?'" Casting 1,000 contestants to compete on the show was a massive undertaking for casting director Katy Wallin. "We put together a strategic plan to go out and find 1,000 amazing people — diverse, all ages, all types — and in my three decades of casting, it was one of the best experiences of my career. It was so challenging in the most positive way." Wallin says she sought out people who were "unforgettable, passionate, and interesting": "This is not a scripted show, so we're not releasing a breakdown and putting actors in roles. These are real people competing in a contest on the biggest show in the history of television. They have to have a really good 'Why?' If we use Jeffrey Allen as an example, who won the show, he had such heart and positivity about him. It wasn't really about [the money], it was about changing the course of his son's life by finding a cure for something. We look for those layered people who are unfiltered and really open to sharing the experiences of their life that will transcend on a show like this." SEE'Beast Games' editor Mack Hopkins on the scene that was inspired by 'Dunkirk' Meanwhile, the enormity of production posed challenges even in post-production. Co-creator and editor Mack Hopkins refers to the show as "the most advanced edit mankind has ever attempted." With 1,000 contestants and more than 1,100 cameras capturing footage, watching every moment was impossible. Yet, serendipity played a role in shaping the story. "The contestants who got first and second place in this show happened to — by an actual miracle — be standing next to each other in Episode 1. We were given — by the grace of God — dialogue exchanges between first and second place in Episode 1! As a person who was trying to tell a story through this whole process, it was unbelievable and I could not believe that happened." In the full panel video above, watch the team behind Beast Games discuss in more detail their favorite episodes, the most memorable contestants, biggest challenges, and jaw-dropping moments. This article and video are presented by Prime Video. Best of GoldDerby 'The Better Sister': Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks on their 'fun partnership' and the 'satisfying' killer reveal TV Documentary panel: 'Brats,' 'Chef's Table,' and 'Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band' 'Road Diary' director Thom Zimny reflects on 25 years with Bruce Springsteen and capturing fans as 'music hits their soul' Click here to read the full article.
Forbes
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Noblesse Oblige From ‘Armored Core 4' Will Be Getting An Epic Toy
Noblesse Oblige as shown in the 2005 'Project Force' trailer. Following the release of the Decoction Models Supplice toy a while back, Kotobukiya is planning on making a similar toy for Noblesse Oblige. Yes, I know it's called a 'Decoction Models' but these are in fact very high-end toys, with a great deal of die-cast used in their construction. I picked up the Supplice toy and it is an astonishing piece, with an impeccable sculpt and very fine detailing. Not to mention a wide array of articulation and light gimmicks. While Supplice was literally used on the cover art for Armored Core 4, the origins of Noblesse Oblige go back even further. In fact, before Armored Core 4 was even announced, the mecha appeared in a trailer for a game called Project Force (shown below). FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder This eventually became known as Armored Core 4, but Noblesse Oblige was the iconic mecha used in those trailers, along with its wing-like EC-O307AB laser cannons. In the original Armored Core 4, Noblesse Oblige was piloted by Leonhardt, but in Armored Core For Answer, the mecha was piloted by Gerald Gendlin. The latter version from Armored Core For Answer (shown below) handled and played a bit differently over its Armored Core 4 counterpart, not least because the laser cannons fired orange beams rather than white ones. In any case, the fact that Kotobukiya has picked another major design from both Armored Core 4 and Armored Core For Answer is great news, but the price point will likely be pretty high. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
