My I-73 TIMELINE beginning at permitting of I-73 in SC (Provided by Donna Kaloz)
August 16, 2017
US Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District Website announces INTERSTATE 73 PERMIT ISSUED
(“After 26 years, two environmental impact statements, several re-evaluations, thousands of public comments and countless hours of analysis and deliberation, the South Carolina portion of Interstate 73 can now be constructed.”)
October 23, 2017
WPDE News Item: Local leaders recall Trump's I-73 campaign promise: 'He's all about infrastructure'
December 19, 2017
WMBF News Item: Environmentalists file lawsuit to challenge plans for I-73, propose alternative
March 20, 2019
WPDE News Item: City of Myrtle Beach sues Horry County to get its hospitality fees back (In my opinion…this action put our interstate funding in jeopardy, and instead, we, the taxpayers, paid over a million dollars in legal fees because of this action.)
August 28, 2019
WPDE News Item: Horry County Council to possibly cancel SCDOT contract for I-73 in 90 days
(I read the above news article while happily retired and sitting on my porch. I could not believe it so jumped in my car, and headed to the Council Meeting with an I-73 hardhat and t-shirt on, work cooler in hand, and sat in the council room to get everybody’s full attention. I was not going to let them just sweep our interstate under a rug.)
September 11, 2019
After my home-printed signs and bumper sticker on my car did not work, I personally paid for a “Build I-73 in SC” car wrap, wrapped my mother’s 2004 Toyota Camry, and hit the road For The People. I-73 was not going down without a fight.
September 13, 2019
I purchased my own website and built it myself (of course it’s an amateur job and sorry about that). I did so because I saw the online deception and suppression of the real I-73 facts.
September 27, 2019
Facebook Page named “Stop I-73 in SC”, obviously run by David Hucks and friends changes its name to “Stop I-73 and Corruption in SC” and they post a photo of my car on their Facebook Page.
October 7, 2019
I spoke regarding I-73 during Public Comments at the North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting.
October 8, 2019
I spoke regarding I-73 during Public Comments at the Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting - Click here to see the video (My remarks begin at starting point 11:58 in the video and the minutes only reflect “Donna Kaloz spoke in regards to I-73.” Do you think that’s a fair representation of what I said? You decide.)
October 17, 2019
I spoke regarding I-73 during Public Comments at the SCDOT Commission Meeting in Columbia. (Click here to see the video. Start at 06:46.)
October 21, 2019
I spoke regarding I-73 during Public Comments at the City of Conway Council Meeting.
October 22, 2019
I spoke regarding I-73 during Public Comments at the Town of Surfside’s Council Meeting. Click here to see the minutes and my presentation handout. There was an audio recording, however, it is no longer on this page.
November 18, 2019
I sent a message on Facebook Messenger to kindly ask David and his friends to remove the photo of my car they posted on their Facebook page. I explained that there was nothing corrupt about me, and also asked them not to mix me in with others they obviously had a problem with. I advised whoever responded to me to use their own material for their fight against I-73. I also invited whoever was responding to meet me for coffee. Of course…they did not reply and from there, their Facebook page proceeded to attack everyone in favor of I-73, and I’m sure that’s still the case. David Hucks, born and raised in Horry County, has been given license to attack elected officials and others who work hard for Myrtle Beach and Horry County, and he has done so on his deceiving www.myrtlebeachsc.com website for years. Who lets this happen?
November 19, 2019
I spoke during Public Comments at the Horry County Council (Click here to see the video - I speak beginning at 1:27)
November 20, 2019
WPDE News Item: Why Horry County canceled its I-73 contract, and what's next for the project
(I attended the Horry County Council meeting hoping they would not drop the I-73 ball and cancel the I-73 contract, but they did it anyway, and, in my opinion, that was one of the biggest mistakes they ever made. When I left that meeting it was dark out and I was by myself. As I drove out of Conway someone in a big, white pickup truck followed on my bumper with his high beams on until I pulled into a well-lit gas station and picked up my phone. They beeped and rolled on. Needless to say, I later purchased a camera system for my car as well just in case any person would try to intimidate or scare me again. Yes, I know who it was that night, and yes, it was someone present at that meeting who has lied about me ever since, for whatever reason, I do not know. His game from the start has been to pit “Public Safety” against I-73 which is absolutely ridiculous. It was not David Hucks. People like this are destructive and divisive, and how’s that working out for us so far?)
December 16, 2019
I attended Horry County’s Council Meeting and tried to find out the story behind David Hucks and why he so passionately opposed I-73. I tried to hold a rational conversation with David, and he became irritated and told me his “family is paying for I-73”. I actually laughed at that statement because we all know one family can’t possibly pay for interstates, and I calmly asked him to sit down and discuss I-73 with me. Poor David got so redfaced and loud he was led out of the council room by an Horry County Officer who brought him back into the council room a little later, and we never spoke again that night.
June 18, 2020
I spoke regarding I-73 during Public Comments at the SCDOT Commission Meeting in Columbia.
(Click here to see the video, starting point 04:49)
April 19, 2021
I spoke regarding I-73 during Public Comments at the North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting.
April 22, 2021
WPDE News Item: It's official. The fight between Myrtle Beach and Horry Co. over hospitality fees is over
July 8, 2021
Sen. Graham submits funding requests for I-73, other development projects
August 12, 2021
Horry County sees 'most concentrated growth' in SC, Census data shows
September 2, 2021
WPDE News Item: Federal lawsuit holding up I-73 dismissed, allowing project to move forward
October 4, 2021
South Carolina Office of the Governor announces Plan to Expand I-73
December 2021
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY MONDAY TO COMMIT MONEY ANNUALLY TO FUND I-73. THE RESOLUTION WILL CONTRIBUTE $1.7 MILLION EACH YEAR TO FUND THE PROPOSED INTERSTATE.
MYRTLE BEACH CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT COMMITTED $4.2 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR 30 YEARS TO THE INTERSTATE 73 PROJECT.
2021 'new benchmark' for Myrtle Beach with record year for tourism post-vaccine, lockdowns
Click Here to See I-73 News provided by the National I-73/I-74/I-75 Corridor Association
My Additional Remarks:
I may be wrong, but I am convinced I-73 in South Carolina missed out on infrastructure funding in the last infrastructure bill because of lack of action and the hospitality fee lawsuit.
Will I-73, once again, miss out on the funding in the upcoming bill?
How many lives will have to be lost when a hurricane comes and how many lives must be lost on our current roads leading in and out of the Grand Strand before someone wakes up to reality?
Will our working people in Horry County continue to be robbed of opportunities they will never have without I-73 as many work multiple jobs just to make a living wage to keep food on their families’ table?
Will Horry County continue being robbed of the opportunities of economic advancement which do come with an interstate?
Will the majority continue to be ignored and the lies continue to be spewed on the internet…lies to protect and prosper a few?
My hope is that the true champions who understand the importance of I-73 and see that the construction begins in South Carolina asap, and in the meantime address our current road situation. It’s not one or the other…we must have both.
My mission to keep I-73 out in the public eye and not swept under a rug - is complete.
It’s back to my retirement I go hoping our elected officials will go the distance and stand up for what is right.
Let’s see if the voices of those who have patiently waited decades for their efficient hurricane evacuation route, non-stop roadway out to I-95 to move people and our products, and lifeline to new industry jobs…let’s see…if the real voices will finally be heard and funding allocated in the upcoming Infrastructure Bill.
Columbia SC and Washington DC have received our tourism and tax dollars for years. It’s time we, a financial engine for South Carolina, get some back for our FIRST interstate — I-73!
Yes, it’s to build our interstate. We, the majority who spoke time and time again before the I-73 permit was ever issued, say…It’s time to Build I-73 in SC…FOR THE PEOPLE!
Donna