Manager Benjamin Quattlebaum News Today

Atlantic Beach, SC town manager Benjamin Quattlebaum announced his resignation at a town council meeting April 1. The historic Black town, nicknamed the Black Pearl, was incorporated in 1966. Quattlebaum was its longest-ever serving town manager.

The outcome of the Nov. 7 Atlantic Beach mayoral election remains in doubt after town leaders disbanded the municipal election commission last week.

A runoff race is likely, said a town election official. Ballots were challenged after Tuesday’s elections.

A plan suggests linking Atlantic Beach and North Myrtle Beach to alleviate congestion and cut down on maintenance costs.

Atlantic Beach, which for decades served as a haven for Black beachgoers in the segregated South, could be the site of a new oceanfront high-rise development. Longtime residents fear the project would forever change the community.

Officials in the historically Black town made zoning changes as a precursor for project site plans