On a Friday night at the ball field, Landon Johnson, mayor of Aynor, blends easily into the crowd — greeting families, watching the game and checking in on the community he helps lead, both from town hall and the principal’s office.
For years, Aynor has been known as a tight-knit rural town where generations of families know one another and community life centers around the local schools.
As new developments emerge across the area and Horry County’s growth stretches farther inland, town leaders are facing challenges tied to population growth, infrastructure and economic development…