Rob Blomquist
Assignment Manager
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Robert Blomquist joined WMBF News in January 2009. As assignment manager, he coordinates daily news content and assists reporters in news gathering.
Before moving to the beach, Robert spent five years at WKRG in Mobile, Alabama, and a year at WNBC in New York.
Robert attended the State University of New York at Stony Brook where he was a member of the cross country and track teams, but completed his communication degree at the State University of New York at Geneseo.
When Robert isn't at the station, he enjoys teaching his Border Collie, Stella, new tricks and spending time with his wife Amanda and daughters Kelley and Emma.
Updated: Jul. 21, 2021 at 3:44 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
With tension on his line, the fisherman started to reel in, only to find a phone on his hook.
Updated: Jun. 3, 2021 at 12:30 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
A hearing was held Thursday for the man accused of killing two law enforcement officers in Florence County.
Updated: Jun. 2, 2021 at 4:13 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
Officials with the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office said they are assisting in the investigation.
Updated: Jun. 1, 2021 at 11:49 AM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
Heavy traffic is being reported Tuesday in the northbound lanes of Highway 17 Bypass near Farrow Parkway.
Updated: May. 11, 2021 at 4:40 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
Horry County Public Safety Committee recommending a property tax increase to improve public safety.
Updated: May. 6, 2021 at 12:23 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
An Amtrak train has been stuck on the tracks in Florence for hours.
Updated: Apr. 16, 2021 at 4:09 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist and Brad Dickerson
A jury on Friday convicted a man for his role in a deadly 2017 shooting in Mullins.
Updated: Apr. 6, 2021 at 1:50 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist and Brad Dickerson
Despite being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, dozens of South Carolinians have tested positive for the virus.
Updated: Mar. 11, 2021 at 2:19 PM EST
|By Brad Dickerson and Rob Blomquist
According to Horry County officials, they “remain frustrated by the lack of ability from SCDHEC to consistently communicate with vaccine providers in the state.”
Updated: Feb. 19, 2021 at 1:54 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist and Madison Martin
The Department of Health and Environmental Control is continuing to look into Horry County Government’s use of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Updated: Feb. 15, 2021 at 11:30 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist and Madison Martin
DHEC asked the county if they had indeed scheduled and vaccinated any county employees or others not included in the current phase.
Updated: Feb. 12, 2021 at 7:38 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Those eligible for the vaccine are clamoring to get it where they can, some waiting in line, others among tens of thousands on hospital waiting lists.
Updated: Feb. 11, 2021 at 4:39 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
The dashboard will provide area businesses, citizens and government leaders insight into real-time lodging trends across the Grand Strand.
Updated: Feb. 5, 2021 at 1:37 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Coastal Carolina head football coach Jamey Chadwell was rewarded with a new contract after the Chants best season in school history.
Updated: Dec. 16, 2020 at 3:30 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Eartha Wells passed away after contracting COVID-19 while in the care of the nursing home, according to an attorney.
Updated: Dec. 15, 2020 at 2:32 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Thomas McFadden was sworn in as Timmonsville’s Police Chief Tuesday morning, according to a Facebook post by the town.
Updated: Dec. 15, 2020 at 12:17 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Like many other facets of living recreation including hunting and fishing was negatively impacted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Updated: Dec. 10, 2020 at 11:43 AM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Horry County Police says there was no confirmed damage or victims found in relation to reports of shots fired near two Carolina Forest neighborhoods early Wednesday morning.
Updated: Dec. 9, 2020 at 4:50 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
As of Wednesday the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control as reported the total number of cases statewide at 223,140 since the start of the pandemic.
Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 at 4:48 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
33 staff members and 33 students, including the girl’s basketball team, are quarantined according to data provided to WMBF News by the Marlboro County School District.
Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 at 3:47 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Two men plead guilty in a double homicide case in which the bodies of the victims were found burned in a car set on fire in the Socastee area.
Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 at 12:24 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
The repairs to a safety barrier along the U.S. 501 bridge in Conway are now complete.
Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 at 11:57 AM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Horry County Schools sticks with 14-day quarantine for close-contact cases, as CDC releases new guidance with options for shortened quarantine periods.
Updated: Dec. 7, 2020 at 11:30 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
The superintendent of Horry County Schools announced on Monday that the district will not participate in the COVID-19 rapid test program.
Updated: Dec. 4, 2020 at 11:07 AM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Ryan McGee is enamored with the Chanticleers.
Updated: Dec. 2, 2020 at 4:42 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Year-to-date, statewide homes are spending just 76 days on the market.
Updated: Nov. 27, 2020 at 2:37 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
“Chants for Change” will be stitched to the backs of players’ jerseys, according to a post on the team’s twitter account.
Updated: Nov. 27, 2020 at 11:41 AM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Amid calls from public health officials to forgo large family gatherings this Thanksgiving holiday due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Grand Strand is seeing an increase bookings of vacation rental properties.
Updated: Nov. 24, 2020 at 6:46 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Keep Horry County Beautiful wants to know if you would support a plastic bag ban.
Updated: Nov. 20, 2020 at 4:24 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
The city of Myrtle Beach brought in more $6 million less in tourism-related revenue the last fiscal year than it did in the previous 2019 fiscal year.
Updated: Nov. 18, 2020 at 11:16 AM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Work to repair a damaged guardrail along U.S. 501 in Conway has started.
Updated: Nov. 17, 2020 at 4:59 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Work to repair a damaged guardrail along Highway 501 in Conway will start Wednesday morning.
Updated: Nov. 13, 2020 at 7:13 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
Tourism has taken a big hit this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Updated: Nov. 9, 2020 at 9:21 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist and Zach Wilcox
On Monday afternoon, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster state he would not approve a change to allow early voting in South Carolina.
Updated: Nov. 4, 2020 at 3:51 PM EST
|By Rob Blomquist
The 2020 Presidential Election shows South Carolina is more Republican-leaning than it was when President Trump was first elected.
Updated: Oct. 16, 2020 at 12:03 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
Surfside Beach Fire Chief Kevin Otte says it’s time to hang up his helmet.
Updated: Oct. 15, 2020 at 4:48 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
Horry County’s 33,987 returned absentee ballots already surpasses the total number of returned absentee ballots from 2016 in Horry County which was 19,446.
Updated: Oct. 7, 2020 at 1:16 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist and Brad Dickerson
This includes semester abroad programs, international internships, and faculty travel with students for research, competition or conferences.
Updated: Oct. 6, 2020 at 11:08 AM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
Unemployment compensation is taxable according to the South Carolina Department of Revenue.
Updated: Sep. 24, 2020 at 7:38 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
The city of Myrtle Beach is expected to extend its mask ordinance next week, according to city spokesperson Mark Kruea.
Updated: Sep. 21, 2020 at 3:58 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
South Carolinians have two weeks left to register for the 2020 General Election.
Updated: Sep. 16, 2020 at 12:48 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
According to the district, parents interested in requesting a transfer for their students must do so within the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
Updated: Sep. 7, 2020 at 12:35 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
Horry County students start the school year Tuesday, and teachers at Conway Elementary School are determined to make it a magical one.
Updated: Sep. 3, 2020 at 12:45 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist and Brad Dickerson
State health officials are clarifying a misunderstanding around recently-released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding deaths associated with COVID-19.
Updated: Sep. 2, 2020 at 11:43 AM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
From business meetings to socializing with friends, many people are spending more time online. And now, so are officers with the Hartsville Police Department.
Updated: Aug. 26, 2020 at 4:19 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
As expiration dates for mask ordinances near, local leaders must decide whether or not to extend those measures.
Updated: Aug. 7, 2020 at 12:06 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist and Katherine Phillips
Coastal Carolina University is planning to set up a separate off-campus housing facility for any student living in campus housing who tests positive for COVID-19.
Updated: Jul. 23, 2020 at 1:40 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
With less than two month until this year’s rescheduled Carolina Country Music Festival, it’s unknown whether or not the annual event will happen.
Updated: Jul. 11, 2020 at 4:52 AM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
SC's Director of Parks, Recreation and Tourism says recent national publicity has hurt the comeback of the state's tourism industry.
Updated: Jul. 7, 2020 at 4:59 PM EDT
|By Rob Blomquist
This year emergency management agencies had to take another look at hurricane plans through the lens of COVID-19.
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