***Palmetto Morning Presented by Jim Dyke & Associates***
THIS FIRST — “A suspicious letter containing white powder shut down a state government office building for about 90 minutes Thursday but ultimately was deemed harmless. The letter was sent to the Rembert Dennis Building, one of several office buildings in the Capitol complex. Police evacuated some staffers from the office before locking down the building.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born today in 1929. Today kicks off MLK Day observances.
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NATIONAL LENS — OBSCENE — “After a yearlong effort by the Obama administration to reform how Wall Street pays its executives, some of the nation’s biggest banks beginning Friday will pay out bonuses nearly as large as those in the best years before the crisis,” reports the Washington Post. “President Obama has repeatedly blasted the size of the payouts and Thursday called them ‘obscene’ since many Americans’ continue to face real hardship in this recession.’” But the administration has chosen not to address the issue that most infuriates people: the magnitude of the bonuses.”
BEFUDDLED — “Democrats returned to Capitol Hill this week with accounts of voters worried about the economy and confused about the agenda in Washington, especially healthcare. ‘People are concerned about the costs, they’re befuddled by the complexity, and if they have insurance, they want to make sure they aren’t losing something, and all of those concerns leave a great deal of doubt,’ says Rep. John Spratt (D) of South Carolina, who chairs the House Budget Committee.”
COMPETING INTERESTS — Sens. Chuck Schumer and John Kerry “are not only competing for political airtime but also wooing the same Republican for support: South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.”
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MAKE IT STOP — The P&C’s Brian hicks: “All together now: BAD governor. BAD. Consider yourself censured, Mark Sanford — whatever that means.”
ISN’T HUNTING WITHOUT PERMISSION ALREADY ILLEGAL? “The Senate gave final passage Thursday to a bill that prohibits hunters from using dogs to hunt on property without a landowner’s permission.”
RELIEF — “A bill put forth in the South Carolina House this week to allow Myrtle Beach to give its residents property-tax relief earlier than planned is on the fast track with an initial nod Thursday. It had its first reading in the House on Thursday and could have its second, third and final votes next week. Rep. Alan Clemmons introduced H. 4310 Tuesday, and had asked for the bill to skip committee consideration and go straight to the floor. … The proposal would allow Myrtle Beach to give a required tax credit on owner-occupied properties after two years of the 1 percent sales tax for tourism promotion that started in August, not three as the original law called for.”
SOS — “South Carolina legislators fell short of the two-thirds vote needed to let voters decide if they should elect the secretary of state or have that post appointed. The House voted for the measure 72-38 Thursday, but that was less than the two-thirds majority required. The vote could be reconsidered next week.”
IRONY — Two SC firefighters charged with setting fires
VIERS? “NewsChannel 15’s Tim McGinnis learned in a visit to the state capitol Thursday Republican South Carolina State Representative Thad Viers is considering a run for [SC-01]. ‘I’ve always had a passion for my country and my county and state and I believe we’re at a unique crossroads in our nation’s history where we need someone to go to Congress and standup and fight for the ideas and principles that built this country. I feel that foundation is under attack and I’m strongly considering running for Congress,’ Viers said.”
“MEANWHILE, philanthropist Linda Ketner (D) said she will not make a second attempt at a House seat held by retiring Rep. Henry Brown.”
REPLACING THURMOND — Paul, that is. James Island Town Councilman and well-known Charleston attorney, Joe Qualey, has announced plans jump in the race to fill Paul Thurmond’s Charleston County Council seat. Qualey says he will fight for his district, but many issues will affect the whole county. ‘If you want someone in your foxhole, I’m your guy. I will bring real energy and passion to County Council. On the tough issues, I’ll be the guy on the front lines,’ says Qualey. Filing begins in March with the elections taking place in November.
WHERE CREDIT IS DUE — “South Carolina scored mostly high marks, and overall above the national average, on a report card of state education systems released Thursday. The Palmetto State ranked 11th overall, with a grade of B-minus, above the national average of ‘C,’ according to ‘Quality Counts 2010,’ the annual assessment of state education systems compiled by Education Week.”
NORTH CHARLESTON — Boeing loan to cost state $83,000 per job
UPSTATE — Has links to Haitian crisis
SPARTANBURG — Nelson to stump at Beacon
STATEWIDE — Number of homeless students in S.C. up 45 percent in three years
CLEMSON — Economist predicts slow recovery, some dangers
GREENVILLE — Struggling homeowners offered mortgage help
HORRY — County last in the nation average weekly wages
VIEWPOINT — SCIENCE OVER POLITICS — David Wright is commissioner of the S.C. Public Service Commission and chairman of the Nuclear Waste Strategy Coalition opines, “If President Obama plans to live up to his promise of ‘science over politics’ in determining policy, he will not discontinue funding for a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev.”
DAYBOOK — The Citadel Republican Society will host most all of the GOP candidates for governor and lieutenant governor during its annual Patriot Dinner on Friday. The dinner is open to the public, but seating is limited. Those wishing to attend can register online by 5 p.m. today at www.CitadelRepublican.org. For more info, call 654-1249. The Citadel Republican Society is one of the college’s largest cadet clubs.
WHERE CREDIT IS DUE II — “Sterling artist Maxine White will have a special seat from which she’ll watch Gov. Mark Sanford deliver his State of the State address next week. At the request of Sanford, White has a space reserved in the State House just for the occasion. Ben Fox, spokesman for Sanford, said the governor often invites people to the event that he thinks deserve some recognition and that are representative of different parts of the state. Box said White’s invitation was inspired, in part, by her story in newspaper article, and from information about Sterling, which was home to South Carolina’s first public black high school.”
VIEWPOINT II — A FINE PORT — State Sen. Tom Davis writes, “In its 2009 session, after decades of shamefully ignoring one of our state’s most valuable geographic assets, the South Carolina General Assembly declared that working with the state of Georgia to ‘expeditiously’ develop a new port on the Savannah River in Jasper County was official state policy. So it’s a done deal, right? No, not here in the ‘Legislative State.’”
FINALLY THIS — LOCKDOWN — “An irate parent sent a Pomaria elementary school into lockdown Thursday morning until she was arrested, Newberry County deputies said.” The parent “tried to make her way to the classrooms because she was angry with a teacher inside the school … [and she] continued to yell insults, profanity and racial slurs at school personnel and law enforcement. so she was taken into custody for Disturbing Schools.”
THAT’S IT FOR THIS MORNING – STAY TUNED ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK FOR UPDATES THAT JUST CAN’T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW. HAVE A GOOD ONE!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
“Well known Attorney…” Perhaps by name and not deed. In fact when I called the Supreme Court to find out how the case was going regarding the legality of the incorporation of the Town of James Island and mentioned him as one of the parties involved, they had no idea who he was…
From all I have seen Qualey is your man if you are in to self-aggrandizing and looking the other way where ethics and the law are concerned…but wait, that seems to be a prerequisite for holding office in this state…and I don't think you will ever see Joe in a foxhole… that's where you find men of valor….
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