S.C. Senate Wants to Provide $6,000 for Private School Tuition

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina senators said a bill that would give some less well off parents and guardians up to $6,000 a year for private school tuition will be the first thing they debate in the 2023 session.

The proposal allowing vouchers passed the Senate Education Committee on Thursday. Members approved a nearly identical bill to the one that passed in 2022, but it died when senators and the House, which passed its own version, couldn't agree on a compromise.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey told members the bill will come up for debate Tuesday on the Senate floor.

The bill will allow what supporters call education saving accounts to up to 5,000 students the first year, increasing to 15,000 students in the third year. Lawmakers would set aside $90 million for what they said is a pilot program.

The program will be limited to families that qualify for Medicaid, which is usually about twice the federal government's poverty level.

The House and Senate could not compromise over the bill last year after differences emerged over how to test students using the taxpayer money.

Massey insisted last year that students using vouchers take the same end-of-year standardized tests as students in public schools to make it easier to compare progress and results.

House leaders have said a voucher bill is also a priority for them.

Council to Vote on Revitalization Project Tuesday

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Council will consider transfering some property to a neighborhood initiative project by the Nehemiah Community Revitalization Corporation as part of the 6:30 p.m. meerting in the history courthouse downtown.

The group has already helped revitalize housing in some challenged neighborhoods in the county. 

Full agenda here.

At the 6 p.m. honors meeting, council will recognize Anderson Aviator Hugh Oldman on the occasion of his being inducted into the hall of fame.

Mayor's Breakfast Honors MLK

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Several hundred were on hand Friday for City of Anderson's Mayor Terence Roberts' annual “Mayor’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast” at the Civic Center of Anderson. This year will feature Kassy Alia Ray, the founder and CEO of Serve & Connect, a nonprofit organization focused on fostering positive change through sustainable police-community partnerships, as keynote speaker.

“Dr. King believed in a world free from hunger and poverty, we must keep marching on until that dream comes true,” said Roberts. “We are glad to have Dr. Alia as our keynote speaker at this annual event honoring the legacy of Dr. King.”

The annual "Trailblazer Award" will awarded to AnMed Vice President Juana Slade.

Rocky River Conservancy Gets Grants for Water Quality, Education

Observer Reports

The Anderson County Watershed Protection Council today awarded grants funding between $30,000 and $90,000 to the Rocky River Conservancy and the Anderson Soil and Water Conservation District to launch projects that will improve water quality and education in the county.Anderson County Councilwoman Cindy Wilson

The water council and new grant program are part of Upstate Forever and Savannah Riverkeeper efforts to spend legal settlement dollars from past polluters on long-term, community-driven projects that will safeguard Anderson’s water quality.

“It is exciting to jumpstart water-focused projects in communities that have experienced heavy pollution in the past,” said Megan Chase, Upstate Forever State Policy Director. “The goal is to connect children, teachers, residents and leaders to the waterways through recreation, restoration, and education. The two projects we selected are perfect examples of what is possible.”

The Rocky River Conservancy project seeks to engage the community in restoration efforts and water quality testing in the Rocky River Nature Park, a 148-acre public preserve in the Broadway Creek watershed. Trees Upstate is partnering with the group to plant buffers while engaging the nearby community.

Also in the Broadway Creek watershed, Anderson Soil and Water Conservation’s project will provide teachers, students and experts with Adopt-a-Stream kits and link them to the KnowYourRiver.com database to monitor local water conditions. The project will engage more than 1,000 participants in water-quality activities in the first year. 

“Growth, development, and leaking pipelines have contributed to serious impairment of Anderson County’s once pristine waterways,” said Anderson County Councilwoman Cindy Wilson, who represents District 7. “We can no longer take clean water for granted. These grant funded proposals are expected to provide education, lasting clean up, and restoration to return these streams to good health. Thank you, Upstate Forever, Savannah Riverkeeper, and Southern Environmental Law Center, for setting us on a better course.”

The next funding opportunity will be in the summer of 2023. Entities seeking more information about the process can visit www.andersonwatercouncil.com or email info@andersonwatercouncil.com.

Pendleton Cheney Mill Project to Feature 150 Housing Units

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer 

The Pendleton Cotton Mill, known as the Cheney Mill to many locals, will soon be home to a new district in the town, with up to 150 new housing units and some vetted retail, all a short walk from downtown.

“This is fantastic news for Pendleton,” said Pendleton Town Administrator Steve Miller. Miller said the project is part of “a very long process,” but now the town is on track to see the development up and running in two years.

Miller said bones of the structure, including the exterior walls, remain in good condition. Camden Management Partners, which is developing the project, hopes to keep the architectural elements in place and replicate their style in other parts of the development. 

Camden President John Gumpert said the current plan is to begin construction in the Spring. 

Miller said the town worked closely with the developer, whom he praised for attention to detail on the project. 

“Very few people who have the expertise to save these mills, and this company is one of them.”

“When people see this mill in about 24 months, they’re not going to know it was ever a dilapidated structure,” said Miller.  

He also said the new project will add a new element to downtown. 

“We already have a great downtown, but anchoring this district, with roughly 150 residents in walking distance is the kind of thing everybody loves to see right now.” 

The mill, which produced cotton yarn, opened in 1906, and was one of 17 textile mills operating in Anderson County between 1900-1920. The two-story, L-shaped form of the mill has remained mostly unchanged since the early twentieth century, and the building retains a substantial amount of physical integrity, including more than half of its original eight-over-eight, double-hung wood-sash windows with eight-light transoms. 

The building also retains its low-pitched gable roof, exposed rafter tails, segmental-arch window openings, a crenellated stair tower, and brick smokestack. The mill site features a water tower, mill pond, press house, warehouse, and three hose houses that contribute to the historic integrity of the site. It was listed in the National Register Jan. 29, 2018.

Pendleton was awarded a $25,000 grant to develop a small-area plan for the area, which includes determining the types/styles of buildings and their uses, as well as how to tie the area into a walking district to downtown.

“This is pretty exciting for the residents of Pendleton and the town in general,” said Miller, adding that these kinds of investments often lead to broader impacts, including the potential of more sidewalks and streetlights, along other renovations.

Pendleton is committing approximately $300,000 in internal infrastructure investment around the mill, to work with the developer on the most critical needs for the project.

“We also worked with the Anderson County Transportation Committee, and they will be repaving the street in front of the mill,” said Miller. “We banded together with not only the town’s resources, but the county’s resources to get all of this in place.” 

Miller said Anderson County worked closely with Pendleton and the developer on the project, including providing fee in lieu of tax incentives, historic property tax credits, abandoned mill tax credits and assistance with getting the site on the historic register. 

“It’s going to be an awesome project,” said Pendleton Mayor Frank Crenshaw. “It is taking care of a lot of improvements in that area there that are sorely needed. We are excited about it.”

Crenshaw said the project will help extend downtown. 

“We are focusing on that area a good bit right now,” said Crenshaw. “That is the direction we are going to go in the expansion of downtown as we know it. It makes sense to tie this project into that growth.”

Crenshaw said the expansion is part of the town’s master plan, which includes a unified zoning ordinance to manage growth, especially in the historic downtown area.

“We have to be really careful with our downtown, it is a very special place and we want to maintain its unique character,” said Crenshaw.

“The Cheney Mill project is the result of a lot of hard work by the Town of Pendleton which has been making good progress on this for more than a decade,” said Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns. “It’s going to be another game changer, and all the credit goes to Pendleton Town Administrator Steve Miller and Mayor Frank Crenshaw for making this a reality. It’s a huge win for the Town of Pendleton.” 

The Cheney Mill development is just the beginning of the expansion of downtown Pendleton. The Pendleton Oil Mill, is expected to be cleaned up and environmental studies begun before the end of 2023, creating the potential for another planned district not far from the current cotton mill project.   

The town’s master plan includes spending $1.5 million on a walkable streetscape on the west side of the town square headed toward the community center. A recent $500,000 neighborhood revitalization grant will bring improvements in the area toward Riverside, including sidewalks and streetlights. And, working with a “Safe Route to School” grant in conjunction with Anderson School District Four, the town is repairing sidewalks to connect to the new improvements there. 

A plan to connect downtown with Pendleton Elementary School is also in the works.

The proposed Tax Increment Financing district for massive Village Hills is progressing as well.  

“We have been reclaiming some of the property in that area for decades, and we are going to build a new fire department and, in partnership with Anderson County, will make some major public infrastructure with that area,” said Miller.    

In addition to the historic downtown, the 300 acres of town on U.S. 76, provides additional opportunities for growth, leaving Pendleton well-positioned for the decade ahead. 

“Our master plan will help us navigate and manage the growth,” said Crenshaw. “We’re excited and looking forward to seeing the results.”

All U.S. Flights Delayed This Morning after Computer Glitch

Wire and Observer Reports

All domestic flights in the United States came to a standstill Wednesday morning while the Federal Aviation Administration worked to restore its Notice to Air Missions system after an outage.

Flights at the Greenville Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) are delayed and awaiting a resolution.

The FAA ordered all airlines to pause domestic departures until 9 a.m. EST, to allow the agency "to validate the integrity of flight and safety information."

According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, 123 flights had been canceled in the United States as of 8 a.m. with carriers reporting 2,512 delays.

The FAA system, known as NOTAM, alerts pilots and airports of real-time hazards.

It shut down around 3:28 a.m., but the FAA said some functions started to return by 6 a.m. as it opened a hotline to address equipment issues.

Individual airlines warned their customers about the delays.

"The Federal Aviation Administration is experiencing an outage with its NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) system, which provides critical flight safety operation information," American Airlines said. "We are closely monitoring the situation, which impacts all airlines and working with the FAA to minimize disruption to our operation and customers. We encourage customers to check aa.com for the latest flight information."

Southwest Airlines followed with a message confirming the hiccup.

"We are closely monitoring a data issue with FAA systems, which may impact the start of operations today on Jan. 11, 2023," Southwest said. "Please check your flight status in the Southwest app or website to watch for any flight status changes. If your flight status changes substantially, we will message the day of travel contact listed on your reservation by their preferred contact method."

General Assembly Kicks Off 2023 with Another Abortion Debate

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina General Assembly opened its 2023 legislative session Tuesday with a surprising priority: abortion.

Many lawmakers thought the issue was just about settled during a bruising special session last year that strained Republicans before failing to change the 2021 state law banning abortions when cardiac activity is detected at about six weeks after conception.

But five days before the General Assembly returned, the state Supreme Court ruled the current law unconstitutional because it violates a right to privacy in the state constitution. That made a law allowing abortions up to five months after conception the new rule.

The ruling may have drastically changed a session where many lawmakers have said they wanted to spend significant time on education, business and possibly a few social issues.

Not only will there probably be another long abortion debate, but the ruling opened other unexpected doors, including whether the state should continue to have lawmakers elect and vet potential judges.

“The opinion just came out Thursday, so I think we need to evaluate our options. I think it does put some more emphasis on the selection of our next justice of the Supreme Court,” Republican House Speaker Murrell Smith said.

Smith said he wants to push a “people not policy” agenda that includes emphasizing parental involvement in education, raising pay for teachers, law enforcement and perhaps other state employees, and rethinking investments, especially with companies that concern themselves with environmental and social causes.

Leaders in both parties emphasized they don’t want abortion to dominate the session.

One of the first issues the Senate will tackle next week are vouchers. A bill creating an education savings account program where parents could get taxpayer money to send their children to a private school or program could be considered on the Senate floor as soon as next week. A similar bill nearly passed the Legislature last year but lawmakers couldn't reach a final agreement before the session ended.

Democrats said they will watch carefully to make sure any money spent is tracked to see if it improves student performance.

“If we’re going to spend money on something impactful, it needs to be education," said Democratic Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, who said money might be better spent on things like wireless internet access on school buses so rural students who spend hours going to and from school can use the time on homework or studying.

Another issue likely to be taken up this month is fentanyl abuse. The first bill introduced in the Senate this year would create a new crime called fentanyl-induced homicide with a punishment of up to 30 years in prison and stiff sentences for illegally having the drug.

“We’ve got to push that across the finish line. There are too many people dying," Sen. Majority Leader Shane Massey said.

South Carolina currently has a surplus of $3.8 billion, which is a combination of taxes from a booming population, money not spent as lawmakers continue to fear a recession and lawsuit settlements.

There is expected to be discussions in the legislature on raises or bonuses for teachers, law enforcement and other state employees. And while lawmakers might discuss another rebate to send money back to taxpayers, don't look for changes to the six-year process of changing the state's top income tax rate from 7% to 6%, Republican House Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister said.

“I don’t see us accelerating the tax cuts today based on the uncertainty of the future," Bannister said,

The federal courts threw another curveball Friday, ruling that the coastal 1st Congressional District was illegally drawn to benefit Republicans by sending Black voters in Charleston County into a district that extends to Columbia. But Republican leaders don't expect to start drawing a new map yet.

“We don’t need to draw anything until five members of the (U.S.) Supreme Court say we have to," Massey said.

Much of the first few weeks of the session will be spent with committee work. More than 800 bills were filed before Tuesday. This is the first year of a two-year session, so all legislation must start from scratch, with those bills and their supporters jockeying to get them attention.

The General Assembly typically meets Tuesday through Thursday through May 11.

Georgia Crushes TCU to Repeat as Champions

Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Quarterback Stetson Bennett accounted for six touchdowns and the Georgia defense forced three turnovers to trigger a historically lopsided win over TCU in the College Football Playoff finale Monday in Inglewood, Calif.

Bennett totaled 304 yards and four passing touchdowns and ran for another two scores in the 65-7 triumph at SoFi Stadium.

"We are champions of the whole world," Bennett told ESPN. "We knew my legs were going to be a part of it. I didn't get touched."

The top-ranked Bulldogs successfully completed their title defense with a perfect 15-0 record. They are the first repeat champions in the College Football Playoff era, which started in 2014-15.

Their 58-point margin of victory also set a record as the widest in national championship history.

PAWS Needs Homes for Pets as Shelter Reaches Capacity

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The Anderson County Pets Are Worth Saving animal shelter is looking for a few good homes. The shelter is full, and PAWS Director Dr. Kim Sanders says there has never been a better selection of dogs.

DHEC: Anderson Seeing Moderate Rise in COVID-19

Observer Reports

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Services Anderson County is one of the areas in the state of continued moderate COVID-19 transmission. 

The is averaging 42 new cases a day over the past two weeks, though the number has been declining slightly during that time. Just over 42 percent of the new cases are among those with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 11 people have been hospitalized with the virus in the past 14 days.

DHEC is encouraging counties in the medium and high transmission areas to follow the masking recommendations indoors. This includes all but 2 of South Carolina’s 46 counties (Aiken and Barnwell).

“We are seeing significant increases in COVID-19 cases across our state, and we know there are a lot more cases that aren’t being reported due to the use of nonreportable home tests,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC Public Health Director. “Masking remains one of the best ways to limit virus spread and the CDC has a great resource to help determine when to mask in public.”

The Center for Disease Control’s Community Levels Map currently shows 21 red counties in South Carolina, meaning those with high transmission, and 23 yellow counties, or those with medium transmission. 

The red counties are: Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Colleton, Dorchester, Fairfield, Georgetown, Greenville, Horry, Kershaw, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marlboro, Newberry, Pickens, Richland, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, and Williamsburg. 

The yellow counties are: Abbeville, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Edgefield, Florence, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Lancaster, Marion, McCormick, Oconee, Orangeburg, Saluda, and York. 

“Fortunately, we have not seen a significant uptick in severe cases, meaning those that end in hospitalizations and deaths,” Traxler said. “We want that trend to continue and masking when recommended is an effective to keep each other out of the hospital and eventually bring case numbers down.”

In addition to masking, staying up to date on vaccinations and boosters, as well as testing when recommended, are important steps in preventing COVID-19 spread. 

Anderson Mayor's MLK Breakfast Set for Friday

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

City of Anderson's Mayor Terence Roberts' annual “Mayor’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast” is scheduled for Friday at 8 a.m. at the Civic Center of Anderson. This year will feature Kassy Alia Ray, the founder and CEO of Serve & Connect, a nonprofit organization focused on fostering positive change through sustainable police-community partnerships, as keynote speaker.

This year's theme is: "Dr. King’s Dream to End Hunger & Poverty," and the event will feature performances by Anderson University's "Authenticity" and Poet Jàsmine Lashae Queen.

  “Dr. King believed in a world free from hunger and poverty, we must keep marching on until that dream comes true,” said Roberts. “We are glad to have Dr. Alia as our keynote speaker at this annual event honoring the legacy of Dr. King.”

The annual "Trailblazer Award" will also be awarded to a community leader who's life and work exhibits the spirit of Dr. King.

The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 8 a.m., breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. and the program will begin at 8:45 a.m.

Admission is free, but reservations are suggested. Call 864-231-1135 or email bbell@cityofandersonsc.com to reserve.

Williamston Police Chief Brings Decades of Experience

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Williamston’s new police chief is no stranger to Anderson County. 

With nearly four decades of experience, Chief Kevin Marsee, who took over the position in December, has witnessed a lot of changes in the profession.

He talks about his years in law enforcment and the challenges of community policing in this interview with the Anderson Observer.

Legislative Delegation Talks of Year Ahead at Chamber Event

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce hosted members of the Anderson County legislative delegation. 

S.C. Sen. Mike Gambrell and S.C. House Representatives Anne Thayer, Thomas Beach and Craig Gagnon participated in the annual event, to outline some of their priorities for the year ahead. 

Gambrell said one his priorites in the Senate for 2023 include removing or modifiying the Certificate of Need review process for most health care facilities in South Carolina. Appeals associated with the current Certificate of Need process have reduced medical options for many in the state, especially in rural areas. 

Thayer, who will serve as director of the delegation outlined her plans in the House, which she said would be based on a strategic framework rather than pushing individual pieces of legislation.

While all were invited, representative Jay West was a late scratch due to health problems and newcomers April Cromer and Don Chapman cited previous engagements for missing the meeting.