S.C. Agrees to Reforms in Foster Care

South Carolina officials and attorneys for plaintiff children advocating for foster care reform have come to an agreement on a plan that would target changes within the department.

The settlement, filed in court Friday, is the result of the class action Michelle H. v. Haley, which seeks improvements on behalf of all 3,400 children in foster care statewide. The suit was filed in January 2015 by national advocacy organization Children's Rights, the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center and Matthew T. Richardson, partner at the South Carolina law firm Wyche P.A.

The attorneys gave credit to Governor Niki Haley and State Director of DSS Susan Alford for entering negotiations quickly and resolving to fix areas of its foster care system.

"We commend Governor Haley and her administration for recognizing the need for change and doing the right thing for kids," said Ira Lustbader, litigation director for Children's Rights. "The fact that state leaders came to the table early, wanting to find ways to improve the treatment of young people in foster care, stands to be life-changing for these children."

The proposed settlement requires the approval of U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel. In a joint request also filed Friday, both sides asked Judge Gergel to grant preliminary approval of the settlement, provide notice and publication of its terms and set a date for a final fairness hearing.

The settlement promises vital changes such as ensuring reasonable caseloads to workers, improving safety oversight, placing fewer kids in institutions and revamping health care delivery.

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National Doughnut Day Offers Free Sweets Today

Whether it's powdered, filled or a hot Original Glazed®, stop in for a free doughnut from Krispy Kreme. In honor of National Doughnut Day, which is today, stop in to any Krispy Kreme U.S. or Canadian location for a free doughnut of any variety--including its world famous Original Glazed® doughnut. 

No purchase necessary. Excludes Connecticut.

Celebrate The Day Across The Globe

• Australia, Bahrain, India North, KSA, Kuwait, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Turkey and UAE will offer a free doughnut of every variety on June 3.
• Japan and Korea will be offering samples of Original Glazed® doughnuts in stores to celebrate the day.
• Our fans in the Philippines will receive a free Original Glazed® with a coffee purchase, and Krispy Kreme Malaysia would like to share a free Original Glazed® with fans who like their Facebook page before June 3, 2016.

Held annually on the first Friday of June, Doughnut Day was established by The Salvation Army in 1938 to honor The Salvation Army’s “Doughnut Lassies,” who served the treats to soldiers during World War I. The “Doughnut Lassies” are often credited with popularizing the doughnut in the United States when the troops returned home from war. 

 

Customers are encouraged to donate to The Salvation Army’s miniature Red Kettles stationed at the registers of participating Krispy Kreme locations. All donations will support the local communities where the donation was made. 

Clif Bars Recalled Over Listeria Fears

Clif Bars is voluntarily recalling a few varieties of its bars over listeria fears, the FDA announced Thursday. These products were sold nationally.

The company said its ingredient supplier, SunOpta, distributed sunflower kernels that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The following bars are affected:

• CLIF BAR® Nuts & Seeds energy bar all pack configurations with “best by” date ranges starting 08JUN16 through 21JAN17
• CLIF BAR® Sierra Trail Mix energy bar all pack configurations with “best by” date ranges starting 05JUN16 through 24MAR17
• CLIF® Mojo® Mountain Mix® trail mix bar all pack configurations with “best by” date ranges starting 16JUN16 through 02FEB17

Those who have bought the products are advised not to eat the products and to destroy them. All retailers who received the products are being contacted.

Though no illnesses have been reported, Listeria can cause serious, sometimes fatal illnesses in pregnant women, young children, elderly people and others with compromised immune systems.

Any questions can be directed to 1-888-851-8456. Clif Bars also said consumers can contact them via a form.

Haley Expected to Sign Bill for Military Retirees

The Legislature has approved a bill that cuts income taxes for military retirees who served 20 years in uniform.

The House's 96-0 vote Thursday sent the bill to Gov. Nikki Haley.

The benefits would be phased in over five years. By 2020, military retirees younger than 65 could deduct $17,500 of their income. Retirees 65 or older could exempt up to $30,000.

The House's initial version allowed a complete exemption in three years. But with minutes left in the legislative session, GOP Rep. Murrell Smith encouraged his colleagues to accept the Senate's changes.

He says it will hopefully entice more working-age military veterans to retire in South Carolina.

Democratic Sen. Gerald Malloy of Darlington had opposed the bill, arguing military retirees already have many benefits the state's poor do not.

Feds Want New Restrictions on Payday Loans

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed new rules on Thursday designed to end what it calls "payday debt traps" by requiring lenders to make sure a borrower can repay that loan before approving it.

The new rules would cover a variety of small-dollar loans marketed to financially vulnerable consumers, such as payday loans, auto title loans (where the vehicle is used as collateral), high-cost installment and open-ended loans.

CFPB director Richard Cordray acknowledged that people who live from paycheck to paycheck may need a loan to cover unexpected expenses or a drop in income, but he said the credit products marketed to these consumers should help them, not hurt them.

"Too many borrowers seeking a short-term cash fix are saddled with loans they cannot afford and sink into long-term debt," Cordray said in a statement. "It's much like getting into a taxi just to ride across town and finding yourself stuck in a ruinously expensive cross-country journey. By putting in place mainstream, common-sense lending standards, our proposal would prevent lenders from succeeding by setting up borrowers to fail."

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Haley to Decide on S.C./Ga. Gun Bill

A bill making it easier for South Carolinians with concealed weapon permits to travel back and forth to Georgia is heading to Gov. Nikki Haley.

The Senate's 35-3 vote Wednesday came after Sen. Marlon Kimpson agreed to pull roughly 80 amendments he proposed to block the bill. He was protesting legislators not taking up bills designed to close a background check loophole that allowed Dylann Roof to buy the gun police say he used to kill nine people in Charleston a year ago.

Kimpson, D-Charleston, was protesting legislators not taking up measures designed to close a background check loophole that allowed Dylann Roof to buy the gun police say he used to kill nine parishioners at a historic black church in Charleston a year ago.

In exchange for ending his filibuster, Kimpson's been guaranteed a hearing on the legislation this summer in Charleston where he will sit on the hearing panel.

"We consider today a win," he said. "The goal is to play chess."

Senate Judiciary Chairman Larry Martin said he's giving no promises on the bill's chances next year, except to pledge he'll go to the hearing "with an open mind."

Blue Buffalo Recalls Dog Food

The Blue Buffalo Company is voluntarily recalling a select lot of its Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula dog food due to the presence of moisture and mold.

The company made the recall announcement on Tuesday, May 31 for its single batch of Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Fish and Sweet Potato Recipe for Dogs with the following batch information:

• Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Fish and Sweet Potato Recipe
• 30 pound bag
• Best by date: April 11, 2017
• Batch data: AH 2A 12:08-14:00

To learn more about this recall, click here. 

Nissan Recalls 80,000 Pathfinder SUVs

Nissan is recalling nearly 80,000 Pathfinder SUVs in the U.S. because the brake lights can stay on even when the driver isn't stopping.

The recall covers Pathfinders from 2013 and 2014. The company traced the problem to a brake light switch that was installed incorrectly.

Nissan says if the brake lights stay on, other drivers won't notice when the Pathfinders are braking, and that could cause crashes.

The company also says the switch might cause the brake-shift interlock to fail. That could allow drivers to leave the SUVs when the transmission isn't in park, increasing the risk of a rollaway accident.

No crashes or injuries have been reported.

Dealers will inspect switches and replace them if necessary at no cost to owners. The recall is expected to start July 25.

Poll: Most Democrats Want Sanders to Stay in Race

A recent poll indicates most Democrats want Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to remain in the race against Hillary Clinton for the presidential nomination.

The Morning Consult survey of 2,001 registered conducted last week shows 57 percent of those polled want Sanders to stay in the race. About 28 percent said he should drop out, while 15 percent did not know or did not have an opinion.

About 57 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents said Sanders should continue campaigning, while 55 percent of Republicans and 60 percent of independents said the same. Another recent Morning Consult survey shows that 4 percent more Democratic voters favor Clinton to win the nomination over Sanders.

A separate survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found Clinton leading Sanders in California 48 percent to 46 percent ahead of the June 7 primary -- within the survey's margin of error. There are 475 delegates up for grabs in California.

Clemson Gets $2 Million to Cut Cost of High-Tech Goods

Amod Ogale of Clemson University has received $2 million and will work with a group of researchers across the country to lower the cost of high-tech materials that have helped make airplanes and luxury cars more fuel efficient but remain too expensive for price-sensitive products.

Ogale, the director of the Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films and Dow Chemical Professor of Chemical Engineering,  has been working for more than 30 years to create composite materials that are stronger and lighter than steel. Now he will turn his attention to making the materials less expensive.

Falling prices for composite materials would mean they could be used in more automobile and airplane parts to help make them lighter. When it comes to fuel efficiency, every ounce counts.

Ogale’s latest round of funding comes as part of a collaboration with the Center for Composite Materials at University of Delaware. The center, which is leading the research, has received $14.9 million from the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency for the Tailorable Feedstock and Forming Program.

Jack Gillespie, the director of the center, is leading the team. Researchers from Drexel University and Virginia Tech are also collaborating.

May 31 Podcast: Saluda River Rally, Emergency Preparedness (Active Assailant)

S.C. Speaker Blames Haley, Senate for Failed Roads Bill

House Speaker Jay Lucas says Gov. Nikki Haley and the Senate will be to blame if legislation intended to start fixing South Carolina's crumbling roads dies this session.

Lucas said Tuesday senators need to pass a bill, and Haley should be demanding it.

Two separate measures could allow for $2 billion in borrowing over 10 years for highway construction, using $200 million annually in existing fees and vehicle taxes. They also make governance changes at the Department of Transportation.

The House agreed to the borrowing after the Senate refused to pass a gas tax increase, with opponents arguing for reform first.

With just two days left in the legislative session, the Senate has yet to vote on either potential compromise.

Haley spokeswoman Chaney Adams says legislative leaders know Haley's position.