Supreme Court Nixes Texas Abortion Restrictions

The US supreme court on Tuesday blocked key parts of a 2013 law in Texas that had closed all but eight facilities providing abortions in America’s second most-populous state.

In an unsigned order, the justices sided with abortion rights advocates and health care providers in suspending an October 2 ruling by a panel of the New Orleans-based US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that Texas could immediately apply a rule that would force abortion clinics statewide to spend millions of dollars on hospital-level upgrades.

Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented.

Last week, a coalition of women’s rights groups asked the supreme court to place a hold on a key provision of the law while the appeals process proceeds.

“The US Supreme Court gave Texas women a tremendous victory today,” said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights. “Tomorrow, thirteen clinics across the state will be allowed to reopen and provide women with safe and legal abortion care in their own communities.”

Full Story Here

Seattle Megachurch Pastor Driscoll Steps Down

The pastor of one of the Pacific north-west’s most successful evangelical megachurches stepped down on Tuesday, amid allegations that he bullied dissenting members and plagiarised.

Mark Driscoll announced his resignation from the Mars Hill church in Seattle, Washington, in a letter to church accountability advisers published by Religion News Service and later on the Mars Hill website.

“I readily acknowledge I am an imperfect messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Driscoll. “Specifically, I have confessed to past pride, anger and a domineering spirit,” he said.

Described by some as an “evangelical bad boy,” Driscoll founded the now-14,000-member church in 1996. The pastor gives sermons the way some explain neurology in Ted Talks, and he’s credited with bringing evangelicalism into the digital age.

Stand Your Laws Do Not Apply to CDV Victims in S.C.

South Carolina is one of more than 20 states that has passed an expansive Stand Your Ground law authorizing individuals to use deadly force in self-defense. The law has been used to protect a man who killed an innocent bystander while pointing his gun at several teens he called “women thugs.” But prosecutors in Charleston are drawing the line at domestic violence.

In the cases of women who claim they feared for their lives when confronted with violent intimate abusers, prosecutors say the Stand Your Ground law shouldn’t apply.

“(The Legislature’s) intent … was to provide law-abiding citizens greater protections from external threats in the form of intruders and attackers,” prosecutor Culver Kidd told the Post and Courier. “We believe that applying the statute so that its reach into our homes and personal relationships is inconsistent with (its) wording and intent.”

Most recently, Kidd raised this argument in vigorously pursuing a murder case against Whitlee Jones, whose screams for help as her boyfriend pulled her down the street by her hair prompted a neighbor to call the cops during a 2012 altercation. When the officer arrived that night, the argument had already ended and Jones had fled the scene. While she was out, Jones decided to leave her boyfriend, Eric Lee, and went back to the house to pack up her things. She didn’t even know the police officer had been there earlier that night, her lawyer Mary Ford explained. She packed a knife to protect herself, and as she exited the house, she says Lee attacked her and she stabbed Lee once in defense. He died, although Jones says she did not intend to kill him.

On October 3, Circuit Judge J.C. Nicholson sided with Jones and granted her Stand Your Ground immunity, meaning she is exempt from trial on the charge. In response to Kidd’s argument that individuals could not invoke Stand Your Ground to defend against violence in their own homes, Nicholson said that dynamic would create the “nonsensical result” that a victim of domestic abuse could defend against an attacker outside of the home, but not inside the home – where the most vicious domestic violence is likely to occur.

Full Story Here

S.C. Cracking Down on Fraudulent Tax Returns

Three family members are now behind bars after the South Carolina Department of Revenue said they filed false tax returns and evaded taxes. 

More than a dozen former clients now owe the state more than $60,000. 

"You're taking their word for what they're doing,” explained James McIlrath, local certified public accountant.  

McIlrath says this could have been avoided by keeping several things in mind when choosing a return preparer.  One important thing to know is the business's history.  

You can look on sites like the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any problems in the past.  It's also important to know how long that business has been around. 

“The longevity can kind of give you a comfort feel on whether somebody's gonna be trustworthy and help you with what you need and not take advantage of a situation," he said. 

If you aren't filing your taxes online, you should always take the time to sit down with your tax preparer. Treat the meeting like an interview, and go with your gut.  

 Also, don't get sucked in by prices, you get what you pay for.  

"It's like everything else, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” McIlrath explained.  

If you file your taxes online, you need to be extra careful. Each question you answer and deduction you make can change things dramatically.  

Opinion: Candidates Weather Bad Format, Coverage in Gubernatorial Debate

By Greg Wilson

The jack-o'-lanterns are on the front porches. Plastic skeletons are hanging from doors and fence posts. It can only mean one thing - election day is getting closer.

And nothing says elections like a good debate. That's why there were a variety of reasons to be disappointed in Tuesday night's South Carolina gubernatorial debate. The problem was not as much with the candidates, but with the over-wrought format and C-Span's truncated coverage snafus.

The debate, scheduled for a 9 p.m. start, was delayed 10 minutes while C-Span aired expanded coverage following the Arkansas Senatorial debate, including television commercials from each of the candidates. When the poorly lighted, poorly staged event actually began, things did not get much better.

Some of the issues were a result of the fact the debate was sponsored by The Charleston Post and Courier, WCIV-TV in Charleston, WACH-TV in Columbia, WPDE-TV in Myrtle Beach and WLOS-TV/WMYA-TV, created some of the problems.

Too many representatives of sponsors, each with questions for the candidates, made for an awkward and unsatisfying debate both for the candidates and viewers.

Each candidate was given 60 seconds to answer a question, and offered 30 seconds for rebuttal. Few got the opportunity to use their rebuttal time during the 40-minute debate.

The candidates and voters of South Carolina deserved better.

The five candidates handled the poor format and time restraints as well as can be expected.

Here is are the essential messages and performance rankings from each candidate, based on a rating scale of 1-5:

1. Independent Tom Ervin - 4

Ervin stayed with his talking points of improve the economy, improve wages for citizens and repairing the state's crumbling and aging road system. 

2. Democrat Vincent Sheheen - 3.5

Sheheen hammered away at citizens of South Carolina paying for Medicaid expansion in other states, due directly to the fact that Haley spearheaded the rejection of the federally funded expansion of the program in our own state, a move which is costing South Carolina hundreds of millions of dollars, which comes out of the pockets or working citizens in the state. 

3. Rebulican Nikki Haley - 3

Haley maintained, in very broad terms, the state had added thousands of jobs during her first term and accused Sheheen of wanting to expand Obamacare by suggesting Medicaid expansion was good for South Carolina. Haley seemed a bit detatched and distracted during the debate, and missed opportunities to challenge some of the criticisms leveled at her.

4. Libertarian Steve French - 2

French was consistent in his Libertarian views promoting less taxation and essentially no restraints on personal choices by citizens. But his comments on jobs made Reeves ramblings seem almost sane. Criticizing Haley on incentives for businesees, French said: "I look at jobs like I look at sex. You shouldn't brag about it if you have to pay for it."

5. Green/United Citizens Morgan Bruce Reeves - 1

It is hard to take any candidate seriously who finds a way to imply that all of the state's problems would be solved by legalizing hemp and marijuana. His implications that supporting full legalization of the drug was a spiritual matter just made him seem plain weird. I confess I don't like the fact this guy can run on the ballot twice, which garnered him 20,000 votes in 2010. 

A second gubernatorial debate scheduled for Oct. 21 at Furman University in Greenville will focus on education and health care.

Gubernatorial Candidates Square of in Charleston Debate

In a debate hampered by format and C-Span's production gaffe's, South Carolina gubernatorial candidates squared off Tuesday night in Charleston in the first of two events leading up to the Nov. 4 elections.

Gov. Nikki Haley maintained the state had seen improvement during her first term while her opponents challenged her assertions.

Independent Candidate Tom Ervin focused on the state's struggling economy, including wages and the state's under-funded and aging roads and bridge, while Democratic Candidate Vincent Sheheen hammered Haley for costing the taxpayers of the state millions by rejecting the federally funded expansion of medicaid. Liberterian Steve French preached his party's mantra of "reduce taxes" and "more individual freedoms" calling for full legalization of marijuana. Morgan Bruce Reeves, the Green Party/United Citizens Party candidate, made it clear that he thinks the future of the state is dependent on legalizing hemp and marijuana.

In the first of two scheduled gubernatorial debates Tuesday, Haley touted the more than 50,000 jobs announced by her administration, while her challengers blasted her numbers as not real.

Democratic Sen. Vincent Sheheen said roughly half of the announced jobs have shown up and many of the planned openings already have fallen through. Haley countered that the promised jobs don't happen overnight.

"It will take awhile," she said.

Independent candidate Tom Ervin asked Haley to publicly post the incentives given to lure companies to South Carolina, so taxpayers can judge whether they're worth it, saying the Republican governor has "given away the farm when it comes to economic incentives."

Libertarian Steve French also criticized Haley on incentives, calling instead for elimination of more taxes.

"I look at jobs like I look at sex. You shouldn't brag about it if you have to pay for it," he said.

Haley insisted she has the right approach to increasing residents' prosperity, with job announcements in 45 of the state's 46 counties.

Sheheen said the state needs to expand Medicaid eligibility under the federal health care law and focus on small businesses owned by South Carolinians. Ervin said the state needs to increase the minimum wage to $10 over three years to help those struggling below the poverty limit.

"Folks who work hard deserve a living wage," he said.

Ervin was the only candidate to support raising the state's 16-cents-per-gallon gas tax, which hasn't changed since 1987, to improve the state's roads and bridges. That ensures tourists and truckers help fund infrastructure improvements that support economic development, he said. The state Department of Transportation has said it needs an additional $1.5 billion yearly over 20 years just to bring roads to good condition.

United Citizens candidate Morgan Bruce Reeves said the answer to the state's economy is legalizing marijuana.

Reiterating a call he made two weeks ago, Sheheen said it's time to remove the Confederate flag from a memorial in front of the Statehouse, where it's flown since a 2000 legislative compromise removed it from the dome.

"We're tired of having an image that we're stuck in the past and divided," he said. "I think it's time to retire it to a place of respect and all rally together under a flag that unites us all."

Ervin said he's surprised Sheheen raised such a divisive issue just before the election. Haley went further in calling Sheheen's stance a campaign stunt. She noted Sheheen has been in the Legislature since 2001 but has never raised the issue until now.

As for whether it affects the state's economy, she said the flag has never come up in her economic development discussions with company executives.

"Yes, the perception of South Carolina matters, but we really fixed all that" when voters elected her - an Indian-American - as the state's first female and first minority governor, and when she appointed Republican Tim Scott in December 2012 to be South Carolina's first black U.S. senator, she said.

French disagreed, saying the flag's placement on Statehouse grounds contributes to people he knows still considering South Carolina "a backwoods, good ol' boy network." But as a supporter of individual liberties, he added, "if you want to paint your house in the Confederate flag, I'm fine with that."

Both Haley and Ervin said South Carolina lawmakers need to wait and see what happens in Colorado and Washington before moving to legalize marijuana here.

"Habitual users can lose IQ points. It concerns me. We're in a world economy. Our young people need all the IQ points they can muster," Ervin said.

But he did support making first-offense marijuana possession a civil penalty.

French said he fully supports legalizing marijuana, but the state at least needs to decriminalize it altogether, saying the state spends too much money arresting and incarcerating people for a victimless crime.

"I believe you have the right to do what you want with your own body in your own home," French said.

Reeves' entire economic policy centers on raising revenue by legalizing marijuana, saying the plant is part of God's creation. He wants to give some of the revenue to churches to help the poor.

Noting his twin, 18-year-old sons might be watching, Sheheen said simply that legalizing marijuana is not the answer.

High Court Upholds Texas Voter ID Law

A federal appeals court on Tuesday reinstated Texas’ tough voter ID law for the November election, which the US Justice Department had condemned as the state’s latest means of suppressing minority voter turnout.

The ruling by the New Orleans-base fifth circuit court of appeals temporarily blocks last week’s ruling by US district judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos in Corpus Christi, who determined the law unconstitutional and similar to a poll tax designed to dissuade minorities from voting.

The fifth circuit did not rule on the merits of the law; instead, it determined it’s too late to change the rules for the upcoming election. Early voting starts 20 October.

The law remains under appeal. For now, the ruling is a key victory for Republican-backed photo ID measures that have swept across the US in recent years. The Texas law, considered the toughest of its kind in the nation, requires that an estimated 13.6 million registered Texas voters will need one of seven kinds of photo identification to cast a ballot.

The Justice Department says more than 600,000 of those voters, mostly blacks and Hispanics, lack eligible ID.

Severe Weather Warnings in Effect for Anderson

Severe weather has prompted the National Weather Service to issue tornado warning and watches for Anderson County and the rest of the area. Latest Radar Here

A tornado warning is in effect for Northwestern Greenville County, Pickens County and East Central Oconee County until 9:30 a.m.  This means a tornado is likely to develop and people should seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest level of a home or office building. 

A tornado watch has been issued for a large part of the Upstate, as well as parts of NC and Ga.

The National Weather Service issued the watch just before 7 a.m. and remains in effect until 2 p.m. 

The following areas are affected: 

In South Carolina this watch includes 12 counties in Upstate South Carolina, including Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, Union, and York.

County Transportation Committee to Meet

The Anderson County Transportation Committee will meet on Monday at 4 p.m.  This regular meeting is to consider local and state requests for funding and as a Work Session for further General Policy and Procedures discussion. It will be held in the Conference Room of the Roads & Bridges Department Building at 735 Michelin Boulevard.

Adults Can Trick or Treat to Help AIM Fight Hunger

What if, instead of just eating candy on Halloween, you helped make it possible for hundreds of families to have food to eat?  You can this holiday by Trick or Treating for canned goods rather than candy.

This year you can help stock the food pantry at Anderson Interfaith Ministries (AIM) who needs your help now more than ever. Each month AIM assists more than 900 families with their food needs.  The monthly average continues to rise as unemployment and a poor economy leave more and more families needing to ask for help to make ends meet.
 
During this unique annual food collection effort, canned goods and non-perishable items are collected to stock AIM's Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry.  This eventwill jump-start the busy holiday season and AIM is asking the entire community to join in the fun.

Any class/group/club or individual is welcome to join AIM in fighting hunger by participating in "Trick Or Treat So Others May Eat!"  There are many ways to become involved.  You can form a team and collect in neighborhoods; or you can collect within your church, school, or organization.  AIM can help provide any materials you might need along with lots of support, while you provide the volunteer power and enthusiasm during the last two weeks of October.

Any non-perishable food is welcome. Avoid glass items. Please do not include items which will crush, such as bread. Soups, canned vegetables, canned meats, rice, beans, peanut butter, pasta are among the most requested items.

Perisable items need to be brought directly to the AIM offices.
 
Here are some “Trick Or Treat So Others May Eat” details:
 
1.     Recruit your group team members to participate in this event.
2.     Pick up bags and bag attachments at AIM.
3.     Drop off bags to your neighborhoods/class prior to Halloween this week.
4.     Pick up the filled bags & deliver them to the Fishes & pantry at AIM. Arrangements can also be made to pick up bags from groups.

 
For more information, please call 965-9077 or email angie.shaw@aimcharity.org to discuss other ways you can fight hunger.

Anderson House to Host Halloween Haunted Walk

Trick-or-treaters near Old Pearman Dairy Road in Anderson can take part in a haunted walk this year, as Tyler Schmidt of Anderson said his family has been holding a haunted walk at their house for seven years. The walk is open on Oct. 31 from 5 to 9 p.m. Schmidt said the haunted walk is free of charge to trick-or-treaters.

Meals on Wheels Oyster Roast Saturday

The 10th annual Oyster Roast and Low Country Boil to benefit Meals on Wheels-Anderson will be held Oct. 18 at the Anderson County Recycling and Education Center. General admission to the event is from 5–8 p.m., and the VIP  hour begins at 4 p.m. for a limited number of ticket holders. 

This fall tradition offers all-you-can-eat oysters, roasted to perfection on site, a Low Country boil featuring boiled shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn, as well as homemade barbecue will be offered.  

VIP hour will only be offered to 100 guests. This hour limits the number in attendance offering more personal attention to each guest. Servers will be on hand to “wait” on guests bringing beer, wine or soft drinks to each person. 

General admission tickets for this event are $35 for adults and $15 for children under 12. VIP tickets are available for $60. Tickets must be purchased in advance and include all food and beverages. Tickets can be purchased online at www.acmow.org; at the Meals on Wheels Center at 105 S. Fant St.; or by calling 864-225-6800.

All proceeds from the Oyster Roast will support the mission of delivering meals to individuals in need in Anderson County. Funds raised will be used to provide hot, nutritious meals each weekday for approximately 600 homebound elderly and disabled of Anderson County who are participating in the home delivery program. Meals on Wheels-Anderson receives no federal or state funds. It operates solely on donations from individuals, churches and businesses, and through community grants and fundraising.

PAWS Needs Beds for Sheltered Pets

Anderson County Pets Are Worth Saving is the public animal shelter serving Anderson which cares for more than 10,000 animals each year.  P.A.W.S. is an open admission animal shelter serving the homeless and lost pets of Anderson County.

The shelter cannot close the doors to incoming pet even if at capacity. During the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge Anderson County P.A.W.S. saved over 700 lives June through August, 2014 with your help.

The shelter would like continue to attract the community with your help.  Anderson County P.A.W.S. has been faced with overcrowding for the past few months. They are currently requesting donations of pet beds for the animals. For information call 864-260-4151  With your donation of a bed a Kong toy will also be sent for a shelter dog to enjoy. Kong toys are able to be sanitized and reused for incoming dogs at the shelter. www.petango.com/andersoncountypaws