Outreach Magazine: Newspring 2nd Largest Church in U.S.

Anderson's Newspring Church is listed just behind North Point in Atlanta as the second largest church in America in the new issue of Outreach Magazine. 

Newspring's 30,791 members, whom the church refers to as "owners," trails North Point by only 497. Newspring was founded in 2000, while North Point began in 1995.

Newspring was also listed as the second fastest growing church in the country.

Outreach Magazine's Largest Churches in the U.S. List 2014:

#1	North Point Ministries	Alpharetta, GA	Andy Stanley	31,288	1995
#2	NewSpring Church	Anderson, SC	Perry Noble	30,791	2000
#3	Gateway Church	Southlake, TX	Robert Morris	25,157	2000
#4	Church of the Highlands	Birmingham, AL	Chris Hodges	24,517	2001
#5	Willow Creek Community Church	South Barrington, IL	Bill Hybels	24,517	1975
#6	Saddleback Church	Lake Forest, CA	Rick Warren	23,980	1980
#7	Southeast Christian Church	Louisville, KY	Dave Stone	22,225	1962
#8	Christ's Church of the Valley	Peoria, AZ	Donald J. Wilson	21,381	1982
#9	Christ Fellowship Church	Palm Beach Gardens, FL	Todd Mullins	20,260	1984
#10	Second Baptist Church	Houston, TX	Ed Young Sr.	19,552	1927

Outreach Magazine's 2014 List of Fastest Growing Churches in America:

#1	Cherry Hills Community Church	Highlands Ranch, CO	Shane Farmer	1,868	43%
#2	NewSpring Church	Anderson, SC	Perry Noble	7,736	34%
#3	2|42 Community Church	Brighton, MI	David Dummitt	1,179	44%
#4	Lifepoint Church	Fredericksburg, VA	Daniel Floyd	1,028	50%
#5	Next Level Church	Somersworth, NH	Joshua Gagnon	880	155%
#6	New Life Church	Conway, AZ	Rick Bezet	2,054	25%
#7	Grace Church	Dumfries, VA	Derek Grier	865	72%
#8	The Crossing	Las Vegas, NV	Shane Philip	1,049	36%
#9	Christ's Church of Flagstaff	Flagstaff, AZ	Jim Dorman	1,795	25%
#10	Freedom Church	Acworth, GA	J.R. Lee	798	109%

Newspring Church currently has campuses across the state of South Carolina in Anderson, Boiling Springs, Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville, Greenwood, Lexington, Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg. Future announced campuses include Clemson and Powdersville.

Winthrop Poll Finds Haley, Graham Ahead in Races

Republican Governor Nikki Haley holds a 10-point lead over Democratic challenger S.C. Sen. Vincent Sheheen in the November elections, according to the latest Winthrop Poll released Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Haley leads Sheheen by a 43.6-33.6 margin among likely South Carolina voters. Petition candidate Tom Ervin, a self-funded attorney and former judge, has a slight effect on the race with 3.9% of voters. Undecided voters could bring the election closer as 12.4% of likely voters said they do not know who they will choose to lead the Palmetto state.

Haley, the state’s first female and Indian-American governor, beat Sheheen, a Camden attorney, in 2010 by 51.4% to 47% of votes.

Her lead comes as more than half of Winthrop Poll respondents (57.5%) say that economic conditions in South Carolina are fairly good. More than a third of respondents (36.1%) said conditions are fairly or very bad.

Those surveyed believe that the most important problems facing South Carolina are: jobs/unemployment (20.1%), education (18.3%) and economy (10.9%). Sixty-two percent of likely voters are optimistic that South Carolina’s economic conditions are getting better.

Winthrop Poll callers surveyed 1,082 likely voters in South Carolina by landline and cell phones between Sept. 21-28.  The poll has an approximately +/- 3% margin of error.

U.S. SENATE RACES

With Republicans threatening to capture the control of the U.S. Senate from Democrats, both Republican incumbents are running strong races, said Scott Huffmon, director of the Winthrop Poll.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is the candidate chosen by 46.3% of likely voters, while Democratic and Working Families Party challenger Brad Hutto of Orangeburg drew 28% support. Petition candidate and former S.C. treasurer Tom Ravenel  of Charleston has 8% of voter support. Undecided voters are at 12.2%.

In the other Senate race, Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott holds more than a majority lead (52.4%) over Democratic challenger Joyce Dickerson of Columbia (31.8%) and American Party candidate Jill Bossi of Tega Cay (1.8%).

S.C. Gets $450,000 for Homeless Vets

South Carolina is receiving almost $450,000 to help dozens of homeless veterans in the state find permanent housing.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the award Wednesday. The money is in the form of rental vouchers for local public housing agencies and will allow 95 veterans find permanent homes.

The vouchers are being provided under a program that combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services from Veterans Affairs. The vouchers will go to housing authorities in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Myrtle Beach.

The money is part of more than $62 million being distributed nationwide as part of an Obama Administration goal of ending homelessness among veterans by the end of next year.

Sheheen Calls for Removal of Confederate Flag from Statehouse

Democratic candidate for governor Vincent Sheheen tried to shake up the governor's race in South Carolina on Wednesday, calling for the removal of the Confederate flag that flies on a pole in front of the Statehouse.

Sheheen, who is lagging in the polls, is the most prominent political voice to call for the removal of the flag — a somewhat quixotic attempt that would need a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate at a time when few others in the state are publicly demanding it.

The two-thirds vote requirement was included in a compromise 14 years ago that moved the flag from atop the Capitol dome to a place just a few feet south of a monument honoring Confederate soldiers on one of the state's busiest streets.

The state senator from Camden has proposed replacing the Confederate flag at its new location with an American flag. The American and South Carolina flags still fly over the Statehouse.

"I want South Carolina to be celebrated not as the state that left America, but as the best state in America," Sheheen said.

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"Emma's Law" Gets Tougher on DUI Today

A law requiring more people convicted of drunken driving in South Carolina to use a locking device that won't let their car start if they have been drinking is going into effect.

The state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services said it is ready to enforce "Emma's Law" when it becomes law Wednesday.

Anyone convicted of driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level over 0.15 percent now must use the device for six months, and any offenders convicted for a second time must use it for two years. The devices also have cameras to make sure someone else doesn't blow into it.

The law is named for a 6-year-old Lexington girl who died when a repeat-offender drunken driver struck her family's minivan as they drove to church.

Anderson Attorney Ronnie Cole was among five lawyers who helped write the legislation.

State Superintendent Candidates Debate in Mount Pleasant

The three candidates vying to lead South Carolina's schools weighed in on everything from how and what students are taught to funding teachers' pay and school buses during a debate Monday at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant.

More than 50 people attended the event featuring Republican Molly Spearman, Democrat Tom Thompson and American Party candidate Ed Murray, who are all running for state superintendent of education.

The issue-driven debate was amicable, with candidates sticking to the topics and avoiding personal jabs. Several of the candidates did take on current Superintendent Mick Zais, including Thompson who said there had been a "lack of leadership" in the state Department of Education.

The candidates largely agreed on topics such as the need for more funding for new school buses and higher pay for teachers, but they differed on how to achieve those goals.

Thompson said he wants to push to change the language in the state's constitution that only requires the state provide a "minimally adequate" education, and instead require the state provide a "high quality" education. Then the superintendent can push to get funding to meet that higher standard.

"We pay (teachers) at a minimally adequate level and expect high quality work," he said. "It just doesn't work."

Murray said he thought one way the Department of Education could raise teacher pay could be by reducing the number of standardized tests students take and redirect funds for those tests to teacher salaries. Spearman proposed offering additional responsibilities to teachers outside of administrative positions to provide opportunities for higher pay.

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CDC Confirms First U.S. Ebola Case

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the first case of Ebola virus diagnosed in United States. The patient, still not identified, had recently flown here from Liberia to visit family, officials said. He was admitted on Monday to an isolation unit at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas to betested for Ebola after he began exhibiting symptoms.

"This is the first case of Ebola diagnosed in the U.S., and the first case of this strain of Ebola diagnosed outside Africa," Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, said at a news conference Tuesday evening.

Frieden sought to reassure the public, stating "I have no doubt that we will control this importation, this case of Ebola, so it will not spread widely in this country." He acknowledged it was possible that "a handful" of others in close contact with the patient may have been exposed. He said those people would be tracked down, and he expressed confidence the disease would be contained. "I have no doubt we will stop it here," he said.

Clemson Gets Part of Radioactive Waste Research Grant

A team of environmental scientists and engineers from Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and South Carolina State University, led by Clemson University associate professor Brian Powell, was awarded a three-year, $5.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research to make a direct positive impact on South Carolina in the advancement of monitoring, remediation and disposal of radioactive contaminants.

“Understanding the scientific and engineering needs for safely and adequately dealing with environmental aspects of nuclear technologies is imperative if South Carolina is to make a positive and meaningful contribution to the future of nuclear energy,” said Powell.

Brian Powell and student Todd Miller examine data from an experiment monitoring radionuclide transport through soils.

The objective of the project is to address key scientific issues identified by several Department of Energy (DOE) programs that limit the present understanding of radionuclide behavior in natural and engineered systems in support of closure of DOE legacy weapons production sites, disposal of radioisotope-bearing wastes and disposal of spent nuclear fuel from commercial energy production.

The key issues to be addressed include identifying source terms for contaminants in geologic disposal scenarios, determining the chemical speciation of contaminants, delineating the biogeochemical and physical processes through which contaminant transport is manifested, and predicting contaminant mobility across wide temporal and spatial scales.

To address the multidisciplinary nature of these problems, the research team members have expertise in nuclear engineering, radiochemistry, health physics, plant physiology, environmental science, hydrogeology, geophysics, computational modeling and civil engineering.

Brian Powell and student Amy Hixon prepare soil suspensions from the Savannah River Site for radionuclide uptake tests.

“Through this grant, we will produce intellectual capital, establish a research testbed capable of monitoring radionuclide transport through waste forms and soils, and develop highly integrative reactive transport models,” Powell said.

“Due to the high level of nuclear-related activities within the state of South Carolina, having educational and research programs to support these activities is critical for economic development,” he said.

The scope and potential impacts of this work are consistent with the South Carolina Vision 2025 plan to advance the state’s capacity in science and technology by developing nationally and globally competitive, multi-disciplinary research centers to “address complex problems and opportunities that are unique to South Carolina.”

Report: Anderson Among Worst Places for Singles

Sorry, singles, but these cities just aren't that into you. The places that are ranked poor for the unmarried may be quite lovely for couples, families or retirees. But based on economic and demographic factors, we found these cities to be far from perfect matches for resident bachelors and bachelorettes.

Anderson comes in at number 9 on the list.

How did we come up with our list of the worst cities for singles? We started by looking for metropolitan areas with more than 125,000 people. Then we penalized places with small populations of singles, including the never-married, divorced and widowed. The share of unmarried residents in each of these bottom-ten cities is well shy of the national average. 

Financial indicators didn't boost the cities' attractiveness. Although many of these areas boast below-average living costs, paychecks typically are way below average, too. We also factored in education level, keeping in mind that people with bachelor's and advanced degrees are more likely to be gainfully employed. After all, you can't exactly rock the single lifestyle without the earnings to fund it.

On the bright side, we scoured our rankings for areas near these ten cities that might serve as suitable alternatives. Take a look. 

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Study: Talk Therapy Tops Meds for Social Anxiety

A form of talk therapy beats antidepressants in treating social anxiety disorder and, unlike the medication, can remain effective long after treatment has stopped, a study shows.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, a type that helps a patient focus on relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, led all treatments in an analysis of 101 clinical trials comparing multiple types of medication and talk therapy. The results are published online in the Lancet Psychiatry.

“Social anxiety is more than just shyness,” says study leader Evan Mayo-Wilson, a research epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. “People with this disorder can experience severe impairment, from shunning friendships to turning down promotions at work that would require increased social interaction.

“The good news from our study is that social anxiety is treatable. Now that we know what works best, we need to improve access to psychotherapy for those who are suffering.”

Social anxiety disorder is characterized by intense fear and avoidance of social situations; it affects up to 13 percent of Americans and Europeans. Most never receive treatment. For those who do, medication is a more accessible treatment because there is a shortage of trained psychotherapists.

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Hospitals Beginning to Ask for Up-Front Payment

Get ready to whip out your credit card before you are wheeled into the operating room or undergo an MRI.

Hospitals are increasingly asking patients to pay for procedures either upfront or before they are discharged. That's because Americans are shouldering a greater portion of their health care bills, and medical centers don't want to get stuck with patients that can't pay.

Traditionally, neither patients nor providers knew the exact price of procedures until after the insurer processed the charges. Now, however, new technology is allowing hospitals to determine the patient's responsibility in advance of treatment.

Starting the cost conversation early is especially important now because patients are facing higher deductibles and larger payments for services. Some are surprised to find out that they have to fork over thousands of dollars before their insurance even kicks in, hospital administrators said.

The policies available on the Obamacare exchanges are hastening this trend. Many enrollees are opting for the bronze and silver plans, which often carry deductibles upwards of $5,000 and $2,000, respectively.

"The bronze plans are scaring a lot of administrators because the patient liability is so large," said Debra Lowe, administrative director of revenue cycle at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center. "Patients are unaware they have this high deductible."

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ATM Fees Continue to Rise

The penalty for using an ATM that is not affiliated with your bank went up 5 percent over the past year.

The average fee for using an out-of-network ATM climbed to a new high of $4.35 per transaction, according to a survey released Monday by Bankrate.com.

Overdraft fees also surged, rising on average over the past 12 months to $32.74. That's the 16th consecutive record high, the firm said.

Checking account fees have been increasing as lenders adjust to federal banking laws and regulations enacted after the 2008 financial crisis. Among the changes: limits on when banks can charge overdraft fees on ATM and debit card transactions and a reduction in the fees that banks charge merchants for each customer who uses credit or debit cards for their purchases.

Lenders have responded by hiking overdraft and ATM fees, as well as increasing how much money customers must maintain in the bank to avoid checking account fees.

"I expect fees to continue increasing in years to come, but at a modest pace consistent with what we saw this year, just as was the case prior to the onset of these regulations," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com.

Using another bank's ATM will usually lead to two fees. One is charged by your lender; the other is charged by the owner of the ATM. That's the fee that's risen most consistently and at a faster rate, McBride said.

All told, the average fee for using an out-of-network ATM has vaulted 23 percent over the past five years. It has notched a new high for eight years in a row, according to Bankrate.

The firm surveyed the 10 largest banks and thrifts in 25 large U.S. markets.

SLED Investigating Missing Calhoun Falls Fines

State police are investigating whether an Abbeville County town has months' worth of missing fines.

The Index-Journal of Greenwood reports (http://bit.ly/Yx4kdk ) that Calhoun Falls officials asked the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate potential wrongdoing or sloppy accounting practices by town employees. Mayor Johnnie Waller said SLED officers will arrive Monday to collect documents.

According to records reviewed by the newspaper, the town failed to file with the state 13 monthly reports on fines the town collected, starting in March 2012. Municipalities are supposed to split court and police fines with the state. The unfiled reports have held up town audits and led to the state treasurer's office withholding more than $250,000 in state money from the town.

That's a large chunk of the small town's budget.