S.C. Ordered to Pay Legal Fees in Immigration Case

South Carolina has been ordered to pay legal fees to a group that sued the state over its immigration law.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel on Monday ordered the state to pay $98,000 in attorneys’ fees to groups including the American Civil Liberties Union.

Those entities sued after the General Assembly approved the sweeping legislation, which was modeled after similar measures in Arizona and among the stiffest in the country. The lawsuit said parts of the South Carolina law, like a provision allowing police to check people’s immigration status, were unconstitutional.

Gergel ultimately said the state’s status check provision could take effect but he blocked most other parts of the law. State prosecutors have acknowledged their defense of some of those elements likely would not succeed.

AIM, Calvary Baptist Free Food Distribution Saturday

Anderson Interfaith Ministries and Calvary Baptist Church will host a Manna Free Food Distribution Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. at the church located at 10 Academy Street in Williamston .  Volunteers from the church will be gathering Saturday morning, to unload and prep the more than 5,000 pounds of assorted food items after it is delivered by Golden Harvest Food Bank.  Food will be distributed to those in need beginning at 10:00 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.  The distribution will be held rain or shine, and participants are encouraged to bring a wagon, cart, large bin or laundry basket to help in carrying their food.  Please encourage anyone needing food assistance to attend.

For more information contact AIM's Angela F. Shaw at 965-9077

Green Pond Construction to Set Record in Construction

This afternoon, Anderson County will begin the two-day process to 'push' the concrete ramp sections into Lake Hartwell, forming the the new Green Pond boat ramp and breaking the record for longest 'push'  mega boat ramp. Green Pond exceeds the record set in 2010 by Troup County, Georgia at West Point Lake.

Today is the beginning of Lake Hartwell being unveiled as the jewel we have always known she is," said Anderson County Council Chairman Tommy Dunn. "Residents have anticipated and waited patiently and now...over the next two days, we will witness Green Pond move beyond being a much discussed vision into a reality. Once completed, the Green Pond Ramp will be 221' x 50' and weigh 1.2 million pounds, setting the new world record for the longest push. This record breaking push will propel Anderson County into the number one Water Sports & Competitive Fishing Tournament Destination."

"This record will exemplify Anderson County's commitment to Lake Hartwell recreation," said Anderson County Parks Manager Matt Schell. "This 5- year journey will begin the final approach toward completion with the pushing of this first slab. This will also mark the official preparation for the Bassmaster Classic scheduled for February 2015. 

Pendleton to Vote on Sunday Alcohol Sales

Voters in Pendleton are one step closer to voting on Sunday alcohol sales on the November ballot.

The town council initially passed a referendum in June that would send the issue to the ballot, but following the town attorney's recommendation, they decided to vote again due to a possible issue with the language in original ordinance.

On Monday, they voted unanimously to pass the newly-written ordinance.

The question will have to pass a final reading at the next meeting for it to go the voters in November.

Free Beekeeping Workshop Tonight

If you are intrigued by the idea of beekeeping but don't know what to expect or where to start, then you won't want to miss Tuesday's Community Farmers Market, and a free workshop, "What's the Buzz?: An Introduction to Beekeeping"

Presented by a panel of experts from the Anderson County Beekeepers Association, including president Joe Duffy, topics will include everything from a basic understanding of honeybees and their critical role in food production, to a discussion of local bee-friendly plants, to instruction on proper equipment, hive management, harvesting honey, as well as additional training resources.

The workshop begins at 6 p.m. No pre-registration is required, although you may want to bring your own chair to guarantee a seat.

Senate Oks Shooting on Public Land

Legislation to promote shooting on public land and relax ammunition regulations sailed through Congress on Monday night after Senators voted overwhelmingly in favour of a key procedural motion.

In stark contrast to gun control legislation, which has been stalled since last April, the bipartisan "sportsmen's act" has been promoted by gun enthusiasts and attracted support from several Democrats facing re-election in Republican-leaning states.

A cloture motion to bring debate to a close and move rapidly toward a vote was passed by 82 senators to 12, all but ensuring the bill – which is matched by a similar measure already passed by the House of Representatives - will soon become law.

The legislation aims "to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting" by stipulating that shooting ranges on public land can be used for target practice and exempting shotgun pellets and bullets from environmental rules designed to limit lead use.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, one of several pro-gun groups supporting the measure, said "this historic legislation is simply the most important package of measures for the benefit of sportsmen in a generation".

Its list of sponsors closely matches those Democrats facing the stiffest Republican challenges in November's mid-term election, including Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Mark Udall of Colorado.

Among the 12 Democrats in mostly safe seats voting against cloture were senators Blumenthal, Feinstein, Menendez, Murphy, Reed, Warren, Merkley, Booker and Hirono.

S.C. Road Construction Slowed while Waiting on Congress

Construction projects on federal roads in South Carolina may slow to a crawl this fall unless Congress prevents the Highway Trust Fund from going broke.

South Carolina, along with the rest of the country, has been anxiously waiting for Congress to keep federal transportation aid flowing to states for another four years. If it doesn't happen by Aug. 1, South Carolina will have to slow down or cut back on new projects scheduled for the fall, said Jim Warren, SCDOT deputy secretary for finance and procurement.

The feds have warned that if Congress doesn't resolve the cash flow issue, they'll have to modify their reimbursement procedures. That could mean delays in paying back states for the construction they have underway for federal projects. Warren says, however, that SCDOT has enough cash in its coffers to pay for projects that are underway.

"As of right now, I see no reason why we won't be paying our vendors on time," Warren said. "If there's a long-term obstruction, we'll have to study it much harder and make whatever adjustments necessary to make sure our suppliers and contractors are paid on a timely basis."

That could mean stopping any projects from even starting in the fall. It could also mean the temporary halt of state-level projects to funnel the cash to cover those federal projects that have already started. That's something that alarms Sens. Larry Grooms, R-Charleston, and Ray Cleary, R- Murrells Inlet.

"Once the Federal Highway Trust Fund is at zero balance, they will not be able to reimburse the states for federally authorized work," Grooms said. "It'll hurt our state more than most other states because we're so heavily dependent on the Federal Highway Trust Fund."

Cleary called the potential halt in cash an "extreme crisis" in South Carolina that could have been prevented.

"Quite honestly, when they talk about the sky falling, most people are exaggerating," Cleary said. "In this particular case, I don't think Sen. Grooms is exaggerating."

Because South Carolina lawmakers and leaders have not addressed how to fund the state's roads properly, there's not enough state-level cash to fall back on, Clearly said. Whereas some states pay out of their pockets for projects and turn to the federal government on a biannual or annual basis for reimbursement, South Carolina does it on a bi-weekly basis.

"We rely on the federal government to help us maintain our roads," Cleary said. "And we're paying the piper now."

But the federal potential impact on a state level did not creep up on anyone. Grooms has been pushing for SCDOT to scale back on its bidding for projects since January. And Eric Dickey, chairman of South Carolina Alliance to Fix Our Roads, said anyone in the highway industry has known about the problem since earlier this year.

"We're in big time trouble come Aug. 1," Dickey said. "I don't think projects will stop immediately, but they'll slow down dramatically."

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Christian Fiction Writers Honored

The South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers is happy to announce winners of their 2014 Novel Boot Camp contest, "First Five Pages." Awards were presented at the final session of the boot camp at North Anderson Baptist Church,

Attendees of the chapter meeting heard the first three winning manuscript pages and judge's comments read aloud.

First Place went to Elva Cobb Martin, Anderson, for The Labyrinth, an inspirational romantic mystery set at Lake Junaluska Assembly in North Carolina.

Second Place winner, Debbie Turner of Greenwood, polished her five novel pages with one finger while recovering from a broken wrist.  Her entry, a Young Adult mystery, is entitled Written in Red.

Third Place winner, Bruce Brady of Simpsonville, hooked interest with his opening pages of a young man being rescued from a deadly automobile accident. His Y/A novel Thom and the Time Tunnel is sure to be a hit with young readers. 

First Honorable Mention winner, Fran Strickland of Abbeville, entered a fast-paced Inspirational Romantic Suspense.

Second Honorable Mention went to author Kimberly Pickens of Simpsonville for Molly's Story.

The contest, coordinated by Edie Melson of Simpsonville, mandated entries from unpublished fiction writers, but authors did not have to be members of the chapter. Entries were required to follow strict guidelines regarding content, industry format, and the length limited to the first five pages of a novel. Authors also included a 200-word blurb or pitch.  An acquisitions editor judged the contest, offered comments for improving the manuscripts and remarked that all entries had merit.

A fall writing contest is in the plans which will be open to ACFW-SC Chapter and non chapter members. Please call Elva Martin at 864/226-7024 for further information on the contest or the monthly meetings which are open to visitors. 

Information on the national organization of American Christian Fiction Writers can be found at www.acfw.com. The South Carolina Chapter blog can be visited at http://www.scwritersacfw.com

Moped Deaths Up in S.C.

State troopers say overall fatalities on South Carolina roads in 2014 are similar to last year's totals, but they are seeing a significant increase in deaths of people on mopeds.

Highway Patrol Lt. Kelley Hughes told The Greenville News that 18 people have died on mopeds in the state in the first six months of 2014. Troopers reported seven moped deaths in the first half of 2013.

Overall, the Highway Patrol says 357 people died on South Carolina roads from January through June, one more than the first six months of 2013.

Troopers continue to be concerned with pedestrian deaths. The same number of pedestrians - 42 - have been killed in the first half of 2014 as were killed in the first six months of 2013.

N.C. Voter ID Law Challenged

North Carolina’s voter identification law, which has been described as the most sweeping attack on African American electoral rights since the Jim Crow era, is being challenged in a legal hearing that opens on Monday.

Civil rights lawyers and activists are gathering in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the start of the legal challenge that is expected to last all week. They will be seeking to persuade a federal district judge to impose a preliminary injunction against key aspects of HB 589, the voting law enacted by state Republicans last August.

Lawyers for the North Carolina branch of the NAACP and the civil rights group the Advancement Project will argue that the main pillars of the law should be temporarily halted ahead of a full trial next year. Otherwise, they say, tens of thousands of largely poor black voters could find themselves turned away at the polls at the midterm elections in November.

“This is the worst voter suppression law we have seen since the days of Jim Crow. It is a full-on assault on the voting rights of minorities,” said Reverend William Barber, president of the North Carolina state conference of the NAACP.

North Carolina was the first state to take advantage of the landmark US supreme court ruling last June that removed one of the most powerful provisions in the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In Shelby County v Holder, the supreme court struck down the so-called “pre-clearance requirement” that had for almost half a century acted as a stalwart against racial discrimination at the polls in largely Southern states.

The provision had required that nine entire states and parts of six others including North Carolina sought approval from the federal government, or “pre-cleared”, any changes they made to voting arrangements. The conservative majority of the supreme court argued that exceptional remedies that had been necessary in the 1960s to combat Jim Crow racism were no longer justified in the modern age.

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S.C. Economic Growth Expected to Outpace U.S.

Economic growth in the lower South Atlantic states will continue to outpace the national economy and South Carolina's will accelerate, but not as fast as the rest of the region, a new report says.

The quarterly state forecast by TD Bank economists said regional growth will reach 2.4 percent this year and accelerate to 3.6 percent in 2015, led by Florida and Georgia.

South Carolina's economy should accelerate to "a still moderate 1.6 percent pace" this year before growing by 2.8 percent in 2015, the economists said.

Cuts in health-care funding and a manufacturing slowdown have dragged down the state's economy, TD said.

"Growth in 2012 was halved and slowed further to just 1.2 percent last year — at odds with job growth," the economists said. "The source of weakness last year was a stupefying 5.1 percent contraction in education and health care — its first ever on record in S.C. — as well as a slowdown in manufacturing, which has contributed nearly half of Palmetto State growth in recent years."

The TD report relies on data from several government sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. TD Senior Economist Michael Dolega said the 2013 data could be revised and contraction in education and health care "might not be as dire."

"Still, there's no question that the sector has slowed," he said. Changes in regulations for hospital and nursing facility funding had an impact, but those were "one-off events," he said.

In their report, TD's economists said rebounds in health care and manufacturing are among reasons for economic optimism in South Carolina.

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Vacation Rental Property Tax Now Active

South Carolina property owners who rent their homes to vacationers will face more tax-related scrutiny under one new state law, but some could see big tax savings under another new law.

The impacts will mostly play out in beach communities where such rental properties are plentiful.

The added scrutiny, which could come with new fines and penalties, involves the sales and accommodations taxes that property owners must collect if they rent out their homes. On Isle of Palms, for example, seven different sales and accommodations taxes add 12.5 percent to the rental cost, and town administrator Linda Tucker said it's challenging to make sure the taxes are properly collected and reported.

"It has been a struggle, over the years, to reconcile the numbers," she said. "The Fairness in Lodging Act, we were very happy to see that go through."

The Fairness in Lodging Act allows municipalities to create penalties for failure to collect accommodations taxes, and requires the S.C. Department of Revenue to share more information with towns and cities that could help identify property owners that aren't following the rules.

The information, Tucker said, will also help towns sort out problems that can happen when the taxes are collected, but are turned over to the wrong government.

Another new law could mean large tax savings for some property owners, those who rent out their residences to vacationers for most of the summer. People in South Carolina can now rent out their homes for up to 72 days yearly while still paying property taxes at the "owner-occupied" rate.

Previously, homes rented for more than 14 days were taxed at commercial property rates, which can roughly triple property tax bills.

"I think the number of people who would fall in that category, of living in their home most of the year and renting it out for some weeks, is pretty small right now," Tucker said.

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