May 17, 2012

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Charleston bridge jumper dead

May 20, 2009 By

A man that jumped off the Arthur Ravenel Bridge on the Cooper River in Charleston was pronounced dead a short time after. It happened around 10 o’clock Tuesday night, when the U.S. Coast Guard received a call.

“We put out an urgent marina information broadcast, we had some boats doing training out in the harbor and they were on scene about seven minutes, located the gentleman, and he was unresponsive at the time. They put him on the Coast Guard boat, and started doing CPR and then he was handed over to an EMS personnel and from there he was pronounced deceased,” says Civilian Controller Sean Shrum with the U.S. Coast Guard in Charleston.

A citizen saw the man jump from the northbound, Mt. Pleasant side of the bridge.

The man’s name has not been released by the Charleston County Coroner’s office. The family was being notified Wednesday.

Filed Under: Accidents & Disasters, News

Grocery auctions save families money

May 20, 2009 By

A new way to save money on groceries while having fun is catching on in Union County. Preston Bennett, a licensed auctioneer, works with ‘The Rite Auction’ as they auction off restaurant quality foods at low prices. The auctions are held every second Friday of each month at 6:30 and in just one year has grown from 60 participants to over 150. Bennett explains how it works.”I have a vendor come in who specializes in restaurant quality foods,” said Bennett.

“He brings the food in in refridgerators and freezers on the back of a truck. Then he brings the items out and people bid on them and when the bidding reaching a point of a fair price on the item which is usually a good bit less than what it sells for in the retail grocery stores, then we stop the bidding
and pass out the item until theyr’e all gone.”

Bennett says just about anything you can find at a grocery store is available at the auction. “He not only has food items, he has paper products. That’s what they call dry goods,” he said. “He sells snacks. He sells Wisconsin cheeses which are really great. He sells fresh and frozen meat to include ground beef, cuts of steak, whole cuts of meat like the whole ribeye of the whole New York strip. He sells pork, chicken, (and) fish.”

The next auction will be held on June 12th. Go here for more information.

Filed Under: Economy

Coalition calls for state sovereignty

May 20, 2009 By

A coalition of several South Carolina groups advocating the constitutionally given sovereignty of state power gathered at the statehouse Tuesday, shortly before the state Senate spent hours discussing a states’ rights resolution. The measure passed the House 115-0 with a few abstentions.

Harry Kibler leads a group called The Patriotic Resistance. He says the resolution is a first step to giving state government more control of itself. He says it is not just a response to Democrat Barack Obama being elected President, but a push to return to the state not being ruled by federal funding. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Legislature, News, Politics & Government

Gay group attacks teen dating violence vote

May 20, 2009 By

The local chapter of Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays were joined by the Progressive Network in criticizing last week’s House vote for a measure that would require school districts to distribute information about teen dating violence to students and parents.

Bill sponsors say it’s important for teachers and parents to recognize the warning signs if a teen is in an abusive relationship. The program is focused on students from sixth grade through high school.

But the measure was amended by Chester County Representative Greg Delleney, which limited its focus to different-gender relationships. Delleney said he believes that, without the amendment, the legislation would lead to school officials teaching children about same-sex relationships.

Harriet Hancock, representing Parents,Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, said she couldn’t believe that Delleney amended the bill as he did. She said she was appalled.  “But what was so much more appalling to me was that the amendment was accepted with little opposition.  When the General Assembly found that all students have the right to work in a safe, supportive environment that is free from harassment, intimidation and violence,  they didn’t say ‘except for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender students.’  But some members of the House put their own bias and homophobia ahead of the safety of our children.”

According to a 2007 National Institute of Justice youth risk behavior survey, in South Carolina eight percent of adolescents surveyed reported being physically violent to a romantic partner. In a national study of adolescents with same-sex partners, 44 percent of males and 40 percent of females reported experiencing some type of abuse, either physical, sexual or emotional.

Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter of Orangeburg County says that she has been a social worker for more than 30 years, and has spent her career learning about relationships and violence.  ” What happened in the South Carolina House last week reiterates the myths, misconceptions and misinformation people have about sexual assault,  about rape.  It has absolutely nothing to do with sex, race, gender or sexual orientation.” 

Bill sponsor Richland County Representative Joan Brady says the bill was geared toward different-gender couples but that she didn’t intend to exclude anyone.

Brady said last week that with only a few days left in the session she’s not optimistic that it will pass but she has hopes for next session.

Filed Under: Education, Legislature, News
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