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State and local officials work to control military base encroachment

June 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

South Carolina military bases are not only having to ready themselves against the threat of base closure that occurs every ten years, but they must also deal with a lesser known issue–encroachment by local development. It’s also true that encroachment and base closure are connected. Bases aren’t worried about new housing and businesses coming onto their property, but just coming near it creates a problem.

Retired General George Patrick co-chairs the Military Bask Task Force, formerly known as the Base Realignment and Closure(or BRAC) Task Force, which was established as an advisory committee to the governor on military matters.Patrick says for the last three and a half years, encroachment has been his group’s primary focus, and the state of South Carolina, the governor’s office and local communities are crucial in mitigating property development issues.   “For example, having high-density housing developments below flight paths of high-performance aircraft creates a safety and noise issue and can even hamper the ability of an installation to effectively carry out its mission.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, Military, News

Inglis: Closing GITMO would be “nuts”

June 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The US House on Thursday used the first spending bill for next year to reject President Obama’s plan to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. The House voted 259-157 for the $64 billion package, but they refused to fund the closing of the facility next year. The House also set forth restrictions for the transfer of detainees from the Cuba facility. One detainee was previously transferred to New York to stand trial. Nine have been transferred to other countries and the Obama administration is negotiating with foreign leaders to accept Guantanamo detainees. The bill would allow the transfer into the US of detainees Only after Congress has had two months to study a White House report on how it plans to close the facility.

Representative Bob Inglis of South Carolina’s 4th District suggested Thursday that the President visit the facility and that he invite other world leaders to join him there, and that the prison should be open for inspection by humanitarian groups from around the world. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Legislature, Military, News

Youth camp teaches business savvy

June 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Turning “street smart” youth into “business smart” young entrepreneurs is the goal of the summer program known as Biz camp. The program that offers training to middle school students, has been conducted in several areas of the state for seven years. Here in the Palmetto State the program is a collaboration of The organization YESCarolina, short for Youth Entreprenuership South carolina and National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship along with local school districts and local business leaders.The three week program is in its second year in Richland District Two in the Columbia area at Dent Middle School. Darrin Thomas, President of Black Pages USA in Columbia says local teachers and local business leaders are involved in teaching youngsters about starting an enterprise.

“Whether you’re going to be a corporation, single proprietor, LLC, and they talk about how to establish a business, looking at ideas by examining the types of business that are out there and bringing in those persons representing those businesses. They then start crafting a business plan including how many employees, how you’re going to pay them, and how you’re going to market your business.”

Thomas says youngsters are rewarded for their creativity in developing a business plan with start up money to make their business plan a reality. The first place cash award is $2500, second place is $1500, third place is $750.

Thomas says the program brings the business and education communities together in order to share with youngsters  business knowledge they will find useful for the rest of their lives. “YESCarolina is tied to NFTE, the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship and it sets up partnerships with school districts and colleges. The teachers are trained, the curriculum materials are brought in through NFTE and its is funded by foundation dollars.”

Thomas says a shining example of what young business minds can conceive is the “rose pedal kids” in Charleston. Thomas says their work spark the interest of YESCarolina founder and CEO Jimmy Bailey. “We had them actually participate two years ago at our Black Expo down in Charleston. These kids actually got a wedding contract to design flowers using sweet grass for a lady’s wedding there.”

Filed Under: Business, Education, Human Interest, News

Use of Recyled rubber, plastics in playgrounds a safety issue

June 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

A recent alarm about the use of recycled tire materials in playgrounds and on soccer and other athletic fields has raised concerns for children who play on those surfaces everyday. Clemson University Civil Engineering professor Serji Amirkhanian says the results of a number of laboratory and field tests conducted in several states and in Europe on the recycled materials containing rubber and plastic indicate that the materials do not have an adverse affect on youngsters.Amirkhanian serves as Director of Clemson’s Asphalt Rubber Technology Service. He recently participated in an international conference in Buffalo, New York on the use of recycled rubber and plastic together. Amirkhanian says some researchers expressed concern about the possibility of chemicals leeching from the materials especially when dampened by rainfall.

“The findings indicated that really one of the few items that you get elevated levels of is zinc. However most of the reports if not all I know of indicated that the zinc levels even if it is elevated still is within EPA’s regulations and requirements.”

Amirkhanian says people are naturally concerned when an issue or product may directly affect children. Amirkhanian says what is needed is a comprehensive study that involves both industry and government that will settle the issue.

Amirkhanian says it is important to point out that a number of people will have allergic reactions to certain materials. “There are some people who are allergic to either latex, crumb rubber, or any other chemical that may be used in this product. Unfortunately some kids, or parents, or even dogs have some reaction to it. That is unfortunate, but at the same time some people are allergic to trees and grass too, but we don’t get rid of grass completely.”

Amirkhanian says safety should always be our main concern. As the father of four, Amirkhanian has no problem with his children playing in areas using the recycled materials.

“I would rather my kids play on this than anything else because it’s much much safer if they are going to fall. Now, it might smell a little bit during the summer like rubber, but I will take smell any day compared to if they fall on a concrete surface, asphalt, or sand.”

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Health & Medicine, News, Recreation & Entertainment

New bill requires school swimming lessons

June 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Recent Lowcountry drownings have spawned a bill that would require South Carolina schools to offer free swimming lessons. South Carolina Representative Wendell Gilliard is author of the bill.

Wendell Gilliard“It’s a statewide problem when you look at the whole situation here, especially by the recent incidents we’ve had unfortunately. Just by virtue of our geographical make-up alone, here in the state of South Carolina for the most part in a lot of areas, we should’ve made sure we kept swim classes in the circulum in these schools,” says Gilliard.

Gilliard says not only would swimming lessons help give young children and students the ability to swim, reducing chances of drownings, but there’s more. He says it’s also a great exercise.

“Here we are in this state when we talk about obesity, when we talk about health issues, you have to understand this is the upside of implementing this bill: teaching students CPR, other than how to swim. So, there are a lot of positive things that could come out of this,” says Gilliard.

After a 6-year-old drowned in an apartment complex pool in North Charleston last week, the Charleston County School District has considered offering swimming lessons for kindergartners.

“We have to move forward now, we can’t not talk about this, try to do something about this, because who knows the life we save,” says Gilliard.

The district has not worked out the fine points with how it will pay for the swimming pools and lessons, or how it will transport the students.

Filed Under: Legislature, News, Recreation & Entertainment
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