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SC DHEC under legislative scrutiny

October 16, 2009 By

A state Senate panel met in Columbia yesterday to consider changing the structure of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. The Medical Affairs subcommittee looked at a bill by Senators John Courson And Phil Leventis to make the DHEC director a cabinet-level position. Greenville’s Danny Verdin, the committee chair is in agreement, but the rest of the committee does not seem to be.

“Of the five member subcommittee there was not compelling sentiment within the committee to move forward immediately with cabinet-level restructuring and it’s probably safe to say that short of the full committee there might not be sentiment, and even there I’m not sure,” Verdin said.

Although the director may not become a cabinet-level position, Verdin says reform of DHEC is going to happen.

“I have a particular keen interest, and I believe the rest of the membership as well, in enhanced accountability and an enhanced responsibility of the board, especially if we don’t go in the direction of a cabinet level agency,” he said. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Health & Medicine, Legislature, News, Politics & Government

Student dies after being shot by school resource officer

October 16, 2009 By

An 11th grade male student at Carolina Forest High School in Conway was shot and killed this morning after he stabbed a resource officer. The school was placed on lockdown this morning. According to Teal Britton with Horry County Schools, the incident happened inside the school shortly after school began. Britton said a student assaulted the school resource officer with a knife after a bright broke out and the officer then fired his gun and shot the student. Both were taken by ambulance to Conway Hospital for treatment. The student died before noon.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Education, News

Anderson County holds meeting to thwart gang violence

October 16, 2009 By

An Anderson County Gang Task Force met with community leaders, educators and residents in Anderson last night. The task force held a forum to talk about problems that have hit some neighborhoods.  Residents have reported being victims of drive-by shootings and the number of robberies has greatly increased.

Anderson County Councilwoman Gracie Floyd says she wants to show there are alternatives to gangs, “We know that these things are happening, we know that these young people are out there, and it’s just a matter of waiting to see when it’s going to happen.  So we’re trying to get everybody prepared, we’re trying to find these young people, and we’re trying to show them that there are other things they can do, and we’re trying to stop it.”

The task force urged parents to watch their children for gang signs, including wearing gang colors such as red or blue.  Gang signs on notebooks, such as stars or pitchforks, could be indicators of gang involvement. 

The task force said the most important parents can do is monitor their children, know where their children are and who they associate with.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Human Interest, News

State truckers association on texting ban legislation

October 16, 2009 By

Legislation is still pending before Congress that would place a federal ban on texting while driving. So far, 18 states and the District of Columbia have made texting while driving illegal while six states and the District of Columbia prohibit drivers from even talking on hand-held cellphones. Many operators of 18-wheelers are worried that such federal legislation may go too far and ban other forms of in-cab communication that has become an important part of the trucking business. South Carolina Truckers Association President and CEO Rick Todd says he is confident that the legislation will be focused on hand-held devices and not the larger units that truckers normally use.

“Devices truckers use range from CBs, to electronic dispatch, to cell phones, to PDAs, on up to a laptop computer. I don’t think the issue is actually using anything like a laptop computer while you’ re driving .  I think the issue has really been, at least at the federal level, whether texting or using a hand-held device to text while you drive, send e-mails, or respond to messages is a serious safety issue.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, Legislature, News, Politics & Government, Transportation

Missing F-16 search continues

October 16, 2009 By

The Coast Guard and other rescue crews along the coast are still in search for the missing F-16 fighter jet from Shaw Air Force Base that crashed off of the coast of Charleston Thursday night. An eyewitness, Tom, who did not give his last name, told the listeners of a Charleston affiliate WTMA talk show, he saw one of the fighter jets fly over.

“Well, we were on the water last night. This was around 8:30 and we seen one of the jets fly over. We could barely see it with the clouds covered over it, but we knew it was one of the fighter jets and didn’t think anything about it, and then a couple minutes later, we just happened to look up in the southeastern direction and it was this horrible green flash. The first thing I thought of was some kind of firework or something,” says Tom.

The crash happened when the F-16 jet collided with another jet during night exercises off the coast. The pilot of one of the jets, Captain Lee Bryant landed safely at the Charleston Air Force Base. He was reportedly not hurt after the crash. The other pilot, Captain Nicholas Giglio, is still missing.

Listen here to witness audio

Filed Under: Military, News, Transportation
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