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In Senate committee: Mental Health, DHEC agency structures

November 4, 2009 By

The Medical Affairs subcommittee wrapped up its discussion on a bill to make the mental health services a cabinet-level agency, as opposed to being run by a board. Senator Ray Cleary, who covers Horry, Georgetown, and Charleston counties, is on the five-member subcommittee, and says the issue will now go to the full committee in January.

“In other parts of the bill, which is where you put DAODAS (Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services), which is alcohol and continuing care, into the behavioral health cabinet. At that level what we decided to do was make mental health a cabinet-level agency that is run in a way by the governor’s appointee, that we would leave DAODAS and continuing care, because they are smaller organizations that are run very efficiently as a model for the country to leave them as they are,” says Cleary. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News, Politics & Government

Both parties debate best use of SC natural resources

November 4, 2009 By

The debates can be viewed again Wednesday afternoon at www.scetv.org/candidatespotlight

Update:

It’s a year before the 2010 election, but 10 gubernatorial hopefuls gathered for a debate-type forum. The event at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College was hosted by the SC Natural Resources Society and broadcast over SCETV Tuesday night.

But this event was different from similar events in its subject matter. The five Democrats and five Republicans spent 90 minutes discussing issues connected specifically to natural resources, especially with regard to conservation and economic development.

On the subject of global warming, Democrat Jim Rex fully agreed that the phenomenon exists. He began his response with a joke.

Listen to Rex remark :32 MP3

On the subject of the “water wars” between South Carolina and neighboring states over control of river water, Attorney General Henry McMaster had a lot to say. McMaster filed a law suit on that matter which is being considered by the US Supreme Court.

Listen to McMaster on water as a resource :26

Tuesday’s debate marked the first time in South Carolina history that the primary candidates from both parties shared the stage at the same time.

One question involved US Senator Lindsey Graham’s comprehensive energy legislation, which he is co-sponsoring along with Democrat John Kerry. Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, a Republican, disapproved of Graham’s legislation.

Listen to Bauer on Sen. Graham’s “cap and trade” position :30

Contrast that with the opinions of Democratic candidates like Dwight Drake, who applauded Senator Graham for his by-partisan effort. Drake says the country has needed similar legislation for a long time.

Charleston's Haley is the only woman in the field

Participants in the forum included, from the Republican Party:

US Rep. Gresham Barrett R-SC

SC Lt. Governor André Bauer

SC Sen. Larry Grooms of Charleston

SC Rep. Nikki Haley of Lexington

SC Attorney General Henry McMaster

Democratic Party:

Columbia Attorney Dwight Drake

Charleston's McLeod says he'll plug the holes of politics and rhetoric

SC Sen. Robert Ford of Charleston

Charleston Attorney Mullins McLeod

SC Superintendent of Education Jim Rex

SC Sen. Vincent Sheheen of Camden

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, News, Politics & Government

SC aviation booming, two companies converge

November 4, 2009 By

South Carolina is seeing more aviation business activity moving through the state. Two aviation companies from South Carolina are joining together, creating 50 new jobs for the Myrtle Beach area. The Associated Press reports that AvCraft Support Services and Industrial Aeronautica announced this week that they were given approval to perform heavy maintenance on two kinds of twin-turbopop short-haul regional airliners.

AvCraft general manager Mike Hill says this new announcement is just another step forward for the aviation business industry in the state. Hill says AvCraft will soon benefit from other recent developments in the state. The largest aviation boost for South Carolina is Boeing’s new assembly line being placed in North Charleston. Hill says AvCraft could eventually help assemble some components of those new airplanes being made at the Boeing plant.

Filed Under: Business, News, Transportation

Columbia Farms settles with federal courts

November 4, 2009 By

Columbia Farms, charged with hiring hundreds of undocumented workers at their Greenville plant, has entered an agreement with the federal government. U.S. Attorney Walter Wilkins says Columbia Farms will pay $1.5 million dollars to the government to settle all criminal, civil or administrative claims that are pending or could be brought as a result of the investigation regarding the company’s alleged hiring of undocumented workers. The agreement was filed Tuesday in federal court, just before jury selection was scheduled to begin.

In the agreement, Columbia Farms will use the Department of Homeland Security’s “E-Verify” employment eligibility verification program, a Spanish language services for Spanish speaking job applicants, and an external auditor to conduct annual reviews of employment forms, among other actions.

Elaine Crump and Barry Cronic are facing federal charges related to the alleged hiring of undocumented workers at the Greenville plant, and will participate in a pretrial diversion program for one year. If they complete the program successfully, their criminal charges will be dismissed.

More than 300 workers were found to be in the United States illegally during the raid at the Greenville facility in October, 2008. The federal investigation into Columbia Farms’ hiring practices began in December 2007.

Columbia Farms operates eight poultry processing facilities in South Carolina, North Carolina and Louisiana.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, Crime & Courts, News
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