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Malloy: Prison system needs a balance to save money

March 9, 2010 By

In Senate subcommittee this week, legislators are holding hearings to fine-tune their ideas about prison sentencing reform. Chairman of the bi-partisan Sentencing Reform Commission Gerald Malloy says one topic up for discussion is how the state is incarcerating inmates without much thought of how much it cost to house them.

“We cannot build ourselves out of this problem. So, if we do nothing, then our prison population is going to increase another 3,000 some odd in the next five years. I think that the release is a crazy balancing scale. So, you have to make certain if you go down that road through governor, Department of Corrections, Legislature, or whatever, it’s a very slippery slope and you have to be very, very careful,” says Malloy. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, News, Politics & Government

H1N1 virus quiet but not gone (Audio)

March 9, 2010 By

It’s been almost a year since the state’s first outbreak of the H1N1 virus and in late winter the numbers are down in South Carolina.

But this novel strain of the flu has not gone away. State epidemiologist Jerry Gibson says because it is new, it is less predictable. But he is certain that it will resurge, but he is uncertain as to when.

(Ashley Byrd interview the Dr. Gibson MP3 2:53)
Dr. Gibson discusses Spring swine flu outlook MP3

Gibson says that the state, like the nation, has seen a drop on the regular seasonal flu as well. That happens – historically- when pandemic viruses occur. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News

Vic Rawl announces US Senate bid (Audio)

March 9, 2010 By

Vic Rawl in Columbia Monday

Vic Rawl, former state legislator, judge, prosecutor and current member of Charleston County Council opened his U.S. Senate campaign with a day-long tour Monday. Rawl began in North Charleston and then preceded to Columbia, where he held a press conference at the Democratic Party headquarters.  Rawl concluded his announcement with appearances at the Spartanburg and Greenville County Democratic Party Conventions Monday evening.

(Rawl in Columbia  MP3  3:14)
Rawl in Columbia

Rawl is contending for Republican Senator Jim Demint’s seat, vying for the Democratic nomination against Mike Ruckes of Summerville.

The 64-year-old Rawl grew up on John’s Island, graduated from the College of Charleston, and was an officer in the National Guard for 26 years, serving as a Judge Advocate. He retired as a Lt. Colonel. Rawl was in private law practice between 1973 and 1986. Rawl served eight years in the South Carolina House, and served as a Circuit Court Judge between 1991 and 2003. He served as Special Master to oversee cases resulting from the Graniteville train wreck. Rawl came out of retirement to serve on Charleston County Council in 2008.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, News, Politics & Government

Rex talks to faculty about school cuts

March 9, 2010 By

State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex held an on-line meeting with South Carolina educators Monday to discuss current and pending budget cuts.

Rex says it’s the worst funding situation he has heard of. After this year’s cuts, the revenue will returned to the level where it was in 1995.

Rex says the positions of around 1400 teachers have already been cut out, as of this year, so that may ease the impact.  He says 113 positions have already been eliminated from the Department of Education’s administration.

If the budget goes through we could be talking about doubling that or even more.  At the Department of Education we’re taking a much larger percentage of cuts than the districts themselves.  Cuts have been about 45 percent over the last two years.  And historically, half of our staff on the state level are in the bus shops, to keep the state’s 6000 school buses moving.  It’s the oldest fleet in America, and it’s hard to reduce the number of bus mechanics.

 

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Economy, Education, Legislature, News

SC House member to recommend re-using school construction plans (Audio)

March 9, 2010 By

Legislation may be coming before a House subcommittee this week that at least one lawmaker says could save $212 million dollars in education construction costs over a period of only a few years.

Anderson County Republican Don Bowen is drawing up the bill that would mandate the purchase of uniform school architectural plans, which he says could be modified for specific locations. Bowen says if the state owned school plans and used them over again, it would save big bucks.

Bowen says the state has spent $212 million in architectural plans in a period of less than three years. Bowen says considering financing costs over decades, that figure would amount to $1.8 billion dollars.

(Bowen on school plans  MP3  1:35)
Bowen on school plans

But doesn’t this sound like pretty bad news for architects who build schools?  Bowen says he doesn’t mean to offend architects, and mentioned that they could direct their talents to areas other than schools.  Bowen says under his plan schools would have various design options.  Bowen says he knows the uniform plans method has been tried by the state of Florida.

Filed Under: Business, Education, Legislature, News
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