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SC Attorney General: No criminal charges against Sanford (AUDIO)

May 3, 2010 By

In a Monday press conference, state Attorney General Henry McMaster announced that after a thorough investigation of Governor Mark Sanford’s travel records and related issues no criminal charges will be brought against the Governor.

The evidence does not support beyond a reasonable doubt that the Governor knowingly, willfully and intentionally set out to break state law, which is the criminal prosecutorial standard that must be reached. A criminal prosecution is not appropriate under these circumstances and we do not believe a criminal conviction could be obtained. Therefore the state of South Carolina will not bring criminal charges against Governor Mark Sanford.  This office considers the matter closed.

McMaster says his office has come to the conclusion that the Governor’s improper conduct was appropriately addressed by the civil action taken by the Ethics Commission and by the political action of the General Assembly to publicly reprimand Sanford. In March, Sanford agreed to pay $74,000 in ethics fines over airline travel and expenses.

McMaster says there is no evidence to warrant criminal prosecution of Governor Sanford with regard to overseas flights he took on business or first class for several reasons. McMaster says his office could not come to the conclusion that Sanford acted with corrupt or dishonest intent required to prove common law misconduct in office. McMaster says there is a long-established practice at the Budget and Control Board and the Department of Commerce to purchase business class tickets for overseas travel for governors and secretaries of state. Also, he says the law is unclear whether the regulations of flying coach apply to constitutional officers such as governor, because there are several distinctions between state employees and constitutional officers.

Sanford responded to McMaster’s decision by thanking him for his approach.

(Sanford on McMaster decision  MP3  2:15)
Sanford on AG decision

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

Helicopter pilot killed at McEntire ANG Base

May 3, 2010 By

An AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed Sunday afternoon at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover, S.C.  The pilot of the helicopter was killed and a second pilot injured shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday. First Lieutenant Jonathan Shively, Jr. has been identified as the pilot killed, and Chief Warrant Officer Roger Carpenter is the injured pilot who is listed in stable condition at an area medical facility. An earlier statement by Brig. Gen Les Eisener revealed  that the soldiers were finishing a weekend of training at the base when the incident occurred.

Major General Stan Spears, the Adjutant General for South Carolina, says his office is focused on the needs of the grieving families and soldiers.  He expressed concern for the privacy of the families involved. Details of the accident remain under investigation.

Filed Under: Accidents & Disasters, Military, News

Boeing expands in North Charleston, 150 more jobs (AUDIO)

May 3, 2010 By

Gov. Sanford (left), Boeing's Ray Conner (right)Boeing announced today it will expand its business even more in South Carolina. Boeing Supply Chain Management and Operations Vice President Ray Conner made the announcement in North Charleston: “Boeing has selected South Carolina as the location for our new fabrication and assembly facility for the airplane interiors for the 787 Dreamliner, for the final assembly and delivery site that’s currently being made here in North Charleston,” says Conner.

This expanded facility will add another 150 jobs to the area. Conner says this additional facility was part of the initial plan for bringing Boeing to South Carolina.

“The decision is part of the plan that we announced last year when we made the announcement for the second line as part of creating an independent production line around here in Charleston. That would create a lot more reliability for our 787 customers and a lot more flexibility for the Boeing company. This new facility will be called Boeing Fabrication Interiors South Carolina,” says Conner. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, Economy, News, Politics & Government

Democrats debate: Business incentives leading topic (AUDIO)

May 3, 2010 By

As Governor Sanford gears up to make an expansion announcement for Boeing today, the company’s economic impact and other business incentives were hot topics for discussion at last night’s Democratic gubernatorial debate. Boeing will attract businesses and create jobs for the state’s economy, and the three Democratic candidates for governor give their thoughts on how important it really is.

“We’ve got to have incentives, and because of Boeing, we’re going to have a lot of spin-off jobs. Just not jobs, but also business opportunities for citizens throughout South Carolina,” says Senator Robert Ford.

Senator Vincent Sheheen says there’s more to it that just incentives.

“The key with incentives is, number one, to make sure that job creation is tied into the incentives. If the jobs aren’t created, then we ought to claw back the dollars that we’ve expended,” says Sheheen.

State Superintendent Jim Rex says incentives may be good, but there’s some factors that need to be looked at: “While incentives are needed, they have to be rational, and we can’t be attracting these industries that turn over, lay our people off, and then leave to go to the next state that gives them a better deal,” says Rex.

The Republican gubernatorial candidates will get their shot for debate tonight at 7 p.m.

(Full story audio, MP3 :53)
6DemDebateWrap1

Filed Under: Business, News, Politics & Government

SC farmers introduce sweet onions to local consumer

May 3, 2010 By

South Carolina farmers are now growing a new variety of vegetable that state officials hope will further expand a growing market for locally-grown foods. Sweet onions have a lower sulphur content and don’t have the pungent taste of most onions.

Martin Eubanks is director of Marketing for the Department of Agriculture. He spoke about what makes sweet onions so unique.

The flesh is generally a little more translucent, a little more water in the onion, and the variety in and of itself is the genetics. The genetics are such that it is sweet. It has higher sugars that make the sweet onion.

The new onions are part of the Agriculture Department’s “Certified South Carolina” branding effort. Eubanks says the program targets South Carolinians who try to buy only fruit and vegetables grown in the area.

Local consumers are looking for local products. . . more diverstiy of local products. And that’s what’s driving a lot of this opportunity. So it’s consumer demand.

Eubanks said Agriculture department research found 90 percent of South Carolina consumers want to buy locally.

The challenge those consumers were having were identifying those products that were available in the market place. Thus, we created opportunities to connect those dots between the consumer and the product, so that they can identify the product on the shelf, whether it’s a fresh product -whether it’s a grocery product, and then make an informed decision.

Chris Rawl oversees the planting at Clayton Rawl Farms in Lexington County. He says he decided to start growing Vidalia sweet onions 18 years ago. But without the state helping to promote the onions, there was little demand.

At the time we were unsuccessful. We didn’t have other farmers growing them, and we didn’t have the state involved in promotions. After about eight years of experimenting, we decided to quit.

Rawl says several grocery chains and food distributors were already showing interest in the onions. He said Piggly-Wiggly, W. Lee Flowers and Company (owner of 30 IGA stores in South Carolina), and U.S. Food Service Distributors were at the farm Friday.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, News
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