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SC Dept. of Public Safety conducting hurricane evacuation exercise

June 14, 2010 By

So that South Carolina is more prepared in the event of a hurricane evacuation, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety is conducting a hurricane lane reversal exercise Monday. Public Safety spokesman Sid Gaulden says no traffic lanes will actually be reversed during the exercises.

This exercise is designed to test lane reversal plans for Interstate-26, U.S. 21, U.S. 278, U.S. 501, and S.C. 544 in the event of a mandatory coastal evacuation order.

Gaulden says motorists traveling those highways should use caution, and expect law enforcement to be on the road shoulders.

The exercise will simulate reversal operations in the Beaufort/Hilton Head area of the state, along Interstate-26 from Charleston to Columbia, and in the Myrtle Beach area.

The exercises will be conducted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday.

Filed Under: News, Transportation, Weather

Candidates disliked “sleezefest” (AUDIO)

June 14, 2010 By

National political pundits called South Carolina’s GOP gubernatorial primary competition a “sleezefest,” referring to the worst-in-years rivalry between state representative Nikki Haley and some of her opponents. Will Folks, a blogger who had worked with Haley’s campaign, and a fund raising consultant Larry Marchant who worked with rival Andre Bauer’s campaign, both claimed they had sexual relations with Haley.

Haley blamed the allegations on Bauer, the Lt. Governor, and U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett. Bauer and Barrett denied that. Bauer even challenged Haley to a lie detector test on the issue, and took one himself two days before the primary. [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Politics & Government

Vetoes to be considered, Arts Commission programs at stake (AUDIO)

June 14, 2010 By

The General Assembly returns to the Statehouse Tuesday to deal with the last of the governor’s vetoes, which include cutting out the bulk of the Arts Commission’s budget, effectively crippling the agency. Vetoes can only be overturned if two-thirds of both lawmaking bodies vote to do so.

Arts Commission Director Ken May wants concerned citizens to contact their lawmakers. He says the cuts would eliminate all state funds for grants, programs and services and more than 70 percent of the commission’s personnel.

May says the arts are an important business investment for the state.  He says the work of the commission is essential to arts education and to jobs around the state, including those at its leading industries.  May says the Moore business school at the University of South Carolina did a study two years ago, which revealed that, at that time, the state’s arts sector was funded by only $2.4 million each year, but supported 30,000 jobs.

AUDIO: May on Arts Commission vetoes (3:00)

The cuts also eliminate federal stimulus funds earmarked for grants to local arts organizations. The funds support arts curriculum and artist residencies in schools, including plays, concerts, dance performances and exhibitions in local communities, and thousands of jobs statewide.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, Education, Legislature, News

SC ETV appeals for public’s help in fighting budget cuts

June 14, 2010 By

Governor Mark Sanford has proposed a cut of over $5 million from South Carolina Educational Television’s nearly $10 million in state funding. As a result, ETV is making a statewide appeal to keep the funding. The network says if the vetoes are sustained, it would decimate the network’s ability to fulfill its core functions, including its television and radio programs that focus on South Carolina.

The agency’s  release to the press and public says that “ETV would be forced to discontinue its public safety and local government training.” 

ETV is South Carolina’s statewide public broadcasting network with 11 television stations, eight radio frequency transmitters and a closed circuit educational telecommunications system that broadcasts to schools statewide.

The SC Legislature is scheduled to return to Columbia Tuesday to vote on Gov. Mark Sanford’s vetoes. The vetoes can only be overturned if two-thirds of the House and Senate vote to do so.

Filed Under: Legislature, News
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