May 23, 2013

You are here: Home / 2011 / Archives for May 2011

Senate takes up bill to cap damages in civil suits (AUDIO)

May 31, 2011 by

With a few days left in this year’s session, the Senate has taken up one of the year’s most talked-about bills.  The measure commonly called “tort reform” will make some changes to how civil suits are resolved in the state–the most significant being a cap on damages meant to punish a losing defendant.  The current proposal caps punitive damages at $350,000 or three times the compensatory, or corrective, award.

AUDIO: Senator Larry Martin has been trying to get a tort change through the Senate for two sessions (:18) 

Martin’s measure stalled at the end of the past session. This year, Martin has the active and outspoken support of Gov. Nikki Haley, who has called for caps.

AUDIO: Haley says to scrap the bill if it doesn’t have caps (:13)

Senator Vincent Sheheen, an attorney, questions that there are any state cases resulting in awards that would justify the call for caps. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

More jellyfish plus more swimmers equal more stings

May 31, 2011 by

Regardless of whether there are more jellyfish or just more people, there seem to be a bit more jellyfish stings being reported.

Pearse Webster, a marine biologist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, says if there appears there are more jellyfish stings being reported, it may be because the warm waters are bringing out more people.

Inevitably it seems that we’ll have more interactions with them, because if there are more of them and more of us, then we’re going to bump into each other more often.

Webster says any apparent rise in the population of jellyfish may just be cyclical. [Read more...]

Filed Under: News, Recreation & Entertainment

SC school districts asks for bonds to help pay salaries

May 31, 2011 by

Five South Carolina school districts are asking for more money to keep up with day-to-day activities, but they might not get it. School districts in Charleston, Colleton, Hampton 2, Florence 4 and Jasper counties are asking for the state to help them pay day-to-day costs after a loss of federal stimulus money.

The State newspaper reports district officials say they need long-term bonds to help pay teacher salaries, as well as money to fill the holes dug by budget woes. These five districts say they have already cut where they could–administration, salaries, among other costs.

Governor Nikki Haley says she will not sign the request because she believes issuing long-term bonds for short-term operating costs is asking for even more of a financial disaster.

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

Restructuring, Dept. of Administration may stall this year

May 31, 2011 by

Sheheen teams up with former opponent Haley to pass restructuring

The General Assembly is in its last week of the regular legislative year, but they will have to return in June to finish redistricting and to answer any budget vetoes. There are other high-profile bills that may not get resolved this year. A series of bipartisan bills to restructure government may not make it to a vote, says Vincent Sheheen, who has sponsored many of those:

AUDIO: Sheheen says budget debate stalled progress on other bills (:28)

Haley promised in her campaign to make government more efficient

The proposed Department of Administration would take on many functions of the current Budget and Control Board, an agency that Gov. Haley calls a “big green bureaucratic monster” because of its far-reaching role in state government.

So, the governor wants to see the General Assembly get to this issue, this year:

AUDIO: Haley says legislators may have time to pass these bills (:19)

This is year one in a two-year session, says Sheheen, so the bills may pass next year.

AUDIO: Sheheen says he is frustrated with legislative progress this year (:40)

The restructuring plan for Sheheen includes establishing the office of State Inspector General. Will that happen?

AUDIO: Sheheen on new position of Inspector General (:27)

The legislative year is scheduled to end June 2.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

USC researcher: Prolonged sitting is health hazard

May 30, 2011 by 1 Comment

Sitting for long periods of time can be more harmful than people may think. Dr. Steven Blair, a researcher with USC’s Arnold School of Public Health, authored a study that is receiving lots of national attention.

Blair says that exercise may not offset long periods of sitting still:

When we look at other risk factors, low fitness is much more powerful a predictor than blood pressure, cholesterol, or glucose or a number of other clinical variables. Low fitness, which you get by not being physically active, is a very powerful determinate of morbidity and mortality.

Blair says low fitness is dangerous, regardless of high cholesterol or blood pressure. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Health & Medicine, News
«Older Posts