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SC schools awarded GEAR UP grant

September 30, 2011 by

A program designed to increase the number of low-income students prepared to succeed in college will be aimed at the so-called “Corridor of Shame.”

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a $3.5 million grant to the GEAR UP program. GEAR UP is an acronym for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The program will provide partnerships and services at high-poverty middle schools.

GEAR UP will serve over 3,600 7th graders in 24 targeted schools. Eighty-five percent of the schools are along the I-95 Corridor, in the area a 2005 documentary dubbed the “Corridor of Shame.”

The South Carolina Commission for Higher Education will administer the grant. It is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

Currently only 50 percent of students in the target schools transition from high school to college, versus 66 percent statewide.

The GEAR UP program is aimed at addressing the systemic problems that plague the targeted schools. The programs and services provided by the GEAR UP grant are meant to address gaps in students’ academic performance. It will also seek to increase the number of students prepared to enter and succeed in higher education and the knowledge of students and their families about higher education options and financing.

The grant will support: service coordination, college/financial aid counseling, school/business/community partnerships, professional development/curriculum improvement, mentoring, tutoring, and summer programs.

“Education provides the best opportunity for students to succeed in life. This grant will open up those doors of opportunity for students in persistent poverty areas who have the most to gain by improving their educational attainment,” 6th District Congressman James Clyburn said in a statement. “This program targets middle school students and works with them through graduation and into their first year of higher education to maintain the level of support that will lead to successful outcomes.”

Filed Under: Education, News

SCGOP: Florida should lose all delegates after moving primary

September 30, 2011 by

As expected, Florida has moved its primary to January 31, 2012, ahead of South Carolina. The state GOP has vowed to respond by rescheduling its first-in-the-South primary date,  but the party says it won’t announce the date today.

The SC GOP is asking that Florida lose all of its delegates to the national convention, which ironically, will be held in Tampa in 2012.

Connelly says Florida should face stiffer penalty

Chairman Chad Connelly issued this statement: “Today’s decision by Florida is hugely disappointing and could have been avoided. Rogue states have once again dictated the Presidential nominating calendar. I call on my fellow RNC members and all Republicans to strongly condemn Florida’s decision to hold their primary on January 31.”

The four established early states, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, have agreed to respond together to Florida’s action—by moving their primary elections into January. This also violates party rules.

Connelly says he has asked for the Republican National Committee to clarify which rules are more flexible than others.

Filed Under: News, Palmetto Primary, Politics & Government

Primary rundown for Sept. 30

September 30, 2011 by

Today’s news is that there is no official news yet about the new date of the South Carolina party election for its presidential nominee.

Party officials want to wait and see what the quote “rogue state” of Florida will do. Then, if Florida move ahead of South Carolina’s first-in-the-South status, the SCCOP will lock arms with Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada and they will all shift their schedules to dates in January.

 That will break party rules, but SCGOP Chair Chad Connelly says he’ll “pitch a hissy fit” if there is any penalty at all.

In candidate news, Mitt Romney this week is represented by his wife, Ann Romney to meet Republican Party leaders and submit his primary election filing form.

It’s not unusual for the wives of candidates to make an official visit to the Palmetto State. Rick Perry’s wife Anita opened up his SC headquarters last week in Columbia. The Jon Huntsman daughters hosted a debate night party in the capital city as well. No official husband visits though—yet—from Mr. Michelle Bachmann.

Ann Romney’s schedule:

Yesterday, she was with Spartanburg County GOP activists at Westside Library. She then attended a “meet and greet” hosted by the group, Republican Women Of The Golden Strip.

Today, she officially submits the primary election filing form to the state GOP in Columbia. She was a guest at the Governor’s Mansion, As Gov. Nikki Haley has a standing invitation to candidates (and their immediate families) to stay over when they are campaigning in South Carolina.

 

Filed Under: Palmetto Primary

Analyst: conservatives still searching for perfect candidate (AUDIO)

September 30, 2011 by

Republican presidential candidates continue to play musical chairs in the polls following their three September debates. In the latest Fox News Poll, Mitt Romney leads with 23 percent of the support thanks in large measure to Rick Perry’s 10 percentage point drop in the poll from a high of 29 percent in August. Herman Cain’s support has nearly tripled to 17 percent.

Many Republicans are still pining for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to enter the race, but he continues to balk. Clemson University Political Science professor David Woodard says it is clear that the strong conservative wing of the GOP is dissatisfied with the present group of candidates.

AUDIO: Woodard says conservatives not satisfied with the field of candidates (:25)

Woodard says in South Carolina, Republicans continue to favor Perry and it will mostly come down to a Romney-Perry contest by the time the 2012 primary draws near mainly because of their campaign war chests and other resources.

Herman Cain has been drawing a lot of media attention after winning the Florida GOP straw poll last weekend. Michele Bachmann garnered similar attention when she won the Iowa straw poll back in August. Woodard says while candidates have in the past gained some traction with a good showing in previous straw polls, he does not put too much stock in them. Woodard says Cain’s steady performance in the recent debates have helped him rise in the polls.

Woodard says, while scientific polls can give a snapshot view of the relative strength or weakness of candidates at a particular period of time, early polls can be deceiving. He cites the 2008 Palmetto Poll as an example.

AUDIO: Woodard warns not to put too much stock in early straw or scientific polls (:51)

As the campaign evolves, Woodard says he sees Romney remaining steady, with Perry battling in recovery mode from his poor debate performances as many conservative Republicans, including Tea Parry members, still continue to favor the Texas governor. Woodard adds that if he had to name a dark-horse candidate in the South Carolina primary, it would be former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Rick Santorum.

AUDIO: Woodard says it will come down to a Perry-Romney race in S.C., with a possible dark horse (1:54)

 Woodard is a GOP consultant and a conservative activist.

Filed Under: Palmetto Primary, Politics & Government

SC receiving new $4.6 million grant under health care law

September 29, 2011 by

South Carolina’s health agency this week landed a new $4.6 million grant made possible by the Affordable Care Act. 

The federal Department of Health and Human Services awarded the grant to the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) on Tuesday. It’s meant to reduce the number of deaths due to tobacco use, heart disease, and strokes.

The Community Transformation Grants are supposed to “reduce health disparities and improve the health and well-being of Americans by creating healthier states and communities (through) the implementation of proven community-based programs.”

“It’s going to allow us to get in the front lines, get out on the local level,” DHEC spokesman Adam Myrick said, “So eventually we can begin to see chronic disease rates go down. We can begin to see evidence of healthier lifestyles.”

In South Carolina, the money will be split between the South Carolina Tobacco Collaborative, Eat Smart Move More SC, and the Outpatient Quality Improvement Network at MUSC.

Louis Eubank is Executive Director of the South Carolina Tobacco Collaborative. He said his organization will receive $1 million under the grant. “It is larger than our traditional annual operating budget,” he said, “So it obviously more than doubles our capacity.”

He said that will allow the Collaborative to pursue smoke-free campaigns in smaller, more rural communities than they have before. The group advocates for smoking bans in cities across the state. Eubanks emphasized they are not allowed to lobby, however, and only speak to public officials if they are invited. “We understand and respect the taxpayer dollar,” he said.

It’s not just tobacco, though. Myrick said the idea is to encourage healthier eating and living. “We know that, if we can make an investment on the front end to educate people,” Myrick said, “Down the road, that burden of disease will be reduced.”

When the grants were first proposed in 2009, a few Republicans opposed them because some of the grant money would go towards building playgrounds, farmers markets, and sidewalks. It was not immediately clear if any of those projects were included in South Carolina.

The grants can be renewed every year (at the full $4.6 million) for the next four years, as long as the state meets the federal government’s benchmarks.

South Carolina Republicans are caught in an awkward situation over the grants, since the funding comes from a program they want repealed, derisively calling it ”Obamacare.” Governor Nikki Haley has opposed accepting grant money from the law to set up insurance exchanges in the state.

But DHEC is not a Cabinet agency under Haley’s control, although she does choose its board members. Myrick said he did not know if the grant application required the board’s approval.

Overall, more than $103 million in Community Transformation Grants were announced nationwide Tuesday.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News
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