Gov McMaster Speaks to the Lexington County GOP

On Monday evening, Governor Henry McMaster (R - S.C.) addressed the Lexington County Republican Party meeting, held at the Lexington District Two Innovation Center.

Congressman Joe Wilson was in attendance as well as several members of the South Carolina legislature and local city and county officials.

McMaster took the stage, saying he usually begins his speeches with a joke or humorous story. “The biggest joke these days is the performance of the Biden administration,” he said. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing and hearing.”

He focused his initial comments on South Carolina’s success as a right to work state that understands the importance of business. “There are ways to do things, even when there’s a pandemic. Always keep in mind what the Constitution says you can and cannot do. I’ve heard people say, the Constitution is great but this is an emergency. But that’s what the Constitution was written for, an emergency,” he said. 

McMaster stressed the number of crises afflicting the country all at once. “It is stunning to see the revolving disasters out of Washington with this administration. Starting with the border, they want to shut everything else but keep that open. One of the things they paid the coyotes to come across the border before was people, but now they pay you to bring fentanyl. Every state is a border state now,” he said. He also touched on the situation in Afghanistan and the controversy with COVID vaccines and restrictions. 

Speaking to the recent edict from the Biden administration requiring employers with more than one hundred workers to require vaccines, “Nowhere in the Constitution does it say you’ll tell every state, every town and every person that they have to get a vaccination. It’s not in the Constitution and it never will be.

Gov. McMaster greets Rep. Chris Wooten

“I’ve read the Constitution. It's easy to read and understand and it recognizes everything important you need to have in a government and it’s not in the Constitution anywhere, nor is the right to abort an unborn baby. We will keep on fighting, we believe in the right to life.”

Several people in the audience were quick to shout comments as the governor spoke, asking him to enforce the rules and laws as written and not let rogue municipalities and school districts run afoul of his orders and the SC Supreme Court decision against mask ordinances by individual school districts.

“As long as I’m your governor, no government will be telling your child they have to wear a mask in school if you don't want them to,” he said to loud applause.

“We’re not having vaccine passports here. We know what to do, we’ve done it well in South Carolina. The Bible, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, that’s all you need.”

Mask Ordinance Expires Today in West Columbia

After almost a year, the mask requirement for the City of West Columbia, S. C. is no more. With the first ordinance enacted by Mayor Tem Miles and the West Columbia City Council in June, 2020, there have been subsequent renewals every other month to keep the restriction in place. 

Patrons enjoying the Gervais 

Street Bridge dinner 

The last version of the ordinance was signed into being on March 2, 2021 and expires today, on the sixty-first day after taking effect. Emergency ordinances were intended for short-term use.

The publicly-posted agenda for the May 4th West Columbia City Council meeting contains an agenda item to continue the state of emergency, thereby allowing virtual meetings in place of in-person. However, there is no mention of the mask ordinance for the meeting. A council member stated privately that the March renewal was going to be the last one. 

Governor Henry McMaster (R - S. C.) spoke strongly this past week against the continuation of COVID-19 restrictions and mask ordinances. “I’d ask that the cities and counties that have restrictions out there to wrap it up,” Governor McMaster said. “We’ve got to get back to normal. There’s a lot of businesses pent up. They want to do things and except in some circumstances there is no reason to hold them back anymore.”

Lexington Group's Billboard Asking for Mask Choice in Lexington District One Is Changed without Permission

A group of freedom fighters in Lexington School District One have organized a visual protest of the requirement in the Lexington District One school system for students and teachers to wear masks. The request is simply for students and parents to have a choice about wearing a mask at school.

The billboard image was posted on a digital billboard on Highway 378 in Lexington near the intersection with Mineral Springs Road. It was a plain text billboard with white lettering on a black background with the following message:

Dear Dr. Little & Molly Spearman,

Make Masks Optional

Sincerely,

Lex 1 Students, Teachers & Parents

Paid for by Lexington Mask by Choice, Not by Force - Kati McCown

The billboard was a group effort and paid for by many individuals who are very concerned about the erosion of freedom and the dangers for children being forced to wear a mask throughout the school day. 

There has been an immediate backlash from a group of teachers and parents that believe in the oppressive COVID requirements and their never-ending continuation. WIS TV did a story on this billboard situation on the Friday evening news. In the time since that story aired, the billboard company Lamar, which is the firm selected to run the message, changed the copy on the billboard without asking the people who placed the order. 

In an apparent cave to the vocal few, Lamar changed the line that formerly read, “Sincerely, Lex 1 Students, Teachers and Parents” to instead read, “Sincerely, The Lexington Masks by Choice, Not Force Facebook Group.”

The advertiser agreement was for the submitted content to read as originally approved. Would a billboard company, a magazine, newspaper, radio station, television station or social media outlet ever take the step to change ad copy without the permission of the advertiser?

If Lamar found the content objectionable, the content could have been rejected prior to publication. 

The organizers of the protest message plan to seek an immediate legal remedy against Lamar Advertising for changing their desired billboard content without permission.

Lexington County 911 Launches Text-To-911

Lexington County Emergency Services is pleased to announce the successful launch of Text-to-911 service. The County’s Text-to-911 uses the latest state-of-the-art technology allowing hearing- and speech-impaired residents, as well as those in potentially dangerous situations, to reach out for help. 

Text-to-911 will be available for all Lexington County residents and visitors in the County’s service area. Text-to-911 will not be available for residents within the City of Cayce, City of West Columbia or Town of Batesburg-Leesville, as those agencies provide their own 911 call services. 

In an emergency, dialing 911 is a call for help. But people with hearing loss or those who must remain quiet in a dangerous situation aren’t able to place a call safely or at all. That is why the County of Lexington 911 Emergency Communications Division has worked with AT&T and West to implement Text-to-911 on the County of Lexington’s Next Generation 911 call-handling system. 

Text-to-911 is an alternative to calling in an emergency when it would be unsafe for an individual to speak. “If a caller is in a dangerous situation where they are unable to speak, such as an intruder in the home or a domestic violence situation, then Text-to-911 would be an emergency lifeline,” said 911 Communications Chief Nikki Rodgers. “However, speaking to a 911 dispatcher is still the fastest way to receive help to the location; so, remember: Call if you can, text if you can’t.” 

If there is an emergency and you cannot call 911, take these steps: 1. Enter the numbers 911 in the "To" field. 2. Text your exact address and type of emergency. 3. Send the message. 4. Use simple words, but do not include abbreviations, emoji’s, pictures or slang. 5. Promptly answer questions and follow instructions. 

Text-to-911 comes with challenges. For instance, emergency response may be lengthened due to the time it takes for a text to 911 to be typed and sent. Delivery of texts and speed of delivery are also not guaranteed. 

Here are several reminders to ensure the best service and response from dispatchers: 

• Dispatchers prefer calls so they can get cues from background noise and voice inflections. If you text 911, dispatchers will ask if they can call you. 

• Location is not as accurate with texting as it is with a call. Be sure to text your exact address. • A text or data plan is required to use Text-to-911. 

• Texts to 911 will get a bounce back message if you are roaming. 

• Texts to 911 have a 160 character limit, can get out of order, or may not be received. 

• There is no language translation service for texts to 911. 

• Do not text and drive! 

The new service should only be used in emergencies. Texting 911 with a false report is a crime. If you accidentally send a text to 911, send another text, or call 911 to let the dispatcher know that there is no emergency. Remember: Call if you can, text if you can’t.

Disaster for Lexington Real Estate - Six Month Moratorium for Neighborhood Construction in Lexington County

By S. Wade McGuinn

Lexington County Council voted 8-1 for a 6-month home building halt. Council says large builders have created a public health and safety crisis. Public health and safety? Homes where we recently were mandated to stay as schools, government offices, restaurants, sport, and entertainment closed down in the Covid 19 epidemic? 

This will not help anything right now, and it will create a housing shortage in 2023. What about all the county employees who will lose their job or be laid off for six months while the Council sorts this out. What about landowners whose land is now rendered “farmland” and can’t be sold at a fair market price for development?

21-02 should not be a controversial issue. It is not a political issue. It is an issue that needs the attention of everyone involved. It should have never happened. I don't think we will find a resolution by public pole or arguing with those we disagree with. There are already literally hundreds of laws and ordinances on the books that give the county complete control of Zoning, Water, Sewer, Storm Water, Roads, and traffic. So why "close the county" for 180 days and create a 2023 housing shortage, lose county employees and impact local business?

I have lived in Lexington for over 45 years. I am a businessman and CEO of a medium-size homebuilding company for 35 years. I am also a housing author, national panel speaker on housing, habitat board member, and I represented our Home Builders Association at the height of the recession in Columbia and Washington. I survived several market downturns, including the great recession. 

As a home builder, I make a $1 million annual payroll for our team and support our vendor base and trade business to the tune of $50M in Lexington County. We (builders and developers) create jobs and a tax base. We do not build unsafe and insecure environments as this 21-02 refers to. I know most council members, yet no one called my colleagues or me and sought our opinion or expertise. Why?

Big business chooses Lexington County because the lifestyle for their employees is excellent. High-quality, affordable housing, great schools, and a safe place to live and raise a family. Where will the people who work at Amazon, Nephron, Micheline, Lexington Medical, Teachers, Policemen, Nurses, and firefighters go if they can't find a home in Lexington County they can afford? 

Where will new companies go when they learn affordable housing is gone from Lexington?

Other victims of the moratorium are everyone who serves the people who live and invest in Lexington county's growth. Like restaurant owners, grocery stores, public utilities, and small business people who need a new home to grow their businesses.

Housing affordability is simply an issue of lot size and density. Affordable housing cannot be on an oversized lot. As a business owner, the biggest problem and fear is the one that we can't see. That was true when the Council passed 21-02 with no input from the business community. As we wind down one of the scariest times in our history, the Covid 19 pandemic, we face a problem that no one saw coming. Politicians are interrupting the supply chain to the most important thing a family wants and needs. A home!

The pandemic taught us that when parks closed, schools close, restaurants close, we can find refuge in our homes. The safety of owning an affordable home in an affordable area has been the hallmark of what separates Lexington county and the United States from nearly every country on earth. Our ability to own a home and have personal property rights are fundamental rights in Lexington county too!

Whose rights are being violated? Who could have seen our fundamental right to a home in Lexington county would be stopped by a county council using fear as their tool. Health and safety are not their concerns. 

The concern is socio-economic. The council member's vote will hinder the ability of the very workforce that makes Lexington County great to live in or near them. The secret language is hidden in the real meaning. Like "½ acre lots, subdivision of 10 or more". Think of the cost of a new home on a half-acre lot with only nine neighbors. It is not affordable with land and development costs. The price of such a home would be more than $400,000.00.

Think about this, why a moratorium when:

• Interest rates are at an all-time low.

• The supply of used and new homes is at an ALL-TIME low. People want and need a home!

• There are plenty of government controls already in place by Lexington county. The county controls the following items: Zoning, Water, Sewer Storm Water, Roads, and traffic.

Why is there an emergency now in a process they already control? There are only about five developers and 6 builders (large and medium) in Lexington County. This should be resolved in private-public meetings, not in a public process. We all want to do the right thing. We need to agree on what the right thing is.

Under the moratorium, the county now will refuse applications for large residential subdivisions in unincorporated areas. The moratorium begins immediately and may be ratified into law in May. 

The 21-02 moratorium would prevent applications and the administrative processing of applications for: 

• Residential subdivisions of ten lots or more, or; 

• Residential subdivisions with lots averaging less than ½-acre, and;

• Residential attached land use activities as defined by the Lexington County Zoning Ordinance (apartment complexes).

• If a newly proposed subdivision consists of ten lots or more, the number of lots will be determined by many lots in the entire planned subdivision development, including all phases of the proposed development.

• New residential projects that have been formally submitted for review before enacting the moratorium will continue to be processed using the current development review process. 

• The moratorium is applicable in the county's unincorporated areas, which are defined by any sites that do not fall within the municipal boundaries of local towns and cities.

• County officials said the moratorium would allow for an opportunity to study, analyze and make recommendations to the Council concerning the consequences and impacts of large-scale residential growth and apartment complexes throughout the community.

So, what's behind the "why"? Let have an open debate. Both sides in a public hearing let people understand the issues and agree on a resolution. Why don’t the current ordinances and laws work? Why interrupt progress as the economy starts to recover if we can resolve the real problems in an open forum?

S. C. Lawmakers Move Forward on In-Person Learning, Bus Purchases and Protecting Seniors

The House passed a joint resolution that requires all school districts in South Carolina to give an option for five days a week, in-person learning by April 26th. Providing an in-person option allows parents to decide what learning format is the best fit for their student. Additionally, this bill suspends the earning limitation for retired teachers. This ensures that retired teachers can come back to school and teach without fear of too little compensation during these unique times. 

 

Buying More Busses

Many K-12 students in SC will be getting a better ride with the decision to buy 235 propane-fueled school busses. The $23.6 million price tag will be paid from the remaining from the legal settlement from Volkswagen. A decade ago, SC’s school bus fleet was the oldest in the nation, with some busses on the road for more than 20 years. With the new busses, the fleet will have an average age of five years. More than 3,000 busses have been replaced since 2015.

Revitalizing South Carolina

 

“The South Carolina Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act” qualifies taxpayers who make certain investments into rehabilitating and revitalizing abandoned property in the State to receive tax credits. This bill is a great incentive for people to bring life to abandoned and run-down areas of our State. This act was set to expire, but the House voted unanimously to renew it. 

Law Enforcement Help

 

Receiving a favorable vote from a House Judiciary panel is a bill (H.3939) extending workers compensation for law enforcement officers in deadly-force situations to PTSD or other injury caused by stress or mental illness. It is essential that we provide officers with these lifesaving resources to safely and healthily serve our communities. 

Protecting SC Seniors

 

H. 3180, also known as the Vulnerable Adult Maltreatment Registry Act, passed out of a House Subcommittee. This act aims to protect our most vulnerable, elderly populations from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This bill would create a registry for these populations, creating further protections for them in places like nursing homes. 

COVID Vaccine Update

The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has identified 155 cases where individuals were diagnosed with COVID after being fully inoculated with a vaccine. According to DHEC, 17 of those patients were hospitalized, and at least one person has died in what they term “breakthrough” infections. 25% of SC residents are fully vaccinated; many more have received their first shot. The Johnson & Johnson Vaccine has been suspended in SC. The state is in Phase 1C of the vaccination process. Under these guidelines, anyone 16+ is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine with an appointment. Meanwhile, DHEC has a warning concerning scammers:

Charleston Modifies Mask Ordinance

There is minor movement in the Lowcountry on the never-ending mask ordinance. Charleston City Council voted on Tuesday to extend the city’s mask ordinance through May 13.

The ordinance requires masks be worn in certain circumstances when six feet of social distancing from others cannot be maintained. An amendment to the ordinance strongly encourages masks to be worn in all public places, but does reduce the number of places where masks are required. 

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said this amendment is still requiring masks be worn indoors, but now strongly encourages they be worn outdoors. 

Harry Griffin, a member of the Charleston City Council, argues it's impossible to comply with the previous rules of the mask ordinance, and requiring masks under such strict circumstances “defies logic.” 

Other members said that with more and more people being vaccinated, they are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and it is time to remove the requirement. 

Want to See the Fireflies This Year at Congaree Park? You'll Need to Win their Lottery

Congaree National Park is offering several opportunities to see the park’s fireflies May 20 through 22, and May 27 through 29. 

To keep COVID restrictions, the viewings will be limited to 25 vehicles each night of the event. Tickets will be available through a lottery system posted on this website at recreation.gov/ticket/facility/300008. You will only be allowed to enter on the date and time of your specific ticket. Full lottery details may be viewed online at nps.gov/cong/fireflies.htm.

The lottery begins at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 15th and stays open until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 19th. The winners will be announced on Friday, April 23rd. Participants who are chosen will be required to pay a non-refundable $19 event fee plus a one dollar service charge to secure tickets ($20 total).

Tickets will only be issued for passenger vehicles up to two axles that can fit into standard parking spaces (i.e. no motor homes, vehicles with trailers, buses or mini-buses). 

“At our most recent fireflies event, over 12,000 visitors came to the park to view the fireflies and on some nights we welcomed over 2,000 visitors,” said Superintendent K. Lynn Berry. “After consulting with public health officials, we determined that a smaller-scale event would be a wise decision. The lottery system, which is based on the one that has been used for a similar fireflies event at Great Smoky Mountains National Park for years, seemed to be the fairest way of determining who will have access each night.”

There are three species of synchronous flashing fireflies, out of more than two thousand species in total. The mating season lasts approximately two weeks and the synchronized flashing is a part of the mating ritual. 

Lexington man charged in home remodeling fraud case

Lexington County deputies have arrested a man accused of contracting to do construction work he is not licensed to perform.

James Brandon Jordan, 29, is charged with obtaining goods under false pretenses for signing a contract and accepting more than $30,000 to work on a Chapin home last October, according to an arrest warrant.

“Jordan has what’s known as a specialty contractor registration from the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation that allows him to perform only certain types of work at a home,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Based on what we’ve determined during our investigation, Jordan agreed to do work outside the scope of his LLR registration.”

Jordan is also charged with possession of a destructive device and three counts of unlawful conduct toward a child, according to arrest warrants.

“While detectives were executing a search warrant at Jordan’s home Wednesday to gather evidence related to the construction case, they found a homemade pipe bomb,” Koon said. “The unlawful conduct toward a child charges are due to the fact three children were in the home when detectives found the pipe bomb.

“Our work on this case continues,” Koon said. “To report other cases of potential home improvement fraud allegedly associated with Jordan or his company, send an email to homefraud@lcsd.sc.gov.”

Real Estate Buyers Face Fierce Competition

The Columbia, S. C. real estate market continues to operate at a breakneck pace. With limited inventory, buyers are forced to be very aggressive if they want to secure a new home for themselves.  

A normal level of homes for sale is a three to four month supply. The Columbia market has less than a one month’s supply and has been in that condition for a few months now. 

 

In many cases, a home will sell in a day or less. Showings are usually allowed in fifteen minute segments and finding an open slot to show a property on the day it becomes active is tough. It’s becoming the norm for seller’s agents to request highest and best offers by a certain date and time to aggregate all of the offer options for the seller to review at once. And even then, sellers may also choose one or two back up offers in case the primary one falls through for some reason. 

 

If you’re considering purchasing a home and are just looking, online sources such as Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com give you access to mostly current inventory to browse from the convenience of your own device without having to go in person. The downside to these sites is that the data feed is not always instant. A home you see this morning as active may have gone under contract the day before and is no longer available. 

 

Once you become serious about purchasing, the crucial first step is to speak with a lender to get pre-approved. The days of submitting an offer without a lender already willing to work with you for a loan are over; with multiple offers on almost every home, if you submit an offer without being approved for a loan, your chances of winning the bid are virtually zero. 

 

While the standard contract of sale allows for five business days to seek loan approval, it’s not wise to proceed without it. There’s another important piece of information that comes with a lender review of your financials: you learn your true buying power. You may discover you can buy a higher priced home than you thought. Or, you may find out that your budget needs to fit in a lower priced property instead.

 

A surprising new trend is emerging, with buyers offering over the property’s listing price. It’s no longer enough to say you’re willing to pay full price for a property; that kind of offer may not be successful in a bidding war. The value of working with an experienced real estate agent cannot be over emphasized, as the agent will help guide you to terms that could help you be the winning offer. 

 

Other considerations include:

•Are you asking the seller the contribute towards your closing costs?

•Are you wanting the seller to provide a home warranty?

•What type of financing are you using – Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA Rural Housing, cash?

•Do you have any contingencies, such as needing to list and/or sell your current home?

•Are you requesting any items in the home to remain, such as appliances, washer/dryer?

•How soon can you close? 30 days, 45 days, 60 days?

 

If you can afford the time to be patient, start looking as soon as you know you want or need to buy a home and have all of your documents ready when you begin. It may take longer to get the home you want, but it will be worth it in the end. Interest rates remain at historic lows, meaning it will cost you less to borrow. 

Cancel Culture Pushes Boycott of Georgia to the Extreme

In an attempt to push the far left agenda, the woke culture in place at several major corporations has selected the state of Georgia as their next target. Georgia recognizes the need for shoring up the integrity of elections and has passed a law requiring voters to show identification when exercising their constitutional right to vote.

Georgia also deemed it inappropriate to have influencers working the line with food and drinks while people are waiting to vote. What they didn’t do was take away the ability of legitimate voters to participate in elections and they also didn’t take away the ability for people to provide water and snacks to voters, it just has to be done from a dedicated distribution station. 

To hear this law described by the mainstream media, you’d think they’ve disenfranchised the bulk of the population with an excessive, restrictive ruling. The corporations that are doing business in Georgia and are following the playbook of the cancel culture include big names known across the country and the world: Coca Cola, Delta Airlines, Major League Baseball and others.

Former President Donald Trump reacted to the news of the companies that are leaning on Governor Kemp to back away from the law. "Are you listening Coke, Delta,” Trump said. "Boycott Major League Baseball, Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, JPMorgan Chase, ViacomCBS, Citigroup, Cisco, UPS, and Merck."

Major League Baseball decided to pull the All Star Game from being played in Georgia this summer. The latest speculation has the game being played in the state of Colorado. 

Democrats have criticized the law, with Joe Biden calling it “Jim Crow on steroids.” More than one hundred companies and social media firms including Twitter, Zillow and Uber issued a joint statement through Civic Alliance Friday, joining several major corporations who have expressed their concern about Georgia's decision to require identification when voting. There are activities in every state of the Union that require identification to participate, but yet the idea of proving your identity to vote is somehow different and racist. 

Publicly issued statements from companies and social media outlets included:

Facebook: "We support making voting as accessible and broad-based as possible and oppose efforts to make it harder for people to vote," Roy Austin, VP and deputy general counsel for civil rights, said in a statement.

Bank of America: "Our history in fact is punctuated by the moments when we expanded that right to those to whom it had been denied too long. We must continue to right the wrongs of our past, and stand united in our advocacy for equal voting rights for all," Chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan wrote in a message to employees.

Microsoft: "We are concerned by the law’s impact on communities of color, on every voter, and on our employees and their families. We share the views of other corporate leaders that it’s not only right but essential for the business community to stand together in opposition to the harmful provisions and other similar legislation that may be considered elsewhere."

Coca Cola: The Georgia law is "unacceptable" and "a step backwards," CEO James Quincey told CNBC Wednesday. "[It] is wrong and needs to be remedied, and we will continue to advocate for it both in private and now even more clearly in public."

University of South Carolina's Medical School Leads Nation For Graduates Practicing In Areas with Healthcare Shortages

A new report ranking the top graduate school programs in the country names the University of South Carolina School of Medicine at Columbia as the number one medical program in the country for graduates who practice in areas where there is a shortage of health care professionals.

U. S. News and World Report released their annual rankings on Tuesday. The rankings show the University of South Carolina boasts more than 60 nationally-ranked programs. 

The Darla Moore School of Business maintained its top ranking for the International MBA program, now in its eighth year of being number one.  

The University of South Carolina's School of Medicine’s top ranking perfectly aligns with their mission of providing medical professionals for underserved areas. 

Other prominent rankings for the school include coming in at number 45 for the number of doctors practicing in primary care specialties and fifty fourth for graduates who practice direct patient care in primarily rural areas of the country. The University of South Carolina's School of Medicine is also ranked at number 76 nationally in primary care.

The Darla Moore School of Business continued its reign as the highest ranked international business master’s program in the United States. Their program has been ranked in the top three for more than thirty years.

The university’s ranked graduate and professional programs include the sciences, humanities, health sciences, technology, law, engineering and business.

Other ranked programs at the University of South Carolina: 

• 7th for school library media.

• 9th for services for children and youth.

• 17th for library and information studies.

• 23rd for criminology program.

• 25th for part-time MBA.

• 25th for nuclear engineering.

• 25th for speech language pathology.

Congressional Art Competition Accepting Entries

 Each year, the House of Representatives participates in a nation-wide high school arts competition sponsored by the Congressional Institute.

The Congressional Art Competition is a way to recognize the talent of young artists here in South Carolina and across the nation.

This competition is open to all high school students, and one winner is selected to represent the Second Congressional District of South Carolina. The winning artwork will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol with art from all participating districts around the country. 

Artwork must be two-dimensional and represent this year's theme, The Palmetto State: Capturing the Spirit of South Carolina. Each framed artwork can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must be framed. Even when framed, it must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions. No framed piece should weigh more than 15 pounds.

Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (it is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
• Collages: must be two dimensional
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc
  Computer-generated art
• Photographs

Entries must be original in concept, design, and execution, and must be entered in the original medium (i.e. not a scan or copy of original work).

All submissions must be delivered to one of Joe Wilson's district offices in the Midlands or Aiken-Barnwell by close of business April 30, 2021. 

For additional information, contact Jackson Gossett in the Midlands office of Representative Joe Wilson at 803-939-0041.

Money matters at the SC State House As Budget Talks Continue

The South Carolina House of Representatives focused on money matters this past week. The state’s budget was up for consideration in the House and now moves to the Senate. The continued tightening is to hedge against unknown financial uncertainty created through the pandemic. The South Carolina House passed a very conservative budget to only fund necessary government services. 

Overall revenue for the state is expected to increase as the number of positive cases falls and the spread of herd immunity gets society closer to normal operation. 

“After hours of debate and hundreds of votes, we passed the $9.8 billion general fund budget that puts hundreds of millions in the state's rainy day fund as a hedge against the economy slowing again,” said Rep. Bill Taylor of Aiken. “The budget prioritizes the legislative dedication to improving education, funding needed resources for law enforcement and our prison system, and expanding broadband internet access, focusing on rural areas.” 

 

State employee pay is addressed in the budget for the coming year.  While the initial budget does not give all state employees a pay raise, the floor debate brought commitments from budget leaders they will make every effort to include pay boosts in the final spending plan. The preliminary budget does include $16.2 million for annual pay bumps and pay increases for South Carolina  law enforcement officers and corrections officers.  

 

Among the additions added during the budget debate was a provision to have the State Election Commission report on the number of election fraud investigations conducted in relation to the November 2020 election. The report would be due for completion by this August.

 

The Senate will be considering this budget and return it to the House while the Board of Economic Advisors prepares revenue estimates.  As the economy continues to improve, there are indications there will be additional revenue forecasted, which will allow for other spending priorities.

 

In April, the House will decide how it plans to allocate the $2.1 billion in federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act. Also up for debate is the $525 million from the Savannah River Site settlement.

Marking the 40th Anniversary Since President Reagan was Shot

Today is a dark anniversary for America. On this day in the year 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot by gunman John Hinkley, Jr. White House Press Secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty were also wounded.

Everyone survived the gunman’s attack. However, James Brady was permanently disabled due to brain damage from the wound. He later became a staunch supporter of gun control efforts.

President Reagan was seriously wounded in the shooting, which took place outside the Washington Hilton Hotel after a speech given by the president. His term had just begun only 70 days prior to the shooting.

Hinkley’s assassination attempt was actually caught on video and the footage was seen by millions through traditional broadcast news.There was no internet at the time. 

Reagan recovered and went on to complete his term and win re-election in 1984. The public was not immediately made aware of the seriousness of his injuries. The surgeons reported the bullet entered Regan’s chest and stopped just one inch away from his heart. 

Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was sentenced to a mental care facility. He was released from custody in 2016.

 

Trump in Talks with FreeSpace to Launch as his Own Social Media Platform

Former President Donald Trump is reported to be in discussions with a new and relatively unknown social media group called FreeSpace to create his own brand of social communication.

Trump’s senior advisor Jason Miller told Fox News that Trump would make a return to social media in the next few months, with his own platform. 

The majority of the world’s social media sites have banned Trump for the last several months, starting in November 2020 around the time of the contested election. He was removed from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many others in an attempt to silence his point of view and influence. 

His consideration of FreeSpace would make this newcomer app top news. FreeSpace was just launched in February 2021 in the Google Play store and the Apple app store. As of now, FreeSpace has under a thousand users. The market dominator, Twitter, boasts over 192 million daily users. 

Many Trump followers are anxious for the former president to return to the daily conversation and to find a new home on a social media site that doesn’t throttle free speech and ideas from opposing parties. 

Rock Hill Suspends Mask Ordinance

In a win for freedom of choice, The City of Rock Hill voted this week to rescind the mask mandate for their municipality that’s been in effect since last summer. 

The Rock Hill City Council voted 5-2 in favor of cancelling the mask mandate. This action comes after South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (R – S. C.) changed the statewide rules regarding the requirement of mask wearing for restaurants and government buildings across the state. 

 

Members of the Rock Hill City Council voiced opposing views on the mask mandate, with John Black voting in favor of relaxing the rules as the numbers on COVID 19 continue to improve. However, Nikita Jackson believes that once the rules are relaxed, people will stop wearing masks and endanger people working at public businesses. “…if don’t nobody else speak up for those individuals we as public servants should address that and speak up for them,” Jackson said.

 

According to Councilman Black, “The numbers are going down and it’s time to take a mandate and let the citizens decide for themselves if it’s their need to protect themselves.”

 

Home meal delivery offered by local business gives seniors and others options

 

West Columbia’s Primal Gourmet is offering a program for homebound meal delivery in the greater Columbia area. 

 

In addition to the delivery program, this healthy food alternative has the opportunity for customers to buy in bulk sizes, individual meals or local produce, dairy, eggs, dry goods and snacks.  Primal Gourmet is a market and meal service providing local items and freshly prepared foods from top quality ingredients.

 

The homebound meal delivery program offered by Primal Gourmet is delivered every Friday. They create a new menu each Friday and accept orders from Friday until the following Wednesday at 8:00pm. According to Primal Gourmet, “this service is ideal for those who are utilizing home health services, can no longer drive, have disabilities that make cooking difficult, expectant mothers, families with newborns, or folks who are going through in-home rehabilitation.”

 

The program offers two meal size options that are heart healthy, diabetic friendly, moderate to low sodium and geared for those who enjoy Southern cooking. In addition to the prepared meals, you may also add on extras from their market, including soups, salads, cookies, coffee and more. 

 

Meals can be either delivered directly or picked up at one of two addresses:

Primal Gourmet’s West Columbia Kitchen and Market or Tres Leches Bakery in Irmo. Orders may be placed by phone or email.

 

A recent sampling of home delivery menu items included Greek roasted chicken tenderloins with new potatoes and brussel sprouts, shrimp gumbo and Irish roasted pork tenderloin with potatoes and cabbage. 

For more information, contact delivery@primalgourmetsc.com

Expanded 2nd Amendment Rights Wins House Approval

The South Carolina House of Representatives passed the first major Second Amendment legislation in over 25 years. Forty-five other states have adopted firearm legislation similar to this bill. The "Open Carry with Training Act" is a critical step in bringing South Carolina in line with a vast majority of the country, including every neighboring state. 

This bill (H.3094) allows individuals to openly carry handguns in SC, so long as they have a valid conceal carry permit (CWP). This advancement is good for safeguarding Second Amendment rights. Next up is the Constitutional Carry bill (H.3096). This bill has moved out of committee and will receive a House vote in a couple of weeks.

Representative Bill Taylor, House District 86, was a target of two gun-rights advocacy groups prior to the vote on the Open Carry bill, even though he is a supporter of the initiative. Taylor said, "My colleagues and I have each received hundreds of emails and phone calls triggered by these advocacy groups. I believe they purposely confuse the issue to stir up their followers. In reality, they are using these gun bills to raise money for themselves." 

Taylor was a co-sponsor of both H.3094 and H. 3096. "Important legislation takes thoughtful strategy, not blunt force. My voting strategy is to advance gun rights, not kill them. We did just that this week in the House — we advanced. The Constitutional Carry bill will get my vote in a couple of weeks," Taylor confirmed. 

FOMC Sets Goals for Economic Recovery at 2021 Conference

On March 16 - 17, 2021, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) held its annual conference to discuss monetary policymaking for the coming year. 

As of today, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact businesses and individuals, hurting the economy. It’s been one year since COVID restrictions were first implemented and thousands of businesses in the United States were put permanently out of business, leaving millions of Americans without jobs. 

 

Vaccine rollout is in effect, and it's possible that the pandemic will be largely behind us in a matter of months. However, many reparations need to be done. 

The Federal Reserve Board agrees that Americans are still in dire need of assistance, and our economy needs revival. Their plan for economic recovery contains the following.

 

Achieve Maximum Employment and Inflation Rate of 2% 

Over the past year, inflation has been consistently running below 2% due to the economic harm caused by social distancing requirements, and this trend continues to persist. The goal of the Committee is to make up for the loss by achieving inflation slightly above 2% for a period of time, causing the average inflation rate to shift closer to an even 2%. 

In order to achieve this goal, the Committee will execute monetary policy with an "accommodative stance," which means they will cut rates to redirect money into the economy. 

 

Keep the Target Range for Federal Funds rate at 0 - 0.25% 

The FOMC determines the federal funds rate, which is the target interest rate for banks lending and borrowing excess reserves from other banks. The rate of 0 - 0.25% - which the committee agreed to continue into 2021 – was established in 2020 shortly after the outbreak of COVID-19. 

Lowering interest rates is a strategy to stimulate economic growth. When the federal funds rate is lower, banks have more freedom to lower interest rates for their customers, which gives Americans more buying power. Thus, the federal funds rate was lowered last year, and it will maintain a consistent rate until economic recovery is evident. 

Continue to Increase Holdings of Treasury Securities

 

The Committee also agreed to "increase its holdings of Treasury securities by at least $80 per month and of agency mortgage-backed securities by at least $40 billion per month" until substantial economic progress is made. Increasing holdings in securities allows the government to borrow money without taxing the public. 

Turning to Treasury and agency mortgage-backed securities during this time is a way to alleviate the tax burden on Americans who are struggling financially. This will allow American families to spend money at local businesses and take out loans from banks, directing money back into the economy.

Additionally, while unemployment rates are high and up to $10,200 in unemployment insurance per individual will remain untaxed by the federal government, the Committee must prepare for alternatives to taxation.

Monitor Risks

With vaccine rollout underway and these policy changes in place, it's possible that economic recovery is underway. That being said, risks and unexpected changes are always a factor, and policy must be altered accordingly when events like these occur. 

"The Committee would be prepared to adjust the stance of monetary policy as appropriate if risks emerge that could impede the attainment of the Committee's goals," the press release states. 

The Federal Reserve will continue to monitor public health, employment rates, inflation trends and geopolitical developments and make necessary changes to monetary policy.

"We understand that our actions affect communities, families, and businesses across the country. Everything we do is in service to our public mission. We are committed to using our full range of tools to support the economy and to help assure that the recovery from this difficult period will be as robust as possible," stated Fed Chair Jerome Powell in his opening remarks. 

These policy decisions are aimed at restoring the U.S. economy, lowering unemployment rates and empowering Americans once again.