S.C. lawmakers pressed to find money for coronavirus response
By Rick Brundrett The Nerve As lawmakers debate how to pay for the state’s emergency coronavirus response, they will have to decide where exactly to get the money. In a letter to House and Senate leaders, Gov. Henry McMaster requested that lawmakers provide the state Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) up to $45 million to help the agency “identify and secure – in advance – the necessary resources, equipment and...
Will Year 2 of gas tax credit be as unpopular as the first?
By Rick Brundrett The Nerve A state agency is again predicting that S.C. taxpayers will claim the maximum-allowed amount of income tax credits to offset the gas tax hike, though the first official estimate was way off the mark. For last year’s income tax filings, the S.C. Revenue and Fiscal Affairs (RFA) Office projected that a total maximum-allowed $40 million in gas tax credits would be claimed, according to a September 2018 letter...
LIVING ON PURPOSE: Trusting the God of hope
By Bill Holland Like you, I’m hearing about acts of kindness during this time when the virus is causing so many problems. We realize it’s easy to become so distracted with how bad things are, that we forget all the good that is going on all around us. In a world where the attitude is many times based on an “everyone for themselves mentality” it’s good to know there are still caring people out there who are sincerely compassionate....
Beasley has virus
From Staff Reports Former S.C. Gov. David Beasley, a Society Hill native, announced last week he has tested positive for coronavirus. Beasley, now executive director at the United Nations World Food Programme, said on his Facebook page: “ … I have received confirmation, after testing, that I have the Covid-19 virus. I began feeling unwell this past weekend after returning to my home in the United States from an official visit to...
South Carolina DOT honors PDRTA
At the annual Transportation Association of South Carolina Conference March 7, SCDOT awarded the Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority with the 2020 Transit Provider of the Year Award for outstanding transit services to the public. PDRTA was recognized in part for their continued efforts to build a sustainable funding model on the local level for their rural services. PDRTA Executive Director Don Strickland accepted the award and...
How school district’s eLearning plan works
Editor’s note: This news release was sent out March 16. Some changes in the plan might have been made since the newspaper went to press March 23. The Darlington County School District (DCSD) has released its eLearning and remote learning plan to continue instruction while district schools are closed. Through the DCSD program, students will be able to keep learning, even when face-to-face options are unavailable. The district also...