Welcome to a Tuesday edition of FITSFeed, our recently launched format which focuses on news briefs, reader feedback and other stuff I probably would have posted to Twitter had that platform not decided to piss me off.
So far, today’s big stories involve the ongoing incompetence of University of South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner and a brewing scandal related to a recent officer-involved shooting.
Got something for the feed? Please email me.
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THE FEED …
3:44 p.m. EDT – Officer-Involved Shooting Update
Earlier today, I reported exclusively on calls for an independent investigation of the officer-involved shooting that took place last weekend in Richland County – one of the few places in the Palmetto State where the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is barred from conducting such independent inquiries.
Here is what Richland County sheriff Leon Lott had to say in response to these calls …
“SLED is not engaged with local communities, does not practice community policing, does not develop community partnerships and does not have a citizen’s review process. These factors may result in an increased risk for civil unrest following controversial case outcomes.”
Oye …
SLED and Lott have had an arms-length relationship for some time now, but this is a clear escalation on the part of the Richland County sheriff.
Again, I completely disagree with Lott. Having a law enforcement agency attempt to investigate itself is far more likely to yield “controversial case outcomes,” in my estimation.
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12:30 p.m. EDT – First Congressional District Fireworks
(Via: Katie Arrington for Congress)
Wanna hear the most bizarre question ever posed to a candidate for congress (at least in my experience)?
Here goes: “Why don’t you tell everyone why you ran over your ex-husband?”
Ummm … huh?
According to my sources, this question was posed to former state representative Katie Arrington at an event on Edisto Island, S.C. earlier this week. In fact, the exchange was reportedly captured on a cell phone …
Stay tuned … I can’t even comprehend the fireworks in this race …
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11:22 a.m. EDT – Upstate Special Election
(Via: Facebook)
There’s a special election in Greenville County today – specifically a GOP primary race to fill the seat vacated back in January by former state representative Tommy Stringer.
Stringer, 55, stepped down for health reasons midway through his sixth term at the S.C. State House.
Four GOP candidates have filed paperwork to appear on today’s ballot: Dakota Fitzgerald, Keith Jones, Wyatt Miler and Alan Morgan. Of the four, Fitzgerald has been embraced by the ‘America First’ movement of Donald Trump loyalists.
To track the results in this primary race, click here …
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7:44 a.m. EDT – Beaufort Sheriff’s Race Update
(Via: Beaufort County Sheriff)
In yesterday’s edition of the feed, I published a brief item on the contentious race for sheriff of Beaufort County, South Carolina – a contest which is taking place in the shadow of the ‘Murdaugh Murders’ crime and corruption saga.
In that item, I noted that Chris Slick – who was managing the campaign of former S.C. fourteenth circuit investigator (and former Beaufort County sheriff’s captain) JoJo Woodward – had stepped down from his role in the campaign.
There was some speculation in Lowcountry political circles that Slick had been fired from the Woodward campaign, but yesterday evening I received a statement from Woodward’s new campaign manager – John Aker – indicating that was not the case.
“Neither Mr. Slick nor his company were fired,” Aker told me. “The parting of ways was completely amicable on both sides. We look forward to continuing to run a robust campaign to elect JoJo Woodward as Beaufort County sheriff.”
Woodward is challenging incumbent sheriff P.J. Tanner in a reprise of their head-to-head battle four years ago …
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6:48 a.m. EDT – UndiSCovered Update
In case you missed it, author Angela Schumpert published a wonderful new installment in our ‘undiSCovered’ series earlier this month. Look for another small business profile from her very soon …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: FITSNews)
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children. Oh, he also has LOTS of hats … but has given them up for Lent this year.
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BANNER VIA: GETTY IMAGES