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Wanna share a link? Suggestion? Criticism? Question? Submit it (anonymously or otherwise) via our tip wire … and remember, in addition to confidentially investigating your leads we also publish letters to the editor and guest editorials (even anonymous ones) if you’ve got more to say on a subject. Also feel free to reach out to our founding editor directly at w@fitsnews.com.
To the wire!
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MORE ON NIKKI HALEY’S LATEST CABINET DISASTER
RE: SCDPPPS Scandals
An important fact about Kela Thomas at SCDPPP: Gov. Nikki Haley appointed her chairperson on the committee to interview the candidates for the next S.C. Department of Public Safety director (since we all knew it could not be interim director Ken Lancaster due to his affairs). It was down to one candidate that the committee recommended, but he was white. Kela Thomas then contacted Leroy Smith in Florida – since they were friends – and told him about the position and urged him to apply (even though the cut off date had passed and all the interviews WITH the entire committee had passed). Leroy Smith never interviewed with the committee – only Gov. Haley. He did get a former governor of his state, Florida, to call Haley, which he admitted in an interview. The candidate that the committee recommended was a former South Carolina law enforcement officer with 37 years experience statewide with a master’s degree in criminal justice. Unfortunately he was discriminated against by Thomas because he was WHITE!
There is definitely reverse racial discrimination going on in Haley’s agencies, but she turns a deaf ear. She also hired Smith so the former Florida governor would be in her debt when she ran for national office. Not everyone is as stupid as Haley thinks they are!
Know you will not reveal source–that is why we can contact you!
SIC SEZ
That’s very interesting information. Thanks for passing it along!
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MORE ON SCDPPPS SCANDAL
RE: SCDPPPS Scandals
That report on SCDPPPS only begins to cover the issues the agency is facing. I work in Greenville County office and every agent has over 300 cases they supervise, but the figure being publicized is 95 cases per agent. Charleston, Spartanburg and Richland counties all exceed 200 cases per agent. With those numbers, it is impossible to do your job. There are so many people and so many requirements that we are unable to even get out and verify where they are living. Not to mention we don’t have the cars to do it either. Nobody stays because nobody can do the job they’ve been asked to do.
SIC SEZ
Hey, at least the agency director has a nicely remodeled office …
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SECESSION BY NUMBERS
RE: “Secession Time“
Secession is a good idea. South Carolina in 2013 has a much larger population than the entire United States in 1790. Indeed, Charleston County in 2013 has a larger population than the entire state of South Carolina had in 1790. So there’s no reason that each county (or few counties, combined) could not become states under a new Republic of South Carolina, using the U.S. Constitution for the new S.C. Constitution.
SIC SEZ
It’s not size of the state in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the state. Or something like that …
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TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES
RE: $29 Billion
There is a hole in the bridge on I-77 over Porter Road. The Herald has a photo of the sun shining through the hole onto Porter Road. We are building interstate exchages to nowhere in Dillon and can’t keep the existing interstate bridges fixed in York. Why wouldn’t they listen to former S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) commissioner Sarah Nuckles????
SIC SEZ
Agreed. FITS listened to Nuckles. In fact we named her a “Taxpayer Hero” several years ago – and have published several of her opinion pieces on the sorry state of the SCDOT. Were I the benevolent dictator of South Carolina, Nuckles would run the road system. This stuff isn’t complicated.
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JOB POSTINGS DOWN
It’s not a great day in South Carolina for job postings … according to GSA Business “online advertised job postings in South Carolina fell by 200 in May, according to data released by The Conference Board Help Wanted Online. Overall, there were 56,400 positions listed online in May compared with 56,600 for April, the board reported.”
SIC SEZ
Must be that awesome labor participation rate we’re rocking …
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MORE ON JOBS …
Our youngest, a recent USC grad, has been doing the job app thing. He has applied for several jobs with the State. We’ve been surprised by a number of law enforcement and related jobs which require only a GED or HS diploma. That’s ok but to state that there is no credit given for continuing education or degrees just helps explain the current state of our state. Whatever happened to hiring the best candidate possible which in time raises the competence of the department. Oh well the Georgia jobs look good and pay lots more. Btw it’s a great day in Georgia.
SIC SEZ
Ha! It is a great day in Georgia!
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TED VICK STATUS CHECK
Hey Will, whats the latest on S.C. Rep. Ted Vick’s recent DUI? Is he going to skate again?
SIC SEZ
He didn’t skate the first time – that charge is still pending. I think it’s highly unlikely he gets off on either allegation, personally, but then again this is South Carolina.
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TUBERCULOSIS IN GREENWOOD
Why oh why aren’t you pounding on the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) over the tuberculosis debacle in Greenwood County? Terrible mismanagement by the youngster Jamie Shuster!
SIC SEZ
Good tip …
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20 comments
Between this and DSS’s Koller I am seriously afraid for vulnerable children in this state, and anyone who is right now a future victim of someone on probation or parole, if the officers admittedly cannot keep up with their whereabouts at the very least. Public safety is a core function of government and things are off the rails, we are all in danger to the extent that city corruption and chaos, county level gambling and illegal activities, state scandals and inexcusable behavior, all of this amounts to a dangerous level of violence and mayhem and gangs on up to public officials engaged in criminal conspiracies. No wonder Shawty has PTSD–I have PTSD, from living in Richland County! From voting to going to an ATM, we are being traumatized by a lack of order, just across the board. I wish someone could come along and clean house.
Between this and DSS’s Koller I am seriously afraid for vulnerable children in this state, and anyone who is right now a future victim of someone on probation or parole, if the officers admittedly cannot keep up with their whereabouts at the very least. Public safety is a core function of government and things are off the rails, we are all in danger to the extent that city corruption and chaos, county level gambling and illegal activities, state scandals and inexcusable behavior, all of this amounts to a dangerous level of violence and mayhem and gangs on up to public officials engaged in criminal conspiracies. No wonder Shawty has PTSD–I have PTSD, from living in Richland County! From voting to going to an ATM, we are being traumatized by a lack of order, just across the board. I wish someone could come along and clean house.
I’m wondering when someone is going to propose “FIGHTING” for something. Everything is “cut and run”. Bad schools? Pass school choice and run. Don’t like the way things are going in DC? Secede and run. There are bad schools in this state that need fixing and should be fixed but forcing all schools to suffer for the few seems like overkill. Same with this whole secession thing, it would never happen, but it is indicative of people with a character flaw that would rather run than fight for something that is worth saving.
The whole thing with the 200 drop in jobs advertised, first wouldn’t that indicate that people are getting back to work, a good thing. But if one wanted to buy into the premise that it is a bad thing we are talking about a change of .0035%, that’s right 35 ten thousandths of a single percentage point change, come on, there are far better things to complain about, aren’t there? If not I would say we are doing pretty good and are turning over some mighty big boulders looking for things to complain about.
“but it is indicative of people with a character flaw that would rather run than fight for something that is worth saving”
Well, that’s the whole problem. To many people the system is not worth saving. Even further, the “line” between what it would take to start over versus “fixing” the broken and large bureaucratic engine in terms of time/money/energy is a simple judgement call.
If you want to characterize those that choose to spend their energy more wisely(in their opinion) as “character flawed” don’t be surprised when those same people characterize you as insane.
It’s all just a matter of opinion. The fact is though, secession is simply an expression of freedom. In fact, it’s the most basic freedom-
It’s saying, “I don’t want to be abused in this relationship anymore, leave me alone.”
Trying to prevent it is similar to an abusive husband trying to prevent his punching bag wife from leaving him.
I acknowledge your point and understand that those on the other side of the table from me probably think worse of me than I do of them but secession proponents are much like Ron Paul supporters, not a lot of them and they don’t have a tremendous impact on the national stage. Not trying to irritate Ron Paul supporters, I like some of what he puts out there, but they just don’t get much done.
Sometimes “getting stuff done” is simply pointing out the truth, especially in an environment where you are the “minority”.
I have no doubt that sometime in the future the various apparatus of gov’t will collapse in on itself.
No empire, gov’t, etc. has lasted forever. The ? is when, not if.
2 years? 20 years? 200 years?
Who knows.
I’m wondering when someone is going to propose “FIGHTING” for something. Everything is “cut and run”. Bad schools? Pass school choice and run. Don’t like the way things are going in DC? Secede and run. There are bad schools in this state that need fixing and should be fixed but forcing all schools to suffer for the few seems like overkill. Same with this whole secession thing, it would never happen, but it is indicative of people with a character flaw that would rather run than fight for something that is worth saving.
The whole thing with the 200 drop in jobs advertised, first wouldn’t that indicate that people are getting back to work, a good thing. But if one wanted to buy into the premise that it is a bad thing we are talking about a change of .0035%, that’s right 35 ten thousandths of a single percentage point change, come on, there are far better things to complain about, aren’t there? If not I would say we are doing pretty good and are turning over some mighty big boulders looking for things to complain about.
“but it is indicative of people with a character flaw that would rather run than fight for something that is worth saving”
Well, that’s the whole problem. To many people the system is not worth saving. Even further, the “line” between what it would take to start over versus “fixing” the broken and large bureaucratic engine in terms of time/money/energy is a simple judgement call.
If you want to characterize those that choose to spend their energy more wisely(in their opinion) as “character flawed” don’t be surprised when those same people characterize you as insane.
It’s all just a matter of opinion. The fact is though, secession is simply an expression of freedom. In fact, it’s the most basic freedom-
It’s saying, “I don’t want to be abused in this relationship anymore, leave me alone.”
Trying to prevent it is similar to an abusive husband trying to prevent his punching bag wife from leaving him.
I acknowledge your point and understand that those on the other side of the table from me probably think worse of me than I do of them but secession proponents are much like Ron Paul supporters, not a lot of them and they don’t have a tremendous impact on the national stage. Not trying to irritate Ron Paul supporters, I like some of what he puts out there, but they just don’t get much done.
Sometimes “getting stuff done” is simply pointing out the truth, especially in an environment where you are the “minority”.
I have no doubt that sometime in the future the various apparatus of gov’t will collapse in on itself.
No empire, gov’t, etc. has lasted forever. The ? is when, not if.
2 years? 20 years? 200 years?
Who knows.
Why are college graduates applying for positions that only need a GED? Did Jr. get one of those degrees where people ask, “What do you do with a degree in _______?”.
Graduates ask with a:
Science degree — ” Why does it work?”
Engineering degree — “How does it work?”
Accounting degree — “How much will it cost?”
Liberal Arts degree — “Do you want fries with that?”
I graduated with a B.A. in Broadcast Media with an emphasis on Video Production. I was News Director of the College TV Station, and worked 2.5 years for a news station, in the GSP area as an editor/photog/assignment editor. In any normal economy, I should be able to find a job in journalism, or some other video production setting. However, news staffs have shrunk, and I am competing with guys with 20 years experience. This forces me to turn to learning a new career or working retail, etc. jobs. Either way, I am in entry level positions. This is the reality meeting many new college grads. It’s not that their degrees are worthless. The market is just flooded with workers who have more experience, but are willing to accept employment at a lower level than they deserve.
Why are college graduates applying for positions that only need a GED? Did Jr. get one of those degrees where people ask, “What do you do with a degree in _______?”.
Graduates ask with a:
Science degree — ” Why does it work?”
Engineering degree — “How does it work?”
Accounting degree — “How much will it cost?”
Liberal Arts degree — “Do you want fries with that?”
I graduated with a B.A. in Broadcast Media with an emphasis on Video Production. I was News Director of the College TV Station, and worked 2.5 years for a news station, in the GSP area as an editor/photog/assignment editor. In any normal economy, I should be able to find a job in journalism, or some other video production setting. However, news staffs have shrunk, and I am competing with guys with 20 years experience. This forces me to turn to learning a new career or working retail, etc. jobs. Either way, I am in entry level positions. This is the reality meeting many new college grads. It’s not that their degrees are worthless. The market is just flooded with workers who have more experience, but are willing to accept employment at a lower level than they deserve.
Dang!! When are they going to arrest Metts??!!
Dang!! When are they going to arrest Metts??!!
You have to be very careful these days. If you get involved with somebody you have to know their health history. The best way to find out is to look through their medicine cabinet. It tells you what they don’t have. With one girl, I opened up the medicine cabinet, and it was empty. I thought, “Damn, I don’t know what she’s got, but whatever it is, there ain’t no cure for it!”
You have to be very careful these days. If you get involved with somebody you have to know their health history. The best way to find out is to look through their medicine cabinet. It tells you what they don’t have. With one girl, I opened up the medicine cabinet, and it was empty. I thought, “Damn, I don’t know what she’s got, but whatever it is, there ain’t no cure for it!”