Author: Paul Gable

Revelations Rock(er) Project Blue

New revelations this week about Covation LLC COO David Rocker’s criminal past brought further questions to the viability of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation’s now infamous Project Blue.

Among other revelations, Rocker failed to file income tax returns for 14 consecutive years while participating in a Klein conspiracy to interfere with the lawful government functions of the IRS.

This new information comes to light as the EDC is lobbying for third reading approval, by county council, of an ordinance that would approve the issuance of $8 million in county general obligation debt as part of an estimated overall $24 million incentive package.

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Obesity Rates in the U.S. Running Amok

Obesity rates in the U.S. are projected to increase dramatically over the next 20 years, according to a report released yesterday by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation.

The report projects nearly two of every three South Carolinians (62.9%) will be obese by the year 2030. Obesity rates in the U.S. are projected to increase dramatically over the next 20 years, according to a report released yesterday by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation.

We are already halfway there as 2011 obesity rates list one of three (30.8%) of South Carolinians currently obese.
And it’s not just South Carolina. The whole nation is out of control weight wise.

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S.C. Legal System Stacked Against Laymen

There seems to be a de facto informal system within the S. C legal system whereby officers of the court protect each other regardless of what laws, regulations and the code of conduct require.

Those of you who have served in the military, especially the Army, may be familiar with the term West Point Protection Association.

This was a term derisively used, especially during the Vietnam War, to describe an informal system whereby West Point graduates protected the records of each other regardless of rank or other considerations. One West Pointer protected another regardless of what actually happened in the field.

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RCPS Properties Requests Expanded Mine Permit

A request for an expanded mine permit from Horry County by RCPS Properties has caused controversy recently among some residents of the Carolina Forest neighborhood area.

If approved, the permit would expand the current footprint of the mine to a total of 301 acres. Most of the mining takes place behind the Sparks Toyota and Dunkin Donuts properties between West Perry Road and Myrtle Ridge Drive off U.S. 501.

The mining operation has been owned RCPS Properties since 1996 and operates on an expanse of land which has been mined since the 1950’s.

According to RCPS Properties general manager Justin Harris, approval of the permit will not result in an increase in volume of the mining operations.

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May Bike Rallies Issue Rises Again

The May bike rallies were a topic of discussion during the Horry County Public Safety Committee meeting Thursday when county Public Safety Director Paul Whitten disclosed the county lost approximately $190,000 policing the two rallies this year.

The amount of the loss drew raised eyebrows from several committee members who called for a full discussion before county council.

That the bike rallies cost the county money should be no surprise after the contentious debate over vendor permits earlier this year.

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Former 4th Circuit solicitor Jay Hodge

No Investigation of Allegations Against Hodge

The news on virtually every media outlet in the state today is that the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is not investigating charges that former 4th Circuit solicitor Jay Hodge molested several boys while their Boy Scout leader decades ago.

Two of the victims, now men in their 30’s and 40’s, filed a lawsuit against Hodge and the Boy Scouts of America several weeks ago alleging the acts by Hodge.

SLED was reportedly requested to review the allegations in the lawsuit for potential criminal charges. Yesterday, a SLED spokesman told media the agency is not currently investigating the allegations. There is no statute of limitations on criminal acts in South Carolina.

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Federal Tort Claims Lawsuit – Part III

A federal tort claims lawsuit, with Horry County and former Horry County Police Department Chief Johnny Morgan included as defendants, is moving forward in Florence federal district court as discovery and depositions are scheduled later this month.

Last week, we posted the first two parts of this series. Part III concentrates on the attempts by plaintiffs’ expert Steve Cain to analyze the original videotapes shot from HCPD patrol cars of the arrest of James Spencer on August 6, 2000.

Cain had already analyzed a copy of the videotape from the police vehicle operated by HCPD officer Jay Brantley during the arrest of Spencer. The videotape from the Brantley vehicle was a key piece of evidence that backed up claims by Spencer of violation of civil rights and police brutality.

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Pondering 9/11 and the Future

The eleventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is a time to look back and remember that awful day in 2001 when Arab terrorists attacked our homeland. However, it is also a time to look back on significant changes in America over the last 11 years and ponder whether the country needs to reevaluate itself.

During those 11 years, our national debt has increased from approximately $4 trillion when George W. Bush took office to approximately $15 trillion today. It took 191 years (1789 – 1980) for the U.S. to amass a national debt of approximately $1 trillion. Now we do that every year and neither of our two major political parties has demonstrated an ability to change that trend.

Our politics are probably more polarized than at any time in our history since the 1860’s. Our politicians exhibit all the characteristics of a bunch of empty suits crowding around one or the other of two extreme poles with a yawning chasm between them.

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Spending the State’s Excess Cash

Spending the State’s Excess Cash

When S.C. Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom’s office reported recently that state agencies had approximately $166 million in excess cash from last year’s general fund budget, one place you knew it wouldn’t wind up is back with the taxpayer.

Politicians in this most conservative of states are constantly preaching the mantra of reduced spending, smaller, less intrusive government and greater individual freedom. It just never seems to work out that way.

The overall state general fund budget for FY 2012 was approximately $5.48 billion with state agencies not spending the $166 million mentioned above. General fund revenues are projected to increase during the current fiscal year, FY 2013, to $6.09 billion.

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Nikki Haley’s Foreign Vacations

You have to give Gov. Nikki Haley credit. By the end of this week and in less than two years in office, she will have visited three of the world’s great cities. Even better for her, Haley’s foreign vacations are being paid for with taxpayer dollars.

These three trips, London, Paris and Tokyo, are billed under that great government boondoggle category “economic development.” No big surprise there, it’s the category always used when the real intent is ‘We want to use public dollars to advance private agendas.’

In Haley’s case, however, I believe her private agenda is political more than personal. Remember, this is a governor with two paid staffers (taxpayer dollars) to advance her image and profile.

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