“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Of all ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution set forth in the Bill of Rights, the first is the one practiced daily by virtually all Americans. Freedom of religion, speech and the press, the right to assemble peaceably and to petition the government for a redress of grievances are what separate us, as Americans, from all other national groups.
Recent Posts
Where is the Money?
A potential missing $60,000 in funds paid to plaintiffs attorneys is just the latest of the strange twists and turns of the Southern Holdings
case.
Attorneys John Rakowsky and Adrian Falgione, who represented the plaintiffs in the Southern Holdings case, have been in a three-year fight to not provide the plaintiffs with an accounting of how money provided for litigation of the case was spent.
After the Southern Holdings case was “settled” in court in May 2007, the plaintiffs tried to get a full accounting of the money they had provided to their attorneys Rakowsky and Falgione.
Lois Eargle, Political Pioneer
A pioneer for women in public service in Horry County, auditor Lois Eargle hopes her legacy will be that she made things easier for women to be elected to public office.
“I started at a time when it was not normal for women to be involved in public positions and I had some hurdles to clear along the way,” said Eargle.
Her first foray into the public arena came as president of the first Citizen’s Congress, appointed by the governor to recommend reform of the South Carolina judicial system.
“The system had not been changed since the current state constitution was adopted in 1895,” Eargle said. “As a result, every county operated its court system differently. The same crime could be charged in different ways, depending upon what county you were charged
in.”
Dr. Muriel O’Tuel – Author
A career in education was only preparation for motivating people throughout the
nation after Dr. Muriel O’Tuel retired from the classroom.
O’Tuel earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from St. Andrews Presbyterian
College in Laurinburg, N.C., her Master’s in Counseling from the University of
Alabama and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Psychology from the University
of South Carolina.
She has taught at all levels of education from elementary school through
university. In addition, O’Tuel was director of guidance in Columbia, S.C.
schools, director of psychological services and staff development in
Summerville, S.C. and assistant to the superintendent of Horry County schools.
Whispering Pines Golf Course
Originally the golf course on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base,
Whispering Pines Golf Course was transferred to the City of Myrtle Beach when
the base closed in 1993.
“We are not your typical municipal course,” said General Manager and Head Pro
Alan Chasteen. “We have upgraded the layout over the last 10 years and we are
very service oriented.”
Starting as a nine-hole layout, a second nine was added less than a decade before
the Air Force departed. The character of the course today owes much to the
expansion.
Lucky Dog Television Productions and Politics
Even as a young boy, Donald Smith, owner of Lucky Dog Television Productions, had an entrepreneurial spirit.
“I was always looking for ways to make money,” said Smith.
Growing up in a rural town in South Carolina, Smith’s early endeavors concentrated on farming. By the time he was a senior in high school, he had prepared himself to open his own business.
“I spent several years working part-time in the farm supply business,” said Smith. “I decided to open my own business when I graduated.”
Smith said telling his father that he did not want to go to college was one of the toughest moments of his life.
Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy Expanding
Currently located in a temporary location at the Long Bay Golf Club, the Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy will expand operations when it relocates to a new location, currently under construction at The Barefoot Golf Resort early next year.
The new location, a 10,000 sq. ft. facility, will serve players at any level of the game, but will reach out to the better players in high school, college, low handicap amateurs and professionals, according to Norman.
With other business interests already established in the Myrtle Beach area, such as the Norman Course at Barefoot Resort, the Reserve Club on Pawley’s Island and Greg Norman’s Australian Grille at Barefoot Landing, Norman said Myrtle Beach was a natural location for the East Coast Headquarters.
“Myrtle Beach is a great place and I have had a lot of association with the area over the last 10 years,” said Norman. “It’s a great place for me and I have some good friends here and some good people here. Barefoot is the perfect location. We are kicking this off at the right place.”
Veteran Profile – Lt. Gen. James Vaught (USA-Ret.)
A South Carolina native whose family history dates back to colonial times, James Vaught possesses a distinguished military resume from his 38 years in the Army. He is one of very few draftees ever to rise to flag rank in any of the U.S. Armed Forces.
“I am a direct lineal descendent of Francis Marion,” said Vaught. “Some of those unconventional warfare genes carried through the years.”
Vaught graduated from high school in 1943 and attended the Citadel for three semesters before receiving his draft notice.
“The Army panicked after suffering some heavy casualties during December 1944 both in Europe and the Pacific, so they started drafting guys out of college,” Vaught said. “I actually didn’t anticipate a military career when I went to the Citadel. I wanted to be a doctor.”
Federal and State Served Tort Claims Lawsuit
Service was completed yesterday for a federal lawsuit claiming, but not limited to, violations of the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution by the U.S. Government, the State of South Carolina and Horry County.
Copies of the suit were served on the U.S. Government, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 13 current or former FBI agents and the State of South Carolina, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and four current or former SLED agents (Mark Keel, Larry Gainey, Michael Prodan and David Caldwell) and Horry County and its police chief John Morgan.
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