Tuesday, May 20, 2003 Final edition posted at 10:00 a.m.
Newly-added stories marked with an asterisk (*)

S.C. employment up, gas prices down

State officials say employment was slightly higher in April, compared to March. The state, however, continued to have fewer jobs than any April since 1998.

Last month, the state had just under 1.8 million employed workers, which was 8,300 more jobs than March.

Meanwhile, gas prices continue to fall, according to published reports. The most recent average price in the state was $1.33 per gallon, down from three cents higher some 10 days earlier.

Officials need to build safe plutonium facilities

From today's edition of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal

"Federal officials should be congratulated for their thoroughness in examining the safety of the planned plutonium processing facility at the Savannah River Site.

"Earlier this month, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission withheld permission to build the plant until further safety questions are answered.

"But any delays are likely to cause concern in South Carolina, where state officials have been justifiably worried that once the plutonium came here, it may stay much longer than intended

"Federal officials must make the plutonium processing safe, but they must also make sure that it happens -- and on time."

Gas prices continue to fall in Southeast, nation
Regular unleaded is selling for an average of $1.33 per gallon in the Palmetto State, down from $1.36 10 days ago. Greenville News

Ban created steep drop in gambling addicts
Banning video poker three years ago led to a sharp drop in gambling addicts according to a recently releases study. The State

County property owners will likely pay slightly higher taxes
Charleston County property owners will likely pay slightly higher taxes this year as a result of local businesses changing the way they report sales tax receipts. Post and Courier

State Supreme Court to decide Jasper port issue
The SC Supreme Court will hear arguments from the Georgia Department of Transportation and Jasper County next month on whether the county had a right to condemn land owned by the agency where a port would be built on the Savannah River. Beaufort Gazette

Federal grants to help state juvenile justice programs
About $2.9 million in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention will fund juvenile drug courts, delinquency prevention and school resource officer programs. The State/AP

Defense bill brings $2 million project for Michelin
A defense bill expected to pass the US House this week includes nearly $2 million for an Upstate Michelin plant to build tires for the Marines. The State/AP

SC employment up, but slow
Employment in South Carolina rose slightly from March to April, but the state had still had fewer jobs than any April since 1998. The State

Fee cut for phone companies could cost cities
Cities stand to lose money under a new law that would change the way municipalities are allowed to charge phone companies to operate inside city limits. Spartanburg Herald-Journal/AP,* Sumter Item

• SC has just one entry on list of nation's cleanest beaches
  South Carolina has just one entry on the Clean Beaches Council list: Isle of Palms off Charleston. The State/AP

* Busy storm season forecasted
The Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be the busiest in three years, with two to four major storms predicted, according to a forecast issued Monday. Myrtle Beach Sun News

State concerned over Pickens-Anderson plan to get road money
State concerns have stalled a plan to unite Pickens and Anderson counties in a partnership to determine transportation needs and direct state money to local projects. Greenville News

Hospitality fee passes in Florence
Florence City Council Monday voted that all restaurants, hotels and stores that serve prepared food and drink will have to charge customers two cents more on the dollar. WBTW-TV,* Florence Morning News

* Florence City Council to lower water rates for some customers
Many former Florence County water customers who were brought on to the city's water system through consolidation could see a reduction in their utility bills beginning in July. Florence Morning News

Greenville's Main Street revitalization gets award
Greenville has been named one of five cities awarded a2003 Great American Main Street Award for its successful efforts in revitalizing its downtown area through historic preservation. Greenville News

Proposed Richland budget has few cuts
Richland County Council is considering balancing a $94 million operating budget by raising fees and increasing property taxes, not significantly cutting the county's expenses. The State

County holds off tax hike
The Beaufort County Council voted 8-0 to approve the district's budget for next year on first reading, by title only, not assigning a specific dollar figure to the spending plan. Beaufort Gazette

Budget pleas begin to pour in
Spartanburg County heard requests Monday from 16 agencies seeking more than $1.2 million in county funds. Spartanburg Herald-Journal

Spartanburg County budgets extra $37,500 to upgrade courthouse security
Acting on warnings that the Spartanburg County courthouse is vulnerable to a security catastrophe, the County Council voted Monday to spend an extra $37,500 for upgrades. Spartanburg Herald-Journal

County to revisit noise ordinance
Greenville County Council members will consider noise ordinance revisions tonight that would, among other things, make it a misdemeanor to turn up a car stereo at night loud enough to annoy someone 25 feet away. Greenville News

City Council votes to buy land to revitalize Greenline-Spartanburg
The Greenline-Spartanburg neighborhood in the Upstate got help Monday night as City Council voted to start buying land as part of a $20 million neighborhood revitalization plan. Greenville News

Pickens County councilman resigns to serve on state board
Pickens County Councilman Dial DuBose has resigned from his District 5 seat to serve on the state Public Service Authority. Greenville News

Clemson could have tax increase
Clemson homeowners could see higher tax bills as the city struggles with the increasing costs of fire protection, employee health insurance and equipment, including two new sanitation trucks. Greenville News

Laurens County food contract for jail to save taxpayers money
The Laurens County Council has awarded a jail food contract which is estimated to save taxpayers about $70,000 a year. Greenville News

Summerville liquor sales on Sunday suspended
The S.C. Revenue Department put Sunday alcohol sales on hold in Summerville, because of the second dispute from last week's election to emerge since Friday. Post and Courier

* Beaufort County budget faces cuts
Determined not to raise taxes or deplete an emergency reserve fund, Beaufort County Council members on Monday asked the administrator to cut $4 million from a proposed $61.1 million spending plan. Hilton Head Island Packet

* Orangeburg County tries to hold the line on taxes
Despite earlier projections of no tax increase, state budget cuts led to a 5-mill tax hike to fund the current budget in Orangeburg County. Orangburg Times and Democrat

Federal officials need to build safe plutonium facilities on time
"Federal officials should be congratulated for their thoroughness in examining the safety of the planned plutonium processing facility at the Savannah River Site." Spartanburg Herald-Journal

A bad bill made worse
"A bad bill to limit local government control over large-scale livestock and poultry operations was made even worse last week by a Senate subcommittee when it recommended restricting local control over all industrial operations. Such an abrogation to home rule should be killed at the earliest convenience." Post and Courier

* Confederate flag still an issue; avoid S.C.
"I would like to say farewell to James Gallman, president of the S.C. Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Gallman has declined to run in October for the presidency. I wish Gallman the best in his endeavors to pursue other ventures. The S.C. Conference of the NAACP has an awesome and challenging task to elect a new leader with vision and insight." Myrtle Beach Sun News

* Giving grades on conduct could reinforce discipline
"Once upon a time, public school report cards showed how students were doing in more than reading and writing and arithmetic. They received marks on things like initiative and conduct. Some of that may be coming back. It should be welcome." Greenwood Index-Journal

Risk manager an essential job
"Tucked away in the Beaufort County School District's budget request for 2003-04 is a position that could potentially save taxpayers dollars." Beaufort Gazette

* Transportation planner must focus on realities
"Beaufort County's newly hired transportation planner must hit the ground running because he faces a daunting task." Hilton Head Island Packet

* Remember safety first on the water
"Despite the recent thunderstorms, nearly perfect boating weather has returned to the Lowcountry and with Memorial Day weekend coming up, boaters will be out in big numbers." Carolina Morning News

* Calling motorists to emphasize cell phone safety
"Let's cast aside today the debate about how much cell phones have contributed to highway safety and, conversely, to highway danger. Let's join cellular providers and highway officials in observing "Wireless Safety Week'' from May 19-23 -- a time to remind all of the realities of a society that has quickly grown accustomed to wireless communication while on the road." Orangeburg Times and Democrat

* Crack down on noise, not bikes
"There's no legal way to prevent hundreds of thousands of Harley-Davidson motorcyclists from descending on the Grand Strand in mid-May for nearly two weeks of revelry and riding around. Bikers have the right to use the roads, and local businesses have the right to try to attract them." Myrtle Beach Sun News

Worthen: We don't need a committee to define 'science'
"Evolution and the nature of science are again topics of public disagreement. Sen. Mike Fair added an amendment to Senate Bill 153 to form "The South Carolina Science Standards Committee" charged to: "(1) study science standards regarding the teaching of the origin of species; (2) determine whether there is a consensus on the definition of science; (3) determine whether alternatives to evolution as the origin of species should be offered in schools." Greenville News

Barnes: Seat-belt crackdown targets drivers at highest risk
"Memorial Day was designated to remember those who lost their lives for our country. For many of us, it signals the beginning of summer, making it one of the most heavily traveled and high-risk driving holiday weekends of the year." Greenville News

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