More time granted to move signs

By Caitlin Thigpen

Lexington’s zoning appeals board approved a six-month extension that will give two Lexington businesses the time needed to move their signs.

At a meeting on Nov. 3, the Board of Zoning Appeals agreed to an extension of six months for two unnamed businesses to move signs that interfere with a S.C. Department of Transportation project to expand the town of Lexington’s West Main Street.

The businesses were among five that were given a year to move their signs to a location that would not interfere with the DOT project. If the businesses had been forced to make changes last year, DOT would have required the city to pay for it .

“DOT would have asked us to reimburse them,” said Nathan Leaphart, a member of the board.

The original variance was approved so the five businesses could have a grace period to get their signs in compliance with the new regulations established by DOT’s expansion of West Main, without cost to the city.

During the past year, three of the businesses managed to move their signs.

The four members of the board present were unanimous in support of the extension because plans are in motion to move the signs in the near future.

“I think these are pretty unusual circumstances,” said Royce Lehman, a member of the board.

The Board of Zoning Appeals reviews one or two cases like this a month, according to Britt Poole, a lawyer representing the two businesses. A variance is only approved if the case meets one or more of four criteria.

“We only approve variances for cases with no resolution available otherwise,” said Poole.

Caitlin Thigpen is a first-year student at Columbia College. She is a psychology major.

New taxi regulations approved

By Caitlin Thigpen

Taxi drivers face a new set of regulations for their permits, vehicles and attire, which were approved by the Columbia City Council on Oct. 11.

The criteria for a driver’s permit have become more restrictive. Permits have to be renewed every three years for a fee of $10. Before, drivers renewed their permits every 10 years, like a non-commercial license.

In addition, applicants for a taxi permit have to take a hospitality class to support city tourism, submit to a drug test and carry a push-to-talk communication device, such as a walkie-talkie.

The permit process seems excessive to some drivers.

“I had to make six trips to the police department. It’s not very streamlined,” said John McDaniel, a cab driver, at the council meeting.
McDaniel believes that the city should adopt a lifetime license for taxi drivers. In cities that have such a policy, drivers are given medallions that allow them to drive without having to renew their permit.

Among other regulations approved was a new dress code that requires drivers to be neatly dressed and prohibits flip flops and hair curlers.

All vehicles must be smoke-free and must clearly display their registration information and rate schedule. Companies with more than 10 cabs must have a base of operations.

The final approval for the new regulations was held at the council meeting, but most interest was directed toward the upcoming fee discussion on Oct. 18.

At the meeting the city council will discuss a rate increase for cab fees. If approved, it will be the first increase since August 24, 2005, according to the city council.

The rate increase would give taxi drivers an adjustment in salary to cope with the inflation from the last five years.

“If you want us to be true ambassadors of the city, make sure we can make a living,” said Howard Winslow, a taxi driver.

Caitlin Thigpen is a first year student at Columbia College. She is a psychology major.

Retailers prepare for Black Friday

By Caitlin Thigpen

Major retailers are bracing for midnight openings during Black Friday, the most profitable sales day of the year.
On average, retail stores make about 20 percent of their total revenue during the holiday season. Big corporations are taking advantage of Black Friday, traditionally the start of the holiday shopping season, by extending the day.
“The more hype we create, the more sales we will have,” said Dorenda Portes. Portes is the human relations manager of Target in Rock Hill, S.C.
Target, Best Buy and Kohl’s have announced they will open at midnight on Black Friday. Wal-Mart has gone even further and pushed its opening to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
Some customers and employees are speaking out against the early openings, complaining that employees are not getting the holiday time off they should.
“The holiday season isn’t about family any more; it’s all about sales. I think that’s really sad,” said Caroline Aycock, a 19-year-old USC  student living in Columbia, S.C.
Stores hope the earlier openings will draw in customers with deals and extend the time they shop, creating more revenue.
However, those hopes may go unfulfilled. Only 29 percent of consumers reported plans to spend more than $500. In contrast, 32 percent of consumers said they would spend more than $500 last year, according to a survey held by BradsDeals.com, a leading nonprofit website that offers shopping advice and coupons.
The longer holiday hours have caused resentment from employees, and it could all be for a smaller profit.
Sales are only expected to increase 2.8 percent this year, according to the National Retail Federation. The average for past holiday season sales is 3.8 percent.
Some store managers remain optimistic.
“I’ve never been disappointed by sales on Black Friday,” said Temiko Griffin, the store manager of Best Buy in Rock Hill, S.C.
“In my experience, we always bring in more profit than we expect.”
Other stores’ managers are more cautious.
“People are scared and annoyed,“ said Jesse Fortune, manager of CVS.
“I’m not expecting an exaggerated profit on Black Friday.”

State Fair attendance down

By Jessica Ramsey

Attendance to the S.C. State Fair may reach a 10-year-low this year.

Approximately 200,000 people had walked through the fair’s gates as of yesterday, according to a representative of the S.C. State Fair.

Although there are three days left, it’s unlikely that the fair will clear last year’s count of just over 492,000, according to fair officials.

Fair attendance has been steadily declining for the past decade, despite higher numbers in 2004 and 2010.

The reason for this seems to a combination of the cost to attend and an increasing lack of interest from the public.

“I can’t believe people would pay that much to go to a fair that’s not that great,” said Jessica Quijada, 20, a college sophomore from Orangeburg, who did not attend.

“The fair was lacking,” said M. DeVille, 19, a native of Georgia. DeVille, who was attending her first S.C. State Fair, said that she finds the prices unreasonable.

DeVille also called the practice of paying general admission then a separate fee to attend one of the fair’s concerts “ridiculous,” and said that she would not be returning to the State Fair.

Italy comes to Columbia

By Jessica Ramsey

Roman legionaries invaded Columbia Oct. 22 during the fourth annual Italian Festival.

The Italian Festival hosted members of the Sixth Legion, a Roman Army historical reenactment group from Summerville, S.C.. The group displayed replicas of ancient artillery, armor, jewelry and other  objects.

The legion educates people about a Roman soldier’s daily life. The Sixth Legion is based on an actual Roman legion that was stationed in Judea during the time of Christ, according to Jim Schultheis, 54, a member of the group.

Main Street saw more than Romans during the event, sponsored by Bella Italia Lodge, an organization that hopes to raise awareness of the Italian-American population in Columbia.

Plays were put on by a troupe of fools. In addition to their performances of “The Princess and the Pea” and “Pinocchio,” the troupe also danced throughout the festival to attract an audience.

Among the other stands were shops selling some Italian food, such as gelato, cannolis and pizzas, wine and beer. Other stands sold wreaths made from wine corks, jewelry, Italian snacks, breads, cheeses and home-made deserts.

Traditional Italian music was preformed by the Eurorhythms, an Italian-American band. The band, which started at Ohio University, is currently on tour, according to Ray Massa, the band’s leader.

A bocci tournament was held behind the stage, on three fields. Bocci is an Italian game related to bowling. “The object of the game is for individual or team players to roll a larger ball (bocce) closer to a smaller target ball (pallino) then their opponents,” according to the United States Bocce Federation.

Other attractions included a grape-stamping stand, a living statue, a violinist, children’s activities and an Italian car show featuring Ferraris and one Mercedes-Benz.

Families flock to fall festivals

By Jessica Ramsey

BOILING SPRINGS, SC – At the Fairview Fall Festival, more than 500 children and parents took part in a new trend in trick-or-treating.

Rather than knocking on doors for candy, costumed children at Fairview Baptist Church’s festival (http://www.fairviewbaptistspartanburg.org/) visited decorated car trunks and themed truck beds. The owners of these vehicles, often dressed up themselves, handed out chocolates and other sugary sweets.

Most trunk-or-treats also offer other activities, which vary from event to event. Some of the more common events include the following:

• Inflatables or carnival rides
• A meal
• Face painting
• Games
• Music
• Hay rides
• Costume contests

Churches appear to be the most popular venues for trunk-or-treats, although some similar events are held in malls, stores and even city centers.

A Growing Trend

            More than 10 trunk-or-treat events are listed for Oct. 31 alone on the website of WSPA (http://www2.wspa.com/), a local channel. Concerns about safety in the wake of rumors about razor blades in apples and unfortunate accidents in neighborhoods without sidewalks have helped increase interest in trick-or-treating events.

These events are particularly effective in South Carolina, where the population density varies greatly (http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/special/profile2k/SC_2K_Profile.pdf), making trick-or-treating less time-consuming in rural areas where neighbors might be half a mile or more apart and safer in urban areas where crime rates tend to be higher.

The People’s Reaction

 “I brought my grandkids because they have fun and it’s safer than going door-to-door,” said Judy Pruitt, 62, a grandmother of five who was born and raised in Boiling Springs.

Watching the kids enjoy themselves and catching up with old friends is the best part, said husband Gary Pruitt, 66. No one in the Pruitt’s neighborhood participates in traditional trick-or-treating, the couple said.

Kasey Lewis, 7, said that she enjoyed trunk-or-treating more than going door-to-door but dislikes the games. Face-painting makes the fairs fun, according to Kasey.

Her mother, Ganelle Lewis, 57, echoed the Pruitt’s sentiments, saying that she believed the festivals and trunk-or-treats to be safer and friendly.

Although neither family participates in traditional trick-or-treating, many people opt to do both trunk-or-treats and door-to-door.

Related Stories:

“Halloween safety tips from the experts” http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2011-10-30/halloween-safety-tips-experts

“Door-to-door no longer only option for trick-or-treaters” http://www.goupstate.com/article/20061029/NEWS/610290375

“Turnout high at trunk-or-treat events”

http://decaturdaily.com/stories/Turnout-high-at-trunk-or-treat-events,87049

Lexington zoning board meets

By Jessica Ramsey

The Town of Lexington’s zoning appeals board postponed its officer elections during its meeting Nov. 3, due to absent members.

Two of the six members, including Mary Watts, the board’s chair, were absent.

Gerald Shealy, vice chair and the night’s acting chair, said that it didn’t seem right to vote on the matter without all the members.

The election will instead be held at next month’s meeting.

Only four citizens attended, two of whom had business with the board. The other two were student-reporters.

The first matter to be heard was a request for a set-back variance for two properties on Misty Dew Lane.

The set-back requirements specify how close a building may be built to the road. In this case, it’s 15 feet. The variance would give the developers special permission to build closer to the road than the requirements permit. A variance of 3 feet was granted, meaning that the building could sit as close as 12 feet from the road.

Board members then heard a request for an extension of a variance they had granted nearly a year ago. Five businesses on West Main Street asked for the variance in regards to their signs, which must be moved to accommodate improvements as part of the Unified Traffic Improvement Plan.

Mayor Randy Halfacre said that “escalating traffic congestion is becoming a determent to growth, both commercial and residential” in his State of the Town address early this year.

The expansion and proposed improvements would alleviate traffic and increase road safety, according to the S.C. Department of Transportation. Three of the businesses have since complied.

A six-month extension was granted for the other two businesses.

Darla Moore supporters gather at State House

By Amy J. Hamilton

COLUMBIA—Carole H. Cato joined about 100 other Darla Moore supporters at the State House, March 23, rallying for the USC benefactress’ return to the school’s Board of Trustees.

Cato, of Columbia, attended the midday event because of Gov. Nikki Haley recently replaced Moore, a 1975 USC alumna who has now pledged $75 million to the school, with Thomas Cofield. State ethics reports show that Cofield, a lawyer in Lexington, gave $4,500 to Haley’s campaign, according to a story by WIS News.

Haley acted within her rights as governor in replacing the millionaire businesswoman. The governor is allowed to select two members for the 20-member USC board, which is made up of 19 white men and one black woman.

However, many have reacted against Gov. Haley’s decision to oust Moore, who has served on the board since 1999. “Just because a person can do something, does not make it right,” said Cato, referring to Haley or anyone else in power.

“This just seems like a bad move,” to remove someone who has contributed so much to USC and to South Carolina, said Cato.

Cato considers Moore to be one of her heroines and said “all the qualities that she exhibits are ones that I think are the best of humanity.”

Haley wanted to fill the position with someone who has a new, different perspective, according to her spokesman, Rob Godfrey.

“I think it’s good to have new blood on any board, no matter what it is. But there are just certain people who are so outstanding that you don’t want to lose them,” said Cato.

“As long as they’re willing to serve and as long as they have good ideas and work for those ideas, they need to stay there,” said Cato.

Armed with Sharpie markers, Cato assisted people in signing several oversized cards, with signatures and notes individually addressed to Haley and Moore.

One card began, “DARLA MOORE,” continuing, “We are so grateful for your outstanding service, generosity, and time given to the University of South Carolina.” The card’s text ended, “We want you ‘Back on Board’ for South Carolina! Thank You!”

Amy Hamilton is a freshman at Columbia College. She is an English major.

Pool holds history, memories for Columbians

By Amy J. Hamilton

COLUMBIA— Beth Robles’s family of six children has been swimming at the Maxcy Gregg Pool for around 11 summers.

Her youngest child learned to swim there, and her eldest now benefits from a $1,000 college scholarship from the Columbia Swim League.

“It would just be a sad ending of an era to have to move to a different pool,” said Robles, 48, whose family participates in Columbia’s Parks and Recreation Swim Team of Maxcy Gregg.

But the Robles family is facing that loss because Maxcy Gregg Pool might have to close permanently or temporarily for repairs or even replacement.

Repairing the pool would cost between $500,000 and $700,000, according to rough estimates, said Belinda F. Gergel, city councilwoman of District 3. The pool, located off Pickens Street, is in her district.

“Right now, we’re assessing the need to repair,” said Gergel.

 Gergel said that, despite the problems, the pool will still be open this summer on May 28, Memorial Day weekend, and remain open for the summer.

This will give city officials time to “come up with the alternatives, identify the funding source,” and “make whatever decisions we have to make and implement them,” so that the pool will be fixed by next summer, said Gergel.

False Alarm?

A recent article by The State newspaper was incorrect in saying that Maxcy Gregg is leaking six inches a day, said Pat Connolly, director of operations for the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department.

He attributes some of the leakage to the environment. “Even Lake Murray loses water every day due to evaporation. And, of course, the smaller the facility, the more drastic the evaporation,” said Connolly.

“We had a drainage problem there where one of the drains was a little loose. We have since rectified that problem so we’re not losing that kind of water,” said Connolly.

A Rich History

Maxcy Gregg pool is considered a “landmark in recreation for this part of the city,” said Gergel.

Maxcy Gregg, one of three city pools, was opened on May 27, 1949, by Esther Jane Williams, a famous American actress and competitive swimmer.

Williams debuted in “Andy Hardy’s Double Life” in 1942 and starred in “Hollywood’s first swimming movie,” called “Bathing Beauty,” in 1944, according to the Official Esther Williams website.

Maxcy Gregg pool was named after a Confederate brigadier general who was aSouth Carolina College graduate. He died from wounds sustained at the Battle of Fredericksburg inVirginia, according to an article by The State newspaper.

Role During Segregation

Before desegregation, Maxcy Gregg Pool and Park served only whites. Drew Pool, which preceded the currently existing Charles R. Drew Wellness Center, was only accessible to blacks, according to a 2005 article by The State.

The Drew Pool was built in the late 1940s or early 1950s, said Gloria S. James, 70. James, who is African-American, was not allowed to swim at Maxcy Gregg, during her 1940s and 1950s childhood.

“We were very happy when we finally got a swimming pool. We could go and learn to swim,” said James.

In the mid- to late 1960s, the city of Columbia gradually desegregated, said the city’s former Mayor Robert D. “Bob” Coble, who was in office from 1990 to 2010.

Coble credits S.C. Governors Ernest F. “Fritz” Hollings, Donald S. Russell, Robert E. McNair and John C. West for leading South Carolina through an easier desegregation, compared to other Southern cities.

“It Meets a Need”

“Parks and pools are amenities that cities have to maintain, must maintain and that our residents expect to be a standard of excellence,” said Gergel.

“This is a really hot city, and I kind of think in the summer you have to have some kind of pool,” said Kathy G. Aluri, 50, who lives a block away from the pool. Her family has used Maxcy Gregg Pool for around 17 summers.

“Because I’m from Canada, I just think it is so hot here, and I do think it meets a need,” said Aluri, whose family as also participated in the Parks and Recreation Swim Team that practices at Maxcy Gregg.

“That’s really where my oldest kids started making their closest friends because we were pretty new to the area when we started swim team, and that was the first activity they were consistently involved in,” said Robles, whose family moved to Columbia about 12 years ago.

“I think that the city council appreciates the importance of having a strong aquatics venue on this side of town. So what we’re going to have to do is just figure out where that money’s going to come from,” said Gergel.

“Our residents will expect us to do a very good restoration,” said Gergel.

Amy J. Hamilton is completing her first year at Columbia College as an English major

Gov. Nikki Haley Wins Recorded Votes

By San Holder

Gov. Nikki Haley won final approval March 31 for more on-the-record voting in the South Carolina Legislature.

The S.C. House of Representatives voted March 31 to accept the Senate amendment to H. 3004, a bill to make recorded voting in the General Assembly permanent law.

The House voted 110-0, going along with Senate changes to the recorded voting legislation.

Under the S.C.. Constitution, a recorded vote may be obtained upon the demand of one-fifth of the members present.

On-the-Record Voting and Accountability

If the bill is signed by Haley, it means roll call votes will be taken on the following:

• Every bill on second reading.
• Each section of the state budget.
• House and Senate amended approvals of legislation.
• Anything approved by House and Senate.

A recorded vote is a vote in which the names of those voting for and against a motion may be recorded.

Second reading occurs when legislators debate and vote on a bill during a floor session.

Citizens of South Carolina Comment

“I agree with this vote,” said Julisa Dingle, 26, a USC  graduate.

“A lot of times I just vote [for government officials] because I should,” said Dingle

“I don’t know where people stand.”

(Picture)

“Good, I’m glad,” said Whitney McFadden, 25, a 2008 USC alumnae.

“I think they should be held accountable for what they vote for,” said McFadden

“Maybe now we can get rid of those stupid commercials, and I can just read ‘Who said what’.”

Watch Haley’s Campaign Commercial

Watch Haley’s campaign video

Haley Delivers an Appreciative Message to South Carolinians

“This is a huge win for the people of South Carolina, who forever after will know how their legislators vote,” said Haley, according to the official S.C. Governor website.

“But most of all I appreciate the people of this great state who stood with me and demanded accountability from their government these last three years. Now, by force of law, the people will have it.”

“I think, for once, South Carolina might be ‘winning’ for real,” said Jennifer Williams, 26, a former Midlands Technical College student.