Politics

Chad Connelly Slander Lawsuit to Mediation

A lawsuit, with former SCGOP chairman Chad Connelly, the SCGOP executive committee and the SCGOP as defendants, will have a mediation hearing next week in an attempt to settle the case before trial.

The lawsuit was filed by Republican Party member Brian Frank on April 25, 2013 in Cherokee County court. Frank’s complaint alleges Connelly both slandered and libeled him with a series of verbal bombs in a speech to the Cherokee County GOP and in an e-mail to a wide group of party members.

In those two diatribes, Connelly compared Frank to the recent ‘Boston bombers’, accused him of “rant(ing) endlessly hateful stuff” and said Frank “has threatened me and my family.” Speaking about Frank, Connelly said, “I’m going to crush him.”

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Myrtle Beach City Council Wins Forced Annexation

Congratulations to Myrtle Beach City Council on its 56-24 victory in Tuesday’s forced annexation referendum.

When it comes to creative ways to get around the intent of the law, or to create a new one, Myrtle Beach City Council stands preeminent.

Attaching commercial property to a residential annexation referendum, a decision in which the commercial property owners had absolutely no say, was a brilliant coup.

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Myrtle Beach Forced Annexation Referendum Today

The vote on whether the City of Myrtle Beach will be successful in forcing at least 12 businesses into the city limits, with accompanying city taxes, will be held today.

The forced annexation of these businesses is part of an overall annexation referendum of approximately 640 acres. The initiative started with the Bridgeport community desiring annexation into the city to, hopefully, initiate road improvements.

State law prohibits forced annexation of property into city limits. One of the reasons is the additional level of taxation the properties will experience.

However, Myrtle Beach believes it has found a loophole in state law that allows the addition of commercial and undeveloped property to annexation petitions for residential property.

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Bobby Harrell Investigation – Is the Fix In?

Most of you probably already know that earlier this week the S.C. Supreme Court reversed a circuit court ruling that ordered the grand jury investigation into possible political corruption by S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell ended.

The Supreme Court ruled that Circuit Court Judge Casey Manning erred when he said the case belonged in the S.C. House Ethics Committee unless the committee found evidence of a possible criminal violation at which time it would refer its findings to the Attorney General’s office.

The Court ruled that the existence of the House Ethics Committee “does not affect the Attorney General’s authority to initiate a criminal investigation in any way.”

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Myrtle Beach City Council Misses Target With Annexation Vote

A special election referendum will hold the fate of a number of businesses along the U.S. 17 Bypass corridor as Myrtle Beach City Council tries to annex them into the city limits next week.

There is nothing about this proposed annexation that makes it seem like anything other than a land and money grab by Myrtle Beach City Council.

A nearly two year old petition was resurrected in late spring as the basis of the annexation attempt.

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Haley Visit Doesn’t Stop PTR Industries Layoffs

One week after Gov. Nikki Haley visited PTR Industries to celebrate the company’s first anniversary of the announcement the company was relocating to Horry County, PTR Industries is laying off workers.

Touted as a ‘Hail Mary long ball’ attempt to boost sales, the Haley visit appears to have fallen short.

PTR Industries decided to relocate to Horry County after Connecticut, its former home, passed stricter new gun laws in the wake of the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

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Further Council Scrutiny of HCSWA Needed

It is time for Horry County Council to bring the Horry County Solid Waste Authority (HCSWA) more into line with the actual status of that agency.

Over the past six months, council has taken some good first steps toward establishing more control over its maverick authority on Hwy 90.

But, the work is not done.

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Casino Gambling Enters Political Discussions

Casino gambling emerged from the shadows and directly entered South Carolina political discussions yesterday when S.C. House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford disclosed his plan for funding road repairs in the state.

Rutherford said he plans to introduce a bill into the General Assembly next year to allow casino gambling in Myrtle Beach to create a revenue stream for roads.

From what we understand, Rutherford’s plan is for commercial gambling casinos not Indian gaming, but it fits into the overall discussions that have been going on around Horry County for the past six months or so.

Horry County’s so-called movers and shakers want casino gambling legalized. This is just another option.

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SLED Visits Latta Town Hall

Latta Town Council made good on its promise to request a SLED investigation into “suspicious activity” at Latta Town Hall.

According to reports, two SLED agents were inside Latta Town Hall for approximately three hours Tuesday. After a review of information gathered during the visit, SLED will determine whether a full investigation is warranted.

The investigation was requested by a majority of town council members after Latta’s change from a “strong mayor” to “strong council” form of government was approved by referendum vote last week.

Latta Town Hall was ordered sealed by town council Friday morning after the referendum vote was certified.

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Gingrich, Myrtle Beach, Oil and Interstates

Accommodations Tax Money Doesn’t Solve Myrtle Beach Policing Problems

Recent changes in state law have made as much as an additional $5 million in accommodations tax money available for law enforcement in the Myrtle Beach area for the month of May.

This money is specifically targeted at providing additional police officers from around the state, and possibly from out of state, to handle crowds during the Atlantic Beach Bikefest over Memorial Day weekend.

Obviously there was insufficient law enforcement in Myrtle Beach during this past Memorial Day weekend when crowds got out of control in the south end of the city.

But, more and better policing is needed in Myrtle Beach throughout the year.

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