Columns

Several weeks ago we joined with other South Carolina groups to expose an effort by House leaders to sabotage ethics reform and evade disclosure and independent scrutiny.
House leaders’ plan to decriminalize ethics violations and force citizen activists to become lobbyists was outrageous, and a diverse coalition of citizen groups jointly and publicly denounced it.

This column is in response to Phil Noble’s column, “Nullification – are these guys nuts?” in the April 5 issue of The Lancaster News.
Null and void, annulment, cancellation, repeal, eradication and do away with are some of the words and terms that explain what nullification means. Nowhere can I find that the word nullification means “nuts.”
But what kind of nuts are you thinking of? Do you mean tree nuts like walnuts? Or the slang symbolism metaphor describing a person who is handicapped with a mental condition?

Cinco de Mayo. High school graduation parties. Fourth of July cookouts. College football tailgating. What do all of these have in common?
All are terrific opportunities to gather together with friends and family. Unfortunately, these activities can also present an increased risk of alcohol-related problems such as underage drinking or driving under the influence. Not here you say? Nothing can be further from the truth. Almost half, 47 percent, of high-school age students report having used alcohol at least once in their lifetime and 20 percent have used in the past 30 days.

At our recent convention, a record-breaking turnout of Lancaster County Republicans elected a new slate of officers, giving me a second term as the county chair along with re-electing John Plyler as our treasurer and Diane Swofford as our secretary.
Also elected at the convention were several new faces: Brandon Newton as first vice chair, Jerry Holt as second vice chair and Earl Capps as state executive committeeman.