A complaint too far

NEW YORK -- It is almost clockwork: As a new presidential cycle winds around, the early primary state of South Carolina provides a defining issue for Americans and candidates to chew over.

The horror, the horror

Ah, holiday travel! During Easter weekend, it seemed I heard a lot about things like hope and glory, the renewal of life and the triumph of good over evil. Or something like that. Mostly what I got out of it was a mild euphoria associated with carbon monoxide poisoning from sitting in standstill traffic for several hours on the interstate. I can now do a variation on the old Henny Youngman joke: ...

How we still fight the Civil War

Fort Sumter surrendered to the rebels again last week with what one observer called "measured enthusiasm," compared to the Civil War centennial celebration 50 years earlier. For that, South Carolina, a grateful war-weary nation thanks you.

J. Hoke Murphree and FFA influences

With the creation of five new rural high schools in Kershaw County in 1923 came new learning experiences for these new high school students. Antioch, Blaney, Charlotte Thompson, Midway, and Mt. Pisgah not only offered the basic courses of English, Math, Science and Social Studies but soon offered such vocational subjects as Agriculture and Home Economics.

A well-deserved Pulitzer Prize

It's rare for a reporter from one newspaper to congratulate those from another, but that's exactly what I want to do.

Give William and Kate a chance

Seriously, who bets on a marriage? I'm sure I can't be the only person who thinks betting that the "Wedding/Marriage of the Millennium" will end in divorce is both tacky and mean-spirited. But apparently, that's what seems to be going on in a few British circles as the countdown to Prince William and Kate Middleton's multi-million-dollar wedding prepares to come to a grinding halt next Friday. Sure, some bets surrounding the ...

Brotherhood of baseball

The recent announcement that a statue of Camden native Larry Doby (along with Bernard Baruch) will grace the grounds of the Camden Archives and Museum came soon after the death of Duke Snider, one of the great baseball players of all time and one of the "Boys of Summer" as immortalized in the book by Roger Kahn.

Obama's re-election budget

After hearing President Barack Obama's robust response to their budget-cutting proposals, Republican leaders sounded shocked to hear that the president sounds like -- Gasp! -- a Democrat.

Trump card

NEW YORK -- As the number of Republicans declaring themselves potential presidential candidates has begun to look like a conga line without music, hope lingered that somewhere unnoticed was a brilliant dark horse biding his sweet time.

NAACP, Right Wing foes get friendly

Can prominent right-wingers like Newt Gingrich and Grover Norquist get along with the very liberal NAACP? Yes, they can, at least on the high cost of prisons.

A movie in my mind

For a total of 20 hours over the past several weeks -- and thanks to the Friends of the Kershaw County Library's recent book sale -- I played a movie in my car.

NAACP, Right Wing foes get friendly

Can prominent right-wingers like Newt Gingrich and Grover Norquist get along with the very liberal NAACP? Yes, they can, at least on the high cost of prisons.

Giving old electronics new life

Unwanted computers, printers, televisions, and other devices comprise one of the nation's fastest-growing waste streams. Inspired by the concerns of several constituents, I advocated and sponsored legislation over the course of several years to address this problem. Through collaboration with other legislators, manufacturers, recyclers, and the environmental community this effort culminated in the passage of legislation in 2010 that makes South Carolina a leader in responsibly managing this waste while protecting our environment and ...

Budget reflects where city is headed

It's budget season at City Hall. This is the time of year that we review our previous budget and formulate a new one. I'm proud to say that our 2010-2011 numbers are projected to come in under budget, and our new budget will pass without requiring any tax increases.

Coffee has come a long way

Someone sent me an Internet video of two soldiers in Afghanistan demonstrating how to make coffee using a device called a heat pack. It was entertaining though the language was pretty salty, as soldiers' language can be.

Fredericksburg Township explored

Our grand city of Camden is a beautifully preserved town laid out in an 18th century plan devised by Joseph Kershaw. We are proud of our historic homes and buildings, carefully placed public parks, wide streets, and beautiful trees. So it is easy to forget that this was not the original plan for the "town" that was to develop in this area of South Carolina. The original plan was a part of the "Township ...

What was the IRS thinking?

Well, this is a fine mess.

Are we willing to pay for increased public safety?

Kershaw County public safety is at a crossroads. The sheriff's office is greatly understaffed and deputies are compensated for their mandatory overtime work by an antiquated and grossly unfair payment system. The solicitor's office is working with half the staff it needs to properly prosecute the cases it receives every month and the jail is barely able to keep sufficient staff to meet state standards. <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: ...

Benghazi redacted

Gatsby? What Gatsby?

Another view of Plan B

In "Getting it wrong about Plan B," Ruth Marcus ends her column by stating that the debate over the proposed Plan B policy "isn't about the government coming between parents and children or society condoning teen sex. It's about preventing teen pregnancy."

Are you (fill in the blank) enough?

WASHINGTON -- Enough with this "enough" business.

Reflecting on 100 years of success

KershawHealth recently completed a week of celebration commemorating the opening of the Camden Hospital in 1913 and a century of outstanding care. One of the things that struck me during those activities was the incredible amount of community support the hospital has always enjoyed, and the amazing things that strategic thinking and teamwork can accomplish.

What Sanford win says about S.C.

Somehow, the man who walked the Appalachian Trail all the way to Argentina to see his mistress got elected to Congress last Tuesday in a voting outcome that almost defies belief.