Archive By Section - Editorials
Noted and passed - May 14, 2012
• With the Major League Baseball season in its infancy, we're struck by one fact about the New York Yankees: the team must have the biggest -- we're talking in terms of physical size here -- pitching staff in the history of the league. Excluding Hiroki Kuroda, at 6-1 and 190 pounds the dwarf of the group, New York's starting rotation averages nearly 6-6 in height and 257 pounds. Hurler C. C. Sabathia is the biggest of the group at 6-7, 290. We don't know how well they'll pitch this year, but we doubt you'll see many ...
Council v. Matthews
We don't know whether Kershaw County voters will face a referendum this fall on whether to organize a new county police department -- in the process taking virtually all authority away from the sheriff's office -- but the fact that county council is even considering it is a bit unsettling for both entities. Discord between sheriffs and county council members is nothing new, of course. In the past, going back decades, some sheriffs have been quick to remind council members that they are independent elected officials, and councils have been no less reticent to let sheriffs know they are dependent ...
Noted and passed
• There's a controversy over federal subsidies granted to college students, and that's a valid subject for debate, but lost in the shuffle is the fact that college costs are out of control. The expense charged to students from colleges and universities has skyrocketed in the two decades at a rate far exceeding the increase in the cost of living. Colleges need to get a handle on that before criticizing the government for not allowing large subsidies.
Gasoline prices
It appears that claims of $5-a-gallon gasoline in South Carolina that were made a few months ago were nothing more than speculation, as the price of fuel is now coming down and is actually lower than it was a year ago. That's good news, of course, and experts say one reason is that people are driving less, using more fuel-efficient cars, making fewer trips and carpooling. There's another option we'd like to suggest, one that can save money while at the same time improving health. It's walking. What could be simpler than that?
Team politics
The relationship between Gov. Nikki Haley and members of the General Assembly hasn't been exactly lovey-dovey, and there's probably some blame to be placed on both sides. But it does look a bit churlish for the Senate to finally pass a bill that will allow gubernatorial candidates to pick their own running mates, but to postpone the effective date of the bill until after Haley runs for re-election -- as she is presumed to want to do -- two years from now.
Noted and passed -- April 30, 2012
• USAirways, which has a major hub in Charlotte, is making a play for American Airlines, which is in bankruptcy, cutting a deal with American's unions that will give USAirways a step up in the merger it seeks. For Kershaw County travelers who choose to fly out of Charlotte rather than subject themselves to the restrictions of Columbia's limited flight schedules, that would be a great improvement, and we hope USAirways is able to pull its deal off.
Football playoff
After years of fan discontent over the lack of a playoff system in college football, it appears that progress is finally being made toward establishing some sort of playoff that will involve at least four teams and possibly more. Over many seasons, since the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) was established, college football's power brokers steadfastly refused to admit that a controversial system of picking two teams to play for the national championship had any weaknesses. They wanted to protect the current bowl system and they displayed a blind eye to fans' calls for a playoff.
End TERI
Members of the S. C. General Assembly appear poised to strike down the TERI program as the state's retirement system deficit continues to climb, recently hitting the $14 billion mark. The program was born out of good intentions but contained so many loopholes that it became the antithesis of what lawmakers intended when they started it.
Noted and passed -- April 23, 2012
• Political spin is a given these days, and President Obama is as good -- or bad, given your point of view -- at it as anyone. We were amused at his response to one reporter after Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen stuck her foot in her mouth with her comment about Ann Romney's never having "worked a day in her life." Obama referred to Rosen as "some woman on television," conveniently forgetting that she's a Democratic operative. We'll have to admit that goes beyond spin.
Pat Summit: a coaching legend
Pat Summit, the legendary coach of the women's basketball team at the University of Tennessee, has stepped down, months after revealing that she has early-onset dementia. Summit carved out one of the most incredible records of any coach in any sport, finishing her career after 38 years with 1,098 wins and only 208 losses and more championships than anyone can count. We are all left to ponder one inescapable fact: if dementia can strike someone as young (59) and as active as Pat Summit, is there anyone who's immune?
Civility
One of the great things about our political system is that citizens can openly and freely voice their opinions about elected officials and particular proposals that are under consideration. Such dialogue has been common in the controversy surrounding the proposed sports complex in Camden. Some critics have been vocal not only about the project itself but about the way Camden City Council has handled the matter. We understand many of those concerns; we've commented on prior occasions that council members could have done a better job of presenting their ideas and accepting public input. On the other hand, there ...
Noted and passed -- April 6. 2012
• We're glad to read that analysts say the surge in gasoline prices is nearing its end and that prices might actually subside a bit as we head toward summer. Here in the United States, fuel prices have never been a classic supply-and-demand item, and there are few who truly understand the system. But one thing is indeed clear: if prices are going down, we're all going to have more money in our pockets to spend on other things and to help stimulate the recovery, and that's indeed a good thing.
Romney’s road ahead
There's a long history in this country of major-party presidential candidates bending to the left (if they're Democrats) or to the right (Republicans) to win their parties' nominations, and then swinging back toward the center during the general election that determines who will occupy the White House for the next four years. That's probably what we're going to see now that Rick Santorum has given up his campaign, opening the door for Mitt Romney to become the Republican nominee.
A news legend
Back in the early 1960s, the journalism surrounding politicians and famous figures was often adoring and non-controversial -- something a public relations expert might dream up. Movie stars and professional athletes were always pictured as happy and devoted to their families, although there was probably nearly as much fooling around back then as now. And political figures were smilingly looked upon as people who had nothing more than the good of the country in their hearts. President John F. Kennedy's multiple dalliances were well known but never reported.
Noted and passed -- April 6, 2012
• Everybody realizes that airline food isn't the best – even if you get anything at all to eat, which isn't often -- but a woman traveling on Qantas Airlines from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, last week got the ultimate insult -- crawling maggots in a bag of trail mix distributed by a flight attendant. There's no word on whether she had to use her airline sickness bag after discovering the creatures mid-snack, but Qantas' offer to her -- $400 off her $1,600 ticket -- seems a bit chintzy.
Articles by Section - Editorials
Noted and passed - July 28, 2014
• Friday's report that Amtrak is going to spend the next several months refurbishing Camden's passenger rail station off West DeKalb Street is welcome news. Built in 1937, it has shown its age for decades and never more so than now with holes in the platform's canopy, rotting timbers and other problems that make it a less than desirable place to stop. Amtrak says their No. 1 priority is making the facility Americans with Disabilities Act compliant -- and that's a very good thing -- from the parking lot to the station and onto the platform and train. But ...
Rhame Arena
We're glad to see that the city of Camden is exploring alternatives for aging Rhame Arena. The building is becoming more dilapidated with each passing year, and something needs to be done, whether it's razing it or restoring it. Of course, money is a factor, just as it is in all government decisions these days. We will say that city officials have overworked the bureaucratic jargon in their appraisal of the situation, saying an "adaptive reuse" could be a possible alternative. We are assuming "adaptive reuse" means repairing the building and making it feasible for some type of ...
A disturbing trend
We wrote recently of the disturbing trend in the White House of spinning every issue through press spokesmen rather than engaging in open questioning about issues of interest to Americans. A lack of transparency isn't limited to the federal government, as the S.C. Supreme Court has recently issued two troubling rulings which limit public access in the Palmetto State.
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