Thumbs up
Thanks, Joe. Folks in Charleston will meet Sunday at the Charleston Riverdogs’ stadium for a big, free event to thank Mayor Joe Riley for his four decades of service as mayor. A new mayor will be picked Nov. 3.
Haley. Smart idea, governor, to put former Gen. Kevin Shwedo in charge of disaster recovery.
Port. A new study shows state port facilities and companies that use them have a $53 billion impact on the state’s economy. Wow. Keep it up.
Bright Williams. Congratulations to the state’s newest senator, Margie Bright Williams, a Democrat from Walterboro.
In the middle
Gowdy. To some, U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., is a vigilant fighter who is holding Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s feet to the fire over the mess at Benghazi, Libya. But a growing number of people seem to be viewing the GOP special investigation as shrill, increasingly meaningless, too partisan — or worse. Republicans hoped to help themselves, but may actually have shot their party in the foot among regular voters now wondering where real leadership is.
DSS. The state’s troubled Department of Social Services, plagued for years by problems, says it needs $33 million more for 157 new full-time positions and other improvements. We wish they would have been asked for a long time ago for lots of reasons.
Thumbs down
Consumers’ Choice. It’s sad to hear that this health insurance co-op is closing down next year due to the imbalance of paid premiums and the cost of claims. Some 67,000 South Carolinians will be impacted.
Burger. We mourn the passing of Allendale native Ken Burger. The respected sports columnist, who covered the political beat for The News and Courier years ago, lost a long battle with cancer this week just two days before his 66th birthday. Rest in peace.
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!