By Lindsay Street, Statehouse correspondent | The men and women called on to respond to manmade and natural disasters in South Carolina haven’t had access to showers or flushing toilets since 2015.
Over the last month, State Guard Commander Leon Lott has offered tours of the guard’s Columbia headquarters to any lawmakers interested in seeing the ghostly remains of bathrooms, the portable toilets and a termite-infested floor.
“You want scary? The bathroom situation at the State Armory is scary,” Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, told Statehouse Report. She had just wrapped up a tour of the facility Monday when the publication called to get her take on the scariest things coming to the Statehouse in 2020. It was fresh on her mind, and it topped her list.
In the coming legislative session, Lott said he will ask lawmakers to dole out $1.2 million to allow the State Guard Olympia Armory in Columbia to tap into the city’s sewer system, and fix the ailing 1930s Art Deco, National Historic-registered building.
“It’s a cut-and-dried issue, and we felt like saying it is one thing but actually seeing it is another thing,” Lott said. “We wanted them to see first hand so when they go back and do the budget they can tell their colleagues they’ve seen the Porta-Johns.”
The problems stem back to the area’s historic flood of 2015. During the flood, the State Guard was mobilized and occupying the building. Then, the septic tanks began to flood — making the toilets and showers unusable. Since that time, four portable toilets have been rented monthly at the site. The monthly bill is small in comparison to the million-dollar fix ($320 per month).
“Yeah, but do you want to go to a Porta-John all the time? That is our headquarters. This is 2019,” said Lott, who took command in December 2018.
The building normally only has two full-time employees and two part-time employees, but when the soldiers are activated in an emergency, more than 900 can be housed there. All without running water. For long-term stays, soldiers often rent hotel rooms, Lott said.
“This is really the first time it’s been pushed (to be fixed). That’s a priority I placed when I became the commander,” he said. “We need to have an armory that is up to today’s standards with a bathroom and a floor. It’s necessities that sometimes we take for granted until you don’t have them, and we haven’t had them since 2015.”
In other news:
USC board reduction bill to be heard Oct. 31. A Senate Education subcommittee will look at S. 798, a bill seeking to reduce the size of and restructure the University of South Carolina’s board, at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 31 in room 308 of the Gressette building at the Statehouse in Columbia. See the agenda.
Also on USC, Senate Select Committee to convene Nov. 14. The Senate Select Committee on USC’s Presidential Search Process convenes 1 p.m. Nov. 14 in room 105 of the Gressette building at the Statehouse in Columbia, according to a memo to committee members. An agenda has not been released yet.
- Related: Accrediting body to study USC’s presidential search for political influence.
- Previous coverage: Gubernatorial influence could affect USC’s accrediting.
Education funding study committee rescheduled. The Senate Education Funding Reform Study Committee has rescheduled its first meeting to 10 a.m. Oct. 29 in room 308 of the Gressette building at the Statehouse complex in Columbia. The committee will review the mechanics and methodology of the state’s education funding formula to determine what revisions and refinements are necessary to provide increased flexibility needed at the district level, while meeting the state’s objectives. See the agenda.
House panel to look at early childhood funding. The House’s Early Childhood Education Study Committee will hear from First Steps on its education funding model 10 a.m. Oct. 30 in room 433 of the Blatt building at the Statehouse in Columbia. See the agenda.
Senate Transportation panel looks at hands-free driving. A Senate panel will convene to look at S. 723, a bill seeking to make it unlawful to use a wireless phone while operating a motor vehicle, at 2 p.m. Oct. 29 in room 207 of the Gressette building at the Statehouse in Columbia. See the agenda.
House panel looks at civil asset forfeiture. There will be a meeting of the House Asset Forfeiture Policy Study Committee 10 a.m. Oct. 29 in room 110 of the Blatt building at the Statehouse in Columbia. See the agenda.
- Related: S.C. circuit court judge rules forfeiture was unconstitutional earlier this month.
- See The Greenville News’ series on the issue.
Reparations panel convenes Nov. 2 in Charleston. The National African American Reparations Commission, American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of South Carolina present “From Enslavement to Reparations: A 400 Year Journey for Justice” 1-4 p.m. Nov. 2 at Charleston Gaillard Center in Charleston. The event is free but requires registration. Click here to register.
Lancaster senator to retire. Longtime public servant Sen. Greg Gregory, R-Lancaster, will not seek reelection in 2020. See the story here.
Women punished for seeking psych help as inmates. Dr. Pamela Crawford told legislators Wednesday that female inmates at Camille Griffin Graham Correctional in Columbia were punished to reduce the number of people who reported being suicidal. Read the story.
2020 CALENDAR: Criminal justice forum in Columbia hosts 10 Dems, Trump
President Donald Trump will address the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum today at Benedict College in Columbia. The event is kicking off a weekend focused on criminal justice reform.
Leading up to the event, billionaire and Democratic presidential hopeful Tom Steyer will hold a march in Columbia focused on calling for the impeachment of Trump. Here is a schedule of Democratic presidential candidates slated to speak during the forum on Oct. 26:
- 10:30 a.m.: Maryland Congressman John Delaney
- 11 a.m.: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker
- 1 p.m.: South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg
- 2 p.m.: California Sen. Kamala Harris
- 3 p.m.: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
- 4 p.m.: Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar
- 5 p.m.: Former Vice President Joe Biden
Here is the schedule of Democratic presidential candidates on Oct. 27:
- Noon: Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
- 1 p.m.: former Housing Secretary Julian Castro
- 2 p.m.: Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard
- Click here to buy tickets.
Sanders to visit Columbia HQ. Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders will visit his state campaign headquarters 10 a.m. Oct. 26 at 1410 Blanding St. in Columbia. Sanders will offer brief remarks along with state Rep. Ivory Thigpen, D-Richland. Attendees should be prepared to participate in the door-to-door canvass immediately following the event. Entry is provided on a first come, first serve basis.
Delaney in Charleston today. Former Maryland Rep. John Delaney will speak at The Post and Courier’s Pints and Politics 4 p.m. today at Palmetto Brewing Co, 289 Huger St. in Charleston.
Booker makes Columbia stop Oct. 26. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker will hold a canvass kick-off event noon Oct, 26 at 2361 Taylor St. in Columbia.
Tulsi holds town hall in Columbia. Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will hold a town hall 3-5 p.m. Oct. 26 at Busby Community Center in Columbia.
Biden holds Florence town hall, makes remarks at Hartsville church. Former Vice President Joe Biden will hold a town hall 1 p.m. Oct. 26 at Wilson High School in Florence, and speak at 11 a.m. Oct. 27 at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hartsville.
Harris holds canvass event Oct. 26. California Sen. Kamala Harris will speak at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at a canvassing lunch at her campaign’s Columbia Field Office at 1919 Hampton St.
Buttigieg hits eight events in two-day sweep. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttieg will hold seven other events in addition to the criminal justice forum, where he will appear Oct. 26. Those other events include:
- Speaking at Allen University Homecoming Tailgate at noon Oct. 26;
- A town hall 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Rock Hill City Hall Amphitheatre, 144 E. Black Street;
- A roundtable with the Catawba Nation Leadership 5:30 p.m. Oct. 26 in Rock Hill (closed to the public);
- Remarks 8:45 a.m. Oct. 27 at AME Zion Regional Conference Worship Service in Rock Hill;
- A walking tour 1 p.m. Oct. 27 of Vietnam Veterans Traveling Memorial Wall in Rock Hill (closed to the public);
- A canvassing kickoff 2:15 p.m. Oct. 27 at 143 E. Main St. in Rock Hill; and,
- A community leaders roundtable 3:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in Rock Hill (closed to the public).
Warren hosts Florence town hall. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will host a town hall 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Francis Marion Performing Arts Center in Florence. Info.
Castro hosts meet-and-greet in Columbia. Former Housing Secretary Julián Castro will hold a meet-and-greet 2:30 p.m. at Sowing Seeds, 211-A Lady St. in Columbia. Info.
Throughout the campaign season, we are working to keep South Carolina informed of candidate events in the state. Have an event you want us to know about? Email us at 2020news@statehousereport.com.
- Have a comment? Send to: feedback@statehousereport.com
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