The Wire

TIPS, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM FITS READERS

Welcome to “the wire,” our pseudo-regular effort to engage the growing number of tips, comments and questions we receive here at FITS News. While we continue perfecting this new format – and our forthcoming website overhaul – please keep your tips, comments and questions coming!

Also be sure and check back during the day as we occasionally add new items to the wire!

Enjoy …

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ON PAUL RYAN

COMMENT: Once again FITS is attacking conservative Republicans.  You are worse than Newt Gingrich, sir.  There is no place for you in the GOP.  GO HOME!

FITS: Last time we checked, there were no Republicans (or Democrats) working at this website – only kooky libertarians who have the temerity to stand for things like fiscal restraint and individual freedom.  Also don’t forget that Gingrich criticized Ryan for “right-wing social engineering.”  We criticized him for being a (bad) bailout apologist and for not proposing big enough spending cuts.  Big difference.

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MORE ON PAUL RYAN

COMMENT: Enjoyed your take on Paul Ryan making excuses for Republican bailouts. Here is another piece which explores his broader lack of conservatism.

Keep up the good work.

FITS: Thanks … and thanks.  We didn’t know Ryan voted in favor of the 2011 “debt dereliction deal.”  Good to know.

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THIS WAY TO THE “FAIRGROUNGS”

TIP: How did you miss WYFF’s story on the misspelled road sign in Columbia that went unnoticed for SIX years?  

FITS: Ha! “It’s a great day in South Carolina … for spelling!”

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ABOUT THAT REVOLUTION IN DARLINGTON, S.C.

I wonder why an experienced and highly decorated retired US Army Colonel would use South Carolina as his example in his book on counterrevolutionary tactics?  There is little doubt that the South will rise again but does he know something that we don’t about the military scheme in S.C. as it relates to the political delemma with elections looming?

FITS: Wait … are any of those real questions?

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UNNECESSARY HIGHER ED SPENDING

TIP: FITS please tell me you are going to write about this …

FITS: Hmmmm … millions of dollars wasted on another pointless higher ed boondoggle? Yeah … that is right up our alley, isn’t it? Seriously though this project is a joke and we hope S.C. Sen. Tom Davis and the rest of the local delegation in Beaufort County rise up against this nonsense.

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STOP BASHING NIKKI HALEY

COMMENT: Give it a rest Fits. You couldn’t get it up and now you are out to get Haley like it”s her fault.  LOL. Limp noodle.

I swear you act so gay, like an old woman scorned.

FITS:  Thanks for sharing!

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20×20 RECOMMENDATION

TIP: If the first starlet featured in your new 20×20 is not Dianne Gallagher I swear to God I will never visit this piece of crap web site ever again.  GET ER DONE!!!!

FITS: Wow … we should be so lucky.  We will reach out to Dianne and see if she’s game.

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“RAPING OF THE PUBLIC” IN HORRY COUNTY

TIP: Have you kept up with the proposal from the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp. to the Horry County Council? I was attempting to highlight the overall proposal for your consideration but it’s the most in-depth crock of bull I have seen proposed to Council since Burroughs and Chapin sold them on TIF to assist with infrastructure at their Market Commons and Grande Mall projects.  The project is termed “Project Blue” and the EDC will not tell Council who the organization is or what the nature of their business.  This promise of 1020 jobs with average pay of $14.36/hr. comes with such a demanding and odd set of requirements I can’t believe any public body would give them the time of day.  Even Santee Cooper is stepping to the plate offering finanical assistance. This on the heels of a request for a rate increase for the public utility.  Please research and give us your take on this raping of the public.

FITS: There’s a story on this deal in The Sun News that references Horry County borrowing $8 million for the project and spending another $1.25 million as a “cash incentive.”  There’s all sorts of additional conditions (as you reference) and yes … it looks exceedingly shady.  Obviously this website has made its position on such government-funded economic development deals pretty clear – we oppose them unilaterally.

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DISGRACED SHERIFF GETS OFF EASY

COMMENT: How about a little investigation into how Ex-Saluda County Sheriff Jason Booth gets off with only a $900 fine over his inmate labor conviction? Don’t you smell something fishy behind the scenes here?

FITS: Wait … the smell of something fishy?  In South Carolina?  The sad thing is when you’ve lived here long enough you get used to it.

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SCDHEC PERMITS QUESTIONED

QUESTIONS: Would you please give me a status update for where the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) is with NPDES permit nd0080900? You do realize this permit has been expired now for 2 years, yet Synagro is still running/dumping junk in our county on this expired permit?

Surely by now this permit should be going thru public comment? Right? What seems to be the hold up?

Do you have an ETA of when this permit will be opened to public scrutiny? Public comment is part of the process, right? Part of DHEC’s mandate from the EPA on NPDES permits *is* public input? Right?

Is the plan to squelch dissent as long as possible in light of the “chester mess”? Is this a reasonable approach for a governing body? Denying the public a voice? Do you think its reasonable, in light of columbia’s lack of oversight of this program, that we should be a little upset over this? What if the roles were reversed? Would *you* be upset?

We found contaminents in our new water well that do not exist in a natural environment – but, I am sure you expected this.

Thanks again for looking out for the citizens of South Carolina.

FITS: We checked into this and the word we got from the agency was that company referenced above was in compliance with the agency even though its permit had expired.  How does that work, exactly?  We’re not sure …

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MUSC ACCUSED OF IMPROPERLY ACCESSING EMPLOYEE RECORDS

I was employee at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) for 14 years.  Every year the hospital requires all employees and students to participate in online training that covers many things but specifically HIPAA violations. Basically if you’re not involved in the patient’s healthcare then you have no right to their medical records and will be suspended or terminated if you access them.  Well, I can tell you for sure this hospital does NOT follow their own policies & procedures so who holds them accountable?  My former boss read my medical records & questioned me about what she read and tried to get me to explain in depth what the doctor said!  Basically the hospital sent me a letter apologizing that “an unauthorized employee had read my records who was not part of my healthcare” and they had spoken with the employee and assured it would never happen again.  My question is who holds them accountable for following their own policies & procedures?  Also, if the hospital doesn’t even protect their own employees from nosy bosses how can the community feel confident their medical records are protected?

FITS: Once again … this is South Carolina.  You act like you’re surprised by this kind of behavior?

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MORE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS’ FUN

TIP: (S.C. Comptroller General) Richard Eckstrom is on another taxpayer-funded junket only this time he has taken his on-again off-again flame Kelly Payne with him.  Also it appears Comptroller “Fine Specimen” has won an award for something.

 

FITS: How romantic … “they’ll always have the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers’ Association” meeting.

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LUCKY SIC?

COMMENT: You used to cover the Indianapolis Colts a good bit so I was surprised not to see this on your website …

… or did you neglect to write about this because you “don’t give a damn about Andrew Luck.”

FITS: Ouch … you know that’s not the first time and it won’t be the last time we tweeted under the influence of our man-crush on former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.  And while we are glad to see Andrew Luck off to a good start … we still miss Manning.  And we will be pulling for both the Colts AND the Broncos this year.

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Got a tip for us? Or a comment? Or a question? Submit it anonymously over on our tip line or our contact page … and remember, in addition to your tips we also publish letters to the editor and guest editorials (even anonymous ones) if you’ve got more to say on a subject.  Also feel free to reach out to our founding editor directly at w@fitsnews.com.

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