Top Ports: Savannah Replaces Charleston

In 2003 the Port of Charleston, S.C. was the world’s 42nd largest – and the fifth largest in the nation. Today? Charleston has surrendered its coveted spot on the world’s top fifty ports list to its closet rival, the Port of Savannah.
Don’t believe us? Take a look at the data for yourself …
Savannah is now the [...]

“National Nikki” Gets Negative Ink?

It doesn’t happen often on the national stage, but “rising star” S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley is the subject of a not-so-flattering national news story in Sunday’s editions of The Politico.
“(Haley) rode into office in 2011 on a Republican wave as the first female and first Indian-American governor of the state — a rising GOP star [...]

Georgia Lawmakers Approve $50M For Port

Georgia lawmakers approved $50 million in additional funding this week for the state’s Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) – a massive $652 million taxpayer-funded endeavor which received a key shot in the arm from S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley in 2011.
The project aims to deepen the Savannah River from 42 to 47 feet to accommodate the [...]

SCDNR Reinstating Its Second In Command

COLONEL CLEARED OF CRIMINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is reinstating its second-in-command after he was cleared of criminal domestic violence allegations.
Colonel Chisolm Frampton – who was arrested and charged with CDV last November – was suspended without pay from his $96,000 a year (plus benefits) position in the wake of [...]

Georgia Seeks To Ram “Savannah River Sellout” Down SC’s Throat

PEACH STATE WANTS FEDS TO IGNORE PENDING SC SUPREME COURT CASE
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is asking the federal government to disregard a pending South Carolina Supreme Court case over controversial port permits so that it can move forward with a massive taxpayer-funded expansion of the Port of Savannah.  Citing “inappropriate delays” stemming from [...]

Nikki’s Big Night

GOVERNOR DELIVERS WELL-RECEIVED SPEECH TO REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley made the most of her big moment on the national stage this week – delivering a rousing, well-received address to the assembled delegates at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.  The governor needed a big night, too, as the one-time vice presidential [...]

Nikki Haley Gets Her Prime Time Payoff

THE “SAVANNAH RIVER SELLOUT” IS COMPLETE
S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley has accepted a coveted prime time speaking slot at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida this month – bringing full circle one of the biggest (and most damaging) political sellouts South Carolina has ever seen.
Haley is widely suspected to have earned her slot at [...]

A “Vote Against Jasper?”

NIKKI HALEY’S PORT HYPOCRISY IS ASTOUNDING

S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley didn’t just drop the ball when it came to this year’s budget vetoes, she was (surprise, surprise) a total hypocrite about it.
Not only did Haley veto a meager $60-70 million out of a $23 billion budget (one quarter of one percent of the state’s spending plan), [...]

Port Expansion: Baltimore Helps Itself

… WHILE SOUTH CAROLINA HELPS GEORGIA
The Port of Baltimore will enhance its competitive position along the Eastern Seaboard when it installs four new super-sized container cranes this week. These cranes – designed to handle containers from the next generation of super-large Post-Panamax container ships – will be installed at a new 50-foot berth at the Seagirt [...]

SC Chief Justice Rebukes Nikki Haley’s Port Sellout

TOAL SAYS GOVERNOR’S APPOINTEES “DISOBEYED STATE LAW”
S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal has followed the lead of both chambers of the S.C. General Assembly in rebuking Gov. Nikki Haley’s recent sellout of our state’s economic and environmental interests.
Toal and her fellow Justices on the S.C. Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week related to Haley’s infamous [...]

The Wire

Welcome to “the wire,” our pseudo-daily effort to engage the growing number of tips, comments and questions we receive here at FITS News. While we continue perfecting this new format, 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 mix.
To [...]

Just Dredge It

We don’t believe government should be in the port management business … or the harbor dredging business. Particularly not here in South Carolina, where institutional corruption is generally exceeded only by institutional incompetence.
Having said that, thanks to S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s stunning betrayal of our state’s economic and environmental interests vis-à-vis the “Savannah River Sellout,” [...]