TheState.com: Letters

Friday’s Letters to the Editor

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:15 EDT

• Donations to Cato’s PAC no surprise

Having followed our legislators’ antics for years, not much surprises me. Rep Harry Cato is certainly not the first to take money from a special-interest group, take action favorable to that group and tell us that the money had nothing to do with it.

Even so, the blatant disregard for the appearance of impropriety still raises an eyebrow or two. The old system of money changing hands under the table at least allowed us to keep alive the illusion of our legislators as representatives of the people who voted them into office.

Mr. Cato brings to mind an even older tradition in South Carolina. He killed the payday lending bill because his opponents were “acting uppity.” They apparently forgot to sit quietly and politely and wait for him to give them permission to speak.

Will anybody be surprised if a few thousand dollars more wind up in his account?

Lax nursing home enforcement endangers seniors of all incomes

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:15 EDT

The recent death of William Seeley at an adult-care facility in Newberry County brings sharply into view a reality that is tragic and heart-breaking to his loved ones, and shameful for all citizens of South Carolina. The story of his struggles with disabilities and mental illness undoubtedly has led many to conclude that he was an individual who somehow fell between the cracks of the state system that is entrusted with protecting and ensuring the welfare, and in this case the survival, of older and indigent citizens.

The sad, indeed sorrowful, reality is that the Department of Health and Environmental Control so rarely enforces state regulations (weak as they are) that operators of private, for-profit nursing-care and assisted-living facilities have little if any fear of it. Even when presented with unambiguous, incontestable evidence of violations, DHEC looks the other way and fails to hold operators to account. And when it does cite infractions, it leaves their correction to the operators.

I say these things based on nearly two years of residence in an assisted-living facility in Forest Acres. It can be described as an upscale establishment, where residents can easily spend $40,000 a year for services that, in my experience, they often do not receive. Accentuated by an attractive exterior and quasi-religious trappings in its sales pitch, this facility (in no way affiliated with a church or denomination) purports to offer a level of care thoroughly reassuring and professional to both residents and their families.

My general health profile improved markedly, and I was able to leave this facility. I delayed doing so, however, to document a number of infractions of state law. I then met at length with a DHEC complaints administrator, followed by a lengthy session with a DHEC investigator during a surprise inspection, in the course of which I documented these infractions in detail. Using the Freedom of Information Act, I then tracked which of these DHEC elected to enforce and what penalties were exacted.

I am not aware that any infractions I reported led to apparent neglect and abuse like that sustained by William Seeley. But I am aware that, at least at one of the “more gracious” for-profit assisted-living facilities in a prosperous neighborhood, services were routinely not delivered that residents or their families paid for, often dearly. More tellingly and tragically for us all, DHEC looked the other way when presented with evidence of wrong-doing, when it had an opportunity to do the right thing by protecting residents who were vulnerable and voiceless, who had no notion of what state law is but should have been protected by it.

Thursday letters to the editor

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:15 EDT

• Nonsmokers’ health focus of smoking ban

This is in response to Robert C. Lewis’s letter, “Give smokers liberty to smoke,” on Monday.

The movement to ban smoking indoors is not to prevent smokers from smoking; it is to protect nonsmokers from the effects of secondhand smoke in a public place.

The surgeon general has established that secondhand smoke contains 250 cancer-causing agents and is more dangerous than what the smoker inhales. Mr. Lewis is correct when he says that he should have the right to smoke; however, as a nonsmoker, I should have the right to inhale clean air in a public place.

LISA ELLIS

Wednesday’s Letters to the Editor

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:13 EDT

• Payday lending bill shouldn’t be delayed

Surprisingly, the S.C. General Assembly has been reluctant to regulate or ban payday lenders in the state. A significant number of states throughout the country, including neighboring Georgia and North Carolina, have already taken tough measures to protect their constituents from an industry that expects common folks to borrow not just one loan, but to eventually take a number of loans until the industry is able to make a profit. South Carolina legislators, however, seem more aligned to keep the current status quo and passively support the payday lending industry for reasons, they may only know why.

As a graduate student at USC, I have followed the issue closely. Rep. Harry Cato, R-Greenville, chairman of the House Commerce Committee, agrees to consider another bill instead of debating payday lending, while South Carolina borrowers on fixed incomes, disability checks, Supplemental Social Security and other limited sources may be prone to borrow from payday lending establishments.

As payday lenders do no credit check, they show little empathy about the clients' ability to pay back the loan. And those on fixed incomes or the working poor are the people they prey upon the most. I need only log onto Advance America's Web site and find that many of those establishments are located along Decker Boulevard, and other areas considered to be working class.

VICTOR GALDAMEZ

Tuesday’s Letters to the Editor

Tue, 13 May 2008 01:49 EDT

• Cayce government operates in sunshine

In response to your editorial on Friday (“Cayce must be open about plans for Congaree land”), I would like to say that the city of Cayce and its elected officials are committed to making information available to its citizens regarding the property along the Congaree River that was annexed last year.

The city requested more details from FEMA as well as more time to review that data and provide the public with more time to share their input.

Furthermore, Cayce does not have a proposal or plan from the property owners for development. As soon as any plan is submitted, Cayce will provide that information to the community and hold public hearings as is required by law. Our city does not withhold information; there is always sunshine in our government.

What is a shame is that there is a contingent of people who are opposed to any development of this tract, and most of them are not even Cayce residents.

Fencing is great exercise, and safer than most other sports

Mon, 12 May 2008 01:48 EDT

This is an exciting time, with the Olympics coming up, to make sure our community has accurate information about a sport (one of only four) that’s been in every Olympics since the creation of the modern Olympic Games in 1896.

How appropriate that fencing made the front page of The State last week after South Carolina hosted the Southeast Section Fencing Championships in Columbia.

However, I was a little concerned about public reaction to seeing the photo of a fencer sprawled on his back covering his face after a grueling bout, owing to his frustration with losing, juxtaposed with Eight Belles, the horse that went down after the Kentucky Derby.

Misconceptions about the safety of fencing have long inhibited some people from taking up the sport. But Peter A. Harmer, chief medical officer for the U.S. Fencing Association, published a study in the March issue of the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine that should put people’s concerns to rest. His conclusion was that fencing “has a substantially lower rate of time-loss injury” than other sports.

His research found, for example, that “the rate of a time-loss injury in soccer was more than 50 times greater than for fencing, and it was 31 times greater in basketball.” Even women’s softball, with the lowest-game injury rate of the 16 sports studied, had a 12.5-fold higher rate of time-loss injury than fencing.

IN FOCUS: Teachers’ pay

Mon, 12 May 2008 01:48 EDT

• Teachers not paid for extra hours they put in

I take issue with J.H. Green’s May 6 letter, “Teachers appear to make enough money.”

Having been a teacher before I had children, and being married to a schoolteacher now, I know firsthand that teachers do not make enough as professionals. I know of no other professionals who get paid less per hour.

Obviously the writer is looking at the nine-month schedule and not taking into account that many teachers have car duty, bus duty, hall duty, lunch duty, recess duty, after-school duty, morning duty, meetings, school activities to oversee, field trips to plan, athletic events to work, etc., leaving no time for a lunch break, coffee break or even a restroom break!

An entire day can go by when a teacher has not had one minute away from students. This is especially true in elementary school.

ETC.: Hillary, smoking and more

Mon, 12 May 2008 01:48 EDT

• Hillary has earned second spot — on GOP on ticket

The way Sen. Hillary Clinton has run her campaign makes Karl Rove jealous and would make Lee Atwater jealous.

She is the logical and deserved choice for vice president. Of course, she would be the vice president for the John McCain ticket. She has earned it.

JOHN A. MINER

Columbia

Sunday letters to the editor

Sun, 11 May 2008 00:13 EDT

• Five Points should go green, get rid of cars

Five Points should be developed thoughtfully as a model for “green.”

Pedestrians and bicyclists should have first consideration in our heightened awareness.

It should attract dwellers, shoppers and businesspeople who prefer to walk and bike. I have read nothing to indicate that the controversy over the parking garage at the Five Points South development includes such considerations.

Columbia and the University of South Carolina community must not be mindless when a chance to protect our quality of life once again occurs.

Friday’s Letters to the Editor

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:15 EDT

• Schallenberger needs mental evaluation

I feel that a mental evaluation of Ryan A. Schallenberger is definitely in order.

All newspaper accounts of Schallenberger’s behavior suggest a mental problem; maybe he’s had a psychotic break. The only rational way to know is to have trained mental health professionals determine if he is competent.

Schallenberger’s case also emphasizes the need for everyone to visit the National Association on Mental Illness Web site and every school district to offer, as Richland 2 does, the Breaking the Silence program, which teaches young people about mental illness.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health: “Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.”

Thursday’s Letters to the Editor

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:14 EDT

• Candidate confusion leads to Paulsen revival

The political scene is so confusing these days! Take the flap between Sen. Barack Obama and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Did Obama wrongly drop Wright, or rightly? Does Wright really feel wronged? Does Obama feel righted? Is Obama now to the right of Wright or to the left of Wright? Is Wright really left or old-school right?

I’m sure Sen. Hillary Clinton is amused with the right or wrong antics of Wright versus Obama.

As for Sen. John McCain, where does he stand politically? To the right? The left? Or just top dead center? Oy! I am so confused I do not know left from right or up from down!

I guess when it comes time to cast my ballot for president I am going to vote for, er, Pat Paulsen!

Wednesday’s Letters to the Editor

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:13 EDT

• Five Points South will be boon to area

I noted with annoyance the flurry of letters Monday from citizens — not merchants — decrying the mixed-use project known as Five Points South.

I’m not going to debate the relative merits of the various charges leveled over this or that aspect of the project, but as a longtime member of the Five Points community (as both customer and merchant), I believe that the new living space and retail opportunities offered by Five Points South are crucial to the growth and prosperity of the community.

So, too, is the proposed parking facility — perhaps even more so in the long view than the other aspects of the building. I know from long-held experience that shoppers and diners won’t spend their money in the village if they can’t find a safe, convenient place to park, and the location and layout of the garage will be most beneficial in this regard.

Of course, the Five Points Association Board is aware of concerns in the community about the design and height of the building, but one need only look around to see other long-extant structures of similar height within view. Whatever the design flaws that may be perceived by those in the neighborhoods, the parking facility’s benefits and the aesthetic design of the structure will, over time, be a boon to the area and not the detriment about which the letter writers seem so presciently certain.

Tuesday’s Letters to the Editor

Tue, 06 May 2008 01:49 EDT

• Five Points employees need safe place to park

Where in the world do the dissenters about the Five Points project expect the hundreds of area employees to park on any given day or night in Five Points? (I did an informal count of the 700 Saluda Ave. block employees, excluding Wachovia, and came up with approximately 200.)

Many now park in the neighborhoods, clogging the streets and causing one-way traffic. Others risk having their vehicle broken into (just ask some of those working the night shift at Harpers). Has anyone bothered to poll these people and ask where they park? Would they not rather have a safe and central place to park while working?

Do those opposed realize that the developers, Stan Harpe and Ron Swinson, can still choose to go with multi-stories, even if the city backs out of the project? Do we want a city-sanctioned garage or one that is privately contracted?

I have worked in Five Points for the better part of the past 30 years, and parking has always been an issue. We now have the chance to change this, and I hope City Council stands by its original commitment and moves on with this project.

Sunday letters to the editor

Mon, 05 May 2008 09:59 EDT

• Developers respond to community’s wants

I am a developer and have been for the last 55 years. I am constantly amused at the residents of any area making the same objections to land-clearing, high-density housing, traffic congestion, crowded schools, etc.

The fact is, any developer is only going to build what he believes there is a demand for. That demand is created by a growing population and by these same residents who are complaining.

The solutions are similar — smaller families, no growth, no new jobs, less commercial space, less traffic and no new schools, etc.

So, which do we want?

IN FOCUS: Five Points parking garage

Mon, 05 May 2008 01:48 EDT

• Growth is good, but preserve what’s special

There is wonderful growth and development happening in downtown Columbia.

But there is much to treasure about the old parts of Columbia, too. The old neighborhood where I live is adjacent to Five Points. In March, the City Council declared us an architectural conservation district. After a three-year process, Wales Garden is protected from developers who would build McMansions that destroy our ambience and human scale. Wales Garden will be preserved as a part of Columbia’s history.

Now, two months later, City Council may vote almost $6 million to purchase two floors of parking in a six-story McBuilding at the bottom of Saluda Avenue — the gateway to our historic neighborhood. The council would be ignoring Five Points’ own development guidelines for preserving its historic village character of human scale.

Though we feel deserted by our representative, Anne Sinclair, who is retiring in June, the mayor and the rest of council seem to be supporting her decision about this project in her district.

Six-story building would alter Five Points’ character

Mon, 05 May 2008 01:48 EDT

When my family moved to Columbia in 2000, one of the things that attracted us to our neighborhood was the close proximity to the charming shopping and dining area of Five Points. We frequent many of the unique stores and restaurants in the area, and enjoy the friendly atmosphere, where we know many merchants by name. Our daughter celebrated her 11th birthday by having a scavenger hunt in Five Points with several of her friends. There really is no other place in Columbia with such a village atmosphere.

We are faced, however, with a new project that may forever change the face of this charming oasis of independent shops and eateries.

The proposed six-story building at the entrance to the south end of the village near the newest fountain is out of character with the two-story buildings surrounding it. The area can also ill-afford more construction, as many merchants can attest. The very things that make this such an attractive place to walk, shop and dine is threatened by this project.

The plans for Five Points show larger buildings will be permitted on the north side toward Gervais Street. Why, then, is a six-story building being considered on the south side? Why is a parking garage that is costing the city $5.8 million going on this site, when the city’s own survey said no parking garages in the area were needed? Why also is a less-expensive site behind Claussen’s that will be less intrusive and more in keeping with the future plan not being fully considered? Why is a contract that favors the developers and leaves the city at a disadvantage being so hurriedly pushed?

There is still time to weigh in on this matter, as the more than 200 people who attended a recent meeting with council members Daniel Rickenmann and Tameika Isaac Devine and Mayor Bob Coble can attest.

ETC.: Birth control, good news and more

Mon, 05 May 2008 01:48 EDT

• Young people need facts on birth control

Abstinence is a valid and important option that should be presented to youth as part of their education. However, limiting information to abstinence only does nothing to promote the health and well-being of what should be a well-informed citizenry.

Federally sponsored abstinence-only programs restrict and distort information about condoms, an effective method for protecting against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Yet abstinence-only programs have caused young people to be less confident about that fact, which is disastrous to those South Carolinians who have at hand a simple and inexpensive way to prevent such health- and life-threatening infections.

The programs also restrict information about contraceptives in general. These restrictions equal censorship, which should be unacceptable in a modern democracy.

Friday’s Letters to the Editor

Fri, 02 May 2008 00:17 EDT

• Property owners need proper notification

Once again, big money prevails over property rights. (“Farmer tries to block dump,” Tuesday). The Department of Health and Environmental Control quickly approves a landfill without contacting the neighboring landowners.

An announcement in the newspaper does not suffice as a reasonable attempt to contact interested parties because it doesn’t ensure that parties who should be interested are made aware that their attention is needed now. This point was brought up at the meeting with DHEC following the permitting of the University of South Carolina biomass furnace project.

If Heath Hill had been involved in the landfill planning process from the beginning, he would have had real opportunities to ensure that his water would not become contaminated, his property value wouldn’t decrease and his neighbor’s property wouldn’t be seized by eminent domain.

For those whose job it is to assess the impact of a project on a community, I suggest you send someone to meet with those people who are immediately affected by the project and seek their approval and recommendations before making the general public announcement that’s required by law. It’s a less costly and smarter thing to do.

Teachers are a great investment in our future

Fri, 02 May 2008 00:17 EDT

On April 25, I attended the S.C. Teacher of the Year Awards Banquet at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

As the teachers representing each district across the state processed into the banquet hall, I took in their proud-yet-humble smiles, while following along in a program that had quotes from all the honorees, expressing their beliefs about education.

One quote from Tonya Blythe Beaty in Spartanburg School District 7 really caught my eye: “When we are spending time with our own families, we are wondering if the child in foster care is adjusting to his or her new family. When we settle down for dinner, we are hoping that the child who asks for extra food at lunch every day will have something to eat that evening. The students are always on our minds.”

As the daughter of a 28-year S.C. educator, I know firsthand that this is exactly what South Carolina’s teachers do every single day.

This special evening reminded me that teaching is not a profession; it is a calling. We should all do everything we can to thank and celebrate our teachers for the incredible sacrifices they make and for the love, creativity and passion they share in order to give our children hope and a future.

Thursday’s Letters to the Editor

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:15 EDT

• Wright out to sabotage Obama

Uncle Jeremiah. Bob Herbert (The State, Wednesday) judges him smart. Maybe so. And he does voices. He does stand-up. Like a rapper out there over the edge, he does profanity. If the street doesn’t eat it up, the gullible media do.

But look deep and see a wily Uncle Tom out to sabotage a promising great hope for leadership and reconciliation in Sen. Barack Obama. Call it wicked smart, perhaps, on the part of a user scoring income and celebrity from a career (capped by his 15 minutes) not combatting racial division, but exploiting it.

Rev. Wright disgraces his pulpit.

KEVIN LEWIS