Editorials from across South Carolina: SCANA executive pay, local newspapers
SCANA payouts
The shareholders of SCANA Corp. got it right. They voted to approve the proposed merger with Virginia-based Dominion Energy but rejected any merger-related bonuses for SCANA executives.
As much as the merger plan is the best solution to ensure the future of a utility that is vital to South Carolina, the bonuses for corporate executives are an insult to ratepayers, particularly when state and federal authorities are investigating possible wrongdoing by top company executives, some of whom have departed SCANA in the past year.
Most paying utility bills to SCANA can relate to the need for the company to find stability via the merger, even though the plan as laid out by Dominion would include customers continuing to pay a percentage of bills to cover debt from the failed SCANA-Santee Cooper nuclear project in Fairfield County.
What they cannot relate to is how those running SCANA could find themselves in line for up to $110 million in compensation if they lose their jobs in the merger, which despite SCANA shareholder approval faces a major hurdle with the S.C. Public Service Commission later this year.
Local newspapers
We are aware that the instantaneous news we are all bombarded with daily at times can make a newspaper seem obsolete. In the age of Twitter and Facebook, many people are, sadly, satisfied with the small sips of news they get from social media. However, those who want and need their thirst for news quenched know they can draw their servings from a deeper well — especially when it comes to news that affects them right where they live. They won’t get that from the Times, Post or other national publications and, frankly, they won’t get that from area TV stations that can only devote mere seconds to a topic.
Want to know what the school board, city and county councils are doing for or, sometimes, to you? Turn to the community newspaper. That’s where we are most relevant in your lives. Want to know how your child’s school sports team is doing, even see a standout kid featured? That’s the stuff that’s on the pages of a community newspaper, weekly and daily alike.
Want to know who’s making a difference in the community? Want to — make that need to — know where crimes are taking place and who has been arrested? Want to know who died? Who wants your vote? What impact civic clubs and nonprofits are having on the community’s present and future? Want to know the state of the local economy, how it’s growing, what stores are closing? And why? Want to know the choices you have for filling your spare time with arts and entertainment? Want to know where the deals are when it comes to parting with your hard-earned income?
Hint: Anderson Cooper and Sean Hannity aren’t discussing any of that. But your community newspaper and its website work hard to fill that void. Every day. Do we miss some things? Absolutely. We’re not a staff of 100, we’re not ready to roll 24/7. But we give it our best. We listen to you about how we might better serve your needs within our own means. And we depend on you as a partner to share news with the community.
This story was originally published August 6, 2018 at 10:27 AM.