There’s been a lot of public statements and commentary in the past few days, weeks and years about what the free speech provisions of the First Amendment mean. Some of the statements, even from those charged with enforcing the law, have been strained, incomplete or just flat-out wrong. So, here’s a basic guide to what […]

The casualties from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 were diverse in many ways. The deaths represented most U.S. states as well as 77 countries, a host of occupations, and a wide array of personal backgrounds. A total of 2,977 individuals lost their lives on that morning, including 2,606 at the World Trade Center, […]

How would concurrency bill affect growth in SC? CHARLESTON – Two issues increasingly dominate the South Carolina headlines: massive population growth and a lack of affordable housing. In the moderate-sized Upstate town of Fort Mill, for instance — which has seen its population explode by almost 80% since 2018 — concerns over growth led its […]

The proposal to implement costly required business licensing is just another roadblock to Fairfield County business activity. Fairfield should be inviting businesses with pro-business policies, rather than erecting barriers to economic expansion and promoting economic contraction with more taxation and bureaucracy. Additionally, SC businesses have too many options to avoid more county licensing and its […]

As students return to classrooms across South Carolina, Attorney General Alan Wilson is making a direct and emotional plea to parents:  Sit your children down and have the hard conversations. Right now, your child’s greatest threat may not be at school or on the streets; it may be online, right under your roof.  “This is […]

The rapidly rising number of proposed charter and private schools in Blythewood and Fairfield County is a clear sign of our community’s desire for more educational choices, safer learning environments, and a renewed focus on student success. As a Trustee of the South Carolina Public Charter School District, I am encouraged by the growing demand […]

I ran for Town Council after a change in mayoral leadership, hopeful that together we could meaningful progress to our Town. I whole-heartedly supported the current Mayor, believing we could work collaboratively to improve residents’ quality of life. Unfortunately, once in office, it became clear that collaboration and transparency were not priorities. Rather than advancing […]

The mayor said his truth with his quote, “I am the Town of Blythewood. I am the mayor.” That’s the quiet part, accidentally said out loud, that the public does not get to hear, but we do as council behind the scenes. Make no mistake, this is an administration of ONE. Yet, the councilmembers, who […]

We need a weekly review of the check register. It was revealed in December that a little over a year ago, a $386,000 check – written back in May, 2024  – was listed in the county’s online payment register. And what was that check? It was for IRS fines. By not reviewing it in May, […]

The mayor-council form of government is inherently susceptible to corruption due to the concentration of power in the mayor’s office.  When one individual holds the authority to appoint key officials, make big decisions unilaterally, and prepare the budget, the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse increases dramatically. Without sufficient checks and balances, the door is […]