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What South Carolina's castle doctrine means for younew

In South Carolina, your home is your castle. So is your car, and so is your business. Under the state’s interpretation of the “castle doctrine,” as amended in 2006, civilians are allowed to use deadly force to defend themselves, but they have to meet certain requirements. Basically, if you are out in a neighborhood or in another public place, you are on shaky legal ground if you pull out a weapon.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 04-02-2012 | Policy Issues

Tags: self-defense, Florida, Public Policy, castle doctrine, George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin, Stand Your Ground, Make My Day

Buddy systemnew

The march toward privatization continues, both in the form of smaller, little-heralded achievements and big takeovers. Even parks may soon be on the table.

Colorado Springs Independent | J. Adrian Stanley | 04-02-2012 | Policy Issues

Tags: recreation, Privatization, pools, YMCA, Colorado Springs Recreation Center, Public-private partnership

New Falcons stadium for chance to host Super Bowl? That's a gamble.new

For real economic impact, invest in the city.

Creative Loafing (Atlanta) | Editorial Board | 04-02-2012 | Policy Issues

Tags: Sports, Atlanta, Arthur Blank, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta Falcons, Vine City, English Avenue, New Atlanta Falcons Stadium

New lawsuits against Citadelnew

The lawsuits outline new accusations: that Citadel officials knew about ReVille’s behavior as early as 2002 and did nothing to stop or report him, and that Rosa knew about allegations of sexual misconduct by ReVille at Summerville’s Pinewood Preparatory School in 2007.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 03-31-2012 | Policy Issues

Tags: Air Force Academy, The Citadel, John W. Rosa, Mullins McLeod, Skip ReVille, childhood sexual abuse, Michael Arpaio, Pinewood Preparatory School

Democratic challenger sets her sights on Tim Scott's seatnew

Assuming Tea Party favorite Tim Scott runs for re-election as Charleston’s U.S. representative in November, he will face a new challenger in the political arena: Bobbie Rose, a Democratic candidate and political novice who filed to run for the position on Tuesday.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 03-31-2012 | Policy Issues

Tags: education, Congress, PTSD, House of Representatives, reproductive rights, deregulation, election 12, hunger, Tim Scott, Bobbie Rose, corporate tax, veterans' affairs, District 1

Nigerian rental scammers hit Charlestonnew

“You can only pass by and see how my house looks like from outside,” the man wrote in response to my inquiry about a downtown apartment, “but you must be careful with the way you patrol, in order to avoid been [sic] harassed by the neighborhood security.” Wait — neighborhood security in the hospital district? And then I came to this sentence, which I read a dozen times and could never quite decipher: “As for me, I think it will be perfect to have the keys/paperwork in hand before going to check our house.”

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 03-31-2012 | Policy Issues

Raise Your Voicenew

Imam Ali Siddiqui is intimately familiar with the destructive nature of religious fundamentalism and the problems of immigration in the modern world.

Jackson Free Press | Ronni Mott | 03-31-2012 | Policy Issues

What 'Stand Your Ground' means in South Carolinanew

Gregory Kirk Duncan didn’t take too kindly to the way Christopher Spicer, a guest in his Greenville County home, was talking about a picture of his daughter wearing a cheerleading outfit. Duncan asked Spicer to leave, and he did—but not for long.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 03-31-2012 | Policy Issues

A city-style development makes strides on Maybank Highwaynew

Not to spoil anyone’s secret spots, but there are only a few places left on James Island where you can really slip into the woods and get away from it all. Apart from an undeveloped peninsula or two off Fort Johnson Road and the still-rural stretches of Grimball Road, the island that Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. fights so dearly to rein into the City of Charleston has largely been stripped of its forests and farms, replaced with one suburban street after another.

Charleston City Paper | Stratton Lawrence | 03-31-2012 | Policy Issues

Obama budget would eliminate IT jobs at National Weather Servicenew

One small part of the president's plan to achieve $1.1 trillion in deficit reductions over the coming decade is a $39 million cut to the NWS, from $911 million in Fiscal Year 2012 to $872 million in Fiscal Year 2013.

Charleston City Paper | Paul Bowers | 03-28-2012 | Policy Issues