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Closing time, Page A13 Thursday, October 18, 2018 | Vol. 147, 52nd Edition | Two Sections, 36 pages
Inside
• 2018 Midterm Election candidates, Page A3 • 2 die in car chase, Page A3 • Dunkin’ drops its donuts, Page A2 • State spends $186K on county roads, Page A6 • Lexington bidder admits he did it, Page A3
Chronicle poll
Do you plan to exercise your right to vote Tuesday, Nov. 6? Last week’s poll results: Should SCANA executives give back bonuses paid to them with money meant for nuclear construction costs? Yes: 93% No: 7% Total votes: 41
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Inside Today
Business .....................A2 Calendar ...................A16 Church Buzz................A5 Classifieds ...............B1-8 Columnists ..............A7-8 Crime .........................A6 Delinquent Taxes ...B8-18 Down South ...............A5 Furry Friends ................A9 News.......................A1-6 Obituaries ...................A4 Opinion .....................A17 Sports................. A13-15 Your Good Health ..A10-11 Accuracy and credibility are our major concerns. If you see an error, please email lexingtonchronicle@gmail.com or call 803-359-7633. Copyright 2018, Lexington Publishing Company, Inc.
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SCE&G told to give up secrets All hands on deck
Report: SCANA hid bid-rigging from regulators By Jerry Bellune JerryBellune@yahoo.com
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Maybe we’re getting somewhere with SC Electric & Gas now. Their lies and deceit are being exposed day by day as regulators finally demand they release all of their secrets to the public.
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The Dispatch-News
Kindergarten teachers at Lake Murray Elementary sent out a call to students and parents asking for donations for the victims of Hurricane Florence. Families donated enough items to fill three large plastic bins. They
SC Electric & Gas will have to give up critical, long-hidden documents. The Office of Regulatory Staff revealed that the Public Service Commission’s hearing officer issued a directive to remove SCE&G’s confidential designations. He ordered the utility to disgorge all documents related to the Bechtel Report no later than Oct. 22. In other disclosures, it was learned that SCE&G’s owner, executives of Lexington County-based SCANA, 3 years ago discovered a million-dollar bid-rigging scheme by a Lexington bidPhoto provided by School District 1 der but failed to report it to state and federal law encollected toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, hairbrushes, shampoo, diapers, wipes and various oth- forcement officials. er items. LMES sent these donations to Horry County SCANA executives hid Schools for families affected by Hurricane Florence. the scheme to avoid negative publicity about its failing nuclear project, avoiding disclosure to regulators and the public, a Charleston Post and Courier source said. B-C High graduate. delegation member Molly The bidder admitted he The Attorney General fac- Spearman. She is seeking had submitted fictitious es a challenge from Demoanother term as SC Superhigher bids to win contracts, crat Constance Anastopoulo intendent of Education. the newspaper reported. who was voted “Best ProfesOn the ballot is a constiThe alleged fraud highsor” by Charleston School of tutional issue to change her lights the secrecy that Law students. job from elected superinten- SCANA’s leaders cloaked dent to one nominated by Another county resident the failed $9 billion project in the ballot for statewide the governor and approved in over the past decade, the office is SC Treasurer Curby the SC Senate. Post and Courier said. tis Loftis, a West Columbia The 1st of a 3-part series The Chronicle has left an businessman. on the crowded ballot apinvitation for the bidder to Also seeking re-election pears today on Page A3. give his side of the story on is former county House his company voicemail. The previously undisclosed episode has come to light amid continued debate about why the project failed and who is responsible. state’s capital reserve fund also easily overrode McMasIn ordering further disclofor universities on “an eqsure from SCE&G, the PSC ter’s vetoes of parts of the uitable” basis. The capital same budget proviso direct- hearing officer wrote that reserve fund is a constituSCE&G’s response about the ing $250,000 to the state tionally mandated “rainy critical Bechtel Report “conDepartment of Archives and day” fund that’s raided by tinue to be troubling.” History for the Charleston lawmakers annually. ORS, which represents the After Leatherman – argu- Library Society’s Beaux Arts public and utility ratepayBuilding, and $500,000 to ably the state’s most powers said SCE&G agreed to erful lawmaker – asked the SC Arts Commission for “produce documents that his colleagues to override provide the full account of the South Carolina Chilthe veto, the Senate overthe Bechtel engagement and dren’s Theatre. whelmingly agreed, followassessment.” SCE&G then Brundrette is news ediing the House’s lead earlier. failed to do so. tor of The Nerve, an online There was no debate on “It is apparent that the vetoes in either chamber. investigative service of the SCE&G continues to hinder watchdog SC Policy Council. access to a number of the The House and Senate Bechtel documents either in confidential form or in public form,” the PSC hearing officer wrote. To gauge the impact on New York, Vermont, Utah, “It is time for SCE&G to energy use, online research Rhode Island, Massachulive up to its pledge. SCE&G company WalletHub measetts and Colorado. shall disgorge all documents sured auto and home-enerThe researchers calcurelated to the Bechtel Report gy consumption. lated the ratio of total home to the parties in public form SC was least efficient, fol- energy consumption to anas soon as possible, but no lowed by Louisiana, Alanual degree days. later than October 22, 2018.” bama, Tennessee, Arkansas, To determine vehicle fuel The Bechtel Report was Mississippi and Kentucky. efficiency they divided anwritten by nuclear experts This may be hard to benual miles driven by gallons who investigated SCE&G’s lieve, but the most energy of gas consumed and meaproject in Fairfield County efficient in heating, cooling sured annual vehicle miles and found massive conand gasoline efficiency were driven per person. struction problems including Westinghouse reactors that don’t work. The findings were hidden from regulators and the public until SCE&G abandoned the project in 2017.
County voters face crowded Nov. 6 ballot Special to the Chronicle
Lexington County voters face 46 differing Nov. 6 election ballots. No matter where you live in the county, you and your neighbors will be choosing between candidates and issues that will be different from other voters’ ballots in other communities. But wherever you live in the county, you will find two Wilsons on your ballot.
Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of Springdale is seeking re-election as is his son, Attorney General Alan Wilson of Lexington. The Congressman faces a challenge from: • Democrat Sean Carrigan of Chapin, a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans. • American Party candidate Sonny Narang, a West Columbia businessman and
How lawmakers spend your tax money By RICK BRUNDRETT Special to the Chronicle
Sen. Hugh Leatherman appeared relaxed and confident. Leatherman, R-Florence, asked fellow Senators to override Gov. Henry McMaster’ veto of $7.1 million for Francis Marion University. A science building on Francis Marion’s campus is named for Leatherman, whose daughter sits on the university’s board of trustees. Leatherman is chairman of the budget-writing Sen-
ate Finance Committee which in April added $7.1 million for the university, The Nerve has reported. McMaster said the proposal – $5 million for a medical and health education classroom complex and $2.1 million for the honors college – “represents special treatment above and beyond what was afforded to any other higher education institution.” McMaster said lawmakers already had allocated nearly $50 million from the
We’re worst in US for power, fuel efficiency Special to the Chronicle
Chronicle readers already know they pay the highest electric rates in the US. What they may not know is that our state is the least energy efficient in the US. The U.S. Department of Energy finds the average US family spends at least $2,000 a year on utilities. Heating and cooling account for more than half.
We are 48th only because figures for Alaska and Hawaii were not available. This year the average consumer spent another $1,968 on motor fuel and oil, up $59 from last year. DOE estimates that energy efficiency could cut a family’s utility costs as much as 25%. It found a more fuel-efficient vehicle could save the average driver $708 a year.
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inside • Lexington business owner admits to bidding, Page A3
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