The Nerve

By RICK BRUNDRETT The Daniel Island Club on its website bills itself as one of the top country clubs in Charleston, offering two “nationally-ranked” private golf courses, along with swimming, tennis and fitness facilities in a “lush, resort-style setting.” Jim Newsome, the president and CEO of the state-created Ports Authority (SCPA), belonged to the swank […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT Next month, the Horry County legislative delegation could recommend one of three master-in-equity judicial candidates to the governor for appointment to the six-figure seat. One of the candidates is former state Rep. Alan Clemmons, a Myrtle Beach attorney who was a longtime member of the Horry County delegation before his unexpected resignation […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT Gov. Henry McMaster wants to more than double the state Department of Commerce’s budget, though neither he nor his Cabinet agency has provided details in official records on a proposed $150 million “infrastructure” program. McMaster’s requested appropriation for the “Strategic Economic Development Infrastructure” program, which was included in his fiscal 2022-23 state […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT In unveiling his fiscal 2022-23 state budget this week, Gov. Henry McMaster proposed using $660 million in federal coronavirus-relief money to begin construction of Interstate 73 toward Myrtle Beach and widening I-26 between Columbia and Charleston. McMaster in a letter Monday to lawmakers contended that the federal money combined with nearly $600 […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT New S.C. Senate president Thomas Alexander reported a total of more than $850,000 in income over a 10-year period from Upstate public agencies through his office supply business, The Nerve found in a review of his annual income-disclosure records. No one has accused the longtime Oconee County Republican of any wrongdoing. But, […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT More than 1,300 Santee Cooper workers last year received “incentive” bonuses totaling $5 million, with outgoing president and CEO Mark Bonsall getting a $242,500 bonus on top of his $1.1 million base salary, records show. All but 58 of the 1,383 employees of the state-owned utility who were making an annual salary […]

To Our Readers: The Nerve is not planning to publish new stories this week and next in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Thank you for all your support this year, and we are planning many hard-hitting stories for 2022 to hold politicians and other public officials accountable. So stay tuned!

By RICK BRUNDRETT The S.C. Department of Transportation wants approval to spend about $139 million more in state gas-tax-hike money for next fiscal year, though the agency as of October was sitting on a $955 million cash surplus generated from the revenues. DOT’s annual budget request, submitted by agency head Christy Hall to the state […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT Four senator-lawyers who, or their law firms, received workers’ compensation fees last year are co-sponsoring a bill that would allow employees to file workers’ compensation claims involving COVID-19 vaccines. Three of the lawmakers sit on a Senate committee that will consider the bill and also screens candidates for the seven-member Workers’ Compensation […]

By RICK BRUNDRETT The S.C. Department of Commerce wants $100 million more in state funding for next fiscal year – which represents nearly 80% of its entire current budget – for an unspecified “infrastructure” program. “South Carolina does not have a funding mechanism to address significant needs that are necessary for the state to continue […]