Concealed Weapons Coming to College Campuses?

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Concealed Weapons Coming to College Campuses?

South Carolina could legalize the concealed carry of weapons on college campuses.

 

 USC Professors and Students voice their opinion of the proposed legislation.

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            South Carolina always has been on the conservative end of politics, especially when it comes to the second amendment.

            Several bills have been introduced in the state house and one has caught the eyes of many college students and professors.

            The bill would legalize the carry of a concealed weapon along as the person had a permit.

            Many professors at USC are not in favor of the idea because they’re not comfortable with the idea.

            “Being an undergraduate or even graduate student is a stressful time.   We’ve all had instances where students have become somewhat unbalanced because of extracurricular activities, drugs, or the pressure of being a student.  I just assume not have students exposed to someone who might be somewhat unbalanced and have come to class armed,” said USC professor Jay Bender.

            A group of students have advocating to have their 2^nd amendment rights extended to them on campus have formed, and they have actually applied to be recognized as a campus organization.

            They call themselves USC Students for Concealed Carry, and one group organizer said if concealed weapons were allowed on campus it could cause the crime rate at USC to go down.

            “There are multiple states that currently allow concealed weapons on campus.  None of them have ever had an incident where a student with a concealed weapons permit has caused an issue.  At every campus that has allows concealed weapons permits to be carried on campus they have seen a decrease in crime,” said student organizer Kenny Adamson.

            Adamson is quick to point to Colorado State University when it comes to a drop in crime.

            “Before they [Colorado State] enacted their law they had 142 rapes and sexual assaults in the four years prior.  In the four years after they enacted their concealed carry law on campus there was only 24 sexual assaults and rapes.

            It’s hard to relate crime rates to concealed weapon laws, but State Senator Lee Bright, who is sponsoring the bill in South Carolina, said this is about making students less vulnerable to criminals.

            “At USC you guys have had like 17 assaults.  While only 1 on campus the other 16 were just off of campus.  When you’re traveling in between your class, your car, and traveling on campus at night being vulnerable where you can’t defend yourself I don’t think that’s right if you have a CWP,” said Senator Bright.

            While Bright’s idea of students being safer is permit holders being allowed to carry on campus, Bender suggested the best way to be safe is to use common sense safety rules.

            “Don’t walk alone, don’t walk drunk, travel in groups, and if you’re concerned about your safety call one of the shuttle services.  They’re free shuttle service to bring students to Five Points and back.  Take a cab, take a shuttle, don’t take a pistol,” said Bender.

            Safety is ultimately up to the students themselves.

            It should be noted that concealed weapon permit holders are currently allowed to bring their weapon to campus as long as the weapon is in their vehicle in a latching or locking compartment.

            The proposed bill is still being debated in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

USC to Move to New Class Schedule

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USC to Move to New Class Schedule

Come this Fall USC Will Utilize a New Schedule to Meet University Needs

 

            In March 2012, USC Faculty gave Final Approval to a measure that would alter the class schedule at USC.

            The new schedule would end 8 a.m. classes altogether. 

Classes would now start at 8:30 a.m.

            Also, students would be given 20 minutes in between classes instead of 15 minutes.

            According to USC Vice Provost Tim Doupnik, the main reason for the later start is to try and have better classroom utilization.

            “I believe that at eight in the morning only about 30 percent of classrooms available are actually in use.  We believe by moving classes to 8:30 that hopefully 50, 60, 70, 100 percent of classrooms available will be used.” said Doupnik.

            Dr. Scott Goode, a chemistry professor, said from a faculty standpoint there wasn’t a need for change, but he sees a need for the students.

            “From the center of campus, for the average student to reach the outer edges, it’s about a 14 minute walk from my understanding,” said Goode.

            With the Faculty giving the go ahead on the new schedule, students seem to have taken to the change before it even take place.

            “I like it,” said Freshman Riley Chambers.  “That extra thirty minutes of sleep means a lot.”

            “I have a that packed of a schedule that with that extra twenty minutes I can run in, go grab something from Russell, and then be on my way to class without being late,” said Freshman Jason Malamut.

            The new schedule will take full affect when students return to classes for the Fall Semester in August.

Another McKie to Play at USC

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Another McKie to Play at USC

Gamecock Great B.J. McKie’s son to play basketball for the Gamecocks

USC head coach, Frank Martin, will welcome in his first full recruiting class come August.

            One member of that class will be Justin McKie, the son of the all time scoring leader at USC, B.J. McKie.

            While the McKie name is no stranger to Gamecock fans, the McKie family said that the father and son are not the same type of player.

            “Everybody is going to compare Justin to me.  People think we’re supposed to do the same just because we’re father and son, but every father son are different.  I just want people to look at my son Justin as being Justin,” said B.J. McKie.

            Justin has been ranked as the second best recruit in South Carolina by MaxPreps and fourth best by ESPN.

“I don’t see any pressure.  I just got to go out and use the skills I work on and the skills we work on as a team,” said Justin McKie.

Irmo head coach, Tim Whipple, coached both B.J. and Justin and said Justin has a lot of growing up to do as he moves into the college game.

“It’s going to be a huge adjustment for him.  The physical part of the game is apart of every college game.  I think the staff at South Carolina understands that he will need time to mature, grow, and get stronger,” said coach Tim Whipple.

Justin will end his high school career on Friday at Colonial Life Arena.

The same arena he will play his college ball at, and also has his father’s retired jersey number hanging from ceiling.

“There can’t be [any pressure] because I’ll be playing there for the next 4 years,” said Justin when asked if there was any pressure playing under his father’s retired jersey.

B.J. McKie, is the current an assistant coach at Charleston Southern, and he said that if the Gamecocks showed up on their schedule in the next four years that he will be ready to exploit Justin’s strengths and weaknesses. 

Justin’s high school career will culminate Friday night, as the Yellow Jackets will look to sting Goose Creek for a state title.

McKie hits a 3 pointer.

 McKie drives in the lane for the bucket.

 McKie being introduced at Upper State Finals.

 Preparing to take a foul shot.

Getting advice from Coach Whipple.

Lexington High School Centennial Anniversary

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Lexington High School Marks its Centennial Anniversary

Lexington resident’s gather to recognize school’s importance in the community

           Hugh Rogers and George Harmon, Lexington High Graduates, reflect on their days in high school and where the community is now.

            Many graduates, some from as far back as the 1940s, and former faculty members gathered together for a fundraiser at the Lexington Town Hall Saturday night in honor of Lexington High School’s 100^th anniversary.

            Many former graduates including members of the football teams that won state titles from 1948-1950 were in attendance.

            George Harmon, a former football player and 1953 graduate, said a few teams post-1950 could have potentially won state titles.  

Harmon also said, “Our Superintendent didn’t allow us to play in the playoffs because we had our athletic horse ahead of our academic heart.”

            While reflecting on the success of Wildcat football back in the 1950s was part of the program, looking at where the community of Lexington was and is today was the real change of the community.

            “Back then it was farming, one cotton mill, a few saw mills, a few stores on Main Street, and county government,” said Hugh Rogers a Lexington High Graduate of 1947.  

Rogers also said that the economy of Lexington has changed tremendously from back then.  

            There is no doubt that Lexington High is at the heart of the town.  

            Lexington High School principal, Melissa Rawl, said her parents, herself and her children all graduated from Lexington High.  

“It’s like I’m coming home and giving back to my community,” said Rawl.

There are several other families in the community that have students that are third generation graduates of the Lexington High School.  This school has a family atmosphere that, after 100 years, continues to bring the community together.

            This funds raised at the anniversary dinner go the Lexington County Museum to help with restoration to outbuildings and enhancements to exhibits.

Old Lexington High School Administration Building.

 1950 State Football Champions Lexington Wildcats

Main Street Lexington, SC

Lexington High School in 1930

Lexington High School's First Graduating Class

Harvest Hope Prepares for the Holiday Season

          Many people know harvest hope as the charitable organization where they can donate food to help feed the hungry in the local community.  The mission for Harvest Hope is to acquire and distribute food for hungry people in twenty counties of South Carolina.   However, as the end of the year approaches and the weather begins to get colder, Harvest Hope begins to see more and more people come knocking on their door needing assistance for food.   Harvest Hope does not turn away anybody that asks for assistance.  However as the economy is still in a slump, more people are in need of assistance from charities like Harvest Hope than ever before in recent history.

Harvest Hope is projecting record numbers of requests for assistance again this holiday season.  According Skot Garrick, communications manager for Harvest Hope, they will be ready for the rush.  “Last year we saw about 2,200 families coming to us the three day week of Thanksgiving.  Looking at current projects, we expect that number to exceed 3,500 families,” says Garrick.  That is an over 50% increase from last year with the likely potential of more families.  However there are multiple people being fed in each family. Therefore, the forecasted number of people is expected to be upwards of about five or six thousand people to depend on assistance from Harvest Hope for their Thanksgiving meal.  That is only people in the Columbia area, and does not include people in the other eighteen counties in South Carolina that Harvest Hope serves. 

With the rise in people coming Harvest Hope has found many are coming to them asking for assistance for the first time.  Garrick said that in the month of October about 15% of the people that requested assistance reported that this was their first time in asking for assistance.  It is hard to really nail down what might be the cause of this since the economic recession has been going on for the past few years.  Garrick credits it to people having to spend the little money and resources they have on other expenses.  He says, “We’re seeing more and more working and middle class people who probably never thought they would ever have to ask for assistance.  In addition to everything else going on in their lives, they are worried about being thrown out of their homes or their apartments, putting gas in their car, finding another job, paying for clothes for their kids, losing their auto insurance.  Then they realize they do not have enough money for food either.”  All of these factors point to the fact that people have exhausted all of their resources that they have been able to rely on for the past several months.  Garrick continued on to say, “Once they make the decision that they are going to have to ask for help then they have to figure out who is out there that can help us.  Fortunately, most people in the Midlands know about Harvest Hope and will give us a call and find out what we do and how we do it.” 

With the record numbers that Harvest Hope is experiencing, they have to do more food drives and have more community partners than before.   They are depending more on community partners to help Harvest Hope meet their demand.  Garrick said, “Just this month alone we have had two new partners with ABC Columbia stepping up to help us do food drives. Midas Mufflers has stepped up with sponsorship to collect donated money and canned goods.  Equally, Little Caesars is working with ABC Columbia and they will be collecting funds and goods as well.”  In addition to these new community partners in media sponsorship Harvest Hope also has other local businesses committing to help.  “The Blue Marlin in the Vista, this is the first time we have partnered with them.  They are allowing diners to make a donation to Harvest Hope as they pay their tab.  We have so many other partners to thank, but these mentioned are new for us.”

Another one of Harvest Hope’s major partners is WACH Fox.  “They do Share Your Holiday,” says Garrick, “which is going to be an all day food drive on November 30th from 6am to 7:30pm at First Baptist Church Columbia.  That is our largest drive of the year where we collect the most funds and the most food in a one-day period.  It certainly helps us launch into the busy December period with a lot of food.”  Garrick continues to say people can drop by all day and drop off food and donations.  This will help Harvest Hope re-stock their warehouse and distribute the food to the hungry people in the area.  However, there are also other ways people can donate.  Garrick says the easiest way to donate is online.  “We have several different ways you can donate.  There is a great resource on our website, www.harvesthope.org, that is called the virtual food drive.  You can go in and basically click and drag a case of different types of food in a grocery cart.  It tallies it up and you can checkout at the donation level that you are comfortable with.  That money will go to us as a donation.”  Of course you can give a straight donation on their website too.  As Harvest Hope gears up for their holiday season, they ask people to always consider making a donation to them whether monetary or with goods.  Ninety-eight cents of every dollar they take in goes towards providing for the needy.  They want everyone in the community, including the needy, to be able to enjoy a meal this holiday season.

USC Students Partner with Non-Profit to Minister in the Community

          Inside Out Inc. is a non-profit organization based in the Columbia area of South Carolina. The basic mission of Inside Out is to take God's love into the surrounding community to see lives changed from the "inside out."  This is what founder Christy Gunnell began doing back in 2000.  Since then, she and her volunteers have reached out into the local communities to begin ministering to kids and their families.  Her predominate community have been trailer park communities in the Percival Road area of Columbia.

            Her days are anything but ordinary.  From referring people to doctors and other offices, to help families receive government assistance; to helping deliver babies Gunnell has done it all.  However, her ministry also does so much more for the community.  She says, “We give out turkey’s at Thanksgiving as well as tracts with the turkeys.  At Christmas we give out two toys for every child, wrap the toys, and share the true meaning of Christmas with families.” 

            In order for this to ministry to be successful there are many more people that help Gunnell in her efforts to reach the trailer park communities.  Many of her volunteers are students from the University of South Carolina.  Thomas Gruel is one of her helpers that leads a group every Tuesday and Thursday from the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, or BCM, on campus.  He says, “A lot of these kids they have a lot less than we ever thought possible and it’s just a matter of giving back to the community.  It’s a good way to get these kids on the right track and give them a get away from their normal lives that are usually pretty tough.”  However, she does have other students that are not involved at BCM.  Emily McCollum, a freshman at USC, has been working with Gunnell for a little over three years.  McCollum still makes time for this ministry in her busy schedule at school.  “Now that I’m at college I still drive from downtown to see the kids all the time because it’s a nice way for me to get away from the craziness of being in college and being apart of these kids lives and seeing them grow up.” 

            During the hour or so that Gunnell and her volunteers are in the neighborhood many of the kids come out for the candy that is involved, and a few of the parents come out and watch. However, at the gathering there were only a couple of parents.  One parent was Lesley Arline.  “It’s awesome that these kids give of their time to come out and expose these kids in the community to college and other races.”  Arline continues on raving about the work the Inside Out does in the community. “They really help out around the holidays.”  Arline says.  “At Christmas time they help make sure all the kids get gifts.  They also help make sure every family gets a turkey or a ham.  Then when it is time for the kids to go back to school they help make sure the kids get school supplies.  Those little things help, and as a parent when you know that assistance is coming it helps a lot more.”  While these events that help assist the parents are Arline’s favorite, they are also a favorite of the students from USC that help.  “My favorite thing in the trailer park is at Christmas when we help the parents shop for presents for the kids.  It’s a really moving experience to see the parents overwhelmed with the fact they get to bring Christmas home for their kids for free.  To see their faces and help them put Christmas together for their families is my favorite thing we do throughout the year,” said McCollum.

            While the ministry of Inside Out is to focus on the community, one of the most crucial parts of their ministry is the relationship they have with the kids.  A typical day for the Backyard Bible Clubs is to do a Bible story and maybe a song with everybody together.  The boys would then break and go play football or soccer for a little bit, and then the girls would do a craft of some sort that would follow the Bible story.  “When these guys come out we play around, study the Bible a little, and do some fun activities,” says neighborhood kid José Lopez.  “My favorite thing to do every week is play football because I like catching the ball.”  Miguel Hernandez, another neighborhood kid, said he also had a different reason why.  He said, “You get more experience and get to beat up on them some.”  No matter what situation kids are in, kids will be kids, boys will be boys, and girls will be girls. 

            While playing with the USC students seems to be the highlight of the day for the kids in the neighborhood, the neighborhood kids are also getting to minister to those volunteering even though they do not know it.  Gunnell says, “These are my kids, I’m not married and I don’t have kids.  Now some of my children,” referring to the neighborhood kids, “ are turning into teenagers and I want them to grow up and be missionaries in this community.”  For others like Emily McCollum it’s looking at life differently.  “It’s really put things in perspective for me.  It’s not about us it’s about the kids and making these kids smile and these families happy.  A lot of these families are going through some rough things and to just step back and make my life not about me for an hour or two once a week has changed my life.”  This ministry does change perspective for many student volunteers as well as those in the community.  For more information about the ministry of Inside Out visit their website at www.insideoutsc.org.