Fmr. FEMA Administrator Criswell on Texas Floods, Trump
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NAACP of Spartanburg County hosting forum for candidates running to replace Chuck Wright
Candidates for county sheriff will meet to discuss their platforms at an upcoming NAACP event. The Spartanburg County NAACP will host a Sheriff's Forum on July 15. The event will take place at the CC Woodson Community Center, 210 Bomar Ave., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will host candidates running for sheriff in Spartanburg County. Former Spartanburg County Councilman and NAACP County president, Michael Brown, will be the moderator for the event. Visitors will need tickets to enter. The tickets are free. Click here for tickets. Candidates are running to replace the previous sheriff, Chuck Wright, who resigned on May 23, following allegations of improper use of a county credit card, as well as an ethics investigation involving Wright's hiring of his son. On June 12, Attorney General Alan Wilson wrote a letter to the Seventh Circuit Solicitor's Office saying Wright could soon be charged with misconduct of a public officer; use of official position for financial gain; obtaining certain drugs, devices, preparations, or compounds by fraud or deceit; and breach of trust with fraudulent intent. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division later confirmed an investigation into Wright. More: SLED confirms investigation into former Spartanburg County sheriff: What to know More: Former Spartanburg County sheriff, chaplain could face charges following SLED investigation More: Decision to slash sheriff's salary assailed by county council critics, 'lack of foresight' According to the NAACP, the following candidates have accepted an invitation to the forum. Adam Crisp Nick Duncan Rusty Clevenger Andy Clark Randy Hollifield Joseph Pilato Ric Stephens Bill Rhyne Robert J. Cheeks This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Spartanburg County NAACP forum to host sheriff candidates, what to know
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Decision to slash sheriff's salary assailed by county council critics, 'lack of foresight'
Martha Foster believes Spartanburg County Council's decision to slash the salary of the future Spartanburg County Sheriff will make it more challenging to attract the right person for the job. 'It is disgusting to see the lack of insight, the lack of responsibility, and the lack of foresight' on the part of council members, she said. Foster was one of several community members who spoke at Monday's county council meeting to criticize the decision to cut the sheriff's pay in half. Speakers drew raucous applause from some of the attendees. 'You cannot get good, qualified people if you don't pay them properly,' Richard Burch told council members. Former Sheriff Chuck Wright resigned in May amid controversy that included allegations of misuse of a county credit card and an ongoing FBI investigation into the sheriff's office. A special election will take place in November to choose his replacement. Last week, county council voted unanimously to set the first-year salary of the new sheriff at $100,000, plus a $15,000 stipend. Wright's salary had been $219,000 with a $15,000 stipend. 'It was quite a difficult discussion,' Chairman Manning Lynch said last week. The decision to cut the salary was a way to begin getting some control over a sheriff's office that many believe had gotten out of hand. Lynch said last week that council members 'feel so betrayed and let down' by Wright. He said he expects the sheriff's salary will be increased after the first year. Council members voted to approve the funding of an outside audit of the sheriff's office staffing as part of its roughly $334 million 2025-2026 fiscal year operating budget. The budget received third reading approval on Monday night. The sheriff's office is 'our largest department, our largest cost, so we want to make sure that dollars are going to people doing the right job,' said Monier Abusaft, who represents Spartanburg County Council District 1. Several council members raised concerns about the sheriff's aviation program, which includes two helicopters and personnel to operate them. Last week, Interim Sheriff Jeffery Stephens said he is reviewing the program. The helicopters 'are very, very expensive to maintain,' he noted. Attendees at Monday's meeting seemed unimpressed by the council's efforts to get a better handle on the sheriff's office. Woodruff resident Chris Young said council members shouldn't be too aggressive in exerting control over a sheriff elected by the county's voters. 'The idea of a county council overseeing the sheriff's office is wrong,' he said. Frank Tiller, who was recently elected to serve as chairman of the Spartanburg County Republican Party, said he thinks the move to slash the sheriff's salary was 'ridiculous.' However, he took a broader aim at the council, alleging that meetings often feel scripted, decisions are frequently made outside the public's view, and the common fee-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements with businesses lack transparency. He asked audience members to raise their hands if they shared his concerns. Many did. 'We're not happy – we're not happy at all,' Tiller said. Abusaft, the only Democrat on the council, took several minutes to respond to those who criticized council members. While he didn't address issues such as fee-in-lieu agreements, he did push back against the logic that lower starting pay for the next sheriff will diminish the quality of the candidates. He noted that the field of Republican candidates in the special election to replace Wright has remained crowded, even after news of the reduced salary. 'It's not like Sheriff Walker, Texas Ranger, was coming, but now he's not,' Abusaft remarked. This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Comments at Spartanburg council meeting focus on cut in sheriff's pay
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Spartanburg GOP hosting sheriff debate forum; admission now free following controversy
The Spartanburg County GOP will hold a sheriff candidate debate forum on July 11 at Twitchell Auditorium on the Converse University campus, located at 580 E. Main St., and will begin at 6:15 p.m. Doors will open at 5:15 p.m. The event was embroiled in controversy from the moment it was first announced. After Spartanburg County Republican Party Chairman Frank Tiller was asked about people not being charged to attend the event, he responded by calling the potential event guests 'hot, sweaty people, too cheap to purchase a ticket.' Each candidate was allotted 100 tickets sold at $10, and the other tickets cost $12.50. According to the Spartanburg County GOP, donors and sponsors helped cover the cost of the forum by assisting in making the event free. More: NAACP of Spartanburg County hosting forum for candidates running to replace Chuck Wright More: Former Spartanburg County sheriff, chaplain could face charges following SLED investigation More: Decision to slash sheriff's salary assailed by county council critics, 'lack of foresight' On July 4, the county's Republican Party announced via a press release that the event would be free of charge. According to the press release, people who purchased a ticket would receive a refund. One candidate for the Spartanburg County Sheriff, Adam Crisp, declined to attend the event after Tiller's comments. On Facebook, Crisp stated that he wouldn't attend and said, 'I believe in treating voters with dignity, not disdain.' Candidates will run for the county position after the previous sheriff, Chuck Wright, resigned on May 23, following allegations of improper use of a county credit card, as well as an ethics investigation involving Wright's hiring of his son. On June 12, Attorney General Alan Wilson wrote a letter to the Seventh Circuit Solicitor's Office saying Wright could soon be charged with misconduct of a public officer; use of official position for financial gain; obtaining certain drugs, devices, preparations, or compounds by fraud or deceit; and breach of trust with fraudulent intent. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division later confirmed an investigation into Wright. Candidates who will attend the event: Nick Duncan Rusty Clevenger Andy Clark Randy Hollifield Joseph Pilato Ric Stephens Bill Rhyne Robert J. Cheeks This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Spartanburg GOP hosting sheriff forum; admission free after controversy
