The South Carolina Press Association

SCPA Workshop

Legislative Workshop for the Media, Jan. 8

SCPA will host its annual Legislative Workshop for the Media on Thursday, January 8, at the Statehouse complex in Columbia. The workshop will preview the upcoming 2009 legislative session. This workshop is recommended for new and veteran statehouse reporter, editorial writers, city editors and assignment editors. All discussions will be on the record. Les Boles, Director of the Office of State Budget, will present an overview of state revenue and spending projections for coming year. Panelists from the House and Senate will discuss the budget, tax reform, cigarette taxation, budget appropriation limitations, spending limits and the increase of reserve accounts, school funding, roads and bridges, energy policy legislation and prison sentencing reform. The cost to attend this all-day workshop is $45 per person for members of SCPA and the Associated Press. The deadline to register is Dec. 29.For a detailed list of topics, legislative panelists, and to register, click here.

Weekly Publishers' Roundtable,

Jan. 15

SCPA will host bi-annual Weekly Publishers' Roundtable from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at SCPA Offices in Columbia. The cost is $25 and lunch will be provided. Click here to register.

Scholarship and Internship application deadline, Jan. 19

Each year, the Foundation awards scholarships and internships to S.C. college students. Click the following links to download the scholarship application and internship application.

High school newspaper squelched in

Myrtle Beach

12/23/08

The Associated Press
Two high school newspapers were shut down recently after school administrators objected to editorial material.

In Myrtle Beach, The Academy Post at the Academy for Arts, Science & Technology was not distributed last month after students published an editorial advocating same-sex marriage without consulting administrators.
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Charleston publisher Tarleton retiring
12/31/08
Publisher Larry Tarleton announced Wednesday that he would retire from The Post and Courier effective March 31.
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New Beaufort County Sheriff's Office policy violates open record laws

12/23/2008
By DANIEL BROWNSTEIN

The Island Packet, Hilton Head
A new policy of the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office violates the state's open records laws by not providing reasonable public access to police reports in a timely fashion, according to a state Attorney General's Office opinion released Tuesday.
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Nominations open for Taylor/Tomlin Award

12/30/08

The University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications is now accepting entries for the 2009 Taylor/Tomlin Award for Investigative Journalism. This prestigious award was created to put a tangible spotlight on the critical work of investigative journalists around the state.

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Herald-Journal's publisher, executive editor set to retire
12/28/08

The Herald-Journal

By Robert W. Dalton
Two longtime Herald-Journal executives will leave the newspaper at the end of the year.
Publisher David O. Roberts and Executive Editor Carl E. Beck Jr. are retiring effective Dec. 31.
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Fire erupts in The Moultrie News building
12/19/08
A fire erupted Wednesday evening in the building along Ben Sawyer Blvd that houses the Moultrie News. The fire started in the administrative offices of East Cooper Habitat For Humanity, resulting in a total loss of that portion of the building.

The Moultrie News suffered minor smoke damage, but power was restored Thursday afternoon and the newspaper was gearing back up for full operation.

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Reporter dies after being struck by vehicle

12/15/08

The Post and Courier

Jasiri L. Whipper, 24, a reporter at The Post and Courier, died Dec. 12. He succumbed to injuries suffered after a vehicle struck him on Interstate 95 in Florence County.
With youthful energy, Jasiri Whipper began his career as a reporter a few years ago. He led a life deeply rooted in his community, and he made quick friends with his gift for conversation.

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Independent-Mail names Huff editor
12/10/08

ANDERSON — John Huff, a native of Greenville and a former executive editor of The Post and Courier in Charleston, has been named editor of the Anderson Independent-Mail, according to publisher Butch Hughes. Huff, the current editor of the Sun Journal in New Bern, N.C., will officially become editor Dec. 29.

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School data charges vary widely among districts, panel finds

12/10/08

The Greenville News

By Tim Smith

COLUMBIA -- Identical public records requests sent to every state school district resulted in huge disparities in cost estimates for the information, the South Carolina Policy Council says.

Florence District 5’s estimated charge for the records was $464. Greenville County Schools’ estimate was $35,000.

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