South Carolina peach and strawberry farmers are assessing the damage to this year’s crops after an early spring freeze this past weekend. Source: Florence Morning News
The family of Tucker Hipps, the Clemson sophomore who is said to have died during an early-morning run with pledge brothers, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the school, the local and national fraternities, and three individuals seeking at least $25 million in damages. The filings claim information about the incident that has not previously been made public, including details of a ‘confrontation’ between Hipps and fraternity upperclassmen after Hipps didn’t make good on an order from older fraternity members to buy breakfast that morning. Source: The State, AP, Anderson Independent Mail, Greenville News
A raid on a suspected cockfighting ring in the Pee Dee area that saw 27 arrested has raised questions over how widespread the issue is across the state. Humane Society officials say lax laws in S.C., where it’s only a misdemeanor offense, don’t discourage the organized games. Source: P&C
Reports in the Wall Street Journal yesterday that Volvo would announce the location of a new U.S. manufacturing facility next month triggered a ‘what if’ reports today, speculating on what it would take for S.C. to bring in the now-Chinese-owned automaker. Source: WSJ, AP, P&C
We missed this last week, but in discussing Charlotte’s economic momentum last week, businessman Johnny Harris quipped that with all the dysfunction taking hold in the North Carolina state capitol, “Nikki Haley does more to bring jobs to just south of Charlotte.” Source: Charlotte Business Journal
S.C. Transportation Commissioner Mike Wooten, a development engineer by trade, commented to state senators last week that the state should do more to discourage “nonsense” by environmental groups which push to have major highway projects delayed or shelved, and that the culprits should “be held accountable for their actions.” Source: The State
Meanwhile, some S.C. lawmakers say they’re not happy with Gov. Nikki Haley’s recent string of public criticism of lawmakers. Haley to AP: “I’m sorry if they don’t like wher emy stand is, but that’s my job.” Source: AP
The Citadel announced yesterday that it will hire 10-year VMI basketball coach Duggar Baucom to replace Chuck Driesell, who was fired earlier this month after five seasons. Source: P&C
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