http://www.free-times.com/index.php en editor@free-times.com Copyright 2013 2013-05-17T19:36:36+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/penny-tax-committee-to-set-priorities-for-transportation-projects http://www.free-times.com/news/penny-tax-committee-to-set-priorities-for-transportation-projects#When:11:33:16Z A citizens committee is now in place to determine priorities on the long list of transportation projects being considered for funding by the Richland County transportation penny sales tax. Local and State News, 2013-05-15T11:33:16+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/unemployment-rate-down-in-s.c.-and-columbia-area http://www.free-times.com/news/unemployment-rate-down-in-s.c.-and-columbia-area#When:19:36:36Z Business. Brief., 2013-05-17T19:36:36+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/scs-housing-recovery-continues http://www.free-times.com/news/scs-housing-recovery-continues#When:14:37:23Z South Carolina's housing recovery continued in April, according to the latest statewide report from South Carolina Realtors. The number of homes sold in South Carolina increased 22.3 percent year over year, and the median sales price increased 3.8 percent to $151,500. The average number of days a home sits on the market decreased 16.1 percent to 121 days. Inventory levels shrank, too, making for a competitive landscape among homebuyers bidding against each other. Locally, home sales in the greater Columbia area increased 16.3 percent year over year and prices edged up .7 percent. On the slow road back to a healthy economic recovery, the housing sector seems to be the only car in the fast lane.   Real Estate News, 2013-05-17T14:37:23+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/lax-state-rules-provide-cover-for-sponsors-of-attack-ads http://www.free-times.com/news/lax-state-rules-provide-cover-for-sponsors-of-attack-ads#When:13:41:26Z In 30 states — including South Carolina — it’s impossible to total how much money outside groups are spending on campaigns, information that is mostly available when it comes to federal contests. Local and State News, 2013-05-16T13:41:26+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/end-of-red-tape-in-south-carolina-again http://www.free-times.com/news/end-of-red-tape-in-south-carolina-again#When:11:33:58Z This week, Nikki Haley’s 16 cabinet agencies and others are set to report to the governor a list of all suggested regulations they want repealed or tweaked in an effort to shred red tape in state government. Local and State News, 2013-05-15T11:33:58+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/thats-how-people-get-shot http://www.free-times.com/news/thats-how-people-get-shot#When:11:33:57Z People around here acting like they want to eye fight everybody all the time, like they from New York. They forgot they from South Carolina or what? Hello? Anybody hear me? Rant & Rave, 2013-05-15T11:33:57+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/more-money-more-power http://www.free-times.com/news/more-money-more-power#When:11:33:49Z South Carolina’s state-owned utility already has more electrical power than it needs, according to a report in The State last week. But Santee Cooper still wants to build more power capacity since it’s financially tied to the construction of two new nuclear reactors being built about 30 miles outside Columbia. News. Brief., 2013-05-15T11:33:49+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/bull-street-update-landmark-process-slows http://www.free-times.com/news/bull-street-update-landmark-process-slows#When:11:33:46Z Columbia City Councilman Moe Baddourah still wants to make several buildings at the Bull Street campus into historic landmarks — but city procedures may be taking the wind out of his sails. Local and State News, 2013-05-15T11:33:46+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/sanford-win-predetermined-by-gerrymandering http://www.free-times.com/news/sanford-win-predetermined-by-gerrymandering#When:11:33:34Z State House Report, 2013-05-15T11:33:34+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/sanford-rises-from-the-ashes-belen-chapur-to-be-first-lady http://www.free-times.com/news/sanford-rises-from-the-ashes-belen-chapur-to-be-first-lady#When:11:33:23Z City Watch, 2013-05-15T11:33:23+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/town-of-lexington-to-spend-millions-on-downtown-development http://www.free-times.com/news/town-of-lexington-to-spend-millions-on-downtown-development#When:11:33:12Z The town will spend $3 million to $4 million over the next few years to build a shopping center and amphitheater on Main Street in an initiative dubbed “Project Icehouse,” Mayor Randy Halfacre says. So far, the town has spent $945,000 to buy the land. Halfacre said the town should recoup that money through business licenses, building sales and leases. Growth & Development, 2013-05-15T11:33:12+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/are-graduates-special-we-dont-know http://www.free-times.com/news/are-graduates-special-we-dont-know#When:11:33:11Z The commencement speaker at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts last year made a splash by telling the graduating class of 2012 they were not special, not in these times when an ‘A’ is the new ‘B’ and just about everybody manages to obtain a degree. Sound Off, 2013-05-15T11:33:11+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/south-carolina-struggles-with-road-funding http://www.free-times.com/news/south-carolina-struggles-with-road-funding#When:11:33:10Z Local and State News, 2013-05-15T11:33:10+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/hanging-around http://www.free-times.com/news/hanging-around#When:11:33:00Z A 26-year-old man broke into a home in northeast Columbia. Instead of taking some stuff and leaving, though, he treated the place as his personal hotel — watching TV, taking a shower and eating some food before fleeing on foot. Crime Blotter, 2013-05-15T11:33:00+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/legislators-confront-tough-issues-in-special-one-year-laws http://www.free-times.com/news/legislators-confront-tough-issues-in-special-one-year-laws#When:16:35:15Z Some critics contend the proviso process is a cloaking device that allows legislators to make an end run around transparency and accountability efforts. State House Report, 2013-05-13T16:35:15+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/trash-talk-the-irony-of-the-landfill-debate http://www.free-times.com/news/trash-talk-the-irony-of-the-landfill-debate#When:17:56:42Z The state legislature is considering a measure that would bar counties from keeping waste from other counties or states out of their dumps. But it’s surprising that the state, so quick to complain when the larger federal government forces its (radioactive) trash on South Carolina, is also so quick to preempt the efforts of a smaller government to handle its trash. State House Report, 2013-05-08T17:56:42+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/the-price-of-incompetence-153000-and-so-much-more http://www.free-times.com/news/the-price-of-incompetence-153000-and-so-much-more#When:17:51:10Z After all, it was not the Richland County Board of Elections, nor even Richland County Council, which put an obviously unqualified Lillian McBride in charge and set the great election debacle in motion. No, that was the Richland County legislative delegation. That august body had all of the power in appointing McBride, but none of the responsibility for her job performance. City Watch, 2013-05-08T17:51:10+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/tables-turned http://www.free-times.com/news/tables-turned#When:16:20:14Z Crime Blotter, 2013-05-08T16:20:14+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/were-dancing-on-golden-streets http://www.free-times.com/news/were-dancing-on-golden-streets#When:12:33:36Z Watch how you refer to the followers of Christ because, while we’re dancing on golden streets, the truly ignorant will be wishing they’d listened to us. Rant & Rave, 2013-05-08T12:33:36+00:00 http://www.free-times.com/news/a-rant-to-the-city-of-columbia http://www.free-times.com/news/a-rant-to-the-city-of-columbia#When:12:25:31Z The Mental Health grounds on Bull Street needs to be developed — and now (Cover, “Bull Street Blues,” May 1). Could some buildings be designated as historic? Yes, but not all of the property. The Bull Street campus is also not a blighted area, as Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine wanted to designate it in order to raise taxes to develop it. Is that the honest way to do business and treat the people of Columbia, Ms. Isaac Devine? Sound Off, 2013-05-08T12:25:31+00:00