JOURNAL NEWS
Ervin drops out of primary Will run as a petition candidate CINDY LANDRUM | STAFF
clandrum@communityjournals.com As quickly as Tom Ervin jumped into the Republican primary race to oppose Gov. Nikki Haley, he has jumped back out – but his candidacy is not over. Ervin withdrew from the GOP primary on Friday – less than two weeks after his surprise filing as a candidate – saying the June 10 date did not allow him enough time to get his message out to voters. Instead, he will begin to gather signatures of registered voters so he can be on the November ballot as a gubernatorial petition candidate. Ervin’s withdrawal from the Republican primary leaves both Gov. Nikki Haley and Democratic Sen. Vincent Sheheen unopposed as their parties’ nominees for governor. The rematch of the 2010 election – Haley won by 4.5 percentage points – has been long anticipated.
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Two third-party candidates have also filed: Libertarian Steve French and United Citizens Party candidate Morgan Bruce Reeves. “I believe South Ervin Carolina is ready for fresh new leadership and ready for a governor who cares about our people and not selfish political ambition,” Ervin wrote in a press release announcing his primary withdrawal. “Both Nikki Haley and Vince Sheheen are career politicians. I’m a small business owner who will serve as governor and then return home to run my business.” After he filed for the primary, Ervin said he decided to challenge Haley after reading about a state Senate panel’s investigation into the state Department of Social Services. A former worker and two coroners testified that the agency cared more about numbers and making Haley’s administration look good than the welfare of the children under its oversight, he said. “Like most South Carolinians, I’m a fiscal and social conservative with an independent streak,” Ervin said Friday. “I’m running to reform state government and restore executive competence, honesty and accountability – especially as it relates to protecting our most vulnerable children in harm’s way.” He said Haley promised transparency and accountability, but instead, has “delivered four years of missteps, mistakes, scandals and cover-ups.” Haley’s campaign has said the governor is focused on the current legislative session, passing education and ethics reform and keeping the state’s economic and jobs momentum going. Ervin loaned his campaign $420,181.34, according to the latest campaign report filed with the state Ethics Commission. He has $271,172 on hand. The report showed no outside contributors. Haley reported $863,416.40 in contributions this reporting period. She has $5.274 million on hand, according to the April 10 report. Sheheen reported $557,898 in contributions this reporting period. He has $1.046 million on hand. French reported total contributions of $8,525, of which $7,925 was from himself, according to the report filed with the Ethics Commission.
Dream big Laurens County wants to hop on the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com The newly formed Laurens County Trails Association (LCTA) has big plans for the future: It hopes to extend the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail into Laurens County and complete a loop connecting to the state’s Palmetto Trail. LCTA’s primary goal will be to establish “a backbone trail through Laurens County,” says Managing Director Don Walker. The group also plans to proactively collaborate between the various local groups working on establishing hiking and biking trails within the county. LCTA plans to connect to the southern portion of the Swamp Rabbit Trail once it is extended into Fountain Inn, he said. Walker says he has met with Upstate coordinators for both the SRT and the Palmetto Trail and they “are very much on board with this Upstate loop.” Walker also intends to meet with utility companies to discuss using their existing rights of ways for the new trail, as
rights of way can be hard to obtain, especially on private property. The association’s seven-member board of directors includes city and county leaders and is in the initial stages of creating a master plan to include trail design, funding, maintenance, security and actual construction. LCTA is also looking into resources to conduct a route feasibility study, including GIS and topographical work. Walker says he is contacting local colleges to see if it would fit in with graduate student work. He is also in “early conversations” with the National Park Service on possible grant funding for the project. Walker says that it will still be “many years” before the plan comes to fruition. The group is interested in expanding “to as many as 15 members and constructive input is welcomed.” He said LCTA needs volunteers to help with fundraising, the master plan, and spreading the word. For more information, contact Don Walker at 864-871-1255 or donwalker@prtcnet.com.
Striving for artistic excellence
The Graham Foundation recently awarded The Warehouse Theatre a $50,000 challenge grant to support The Harriet Wyche Endowment Fund for Professional Artistic Excellence. The endowment fund is designed to perpetually provide financial support to The Warehouse in its ongoing mission to provide the area with high-quality, professionally produced theatre. The challenge grant will match gifts given to the endowment up to $50,000. The completed campaign will result in a $100,000 increase in the fund and must be fulfilled by December 2014. A $40,000 public campaign is underway to fulfill the challenge. Anyone interested in donating may contact Katie Leckenbusch, director of development, at 864-235-6948, ext. 6 or katie@warehousetheatre.com.