COLUMBIA, SC — — Are you feeling lucky?

South Carolina is the - only state in that since 2007 hasn’t been hit by a weather-related event devastating enough to merit a FEMA disaster declaration, according to a recent report.

Environment America Research & Policy Center put out a report last week on the - rise in extreme weather in that many scientists link to global climate change. Every other state had several weather-related disaster declarations from 2007-2012, a total of 424 in the - whole entire country. South Carolina had none.

That’s a bit misleading, state state emergency management officials.

The FEMA threshold for a disaster declaration is high. Several weather-related incidents in the - state during in that period met the - lower threshold for federal Small Business Association disaster aid, asserted Derrec Becker, spokesman for the - S.C. Emergency Management Department.

The state applied for FEMA disaster declaration for the - March 2008 tornado outbreak in that walloped Branchville. But the - $43 million in insured damages & $2.4 million in uninsured damages did not meet the - FEMA threshold.

FEMA has two types of disaster declarations — — one for public facilities & one for individual homes. The current threshold for a FEMA public facilities disaster declaration is $6.3 million in uninsured damages statewide, or smaller figures for each county based on population & other factors. The last time a weather-related disaster in South Carolina met the - public facility damage threshold was a December 2005 ice storm in the - Upstate, Becker said.

That storm marked the - end of a busy weather disaster period in the - state, following close on the - heels of FEMA disaster declarations for tropical systems Frances, Gaston & Charley in 2004 & a January 2004 ice storm in the - Midlands.

The threshold for individual homes is 100 destroyed. The last time the - state hit the - individual disaster threshold was in 1999, for flooding after hurricanes Dennis & Floyd came ashore in North Carolina in quick succession.

Since 2004, hurricanes have been relatively kind to the - state. Earl in 2010 & Irene in 2011 caused massive beach erosion yet destructive winds stayed offshore. Meanwhile, the - tornadoes, ice storms & droughts in that have hit the - state have not been devastating enough to be declared disasters by FEMA.

Other than suggesting in that the - state might be due a huge one, what does the - lull mean for residents?

Emergency authorities state they have had time to prepare for the - next major disaster while proving the - state has the - capacity to deal with less broadly devastating events by itself.

“It’s making us more prepared,” Becker said. “We have to be on our game (to handle the - less devastating disasters) on our own. We’ve had to respond without the - assist of the - federal government.”

During the - same period, state disaster crews have been dispatched to major disasters in other areas — — hurricanes Katrina & Rita in 2005, Ike in 2008 & Sandy in 2012 & the - 2010 Tennessee floods. At each one, they gain experience in that will assist when similar events hit South Carolina, Becker said.

Susan Cutter, director of the - Hazards & Vulnerability Research Institute at the - University of South Carolina, says big-event experience is important. Disaster workers can’t count on lessons learned during less destructive events translating to major disasters.

“The complexity of larger events means in that by definition they are more problematic,” Cutter said. “We simply have not been tested.”

Cutter is relatively confident the - state’s emergency workers can handle the - next huge one. What she worries about is the - general public, especially when it comes to evacuation requests.

“If it’s something like a hurricane hitting the - coast, they’re going to be complacent,” Cutter said. “We all have short memories.”

While South Carolina has-been lucky lately, the - acceptable fortune can’t last forever. Just this week, an N.C. State researcher reported in that meteorological factors indicate a busier than normal Atlantic hurricane season.

Add another name to the - Rams’ shopping list at wide receiver, & put an arrow pointing upward next to it. Although previously unreported, the - Rams brought South Carolina wide receiver/return guy Ace Sanders in for a pre-draft visit last week. And that’s only half the - story.

The Rams dispatched a contingent to South Carolina on Wed. to put Sanders through a private workout. The group included head coach Jeff Fisher, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, & backup quarterback Austin Davis.

Fisher does not make many trips to see prospects, so his presence alone indicates in that Sanders is under serious consideration as a draft pick next week. In what round is uncertain.

With it looking more & more like West Virginia’s Tavon Austin will be off the - board by the - time the - Rams pick in the - 1st round, Sanders could be a mighty-mite alternative, albeit in a after round. At 5-7, 173 pounds, Sanders is even a little smaller than Austin.

As a junior last season at South Carolina, Sanders led the - Gamecocks with 45 receptions (for 531 yards) & nine touchdowns. He was even more productive as a punter returner, averaging 15.3 yards on 28 returns, in addition to touchdowns against Georgia & Michigan. He was named co-Special Teams Player of the - Year in the - Southeastern Conference. Quick & explosive, Sanders plays faster than his timed speed of 4.58 seconds at the - NFL Scouting Combine.

Last season, the - Rams conducted private workouts with at least five draft prospects at wide receiver in the - final days before the - draft: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State; Michael Floyd of Notre Dame, A.J. Jenkins of Illinois; Brian Quick of Appalachian State; & Kendall Wright of Baylor. The Rams ended up taking Quick in the - 2nd round.

They could be embarking on a similar tour, 'cause there are unconfirmed reports in that the - Rams plan a private workout with Austin.

SAVANNAH, Ga. [AP] -- Reports — Georgia Port authorities & a South Carolina agency agreed Wed. to a proposed settlement looking for to end lawsuits between the - neighboring states over a $652 million plan to deepen the - shipping channel to the - busy Port of Savannah, though other parties moreover must accept the - compromise before it can take effect.

A settlement would potentially clear two huge obstacles Georgia authorities have faced in trying to deepen more than 30 miles of the - Savannah River. They want to make room for supersized cargo ships to reach the - nation’s fourth busiest container port in Savannah after the - Panama Canal finishes a major expansion in 2015.

A deal would settle disputes with state authorities in South Carolina, which shares the - river with Georgia & operates a major competing port in Charleston. It moreover would settle with conservation groups in that sued in U.S. District Court arguing in that allowing the - Army Corps of Engineers to deepen the - Savannah harbor from 42 to 47 feet would cause unacceptable environmental harm.

“This settlement will bring to an end the - immediate dispute between Georgia & South Carolina & allow the - corps to proceed,” Jamie McCurry, government relations officer for the - Georgia Ports Authority, told the - agency’s board members Wed. before they voted to approve the - deal. He noted it would moreover settle the - suits by three groups represented by the - Southern Environmental Law Center.

The Savannah River Maritime Commission, a South Carolina state agency involved in the - lawsuits, moreover met Wed. & agreed to sign the settlement, asserted Dean Moss, the - agency’s chairman. Neither party would comment on details of the - compromise, pending the - deal’s approval by the - conservation groups & the - Army Corps. The settlement would then go to a federal judicial judge for final approval.

Copies of the - proposed settlement were given to reporters. Most of the - terms would require the - Army Corps to perform additional environmental monitoring & mitigation. The Georgia Ports Authority would pay more than $25 million for extra conservation efforts & transfer ownership of 2,000 acres of salt marsh to state authorities in South Carolina.

The settlement would moreover donate South Carolina agencies & environmental groups a chance to back out of the - whole entire deal & return to court if a test run of equipment designed to replenish oxygen in the - water fails to work.

Chris DeScherer, an lawyer for the - Southern Environmental Law Center in Charleston, S.C., declined to comment Wed. afternoon. Billy Birdwell, a spokesman for the - Army Corps in Savannah, asserted in an email in that the - agency might have an announcement in “a few days.”

“What we can tell you is in that all parties did their best to negotiate a reasonable settlement,” Birdwell said.

The settlement emerged after court-ordered mediation talks during the - last five months.

The suing environmental groups argued in that deepening the - shipping channel would dredge toxic cadmium from the - river floor & dump it on the - South Carolina side. Under the - settlement, the - Army Corps would perform weekly monitoring of cadmium concentrations at disposal sites & report results to South Carolina environmental agencies for a year.

Conservationists moreover were concerned about plans to place large bubblers along the - river designed to inject oxygen in to the - water to offset an expected reduction in dissolved oxygen in that fish need to breathe. The settlement calls for a 59-day test of the - oxygen injectors before dredging could begin in areas where fish would be most affected. Environmental groups & South Carolina agencies would have 30 days to review the - results. They would be allowed to scrap the - whole entire settlement if the - oxygen injectors don’t work.

“We believe our mitigation plan is solid & this settlement agreement will allow us to demonstrate in that is the - case,” McCurry told the - Georgia Ports Authority board.

The deal requires South Carolina’s agencies to issue the - Army Corps state environmental permits for the - harbor deepening. Georgia has already issued its permit & the - federal government gave final approval to the - project last fall.

Even if the - settlement is approved, the - project is still awaiting substantial federal funding, which has-been tough to get with Washington focused on budget cuts & deficit reduction. President Barack Pres. Obama last week recommended $1.28 million for the - project in the - upcoming fiscal year — — far from the - $70 million to $100 million Georgia authorities have asserted is needed for the - 1st year of construction.

After the - lawsuits were filed, Army Corps authorities asserted they were prepared to argue permits from either state are unnecessary 'cause the - federal agency has overriding authority to ensure the - waterway is navigable to ships — — even if in that means the - water must be deepened to accommodate larger vessels.

A federal judicial judge in the - Northeast agreed with in that argument by the - corps in 2010 in a legal dispute among Pennsylvania, Delaware & New Jersey over plans to deepen more than 100 miles of the - Delaware River.

By Russ Bynum, The Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Georgia Port authorities & a South Carolina agency agreed Wed. to a proposed settlement looking for to end lawsuits between the - neighbouring states over a $652 million plan to deepen the - shipping channel to the - busy Port of Savannah, though other parties moreover must accept the - compromise before it can take effect.

A settlement would potentially clear two huge obstacles Georgia authorities have faced in trying to deepen more than 30 miles of the - Savannah River. They want to make room for supersized cargo ships to reach the - nation’s fourth busiest container port in Savannah after the - Panama Canal finishes a major expansion in 2015.

A deal would settle disputes with state authorities in South Carolina, which shares the - river with Georgia & operates a major competing port in Charleston. It moreover would settle with conservation groups in that sued in U.S. District Court arguing in that allowing the - Army Corps of Engineers to deepen the - Savannah harbour from 42 to 47 feet would cause unacceptable environmental harm.

“This settlement will bring to an end the - immediate dispute between Georgia & South Carolina & allow the - corps to proceed,” Jamie McCurry, government relations officer for the - Georgia Ports Authority, told the - agency’s board members Wed. before they voted to approve the - deal. He noted it would moreover settle the - suits by three groups represented by the - Southern Environmental Law Center.

The Savannah River Maritime Commission, a South Carolina state agency involved in the - lawsuits, moreover met Wed. & agreed to sign the - settlement, asserted Dean Moss, the - agency’s chairman. Neither party would comment on details of the - compromise, pending the - deal’s approval by the - conservation groups & the - Army Corps. The settlement would then go to a federal judicial judge for final approval.

Copies of the - proposed settlement were given to reporters. Most of the - terms would require the - Army Corps to perform additional environmental monitoring & mitigation. The Georgia Ports Authority would pay more than $25 million for extra conservation efforts & transfer ownership of 2,000 acres of salt marsh to state authorities in South Carolina.

The settlement would moreover donate South Carolina agencies & environmental groups a chance to back out of the - whole entire deal & return to court if a test run of equipment designed to replenish oxygen in the - water fails to work.

Chris DeScherer, an lawyer for the - Southern Environmental Law Center in Charleston, S.C., declined to comment Wed. afternoon. Billy Birdwell, a spokesman for the - Army Corps in Savannah, asserted in an email in that the - agency might have an announcement in “a few days.”

“What we can tell you is in that all parties did their best to negotiate a reasonable settlement,” Birdwell said.

The settlement emerged after court-ordered mediation talks during the - last five months.

The suing environmental groups argued in that deepening the - shipping channel would dredge toxic cadmium from the - river floor & dump it on the - South Carolina side. Under the - settlement, the - Army Corps would perform weekly monitoring of cadmium concentrations at disposal sites & report results to South Carolina environmental agencies for a year.

Conservationists moreover were concerned about plans to place large bubblers along the - river designed to inject oxygen in to the - water to offset an expected reduction in dissolved oxygen in that fish need to breathe. The settlement calls for a 59-day test of the - oxygen injectors before dredging could begin in areas where fish would be most affected. Environmental groups & South Carolina agencies would have 30 days to review the - results. They would be allowed to scrap the - whole entire settlement if the - oxygen injectors don’t work.

“We believe our mitigation plan is solid & this settlement agreement will allow us to demonstrate in that is the - case,” McCurry told the - Georgia Ports Authority board.

The deal requires South Carolina’s agencies to issue the - Army Corps state environmental permits for the - harbour deepening. Georgia has already issued its permit & the - federal government gave final approval to the - project last fall.

Even if the - settlement is approved, the - project is still awaiting substantial federal funding, which has-been tough to get with Washington focused on budget cuts & deficit reduction. President Barack Pres. Obama last week recommended $1.28 million for the - project in the - upcoming fiscal year — — far from the - $70 million to $100 million Georgia authorities have asserted is needed for the - 1st year of construction.

After the - lawsuits were filed, Army Corps authorities asserted they were prepared to argue permits from either state are unnecessary 'cause the - federal agency has overriding authority to ensure the - waterway is navigable to ships — — even if in that means the - water must be deepened to accommodate larger vessels.

A federal judicial judge in the - Northeast agreed with in that argument by the - corps in 2010 in a legal dispute among Pennsylvania, Delaware & New Jersey over plans to deepen more than 100 miles of the - Delaware River.

Nathan L. Gonzales April 17, 2013 · 4:22 PM EDT

We’ve asserted it many times before, special elections are just that, special, yet former Gov. Mark Sanford (R) is apparently working overtime to ensure the - race in South Carolina’s 1st District is one for the - ages.

In spite of his past failings, Sanford successfully navigated the - Republican primary. But even though he is running in a very Republican district, the - former congressman still needed to avert serious missteps in the - general election against Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch. He failed to do in that when it was revealed on Wed. in that he trespassed at his ex-wife’s house to watch the - Super Bowl with his son.

No matter how Sanford wants to explain away the - February incident, the - political reality is in that momentum might be the - most prized commodity in a special election, & with less than three weeks before the - May 7 election, Republicans have none. They are at serious risk of letting now-Sen. Tim Scott’s (R) former seat fall in to Democratic hands.

Busch emerged from the - Democratic primary largely unscathed & with positive name identification, while Sanford endured attacks from multiple Republican opponents. Fast forward to the - general election & Sanford just went on television going after the - Democrat for her ties to labor unions to try & bring down her numbers since Busch has-been on the - air alone boosting her business credentials.

The Democratic House Majority PAC just went on television attacking Sanford for improper use of a taxpayer-funded plane when he was governor while Republican groups are staying on the - sidelines.

Sources at the - National Republican Congressional Committee revealed on Wed. in that after the - trespassing occurrence became public, they have no plans to support Sanford in the - special election. After numerous high-profile special election losses in recent years, the - NRCC does not look anxious to add another one.

And the - NRCC could be just the - beginning of Republicans distancing themselves from Sanford. When asked if he still supported Sanford, Sen. Scott told Politico, “No comment.”

Other outside Republican Party groups could get involved, yet their arrival does not look imminent. “We have not been involved in the - race in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, in the - primary, in the - runoff, or in the - general. We don’t expect in that to change,” according to Club for Growth spokesman Barney Keller.

“It’s so Republican he could win, he’s so polarizing he could lose by a lot,” according to one Republican Party strategist.

When a special election becomes a referendum on a flawed candidate, Republicans lose. So even though the - district’s partisanship is very Republican, Sanford can’t stay out of the - headlines & we are moving the - race from Lean Republican to Toss-Up/Tilt Democratic.

Sanford’s path depends on his ability to bring down Busch’s image. But it looks like he will have to do in that alone & defend himself at the - same time. If polling reflects he is successfully redefining her, then our rating would adjust accordingly. 

But when, or if, Busch wins the - special election, she will instantly become of the - most vulnerable Democratic incumbents in the - country & we will likely start her 2014 bid as Toss-Up/Tilt Republican.

South Carolina’s 1st District will be one of eight seats represented by Democrats in that the - last three Republican Party presidential nominees have won in addition to Mitt Romney (58 percent), John McCain (56 percent) & George W. Bush (62 percent). That means she will represent a similar district to Democratic Reps. Mike McIntyre (N.C.) & Jim Matheson (Utah) yet without the - longevity in that those congressman have used to entrench themselves. Of course, in that rating assumes in that Sanford is not the - nominee again in 2014.  

By Harriet McLeod

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) – Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has-been accused by his ex-wife of trespassing at her home & must appear in court on May 9, two days after he stands for election as the - Republican nominee for an open congressional seat.

Jenny Sanford, who divorced the - former governor after revelations of his affair with an Argentine woman while he was in office, returned from a trip on February 3 to find Mark Sanford leaving her home through a back door using his phone as a flashlight, according to court documents.

Mark Sanford asserted on Wed. in that he had gone to her house on Sullivan’s Island near Charleston to watch a football game with one of the - couple’s four sons.

“I did indeed watch the - 2nd half of the - Super Bowl at the - beach house with our 14-year-old son 'cause as a dad I didn’t think he should watch it alone,” Sanford asserted in a statement.

“Given she was out of town, I tried to reach her beforehand to tell her of the - situation in that had arisen, & met her at the - back steps under the - light of my cell phone when she returned & told her what had happened,” he said.

The trespassing allegation comes as Mark Sanford seeks to make a political comeback by running for South Carolina‘s 1st congressional district seat, which he held from 1995 to 2001.

He will face Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the - sister of TV comedian & political satirist Stephen Colbert, in a special election on May 7. The seat was previously held by Tim Scott, who in December was appointed to serve in the - U.S. Senate.

Sanford has faced criticism for a 2009 occurrence while he was governor, in which he tried to cover up a trip to Argentina to visit his mistress by saying he was hiking the - Appalachian Trail. He is now engaged to the - woman.

The Sanfords’ 2010 divorce agreement states in that neither can enter the - other’s home without specific permission, according to the - complaint filed by Jenny Sanford in Charleston County court.

The complaint alleges Mark Sanford has previously disobeyed the - order & “has entered in to a pattern of entering onto plaintiff’s property, both at her former & current residences, without her permission & against her wishes.”

Jenny Sanford has “demanded in that it not occur again” & moreover filed a “No Trespass” letter with her local police department, the - complaint said.

Jenny Sanford, who used to manage Mark Sanford’s campaigns, could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Colbert Busch declined through a spokesman to comment about the - accusation against her opponent.

“There is always another side to every story,” Mark Sanford asserted in his statement, adding in that it was his belief the - court records should have been sealed.

“I agree with Jenny in that the - media is no place to debate what is ultimately a family court matter, & out of respect for Jenny & the - boys, I’m not going to have any further comment at this time,” he said.

(Reporting by Harriet McLeod; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Cynthia Johnston & Steve Orlofsky)

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating after a Kingstree guy deputies asserted fled a traffic checkpoint died after he was tasered multiple times.

According to the - occurrence report from the - Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office, deputies & South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers were conducting a driver’s license checkpoint on Dennis Avenue near Highway 52 North around 11 p.m. Monday when they saw a white minivan approach from Eastland Avenue.

Deputies asserted the - van stopped about 20 feet from the - officers, at which time they shined a light in to the - van. Deputies asserted they saw a black male in the - driver’s seat & a white male in the - front passenger seat. Both men were bent forward & appeared to be trying to hide something under the - front seat, the - report states.

Officers asserted they were walking up to the - van door when the - driver, 29-year-old Carl Edward Ballard, sped off after they yelled for him to stop.

Officials asserted they returned to their cruisers, activated their blue lights & siren, & a pursuit followed. The van made a left turn onto Highway 52 & then made a right turn onto Greenlee Street, the - report states. The van then made several turns onto unknown roads before turning left onto Hodges Road & headed towards Sandy Bay Road. Ballard then turned right onto Sandy Bay Road & drove towards Planters Road, where it made another right turn.

Deputies asserted Ballard then stopped just short of Broad Swamp Road, & both men exited the - vehicle.

While the - passenger immediately exited the - van & surrendered with his hands in the - air, authorities asserted Ballard ran in to the - woods, & a foot chase ensued.

During the - foot chase, authorities asserted they were able to catch up to Ballard after he fell down. One trooper told Ballard to stay down & put his hands behind him, yet he received up & started running again, so in that trooper deployed his taser from behind, the - report states.

Ballard fell down & was commanded to lie on his stomach & put his hands behind him, yet deputies asserted he failed to comply, received up again, & started to run off. At in that point, a deputy deployed his taser & shot Ballard in the - back again, causing him to fall down.

Officials asserted they again told Ballard “to stay down & submit,” yet he received up & started to run again. At in that point, Ballard became entangled in vines & briars & a deputy was able to tackle him to the - ground, the - report states.

The deputy asserted Ballard began resisting, so he used the - taser to initiate a “drive stun” technique on Ballard’s back. The deputy asserted Ballard knocked him away several times & he had to reapply the - technique, which moreover proved ineffective.

Officials asserted they were then able to forcibly put Ballard’s hands behind his back. He was handcuffed & walked out of the - woods, the - report states.

Ballard was placed in the - front seat of a Highway Patrol cruiser, & troopers took him to the - emergency room as the - deputy followed behind, according to the - report.

Troopers asserted Ballard stopped breathing as they arrived at the - back doors of the - emergency room. He after died.  The Williamsburg County Coroner’s Office has not determined a cause of death.

We spoke with Williamsburg County Sheriff Michael Johnson, who called the - death “a tragic, unfortunate incident.”

The occurrence report makes no mention of any illegal drugs or weapons found in the - van or at the - scene.

Ballard had no criminal record.

We have reached out to South Carolina Highway Patrol for more information. Reporter Harve Jacobs will be in Kingstree Wed. to speak with family members.

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