Electricians in Indian Land, SC

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Judge KM Joseph on Thursday asked the Andhra Pradesh government to persuade the Chief Justice of India to list the plea against the High Court’s order directing the State government to develop and construct Amaravati capital city and capital region within six months, before March 28.

The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government last year had heaved a sigh of relief as the SC had stayed the HC’s order asking the State government to develop and construct Amaravati as the capital city and capital region within six months.

“Can the HC become a town planner?” the bench of Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna remarked. The court also stayed the HC’s ruling of directing the State and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) to complete the process of redevelopment of Amaravati as the capital city within one month and handover developed reconstituted plots in Amaravati capital region to landholders, who surrendered their lands, within three months.

Frowning upon the HC issuing time-bound directions, Justice Nagarathna said, “It’s for the State to decide where the capital should be. The HC has overstepped its limits and it can’t become an executive.” The Judge further said, “Making capital in one place is one issue and city is the other issue. Can the HC become a town planner? The court wants planning to be done in two months, even drawing can’t be made and they’ve issued directions. Whether the HC can issue directions by assuming the power of the executive? Courts are not governments. It cannot. Be subject matter of constitutional court to issue continuous mandamus.”

ALSO READ| SC stays order to develop Amaravati in six months, says HC overstepped limits

The bench had also issued a notice to pleas filed by the AP government against the HC’s ruling of declaring ‘Amaravati’ the State capital. In March, the HC had a bench of Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy and DVSS Somayajulu, directed the State and the APCRDA to build and develop the Amaravati capital city and capital region within six months as agreed under the APCRDA and Land Pooling Rules.

It also directed for handing over the developed and reconstituted plots belonging to land owners in Amaravati's capital region within three months. The HC had also said the State Assembly had no “legislative competence” for passing any resolution or law for a change of capital or bifurcating or trifurcating the capital city. The HC had thus effectively preempted the State’s move to revive its three-capital proposal.

The State government, in the petition before the SC, has argued that the HC’s judgement was violative of the doctrine of separation of powers since it preempts the legislature from taking up the issue. The State in the plea filed through advocate Mahfooz A Nazki has also said under the federal structure of the Constitution, every State has an inherent right to determine where it should carry out its capital functions.

About 150 people gathered to eat, drink, dance and network at the Greater Indian Land Chamber of Commerce’s winter gala Saturday, Feb. 4, at Firethorne Country Club.

Chamber President/CEO Mike Neese, who also represents District 44 in the S.C House, took the time to thank the many community organizations that have invested back in Indian Land, as well as provide opportunities for members to connect and serve the community.

Neese also announced that Indian Land Green, a nonprofit organization kick-started by the chamber, is now becoming its own entity.

Indian Land Green, which will be led by President Kimberly Magette, will focus on creating trails, green spaces and blueways in the Indian Land community.

Magette, owner of Kimberly Magette Group, said the organization was inspired by local community trash-pickup days, when participants were thinking of other ways to beautify the community.

Neese and Magette said a 20-year survey of Indian Land residents cited the need for more green space and trails as the second biggest issue to address, after growth and traffic.

Fort Mill has the Anne Springs Close Greenway and its trails, Magette said. “And there’s nothing like that in Indian Land. So that’s where we decided that we would love to be able to raise money and bring some money and bring some trails over to Indian Land.”

Magette said the project is still in the beginning stages, but Indian Land Green is close to finishing a map detailing where the trails will be, which she said will be similar to those in Walnut Creek and Anne Springs Close Greenway.

“Six Mile Creek runs right behind here to Walnut Creek, that’s 11.3 miles of trail that we look to be built here in the future,” Neese said. “We probably have got some grants coming up on that as well.”

In making the announcement, Neese recognized Joan Schuermeyer, dubbed the “Energizer Bunny,” due to her enthusiasm and community involvement, for her personal efforts to clean up trash along Indian Land roads, sometimes walking 17 miles a day. She was named the 2022 Volunteer of the Year for Keep Lancaster County Beautiful.

Efforts made by Schuermeyer to beautify Indian Land, and a total of $37,000 in grants secured by Liz Evans for cleaning up Indian Land medians along U.S. 521, served as the catalyst to launch Indian Land Green.

Neese said the process will take several years to complete, but the chamber hopes to continue writing grants, and add a children’s education aspect to the walking trails, as well as a health and wellness component. He also hopes to connect with local conservation organizations to provide guidance on environmental factors during the building process.

While the chamber banquet is annual, Neese said the chamber also hosts multiple events each year, such as quarterly luncheons, featuring visits with government officials and other notables, the annual Ag+Art Tour, a Fourth of July fireworks show, golf tournaments and community cleanups. Such events are sponsored by or in conjunction with local businesses in Indian Land and Lancaster County to promote small businesses and grow local business connections.

That dovetails with the chamber’s motto, which is “Connecting our Community,” Neese said.

“Now any chamber of commerce has to be very strong on business, and we have to be a pro-business community,” he said. “If you don’t have a strong pro-business model, it’s very difficult for anything else to happen.”

Neese applauded the diverse audience and the chamber’s member base, which ranges from the local to state level. Many government officials from school board, Lancaster County Council and the S.C. House of Representatives attended, along with local business owners and corporate members.

Neese also recognized Duke Energy’s $1.3 million investment in a new state park in Great Falls in Chester County, just across the Catawba River from Lancaster County.

Duke Energy signed a lease Friday, Feb. 3, with the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism for the five-island complex, which will become Dearborn Island State Park.

“It’s going to be a wonderful asset for the community. It’s going to be an addition to the whitewater (rafting facility) that’s already coming to the area,” said Tyson Blanton, Duke Energy’s district government and community relations manager. The whitewater activities are to begin March 15, with the initial release of water at Long Bypass Reach.

Neese ended his speech by encouraging everyone to “work hard, play hard,” and enjoy the night of mingling and dancing.

While the roads may be wearing out in Lancaster County, another thing that will have just as many potholes in it in future years is the funding mechanism for repairing and improving these roads if nothing is done.

By the end of 2024, the county will have improved 94 miles of local roads since 2018.

The county has 1,400 miles of publicly maintained roads, with 500 of them maintained by the county or city of Lancaster. The other 900 are maintained by the state through the S.C. Department of Transportation.

A lot of the local road improvements have come from capital sales tax funding, which is going to be drying up in the coming years.

“We need to find some type of money,” said Jeff Catoe, Lancaster County Public Works director, during a County Council workshop Jan. 31.

One possible funding stream county officials are pondering is a 1% sales tax or capital sales tax just for roads projects.

Future road needs include widening Harrisburg Road, Henry Harris Road and U.S. 521, as well as bridge maintenance and replacement. The cost estimate for those projects is more than $85 million. Other improvements such as bike lanes, intersection improvements and pedestrian lanes will need extra funding beyond the $85 million.

“We aren’t going to have a lot of extra funds for roads in the next five to 10 years,” Catoe said.

Current estimates predict that the capital sales tax proviso funds of $9 million will be depleted by 2025. The only possible option to complete the above-listed projects is a dedicated funding stream, which comes through the sales tax.

State legislation could provide a tool with a separate sales tax, up to 1%, that can run concurrently with other sales taxes.

The sales tax could possibly run for 25 years, giving the county an estimated $15 million a year just for road projects. That could bring in up to $375 million for roads.

“I feel like we have been playing catch-up,” said County Administrator Dennis Marstall. “Right now, I feel like we are playing defense. There is a lot to go into it.”

The earliest there could be a ballot question regarding a 1% sales tax for roads would be in 2024.

INDIAN LAND, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – A local connection to Super Bowl LVII.

During the National Anthem three Navy Tactical Squadrons will conduct a unified fly over.

US Navy Petty officer Joshua Mohr from Indian Land is one of the sailors maintaining one of aircrafts in that fly over.

Don’t miss out on being Picture of the Day! Send us your photo and email it to News@CN2.com.

Picture of the Day is sponsored by Elite Air & Heat, LLC.

2/10/2023 – CN2 News

CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – We are getting closer and closer to the Duke Energy White Water project opening in Great Falls in Chester County.

The nature-based tourism project bringing lots of excitement to the town. A town that’s been through tough economic times after textile mills closed there years ago.

The Chester County Chamber of Commerce along with Chester County Economic Development hosted a tour of the site with those in the community to check out the progress called Tourism Talks.

As part of Duke Energy’s re-licensing of the Catawba River, it will expand the body of water to provide safe recreational use through white-water rapids, kayaking and more, as well as fish and wildlife habitat protection in the Great Falls Reservoir.

In 2015 leaders with Duke Energy say it received a new license for the Catawba-Wateree Project which includes the Great Falls-Dearborn Development.

Duke Energy says the license issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission provides enhancements to water quality, quantity, recreation, land conservations as well as fish and wildlife habitat protection.

The project is expected to open to the public some time in March. When it does, you will be able to check water levels for recreation by downloading the Duke Energy App.

The tour groups also visited Carolina Adventure World in Chester County, as well as Catawba Falls Event center. All part of showing residents and business leaders what their community has to offer when it comes to recreational tourism.

In the video above, CN2’s Renee O’Neil went along for the ride and learned how a new business is planning to open shop there because of the outdoor adventures.

To learn more about the project, visit: https://illumination.duke-energy.com/articles/new-life-on-the-river-to-spark-tourism-in-great-falls-s-c

The highest court of the land has chosen to include the Leader of Opposition and CJI along with the Prime Minister in a special committee to advise the President to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and his two colleagues. This enhances India’s shining reputation as the largest democracy

The momentous verdict of the Supreme Court taking away the power of ruling governments to unilaterally choose Election Commissioners has crucial implications for India as a functioning democracy. It has in one stroke addressed disturbing questions being raised about the integrity and autonomy of the two most important watchdogs of Indian democracy – the Election Commission and the Supreme Court itself.

The fact that the highest court of the land has chosen against the plea of the government to include the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice along with the Prime Minister in a special committee to advise the President to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and his two colleague Commissioners certainly enhances this country’s shining reputation as the world’s largest democracy.

Indeed the landmark decision has come at a time when there has been growing despair about whether the unique experiment with democracy as envisaged by the founding fathers of the Indian republic was at all feasible any longer.

There is little doubt that despite elections remaining hugely popular even more so among the poor and semi-literate they have been increasingly muddied by political manipulation both before and after the electoral contest through organised rigging and the return of large scale horse trading of elected representatives bypassing the anti-defection law. Sadly, the Election Commission has shown palpable lack of purpose in recent years to stop this corruption of the popular verdict giving the impression that it was disinclined to play the role of a vigilant watchdog.

To compound the woes of Indian democracy, there has been a simultaneous perception of a diminished judiciary including the Supreme Court reluctant to tilt at the windmills of political power. It is therefore all the more significant that the five member Supreme Court member headed by Justice K M Joseph has not only intervened on such a vital matter but also in its order made a scathing indictment of powerful political interests undermining an independent Election Commission.

The court noted that even after 75 years after Independence successive political dispensations which have come to power so far have made no effort to frame a law guiding the appointments to the Election Commission.

“Political parties betray a special interest in not forthcoming with a law. The reasons are not far to seek… There is a crucial link between the independence of the Election Commission and the pursuit of power by parties, their consolidation and perpetuation… An insatiable quest to continue in the saddle requires a pliable Election Commission who functions as an unfair and biased overseer of the electoral process which lies at the very heart of democracy… An Election Commissioner who obliges the powers that be, perhaps even offers an assured gateway to the acquisition of power,” Justice Joseph observed.

The bold stance adopted by the Supreme Court is not likely to go down well in the corridors of political power. There has already been an ugly confrontation building up between the highest judiciary and the ruling dispensation over the appointment of judges. The government has been pressing for a greater role in the appointment of judges, which has been the domain of the Supreme Court collegium or panel of senior most judges since 1993. It even passed legislation in Parliament some years ago to change the old system which the Supreme Court rejected.

The conflict between the executive and the highest judiciary has deepened in recent months. The Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has in the past few months thrice castigated the Supreme Court for striking down legislation passed by both Houses of Parliament which he said was supreme and not the judiciary accusing the latter of “posturing from judicial platforms”. The Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has also been reported expressing his displeasure with the judiciary over the appointment of judges.

It also remains to be seen whether the Supreme Court verdict, historic as it may be, will make any immediate material difference to the working of the Election Commission. The fact of the matter is that the current Chief Election Commissioner and his two colleague Commissioners appointed by the government will continue in office beyond the next Lok Sabha polls in 2024 and despite the symbolic value of the Supreme Court judgement it remains for the moment a road map for the future.

Further, despite the controversy over the recent appointment of the third Election Commissioner Arun Goel which the Supreme Court described as a “breach of law”, he will continue to hold office.

The government also has the option of passing new legislation in Parliament overturning the Supreme Court verdict. However this is unlikely at least before the next parliamentary polls as it would lead to a needless all out confrontation between the government and the highest judiciary.

It is therefore still a long way for a proactive independent Election Commission ensuring the precious vote of every Indian citizen is truly respected.

The writer is a Delhi-based political commentator. Views expressed are personal.

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Updated Date: March 03, 2023 17:12:08 IST

It isn’t a done deal, but there’s progress ongoing that could bring a new Costco to Indian Land.

“They are looking and trying to work out the details,” said Lancaster County Councilman Brian Carnes, who represents the Indian Land area. “I don’t know when all that’s going to transpire.”

Carnes said some early documents have been submitted but some hurdles remain before anything is finalized.

”They haven’t 100% committed,” Carnes said.

Carnes did confirm interest for a new site near U.S. 521, or Charlotte Highway, and Possum Hollow Road. The site would be near The Exchange at Indian Land. Groundbreaking on that project late last year will result in a new shopping center, retail and residential space. The 700 homes and apartments will join, among other retail, a Lowes Foods grocery store.

As for a new Costco, Carnes said it would be significant for the area.

”They’re obviously a game changer in communities that they go in,” Carnes said. “We’re hoping for the best.”

Dennis Marstall, county administrator, said planning staff on his end typically works with the developer and not directly with and end user like a Costco. Marstall said there has been discussion with developer Crossland Southeast about new development that would complement The Exchange.

Whether the new work would be a second phase or a separate project remains to be seen.

“Now they’re wanting to rezone some additional land,” Marstall said.

The new project would require rezoning, which means submissions to the planning commission before a recommendation there. Then, a final decision to come from county council. There have been staff level discussions on the proposed project, Marstall said, but he expects about three months before fuller details arrive.

“That will really get the conversation going in earnest on our end,” Marstall said.

Costco is a membership warehouse club with more than 800 locations. A wide range of items includes groceries, furniture, electronics and a host of other items.

Charlotte has half of the six Costco locations in North Carolina. The nearest to York or Lancaster counties is on Tyvola Road in Charlotte. South Carolina has four sites, the nearest in Spartanburg or Columbia.

Costco doesn’t, per a request for more information, comment on locations that will be opening in more than three months. If a location comes to Indian Land, it would be well beyond that time frame since a store hasn’t been approved for or begun construction. An Indian Land site doesn’t appear on the company’s list of six new coming locations.

Check back for more.

This story was originally published January 10, 2023, 12:16 PM.