Kevin Bryant

Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:04pm EDT PIERRE, South Dakota (Reuters) – South Dakota’s governor signed into law on Tuesday the longest abortion waiting period in the nation at 72 hours, and opponents immediately promised a legal challenge to stop it from going into effect.

The law signed by Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard also requires a woman to submit to counseling to ensure her decision to have an abortion is “voluntary, uncoerced, and informed.”

The new law is one of many abortion curbs being pushed by conservative lawmakers in dozens of states this year. Other proposals include bans on late-term abortions and requirements that providers offer women sonograms of their fetuses.

“I think everyone agrees with the goal of reducing abortion by encouraging consideration of other alternatives,” Daugaard said in a statement. “I hope that women who are considering an abortion will use this three-day period to make good choices.”

No other U.S. state has a waiting period longer than 24 hours, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports reproductive rights. The South Dakota law also is the first in the nation to require a counseling session at a center whose mission is to encourage women to continue their pregnancies.

Planned Parenthood, which operates the only health center in South Dakota that provides abortions, said on Tuesday it would file a lawsuit to stop the law. Supporters of the legislation have pledged to raise private funds to finance a defense of the law that is scheduled to take effect on July 1.

South Dakota has been at the center of some of the most bitter recent fights over abortion, which was legalized in 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade.

State lawmakers passed laws in 2006 and 2008 to ban most abortions unless they were necessary to save a woman’s life. Voters later overturned both bans.

“We know that women reflect, talk with friends and family, and consult with pastors and their doctors before making this difficult decision,” said Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota.

Alisha Sedor, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice South Dakota, said the bill was an “egregious” invasion of the doctor-patient relationship.

South Dakota lawmakers set aside another bill earlier this year that sponsors said would protect pregnant women from attack, but critics said could have legalized the killing of abortion providers in the state.

(Reporting by Michael Avok in Pierre, additional reporting and writing by David Bailey in Minneapolis; Editing By Greg McCune)

March 17, 2011 Westboro Baptist Church has announced plans to stage one of their demonstrations at the funeral Saturday, of Airman Nick Alden, of Williamston, killed by a Muslim terrorist in Frankfurt, Germany last week.

WORD has entered into a agreement with Shirley Phelps-Roper of the group to stage a one hour debate Friday afternoon 3-4 pm on the Bob McLain show, in exchange they have agreed NOT to picket or otherwise demonstrate at the funeral.

Mike Gallagher along with Bob will be moderating the debate between Phelps-Roper and still to be determined religious figures presenting opposing views.

While we in no way endorse the views of the Westboro people we feel it is worthwhile to make this arrangement in order to spare the Alden family any further pain and suffering that would result from Westboro being at the funeral.

For more on this story keep your radio tuned to News Radio WORD 106.3 FM or 950/1330 AM or visit us on our website atwww.newsradioword.com.

Greenville News – COLUMBIA — With the state facing more than $900 million in federal unemployment loans and businesses urging lawmakers to be less punitive in jobless insurance, some lawmakers want to look at the idea of cutting benefits to those out of work.

The idea, which is moving forward in other states, is not likely to be tried in South Carolina until at least next year because the federal government doesn’t allow states receiving an emergency extension of benefits to reduce the maximum weekly benefits.

That program could expire next summer.

Sen. Kevin Bryant said he’d like to consider reducing benefits. He is an Anderson County Republican on the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee and chairman of a subcommittee that has dealt with unemployment insurance rates.

Bryant said he’s had several constituents who have asked for help in continuing to receive unemployment checks but not to find jobs.

“I think part of our unemployment problem could be attributed to this,” he said. “I don’t have any sympathy for this type of mentality.”

Sen. Lee Bright, a Spartanburg County Republican, said he would like to see the idea studied, in part because some believe they can earn as much money collecting checks as they can finding a job.

“I think it’s becoming a way of life for a lot of our population,” he said. “We need to discourage that. We have folks now trying to get people at $12-an-hour jobs and people are turning them down. It’s getting to the point where unemployment is an alternative employment.”

Sen. John Land, leader of the Senate Democrats, said he would oppose any reduction, arguing the benefits amount to a contract between the employer and the employee, using the state’s unemployment trust fund.

“Why the Republicans want to hit people when they are down I will never understand,” he said. “It’s not a Christian approach.”

Bryant said giving some people unemployment checks is “exacerbating a laziness problem.”

“I have one constituent who is in the concrete business and have had people tell him, ‘This work is hard. I’d just as soon stay home and draw my unemployment.’ Unemployment is supposed to be helping people get through hard times until they can find another job. I think if we stretch that too far, we end up giving people a reason to not work.”

He said some have asked for help with their unemployment. When he offered to help find them a job, he said one jobless caller told him, “No, I’m not interested in a job. I just want my check.”

In one case, he said, another constituent told him he had a job offer if he could obtain a commercial driver’s license. Bryant said he offered to help him find a scholarship to train for a license, but the man declined, telling his secretary he just wanted to continue to receive his check. read on

Capital bureau reporter Tim Smith can be reached at 803-256-7367.

The week of March 21st is your opportunity to become involved with the Anderson County Republican Party. Precinct Reorganization will be held in seven areas of the county on March 21st, March 22nd and March 24th. (see schedule below) All meetings begin at 7 p.m. You will need to bring your voter registration card and $5 if you plan to be a delegate to the county convention on Monday, April 11th at T.L. Hanna High School. If you have questions concerning the Anderson County Republican Party Reorganization you may call the person who is heading up the individual regions or you may call Chairman Liz Holmes at 221-0154. Also, detailed information is available at www.andersongop.org .

For those of you who are new to this, look at the schedule and find your voting precinct. If you have moved recently, be sure and go to the Voter Registration office and get a new card. The number is 260-4035 if you have questions.

“Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15.” President Ronald Reagan

Precinct Reorganization Regions All Meetings Begin at 7 p.m.

Anderson Region – Liz Holmes 356-2854 or Susan Aiken 934-3588
Monday, March 21st
Location: TL Hanna High School – 2600 Highway 81 – Anderson 29621
Anderson Ward 1/Precinct 1,W1/P2, W2/P1, W2/P2, W3/P1, W3/P2, W4/P1, W4/P2, 5/A, 5/B, W6/P1, W6/P2, Appleton-Equinox, Bowling Green, Broadview, Centerville A, Centerville B, Cox Creek, Edgewood A, Edgewood B, Gluck Mill, Hammond, Hammond Annex, Hopewell, Lakeside, Varennes

Powdersville Region – Jane Jones – 420-8893
Monday, March 21
Location: Wren High School – 905 Wren School Rd. – Piedmont 29673
Brushy Creek, Concrete, Hunt Meadows, Piedmont, Piercetown, Powdersville, Mt. Airy, Simpsonville, Three & Twenty, White Plains

Townville Region – Liz Holmes – 356-2854
Monday, March 21
Location: Townville Fire Department – 8508 Hwy 24 – Townville 29689
Fork 1, Fork 2, Townville

Starr-Iva Region – Eddie King – 245-1236
Tuesday, March 22
Location : Starr Fire Department – 700 Highway 81 S – Starr 29684
Center Rock, Flat Rock, Grove, Hall, Homeland Park, Iva, Jackson Mill, Mountain Creek, Rock Mill, Starr, West Savannah

Belton-Honea Path Region – Dr. Julia Barnes – 369-9181
Tuesday, March 22
Location: Belton Honea Path High School – 11000 Belton Honea Path Hwy – Honea Path 29654
Barkers Creek, Belton, Broadway, Chiquola, Craytonville, Friendship, High Point, Honea Path, Neals Creek, Rock Springs, Shirley Store, Toney Creek, Wright School　

Pendleton Region – Craig Wooten 276-8867
Tuesday, March 22
Location: Sandy Springs Water Company – 6910 Clemson Boulevard – Pendleton, 29670
Bishop Branch, Denver-Sandy Springs, Five Forks, Green Pond, LaFrance, Melton, Mt. Tabor, Pendleton

Williamston Region – Lee Rogers 353-3113 or Grayson Kelly 556-3706
Thursday, March 24
Location: Calvary Baptist Church -10 S Academy Street Williamston 29697
Cedar Grove, Pelzer, West Pelzer, Williamston, Williamston Mill