Friday 5 3.13.20

Here are a few articles you may have missed this week. Take a few minutes and get smarter before church coffee hour this Sunday…

1. US. Soccer Federation President Resigns: Carlos Cordeiro resigned Thursday night after USSF filing surfaced with language claiming, “female players have less physical ability and responsibility than players on the men’s national team”. Soccer star Megan Rapinoe took to twitter, among a host of other outspoken celebs, to argue for equal pay. Vice President Cindy Parlow Cone, the organization’s new (and first female) president, is certain that it’s time for her to lead the organization in a new direction.
2. More Money, More Problems: The South Carolina House passed its largest budget ever this week – coming it at $10 billion. Amid coronavirus emergency preparation, Governor McMaster called on the State Senate to allow for the adjustment of funds to go toward virus preparation and response. That money would then go into the state’s emergency response fund and is the same money that the Governor previously called on to be used as a tax rebate.
3. COVID-19 and Corrections: South Carolina prisons and jails to implement additional screening for inmates and restrict visitations as the spread of COVID-19 is still so unpredictable in the region. If an inmate becomes sick, the plan is to care for and quarantine them. The jails will also provide extra soap and adjusted laundry/cleaning schedules until further notice.
4. Fort Jackson to cancel basic training graduations: Base Commander, Brig. Gen. Milford Beagle Jr., released a statement Thursday night expressing his concern over the safety and wellbeing of families and soldiers training and traveling to the Columbia military base. To limit potential exposure, he has made the call to cancel all basic training graduation and family days until at least April 30, 2020.
5. Broadband Mapping: A huge Chamber priority has been expanding rural Internet access; providing better acquisition of tools for education, health care and emergency response. The US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation cleared S.1822, the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act, to improve broadband data maps to tackle this issue. The legislation will now advance to President Trump’s desk.

Bonus: #FlipTheSwitch challenge.