Marital laws need changing

Help me change the SC marital laws! This pertains to both women and men of SC; however, I can only speak from a woman's point of view.

Most of you are aware that a spouse can have credit cards and loans in their name and only they are responsible, according to credit laws.

 Let me inform you that this is not the case with marital law.

 I heard from a friend about a young woman married only 6 years and her husband had secret debts of over $75,000.

The divorce courts required her to pay 1/2 of them.

Also, I know an elderly woman forced because of the SC marital laws to sell her family’s house, pay her husbands bills and receive a small net balance.

 I don't think people realize that this law pertains to elderly marriages, also.

 Please call or write your state representatives!

We also need to get petitions signed; let me know and I'll print them; deliver them to you; collect and mail to Columbia.

Let me know via e-mail that you have made efforts to help in this cause.

You can contact me via my e-mail: myzarahemla@msn.com

Patricia A. Smith, Andrews

Government-issued photo ID

On behalf of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina, I want to express our strong opposition to legislation, H3418, which is currently being debated in the legislature. H3418 would require voters to obtain and show a government issued photo ID before exercising their constitutional right to vote.

Photo ID requirements are one of the most serious threats in decades to our efforts to ensure the right of every eligible American to vote.

Research shows that they encourage racial and ethnic discrimination at polling places, prevent eligible voters from participating in our democracy, limit turnout, and do very little to comb genuine instances of voters impersonating someone else at the polls.

The numbers of people who could be disenfranchised by this legislation is daunting.

 Up to 170,000 of your neighbors in South Carolina do not have valid photo identification.

 The burden will be greatest for the elderly, low-income, minority, homeless, or handicapped – for whom it is most cost prohibitive and inconvenient to take off work, get transportation, stand in line, and apply for the documentation.

In many cases, these individuals don’t have the underlying documentation that is needed to get a South Carolina ID.

 In other words, this requirement would disenfranchise the very people who currently must work the hardest to vote at all.

Estimates put the cost of voter photo ID at over $1 million annually.

 This includes lost revenue from elimination of fees for DMV-supplied photo ID cards and additional training for poll workers.

 Not factored in are the considerable costs of legal challenges that South Carolina would incur.

 At a time when education services are being cut for our children, why should taxpayers be forced to pay for this costly, unnecessary and suppressive legislation?

The right to vote, and to have that vote counted, is the most important civil right we have.

 Photo ID requirements are one of the greatest threats to fair and equal voting rights today.

 State governments should be in the business of encouraging full participation of our citizenry, not developing ways to limit the right to vote.

Any proposal that raises barriers to voting is a fear-based approach instead of a fact-based solution.  

For these reasons, the League hopes members of the South Carolina Legislature will do the right thing by opposing legislation that would require voter ID and instead focus on provisions that would help improve polling place operations, foster effective training and recruitment of poll workers, and make election administration more efficient, secure, accurate and recountable.

 Barbara Zia, president of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina

Sanderson, the Republican

A big “Howdy and Welcome!” to Mr. Sanderson from a  Georgetown County Republican!

I might recommend two things to him.

1)      Instead of beginning your new life as a Republican by running for office in order to be a leader, start at the bottom and work your way up because I think that you may have a lot to learn about being a Republican.

2)      Don’t pick your son as your campaign manager.

Bill Hills

Murrells Inlet

Gates’ ‘ill-chosen words’

My compliments to Mr. Larry Gates of Pawleys Island. In so many words, his letter was thoughtful, correct, generous, and remarkably restrained considering the ignorant and ill chosen words of our Attorney General.

 A national embarrassment. Personally, I would have remarked on our collective good fortune at the unlikelihood that Andre Bauer would ever sire successors.

Thomas Hill

Georgetown

Souper Bowl

 As a Habitat for Humanity of Georgetown volunteer I would like to express our gratitude for the wonderful community support for our recent "Souper Bowl" event.

 I would also like to thank all those who have been so generous with their donations to our ReStore.

 Thanks, too, to our many loyal customers for their continued patronage.

 We extend an invitation to new customers and donors and anyone who may be interested in our many volunteer opportunities.

Carolanne O'Neal-Cox

Pawleys Island

Service Over Self

 Service Over Self (SOS) is a youth organization dedicated to serving the residence of Georgetown County.

 At most all community events you will find SOS kids dedicating their time and efforts, from collecting groceries for a local Food Pantry to picking up trash off the highway.

 It is a joy to watch these SOS kids grow into responsible young adults.

SOS is in need of dedicated adults to accompany the youngsters on their assignments.

 SOS is a strong organization however, with the economic conditions the way they are SOS can use your help.

 If you want more information about donating a few hours a week or to make a financial contribution please contact the SOS office (843-436-7188) P.O. Box 1057 , Georgetown , SC 29442 .

Jim Reitano

Pawleys Island

Help for animals

 More than 5 years ago Coastal Animal Rescue was founded with a single mission:  to care for as many abandoned and neglected cats and kittens as possible in our no-kill cage-free shelter.   Coastal Animal Rescue cares for the many homeless animals the public has abandoned and discarded until we can get them adopted into permanent, loving homes.

We currently have to turn away up to 100 cats and kittens a week because we are full. It is easy to pretend this situation does not exist, or to assume that someone else will step up and take care of the animals left behind in a vacated apartment, pushed out of a car, put in a cardboard box and left by a store, etc.

Coastal Animal Rescue is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit.  We actively work at fundraising but with the economy in distress, more animals are being given up and abandoned.  It takes a lot of money to properly care for these animals.

No one receives a salary or compensation of any kind at Coastal Animal Rescue – all of us are volunteers.  So 100% of what you donate goes directly to the animals for food, medical care, vaccinations and spaying/neutering to cut down on the pet over-population in Horry and Georgetown counties.

Your help is needed now.  Donations to pay veterinary bills, Purina Cat Chow and Purina Kitten Chow (Friskies in the can is a favorite of our kittens), thick garbage bags, paper towels and bleach to help the shelter stay clean, small Styrofoam plates to feed the ever-growing kittens, large and medium towels to help keep their beds clean.

Volunteers are always needed, and very much appreciated.

Super Bowl Sunday a barbeque “throw down” will be held at Marlin Quay Marina in Garden City starting at 11 a.m. with all proceeds going to benefit the animals at our shelter.  Come and enjoy a terrific meal and meet many of our volunteers.  “Missy” our black Labrador ambassador will be happy to greet you.

For more information please contact Coastal Animal Rescue at 685-2851 or visit our website (coastalanimalrescue.org).  Our address is P.O. Box 2891 , Murrells Inlet , SC   29576 .

All of us have faith that with the support of the community we can make a difference in the lives of these innocent animals.  Please help us in any way you can.

Karen McGranahan

Murrells Inlet