City Hall gets $1.1 million renovation
City Council and other city officials return to a newly refurbished City Hall today, after the Main Street building received a $1.1 million face-lift, The State reported.
Renovations to the 140-plus-year-old building began in the summer of 2012. The work was originally budgeted to cost $500,000 in taxpayer money, but that price had ballooned to $1,113,411 as of late last week, according to The State.
The majority of the cost — nearly $800,000 — went to upgrading City Council’s chambers on the third floor of the building. Renovations to the chambers include repaired, replastered and repainted architectural features, as well as a skylight and a new chandelier in the middle of the room.
Council has held its biweekly meetings in north Columbia and its committee meetings in a city parking garage conference room since summer 2012, according to The State. It will meet in its upgraded chambers tonight.
— Sarah Ellis, Assistant News Editor
SG council releases opinion on dismissed Snead case
Constitutional Council released its full opinion in the organizational challenge against Student Government Monday afternoon. The Council dismissed the case after a Sept. 22 hearing, concluding both the petitioner, South Carolina eSports Club President Josh Snead, and SG wanted the same thing.
Snead filed a brief in early September after he and other eSports Club members felt that SG would not carry out section 700 of its constitutional codes. That section, known as “the 700 codes,” establishes a lower legislative house of student organization representatives called the house of delegates.
The opinion, written by Associate Justice Emory Roberts, further explained the council’s decision to dismiss the case.
“The fact that the 700 codes would be carried out and a house of delegates established, regardless of the outcome of the organizational challenge, decidedly destroyed any adversary controversy between the parties,” Roberts wrote.
Student Body President Chase Mizzell maintained throughout the proceedings that he had, in fact, planned on carrying out the codes.
If, however, SG does not enact the codes within 30 days as promised, Snead is free to file another challenge.
— Amanda Coyne, News Editor
5 flu cases already reported in Midlands
Well, it’s about that time — flu season is here, with five cases having been reported in the Midlands in the past few weeks, according to The State.
The 2012-2013 season was one of the worst in recent memory, The State reported, with 1,720 flu-related hospitalizations and 46 flu-related deaths in the state.
Vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of the flu, Dr. Linda Bell of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control told The State. She recommends everyone older than six months of age be vaccinated.
A new flu vaccine is released every August.
South Carolina’s flu season typically peaks in February, according to Bell.
“But you should get vaccinated as soon as possible to give your body time to strengthen its natural resistance to the virus before you are exposed,” Bell told The State.
— Sarah Ellis, Assistant News Editor