Highway Patrol trooper to become full-time pastor
Billy Elder, a veteran South Carolina Highway Patrol trooper, will leave his position with the Highway Patrol to become a full-time pastor at the Silica Springs Baptist Church, according to The Post and Courier.
Elder is currently the community relations officer and Highway Patrol spokesman for seven counties in South Carolina.
“I have several cousins who are police officers, an uncle retired from SLED, so it tends to be a family affair,” he said. “But sometimes God has other plans.”
Elder first felt like entering the ministry when he was 29 years old and he planned to tender his resignation in 2005 and begin seminary full time.
“He has a lot of years invested in the Highway Patrol, but this is God’s calling, and I’m proud for him and glad that he’ll shepherd the flock of a local church,” said Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller, Elder’s former employer.
Sheriff’s office to control electronic monitoring program
Local judges will soon be able to order electronic monitoring of criminal defendants released on bail after a hiatus that lasted more than a year, The Post and Courier reported.
According to sheriff’s officials, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office will monitor and enforce the entire electronic monitoring program; jail staff members will use software connected to each GPS monitoring system.
Software will be installed in computers at the command site for the program at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center.
A moratorium was placed on electronic monitoring in September 2012, when it was realized criminals on bail were able to wander and violate the terms of their releases. In the past, bail bondsmen were in charge of monitoring.
The 2012 moratorium was the second time in six years the practice had been suspended because of concerns in supervision.
Another record-setting tourism season predicted for South Carolina
While tourism across the nation is struggling, South Carolina’s tourism industry has been setting records recently, according to the Associated Press.
According to Duane Parrish, director of the state tourism department, the trend should continue throughout the 2014 season.
Parrish said the tourism industry’s economic impact was a record $18 billion last year. This season, he expects lower gas prices, falling unemployment rates and an improving economy will make for another record-setting year.
People want to disconnect from their smartphones and tablets, Parrish said, a trend that is bringing more people away from work and to South Carolina on vacation.
The 2014 tourism season will begin this week with the Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Travel on Hilton Head and the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, among other events.