THE PROBLEM OF WHAT TO DO WITH YOU KID AFTER-SCHOOL MIGHT NOT BE QUITE AS ACUTE IN THE LOWCOUNTRY BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF GROUPS LIKE THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH CONNECTION, BUT A NEW NATIONAL REPORT FROM THE AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE SAYS FIVE OUT OF SIX SOUTH CAROLINA FAMILIES CAN’T FIND AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR THEIR CHILDREN. BESIDES THE COST, TRANSPORTATION IS OFTEN THE PRIMARY ISSUE FOR FAMILIES, NOT TOO MUCH FROM SCHOOL TO THE PROGRAM AS FROM BEING ABLE TO PICK UP YOUR KID FROM THE PROGRAM. FEDERAL FUNDING FOR MANY PROGRAMS IS BEING RE-EVALUATED UNDER THE NEW ADMINISTRATION AND STATE FUNDING HAS BEEN LIMITED.
AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES, THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS TOLD EVERY STATE THAT FUNDING FOR THE SNAP PROGRAM, THE OLD FOOD STAMPS, THAT HELPS FEED THOUSANDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, COULD RUN OUT BY THE END OF THE MONTH. SNAP-RECIPIENT HOUSEHOLDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA RECEIVE AN AVERAGE OF 384-DOLLARS A MONTH. HALF OF THE RECIPIENTS ARE CHILDREN, ANOTHER 20-PERCENT ARE OVER 50. LOCAL FOOD BANKS AND PANTRIES ARE TRYING TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE, BUT DONATIONS TO MANY OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOWN TOO.
VACCINATIONS, OR A LACK OF THEM, ARE STILL A STORY IN THE LOWCOUNTRY, EVEN THOUGH CHILDHOOD VACCINTIONS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE IN BEAUFORT COUNTY. A 95-PERCENT VACCINATION RATE IS CONSIDERED TO BE HERD IMMUNITY FROM MEASLES, WHOOPING COUGH AND CHICKEN POX AND BEAUFORT COUNTY’S KIDS ARE REPORTEDLY AT THAT 95 PERCENT LEVEL, BUT JASPER COUNTY IS ONLY AT 83 PERCENT. AND CASES OF THOSE DISEASES ARE GROWING IN THE UPSTATE AND NOW THE MIDLANDS, WHERE VACCINATION RATES ARE THE LOWEST. EXPERTS SAY 90-PERCENT OF UNVACCINATED PEOPLE EXPOSED TO THE MEASLES WILL CATCH THE VIRUS.
35-YEAR-OLD DEMETRIUS MOULTRIE OF BURTON HAS NOW BEEN CHARGED WITH KILLING HIS 3-YEAR-OLD SON BACK IN JULY IN THEIR HOME NEAR THE LAUREL BAY HOUSING COMPLEX. VERY FEW OTHER DETAILS HAVE BEEN RELEASED, BUT SOLICITOR DUFFIE STONE SAYS SOUTH CAROLINA LAW IS PECULIAR TO OTHER STATES IN THAT ONLY ALLOWS ‘HOMICIDE BY CHILD ABUSE’ CHARGES FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 11. THE LAST STATE SENATE PASSED A BILL TO RAISE THAT AGE TO 18, BUT IT STALLED IN THE HOUSE. IF CONVICTED, MOULTRIE COULD BE SENT TO PRISON FOR BETWEEN 20 YEARS AND THE REST OF HIS LIFE. HE HAS ALREADY SERVED PROBATION FOR A FELONY FIREARMS CHARGE IN 2013 AND HAS NUMEROUS DRUG CHARGES STILL OUTSTANDING.