Anderson Independent-Mail from Anderson, South Carolina • 1

LOCAL BUSINESSES BANK ON US Countybank 'Commercial Services' is ready to help grow your business xV' Countybank (864) 942-1500 Clemson backup QB Johnson to transfer SPORTS IB TUESDAY MAY 22 2018 INDEPENDENTMAILCOM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK roads and bodges want How will new law affect race for governor? Tim Smith Andanon Independent Mail USA TODAY NETWORK SOUTH CAROLINA COLUMBIA Half of South eight gubernatorial candidates have announced running mates under a new state law that joins governor and lieutenant governor onto the same ticket' Strategies are reflected in their selections and their lack of selections but whether that makes any difference in the 2018 election which opens with primaries on June 12 remains to be seen All three of the state's Democratic hopefuls have chosen running mates Rep James Smith selected Rep Man-dy Powers NorrelL Phil Noble chose Gloria Bromell Tinubu Marguerite Willis chosen Sen John Scott Gov Henry McMaster in November chose Travelers Rest businesswoman Pamela Evette as his running mate the only Republican to have announced a choice GOP candidates John Warren Yancey McGill Catherine Templeton and LA Gov Kevin Bryant have not yet selected a prospective lieutenant governor to serve alongside The lieutenant governor now presides over the Senate but that portion of the job will vanish when new officials take office according to the new law and a ballot measure passed by voters The lieutenant governor will continue to oversee the state Office on Aging and can become governor if toe governor leaves office as McMaster did when President Donald Trump tabbed former Gov Nikki Haley to become US ambassador to the United Nations Voters decided in 2012 to change the Sm GOVERNOR Page 1A Paved and unpaved lanes stripe Wade Hampton Boulevard in Greenville on Wednesday Most gubernatorial candidates said they aren't satisfied with how roads are being fixed and funded ken ruinardindependent mail political favoritism determines where four new highway commissioners his and how your money is spentT campaign spokeswoman said and Bryant promised if elected governor charged them with swiftly and re- he will make the state Department of sponsibly addressing the needed im- Transportation a cabinet agency so provementsto South people will know who to hold account- He also recently told a radio audi-able ence that he had ordered the agency to Til fix your roads based on public follow the rules in setting priorities in safety and traffic flow not he deciding road projects and if agency said i officials did not do that go- Though StateTransportation Secre- ing to have people being removed and tary Christy Hall said last year that the I'll put somebody else in work was being phased in over 10 years That stopped his rivals in the to allow contractors time to prepare ev- governor's race- from complaining ery gubernatorial candidate but one loudly The debate got more intense af-questioned by The Greenville News said ter a cable snapped last Monday over they are not satisfied with the progress the Wando River bridge near Charles-of toe work and called fin changes and ton forcing the agency to close better management at the DOT Gov Henry McMaster has appointed See ROADS Page Tim Smith Andanon Independent Mall USA TODAY NETWORK SOUTH CAROLINA COLUMBIA A year after lawmakers agreed to increase a bevy of fees and taxes to fund a multi-billion-dollar road improvement program candidates for governor say they are unhappy with the progress They say things need to change at the highway agency Lt Gov Kevin Bryant one of the GOP candidates for governor who last year presided over the debate in the Senate paints a grim picture "South Carolina roads and bridges are he said in a video he produced "And the highest tax increase in our history the gas tax is not going to fix your roads Right now Grace Church buys theater in downtown Anderson The members of Grace con- Peach Properties of Columbia Plans call bought originally was a furniture store gregation close to 425 people in Ander- for a Groucho's Deli to open in the Grey that was later known as the State Thea- son have been meeting in temporary Building tre for more than three decades before it quarters at North Pointe Elementary The City Council recently approved a was acquired by the Anderson Commu-School zoning change that designates churches nity Theatre in the early The An- Church officials expect that up to as a permitted use in the central busi- derson Community Theatre dissolved in 1000 people eventually will attend Sun- ness district Mayor Terence Roberts 2000 and was reorganized by its exec-day services at its downtown Anderson said Grace plan to buy the Al- utive artistic director Robb Alverson as location A number of programs also will verson Center Theater was the impetus the Alverson Center Theatre be held in the building during the week for the change Alverson said he is pleased that the Grace Church sought to buy the thea- Roberts said he and other city offi- chinch bought the theater building ter and an adjacent city-owned building dais appreciate the investment that "That is a historic building and it is a last year But those plans suffered a set- Grace Church is making in downtown major part of he said back when the Anderson City Council Anderson decided to sell the Grey Building to The 1910 building that the church See CHURCH Page 2A Klrfc Brown Andanon Indapandant Mall USA TODAY NETWORK -SOUTH CAROLINA Greenville-based Grace Church has bought the Alverson Center Theatre near Carolina Wren Park to serve as its Anderson campus The $705000 purchase of the historic downtown Anderson building was completed last week The church hopes to begin holding services there by next spring We are very excited to put down said Matt Williams founding pastor of Grace Church $150 I USA TODAY 1 Critics question air marshal program citing expense failure to capture terrorists 6A I 3 9 A.