STATE NEWS IN BRIEF

COLUMBIA

Sanford criticizes Clemson spending

Questions Gov. Mark Sanford and his staff asked during state budget hearings Wednesday suggest that spending cuts might be on the way for some Clemson programs.

The governor criticized state spending on a book about sharks, Clemson's lobbying to preserve a budget for public-service programs, and services that benefit wealthy land and golf course owners.

Sanford is requiring agencies to prioritize every service or function they provide; those near the bottom of the lists could be reduced or eliminated.

Clemson's programs to study ways to eliminate beaver dams did not fare well. The state now spends $215,254 yearly at Clemson to deal with nuisance species.

Sanford wondered why the private sector could not do that. It is the second year Sanford has put Clemson's public-service programs under a microscope during budget hearings. A year ago, he criticized a master gardening program and agency plans to sell land and keep the money.

Part of the university's reaction to the budget cuts that Sanford sought last year came in the form of letters asking people who benefit from endangered services to write legislators seeking a reprieve.

That irked Sanford, who says Clemson has been diverted from its agriculture-based mission, which helped farmers, and is working more on economic development and gardening programs.

In addition, the governor questioned why the Department of Natural Resources spent $70,000 on a book about sharks. Agency Director John Frampton said a "tremendous number of people" wanted the publication.

"If we went to libraries around the state, how many people do you think have checked out the shark book?" Sanford asked.

"I would hope a lot," Frampton said.

COLUMBIA

Governor, family return to mansion

Gov. Mark Sanford and his family get to sleep in their beds - and private rooms - at the Governor's Mansion tonight for the first time since June.

Mold growing in the 16,400-square-foot mansion's air-handling system caused illnesses and forced the family to move out. Since August, Sanford, his wife and four children have lived in a 900-square-foot pool house.

Sanford stayed in the pool house for much of the summer alone while his family stayed at their Sullivans Island beach house.

Estimates earlier put the cost of dealing with the mold problem at $1 million for the mansion and two other buildings at the Governor's Mansion complex.

COLUMBIA

GOP thinks House speaker may get new post

Republicans picking a new House majority leader in two weeks will have to consider the possibility that the speaker's post could be open again next session.

Many think that if President Bush wins a second term, current speaker David Wilkins will get a presidential appointment, leaving open the post he has held for almost 10 years.

That will be determined Nov. 2, about a month after the Oct. 5 Republican caucus election to replace former Majority Leader Rep. Rick Quinn, R-Columbia, who lost his re-election bid to a primary opponent.

Speculation about Wilkins' future has swirled for four years as reported offers have come and gone. In 2002, Bush appointed Wilkins to the board of visitors to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Wilkins, a state co-chairman of Bush's 2000 campaign and his state chairman for the re-election bid, reportedly has turned down other offers from the president for full-time jobs.

Legislators say privately that they expect Wilkins will not turn down a full-time appointment if Bush makes an offer in a second term.

Wilkins continues to extol his love for the office he has held since 1994.

"I have no plans. That's all speculation," Wilkins said. "There's no offer on the table and there are no plans."

HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Court asked to unseal doctor's documents

The Island Packet newspaper has asked the state Supreme Court to force a judge to unseal documents about disciplinary actions against a Hilton Head Island cardiologist whom the state medical board has disciplined three times.

South Carolina's Administrative Law Court has overturned at least two attempts by the state Board of Medical Examiners to discipline James D. Johnston, who the board says has a substance abuse problem, according to the petition filed by the newspaper. Each time, the court has prevented public disclosure "of disturbing facts that may significantly affect public health," the paper's filing said.

The petition filed Friday asks the state high court to force Chief Administrative Law Judge Marvin Kittrell to lift a gag order on disciplinary matters related to Johnston or put the order in writing.

If Kittrell puts the order in writing, the newspaper then plans to appeal it through the courts, said Carl Muller, the newspaper's attorney.

"At issue is the public's right to know whether a treating physician has been repeatedly censured by the S.C. Board of Medical Examiners over allegations that include performing, or attempting to perform, medical procedures while intoxicated," the filing says.

Johnston, described as brilliant and gifted by many patients, first came before the state board in 2001. The Island Packet reported last week that the board temporarily suspended his license, citing alcohol abuse.

In May the board again issued a temporary suspension after receiving information that the doctor had appeared in the emergency room at Hilton Head Regional Medical Center to "treat a patient while he was impaired," according to the newspaper.

The Island Packet wrote to the administrative law court to request notification of hearings in the case, but the suspension was overturned two days after it was issued.