INMATE GETS MORE TIME FOR MORE THREATS

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated that Stephen Elbert Boykin, age 36, of Greenville, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Spartanburg for mailing threatening letters, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 876. United States District Judge Henry F. Floyd sentenced Boykin to 125 months in federal prison, to be added to the 134-month term he is currently serving for earlier threatening letters.

In December 2007 Secret Service agents intercepted letters Boykin mailed to then President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, threatening to kill them. Agents also located threatening letters Boykin mailed to then Senator Barack Obama and talk show personality Oprah Winfrey. Boykin pled guilty to these charges last October, and while awaiting sentencing, he mailed additional threatening letters to the presiding federal judge, the prosecutor, and other court personnel. A new judge and prosecutor were then assigned to handle the sentencing.

The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. McDonald and Max B. Cauthen handled the case.

Bye 43

Editorial cartoon from Mike Beckom

Call for Impeachment

Rep. Kucinich, former candidate for president, submitted a resolution calling for Pres. Bush's impeachment. The resolution is read for a second time on the House floor tonight.

Watch it here: http://www.cspan.org/watch/cs_cspan_wm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS

Read the Congressional Record: http://www.cspan.org/watch/cs_cspan_wm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS
Read the calls for Impeachment: http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSN09301988

Furman Faculty Protest President Bush’s Visit to Campus

A vocal group consisting of about half of the faculty and some students at Furman University attacked the university’s decision to invite President Bush to deliver a May 31 commencement address. However, a much larger student-led group supports Bush’s visit.
The faculty wrote a “Petition of Opposition” signed by 222 people. University officials posted the objection letter on the college’s official website here. According to Furman University Director of Media Relations Vince Moore, the petition is signed by half of Furman’s full-time faculty and some students. He added that faculty spouses, alumni, and staff acted as co-signers as well.
Campus club Conservative Students for A Better Tomorrow, a student group in friendly cooperation with the Leadership Institute, in Arlington, Virginia, criticized the faculty’s and university’s actions in a “Support Our Seniors” letter. Here is the student group's response.
The students collected nearly 400 signatures from the Furman community, over 260 of whom are students. The group will request that administrators post their view alongside that of the Bush opponents. The senior class student leadership voted unanimously to invite the President to address the class of 2008.

Do you think the faculty should have said anything? Post your comments below.

Local invited to White House

Dan Vander Meer, CEO of Dutchman Global and Robyn Vander Meer, CFO have both been invited to attend President George W. Bush's remarks in recognition of World Trade Week on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday May 20.

Dan Vander Meer was nominated by Colleen Litkenhaus, Assistant Secretary of Commerce. The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is the key export promotion agency of the federal government. The service has a worldwide network of employees and a mission of assisting small and medium-sized American businesses in exporting their goods and services worldwide.

Dutchman Global was established in 2005 to provide quality heavy equipment to the global earthmoving and mining industry. Dutchman Global currently ships 98% of its equipment overseas to several geographic territories. Dutchman Globals' experienced sales staff sells Caterpillar, Euclid, John Deere, Komatsu and other used equipment.

Located at 208 Prosperity Court in Florence, Dutchman Global currently has 6 sales and administrative employees in the Florence location. Other employees are located in Canada, South Dakota, Dubai and Guyana.

In April 2008, Dutchman Global was nominated as one of South Carolina's fastest growing companies. Dan Vander Meer was also appointed to South Carolina's District Export Council and Dutchman Global received an Export Achievement Award in 2007.