Myrtle Beach Sun News Logo

Bestler | Kudos to P&C on Pulitzer, now time for legislators to step up | Myrtle Beach Sun News

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Subscribe
    • Activate Your Account
    • Account Support
    • Mobile Apps
    • Newsletters
    • The Sun News Store
    • FAQ
    • Cancel SunValues Delivery
    • Plan
    • All Tourist Info
    • Vacation Planner
    • Calendar
    • Where to Stay
    • Ask a Local
    • Festivals Guide
    • Best of the Area
    • Play
    • Nightlife
    • Golf
    • Shopping
    • Shows
    • Myrtle Beach Blog
    • Restaurants

  • Obituaries
    • All News
    • Local News
    • Crime/Courts
    • Business
    • State News
    • Nation/World
    • Weird News
    • More News
    • Politics
    • Myrtle Beach Bike Rallies
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Tourism News
    • Real Estate News
    • All Sports
    • High Schools
    • Coastal Carolina
    • Recreation
    • Golf
    • MB Pelicans
    • Auto Racing
    • More Sports
    • College Sports
    • NFL
    • MLB
    • MB Marathon
    • Toast Of The Coast
    • Green Reading Blog
    • The Roost Blog
    • All Opinion
    • Letters To The Editor
    • Submit A Letter
    • Editorial
    • Cartoons
    • Columns & Blogs
    • Bob Bestler
    • All Living
    • Coasting
    • Neighbors
    • Food
    • Best Of The Beach
    • Announcements
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Home & Garden
    • All Entertainment
    • Kicks!
    • Best Of The Beach
    • Movies
    • Calendar
    • Contests
    • More Entertainment
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Celebrities
    • Music
    • TV

  • Legals
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Classified Ads

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Local

Bestler | Kudos to P&C on Pulitzer, now time for legislators to step up

By Bob Bestler

On the Loose

    ORDER REPRINT →

April 24, 2015 03:49 PM

I began subscribing to The Post and Courier of Charleston shortly after moving to McClellanville.

I now lived in Charleston County and, while I continued a digital subscription to The Sun News, I needed to know what was going on in my own neighborhood. Besides, what's a cup of morning coffee without a real, live newspaper?

While the P&C's editorial positions are more conservative than I like, its news pages have always offered solid journalism.

Never was that more evident than in the chilling series it ran last August called “Til Death Do Us Part.”

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Sun News

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

The series traced the horrifying history of domestic abuse in South Carolina, where, in the past year, the rate of deaths of women by men was more than twice the national rate.

Wrote the authors of the series:

“More than 300 women were shot, stabbed, strangled, beaten, bludgeoned or burned to death over the past decade by men in South Carolina, dying at a rate of one every 12 days while the state does little to stem the carnage from domestic abuse.

“It's a staggering toll that for more than 15 years has placed South Carolina among the top 10 states nationally in the rate of women killed by men.”

This week, the series was awarded the most coveted honor in journalism, the Pulitzer Prize for public service.

The award, of course, went to The Post and Courier, but all of South Carolina should be proud. (You can read the series at www.postandcourier.com/tilldeath/title.html).

The paper, with just 85,000 daily subscribers, beat out two other finalists, the Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal, both with a much larger subscription base.

Bill Rogers, executive director of the S.C. Press Association, put it this way:

“For a paper the size of The Post and Courier to win the top Pulitzer Prize shows its reporting measures up to major American newspapers. But they do good reporting on a daily basis. They make our state proud.”

What is most important is that the series finally grabbed the attention of lawmakers in Columbia to the extent of domestic violence in South Carolina.

Within days there were calls for stricter penalties for domestic abusers -- and most lawmakers finally figured it out.

In fact, the State Senate has approved a bill exacting harsh penalties for abusers, but the bill has stalled in the House. The problem: A significant number of representatives who are resisting a part of the bill that would restrict gun ownership by domestic abusers.

The House bill would allow a domestic abuse charge to be pleaded down to assault, which would effectively remove the gun ban.

It's not good enough.

The reporters for The Post and Courier have done their part. Now it's time for all legislators to step up and finally give S.C. women an even chance to beat the odds.

Contact Bob Bestler at bestler6@tds.net.

  Comments  

Videos

Horry County Police dispatch describes car chase-turned-shooting as it unfolds Friday

Man pleads in 2017 Conway hit-and-run fatal wreck

View More Video

Trending Stories

Her dog attacked another dog, Horry cops say, and now she faces a criminal charge

February 18, 2019 03:07 PM

Dozens of Myrtle Beach, Horry firefighters responded to blaze near Fantasy Harbour

February 18, 2019 12:04 AM

Noodles and happy pancakes: Vietnamese eatery bringing new flavor to Myrtle Beach

February 19, 2019 11:07 AM

Here’s why Conway City Council members are irked at S.C. DOT following Monday’s meeting

February 18, 2019 07:22 PM

Mugshots, Feb. 18

February 18, 2019 08:56 AM

things to do

Read Next

What boxing champion Floyd Mayweather was doing in Myrtle Beach on Tuesday

Other Sports

What boxing champion Floyd Mayweather was doing in Myrtle Beach on Tuesday

By Alan Blondin

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 19, 2019 08:54 PM

Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather visited the Myrtle Beach Safari on Tuesday and took photos with a four-month-old Cheetah named King Tut.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Sun News

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LOCAL

‘A mistake in voting no’: Horry council reverses its decision on Highway 905 development

Local

‘A mistake in voting no’: Horry council reverses its decision on Highway 905 development

February 19, 2019 08:38 PM
Here’s what properties are selling for in the Myrtle Beach area

Real Estate News

Here’s what properties are selling for in the Myrtle Beach area

February 19, 2019 08:04 PM
Myrtle Beach officials promise its newest cops will hound criminals

Local

Myrtle Beach officials promise its newest cops will hound criminals

February 19, 2019 05:55 PM
St. James Elementary parents express mold concerns to Horry school board members

Local

St. James Elementary parents express mold concerns to Horry school board members

February 19, 2019 02:05 PM
Burning Love: Valentine’s breakup turns to arson at Myrtle Beach hotel, cops say

Crime

Burning Love: Valentine’s breakup turns to arson at Myrtle Beach hotel, cops say

February 19, 2019 12:31 PM
He demanded cash and cigarettes while he robbed a Dollar General store, cops say

Crime

He demanded cash and cigarettes while he robbed a Dollar General store, cops say

February 19, 2019 04:01 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Myrtle Beach Sun News App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Advertise
  • Rates
  • Contests & Promotions
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story