There’s a lot of celebrating going on in Columbia right now, as City Councilman E.W. Cromartie will be resigning his position in light of a tax evasion scandal that broke on Monday morning. Cromartie, who has been in office since for about as long as we’ve been alive, has appeared to come to the end of his political road.

Few people we’ve run into that have had to deal with the City Council have good things to say about Cromartie, as rumors were traded among insiders about this action or that deal wasn’t on the up-and-up. To us, he seemed like one of those municipal elected officials that you find in mid-size cities that nobody really likes but who never gets a serious challenge.

In 2008, we surmised that the only thing that would knock Mr. Cro out would be a crime, not an election challenge. It’s come to pass, with the Feds getting him on non-payment of $25,000 in taxes from 2006, and creatively doing deposits and withdrawals to not get flagged by IRS reporting rules. According to the AP, Cromartie will plead guilty and serve 366 days in prison.

It was a rough day in the House on Wednesday, when debate about the warrantless search bill, S. 191, chief sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell and championed in the House by Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell, came to the floor and was debated for well on three hours. We’re big proponents of civil liberties, but this bill definitely seems to be needed.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that people convicted of a crime are likely to commit future crimes.

The bill allows warrantless searches for people on probation and parole, including juveniles, and the vehicles they own and drive. It would not allow the searches in their homes.

Officers would have to verify the person is on probation or parole before they search them. Offenders convicted of misdemeanors that carry jail sentences less than a year would not be subjected to the warrantless searches.

The state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services would have to review records of who is searched for any patterns of abuse.

A solid number of representatives approved the bill, which passed 81-26. It should receive easy passage on third reading and sail through the Senate when the upper chamber takes up the House’s changes. Unless something changes between now and the Senate vote, the bill is in position to be signed into law this year.

Upon the passage, Harrell said in a statement, “If a convicted criminal does get probation, that offender should still be subject to searches during this period. These offenders are serving out their remaining sentence in the public in lieu of jail; therefore these searches are completely warranted. Also, if a repeat offender is charged with a new crime, our judges should be able to consider that fact and have the authority to deny dangerous suspects bail.”

The bill is on the calendar for Thursday for third reading.

Though this evidently did not end with the quote, “Face it, girls. I’m older and I have more insurance,” Towanda the avenger seems to have shown up in Spartanburg, but her aim was a little off. Early Sunday morning (or late Saturday night, if you prefer), a woman driving on the west side of town got her share.

As the victim’s Mazda Protege was traveling down the road, a Ford Focus came up from behind and began ramming her car, continuously. This happened until both cars turned onto another road and lost control. According to the story, the suspect got out, apologized for mistaking the victim for someone else and hopped into a Crown Victoria for the getaway.

We’ve had our car beaten, kicked, keyed and possibly hood-jumped once, but bumpin’ and rubbin’ on the thoroughfares is a new one.

If you’re born in the South, your last name is Presley and your parents decide to name you Elvis, the odds are even-up that you’ll probably be on the run from the cops one day. Just don’t take down your mom and your girlfriend while you’re at it. That’s what happened to Elvis Presley of Russellville, Ala., who was found by deputies in one of the most obvious places to look.

A man who left the Franklin County Community Corrections Program without approval is back in jail after he was found hiding in a closet at his mother’s apartment Tuesday, officials said.

Elvis Adam Presley, 24, 100 Ridgecrest Apartments, Russellville, was arrested along with his girlfriend and his mother Tuesday after officers executed a search warrant at the Russellville residence, according to officials with the Franklin County Sheriff’s office.

Presley is charged with violation of community corrections program and second-degree escape.

We think that guy just may have pulled off living a Drive-By Truckers song.

Sure, we get kind of pissed off because of schools who get a free pass for months on end, yet the NCAA has a target sight on Alabama. But, teams like South Carolina football shouldn’t be put under the microscope. After all, if you totally suck on a regular basis, you should probably be given a pass when it comes to NCAA violations. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, trying to keep mistakes under the radar doesn’t always work out.

So as it happens with wide receiver Moe Brown. It turns out that he was arrested for speeding — and not just any speeding — but going 70 mph in a 35 mph zone. Obviously, going twice the legal speeding limit was so needed in Richland County. And, though the Free Times did a good job at bringing the offense to light, where the hell were the Carolina sportswriters during June? What were the Summer kids for The Gamecock up to? The fact this didn’t come to light six months ago is a complete joke. As well, it should be known that Brown did not have insurance on him, but did have a firearm.

ADDENDUM: The charges were dropped, and according to The State, “Spurrier said when coaches asked Brown about the gun, he said he needed it because he lived in an off-campus apartment in ‘a rough part of town.’ Bernstein said Brown lives in a Lexington County apartment complex.” Oh, yeah? When we lived in Tuscaloosa, a couple guys shot off their guns during a large altercation in the parking lot directly outside our building. Fights were a regular occurrence, and oddly, between women most of the time. Did we have a gun, or tool around without insurance? No. And so what if he’s doing well in class? Good students don’t commit crimes? The whole situation is upside-down. And if Carolina had been placed on major probation twice in the past decade, this would have been self-reported soon after it happened. But the athletic administration seems to think it can cover up crimes without retribution.

Unlike the Lee Street Jackass, we don’t consider everything that has connections to the government to be bad. After all, if it wasn’t for the Family and Medical Leave Act, our mom would have been broke and not guaranteed to have her job after a major operation several years ago. The private sector fought that bill the whole way. We’re big fans of corporate America — without the private sector, there aren’t jobs for the rest of us schlubs — but to see the world in simplistic back-and-white is moronic.

So, when Jimbo over there slammed South Carolina traffic and mentioned, “a boatload of government-funded TV commercials,” we rolled our eyes and went on to the next thing. No point in paying attention to a drooling fool. But wait, what was that we saw recently?

South Carolina authorities say 2009 has been the safest year on the state’s roads in 14 years.

Preliminary reports say 881 people died on the state’s roads last year, compared to 921 deaths in 2008. The State of Columbia reports the last year to have fewer than 900 deaths on South Carolina roads was 1995.

Public Safety Department Director Mark Keel credits both the slow economy for reducing the amount people drive as well as heightened enforcement for the lower death toll.

Keel says seat belt use is at 81 percent in South Carolina — an all-time high. He says citations for not wearing a seat belt and for driving under the influence also increased significantly this year.

Yeah, turns out that state highways are the safest they’ve been in years.

It’s been a long time coming, but members of the Tennessee basketball team are in trouble for drugs and firearms charges. Several years ago, we were working in a restaurant when the UT men’s basketball team came in. After asking where to meet girls, one gentleman pulled us to the side and inquired as to where they could pick up some weed. It’s quite obvious that Bruce Pearl hasn’t been recruiting Mensa candidates to Knoxville.

These guys were hot-boxing it when the driver decided not to obey the speed limit. After being pulled over, the cop smelled weed from the car. It all went to shit from that point.

The four were riding in a car driven by [Cameron] Tatum that police stopped for speeding. Police smelled marijuana in the car.

[Tyler] Smith, voted the SEC’s preseason Player of the Year in November 2008, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number (which is a felony).

[Brian] Williams faces the same charges as well as possession of marijuana.

Tatum is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and having an open container of alcohol.

[Melvin] Goins is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of marijuana.

The funny thing is, two players have already been dismissed from the squad for participating in an armed robbery. Miami’s “Thug U” football team has nothing on these fools from East Tennessee.

Drop those cards, dog! According to Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster, these friendly canines would be breaking the law in South Carolina. Because, apparently, having a few guys over to the house for a low-stakes game of Hold ‘em is a pressing issue for the gubernatorial candidate.

In an appeal this week, the office says Circuit Judge Markley Dennis went too far when he overturned the gambling convictions of five Mount Pleasant card players this fall.

“One obvious reason that ‘chance’ need not be determined with respect to a particular game for purpose of the gambling statute, is that the Legislature sought to ban all ‘gaming’ for stakes at designated locations,” the filing said.

“In other words, in the General Assembly’s view, the ills resulting from games played for money does not depend upon the particular game or the nature in which it was played.”

The statements were part of a 57-page filing sent to the state Supreme Court. Because the case addresses a constitutional matter covering gambling, the state’s appeal went directly to the high court, skipping the S.C. Court of Appeals.

In September, Dennis threw out the convictions of five poker players busted by Mount Pleasant police, saying playing Hold ‘em in a private residence does not violate the state’s anti-gambling laws.

Yes, so next week when we will probably lose $20 in a game with some other of the city’s good-time Johnnys, we’ll be committing a crime of statewide importance. It’s great that McMaster, as the state’s top law enforcement official, is using his and his office’s precious time to make sure a small group of people can’t get together to play cards for a few bucks.

A racist spray-painting on the Laurel Street side of Columbia City Hall caused much shaking and swaying in the capital city. City Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine tweeted, “well, vacation is over and back to the real world. We are not even a week from celebrating the birth of Jesus and we have to deal with hate.” A number of others expressed displeasure. Mayor Bob Coble said, “We all as a group want to convey the message that this is not Columbia. This is not what Columbia stands for. We are a city of the new South, a diverse city that embraces everyone in our community. This incident is not reflective of our city.”

It all came down to this:

The message, in red paint in 18-inch letters, according to Coble, was “No n—- mayor die.” It was discovered at about 7 a.m. this morning and city crews removed it with a pressure washer by 8:15 a.m., according to City Manager Steve Gantt.

The graffiti was painted in the center of three arches on the side of the building.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize the message was directed at Steve Benjamin, the odds-on favorite for becoming the next mayor. It’s interesting, though, that some aren’t thinking this is some random hate crime and is, instead, politically-motivated. Hey, it’s South Carolina. You never know.

Larry Marchant, the gentleman who runs the Palmetto Policy Group and shills for big-time insurance and private school choice, apparently won’t use his stacks of the long green to call a cab. God forbid — that’s what the poors do! So, he got pulled for driving under the influence just after midnight on Dec. 23.

You see, the thing about Larry is that he has a tendency to speed. That’s what led to this charge.

DURING THE LISTED INCIDENT DATE AND APPROX TIME REPORTING OFFICER WAS SITTING STATIONARY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY FACING WEST BOUND ON THE 2500 BLOCK OF DEVINE STREET RUNNING STALKER II RADAR. REPORTING OFFICER OBSERVED THE LISTED VEHICLE TRAVELING EAST BOUND ON THE 2400 BLOCK OF DEVINE STREET AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. SPEED WAS CONFIRMED BY STALKER II RADAR AT 47 MPH IN A 30 MPH ZONE. REPORTING OFFICER INITIATED A TRAFFIC STOP ON THE 2600 BLOCK OF DEVINE STREET. UPON CONTACT WITH THE LISTED SUBJECT, WHO WAS THE DRIVER OF LISTED VEHICLE, REPORTING OFFICER DID SMELL A STRONG ODOR OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMING FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SUBJECT STATED THAT HE WAS COMING FROM HAVING A FEW DRINKS. REPORTING OFFICER ASKED SUBJECT TO EXIT AND STEP TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. SUBJECT HAD A STRONG ODOR OF ALCHOLIC BEVERAGE ABOUT HIS BREATH AND PERSON, SPOKE WITH SLURRED SPEECH, AND WAS UNSTEADY ON HIS FEET. REPORTING OFFICER CONDUCTED HORIZONTAL
GAZE NYSTAGMUS TEST, WALK AND TURN TEST, AND ONE LEG STAND TEST ON THE LISTED SUBJECT, WHO DID FAIL ALL THREE TESTS GIVEN. DURING HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS SUBJECT HAD LACK OF SMOOTH PUSRSUIT IN BOTH EYES, DISTINCT AND SUSTAINED NYSTAGMUS AT MAXIMUM DEVIATION IN BOTH EYES AND ONSET OF NYSTAGMUS PRIOR TO 45 DEGREES IN HIS RIGHT EYE. SUBJECT ALSO CONTINUED TO MOVE HIS HEAD DURING THE TEST AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED SEVERAL TIMES NOT TO DO SO. DURING THE WALK AND TURN TEST, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED ON A FLAT AND LEVEL SURFACE, SUBJECT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP BALANCE DURING INSTRUCTIONS, SUBJECT STARTED BEFORE BEING TOLD TO DO SO, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO TOUCH HEEL TO TOE WHILE WALKING AND STEPPED OFF OF THE LINE SEVERAL TIMES. DURING ONE LEG STAND SUBJECT PUT HIS FOOT DOWN TWICE, CONTINUED TO USE ARMS TO KEEP BALANCE AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED NOT TO DO SO, AND SWAYED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO KEEP BALANCE. SUBJECT WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, AND SPEEDING 47/30. SUBJECT WAS THEN READ HIS MIRANDA WARNING. SUBJECT WAS TRANSPORTED TO CPD HEADQUARTERS WHERE HE WAS READ HIS IMPLIED CONSENT RIGHTS AND WAS OFFERED A BREATH ALCOHOL ANALYSIS TEST, WHICH HE REFUSED. SUBJECT STATED THAT HE DID WISH TO HAVE AN INDEPENDANT TEST OF HIS OWN CHOOSING CONDUCTED, BUT REFUSED TO ADVISE REPORTING OFFICER WHERE HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT DONE AT. SUBJECT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO A.S.G.D.C. LISTED VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE BY ELGINS TOW SERVICE LOCATED AT 1220 LAURENS ST. SUBJECT’S SCDL WAS MAILED TO THE SCMDV ALONG WITH A COPY OF THE NOTICE OF SUSPENSION DUE TO THE SUBJECT’S REFUSAL TO TAKE A BREATH ALCOHOL ANALYSIS TEST.

Lt. Gov. André Bauer has allied himself with Marchant, and considering Bauer’s adventures behind the wheel, this could turn out bad for his campaign. As well, there are rumors about other campaigns that may have enlisted the services of the Marchant consulting firm that was created in May, but we won’t know those for sure until the Jan. 10 disclosure reports.

The police report