Goree, the former mayor of Carlisle, died on Tuesday evening at age 87 at the Agape Senior center in West Columbia. The family was at Leevy’s Funeral Home in Columbia Thursday, finalizing funeral arrangements.

Current Carlisle Mayor Mary Ferguson-Glenn said Goree laid a foundation for progress that continues today.

“She was a great leader, a great teacher — a pioneer,” Ferguson-Glenn said. “Everything that you see in Carlisle pretty much is the result of Mayor Goree’s dedication and determination.”

Carlisle is a town of 496 people in Union County, 65 miles northwest of the state capital.

“No child in our country should be without medical care.”

— U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., on voting for continuing the State Children Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that will cover 59,920 South Carolina children. The Thursday vote broke down party lines in S.C., with Democratic Rep. James Clyburn also supporting the measure. Republican Reps. Joe Wilson, Bob Inglis, Henry Brown and Gresham Barrett cast ‘no’ votes.

CAPITOL CONNECTION

• Legislature invites Obama to S.C.

Thousands of people lost power across the Carolinas as a cold front swept the region with wind and rain, and a landslide destroyed a home in the mountains of western North Carolina.

One home in Haywood County was destroyed, but its occupants escaped with only minor injuries, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported. Emergency crews evacuated eight other homes in the Maggie Valley area.

"I'm just glad no one was killed," said neighbor Carolyn Phillips.

Progress Energy reported more than 52,000 customers lost power as the storm swept through North Carolina and South Carolina. That number was down to 1,670 by 3 p.m., but utility spokesman Drew Elliot said more outages could occur as the front continued through the region.

If selected, Bolden, 62, would be the first African-American to head the space agency.

Bolden said Tuesday night that he has not been contacted by Obama's transition team.

"I'm as surprised as anyone," he told the Chronicle about the reports circulating in Washington and at the Johnson Space Center.

Bold said he would discuss the job if contacted.

Lance Cpl. Alexander Richardson is charged with using excessive force against Kevin Rucker on April 28, 2007, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald confirmed this afternoon.

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BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo told Jagodzinski (jay-guh-ZIN'-skee) on Saturday that his job would be in jeopardy if he went through with the Jets interview. Jagodzinski met with the Jets on Tuesday night.

A few hours later, at a Wednesday morning meeting, DeFilippo told Jagodzinski he was out.

"We're really good friends and this is a very difficult thing to do," DeFilippo said at a news conference. "We will find somebody who really wants to be at Boston College and will be here for the length of their contract."

DeFilippo said he fired Jagodzinski over a "difference of vision for the future." He has said he wanted a coach who would stay at the school long term. Jagodzinski has been BC's coach for two years and had three years left on his contract.