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News
Breaking News
Lawyers for Rangel, ethics committee reach deal
29 Jul 2010 at 3:47pm
People familiar with the talks say representatives of New York Democrat Charles Rangel and lawyers for the House ethics committee have reached a plea deal in his ethics case. However, committee members have not agreed to the settlement.It was not immediately clear how many of the 13 charges of ethical violations Rangel agreed to accept.The ethics panel that will judge Rangel's conduct held its first meeting Thursday.Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the panel, said that Rangel had been given the opportunity to negotiate a settlement during the investigation phase.However, he said, that phase is now over and "we are now in the trial phase."
NC expert: Gulf oil unlikely to reach East Coast
29 Jul 2010 at 3:43pm
An expert on marine sciences and coastal circulation says it's unlikely oil from BP's massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico will reach the East Coast.Roy He of North Carolina State University said Thursday the chances are low in part because the well is capped for now. BP expects to permanently kill it soon.He also says large amounts of oil haven't been observed in the Loop Current, which could carry oil around Florida and into East Coast waters. He also points to the ongoing dilution and degradation of the oil.A National Center for Atmospheric Research model released at the beginning of June projected that parts of the oil spill could come up the East Coast during the summer.
Graham: No citizenship for illegal immigrants' offspring
29 Jul 2010 at 3:39pm
AP photo U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he favored repealing parts of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to help stem the tide of illegal immigration. Appearing on Fox News, Graham said children of illegal immigrants should not automatically...
Shaw/McEntire do not make first cut for new jet
29 Jul 2010 at 3:39pm
Shaw Air Force Base and McEntire Joint National Guard Base did not make the first cut to get the next generation fighter jet, the Air Force said today.But local military advocates say this does not mean the F-35 won't eventually land in the Midlands.The Air Force said it chose Hill Air Force Base in Utah and Burlington Air Guard Station in Vermont to send the first replacements for the F-16 fighter jet. The choices are pending completion of environmental reviews next year, an Air Force spokesman said.The F-35s should arrive at the first bases around 2013, military officials said.
4 killed in plane crash at Alaska military base
29 Jul 2010 at 3:17pm
The deadly crash of a military cargo plane on a training mission occurred just about a minute after it took off from a runway at an Alaska base, officials said Thursday.Three of the men killed in the Wednesday evening accident were in the Alaska Air National Guard, and the fourth was on active duty at Elmendorf, Air Force Col. Jack McMullen said Thursday.Their names have not been released pending notification of relatives."It's a sad day," McMullen said. "My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of those that have lost spouses, sons."The C-17 was part of the 3rd Wing, based at Elmendorf in Anchorage. The crash sent a fireball hundreds of feet into the air when it occurred about 6:14 p.m. during a training demonstration for a weekend air show, Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins said.
Rose announces job in private sector
29 Jul 2010 at 2:26pm
Seth Rose, who won the Democratic nomination for a seat on Richland County Council, has landed a new job.A prosecutor in the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Rose is required to change jobs because of laws against dual-office holding. He said Thursday he accepted a position with injury lawyers McGowan, Hood & Felder last week but will stay in the solicitor’s office through the end of the year.Rose said he’ll be trying civil lawsuits, but that the job will provide the freedom to attend council and community meetings.
Grizzly caught after MT mauling that killed MI man
29 Jul 2010 at 2:01pm
A mother grizzly and two of her three cubs have been captured after killing a Michigan man and injuring two other people during an overnight rampage through a campground near Yellowstone National Park.The sow, estimated to weigh 300 to 400 pounds, was lured into a trap fashioned from culvert pipe set over the dead victim's tent Wednesday evening. The bear tore down the tent again and was caught in the trap, said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman Ron Aasheim.By Thursday morning, two of the year-old bears had been caught and the third could be heard nearby, calling out to its mother.Montana wildlife officials on Thursday identified the man killed in the mauling as Kevin Kammer, 48, of Grand Rapids, Mich. The bear pulled Kammer out his tent and dragged him 25 feet to where his body was found, Aasheim said.The other victims, Deb Freele of London, Ontario, and an unidentified male, have been hospitalized in Cody, Wyo.
Amazon CEO hopes new Kindles stoke sales
29 Jul 2010 at 12:58pm
Scroll to bottom of story for an Amazon earnings graphicJeff Bezos isn't just confident you'll want a Kindle e-book reader. The CEO of Amazon.com is bracing for a future in which you'll also want ones for your kid heading to college, your spouse in a book club and perhaps even Grandpa.And despite increased competition from Apple Inc.'s flashy iPad and other e-readers, that future could be coming soon - as early as August, actually, when online retailer Amazon.com Inc. releases two new Kindle models.With both versions costing less than $200, and one not far above the $99 psychological tipping point for gadget-buying, Bezos expects people to buy multiple devices for their households. If he's right, the new Kindles could help cement the company's status as the reigning e-reader and e-book champ, even in the face of an ever-growing field of challengers.Sitting at the head of a conference-room table at Amazon's new headquarters on a late July afternoon, Bezos flips over a skinny, dark gray device. It's the upcoming Kindle, and he's excited to show it off.
Newman win in Columbia District 2 certified
29 Jul 2010 at 11:47am
The Columbia Municipal Election Commission certified the District 2 election results this morning, making Brian DeQuincey Newman’s Tuesday night victory official.The official results have Newman with 801 votes and Harold “Puff” Howard with 671 votes.Newman will fill the unexpired term of former City Councilman E.W. Cromartie, who was forced to resign in March after agreeing to plead guilty to federal tax evasion charges.Newman will be sworn in tonight at 6 at City Hall, 1737 Main St. He will be up for reelection in 2012.
Airport High changes some schedule pickup dates
29 Jul 2010 at 11:36am
Airport High School is changing the dates for freshman and sophomore schedule pickups, according to a news release.On Aug. 11, freshmen from Pine Ridge Middle will pick up schedules from 8:30-11 a.m., while those from Fulmer Middle will pick them up from 4-6:30 p.m. On Aug. 12, sophomores will pick up schedules from 8:30 a.m.-noon.The changes were made because of a computer issue.
Report trashes beaches
29 Jul 2010 at 10:40am
Read the NRDC's full report at the end of this story.South Carolina has the eighth cleanest beach water in the nation, but Horry County beach water is the dirtiest in the state, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council’s 20th annual “Testing the Water” report issued Wednesday.But Myrtle Beach City Manager Tom Leath called the report “bull.”“It’s so incomplete and misleading, it’s laughable,” he said. “They’ve been whacking on us for years. They never give us a good rating, no matter what we do.”
College hockey playoffs coming to Irmo
29 Jul 2010 at 10:34am
The 2011 American Collegiate Hockey Association south regional playoffs will take place in Irmo.The Columbia Regional Sports Council announced Thursday that it had won the bid for the games that will be held February 18-19 at Plex Indoor Sports & Ice on Broad Stone Road. The regional will consist of eight top collegiate hockey teams located in the southeastern United States as selected by regional rankings to compete for the ACHA national championship. It is a two-day event with four games played each day. A schedule of events along with the teams who will be competing will be announced at a later date.The ACHA began as a men's collegiate hockey league in 1991, and grew to a league of more than 150 teams in three men's divisions. The Women's Division 2 was added in 2006, and the ACHA currently has five divisions with over 375 teams from across the nation.
SC town proposes new tough immigration ordinance
29 Jul 2010 at 10:20am
In a small South Carolina town hundreds of miles from Arizona, another skirmish over illegal immigration is brewing.Summerville Councilman Walter Bailey has proposed an ordinance requiring most employers to check the immigration status of workers. It would also require those who rent homes or apartments in town to prove they are citizens or in the country legally.Bailey says the ordinance was sparked in part by the Obama administration's challenge to the new Arizona immigration law - much of which was blocked by a judge on Wednesday.Members of the Hispanic community in Summerville say that immigration is a federal, not local, issue.A town attorney is reviewing the ordinance before it goes before council.
Arrest made in beach kidnapping attempt
29 Jul 2010 at 9:37am
Police arrested a man Wednesday in the attempted kidnapping of a woman last week along Ocean Boulevard, but say they don't know if there is a link to last year's disappearance of a New York teen last seen in the same area.The arrest, though, has given the missing teen's family something to cling to.Timothy Shaun Taylor, 37, of McClellanville - a man with an extensive criminal record - surrendered to Myrtle Beach police Wednesday to face charges of attempted kidnapping and first-degree assault and battery, according to Capt. David Knipes.Taylor's bond hearing is set for 9 a.m. today at the Myrtle Beach Municipal Court.Police said this morning that 'there is nothing to show a direct connection to the Drexel case,' according to Capt. David Knipes, but that police ''will continue to explore all evidence and leads.''
Sammie the lost pony, 37 years old, found alive after 9 days
29 Jul 2010 at 8:09am
The scrawny brown pony meandered in front of Cathy Brissie as she drove to work early one morning.Slowing her pickup on the country road north of Shelby, she saw an animal definitely down on its luck.Not until she’d dialed 911 and made a few more calls did Brissie learn she’d just found Sammie, a 37-year-old toothless pony that had been missing for nine days and was feared dead. Searchers had been combing the woods and fields looking for a family pet known throughout the community. Animal lovers had traveled on foot and horseback, in vehicles and canoes, calling out the pony’s name, hoping it could survive the heat.
SC officials: YMCA followed rules before drowning
29 Jul 2010 at 8:01am
State officials say a South Carolina water park was in compliance with all rules when a 4-year-old girl drowned during a private party.Department of Health and Environmental Control spokesman Adam Myrick told The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg that DHEC inspection determined the Orangeburg YMCA met all the agency's requirements when the drowning happened last Saturday.Authorities say Ariana Robinson of Neeses was found underwater beneath a water slide during a private party. Her death has been ruled an accidental drowning.The YCMA has kept its pool and water park closed since the drowning out of respect for the family. The pool will reopen Thursday and water park will reopen Friday.
To be, or not to be: Philosophers meet in SC
29 Jul 2010 at 4:06am
Philosophers from around the world are gathering in South Carolina.More than 120 philosophers from around the globe meet Thursday at Coastal Carolina University in Conway for the annual conference of the American Association of Philosophy Teachers.Nils Rauhut, a Coastal philosophy professor who is the association's president, says the conference will focus on new developments in the teaching of philosophy.The conference continues through Monday.
SC coastal town considers conference center
29 Jul 2010 at 4:06am
It's been five years since tourism officials in Beaufort on the South Carolina coast first suggested the idea of building a large conference center.Now they are looking at nine potential sites and The Beaufort Gazette reports a Thursday meeting is being held to review them.Officials have proposed a 25,000- to 50,000-square-foot center. They say it could host Marine Corps reunions, weddings and high school graduations and other conferences.Officials say ideally the center would seat 1,000. The largest hotel in Beaufort now only has space to seat 250 although the area has about 1,300 rental rooms.
Drug charge guilty plea for man tied to sheriff
28 Jul 2010 at 11:27pm
A man who said he owed his success as a drug dealer to a former South Carolina sheriff has signed an agreement to plead guilty, according to documents filed Wednesday in federal court.Larry Williams, 51, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine.In May, Williams was rounded up with 11 other people, including then-Lee County Sheriff E.J. Melvin, and charged with conspiring to deal drugs in Lee County.In court several days later, an FBI agent detailed 17 phone calls between Melvin, Williams and other defendants, as well as unnamed people who dealt drugs or helped with the investigation.Some of the people referred to Melvin and Williams by the nicknames "Big Dog" and "Hawk."
Man sentenced to 30 years in SC clinic shooting
28 Jul 2010 at 5:52pm
A South Carolina man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for shooting and killing his pregnant girlfriend at a medical clinic.Solicitor Chrissy Adams says James Baskerville was sentenced in Walhalla on Wednesday after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and causing the death of 29-year-old Karla Benson's fetus.Adams says Benson broke off a relationship with Baskerville in June 2009. The two had met at Oconee Memorial Hospital, where they had worked as custodians, and Baskerville thought he was the father of Benson's child.Authorities say Benson went to the clinic where Baskerville worked to get money from him. An hour later, the owner of the business found Benson bleeding from a gunshot to the head. Baskerville shot himself in the head and shoulder at the clinic.
Former SC mayor sentenced to 3 years in fraud case
28 Jul 2010 at 5:32pm
The former mayor of a South Carolina town has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for illegally getting Social Security benefits.U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles says former Latta Mayor Lenneau Berry was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Florence. Berry also was ordered to pay about $250,000 in restitution.Berry was convicted in March on 60 federal charges. Prosecutors say Berry collected nearly $250,000 in Social Security benefits by claiming he was disabled. Witnesses testified they saw Berry cutting tree limbs and operating machinery.Defense lawyer Jimmy Rogers argued Berry was innocent because his job as mayor was not gainful employment, but was more like being chairman of a club.Berry's wife was found not guilty of similar charges.
SC gov holds ceremonial marsh tacky bill signing
28 Jul 2010 at 5:12pm
The reliable marsh tacky is finally getting its due in South Carolina.Gov. Mark Sanford on Wednesday held a ceremonial bill signing designating tackies the official state heritage horse. The measure passed the Legislature earlier this year.Ancestors of the tackies were left by colonial Spanish explorers. They survived for centuries on the sea islands but their numbers dwindled to about 150 several years ago as breeders renewed efforts to save them.Tackies are suited for toiling in the heat and can take hunters into marshes that can't be reached by foot. They don't flinch easily and their hind ends slope downward, allowing tight turns in woods where other horses might have to back out.
Parkway proposed to complete SC's Interstate 526
28 Jul 2010 at 4:32pm
South Carolina transportation planners are proposing a lower-speed parkway to complete the last link of the Mark Clark Expressway around Charleston.The Transportation Department on Wednesday released a draft environmental impact statement on the project that will complete Interstate 526 running from Mount Pleasant to Charleston's James Island connector.The parkway will complete an 8-mile gap between the existing expressways.The proposal calls for a four-lane parkway with a median and speeds between 35 and 45 mph. The parkway would cost about $489 million.Mark Clark was the Allied general who liberated Rome during World War II and later served as president of The Citadel.
Lawyers for Rangel, ethics committee reach deal
29 Jul 2010 at 3:47pm
People familiar with the talks say representatives of New York Democrat Charles Rangel and lawyers for the House ethics committee have reached a plea deal in his ethics case. However, committee members have not agreed to the settlement.It was not immediately clear how many of the 13 charges of ethical violations Rangel agreed to accept.The ethics panel that will judge Rangel's conduct held its first meeting Thursday.Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the panel, said that Rangel had been given the opportunity to negotiate a settlement during the investigation phase.However, he said, that phase is now over and "we are now in the trial phase."
NC expert: Gulf oil unlikely to reach East Coast
29 Jul 2010 at 3:43pm
An expert on marine sciences and coastal circulation says it's unlikely oil from BP's massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico will reach the East Coast.Roy He of North Carolina State University said Thursday the chances are low in part because the well is capped for now. BP expects to permanently kill it soon.He also says large amounts of oil haven't been observed in the Loop Current, which could carry oil around Florida and into East Coast waters. He also points to the ongoing dilution and degradation of the oil.A National Center for Atmospheric Research model released at the beginning of June projected that parts of the oil spill could come up the East Coast during the summer.
Graham: No citizenship for illegal immigrants' offspring
29 Jul 2010 at 3:39pm
AP photo U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he favored repealing parts of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to help stem the tide of illegal immigration. Appearing on Fox News, Graham said children of illegal immigrants should not automatically...
Shaw/McEntire do not make first cut for new jet
29 Jul 2010 at 3:39pm
Shaw Air Force Base and McEntire Joint National Guard Base did not make the first cut to get the next generation fighter jet, the Air Force said today.But local military advocates say this does not mean the F-35 won't eventually land in the Midlands.The Air Force said it chose Hill Air Force Base in Utah and Burlington Air Guard Station in Vermont to send the first replacements for the F-16 fighter jet. The choices are pending completion of environmental reviews next year, an Air Force spokesman said.The F-35s should arrive at the first bases around 2013, military officials said.
4 killed in plane crash at Alaska military base
29 Jul 2010 at 3:17pm
The deadly crash of a military cargo plane on a training mission occurred just about a minute after it took off from a runway at an Alaska base, officials said Thursday.Three of the men killed in the Wednesday evening accident were in the Alaska Air National Guard, and the fourth was on active duty at Elmendorf, Air Force Col. Jack McMullen said Thursday.Their names have not been released pending notification of relatives."It's a sad day," McMullen said. "My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of those that have lost spouses, sons."The C-17 was part of the 3rd Wing, based at Elmendorf in Anchorage. The crash sent a fireball hundreds of feet into the air when it occurred about 6:14 p.m. during a training demonstration for a weekend air show, Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins said.
Rose announces job in private sector
29 Jul 2010 at 2:26pm
Seth Rose, who won the Democratic nomination for a seat on Richland County Council, has landed a new job.A prosecutor in the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Rose is required to change jobs because of laws against dual-office holding. He said Thursday he accepted a position with injury lawyers McGowan, Hood & Felder last week but will stay in the solicitor’s office through the end of the year.Rose said he’ll be trying civil lawsuits, but that the job will provide the freedom to attend council and community meetings.
Grizzly caught after MT mauling that killed MI man
29 Jul 2010 at 2:01pm
A mother grizzly and two of her three cubs have been captured after killing a Michigan man and injuring two other people during an overnight rampage through a campground near Yellowstone National Park.The sow, estimated to weigh 300 to 400 pounds, was lured into a trap fashioned from culvert pipe set over the dead victim's tent Wednesday evening. The bear tore down the tent again and was caught in the trap, said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman Ron Aasheim.By Thursday morning, two of the year-old bears had been caught and the third could be heard nearby, calling out to its mother.Montana wildlife officials on Thursday identified the man killed in the mauling as Kevin Kammer, 48, of Grand Rapids, Mich. The bear pulled Kammer out his tent and dragged him 25 feet to where his body was found, Aasheim said.The other victims, Deb Freele of London, Ontario, and an unidentified male, have been hospitalized in Cody, Wyo.
Amazon CEO hopes new Kindles stoke sales
29 Jul 2010 at 12:58pm
Scroll to bottom of story for an Amazon earnings graphicJeff Bezos isn't just confident you'll want a Kindle e-book reader. The CEO of Amazon.com is bracing for a future in which you'll also want ones for your kid heading to college, your spouse in a book club and perhaps even Grandpa.And despite increased competition from Apple Inc.'s flashy iPad and other e-readers, that future could be coming soon - as early as August, actually, when online retailer Amazon.com Inc. releases two new Kindle models.With both versions costing less than $200, and one not far above the $99 psychological tipping point for gadget-buying, Bezos expects people to buy multiple devices for their households. If he's right, the new Kindles could help cement the company's status as the reigning e-reader and e-book champ, even in the face of an ever-growing field of challengers.Sitting at the head of a conference-room table at Amazon's new headquarters on a late July afternoon, Bezos flips over a skinny, dark gray device. It's the upcoming Kindle, and he's excited to show it off.
Newman win in Columbia District 2 certified
29 Jul 2010 at 11:47am
The Columbia Municipal Election Commission certified the District 2 election results this morning, making Brian DeQuincey Newman’s Tuesday night victory official.The official results have Newman with 801 votes and Harold “Puff” Howard with 671 votes.Newman will fill the unexpired term of former City Councilman E.W. Cromartie, who was forced to resign in March after agreeing to plead guilty to federal tax evasion charges.Newman will be sworn in tonight at 6 at City Hall, 1737 Main St. He will be up for reelection in 2012.
Airport High changes some schedule pickup dates
29 Jul 2010 at 11:36am
Airport High School is changing the dates for freshman and sophomore schedule pickups, according to a news release.On Aug. 11, freshmen from Pine Ridge Middle will pick up schedules from 8:30-11 a.m., while those from Fulmer Middle will pick them up from 4-6:30 p.m. On Aug. 12, sophomores will pick up schedules from 8:30 a.m.-noon.The changes were made because of a computer issue.
Report trashes beaches
29 Jul 2010 at 10:40am
Read the NRDC's full report at the end of this story.South Carolina has the eighth cleanest beach water in the nation, but Horry County beach water is the dirtiest in the state, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council’s 20th annual “Testing the Water” report issued Wednesday.But Myrtle Beach City Manager Tom Leath called the report “bull.”“It’s so incomplete and misleading, it’s laughable,” he said. “They’ve been whacking on us for years. They never give us a good rating, no matter what we do.”
College hockey playoffs coming to Irmo
29 Jul 2010 at 10:34am
The 2011 American Collegiate Hockey Association south regional playoffs will take place in Irmo.The Columbia Regional Sports Council announced Thursday that it had won the bid for the games that will be held February 18-19 at Plex Indoor Sports & Ice on Broad Stone Road. The regional will consist of eight top collegiate hockey teams located in the southeastern United States as selected by regional rankings to compete for the ACHA national championship. It is a two-day event with four games played each day. A schedule of events along with the teams who will be competing will be announced at a later date.The ACHA began as a men's collegiate hockey league in 1991, and grew to a league of more than 150 teams in three men's divisions. The Women's Division 2 was added in 2006, and the ACHA currently has five divisions with over 375 teams from across the nation.
SC town proposes new tough immigration ordinance
29 Jul 2010 at 10:20am
In a small South Carolina town hundreds of miles from Arizona, another skirmish over illegal immigration is brewing.Summerville Councilman Walter Bailey has proposed an ordinance requiring most employers to check the immigration status of workers. It would also require those who rent homes or apartments in town to prove they are citizens or in the country legally.Bailey says the ordinance was sparked in part by the Obama administration's challenge to the new Arizona immigration law - much of which was blocked by a judge on Wednesday.Members of the Hispanic community in Summerville say that immigration is a federal, not local, issue.A town attorney is reviewing the ordinance before it goes before council.
Arrest made in beach kidnapping attempt
29 Jul 2010 at 9:37am
Police arrested a man Wednesday in the attempted kidnapping of a woman last week along Ocean Boulevard, but say they don't know if there is a link to last year's disappearance of a New York teen last seen in the same area.The arrest, though, has given the missing teen's family something to cling to.Timothy Shaun Taylor, 37, of McClellanville - a man with an extensive criminal record - surrendered to Myrtle Beach police Wednesday to face charges of attempted kidnapping and first-degree assault and battery, according to Capt. David Knipes.Taylor's bond hearing is set for 9 a.m. today at the Myrtle Beach Municipal Court.Police said this morning that 'there is nothing to show a direct connection to the Drexel case,' according to Capt. David Knipes, but that police ''will continue to explore all evidence and leads.''
Sammie the lost pony, 37 years old, found alive after 9 days
29 Jul 2010 at 8:09am
The scrawny brown pony meandered in front of Cathy Brissie as she drove to work early one morning.Slowing her pickup on the country road north of Shelby, she saw an animal definitely down on its luck.Not until she’d dialed 911 and made a few more calls did Brissie learn she’d just found Sammie, a 37-year-old toothless pony that had been missing for nine days and was feared dead. Searchers had been combing the woods and fields looking for a family pet known throughout the community. Animal lovers had traveled on foot and horseback, in vehicles and canoes, calling out the pony’s name, hoping it could survive the heat.
SC officials: YMCA followed rules before drowning
29 Jul 2010 at 8:01am
State officials say a South Carolina water park was in compliance with all rules when a 4-year-old girl drowned during a private party.Department of Health and Environmental Control spokesman Adam Myrick told The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg that DHEC inspection determined the Orangeburg YMCA met all the agency's requirements when the drowning happened last Saturday.Authorities say Ariana Robinson of Neeses was found underwater beneath a water slide during a private party. Her death has been ruled an accidental drowning.The YCMA has kept its pool and water park closed since the drowning out of respect for the family. The pool will reopen Thursday and water park will reopen Friday.
To be, or not to be: Philosophers meet in SC
29 Jul 2010 at 4:06am
Philosophers from around the world are gathering in South Carolina.More than 120 philosophers from around the globe meet Thursday at Coastal Carolina University in Conway for the annual conference of the American Association of Philosophy Teachers.Nils Rauhut, a Coastal philosophy professor who is the association's president, says the conference will focus on new developments in the teaching of philosophy.The conference continues through Monday.
SC coastal town considers conference center
29 Jul 2010 at 4:06am
It's been five years since tourism officials in Beaufort on the South Carolina coast first suggested the idea of building a large conference center.Now they are looking at nine potential sites and The Beaufort Gazette reports a Thursday meeting is being held to review them.Officials have proposed a 25,000- to 50,000-square-foot center. They say it could host Marine Corps reunions, weddings and high school graduations and other conferences.Officials say ideally the center would seat 1,000. The largest hotel in Beaufort now only has space to seat 250 although the area has about 1,300 rental rooms.
Drug charge guilty plea for man tied to sheriff
28 Jul 2010 at 11:27pm
A man who said he owed his success as a drug dealer to a former South Carolina sheriff has signed an agreement to plead guilty, according to documents filed Wednesday in federal court.Larry Williams, 51, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine.In May, Williams was rounded up with 11 other people, including then-Lee County Sheriff E.J. Melvin, and charged with conspiring to deal drugs in Lee County.In court several days later, an FBI agent detailed 17 phone calls between Melvin, Williams and other defendants, as well as unnamed people who dealt drugs or helped with the investigation.Some of the people referred to Melvin and Williams by the nicknames "Big Dog" and "Hawk."
Man sentenced to 30 years in SC clinic shooting
28 Jul 2010 at 5:52pm
A South Carolina man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for shooting and killing his pregnant girlfriend at a medical clinic.Solicitor Chrissy Adams says James Baskerville was sentenced in Walhalla on Wednesday after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and causing the death of 29-year-old Karla Benson's fetus.Adams says Benson broke off a relationship with Baskerville in June 2009. The two had met at Oconee Memorial Hospital, where they had worked as custodians, and Baskerville thought he was the father of Benson's child.Authorities say Benson went to the clinic where Baskerville worked to get money from him. An hour later, the owner of the business found Benson bleeding from a gunshot to the head. Baskerville shot himself in the head and shoulder at the clinic.
Former SC mayor sentenced to 3 years in fraud case
28 Jul 2010 at 5:32pm
The former mayor of a South Carolina town has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for illegally getting Social Security benefits.U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles says former Latta Mayor Lenneau Berry was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Florence. Berry also was ordered to pay about $250,000 in restitution.Berry was convicted in March on 60 federal charges. Prosecutors say Berry collected nearly $250,000 in Social Security benefits by claiming he was disabled. Witnesses testified they saw Berry cutting tree limbs and operating machinery.Defense lawyer Jimmy Rogers argued Berry was innocent because his job as mayor was not gainful employment, but was more like being chairman of a club.Berry's wife was found not guilty of similar charges.
SC gov holds ceremonial marsh tacky bill signing
28 Jul 2010 at 5:12pm
The reliable marsh tacky is finally getting its due in South Carolina.Gov. Mark Sanford on Wednesday held a ceremonial bill signing designating tackies the official state heritage horse. The measure passed the Legislature earlier this year.Ancestors of the tackies were left by colonial Spanish explorers. They survived for centuries on the sea islands but their numbers dwindled to about 150 several years ago as breeders renewed efforts to save them.Tackies are suited for toiling in the heat and can take hunters into marshes that can't be reached by foot. They don't flinch easily and their hind ends slope downward, allowing tight turns in woods where other horses might have to back out.
Parkway proposed to complete SC's Interstate 526
28 Jul 2010 at 4:32pm
South Carolina transportation planners are proposing a lower-speed parkway to complete the last link of the Mark Clark Expressway around Charleston.The Transportation Department on Wednesday released a draft environmental impact statement on the project that will complete Interstate 526 running from Mount Pleasant to Charleston's James Island connector.The parkway will complete an 8-mile gap between the existing expressways.The proposal calls for a four-lane parkway with a median and speeds between 35 and 45 mph. The parkway would cost about $489 million.Mark Clark was the Allied general who liberated Rome during World War II and later served as president of The Citadel.