TheState.com: Local News

Community Calendar for the Midlands, June 19

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:00 EDT

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TUESDAY

COMMUNITY SHRED DAY: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m. Tuesday at the Red Bank service center, 1835 S. Lake Drive, Lexington (near the intersection of South Lake Drive and Platt Springs Road). Sponsored by Shred360 and Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union, acceptable materials include office quality paper products, binders, notebooks, staples and paper clips. Items do not have to be separated. Limit five boxes or bags. (803) 463-7090; http://www.shred360.com

TOUCAN TUESDAYS AT RIVERBANKS ZOO AND GARDEN: Bring two cans of food for Harvest Hope Food Bank and get two tickets for the price of one. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, the zoo is located at 500 Wildlife Parkway. Regular ticket prices are $11.75; age 62 and older and military with ID, $10.75; ages 3-12, $9.25; age 2 and younger, free. (803) 779-8717; http://www.riverbanks.org

Accident likely caused Greenville couple’s deaths, police say

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:36 EDT

On a gentle January day earlier this year, Bill and Woo Thomason stood in the sanctuary of Christ Church to celebrate their marriage, the same place they had promised to love each other forever 50 years before.

They looked at each other that day just as they had all those years before, said Randy Armstrong, who was a bridesmaid at the wedding. It is a memory Armstrong will hold onto especially tightly now that her friends have died.

The Thomasons were found unconscious in the bedroom of their Greenville home on June 9. They were taken to an area medical center where Mr. Thomason, 76, died Saturday night and Mrs. Thomason, 71, died Monday night, Deputy Coroner Jeff Fowler said.

Autopsies showed they died of anoxic brain injury caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, Fowler said. Anoxic brain injury occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen. Carbon monoxide attaches to the hemoglobin in the blood, pushing out the oxygen.

Lt. Jason Rampey of the Greenville Police Department said officers were called around noon on June 9, a Sunday, after friends became worried that the Thomasons were not at church and had not met them for lunch.

Bolton: Dedication of BTW auditorium sparks revival

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:10 EDT

THE DEDICATION of the renovated Booker T. Washington High School auditorium last week quickly transformed into a revival, as one person after another thanked God for preserving the last remaining building of the storied institution that educated thousands of black students during segregation.

I wasn’t surprised. The connection between the school, its students and area families and residents was as much spiritual as it was educational. Booker T. Washington wasn’t simply a school; it was a sanctuary; it educated the whole child, preparing students to thrive despite the discrimination and hatred that confronted them daily.

Students faced extreme restrictions in downtown Columbia and were barred from USC’s campus, but at the school just blocks to the south of the city’s segregated restaurants and hotels, their teachers preached to them that there were no mountains they couldn’t climb and that no system — not even the South’s system of legal discrimination — could hold them back.

Well-trained, highly qualified black teachers — many of whom possessed advanced degrees — dedicated themselves to educating and equipping students with the knowledge, self-esteem and desire to succeed. Every student was expected and challenged to learn. No excuses.

After having had their alma mater shuttered rather abruptly in 1974 and seeing building after building demolished over the years, all graduates and supporters had to lean on were their memories and, above all, their faith.

Boeing announces new jet but not where it’ll be built

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:55 EDT

At the Paris Air Show on Tuesday, as expected, Boeing Co. launched the final and largest member of its Dreamliner jet family, the 787-10.

The jet officially entered the market with 102 orders from blue-ribbon customers United Airlines; British Airways; Singapore Airlines; GE Capital Aviation Services, the airplane leasing unit of General Electric Co.; and Air Lease Corp., the lessor run by longtime industry market-maker Steve Udvar-Hazy.

Udvar-Hazy ordered 30, as did Singapore. British ordered 12. GECAS ordered 10. United ordered 20, of which ten were conversions of previous orders for smaller versions of the 787. First delivery is scheduled for 2018.

In a briefing ahead of the launch, a top executive said Boeing hasn’t decided where the jet will be built.

“When we’re ready to announce it, we’ll announce it,” said Scott Fancher, Boeing vice president of airplane development.

Heathwood campers immerse themselves in the great outdoors

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:13 EDT

First days at summer camp can be challenging. Just ask Morgan Schmidt.

The 7-year-old struggled to get the hang of paddling at a whitewater kayaking camp.

“I was running into a lot of stuff,” Morgan said.

But on the second day, she paddled alongside 11 other children in bright orange, yellow, red and blue canoes on the pond at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School.

The campers played games on water more often seen on playgrounds. Instead of running, they paddled to tag each other, dodge balls and follow along with what “Simon says.”

Miss SC USA says she ‘didn’t hear the question’ + video

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:46 EDT

‘Busted Plug’ sculpture to get new home in Finlay Park

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:57 EDT

A splash pad for children that would feature a well-known fire hydrant sculpture likely will be built in a low-lying corner of Finlay Park, Columbia City Council decided Tuesday.

Council voted 4-1 to accept the consultant's recommendation to build the interactive water feature near the corner of Taylor and Gadsden streets. Councilman Moe Baddourah voted no. Tameika Isaac Devine and Leona Plaugh were absent.

But council did not vote yet on whether to build a consultant's version of the water feature that would become a “destination” site. Glenn Clonts of W.P. Law Inc. presented a design to council replete with a landscaped, tiered plaza and meandering walkways that would connect the splash pad to the city's fledgling greenway as well as to other parts of the downtown park.

Council also endorsed a recommendation to connect the “Busted Plug” splash pad to the nearby pond already in the park. It would be cheaper, would eliminate the need for review by the state and would be safer for children to not build a separate, recirculating system for the pad, Clonts said.

Council previously set a $450,000 cap on the project. But that was before W.P. Law's fountain division presented its plan. Council authorized city manager Teresa Wilson to negotiate a final plan.

Lexington Walmart evacuated

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:16 EDT

The Walmart in Lexington has been evacuated after a chemical spill at the store Tuesday afternoon, according to the Lexington Police Department.

Lexington County Fire Services and EMS have been called on scene to identify the chemical spilled. Crews were called on scene when chemicals were discovered leaking from a trailer parked behind the store.

Lexington Police are advising people to avoid the area if possible.

Broad River bridge to close briefly Wednesday evening

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:42 EDT

A major route in and out of Columbia will close to traffic for up to 15 minutes Wednesday evening.

Traffic on U.S. 176, also called River Drive and Broad River Road, will be prevented from going over the Broad River Bridge in both directions on Wednesday from about 6:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

City officials said in a Tuesday press release that Lane Construction Co. will be doing “demolition activities” on the bridge at that time. The release did not give any reason for the demolition.

Cooking fire breaks out at Columbia Fire station

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:25 EDT

A Columbia fire station sustained about $20,000 in damages after a firefighter left a pot on a stove Monday afternoon.

The fire broke out in the kitchen of Fire Station No. 1, on Laurel Street, about 6:30 p.m., shortly after crews from the station responded to separate incidents. The station’s sprinklers contained the fire to the area around the stove and a cabinet above until firefihters returned to douse the flames.

Most of the damages to the station can be attributed to water from the sprinklers, according to the fire department. Columbia Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins said the fire only underscores how important it is to not leave cooking food unattended.

“This is an example of how cooking fires can occur anywhere and to anyone, that's why it is so important to never leave cooking food unattended," he said.

Scoppe: What Rainey v. Haley tells us about ethics reform

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:23 EDT

GOV. NIKKI Haley’s supporters see the Supreme Court’s unanimous rejection of the lawsuit by onetime GOP gubernatorial kingmaker John Rainey as vindication of her excellency’s ethics, which of course it wasn’t, since the court was not considering the merits of the case.

But while her critics correctly contend that it was a technicality that finally freed the governor of legal challenges, I have no doubt that she ultimately would have won on the merits had the technicality not gotten in the way.

And that victory would have nothing to do with the governor’s ethics and everything to do with our state’s subpar ethics law.

The court refused to reverse a lower court’s decision throwing out the case because, in the minds of three justices, it has no business ever hearing ethics cases involving legislators. And the ruling included a bizarre and perhaps troubling message that the justices went out of their way to send to legislators about the constitutional implications of their efforts to overhaul that law.

But I’m still trying to figure out precisely what the justices meant by gratuitously invoking the constitution — and doing so in a way that appeared to be internally inconsistent — so for today, let’s just talk about the obvious policy implications.

Community Calendar for the Midlands, June 18

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:35 EDT

TUESDAY

CLEMSON SANDHILL REC FARMERS MARKET: 2-7 pm. Tuesdays until Thanksgiving at 900 Clemson Road (across from the Village at Sandhill). A variety of fresh fruits, produce, baked goods, seafood, meats, crafts, plants and various natural products are available from local farmers and entrepreneurs. This year the market is also a collection point for Harvest Hope Food Bank. http://www.clemson.edu/sandhill/programs/market

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING: 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 3200 Trenholm Road. Good exercise and fun. (803) 345-0158 or email billmac85@yahoo.com

After public hearings, DHEC sticks with its suggestion on food stamp restrictions

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:37 EDT

After hearing all the pros and cons during several months of public input, the state health department has recommended that South Carolina apply for a waiver to ban the use of food stamps for sugary drinks, candy, cookies and cakes.

The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control stated its position in a letter sent Monday from director Catherine Templeton to Lillian Koller, director of the state Department of Social Services. Koller’s department administers the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, and will determine the content of a waiver request.

Koller said the DHEC recommendation is one piece of input in the decision. Her agency also will consider other informed viewpoints and the mood for change at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which controls the program.

“We’re looking at options and we’re preparing to make a request that will improve the health of South Carolinians,” Koller said. “But it’s premature to talk about what the options are.”

In recent years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has received three food stamp waiver requests – from Minnesota, Mississippi and New York City. Minnesota asked for a full waiver on candy and soft drinks, and New York City sought a demonstration project banning soft drinks. The feds turned down their requests as too broad and unworkable. Mississippi withdrew its request before the feds could rule on it.

Columbia about to charge more to have fun in city parks

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:41 EDT

People who use Columbia’s city parks would be paying more to rest or recreate starting this summer.

On Tuesday, City Council is set to give final approval to rate increases that take effect July 1 and will affect everything from team sports to organizations that rent city facilities.

Parks officials say the overall increase is “modest,” but they have not conducted a detailed calculation because the hikes hit disproportionally in different parks and for different uses.

Despite the increases, Columbia will continue to generate far less money for recreation than it spends to provide the service, said David Brandes, a city consultant hired to help Columbia draft a 10-year master recreation plan.

“In some communities, they look at recreation as a revenue generator that ... gets closer to 50 percent (of operating cost),” Brandes said. “In Columbia, we’ve always looked at it as an entitlement ... something you get from your (property) taxes.”

Six ways next year’s Richland County budget affects you

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:38 EDT

Modest property tax and fee increases are in the works as Richland County Council prepares to wrap up budget discussions Wednesday.

Here are a half-dozen things in the works affecting community life:

Hidden fees: A 2 percent increase in the cost of doing business with Richland County – through fees charged to everyone from developers to bridegrooms – will bring in an extra $1 million a year. Calling an ambulance? That’s $561, an increase of about $11. Getting married? You’ll pay an extra buck, to $41. From here on out, fees will be adjusted a little each year by the rate of inflation.

Technology on wheels: Ninety digital cameras and 50 laptops will be installed in sheriff’s deputies’ cars as part of a $722,000 expenditure to improve technology over the next three years. Believe it or not, the department’s still using VHS machines. “The technology’s older than the deputies,” said Chief Deputy Steve Birnie.

Voting costs: The council singled out the county elections office for a hold-the-line budget of $1.2 million, the same amount it got this year. That cut voting machines and related equipment, though new director Howard Jackson (who starts work Monday) could make a pitch for more machines later on.

S.C. State House reopens after evacuation due to smoke

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:31 EDT

The S.C. State House was temporarily evacuated Monday morning after a fire alarm went off.

Shortly after 10 a.m., the State House was open again.

The fire alarm was set off at 8:55 a.m. from smoke coming from the escalator, said Sherri Iacobelli, spokesperson with the S.C. Department of Public Safety.

About 20 people were evacuated.