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Eve Carson was shot four other times, according to the report from the Office of the State Medical Examiner that simply lists her cause of death as "multiple gunshot wounds." The 22-year-old from Athens, Ga., was found March 5 lying on a street not far from the university's campus.

Prosecutors have charged two Durham men - Laurence Lovette, 17, and Demario Atwater, 22 - with first-degree murder in her death. Lovette and another man are also charged with the January murder of Duke University graduate student Abhijit Mahato.

The report on Carson's death was unsealed and made public Monday, weeks after its completion. Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall had requested it remain shielded from public review so that investigators could complete their work on the case.

The report said Carson was shot five times, including once in the right cheek by a "full metal jacketed bullet" and in the right shoulder by a similar bullet that penetrated her right lung and traveled into her small intestine. She was also shot in the right upper arm and in the right buttock.

Information this morning from the Richland County Sheriff's Department indicates David Horne was captured in Kershaw County and is being treated at Palmetto Health Richland hospital for self-inflicted injuries.

Richland County authorities believe Horne is responsible for the June 19 robbery at First Palmetto Savings Bank on Two Notch Road.

A Crimestoppers tip helped investigators to identify a suspect and obtain an arrest warrant for armed robbery and entering a bank with the intent to steal.

Reports indicate a man believed to be Horne entered the bank and presented a note to the teller and demanded money. After receiving money from the teller, the man fled on foot.

The Republican presidential candidate, who is actively courting religious voters and trying to reassure skeptical conservatives, visited privately with the Grahams on the grounds of Little Piney Cove in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina.

"We had a very excellent conversation. I appreciated the opportunity to visit with them," McCain said after the 45-minute meeting.

McCain's visit to North Carolina was his first sit-down with Billy Graham, 89, and with Franklin Graham, although McCain and the elder Graham are acquainted. McCain's father and Billy Graham also knew each other.

The world-renowned evangelist is in poor health but apparently felt well enough to visit with McCain, who flew to North Carolina with the expectation of meeting only with Franklin Graham, who is president and chief executive of the evangelistic association his father founded in 1950.

Detectives still don't know whether the Hilton Head Island couple is alive or dead, where they might be if — miraculously — they are alive, and what led to their disappearance on March 3 after a business meeting with Dennis Gerwing, the only "person of interest" in the case.

Among those who knew the couple, there is a growing sense of frustration over the unknowns still surrounding the case.

Police last week gave the first hints that those unknowns are likely to linger; that the entire story may never be known — or will, at best, be some time in coming.

The twists and turns of the case have made it difficult to follow, but the main stumbling block was that Gerwing killed himself before he could be questioned in-depth.

Randy Adkins Jr., 46, and his wife Kimberly Adkins, 44, were last seen by friends at about 5 p.m. Saturday, Lt. Robert McCullough of the state Department of Natural Resources said this morning.

Their boat was found adrift about 6:45 p.m. prompting the search.

Authorities are unsure what might have happened between the time they were last seen and when the boat was found.

"We really need to know if anybody saw anything," McCullough said.

Police say 17-year-old Asia LeeShawn Ferguson IV of Columbia, S.C., died when he was hit by the Batman roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia on Saturday. The park closed the ride over the weekend out of respect for the family.

Cobb County Police Sgt. Dana Pierce says an autopsy will be conducted Monday. Police are still investigating why Ferguson was in the restricted area.

"Once you're blind, you have to set new goals," Castro said.

He set them higher.

Not content with just staying in the Army, he is the only blind officer serving in the Special Forces - the small, elite units famed for dropping behind enemy lines on combat missions.

"I am going to push the limits," said the 40-year-old executive officer at the 7th Special Forces Group's headquarters company in Fort Bragg. "I don't want to go to Fort Bragg and show up and sit in an office. I want to work every day and have a mission."

Currently one lane is closed outbound from Franklin to Confederate and inbound from north of Anthony Street south to River Drive.

The closings are from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

-- From staff reports

Lt. Cmdr. Eric King says the Coast Guard got a call about 8 p.m. Saturday about a stranded sailboat near the south jetties at the harbor.

King says a small boat was launched and when it arrived, the crew determined they couldn't get to the stranded boat because of shallow water. A helicopter then hoisted the men to safety.

Fifty-four-year-old Peter Hyers and his 22-year-old son Christopher were pulled to safety. Both men are from Hilton Head Island.

Berkeley County Council voted earlier this month to cut nearly $400,000 in the park's budget. Officials say the park has been losing money.

Veterinarian Sam Seashole says it's not as easy to find homes for the crocodiles at the county-owned park since they're not cute and fuzzy.

Officials plan to ship the animals to various locations around the Southeast.

Seashole and the park staff has worked for eight years on the park's Crocodile Isle and reptile house exhibits.

Take me to the weather forecast and radar

LEGEND:

• : Collision or other hazard without injuries
• : Collision with injuries
• : Disabled vehicle
• : Road/lane closure

Click markers in the map for more details, including the exact location and time of incident.

The state Drought Response Committee meets Monday morning to decide if the drought status should be upgraded.

Currently the committee has 12 northern counties in a severe drought. Upgrading the drought to the highest category of extreme could lead to water restrictions.

Fourteen counties in the western part of the state are in a moderate drought, while the rest of South Carolina is in an incipient drought, the least severe category.

The National Weather Service says parts of the Upstate are as much as 20 inches below normal rainfall in the past 12 months, marking the driest period in more than 60 years.

But the downtown Atlanta campus is shedding its sleepy commuter school image thanks to plush new dorms, gleaming classroom buildings, Greek life and, yes, even football.

Georgia State and other former night schools across the country are transforming into more traditional college campuses to boost enrollment and gain prestige. And each is creating a thriving community that spills over into surrounding neighborhoods, drawing restaurants and retail into once empty streets.

"Students say it makes it a 'real university,'" Georgia State President Carl Patton said while sitting in the campus' airy student center. "What they mean is, 'You have sports, you have an honors program, you have fraternities and sororities, you have freshman housing, you have places to eat on campus and you have a theater to go to.'"

The change is putting universities once thought to be only for working adults on the radar of newly minted high school graduates looking for the college experience in a big city. With brand new dorms and long lists of student activities, the campuses are able to draw from a much broader pool of students who come from across the globe.

SPRINGFIELD — The skies darkened and thundered, and raindrops fell on a pained Asia Ferguson as he gazed toward the cemetery where he buried his father in April and soon will inter his teenage son.

Asia LeeShawn Ferguson IV, 17, died Saturday in a freak amusement park accident in Atlanta when he was struck by a roller coaster he was not riding and was decapitated.

Authorities said the rising senior at Columbia’s Keenan High School was taking a shortcut back into Six Flags Over Georgia after leaving for lunch with other children during a church outing.

Cobb County and park officials said Ferguson and another young man, later identified as the teen’s cousin, at about 2 p.m. scaled two fences where signs warned of a danger zone at Batman the Ride roller coaster.

“He’s been Little Blowie for two years,” said Stacia Rucker, Whit’s mother.

“He just started in the stands, dancing. Then, we made a costume one day.”

Whit quickly found himself on the field, Blowie’s unofficial sidekick, concluding each night by dancing to “Jump On It” in the seventh inning.

The dance often is tiring, with the pair collapsing afterward in Bullpen Alley.

Date of birth: Feb. 2, 1953

Description: Slater is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds

Wanted by: S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services

Charges: Violating parole

With the start of the state’s July 1 fiscal year, the nuclear waste disposal facility in Barnwell County will no longer accept waste from across the country, as it has for nearly four decades.

The Barnwell facility was the only one of its kind. Its closure leaves many states scrambling to determine how they will dispose of their low-level radioactive waste. It also leaves Barnwell scrambling to make its financial ends meet, while some residents hope — against hope — that high energy prices could revive nuclear energy and the waste facility here.

The terms of a deal struck in 2000 — and vigorously fought by political leaders in Barnwell ever since — will restrict use of the facility to South Carolina, New Jersey and Connecticut after Tuesday.

Environmentalists hail the agreement, saying it strikes a blow against the state’s reputation as the nation’s nuclear dumping ground. But political leaders in the county, happy to have the jobs and revenue generated by the facility, think it’s a cruel blow, delivered to a county that takes pride in its ability to safely handle nuclear waste.

Venus Holland will rise to the helm of Lexington 2. Linda Hawkins will take over in Lexington 4. And in Lexington 1, Karen Woodward has been the superintendent since 2000.

In a state where female leadership in top public positions is lacking, about 30 percent of school districts statewide have women in the lead — more than the national average.

More and more women are also seeking degrees in education administration, which puts them on track to become superintendents and principals.

“I think that people are realizing that gender is not the issue, that competence is the issue,” said Woodward, a superintendent for more than 20 years. “And that neither gender has a lock on that, so it’s about getting the job done.”

What is Camden City Council proposing?

The plan would ban smoking within city limits in all public buildings — from bars and restaurants to retail stores and city buildings.

Camden’s proposed ordinance is identical to the city of Greenville’s, except the Camden proposal does not prohibit smoking at outdoor facilities unless business owners request it, said Camden City Councilman Walter Long.

Why are City Council members considering a ban?

Now, 20 years later, she leaves at the end of another council revolution — this time with a flood of young professionals swept into office while beating the drum of basic services and police protection.

But City Council observers don’t expect much to change in District 3 as the former Shandon Neighborhood Council president leaves office today to make way for another neighborhood activist, Belinda Gergel.

Gergel will be sworn in at 4 p.m. today as the first new District 3 council member in 20 years. She replaces Sinclair, whose improbable election in 1988 propelled her into the thick of some of the city’s most defining moments.

For many of those moments, Sinclair was out on her own, one of the few dissenting votes on a council that prided itself in making unanimous decisions.

On a small, still pond, each bloom on the water lilies is a work of art. And no set designer could improve on the lighting. Tread softly along a mossy path and you come to a clearing where you half expect to find fairies dancing in the dappled sunlight.

The surprise is that this idyllic spot is only yards from heavily trafficked streets, a high school and post office, car dealerships and banks — right here in Wilmington, steps away from Oleander Drive.

This is the “secret garden” belonging to well-known local portrait artist Kenny Barnes and his wife, Elizabeth, and it was designed to be an outdoor studio.

When the couple, who have been married for 23 years, purchased the home 17 years ago, it was in disrepair and with no garden to speak of. Over the years they have restored and improved the historic inside and gradually renovated the garden.

GOVERNMENT

• All federal offices will be closed Friday.

• Fort Jackson offices will be closed Friday. Some offices will be closed for a training holiday July 7.

• All state government offices will be closed Friday.

Position: Superintendent of Lexington 1, since 2000

Age: 64

Education: University of Georgia, doctorate in education, 1976; University of Georgia, master’s in education, 1969; University of South Carolina, bachelor of arts in education, 1964

Experience (partial listing): Superintendent, Anderson School District 5, 12 years; superintendent, Union County School District, four years

GOVERNMENT

Blythewood Town Council: 7 p.m. today at the Community Center, 311 Blythewood Road. Final approval of the 2008-2009 budget.

Richland County Council: 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Richland County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton St., Columbia.

AROUND TOWN

Palmetto Conservation is proud to announce the first film festival, Oct. 9-12, that will celebrate the outdoors through cinema, as well as incorporate teaching skills to enhance enjoyment of the natural world.

The festival’s highlight? A film contest featuring the outdoors.

Five winning films will be screened at Columbia’s Nickelodeon Theatre, 937 Main St., on Oct. 11.

This is a great time for filmmakers to get to work!

Don’t expect that bag to get a free ride for long.

Checked bags are now a moneymaker for US Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines, and officials say they’re going to keep a closer watch on how much you take on board as they begin their new baggage fees.

“We’re planning on having extra staff where possible, especially at peak times at busy airports,” US Airways spokesman Morgan Durrant said.

The airlines point out that the carry-on policy came from the Federal Aviation Administration, not the industry, and they have an obligation to keep people from sneaking bulky bags onto planes to avoid fees. Not only is it unfair to the honest, fee-paying traveler, they say, but it would also overload the overhead bins and force gate crews to delay takeoffs while they checked excess bags.

Another chapter has been added to the Lohan family saga — and this time, it may be another Lohan.

Michael Lohan, father of actress Lindsay, talked Friday night with reporters at a news conference concerning a woman’s recent claim that she had a daughter by him 13 years ago. Lohan was joined by his girlfriend, Erin Muller, at the event, which also served as a launch party for the online comedy series Wanna beme.tv, which co-stars Michael Lohan.

“If I wasn’t Lindsay’s dad or Michael Lohan, this wouldn’t be getting any attention,” he said.

Lohan said he once had a relationship with a woman named Kristi Horn and that he hadn’t seen her in 12 years. He said the two were seeing each other while he was separated from Dina Lohan, and the woman was going through a divorce. Lohan said he learned of the claim after receiving letters from the woman and photos of the girl purported to be his daughter when he was incarcerated for two years for a serious accident while he was under the influence.

China’s fireworks industry provides 98 percent of America’s overall needs, and 80 percent of the pyrotechnics needed for professional displays. But the U.S. fireworks business stands to lose $25 million to $30 million this year because of lost orders, says Julie Heckman, executive director for the American Pyrotechnics Association.

A Missouri firm says it backed out of some shows because of the shortage. Meanwhile, some Chinese factories are being pushed close to bankruptcy.

“Our factory will be forced to close, whether we want it or not,” said Chen Tiezhong at his sprawling 500-employee operation in Liuyang in central Hunan province.

His factory is one of 900 around this small city that is known as China’s fireworks capital. A traffic circle features a massive metal sculpture of rockets soaring and bursting into flower-like shapes. The Chinese word for fireworks is “yanhua” or “smoke flowers.”

1859: French acrobat Blondin (born Jean Francois Gravelet) walked a tightrope above the gorge of Niagara Falls as thousands of spectators watched.

1906: President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.

1921: President Harding nominated former President Taft to be chief justice of the United States, to succeed the late Edward Douglass White.

1934: Adolf Hitler carried out his "blood purge" of political and military rivals in Germany in what came to be known as "The Night of the Long Knives."

1. "WALL-E," $62.5 million

2. "Wanted," $51.1 million

3. "Get Smart," $20 million

4. "Kung Fu Panda," $11.7 million

On this morning in the middle of May, the man who heads Ford Motor Co.’s Americas operations has seen enough.

The line on a chart showing subcompact car sales for the first two weeks of the month goes almost straight up. The one for pickup trucks, Ford’s biggest profit center, runs almost straight down.

High gasoline prices and the economic downturn are changing the market far faster than anyone anticipated. Without action, Ford would be making too many trucks and not enough cars, a recipe for a balance sheet peppered with parentheses.

“This is going on 10 weeks where we’re seeing this not get any better,” Fields recalled in a recent interview. “So we’d better act, and we’d better act now.”

Born August 18, 1942, at Mohawk, in McDowell County, West Virginia, to the late Pastor Nelson and Effie Frances Cline Lester.

Ott took his Glory Land flight Sunday Morning, June 29, 2008 from his earthly house at 163 Rikard Rd. Ott was a retired Enviromental Supervisor at Lexington Medical Center. Ott was an integral part, faithful member, dedicated Deacon and Minister of Announcements of Providence Baptist Church. He was a loving husband, father, grandpa, brother, uncle, and a dear friend to all.

Ott is survived by his faithful wife and companion of 33 years Freda (Hicks) Lester; children, Deborah (Debbie) Lester, Chicago, IL, Magdelina (David) Young of Naples, FL, Rosalie Lester, of Lexington, Jennifer (Gary) Thomas of Leesville, Kimberly ( Robert) Cureton of Lexington; a godson, James (Lisa) Snipes of West Columbia; brothers, Rev. Arland (Carolyn) Lester of Belleville, IL, Pastor Orville (Delma) Lester of Okawville, IL, Twin brother Dott (Dolly) Lester of Smithfield, PA, Hassel (Wanda) Lester of Rural Hall, NC, Phillip (Peggy) Lester, King, NC, and Claude (Deanna) Lester of Rural Hall, NC; sisters, Velma Grubb of King, NC, Edna (Lowell) Like of Booneville, IN, Ovella (William) Jennings of Coalwood, WV, Clarice (Curtis) Hagerman of Batesburg, Della (Alan) Vinson of Louisville, KY; grandchildren, Tyler Harris and Anna Grace Thomas of Leesville, Jayda Gary of Lexington, Nicole Ortiz of Orlando, FL; a great-grandchild, Yazmine Ben-Ortiz of Orlando, FL.

Ott leaves many nieces and nephews along with real friends, co-workers and superiors, and neighbors to mourn his departure.

Graveside Services will be private with interment in Gaston Memorial Park.

Memorial Services at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 01, 2008, New Hope Baptist Church.

Visitation from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday, June 30, 2008, Covenant Village and 1:00-2:00 p.m. prior to the service at the church.

Gene was a member of New Hope Baptist Church since 1962 and served in many capacities including Deacon, Treasurer, Building and Finance and other committees. He also worked on building expansion, was a former member of Gastonia East Rotary, the Optomist Club and the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute. He was a graduate of the University of South Carolina in 1950. During War World II, he served on the USS J William Ditter battleship. In 1991, Eugene retired after 41 years of service with Owen Steel Company

Mrs. Gardner, widow of Rev. John B. Gardner, passed away Saturday, June 28, 2008. Born in Winnsboro, she was the daughter of the late Willie James Hopkins and Mamie Sutton Hopkins. Mrs. Gardner had been an area resident since 1955, formerly of Bishopville. She was a member and co-founder of Faith Baptist Church, a Sunday School Teacher for many years, and led the children’s choir. She was a devout Christian, a loving wife and mother. She will be dearly missed by her family, church family and friends.

Surviving are her sons and daughters-in-law, Rev. Douglas M. Self and his wife, Jean of West Columbia, Charles R. Self and his wife, Linda of Bishopville, John M. Gardner of Scottsdale, AZ, Robert W. Gardner of Columbia; grandchildren, Amanda D. Self, Marlena D. Guessford, Martha T. Phillips, Matthew D. Self, Ashley Gardner, and Brent Combs; four great-grandchildren; brother, James Hopkins of Bishopville. Mrs. Gardner was preceded in death by four brothers, Clinnie Hopkins, Harrison Hopkins, Homer Hopkins, Harold Hopkins, and two sisters, Louise Beasley and Lottie Bell McGee.

www.thompsonsfuneral.com

«Obituary posted: June 30, 2008»

Born December 9, 1910 in Lexington County, SC, she was the daughter of the late G. Olin and Magdalene Hallman Smith and was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years G. Gerald Adams. She attended Converse College and was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church in Spartanburg, a long-time member of the choir and a founding member of the Bethelship Sunday School class.

Survivors are her son and daughter-in-law, Jerry and Shirley Adams of the home; grandchildren Web Adams and Rebecca Adams Branstetter, two great-grandchildren, John and David, along with an extended family that includes five stepgrandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 3 to 3:45 Tuesday, July 1, 2008, at Floyd’s Greenlawn Chapel in Spartanburg. Funeral services will follow at 4:00 in the chapel, conducted by the Rev. Kent Branstetter. Burial will be in the Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethel United Methodist Church, 245 S. Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306 or to the Due West Retirement Center, P.O. Box 307, Due West, SC 29639.

Born October 7, 1936, in Evanston, Illinois, he was the son of Walter W. Ross Jr. and Margaret Ballenger Ross. Earlier in his career he taught in private secondary schools in New York, Louisville, and Columbia; later he did research for a Columbia publishing house.

Wally is survived by his wife, Jean W. Ross, of Columbia; a daughter, Chatarina Ross Etoll of Atlanta; a granddaughter, Chatarina Quinn Etoll; a stepdaughter, Donna Costelle, of Simpsonville, Kentucky; two brothers, Robert Roloson of Telluride, Colorado, and Tubac, Arizona; and Lawrence Chaffee Ross of Lake Forest, Illinois; and nephews Will, John, and Mac Ross.

Wally especially enjoyed the outdoors, traveling, and reading widely across a range of subjects, genres, and periods. His other interests included history, family genealogy, birding, and racquetball.

Private memorial gatherings will be held in Lake Forest, Illinois, and Columbia. If you wish to make a donation in his memory, please do so to the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC 28782) or the North Carolina Arboretum (100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC 28806).

He was a native of Montgomery, Alabama, and a U.S. Navy veteran. He was a Sears store manager for several years before transferring to Allstate Insurance Company and retired after 30 years of service. He was a member of Chicora Lodge #336 A.F.M., American Legion James Island Post 147, and a life member of the Elks Club #242.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Charles Perkins, Sr. and a sister, Pat Staley.

He is survived by his wife, Fran Wilson Perkins, his mother, Esther Tye Perkins of Columbia, SC, and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be at a later date in Folly Beach, SC. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the American Legion, James Island Post 147, James Island, SC 29412.

Mrs. Douglas died Saturday, June 28, 2008. Daughter of the late Hardin and Dora Edgemon, she was born April 21, 1921, in Sweetwater, TN. She attended Tusculum College and Tennessee Polytechnic Institute. She was a teacher in Sweetwater and was employed by Carbide & Carbon Chemicals in Oak Ridge, TN, before coming to Winnsboro in 1946.

She and her husband, the late David E. Douglas, owned and operated a general merchandise store in the Shady Grove Community on Highway 34 West for 39 years. She was a member of Lebanon Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Douglas is survived by a sister-in-law, Isabel Douglas Brown, and many nieces and nephews.

Pope Funeral Home is serving the Douglas family.

The family invites friends to attend his funeral service at 2:00 o’clock, Monday, June 30 at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, 1520 Rifle Range Rd., Mt. Pleasant. Interment will follow in Mt. Pleasant Memorial Gardens. The visitation is Sunday (today) from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Jay was born July 3, 1961, in Charleston son of Jennings O. “Beau” Wise and Mimi Moore Wise of the Isle of Palms. He graduated in 1984 from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Biology and was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity. He was previously a soil consultant with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and later was a real estate investor in the Charleston area. Jay was a compassionate person with a love for animals, music, the beach and the mountains. His hobbies included cars and home remodeling. He enjoyed life and loved his family and friends.

In addition to his mother and father, he is survived by his brother, Vernon Andrew “Andy” Wise and his wife Stacy of Columbia, SC, two nieces, Halley E. Wise and Emily T. Wise and nephew Andrew Jennings Wise. Also surviving is his very close friend, Leigh Ford of Mt. Pleasant as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. He will be sorely missed by all.

«Obituary posted: June 30, 2008»

Mrs. Todd, wife of the late Oscar D. Todd, died Tuesday, June 24, 2008. Born June 10, 1925, in Little River, S.C., she was a daughter of the late Lide V. and Frances Ella James Cook. Mrs. Todd graduated from Loris High School and spent most of her early years of marriage as a homemaker and mother to her four children. She retired as a dental assistant to Dr. George Lippard of Columbia.

Surviving are her son, Jerry E. Todd and his wife, Sheryl, daughter, Gail T. Elfert and her husband, Charles, all of Columbia; daughter, Frieda C. Todd of Winston Salem, N.C.; two sisters, Geneva Smith of Loris and Pecolia Gaskins of Tabor City, N.C.; her grandchildren and their spouses, Chuck and Jenny Elfert of Charlotte, N.C., Todd and Erin Elfert of Columbia, Chandler and Sara Todd of Greenwood, Amanda and Anthony Maldonado of Elgin, and Taylor Hinson of Lexington; two great-grandsons, Eric Maldonado and Noah Todd; and was awaiting the arrival of two great-granddaughters in a few months. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews who loved “Aunt Emily” dearly. She was predeceased by her daughter, Marla T. Hinson; two brothers; and a sister.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Agape Senior Community and Agape Hospice for the loving care given our mother and father during the five years they both lived in various units of care at the Agape facilities in West Columbia. A very special thank you is extended to Nancy Spires, the Agape Hospice caregiver who lovingly cared for both parents during their final months.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of mother’s love for children, memorials may be made to Epworth Children’s Home, 2900 Millwood Ave., Columbia, S.C. 29205 or to Single Hope Ministries, c/o Teresa Layton, P.O. Box 1846, Irmo, SC 29063.

He was the son of the late Caroline Brennen Whitmire and Joseph Petty Whitmire. Born in Atlanta, he graduated from Columbia High School and the University of South Carolina. Following graduation, Mr. Whitmire entered the U.S. Air Force as an officer fulfilling tours of duty at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, S.C., OSI School in Washington, D.C., and Japan. After the military service, he joined the Air National Guard and was recalled to active duty during the Berlin crisis of the early 1960s. Upon completion of active duty, he worked for Southern Scales and Refrigeration Co. In 1972, he opened Powell B. Whitmire & Associates as a commercial kitchen consultant which continues in business under the name of Whitmire-Ballington Associates, LLC.

He will be remembered most for his cheerful personality and his love of people. He loved the Lord, his family, Lake Wateree and most especially, boating and fishing with his children and then six grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 17 and a half years, Ann G. Whitmire; daughters Bettie Hart (Ree); Cathy Yawn (David); Caroline Whitmire; grandchildren Bo and Cam Hart, Lawrence and Connor Yawn, Leslie and Kirby Leitner Jr; stepchildren Jean Leitner (Kirby) and Tom Kinard; brother Edward Whitmire (Lucy); sister Caroline Todd and her children, Reed, John, Ginger, Stephen, Susan and Cindy and their families; sister-in-law Jean Brannon (Bruce) and their children Tammy, Paige, Scott and their families; God-son Andrew Todd and God-daughter Amber Pye.

Bo Whitmire was predeceased by his wife of more than 30 years, Elizabeth (Betsy) Whitmire; brother John Whitmire; stepdaughter Leslie Bernard; and Francenia and Mame Brennen, by whom he was raised.

While president of Emporia State University, 1953-66, Dr. King developed a program that became a national model for making campuses accessible to the physically challenged prior to the federal mandates. He is a former superintendent of Presbyterian mission schools for Paiute, Papago, and Navajo youth in Arizona. While president of the University of Wyoming at Laramie, Dr. King moved courageously to end segregationist practices.

As one of his colleagues at the University of South Carolina, where he served as interim dean of the Department of Higher Education until retirement, often noted: “John wants everybody to be able to go to school, perhaps because he himself was the first person in his own immediate family to finish high school.”

For these career achievements, in 2006 his alma mater, the University of North Texas in Denton, presented him with an honorary doctorate recognizing his lifelong commitment to greater access to a college education for students from rural backgrounds, minorities, and the physically challenged.

King commanded a PT boat in the Pacific theater and was present aboard the destroyer USS Hyde during surrender ceremonies in Tokyo Bay. He retired from the United States Naval Reserve in l973 with the rank of Commander .

Deacon Evans received his primary education in Williamsburg County and graduated from Thomlinson High School. Following graduation, he enrolled at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Science.

After graduating from S.C. State, Tim was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and retired as Lieutenant Colonel in 1973. He received a Masters of Military Science from Northeastern University and completed classes toward his doctoral degree at the University of South Carolina.

After retirement, he worked as a substitute teacher at Joseph L. Keels Elementary School, Dent Middle School and Richland Northeast High School. He was a Deacon at Eastwood Baptist Church, Chaplain for the local chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, member of the VFW, South Carolina State Alumni Association, Trenholm Acres Neighborhood Association and Dentsville Voting Precinct.

Tim is survived by his devoted wife of more than fifty-five years, Mrs. Florence Adams Evans; four sons, Timothy L. Evans, Jr., Gerald Maurice Evans, Jonathan Dwight Evans and Kenneth Brian Evans; a daughter, Jocelyn Duane Evans; a sister, Willie Mae Singletary; four grandchildren, Travis Johnson, Meredith Evans, Megan Jones and Timothy Jones and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Mr. Maroney was born in Batesburg to the late Boyd and Mary C. Bagwell Maroney. He was an auto mechanic and an Army veteran.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Bagwell Maroney; daughter, Sonya Maroney of Arizona; stepson, Ronnie Bagwell Jr. of Batesburg; stepdaughters, Robin Bradley and Lisa Hendrix, both of Saluda; brothers, John M. Maroney (Peggy) and James D. Maroney, both of Batesburg; sisters, Judy Cockrell (Bryson) of Batesburg, Brenda Kalbfleisch (Ervin) of Saluda; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

The family will receive friends one hour before service and other times at the home of his sister at 269 Old Course Road, Batesburg.

Milton Shealy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, July 1, 2008, at 11 a.m. at Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home with burial in Eastview Cemetery.

Mrs. Rodgers was born in Edgefield County and had retired from Kendall Company. She was a member of Edgefield First Baptist Church.

Survivors include 4 sons, Bill (Jane) Doolittle, Charles (Betty) Doolittle, Ray (Patricia) Doolittle, and Gerald Doolittle, all from Edgefield., 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

The family is at the home and will receive friends Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

After a courageous nine-year battle with declining health, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, reached out his hand to lead Jim to his final resting place Saturday, June 28, 2008. Born in Booneville, Indiana, he was a son of the late John Cecil Pierce and Cora Leah Hawkins Pierce. He retired after twenty-one years in the U.S. Army, having served during the Korean Conflict. He later retired from Daniels Construction Company.

An active member of Woodfield Park Baptist Church, Mr. Pierce enjoyed volunteering in various church activities.

Surviving are his wife of almost fifty-five years, Sarah “Jeanne” Pierce; daughters, Yolanda Pierce of Oklahoma, Connie Pierce and her husband, Billy Latta, of Holden Beach, N.C., Teresa Pierce of Columbia, Christie Finster of Columbia and Vickie Brooks and her husband, Danny, of Leesville; sons, Harold Pierce, Jr. and his wife, Tracy, of Anderson and Michael Pierce of Columbia; ten grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren; and sisters, Claudette Bishop and Betty Coudret, both of Indiana. He was predeceased by two brothers, two sisters and grandchildren, Tiffany Pierce, Tommy and Todd Weeks and Bradley E. Brazell.

Memorials may be made to Tri-County Hospice, 166 Stoneridge Dr., Suite 100, Columbia, SC 29210 or to Woodfield Park Baptist Church, 1834 Morninglo Lane, Columbia, SC 29223.

Born in Lexington County, he was the son of the late David Buford and Mae Belle Taylor Waits. He was a member of Pond Branch UMC, Neeses Hunt Club and a founding member of Dairy Hunt Club.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years Joyce Keisler Waits; sons, Marion Waits and David (Vanessa) Waits; daughter, Pamela (Timmy) Mack; sisters, Corine (Elmer) Shealy, Rachel (Ray) Weed and Carolyn (Larry) McCartha; grandchildren, Krystal (Chance) Kaim, Samantha Mack, Kimberly Mack, Cody Waits, Andrew Waits and Alissa Waits.

He was predeceased by his brothers Buford and Wilbur Waits; sisters, LoRe Roof, Evelyn Taylor and Clara Rawl.

Special thanks to LMC 8th Floor Oncology Nursing Staff and Doctors.

I simply must take issue with attorney Neal Lourie’s statement concerning his client Stephen Garcia, that he “just happened to make some small mistakes like every other college kid makes.”

As a long-time instructor of the University of South Carolina’s freshman seminar, University 101, I have taught hundreds of students who, I assure you, have not engaged in the lapses of judgment of which Mr. Garcia is guilty.

One of the many lessons I learned from my father was expressed as follows: “If you can’t do anything else, you can behave.”

I have taught many “solid-citizen” students who have honored this maxim. I believe Mr. Lourie’s statement does them a disservice.

I agree with Rep. Joe Wilson that although we must develop alternative energy sources, and improve conservation, we cannot achieve effective energy independence without drilling for more oil (“A positive strategy for energy independence, June 13).

Seventy percent of Americans support tapping into known U.S. energy reserves, which include oil shale in Western states that could provide 800 billion barrels of oil and 10 billion barrels of crude oil from the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve. In the Outer Continental shelf, it is estimated that there are 86 billion barrels of crude oil as well as 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

By using our own energy, we can dramatically increase the supply of crude oil and natural gas to meet worldwide demands, which will bring down costs, strengthen our economy and break OPEC’s monopoly — all without damaging the environment.

For middle-class South Carolinians, the current spike in crude oil has a devastating domino effect: Truckers stop their deliveries because of the cost of diesel, food prices rise, young couples and families cannot afford to fly with skyrocketing airfares, and jobs are lost. For some radical environmentalists, this is exactly the result they want.

Because neither the federal nor state government is expected to step forward with infrastructure funding initiatives, the commission has recommended that our local-option sales tax be increased by 1 cent for eight years to pay for the most sorely needed projects. After eight years, voters would be asked if they wish to continue the tax for another like period of time.

Almost two-thirds of the money will be used to improve our congested roads; one-fourth will improve our struggling public transit (bus) system, and 15 percent will improve pedestrian mobility and safety. With gas prices rising as fast as our summer thermometer, with one in 10 households without a car in Richland County and with poor air quality staring us squarely in the face and threatening what federal highway funds we do receive, we believe it is time to begin this discussion about our future.

Congratulations to Richland County Council for initiating this process! We encourage the council to place this well-balanced initiative before the public and let the citizens speak.

Each of us — as individual citizens, as neighborhood leaders, as business men and women, as citizens concerned about the future of our region — should have the chance to weigh in on this decision.