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May, the 43rd commander in the post’s 91-year history, succeeded Brig. Gen. James Schwitters, who retired Thursday after 32½ years of service.

“We are a nation at war, and our responsibility here is to take those young civilian volunteers and transform them into warriors so that they have the right skills to go into combat to win our nation’s wars,” said May, an armor officer and Iraq war veteran.

May now is in charge of a base that trains half of the soldiers who join an Army fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

About 80 percent of some 40,000 new soldiers who train at Fort Jackson each year will deploy to combat zones before their first year of service is completed.

Children got a crash course Thursday on the inner workings of county government — everything from operating firetrucks and ambulances to caring for animals and dealing with insects — as part of Richland 101 for Kids.

The free, one-day program, hosted by Richland County, was held at Dutch Square Mall and was aimed at children ages 7 to 12.

Home sales slipped nearly 17 percent in the Columbia area for the first six months of the year, compared with the same period in 2007, according to data released Thursday by the S.C. Realtors trade group.

Statewide, sales were down 23 percent in 2008.

Realtors’ confidence also has dipped as fewer buyers sign on for new homes. Even though this is the toughest real estate market in two decades, Columbia — with its stable job base — is doing better than most of the state.

“We do have a market,” said Jay Graham, who has owned Graham Realty in Columbia for 30 years. “It’s just not what it was, and sellers have to have a lot more patience now. It is a great time to be a buyer.”

District 9, which includes the congested Clemson Road and Hard Scrabble Road areas, would have received more than $76 million to widen and add bicycle paths to the heavily traveled roads. It would have been the most money to any district.

But District 9 Councilwoman Val Hutchinson voted against the proposal, saying she couldn’t justify raising the cost of living for her constituents during a time of economic uncertainty.

“I lost a lot of sleep over it,” she said. “But I thought that it was my ultimate responsibility to look out for the citizens of the county and their welfare.”

Overall, the council members who voted no — Hutchinson, Joe McEachern, Bill Malinowski, Joyce Dickerson and Norman Jackson — would have received more than $212 million for their districts. That’s 1½ times the amount that would have gone to the districts of council members who voted for the proposal.

An autopsy is scheduled today on Lawrence “Pete” Brooks, 80, of the Hopkins area, the Lexington County coroner’s office said. Authorities do not suspect foul play.

Doctors at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta told the Lexington County coroner’s office Brooks died of multi-organ failure, Chief Deputy Coroner Chris Lorick said.

“We have no idea what exactly happened,” Lorick said.

According to a police report, Brooks was giving a friend a ride home around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when he stopped on Old Pine Plain Road to look at a piece of property he was considering buying.

With so much bad news — we don’t need to remind you of all that here, do we? — some might think happiness is impossible to find.

But some might say it’s easier to find than Waldo.

Take a peek at what we saw Wednesday:

Jill Moody, a self-described Army wife, shepherded her four children through EdVenture’s Bubbleloosa, about the only place where kids can have more fun with suds than in a tub.

The NAACP and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the governing body of college sports, have sanctions in place against South Carolina because it flies the Confederate flag. The NCAA also has sanctions against Mississippi.

Neither organization, however, penalizes Alabama, which also flies the flag. And that’s unfair, some S.C. officials say.

Four Confederate flags — three national flags and a battle flag — fly at the 82-foot-high Confederate Monument, located at the Alabama state Capitol in Montgomery.

“It’s puzzling,” said state Sen. John Courson, R-Richland.

State Education Superintendent Jim Rex said the “overwhelmingly positive” results show why the idea of single-gender education has spread so rapidly across the state over the past year and that the state’s push has been a good investment.

“If you want to know why more schools are offering this option, the reason is right here in these survey responses,” he said.

South Carolina has become a national leader in offering single-gender programs in public school. At least 250 schools statewide are expected to offer single-gender classes in the coming school year, up from 70 schools last fall. About 30 schools added such classes in the past year.

Advocates say that by separating girls and boys, lessons can be made more effective because children learn in classrooms tailored to their learning styles and are not distracted by the opposite sex. But Rex stressed the program is a choice only.

Schwitters and his wife, Rebecca, have decided to stay in the Columbia area and be active in Army, community and church activities.

Schwitters said he had no immediate professional plans. “I don’t rule anything in or anything out,” he said.

Here are excerpts of an interview Schwitters last week:

What are your top achievements as commander at Fort Jackson?

But Weaver, of Fort Mill, still wants pets, possibly a dog and a cat.

“Pets have more to contribute than just being around,” said Weaver, who stopped at Wags pet bakery and boutique Thursday in Baxter Village asking for directions to a humane society. “Animals have an effect on your life. It’s not just a novelty thing.”

He’s not alone. While tighter budgets are forcing many to cut back, a 2008 study projects Americans will spend a record $43.4 billion on their pets this year, $2.2 billion more than they paid a year ago.

“Pets have become a more important part of a lot of people’s lives, to the point where you hear the term, ‘humanize’ a lot,” said Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, the organization that produced the study. “People will tend to stop spending on a whole lot of things before they’ll stop spending on a, quote, ‘family member.’”

Membership is open to nondomestic big-cat keepers, handlers and owners, as well as to those interested in the conservation of 37 big-cat species and hybrids — including tigers, lions, jaguars, leopards, cheetahs, cougars, lynxes and ocelots.

Chuck Bunnell of Myrtle Beach is a federation member and owner of a cougar. He says one of the group’s goals is to prevent extinction.

“Over two-thirds of big cats are on the endangered-species list. A lot of them will be gone within 20 years. A lot of our kids and their kids won’t be able to see one. ... They’ll be gone.”

For information go to www.felineconservation.org.

After Feb. 17, only digital signals will be broadcast.

In the incident, a man entered the motel armed with a pistol, jumped the counter and demanded money, Lott said.

The man fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was injured.

The robber is described as a black male, 6 feet tall, weighing 160 pounds. He was wearing a white, short-sleeve T-shirt, blue basketball shorts and black high-top basketball shoes.

Call (888) CRIME-SC.

The suspect is described as a black man with a goatee between 25 and 35 years old. He last was seen wearing a burgundy T-shirt, white pants, tan boots and a black Vanderbilt baseball hat.

He was driving north on Greenlawn Drive in a burgundy Pontiac Grand Am.

Call Crime Stoppers at (888) CRIME-SC.

Lt. Daniel Gainey, 37, had been a deputy for more than six years and was fired Tuesday, Sheriff's Lt. Michael Frank said.

The driver, whose name was not released, led troopers on a slow chase, weaving in and out of traffic from in front of Coastal Carolina University on U.S. 501 to an AA meeting on 67th Avenue North. When the woman stopped at the parking lot, she got out of the car and screamed that she was late for an AA meeting, police said.

She was taken to the Myrtle Beach jail. Charges were pending.

As part of the program, through the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, teens and pre-teens visited Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center and the county morgue in an effort to help them evaluate where their lives were headed, Sheriff Leon Lott said.

— Ishmael Tate

Last post: Director of the enlisted personnel management directorate of the U.S. Army Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Va.

Background: A 25-year Army veteran, May received his commission as an armor officer from Northeast Louisiana University (now University of Louisiana at Monroe). He has had a number of stateside assignments and served overseas in Germany, Iraq and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Combat experience: May commanded the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Iraq and received a Bronze Star for valor.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from UL; a master’s of military arts and science from the Army Command and General Staff College, and a master’s in strategic studies from the Army Air War College

The suspect likely knew Proctor Bright and entered his house through an open window, Jasper County Sheriff Gregory Jenkins told The (Hilton Head) Island Packet.

Authorities say Bright was stabbed, hit twice with a blunt object and shot in the head.

Jenkins says the boy was arrested Wednesday in Greensboro, N.C. Deputies say they will ask prosecutors to try him as an adult.

Contributing: Staff writer Lee Higgins; staff reports; The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News; and The Associated Press

A woman in the back seat of Johnny Dotson Sr.’s taxi told authorities he was talking one minute and then quiet, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said. Dotson veered off the road at Broad River Road and Greystone Boulevard and hit a utility pole. He died later in a hospital.

More than 2,200 students, 181 parents and 178 teachers responded to the latest survey, the first of what state Superintendent Jim Rex said would be an annual data-gathering project.

Two-thirds of the students who responded to the April survey said single-gender classes had helped them in school; 75 percent of the parents and 80 percent of the teachers agreed.

“Our first survey showed that kids generally like this approach,” Rex said. “This new survey adds feedback from parents and teachers, and it’s even more positive than what we’ve been hearing from students. If you want to know why more schools are offering this option, the reason is right here in these survey responses.”

Expanding curriculum choices within public schools is a priority for Rex, who created an Office of Public School Choice and hired the nation’s first statewide single-gender coordinator.

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Surviving are son and daughter-in-law, Mike Boliver and Marion Hanna of Columbia; sisters, Elizabeth C. Darling and her husband, Norman, and Katherine C. Sipple, all of Columbia; and brother, James Adams Clarkson, III and his wife, Duma, of Columbia.

A graveside service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in St. John’s Episcopal Church Cemetery, Congaree. The family will receive friends in the Parish House following the service.

Memorials may be made to the Animal Protection League, 6080 Old Leesburg Road, Hopkins, SC 29061; St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1100 Elm Savannah Road, Hopkins, SC 29061; or to Palmetto Health Hospice, P.O. Box 7275, Columbia, SC 29202.

Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.

Mr. Rivkin died Thursday, July 24, 2008. Born in Columbia, he was a son of the late Raphael and Rachel Winter Rivkin. A graduate of Notre Dame University and veteran of the U.S. Navy, he was the owner of Edwards Men’s Shop and Marks Men’s Store.

Mr. Rivkin was a member of Beth Shalom Synagogue.

Surviving are his wife, Roselen Morris Rivkin; sons, Allen Rivkin of Columbia and Mark Rivkin and his wife, Christine, of Atlanta, Ga.; daughter and son-in-law, Lynda and Jon Bennett of Alpharetta, Ga.; brother-in-law, Leo Morris of Hollandale, Fla.; and grandchildren, Sam, Zach and Rachel Bennett. He was predeceased by brother, Avron David Rivkin.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Beth Shalom Synagogue, 5827 N. Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC 29206.

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Mrs. Harris was born February 16, 1923, in Monroe County, Ala., and was the daughter of the late Joseph Franklin Jeter and Bradie Turberville Jeter.

Mrs. Harris is best remembered for being a loving, devoted wife, a loyal mother, and a grandmother who spoiled her grandchildren every chance she got. Her grandchildren adored her. She had a passion for her family, gardening and cooking. She was the best cook in town.

Mrs. Harris was a member of Jubilee Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and enjoyed sharing God’s love with others. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Survivors are two sons and daughters-in-law, Herbert and SuMica Harris of Birmingham, Ala., and Kynn and Lorie Harris of Columbia; grandsons, Joseph Harris of Birmingham Ala., Spencer, Christopher, and Jamie Harris of Columbia.

Mrs. Torgerson, widow of Walter Young Torgerson, joined her husband, parents, and siblings in heaven on Thursday, July 24, 2008. Born in Columbia, she was the daughter of the late Edward Vince and Minnie Roberts Neeley of Lower Richland County. She was a graduate of Lower Richland High School and Draughon’s Business College. She was also a credit supervisor of S.C. National Bank Visa Division. Mrs. Torgerson held a life-time membership award to the Palmetto Health Baptist Auxiliary, having served twenty-four years. She was a member of Kilbourne Park Baptist Church.

Surviving are her son, Kenneth Edward Cook (Carla) of Charlotte, NC; daughter, Barbara Cook Durden of Hopkins; three grandsons, Andrew Hudson, Michael Cook and Charles Cook; nieces, Sandra Woods (John) and Cathie Hartzog (Bob); nephews, Lennwood Hill (Eva Lynn), Trez Neeley, James Neeley, Tommie Neeley, Ted Neeley and Glenn Neeley.

Greenlawn Funeral Home is honored to assist the Torgerson family.

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Mr. Chapman died Wednesday, July 23, 2008. Born in Newberry, he was a son of William Franklin and Mary Edna Miller Chapman. Mr. Chapman graduated from Pomaria High School. He was an avid Clemson fan. Mr. Chapman served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He was owner of Chap’s Bar & Grill in Sandy Run. Mr. Chapman always tried to help children’s organizations and enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Surviving are his wife, Yvonne Smith Cantu of Swansea; son, M. Ray Chapman, Jr. of St. Matthews; two sisters, Mary Frances Arnold and her husband, Milton and Argy C. Hagins, all of Columbia; step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by two brothers, William Grady Chapman and Baker Miller Chapman.

Please sign the online guest book at www.dunbarfunerals.com.

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Mr. Black, born in West Columbia October 26, 1972, passed away Thursday, July 24, 2008. He was the son of the late Jimmy Maxwell Black, Sr. and Emily Faye Cooper Black. Mr. Black was a service technician with Tony’s RV. He loved to fish and loved his family.

Mr. Black is survived by his wife, Marie Beth Black; daughter, Crystal Marie Black; son, Jessie Lee Black; sisters, Elizabeth Ann Sturkie, Brenda Gail Young (David), Verla Faye Stokes (Glenn), Sherry Joiner (Richard); brothers, Jimmy Maxwell Black, Jr., H. Sidney Black and numerous nieces and nephews.

www.caughmanharmanfuneralhome.com

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Funeral services will be two o’clock Sunday afternoon, July 27, 2008, in the Georgetown Chapel of Mayer Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Andrews Memorial Cemetery.

The Georgetown Chapel of Mayer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Ms. Owens was born June 14, 1937, in Columbia, SC, the only child of the late Lettie Brewer Black and Walker Black. She was predeceased by a son, Wilson Black “Sonny” Owens. Ms. Owens was a member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.

An outstanding educator, Ms. Owens’ distinguished career included undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of South Carolina in Columbia and positions as teacher (Natl. Board Certified), teacher specialist, master teacher on loan to the S.C. Dept. of Education, reading and language arts coordinator, educational consultant, and adjunct instructor. She was a member of Phi Delta Kappa and held leadership positions in the International Reading Association Council at both local and state levels. Ms. Owens retired from education in 2007.

Survivors include two daughters: Diana Owens Pendleton (Scott) of Myrtle Beach, and Dana Owens Taylor (James) of Spartanburg; a son, Walker Hancock Owens of North Myrtle Beach; and four grandchildren, Michelle Pendleton, Courtney Pendleton and Caroline Pendleton of Myrtle Beach and Zain Taylor of Spartanburg.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, July 28, 2008, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 11th Avenue N., North Myrtle Beach. Interment will follow in St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Columbarium. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Sunday, July 27, 2008, at Lee’s Funeral Home & Crematory of Little River/North Myrtle Beach.

Mrs. Koedam died Thursday, July 24, 2008. Born in Whitehouse Station, N.J., she was the daughter of the late Marcus Glacier Apgar and Hedwig Martha Thomas Apgar. She enjoyed spending time with her family and gardening, and loved people and animals.

Mrs. Koedam was an active member of Hope Lutheran Church.

Surviving are her husband, Edward Joseph “Ed” Koedam; son, Jeffrey R. Clark of New Jersey; daughter, Gayle P. Imbimbo of Asbury, N.J.; grandchildren, Shannon, Jeffrey and Lisa Clark, Cheryl Kanewski, Nicholas Imbimbo and Brett Imbimbo; great-grandchildren, Jacob and Brent Kanewski; and sisters, Elizabeth Pensa and Harriet Spayth.

Memorials may be made to Hope Lutheran Church, 1400 Kennerly Road, Irmo, SC 29063.

Born in Bristol, PA, March 8, 1918, she was a daughter of the late John Matthew and Rose Barnfield Rogers. Formerly of Kingstree and Barnwell, Mrs. Bugay had made her home in Greenwood at Wesley Commons since 1997. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Greenwood.

Surviving are a daughter, Connie B. and husband, Rev. Dr. John Setzler of Greenwood; a son, Leonard C. Jr. and wife, Mary F. Bugay of Lexington; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren. Mrs. Bugay was the last member of her immediate family.

A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday in Asbury Hall at Wesley Commons with Rev. Carol Peppers Wray and Rev. Dr. John Setzler officiating.

Family burial will be in Barnwell Methodist Cemetery at a later date.

Mrs. Rodriguez was born April 25, 1922, in Hatillo, PR, and is the beloved mother of daughter and son-in-law, Jeannie and Manny Aviles of Lexington and sons and daughters-in-law, David and Raquel Rodriguez of Camuy, PR, and Timothy and Aracelis Rodriguez of Gilbert, SC, and grandchildren, Bonnie Jean Aviles, Tara McLean, David Aviles, Ruthie Hughes, Louis Rodriguez, Christian Rodriguez, Fabian Rodriguez, David Rodriguez, Juleska Rodriguez, Bernice Rodriguez, Christopher Rodriguez and Joseph Rodriguez, as well as great-grandchildren, Rachel McLean, Hannah McLean, Rebecca McLean, Emilie Hughes, Sarah Hughes, Lilli E. Aviles and Louis David Rodriguez and Juleska Maria Rodriguez.

A service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, 2008, at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel, with entombment in Bush River Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Memorials may be made to the International Fellowship of Christian and Jews, P.O. Box 96105, Washington, DC 20090-6105.

www.caughmanharmanfuneralhome.com

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 26, 2008, at First Baptist Church, directed by Waters-Powell Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Mount Hope Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

She was born in Charleston, SC, a daughter of the late Bertha Morris Weise and John G. Morris. She graduated from Memminger Girls School in Charleston. Mrs. Mozingo was a bookkeeper and had retired from Sears and Union Carbide. She was a member of the Sears Retiree Club and the Union Carbide Retiree Club.

Mrs. Mozingo was a member of First Baptist Church in Florence, and the Fifty-Year Member Club. She was a Sunday school teacher for more than 70 years. She was also a life member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, a member and past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star - Mecca Chapter 275, and the Friendly Gourmet Club.

Survivors include three children, Lois (Charles) Bentley of Wilkesboro, NC, Linda (Tommy) Jeffords of Florence, and Jack T. (Claudia) Mozingo of Seattle, WA; seven grandchildren, Laura Bacon, Lecia Beard, Beth Casey, Roy Jeffords, Wade Jeffords, Taylor Mozingo and Griffin Mozingo; and four great-grandchildren, Jamie Bacon, Zach Casey, Logan Casey and Allie Jeffords.

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Mrs. Baco passed away Wednesday, July 23, 2008, after a long illness. Born in Stolvizza, Italy, she was a daughter of the late Pietro Pielich and Assunta Serna. She loved gardening and being outdoors and had a soft heart for animals. Fluent in three languages, she emigrated from Italy in 1961 and taught herself to read and write English. A devout Catholic, her life’s greatest joy was raising her boys. She was dearly loved and will be sadly missed.

Surviving are sons, Louis Christopher Arce and his wife, Phyllis, of Charleston, Charles M. Baco and his companion, Gail Hughes, of Columbia, and Paul G. Baco of the home; sisters, Pierina Allinder of San Diego, Calif., and Maria R. Ball and her husband, Kenny, of Winnsboro; brothers, David D. Covin, Jr. and his wife, Sandy, of West Columbia, Louis M. Covin of Columbia, and Johnny L. Covin of Winnsboro; granddaughter, Samantha D. Arce of Chester; three great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by stepfather, David Covin and sister, Angelina M. Stevenson.

Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association, 1817 Gadsden St., Columbia, SC 29201.

The family extends appreciation to Dr. Tripp Jones and the staff of South Carolina Oncology Associates as well as the physicians and staff of Providence Hospital Northeast.

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Mr. Edmond died Monday, July 21, 2008. He was born in Richland County. Mr. Edmond is the son of the late Allen and Jessie Mae Edmond.

He leaves to cherish his memories, his wife, Mrs. Linda S. Edmond of Gadsden, S.C.; two daughters, Kimberly R. Edmond and Tiffany L. Edmond of Gadsden, S.C.; two sisters, Mrs. Deborah (Ted) Smith of Fayetteville, N.C., and Ms. Alice M. Edmond of Hopkins, S.C.; three brothers, Mr. Johnny Edmond, Mr. Allen (Arnette) Edmond and Mr. James (Helen) Edmond, all of Hopkins, S.C.; mother-in-law, Mrs. Marie S. Isaac; two aunts, Mrs. Ola Mae Martin and Ms. Lillie B. Benson; and a host of nieces, nephews and other loving relatives and friends.

«Obituary posted: July 25, 2008»

Let’s first talk about leadership and the history of the Foundation for Columbia’s Future’s involvement in key issues pertaining to the city of Columbia.

The foundation has twice led on the issue of homelessness — first with the Four Corners of Hope and then with the former site of the Cooperative Ministries. Leadership.

The foundation was a moving force in the plan to redevelop the State Hospital site on Bull Street. Leadership.

At the request of Mayor Bob Coble, I, as president of the foundation and a local business leader, have agreed to serve on the committee to select a new CFO for the city. Leadership.

I work for a state agency helping people return to work.

Every day, one of the biggest barriers of my clients to successful employment is transportation. As it currently runs, the bus system is unreliable, difficult to navigate and limits a person’s ability to work because of the limited hours the buses run.

But for many of my clients, this is their only means of getting around. Not all people are physically able to walk or bike several miles to work, and owning a car at current prices and gas costs is out of reach for many. Throw in the minimum wage, sky-rocketing food prices, electric bills and basics such as medical care, and taking away someone’s only mode of transportation would be devastating.

Columbia needs to do right by her citizens by not only continuing to provide, but dramatically improving, the current bus system. I have ridden public transportation in Chicago; Washington; Edmonton, Canada; Dublin; Ireland; and several other cities, and I would happily utilize public transportation if the bus system even somewhat resembled any of those systems.

But on the last day of July, Rocky will say “goodbye” to customers for good when Veta Hollaway shuts the doors at the old Victorian-era home on Andrew Corley Road that has housed her shop since 1991.

Hollaway, who owns the business with her husband, Bob, is ready to spread her wings a little more. Instead of being tied to a retail business, she plans to travel more and spend more time with her seven grandchildren.

Although she will not miss the daily rigors of a running a shop, she said she will miss her many customers, who come from across the Carolinas and Georgia to buy her parrots, macaws, caiques, finches, amazons, and cockatoos.

“I’ve had customers beg me not to close,” she said.

Fresh jalapeno peppers are disappearing from store shelves and restaurant menus around Columbia .

Kroger, Publix and Bi-Lo grocery stores all pulled fresh jalapenos from their stores this week as a precaution. Moe’s Southwest Grill did the same last week.

Two large local grocery chains, Wal-Mart and Piggly Wiggly, continue to sell fresh jalapenos, however.

Wal-Mart said it’s continuing to work closely with its supplier, and Piggly Wiggly said its peppers come from a local source in Lexington and the chain feels they are safe.

In just eight trading days, oil has lost more than $20 a barrel, or 14 percent, as record energy prices eat into demand.

Meanwhile, corn has fallen about 20 percent, soybeans close to 15 percent and wheat about 10 percent since the start of the month, as ideal farming weather boosts Midwest crops battered by recent floods.

Even gold, a bellwether of the commodities boom, has lost ground, falling about 5 percent in the last week.

So is the commodities bubble about to burst?

As familiar as his name is, more people probably know Foreman as the affable grill pitchman of the 1990s rather than the ornery heavyweight boxing champion of the 1970s. They may also know him as the face of Meineke mufflers, a street kid who became a born-again preacher, and the guy who named all five of his sons George.

He is colorful, yes. But is there still life left in the George Foreman brand?

Foreman, who is 59, and his business partners think so. Their company, George Foreman Enterprises, has been striking deals for products as varied as vitamin shakes and shoes for diabetics. A reality series starring Foreman and his wife and children, “Family Foreman,” made its debut on the cable channel TV Land last week.

Through his Web site, biggeorge.com, he sells autographed boxing gloves and George Foreman cookbooks and memoirs. Three of his books (about fatherhood, his religious conversion and his personal philosophy) have appeared during the last two years, published by Thomas Nelson, the inspirational-book publisher.

The proposed regulations address a wide range of facilities — including access to courthouses, drinking fountains, amusement park rides, stadium and theater seating, fishing piers, boat slips and bowling lanes — and establish specific requirements for qualifying accessible designs.

For miniature golf courses, 50 percent of the holes would have to be accessible for players in wheelchairs.

The 1,000 pages of regulations proposed by the Justice Department are drawing intense scrutiny from businesses that foresee a financial drain and disability rights advocates who say they are long overdue and don’t go far enough. Both groups say they want more clarity in the changes to the milestone 1990 civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.

Costs to 7 million affected businesses plus state and local government agencies would total $23 billion over 40 years, according to the Justice Department.

Still, there are limits to these new set-top boxes and software. There are myriad formats and encryption methods for videos on the Web and on computers, meaning some videos may still not be accessible.

• The ZvBox, from ZeeVee Inc. of Littleton, Mass., connects to a PC and the home’s existing cable wiring. The device then displays whatever is on the PC screen onto an unused TV channel — which can be viewed from any cable-connected TV in the home. ZeeVee expects to start shipping the $500 device July 31.

• Icron Technologies Corp. of Canada plans to sell a chipset to set-top box manufacturers and others that connects to the computer’s high-speed USB port to display the PC screen on a TV set. The box would transmit the data wirelessly or over the electrical wiring in the home. The device should sell for about $300.

• A set-top box called the Pod bypasses the PC altogether, for those who mainly want to watch Web video. It will allow viewers to search the Internet and stream online videos directly onto their TV sets. Made by Verismo Networks., the Pod is expected to be available in August for $99.

Numerous companies have announced plans to build plants that would take in material like wood chips, garbage or crop waste and turn out motor fuels. About 28 small plants are in advanced planning, under construction or, in a handful of cases, already up and running in test mode.

For decades scientists have known it was possible to convert waste to fuel, but in an era of cheap oil, it made little sense. With oil now trading around $125 a barrel and gasoline above $4 a gallon, the potential economics of a waste-to-fuel industry have shifted radically, setting off a frenzy to be first to market.

Success is far from assured, however. Some of the latest announcements come from small companies whose dreams may be bigger than their bank accounts. They are counting on billions in taxpayer subsidies. Big technological hurdles remain, and even if they can be solved, no one is sure what unintended consequences will emerge or what it will really cost to produce this type of fuel.

Still, the incentive to make fuel from something, anything, besides oil and food is greater than ever. Moreover, the federal government is offering grants to help plants get off the ground and subsidies for one type of fuel of $1.01 a gallon, twice the subsidy it historically offered to ethanol made from corn.