Stories for December 2007
Monday, December 31
Man shot in the head on Interstate 26, lives
A bullet grazed a man's head as he and two others drove home early this morning, North Charleston police said. The 24-year-old man was transported to Medical University Hospital.
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Pioneer Boats nixes move to Ga. to relocate to Walterboro
A Dorchester County recreational boat maker is motoring its manufacturing operations over to Colleton County after nixing a planned relocation to Georgia.
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The year that was 2007
The past 12 months were a turbulent time for the Charleston economy, as its balance sheet was buffeted by both uplifting and treacherous winds of change.
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Finding a lesson in local tragedy
Experts hope fire departments around the nation will learn from sofa store deaths
Charleston's deadly Sofa Super Store blaze already is one of the most studied fires in recent history, and experts hope its lessons will help reverse a steady parade of firefighter deaths across the nation.
Despite improvements in training, equipment and tactics, about 100 firefighters die on duty each year in the United States.
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Pushing the limit in '08
Center boosts young athletes' performance
Walk into Velocity Sports Performance as a grown adult and you may think how much the world has changed since you were a kid.
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'We do have a strong voice'
Black female officials tackle social issues
The influence of the state's black women in elected office has been called a sleeping giant that will prove to be a powerful force in conquering social ills.
Together the women have put forth a statewide action plan to address health care, economic development and educational issues, and staked out a strategy for leveraging their influence.
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Coming up
This week The Concerned Citizens of the Sea Islands and the Coastal Conservation League will host an open design charrettes this week on the proposed Mark Clark Expressway extension. The groups have partnered with Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin, an Orlando, Fla.-bas...
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New Year's schedule
Soldier recalls best, worst times of past year of deployment
I realize there were far more opportunities for lows than highs this past year. But whether it was sheer luck or the experience gained from previous deployments and our constant training, the worst of the two was prevented from transpiring.
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Taking yoga time off is OK
Sometimes, a yogi wakes up, puts her yoga mat by the door, gets dressed, drinks her decaf chai and then realizes she really doesn't feel like going to yoga class. So she stays home that day, maybe goes for a bike ride or a long walk, and the mat stays by the door.
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2 men killed as cars crash
Wrecks claim lives in Cross, on Johns Is.
Wrecks claim lives in Cross, on Johns Is.
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Faceoff: As a bowl site, Atlanta is...
For Clemson and Auburn football fans there are two big positives to playing in tonight's Chick-fil-A Bowl - it's only a day's drive by pickup truck and the game will be played indoors, complete with plumbing.
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Running backs are getting frustrated as Clemson turns to the air inside the 20 more often
Red Zone Shift
The frustration boiled over for Clemson's two most electrifying players on Nov. 24 at South Carolina.
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Cold smoking-ban comfort
Potentially fatal long-term medical risks remain smoking's No. 1 drawback. But smokers increasingly encounter the much more immediate challenge of having to do their puffing outside. And while smokers in Lowcountry communities that have prohibited smoking in workplaces, including bars and restaurants, often experience discomfort from the elements, smokers in Anchorage, Alaska, now face a far more chilling fate.
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Giving 3 weeks' notice earned one employee instant job loss
Q: I was a salaried employee for a small company, usually working 24 hours a week. When I found and accepted a better job, I gave three weeks' notice, which I thought was the ethical and responsible thing to do. My employer apparently felt differently, because I was terminated the same day. <...
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Exercise helps COPD patients
Therapy can ease symptoms
Q: I was recently diagnosed with emphysema. My inhalers are helping, but I still get winded when I walk. Do you think that a rehab or exercise program would help me? A: Doctors used to think that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the medical name for emphysema and ch...
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Reporter turns firefighter
Sancic uses personal experience to tell others how to stay safe
Before Bianca Sancic became a firefighter, she worked as a newspaper reporter. Then her house burned down.
That was August 1999. By New Year's Eve of that year, she was a volunteer firefighter with a purpose: teaching basic but valuable lessons that could save lives.
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Today's Games
Cougars suffocate Dukes
On any given night, any one of seven or eight players are capable of stepping up offensively for the College of Charleston basketball team, but offense wasn't the issue Sunday night at John Kresse Arena.
The Cougars stepped up collectively on defense, and suffocated high-scoring James Madison 76-53 in the championship game of the Jim N' Nick's Holiday Classic.
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Chick-fil-A Bowl: Head-to-Head
Clemson Bowl History
V is now BlueFish
Huckabee calls Romney dishonest 4 days before Iowa caucus
Mike Huckabee called Mitt Romney a dishonest politician who couldn't be trusted with the presidency, turning up the heat Sunday in a close-and-getting-closer Republican race in Iowa.
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Unsung heroes of public health
As the Nobel Peace Prize Committee scans the horizon for its next nominee, it should consider how the extraordinary worldwide effort by scientists and public health workers of many nations to reduce human deaths from the most dangerous infectious diseases is beginning to pay off.
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Good Cheer breaks record, brings in almost $33,000 more than last year
With the close of 2007, the Good Cheer Fund celebrates the most remarkable year of charitable giving in its history. A total of $368,763.87 in contributions was raised in the 2007 campaign, surpassing last year's total by $32,602.58.
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Clemson optimistic about next season
ATLANTA — "We're back!" Four years ago, Clemson's players shouted that message after closing the 2003 season with a 27-14 smacking of Tennessee in the Peach Bowl. The Tigers were back, all right — back to mediocrity. This time, ninth-year coach Tommy BowdenRead More
Austin as workout guru like the Energizer Bunny
After more than two decades on TV and with 64 exercise videos and DVDs under her belt, Denise Austin is still cajoling Americans to get fit with the unflagging zeal of an Energizer Bunny — a fact not lost on the folks at Energizer, who were so impressed with the similarity the battery-maker...
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Women make up 42 percent of state's prison security
COLUMBIA — South Carolina's prisons are hiring more women every year, and now women account for 42 percent of the state's prison security force. State Corrections Department officials say they can only take so many women because prison rules require officers of the same gender as inm...
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Dr. Ann to go live
Washington, Tennessee grab final playoff spots
The Washington Redskins had to play all out in their final game and the New York Giants chose to play that way. Their opponents, Seattle and Tampa Bay, eased their way into the playoffs. So the wild card round in the NFC next week may be a test of whether it's better to have momentum or be...
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Finding a lesson in local tragedy
Experts hope fire departments around the nation will learn from sofa store deaths
Charleston's deadly Sofa Super Store blaze already is one of the most studied fires in recent history, and experts hope its lessons will help reverse a steady parade of firefighter deaths across the nation. Despite improvements in training, equipment and tactics, about 100 firefighters die...
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Noisette project a top green neighborhood
A local development has won national recognition as an environmentally friendly neighborhood, but don't plan on moving there anytime soon. Officials from the Noisette Co. project, which could turn much of the rundown former Charleston NavalRead More
Is boss skimming cash from bartender?
Q: I am a bartender and have worked in the same place for 20 years. My employer refuses to let me count out my register at the end of my shift. Yet when I come to work the next day, he routinely informs me that my register was short and requires me to pay the difference. I have no way of knowing ...
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State home sales take double-digit nosedive
In November, most real estate markets across the state mirrored what happened in Charleston. Two-thirds of the state's multiple listing service areas recorded double-digit sales declines that month, including Charleston's 18 percent fall. Overall, South Carolina home sales fell 14 percent ...
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New Year's resolution solution
Sign up now for area training clinics to ready for Bridge Run, Flowertown
The Cooper River Bridge Run is more than one of the biggest road races in the United States. People from all walks of life can credit it for giving them a goal to exercise and eat right. Some have even gone on to participate in marathons, 100-mile "century" rides and Ironman triathlons.
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Good Morning Lowcountry
Cream of the crop
Prisoners fight addictions in jail
Faith-based programs helping
COLUMBIA — In and out of prison for the past 30 years, Brian Shores had all but given up hope that he'd ever have a life without crime. His temper, coupled with a dependency on alcohol and drugs, landed the Aiken County man in prison time and again, most recently for aggravated assault and ...
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Deaths Summary
Inns, restaurants inspired by homes impress AAA
In the hotel and restaurant business, a diamond often makes all the difference. So when AAA — the travel club formerly known as the American Automobile Association — revised the standards for its coveted diamond awards earlier this month for th...
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Stingrays win their 11th straight
It was hard to tell what was more important to the South Carolina Stingrays after their 3-2 victory over Gwinnett - winning for a franchise-record 11th straight time or finally beating the Gladiators for the first time in more than a year.
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Recalls this week
Product recalls announced last week. Details are available at www.cpsc.gov and other sites as listed.
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Panthers top Bucs to end season on winning note
Panthers 31, Buccaneers 23 TAMPA, Fla. — Jon Gruden bristled at the suggestion that he may have set his Tampa Bay Buccaneers up for failure in the playoffs by taking a cautious approach to the last two weeks of the regular season. The Bucs (9-7) dropped their f...
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Deaths and Funerals
'We do have a strong voice'
Black female officials tackle social issues
COLUMBIA — The influence of the state's black women in elected office has been called a sleeping giant that will prove to be a powerful force in conquering social ills. Together, the women have put forth a statewide action plan to address health care, economic development and educati...
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Test your knowledge of '07 pop culture
Among the worst, unless you're a captive penguin
Winnie The Pooh wouldn't complain as much about blustery days if he spent a bowl week in Atlanta. It was rainy and dreary Sunday, and that's the good news.
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Former Troy coordinator taking the reins of Auburn's offense
Trojan Attack
Tony Franklin enjoys playing the Mystery Man role, coy from game plan to wink.
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Invest in Conservation Bank
U.S. Census Bureau statistics released Thursday report that South Carolina ranked No. 10 among all states in population growth from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007, increasing by 1.8 percent (more than 77,000 people) and continuing a long-term upward trend.
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2007 was eventful year for retailers
From the launch of the Apple iPhone in June to the mall shooting in Omaha, Neb., in December, 2007 was overflowing with retail headlines. Here's a look at the top stories from each month: --Jan. 30: Windows Vista, Microsoft Corp. 's newest ...
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Trip to the library better than dial-up for multimedia
Q: I rely on dial-up Internet access because high-speed home Internet service isn't available. I'd like to download audiobooks or podcasts, but how can I do this with a slow dial-up connection? A: You can usually get high-speed Net access at the public library. You can do a Google search fo...
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It's time to get smart about credit
Here's a sobering thought for the start of the new year: CardTrak.com says the average household will accrue nearly $1,600 in credit card debt during the holidays. With the spending season about over for another year, it's time to start thinking about how you're going to p...
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Sunday, December 30
Travel Q&A
Modie Risher Classic
Fatter grocery bills expected as food prices increase
DALLAS — For cash-strapped consumers already beset by higher gasoline prices and escalating mortgage rates, the hits just keep on coming. This time, it's food. The sharp rise in food prices seen in 2007 is expected to be followed by another higher-than-normal jump next year, the U.S....
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Sharpening garden tools
Winter is the best time for pruning many trees, shrubs and vines. Here are some tips to get the most mileage from your garden tools: --Take apart tools such as pruning shears, hedge shears and loppers to make their blades more accessible for sharpening. Look at any blade and you'll s...
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Avoid seven sins of home renovations
Pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth: These are the Seven Deadly Sins. The church has its definitions, and we do, too. Sometimes you do a project yourself and other times you hire someone to do it for you. In each of those instances, you may come up against one of the sins o...
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Panthers fall to Gonzaga in Roundball Classic final
The effort was valiant. But in the end, Pinewood Prep wasn't victorious.
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Politicians need to think like poets when choosing words
'As a poet not as a citizen there is only one political duty, and that is to defend one's language from corruption. When it's corrupted, people lose faith in what they hear, and this leads to violence." Poet W.H. Auden As we head toward January, the presidential candidates are busier than e...
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Presidential politics begin dominating before '07 began
The 2008 race for the White House began in South Carolina before 2007 dawned, and the year saw an unprecedented amount of presidential politicking in the Palmetto State. Here are 10 highlights: EARLY BACKERS: As Democratic contenders pursued the black vote, expected to make...
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Story of the Year: Sofa Super Store fire
It started as a routine call. But in a blurry instant on June 18, a small trash fire spiraled into an inferno that claimed the lives of nine Charleston firefighters.
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Real estate transactions
Charleston County The transactions listed below include properties sold for $250,000 or more and recorded Nov. 13-16. Charleston John L. Schrum III sold 150 St. Philip St. to James V. Hargroves and Tricia M. Anson for $285,000. Keith Kel...
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'60s-style New Year's Eve party always in vogue
A New Year's Eve party is about ushering out the old, then ringing in the new with a bit of bubbly. Of course, a smart host knows there's no reason to discard a good entertaining idea just because it's from a bygone era. How about an ultra-swanky, retro cocktail party, '60s-style? A ...
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Triple queens
Sunday Calendar
True leaders don't run 'job scared'
With friends like each other, do Lindsey Graham and John McCain need political enemies in this state? With so many politicians who pander, don't we need more, like Graham and McCain, who don't? Over the last two years, lots of right-leaning South Carolinians have gotten right riled up...
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2008 travel
UPS can keep 'smart' system running
Q I recently added "smart house" computer controls to make my house more efficient. During even a brief power outage, settings are lost. Are there backup power supplies that don't waste electricity? Are big ones better? A: "Smart house" controls run by a personal computer are becoming more ...
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Pet calendar
What: Kinderpuppy. Who: Isle of Palms Recreation Department. Where: 28th Avenue, Isle of Palms. When: Weekly, starting at 6:30 p.m. Monday. Details: For puppies 8 weeks to 5 months old, this class costs $90 for Isle of Palms residents and $95 for nonresidents. Puppies ...
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Want to talk God, or maybe guitar?
World leaders weigh profound topics, some less so at Renaissance
Some people run into cold water to ring in the New Year, and others dive into five days of panel discussions and workshops on topics including foreign policy, economics, religion and guitar picking. At Charleston Place, the 27th annual Renaissance Weekend is under way. This invitation-only...
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Look, learn, prepare to be amazed
AMAZING RARE THINGS: The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery. By David Attenborough, Susan Owens, Martin Clayton and Rea Alexandratos. Yale University Press. 224 pages. $37.50. Amazing is right. At first, second and third look, sheer fascination w...
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Virginia bursting with wineries
Nestled in rolling, verdant country just east of the Shenandoah Valley, Barboursville Vineyards owns a picturesque setting that the increasingly congested Napa Valley might envy.
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Clemson defense offers sneak preview for 2008
ATLANTA — Monday's Chick-fil-A Bowl against Auburn is being billed as a preview of 2008 for Clemson's defense. Everyone who takes the field — that's first string, second string and third string — will have eligibility remaining. Given that this year's group finished sixth...
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PBS celebrating TV pioneers
All the conventions we take for granted on television today — from the formalized game show to the monologue on the talk show — were begun by a group of innovators who had no idea they were setting precedents. People such as Dick Cavett, Jackie Gleason, Phyllis Diller, Johnny C...
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Tigers turn back Samford
No. 21 Clemson 78, Samford 45 CLEMSON — K.C. Rivers took his grandmother's words to heart — and Samford paid the price. Rivers scored 16 points to lead No. 21 Clemson to a 78-45 rout of Samford on Saturday. The Tigers' perfect start ended last week...
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Cheese biscuits are Folly flashback
The mail brought a surprise recently, like receiving a long-lost letter.
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Miller gets first win since split with U.S.
At A Glance BORMIO, Italy — Bode Miller has had a rough time since splitting from the U.S. Ski Team. His breakthrough came Saturday — his first victory of the season and on one of the toughest World Cup downhill courses. He put down a nearly perfect run a...
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Goose Creek captures Modie Risher Classic title
Goose Creek 47, Burke 32 The Goose Creek Gators committed 25 turnovers. They lost two of their best rebounders to foul trouble early in the first half. And, their opponents, with a home crowd backing them, took an early 8-2 lead and were threatening to run the Gators off th...
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Sweet 16: Patriots go undefeated
Patriots 38, Giants 35 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — With one mighty heave, Tom Brady and Randy Moss took care of the record books. Now it's down to business for the unbeaten New England Patriots: stamping themselves as the greatest team in NFL history. The Patriots...
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Americans may stay near home
Travel in 2007 was marked by high gas prices, new passport rules, record lows for the dollar and record-high air travel.
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Delicate grays, 'green' recycling among the trends for 2008
It's time to peek into the looking glass and see what's hot for the coming year. Global decorating is indeed with us, which allows for a tremendous variety of styles and accessories. You will notice a shift in attention from black to gray, both on its own and also as a balancing color. Read More
'I just pray that he'll come back'
Dozens of airmen and their families crowded a stuffy passenger terminal Saturday at Charleston Air Force Base, savoring every moment they could before the 17th Airlift Squadron was deployed overseas.
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Best New Year's can be found on DVD
Spend New Year's Eve this year by watching movies of other people celebrating New Year's Eve. Here are a few suggestions: --"The Godfather, Part II" (1974): Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) is watching a nightclub floor show on New Year's Eve when he realizes that it was his ow...
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Retired minister goes out of his way to help other seniors
No one would fault the Rev. Dick Giffen for slowing down as he closes in on 80. Instead, he volunteers to help other seniors who don't have as much mobility as he does.
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Plan a perfect garden path with some handy guidelines
WASHINGTON — Designing the right path on your property can enhance your experience in the garden and even help plants flourish. The design of a path influences the efficiency with which people can circulate. Install serpentine or meandering paths in areas where you want to adm...
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Sampson and Smokey dress up for the holidays
Sampson and Smokey enjoyed getting into the holiday spirit.
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Garden calendar
Clear the air on S.C. State
Outgoing S.C. State University President Andrew Hugine has some friends in high political places who make no bones about trying to use their muscle to save his job. But the decision on whether the head of a state educational institution stays or goes belongs with the board of trustees. It's the d...
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2 a.m. law: Now they mean it
Starting Wednesday, North. Charleston police to begin enforcing new closing hours at bars
Bars in North Charleston can enjoy one final day of holiday revelry Monday night without being fined for being open past 2 a.m.
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2007 was quite a year for golf in the Lowcountry
The past year is one Lowcountry golf fans won't soon forget, one filled with memorable stories on all levels. Here's a quick look back at golf in 2007. --Six years after being a member of the Hooters Tour, 31-year-old Zach Johnson pulled one of the biggest shockers around when he won the M...
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Hammond's 21-point second half lifts Cougars over Mercer
'He put on a show'
In the wake of the College of Charleston's basketball youth movement, junior guard Marcus Hammond served notice Saturday night that the Cougars have some veterans they can rely on as well.
Hammond scored a career-high 23 points - 21 in the second half - to lead Charleston past Mercer 84-74 in the first round of the Jim N' Nick's Cougar Classic at John Kresse Arena.
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Mirror images and vice versa
ATLANTA — The last time Clemson and Auburn met in the Georgia Dome, Bowden won and Tommy lost. Clemson football fans hope the same thing happens in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve. In other words, the exact opposite of what took place in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 2, 1998, when Te...
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Taking a break from politics
S.C. gets breather as campaigns focus on Iowa
When former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's plane ran late during an early December campaign stop in North Charleston, the Holiday Inn staff had to scramble through a crowd of his lingering supporters to remake the conference room for an office Christmas party set to start just a few minutes later.
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Festival will stage 45 productions, 140 performances
Launching its 32nd season with the celebration of a $6 million renovation of Memminger Auditorium, the 2008 Spoleto Festival USA will stage the largest number of productions since its founding in 1977.
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The sports hero you never knew
CLEMSON — He was bald, bearded and bespectacled, the most unlikely sports hero you never heard of. But that's exactly how Harold Vigodsky will be remembered by folks here in the Clemson athletic department. His rise to unsung stardom started some 30 years ago when he quietly, politel...
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Deaths and Funerals
January Arts Calendar
Book points to paralyzing partisanship
THE SECOND CIVIL WAR: How Extreme Partisanship has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America. By Ronald Brownstein. The Penguin Press. 485 pages. $27.95. Ever wonder why so many politicians are running against Washington these days, even the ones who have served ...
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Benoit incident marred pro wrestling in '07
The pro wrestling industry will not soon forget 2007. Never before in the history of the business has one story garnered such mainstream attention as the Chris Benoit double murder-suicide in late June. It was a gruesome, grisly tragedy that far transcended professional wrestling, yet its ...
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Gardner-Webb cruises past Bucs
Gardner-Webb 105, Charleston Southern 77 Boiling Springs, N.C. — Exactly two weeks after suffering an 80-69 loss to Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb exacted some revenge Saturday night. Gardner-Webb broke open a close game with a 25-7 first-half run and cruise...
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Tennis successes plentiful in 2007
A bunch of national championships and a few world titles. Charleston tennis has never been more successful than in 2007. The year's success stories once again were led by world champions Diane Fishburne and Brenda Carter, but league tennis and high schools fared well, too. And don't...
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Homophones make writers go 'a rye'
Every language has its pitfalls, but often it seems that English has more than its share. So many of our words sound alike! So many opportunities arise for phonic error! Let us turn to the homophone file, and together let us weep. Thus we roll back the clock to Super Bowl XXXII and a sport...
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A look back: The top stories of 2007
It was a year full of issues, controversies, successes, arguments, politics and celebrations.
A lot happened. And the year gave us much to think about: The growing numbers of Protestant Latinos, the nature of Christian schism, what it means to be a person of faith and gay, how we should interpret the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, what the faith community can do about the corrosive effects of poverty, the significance of our historic churches, and the meaning of tradition and change.
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Uranium exploration under way in Africa
LUSAKA, Zambia — Resurgent global interest in nuclear power has made Zambia, a southern African nation better known for its vast copper reserves, into a hotbed of uranium exploration. The activity is part of a larger wave of uranium exploration and mining across the mineral-rich reg...
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Win a house, or two
Home & Garden Television is well-known for its Dream Home Giveaway, and in 2008 the network also is planning its first Green Home Giveaway — and that home is in Hilton Head. From March 21 to May 9, viewers can enter to win the Green Home, located in Trad...
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Spence will remain at Clemson
ATLANTA — For more than a week, Rob Spence kept almost everyone in the dark concerning his flirtation with Tennessee. Spence didn't offer his fellow assistant coaches any details before or after he interviewed with Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer. He didn't apprise quarterback Culle...
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Give president more budget power
The recent omnibus and defense appropriations bills passed by Congress clearly demonstrate the need for presidential line-item veto authority. So does the president's pocket veto of the defense authorization bill. The president said he vetoed that bill Friday because one provision would da...
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Early strikes power Rays to 10th straight
Stingrays 5, Checkers 2 CHARLOTTE — Trent Campbell scored two goals and assisted on another to power the South Carolina Stingrays to their franchise-tying 10th straight ECHL win Saturday night, a 5-2 triumph over the Charlotte Checkers. Campbell scored four min...
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Copper shows its mettle in new home accents
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Copper Age is upon us. This rustic metal is warming up more and more homes, outshining stainless steel and brushed nickel. It's everywhere — and we're not just talking bright copper kettles. "Copper has always been a traditional accent in ki...
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Saving mystery relics helps keep past alive
Sometimes furniture from another era is a mystery. Would you know how to use a 4-foot-high rectangular wooden box with inlay and carvings and a door in the front that flips down? Not unless you are still using a coal stove for heat and keep the extra coal in the box. Would you reali...
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There were memorable moments on tube
Marie Osmond hit the deck. Isaiah Washington mouthed off. Ellen DeGeneres cried. And Sanjaya Malakar wowed us with his hair (but not his singing). It was another bizarre year in TV. Here, we relive some of 2007's memorable moments: --Classiest Departure: Jorga Fox's Sara Si...
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Good Morning Lowcountry
Almost New Year's Why do we celebrate the beginning of a new year? You'd think that humans, fearing death, would shrink from the future and its tendency to age us. But we don't. We like beginnings, we like facing forward. Living on islands and peninsu...
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Remodeling kitchens popular after holidays
Think about how much time you've spent in your kitchen in the past weeks. What other time of year does the kitchen get as much use as most of us give it during the period from Thanksgiving through New Year's? It's probably no coincidence that most kitchen remodels begin as soon as the holid...
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Bitterweed stands up to drought
I've always been a pushover for daisies. So when I discovered a patch of bitterweed (Helenium amarum) growing near U.S. Highway 17 and Oak Forest Drive and Farmfield Avenue in West Ashley about a month ago, I had to take a closer look.
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Ancient Rome, Israel clash in well-written history
ROME AND JERUSALEM: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations. By Martin Goodman. Knopf. 598 pages. $35. In July of the year 70, at the climax of the Roman army's campaign to crush a four-year rebellion and reoccupy Jerusalem, the great temple of Jahweh caught fire and b...
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Twining vine known to put on show
The word "pod" is an old term that has a rather obscure origin, generally referring to something that contains something else. It's commonly used to describe anything in the plant kingdom that contains seeds. In general, "pod" seems to be most commonly used for a fruit that is dry at matur...
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Trotter adapts to role as backup
TAMPA, Fla. — Jeremiah Trotter sounded like a rookie relishing a rare opportunity to get onto the field rather than a four-time Pro Bowl selection who was once one of the top linebackers in the NFL. The 10th-year pro figures to get plenty of playing time today when the Tampa Bay Bucc...
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'Crazy Horse' grant
Deaths Summary
Fed interest cuts don't mean lower mortgage rates
During his 19 years as a real estate agent, Fudgy Brabham, owner and broker-in-charge of Harbourtowne Real Estate in Mount Pleasant, has seen market trends come and go.
But one constant during that time has been a common misconception among some homebuyers that when "the Fed" tinkers with the interest rate, as it has done three times this year, mortgage rates will follow suit.
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Gadgets lift Ford Focus beyond its means
While improved, American version unoriginal
Whether you've been bad or good, I can tell you what you didn't get this Christmas: a new Focus from Ford's European workshop.
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Sales soaring despite turbulence for stocks
Art is hot. Despite turmoil in the financial markets, there are no signs that the art market is softening.
The fall auction season in New York saw robust prices across most categories, with postwar and contemporary works especially going through the roof. It seemed like a record was being shattered every time an art auction was held.
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Truly terrible TV makes the list
The holidays, the end of the year, the eggnog and all those general nice feelings in the air, they call for one of the grand traditions of American culture: Top 10 lists.
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Celebrating Bernstein
More grunt work, less intrigue
CREATION IN DEATH. By J.D. Robb. Putnam. 337 pages. $25.95. Nine years ago, they didn't catch the bad guy. Now, in the spring of 2060, The Groom is back in New York, documenting the length of time each young brunette holds up to torture before he slits her wrists, ...
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Restoring artifacts from the H.L. Hunley is a slow, exacting process
Making progress
Leave something buried in muddy silt and saltwater for a century or so and it's bound to take the shine off of it.
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Author 'pushes the boundaries'
In writing as in filmmaking, novelist Nick Smith wants "to push the way words work," to wring from them all their possibilities and permutations. "It pushes me as a writer when I try to challenge the reader a bit, because I'm also challenging myself to try different things," says the Charl...
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This week's meetings
Saturday, December 29
News flash
A princess ponders her place — and a presidential presentation ...
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Safety tips for New Year's Eve
Happy New Year! To help you as motorists, the following survival hints are offered. These tips have been acquired over the years from experience and from the printed word of experts in the field. Keep in mind, driving is a full-time job. --The most dangerous times on the road ...
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McElveen adds Hyundai
From displaying an "Autograph Mobile" to cooking hamburgers on the grill, the McElveen Hyundai staff came out Dec. 22 to show there's an upbeat atmosphere at the West Ashley dealership, which has undergone two ownership changes since 2005.
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Speed and need
The Carolina Open Classic marked one of the busiest car cruising years in the Charleston area
Once upon a time, the Charleston area tourism business was seasonal. Gradually, the visitor trade added events and the city became popular enough for vacationers most any time of year.
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Give Berkeley strong tree protections
Grand trees are being lost to clear-cutting developers in Berkeley County, diminishing the county's character and residents' quality of life. County Council should be applauded for taking the first steps toward broad protections for trees and encouraged to make the ordinance as strong as possible. ...
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Jeremy Sisto, Alicia Witt to step into new 'L&O' roles
LOS ANGELES — No franchise has seen as much change in cast as the "Law & Order" programs. That starts with the original "Law & Order" and continues through "Law & Order: SVU" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." And the changes continue. Fans of "SVU" were greeted to the addition of Adam Beach when new episodes launched in September. ...
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Spence likely to stay at Clemson
Atlanta — Monday's Chick-fil-A Bowl probably won't be Rob Spence's last game with Clemson. As of Friday afternoon, Spence had given Tommy Bowden the impression that he intended to remove his name from consideration at Tennessee. Spence, in his third ...
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Asbestos slows demolition of Sofa Super Store
The demolition of the Sofa Super Store, a site that will forever mark the tragedy that shook Charleston in 2007, will not be complete until next year.
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MRAP supplier under review
Protected Vehicles Inc. failed to fill Pentagon contract
Protected Vehicles Inc. did not meet its contractual obligations for a multimillion-dollar order to supply armored vehicles to the U.S. military and is the subject of a legal review, the Pentagon said Friday.
Meanwhile, after sending letters last week to its employees stating they no longer had jobs, the company said it plans to make an announcement about its future within the next three days.
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Pinewood Prep bounces Fort, advances to final
Pinewood Prep became the first team from the Lowcountry to reach the Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic championship game since 1997 with a 70-64 victory over Fort Dorchester on Friday night at West Ashley High School.
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Asian flew
White is the color
BRIEFCASE
Stocks mixed on report of falling housing sales NEW YORK — Stocks finished an erratic week narrowly mixed Friday after a government report of a steep decline in new home sales stirred concerns that weakness in housing will continue to dog the economy. The Com...
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Cody triumphs again at Pinehurst
PINEHURST, N.C. — Austin Cody of North Charleston won the 15-17 age division title in the Donald Ross Junior golf championships at the Pinehurst Resort. The 15-year-old Cody, who won the championship in the 12-14 age division last year, triumphed over 119 other competitors on the Cen...
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Big lessons from Big Dig
The first official cost projection for "The Big Dig," a complex highway/tunnel project designed to streamline Interstate 93 motor-vehicle traffic in Boston, was $2.6 billion. That was in 1982. A quarter century later, the actual price tag is $14.8 billion, with about half of that coming from federal taxpayers. ...
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Older drivers should look for safety, comfort
Q: I will be 77 years old soon and would like your opinion as to which of the following automobiles you would recommend for someone like me. I love driving, and I drive a stick shift to this very day. For the past eight years, I have driven a Honda Accord coupe. The practical side of me tells me to get a new Honda Civic, while the less-practical side argues for a Mini Cooper, a car that has great appeal to me aesthetically. Incidentally, before I bought the Honda, I drove a Toyota Celica, which I loved. Your input will be much appreciated. Are there cars you would especially recommend for older drivers?
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Marshview to harbor Hunley Waters community
Another former trailer park in North Charleston is being transformed into high-dollar homes. The 17-acre site of the old Marshview Trailer Park at O'Hear Avenue and Noisette Creek will soon be home to 36 houses, priced from $350,000 to $420,000 in the first phase of development. Cal...
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BRIEFLY
Pizza delivery driver says he heard shots A pizza delivery driver reported fleeing from an abandoned house in the Midland Park Road area to the sound of gunshots after delivering an order there Thursday, North Charleston police said. The Pizza Hut driver arrived at 7...
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Sweetgrass treasures gone
House fire claims basket maker's supplies, damages heirloom baskets
Fire, even a small one, can send years of family history up in smoke.
Willie Mae Jackson, a sweetgrass basket maker, learned that Christmas Eve, when a smoke alarm awoke Jackson's 18-year-old son, Justin, shortly after she left her Lucy's Lane home for work.
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Airlift Wing serves vital role in wars
Paramedic David Peacock leapt from the Pave Hawk helicopter into pitch black and groped his way to the patient. The firefight had just ended, the smell of it still in the air. An explosive had torn apart the man's face, his chest, his legs.
"The doctor was saying, 'He's got to have surgery or he's not going to make it.' They handed him to me and said, 'Good luck,' " Peacock said.
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Ford might not press for audit
Seeks answers in firing of S.C. State president
State Sen. Robert Ford is backing off, at least for now, from a threat to call for a financial audit of South Carolina State University's board of trustees if its members don't reinstate ousted President Andrew Hugine. The senator said he issued the ultimatum earlier this month in response...
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Assistants' loyalty to Bowden paying off
As Clemson seeks its first 10-win season in 17 years Monday against No. 22 Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Bowl (7:30 p.m., ESPN), the Tigers assistant coaches feel a mix of validation and relief.
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Del Webb's first community in the Charleston area caters to mature buyers at Cane Bay
Webb site
Looking to gauge interest in Del Webb Charleston at Cane Bay?
For one thing, many of the first group of buyers agreed to purchase homes after a summer tour on a rainy, muddy day, hardly the most attractive circumstances. In addition, buyers, which must include at least one resident age 55 or older, started holding get-togethers such as barbecues even before they moved in.
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Gamecocks survive Anteaters
South Carolina basketball team avoids upset by visiting UC-Irvine.
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Good Morning Lowcountry
Huckabee backers on roll
After slow start, front-runner status being enjoyed
Ten months ago it didn't seem like Mike Huckabee's true believers in South Carolina could fill a room. And for those like Adam Piper, life wasn't easy.
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Driver: Wind caused accident
18-wheelers tie up traffic in two incidents
Police have heard almost every excuse a driver could possibly dream up, but "the wind did it" might be a new one.
That's more or less what a trucker told State Transport Police after a dump trailer he was hauling with his 1995 Mack truck clipped the College Park Road overpass on eastbound Interstate 26 on Friday morning.
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Housing market had lousy year, but '08 promising
Queen Elizabeth II once famously referred to her "annus horribilis" — a horrible year during which almost everything went badly, from royal family scandals to a raging fire that destroyed parts of Windsor Castle. The American housing market experienced its own form of annus horribili...
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Home prices fall, but would-be buyers are holding back
A silver lining?
The upside to a housing slump is cheaper homes. But many prospective buyers don't see bargains yet, especially as stricter lending standards qualify only the cream of the credit crop.
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Stingrays scramble after goalie Parley called up
With four days off for the Christmas holidays and riding a nine-game winning streak, the South Carolina Stingrays return to the ice with a big weekend facing three Southeast Division opponents beginning tonight in Charlotte.
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At airport, early bird gets the wait
During holidays, up to 14 flights jam into same 95-minute takeoff window
Shortly before sunup Friday morning, Chris Watson turned the corner inside the Charleston airport's "A" Concourse and stopped with a stunned look on his face.
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'Rocky's Paulie tries a different canvas
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Of all the movie stars who populate the landmark buildings on Port Washington's Main Street — perhaps there's more than one; we don't know — Burt Young has to be the friendliest. ...
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Goose Creek, Burke set the stage for showdown
Goose Creek coach Brad Dobbels wanted more rebounding. Senior forward Joffery Ward decided it was time to show more leadership. Both got what they wanted.
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Bowl picks are a real crapshoot
You know, it's hard enough trying to figure out how college football teams are going to play when you've been watching them week after week. But it's almost impossible to predict how they're going to perform after being off for a month.
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Blaze leaves 6 families homeless
Miguel Gomez of Somerset Apartment Homes had just stepped outside to take a cigarette break when he saw what seemed like "a small, itty, bitty fire" on a roof several buildings away.
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Clyburn critiques first year
As Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., finishes up his first year as Majority Whip, Post and Courier reporter Robert Behre talked with him about his accomplishments, frustrations and what lies in store for next year.
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Car shows
Growth funds withstand market volatility, outpace value funds in 2007
Modest 4th-quarter gains extend lead
Funds dedicated to growth companies had surprisingly solid gains for 2007, withstanding market turbulence that usually pummels that volatile category of funds.
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Former drug addict finds season for second chance
The wind is not easy on this day.
Its chill reaches through the thickest of sweaters. But there she stands, her hand clasping a single gold bell. The sun shines on her as she gives the bell a good shake.
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Cardellini stepping from 'ER' to prequel
PASADENA, Calif. — Actress Linda Cardellini thrives on chaos. It seems the perfect condition for someone who wants to be an actor. The woman who plays Nurse Taggert on "ER" says, "You don't get into this business to know your future, and there's part of you that loves the roller-coaster ride of the unknown. ...
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Renaissance Weekend to tackle contemporary issues
Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and other innovative leaders are pouring into the city to attend the 27th year of Renaissance Weekend, a nonpartisan family retreat that began Friday at Charleston Place. Philip Lader, who founded the weekends in 1981 along with his wife, Linda LeSou...
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Democracy must triumph
Credible evidence indicating that al-Qaida and the Taliban were behind the assassination of Benazir Bhutto provides Washington an opportunity to fine tune its policy toward Pakistan and the government of President Pervez Musharraf. President Bush has responded correctly in urging the Pakistani people "to honor Benazir Bhutto's memory by continuing with the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life." ...
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Deaths Summary
Suspect denies Mount Pleasant killing; police calm residents
As Judy Farley snuggled up on the couch reading an Ann Rule murder book, a shocking, real-life homicide case was unfolding right next door.
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Deaths and Funerals
Town councilwoman arrested
Atlantic Beach mayor-elect: I had to go to the bathroom
COLUMBIA — A town councilwoman on Friday accused a police officer who arrested her of using excessive force, and said she desperately needed a bathroom when she was instead charged with resisting arrest during a traffic stop. Retha Pierce Sturdivant, 58, was pulled over Christmas nig...
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High Profile: BEN GRAMLING III
Tapping the brakes of his GMC Yukon on Cane Bay's main drag, Ben Gramling III sought to negotiate a U-turn from the right lane of the two-lane inbound causeway. He prepared to whip the wheel, then caught sight in the rearview mirror of a car coming up from the left. He quickly hit the brake pedal and let the vehicle pass. "I forget this is not my road anymore," says Gramling, 45. ...
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Gas hits $3 mark; oil prices decline
Record high prices for retail gasoline expected for spring
Gas prices rose back to $3 a gallon at the pump Friday, following rising futures prices on concerns about tight inventories and potential supply disruptions.
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Friday, December 28
Clemson offensive coordinator staying with Tigers
Rob Spence was being pursued by Tennessee
Clemson offensive coordinator Rob Spence is expected to remain with the Tigers.
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Today's Game
UC Irvine at South Carolina When: 7:35 p.m.; Where: Colonial Center (18,000), Columbia; Radio: WTMA 1250 AM; LINE: South Carolina by 10 1/2 South Carolina (6-5) Head coa...
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Deaths Summary
Martyr for democracy
Benazir Bhutto knowingly risked her life in the belief that she could save her nation from chaos. Only a matter of hours before she died a martyr's death, as Reuters news agency reported, she told her followers at the fatal rally in Rawalpindi, "I put my life in danger and came here because I fe...
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Sewee events kick off 2008
Walks, talks, oyster benefit
Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center, a joint venture of the Francis Marion National Forest and Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge will offer a variety of activities the first month of the new year.
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Roadwatch
Ongoing closings BERKELEY COUNTY --S.C. Highway 6: Lane closures between S.C. Highway 45 and S.C. Highway 311, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. CHARLESTON COUNTY --Hunley Avenue: Closed at Ellis Creek bridge on Folly Road. --U.S. Highway 78: One eastbound lane closed...
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A salute to departing USC president, Dr. Andrew Sorensen
The recent announcement by my colleague, Dr. Andrew Sorensen, that he will be stepping down from the presidency of the University of South Carolina has given me pause to reflect upon what has transpired since he came to the Palmetto State five years ago. I was excited about his arrival because he...
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Fourth All-State for Green
Three Lowcountry stars join Summerville receiver on AP team
A.J. Green couldn't have imagined the stellar career he would have when he first came out for the Summerville High School varsity football team. Four years later, Green is ready for even greater things in the game he loves.
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Five big (little) stories of 2007
There are plenty of 'top' lists in newspapers this time of year: the top stories, deaths, celebrities, scandals, etc., of 2007. The items in this list aren't likely to appear on many of those, but we selected them because we suspect future historians may view these 'little' developments a little differently.
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Adwatch: Clinton plays to health care strength, military support in SC ad
Still photos of Hillary Rodham Clinton from the campaign trail, including a classic stump shot of her holding a small child. There's also a close-up of a young black girl with text that reads, "health care for six million kids, 68,000 in South Carolina," in addition to images of Clinton speaking with senior citizens, hugging a military veteran and a shot of a man on crutches in what appears to be a hospital hallway. ...
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Briefcase
Economy, Bhutto's death weigh on stock markets NEW YORK — Stocks fell sharply Thursday on worries about political unrest after the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. The Commerce Department's weaker-than-expected durable goods orders report f...
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New Clinton TV spot has S.C. connection
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton is airing a 60-second television ad in South Carolina that talks about how she has fought for universal health care, the National Guard and Reserve and against President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security. The ad is slightly tail...
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Iraq duty leaves dog behind
Volunteer to care for pet for a year
When Rick Olejarz leaves for Iraq tomorrow, he'll have one less thing to worry about.
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Troubles causing Sallie Mae shares to sink
WASHINGTON — Sallie Mae's planned $2.5 billion stock sale doesn't answer all of Wall Street's questions about the struggling student lender's future. While some analysts see the company's financing woes as a short-term problem, others highlight serious concerns about the Reston, Va. ...
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USC self-reports 10 secondary violations
COLUMBIA — South Carolina reported 10 secondary rules violations from the final half of 2007, the school said Thursday through a release. Additionally, USC said eight of its athletes tested positive for having marijuana in their systems. That was out of 438 tests. Among the ru...
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Deputies: Woman killed boyfriend on Christmas
LYNCHBURG — A woman shot her boyfriend three times in the head early Christmas morning after the two had spent most of the night arguing, authorities said. Tippy Retana, 37, was charged with murder Thursday afternoon after she failed a lie-detector test and admitted to killing 30-yea...
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Court rules illegal workers eligible for workers' comp
COLUMBIA — Illegal immigrants who are injured on the job are entitled to workers' compensation, the South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled. The court issued the opinion after an employer claimed a Mexican citizen who injured his right eye on a demolition job in Charleston should not ...
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The Fun Five
Things to do and where to do them
Things to do and where to do them
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BOA chief sees no deal in near future
CEO's acquisition history leads some analysts to expect big bid at anytime
When asked recently whether he saw any opportunities to make yet another deal to expand his financial services empire, Bank of America Corp.'s Ken Lewis casually answered, "Nothing that comes to mind."
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West Ashley teacher accused of rape dies in crash
A West Ashley High School teacher charged last week with raping a woman drove his vehicle into a tree and died Thursday morning in rural Florence County, authorities said.
A suicide note was reportedly found in Scott Knight's Jeep Cherokee, but its contents have not been released, said Charleston County sheriff's Maj. John Clark.
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Fashion Q&A
Q: My husband's mother soon will be moving into an assisted-living facility. She has been staying with us since selling her home eight months ago.
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T's fuel Goose Creek in tournament opener
A pair of technical fouls against their opponents gave the Goose Creek Gators enough of a boost to pull away to a 10-point lead en route to a 67-54 victory over the Ridgeland Jaguars on Thursday night in the first round of the Modie Risher Classic at Burke High School.
Junior guard Philip Jenkins scored 24 points, and teammate Joffery Ward scored 11 while leading the team with 10 rebounds to help Goose Creek improve to 6-3. Despite the victory, Gators coach Brad Dobbels was frustrated by the way his team played.
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Iman's accent on busy woman
Want something done? Give it to a busy woman. Give it to Iman.
She's the CEO of her own cosmetics company, a sought-after supermodel, a wife to a superstar and a mother.
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Briefly: Cross woman dies after car flips over
Cross woman dies after car flips over A 24-year-old woman died after her car overturned on County Line Road near Cross on Thursday morning, authorities said. Carlethia Bookhart of Cross had been driving north in a 1994 Cadillac when she lost control shortly after 10...
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County community education top-rated
National review scores program
Charleston County's Community Education program received the highest possible rating in a recent review by the National Community Education Association. The county's Community Education program scored exemplary overall and in four of five areas. The only area to not receive the best rating...
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Mount Pleasant might suspend home-building permit limit
A record surplus of more than 400 single-family homebuilding permits has prompted the town to take a first step toward suspending a controversial seven-year-old program that limited new home construction.
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New bowl, new attitude
When they say they're happy to be here, by gosh they mean it.
No, Atlanta in December doesn't rank high on many folks' lists of glitzy holiday getaways. And Clemson's football team would no doubt prefer to be somewhere like Miami or New Orleans getting ready to carve out a slice of the BCS pie.
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Man charged in Mt. Pleasant killing
Police arrested a Charleston man late Thursday on a charge of murdering Anthony Chiaramonte, the 73-year-old found beaten to death inside his Mount Pleasant home on Christmas Day. Detectives caught up with Lawrence H. Pinckney, 38, in downtown Charleston and took him into custody around 9 ...
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Romney camp fights 'push-polls'
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is asking South Carolina supporters to report instances of "push-polling," a tactic used to smear candidates by making statements while pretending to take a poll.
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Goodwill distributes gifts, prizes
Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina wrapped up its ninth annual Golden Angel Tree Program at the Charleston Area Senior Citizens Services on Meeting Street in downtown Charleston.
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Center starts library with donations
Clients can read while they wait
It may be a small room, but it holds promise for those who use it.
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Delays pain air travelers
Some of the ticketing and security screening lines at the Charleston International Airport are experiencing delays - especially in the morning - as the country approaches the busiest single air travel day of the season.
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Renewed hope for Morris Island
The preservation of Morris Island has been a long, drawn-out campaign, but those who are dedicated to the task thankfully have been willing to persevere. The extension of an agreement for the island's sale and of a grant that will help make it possible reflect the commitment of all involved. ...
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Hinson supporting ex-husband's run
Jimmy Hinson bids for ex-wife's seat
MONCKS CORNER — Seven years after a nasty election and runoff for the House District 92 seat, Rep. Shirley Hinson is supporting her ex-husband's bid for the seat that she gave up. "We have put that phase of our life behind us," said Hinson, R-Goose Creek, of the acrimony in the 2000 ...
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Uterine fibroid treatment gets payment boost from Medicaid
More than five years ago, Maxine Green learned she had uterine fibroids. As many as three out of four women develop the benign growths in their wombs during childbearing years.
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Good Morning Lowcountry
Holiday leftovers GMLc cleans up the kitchen with a small serving of news bites from the state, the nation and the world. Bhutto. CNN posted a page of back stories and video interviews, along with the history of the leadership and return to Pakistan ...
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Dreamliner continues to soar
Boeing's new aircraft hasn't flown, but carriers have ordered 790 of them
Boeing Co. said Thursday it finalized a deal with British Airways, raising total orders for its long-awaited 787 Dreamliner to 790 over the last three years.
British Airways' order for 24 Dreamliners gives the plane one of the industry's most successful launches ever, even though the airliner has yet to take flight.
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Departure of Spence would influence Harper
ATLANTA — If Rob Spence leaves for Tennessee, could Cullen Harper be off to the NFL? Harper, a redshirt junior, would not rule out the notion Thursday after No. 15 Clemson completed practice at the Georgia Dome. "I'd definitely have to sit down and t...
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Audi strong with A6 Avant Quattro wagon
The Audi wagon had us at "Hello."
We were smitten by its black and brick-red leather interior accented with birch wood veneer. It was elegant, exquisite, one of the most inviting interiors we've seen in any car. I wanted to drive it. My wife, Mary Anne, wanted the wheel. Ria Manglapus, my partner in vehicle evaluations, wanted in.
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Dorchester now the road less taken, thanks to link
There's a new road to happiness in North Charleston. With the recent opening of a 1.2-mile stretch of Patriot Boulevard between Wescott Boulevard and Palmetto Commerce Parkway, the suburban road now runs all the way from Dorchester Road to the parkway, providing a much-needed alternative r...
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Strathairn strayed far from circus
Elegantly serious, actor David Strathairn wasn't always so composed. To watch his cool command of roles such as CIA Deputy Director Noah Vosen in "The Bourne Ultimatum" or Edward R. Murrow in his Oscar-nominated performance in "Good Night, and Good Luck," it's hard to imagine he began as a clown....
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S.C. State lends hand to Zanzibar
Project creates books for schools in need in sub-Saharan Africa
High school biology students on the East African island of Zanzibar no longer will have to share textbooks after South Carolina State University officials deliver 165,000 of them early next month.
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