SEC says Force Protection needs new audit for 2006

The Securities and Exchange Commission believes Force Protection Inc. should have its 2006 financial statements audited again because of serious oversights uncovered at the accounting firm that originally examined its books for that year.

The Ladson-based armored-vehicle maker said Wednesday that it plans to seek a waiver from the SEC.

Troopers, local police, out in force tonight

Don't expect state troopers to head home after the ball drops tonight and bartenders make their last calls.

The Highway Patrol has authorized them to stay out the entire night, and keep up the pressure throughout the upcoming weekend.

North Charleston delays taxi cab law

A last minute e-mail from City Councilman Bobby Jameson staved off a split vote on a controversial law to tightly regulate taxi cabs in North Charleston. Read More

Tarleton to retire March 31

Publisher Larry Tarleton announced Wednesday that he would retire from The Post and Courier effective March 31.

Sanford agrees to apply for loan for unemployment benefits

Gov. Mark Sanford said today that he will will apply for a federal loan to keep benefits going out to 77,000 jobless residents through March. Read More

W. Va. woman killed in freeway crash

A 24-year-old woman died on Intestate 95 in Colleton County Tuesday afternoon when an 18-wheeler hit the back of the sport utility vehicle she was riding in, the Highway Patrol said. Read More

SC unemployment fund could go broke without deal

Gov. Mark Sanford and state officials have until the end of the day Wednesday to reach an agreement that would allow South Carolina to access a $146 million federal loan to pay benefits through March.

Woman says child's doll says 'Islam is the light'

BEAUFORT - A South Carolina woman says a doll she bought for her daughters at her local Wal-Mart includes the phrase "Islam is the light" among its prerecorded baby noises. Read More

Horry County inmate slips out of cuffs on way back to jail

MYRTLE BEACH - Authorities say an Horry County inmate slipped out of his handcuffs in a police car and grabbed the driver's gun before officers managed to restrain him. Read More

House fire in Clinton that kills man ruled an accident

GREENVILLE - Authorities say a 45-year-old Laurens County man died in a fire likely started by a cigarette or candle. Read More

Father charged in accidental shooting death of son

ORANGEBURG - Authorities say a man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after the shotgun he was holding accidentally went off, shooting his son while the boy slept inside the house. Read More

Ravenel codefendant leaves prison

Former state Treasurer Thomas Ravenel's codefendant has been released from the Florida prison where he had been serving time on federal cocaine charges, the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed. Read More

Lowcountry robbery suspect linked to Midlands heist

Authorities think that the same man who held up a North Charleston bank on Christmas Eve has struck again in the Midlands. Read More

Simple chicken recipe healthy, sophisticated

It's possible to make a luxurious dish that's special enough for company, but still healthy and easy. Read More

Governor names replacement

Race injected into Blagojevich drama

CHICAGO - A defiant Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday named a black political trailblazer to Barack Obama's Senate seat, a surprise move that put the governor's opponents in the uncomfortable position of trying to block his choice from becoming the Senate's only black member. Read More

South Carolina freshman dealing with college life, football and 3 children

TAMPA, Fla. - Your freshman year in college is supposed to be about adjustments and acclimation. Getting used to your surroundings. Feeling your way through life's independence. Fighting to learn inside and outside classroom walls. Read More

Fly the friendly skies powered by jatropha oil

Air New Zealand tested a jet fuel made from the jatropha plant on Tuesday as the airline searches for an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative to crude oil. Read More

Post and Courier New Years Day Schedule

The Post and Courier will publish as usual on New Year's Day, but curtailed schedules will be observed in order to give a holiday to as many employees as possible. Read More

Bartender's flavorful cocktails make spirits bright

Mixologist or bartender? Malachi Topping is fine with either description, but he does value the artistry of his profession, if that's the degree of difference. Topping, supervisor of the Thoroughbred Club at Charleston Place, is realizing a passion for marrying flavors in a cocktail like a chef does with food. Read More

Dubuc grabs ECHL honor

Stingrays rookie forward Michael Dubuc was named ECHL player of the week after totaling six goals and two assists as South Carolina won all three of its games. Read More

Matter of degrees

An oven thermometer, that is, a thermometer that measures the temperature of your oven, is one of the handiest devices to have in a kitchen, especially if you do a lot of baking. Ovens are notoriously unreliable, and their actual temperature can fall more than 30 degrees on either side of where they're supposed to be. Read More

Police arrest man in uncle's death

FLORENCE - Police have arrested a 24-year-old man they think killed his uncle at the uncle's Florence home. Read More

Panthers, Gators denied

It was an epic, but once again a team from the Lowcountry went away with an empty feeling at the conclusion of the Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic. Read More

Fire department gives safety tips

On this New Year's Eve, the North Charleston Fire Department is encouraging the public to handle fireworks safely during their celebrations by obeying local laws and following common sense safety measures. Read More

Roediger antics a hit

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The chants started low, almost a whisper at first, then started to grow. Read More

For beer budgets

When the occasion calls for Champagne, but the budget counsels frugality, Domaine Ste. Michelle shines with a top-quality, Champagne-style sparkling wine. Read More

Summerville Briefs

The Summerville Community Orchestra's New Year's Eve Gala will take place in Doar Hall at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Summerville. Read More

Clemson's Davis could celebrate birthday, history

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. - James Davis doesn't want much for his birthday. You know, just a win over Nebraska and his name in Clemson's Ring of Honor. Read More

East Cooper Briefs

Mayor Harry Hallman and Councilman Nick Collins met with representatives of Mount Pleasant Waterworks to deliver the key to the city to Sweetgrass ACE Hardware. Business co-owners John Royall and Frank Fletcher and landowner Tim Askins recently annexed into the town. Read More

Front Burner

Museum oyster roast: To celebrate its 236th birthday, the Charleston Museum hosts its annual Oyster Roast and Civil War walks 2-5 p.m. Jan. 10. Held at the museum's Dill Sanctuary on James Island, the event includes oysters, barbecue, a full bar, live bluegrass music and curator-led tours of Civi... Read More

Creative retirees like study

The College of Charleston Center for Creative Retirement's spring semester programs include lectures on the economy, national security, the new president and his administration, culture shock in Africa and a host of other topics. Read More

Burke rips Eagles for title

For nearly two quarters, it appeared the Beaufort Eagles would give the Burke Bulldogs a game in the championship of the Modie Risher Classic. Then reality set in. Read More

Berkeley Briefs

Dorchester Children's Center has received a check for $18,655.78 from Bi-Lo Charities to support their efforts to provide children's advocacy services. Read More

Mill ordered to halt water use

AUGUSTA - A judge has ordered a vacant textile mill to stop using water from the Augusta Canal for electricity. Read More

A look back at the year that was 2008

As the bright ball descends on the last seconds of 2008 tonight, a weary populace will likely breathe a collective sigh of relief. After 12 long months of falling stocks, rising prices, looming layoffs and tightening belts, we are finally getting a bailout from this gloomy year. Maybe the Chinese knew something when they dubbed 2008 the Year of the Rat. Read More

Prostate Cancer in Poor Men

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Despite efforts to promote early screening, low-income men may be waiting too long for prostate cancer screening. New research shows low-income men are initially diagnosed with advanced stage prostate cancer at significantly higher rates than the general population. Read More

Stub it out or go outside New Year's Day

ISLE OF PALMS-A workplace smoking ban goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, but police officers don't plan on becoming a cigarette Gestapo. Read More

Deadline for using leftover money looms

INDIANAPOLIS - Stocking up on aspirin by tonight will do more than blunt a New Year's Day hangover for many people across the country. Read More

Happy booze-free New Year's

The city of Charleston will hold its fourth annual New Year's Eve celebration today, a family-friendly, alcohol-free event. Read More

Deaths and Funerals

Most viewed on Charleston.net for 2008

St. Benedict boasts rising membership

St. Benedict Catholic Church continues to grow as it prepares for the new year and future construction of its permanent church home off U.S. Highway 17 North on Darrell Creek Trail in Mount Pleasant. Currently, the parish has more than 300 parishioners. Read More

Tracking cancer - Research summary

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Cooking clases

Cajun Kitchen: Cooking classes with Louisiana native Donnie Bulliard, 6:30 p.m. daily except Monday at Signature Kitchens and Bath's appliance center, 1826 Belgrade Ave. in West Ashley. $60, including food and wine. Visit www.thecajunkitchen.tv or call 225-2939 for more information. Read More

Deaths Summary

Shapely bodies handle stress better

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Although most women would choose a slender shape over an hourglass figure and believe men would do the same, new research suggests larger waists come with hidden health benefits. Read More

Walterboro to use nature to lure travelers off the interstate

Front door to ACE Basin

WALTERBORO - Despite having a new Slave Relics Museum, an artisan's center and a growing collection of antique stores in a picturesque downtown, Mayor Charlie Sweat knows that most tourists here are motorists simply searching for a good night's rest. Read More

The grain of truth

Are polenta, cornmeal and grits interchangeable? If not, can you explain the differences? Read More

Celebrate new year safely

Do it to avoid getting arrested. Do it for the money it could save you. Do it for your health or your religion or your concern for other people's well-being. But please, do it. When you are tempted to welcome in 2009 with champagne toasts, hand your car keys to someone who isn't. Read More

New insight into how cells get nutrients

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Researchers in Belgium have uncovered an important new way cells locate nutrients. The new mechanism is similar to the way cells receive messages from hormones. Read More

Suspect in killing remains at large

Dorchester County sheriff's deputies are still trying to find a suspect in the Dec. 20 shooting death of Justin Kyle Adkins, 26, outside JC's on Ashley Phosphate Road. Read More

Home cooking, organic among food forecasts

In 2009, if New Year's seers are to be believed, we may well be eating gluten-free, sesame and root beer-flavored short ribs, lovingly braised in our slow cookers, and sipping on Pisco Sours. Read More

New laws take effect in new year

Measures against repeat DUI offenders, hiring illegal immigrants to kick in

COLUMBIA - Steps to curb illegal immigration and prevent people from drunken driving are among South Carolina's new laws going into effect New Year's Day. Read More

Business Briefs

Equine-rescue program helps inmates and horses alike

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. - Sadie kept to herself after she came through the gates at Pulaski State Prison. Months of abuse and neglect had taken their toll on the 12-year-old appaloosa mare who is blind in her left eye. Read More

Man pleads guilty in computer case

GREENVILLE - A man has pleaded guilty to putting a malicious program into the computer system at Six Flags. Read More

Bridge tourney draws crowd

Thousands on hand for regional event

The players may call each other dummy while trying to knock one another out, but a first-time visitor to a bridge tournament should be warned: Watching hundreds of people play bridge at one time is hardly like watching professional wrestling. Read More

Common-sense meltdown

Some local residents, including Lowcountry natives, annually lament the lack of winter-wonderland weather in these parts during the Christmas season. But before feeling inordinate 'let it snow, let it snow, let it snow' envy of Americans who have had plenty of it over the last few weeks or so, ponder the hazards that accompany the cold stuff. Read More

Agency honors coal shipper, hits it with fine

State environmental regulators recently honored Kinder Morgan for its efforts to improve air quality at its shipping terminal on the Cooper River. At the same time, however, they were getting ready to assess the Texas company a five-figure fine for fouling Charleston's air with coal dust. Read More

Woman charged with biting ear

GREENWOOD - Authorities have accused a 43-year-old Greenwood woman of biting off a piece of a man's ear. Read More

$100,000 bond set for firefighter

SAVANNAH - A South Carolina judge has ordered a Savannah firefighter held on a high bond following his arrest in connection with a hit-and-run crash that left a bicycle rider dead. Read More

Columbia crew's efforts were futile

WASHINGTON - When the first of many loud alarms sounded on the space shuttle Columbia, the seven astronauts had about a minute to live, though they didn't know it. Read More

High School Basketball

3 charged with robbing bank

A man who surrendered to police after a standoff in North Charleston on Monday is one of three people charged with robbing a West Ashley bank the same morning, police said. Read More

The King of Iowa

TAMPA, FLA. - Many Iowans act like royalty. For instance, the three guys who resemble Paul Blart, Mall Cop. They were lounging around a Tampa hotel pool Tuesday while phoning home to Cedar Rapids to brag about the perfectly sunny weather. Read More

St. Benedict boasts rising membership

St. Benedict Catholic Church continues to grow as it prepares for the new year and future construction of its permanent church home off U.S. Highway 17 North on Darrell Creek Trail in Mount Pleasant. Currently, the parish has more than 300 parishioners. Read More

2 top execs to retire

Executive editor, publisher bow out

SPARTANBURG - The publisher and the executive editor of the Herald-Journal of Spartanburg will retire at the end of the year. Read More

Finding a little luck in what you eat

Cultures worldwide hitch their fortunes to the choice of food on New Year's

OK, maybe he skipped the black-eyed peas. In fact, since the tough economy has spread around the world, it looks like a lot of people fell down on the New Year's job last year. Read More

Price to liquidate firm up to $28M

NEW YORK - The financial whirlpool created by Bernard Madoff continued to churn Tuesday as the price tag of liquidating his old firm rose, and duped investors including actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick struggled to accurately estimate how much they lost. Read More

Port bonuses under fire

McConnell says he's lost confidence in agency, is drafting legislation to alter practice

COLUMBIA - With a bottomed-out economy and longshoremen looking for second jobs, Sen. Glenn McConnell says the State Ports Authority picked the wrong time to hand out bonuses. The ports authority awarded $208,000 to its top managers and roughly $500,000 to the rest of its employees, and McConnell, R-Charleston and the president pro tem of the state Senate, said Tuesday he is trying to figure out a way to use legislation to change the practice in the future. Read More

Hawkeyes' Ferentz relishing warmth

TAMPA, Fla. - Considering Iowa traveled here on Christmas Eve and actually practiced on Christmas Day, you might think Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz is a scrooge. Read More

Hutchinson helps to solidify offensive line

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Early in the second quarter of Clemson's season opener against Alabama, Tigers offensive line coach Brad Scott turned to Bobby Hutchinson and told him to put his helmet back on. Up until that moment, Hutchinson, a fifth-year senior, thought his playing days were a thing of the past. Read More

Source of noise not determined

MOUNT PLEASANT - A loud boom startled residents east of the Cooper River on Monday and left police officials and weather experts stumped. Mount Pleasant police received a few calls about the noise around 2 p.m., Sgt. Steve Meadows said. Read More

Give us your stories

We hope you have enjoyed what you have read in our increased coverage of communities west of the Ashley, and we invite you to play a part in the news coverage of your communities on these pages. Read More

Genes and booze: A cancer cocktail?

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Regular drinking could put you at greater risk of developing colorectal cancer. Read More

Barefoot Contessa turns heads with latest cookbook

When she walked into the Lobby restaurant at the Peninsula Hotel recently, Ina Garten made practically every head in the room turn - heads belonging mostly to men in business suits finishing their power breakfasts. Read More

Lowcountry shows commitment to helping out

Despite a sluggish economy, the Lowcountry community has once again proven its commitment to assisting the less fortunate among us during the holiday season. The Post and Courier's Good Cheer Fund will conclude this year with a total of $312,188.94. Read More

The Wine List

AMUSE: 1720 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., West Ashley. Flights 5-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. $5. 573-8778. Read More

Sanford, ESC chief continue sparring

Update: News conference scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Read more

West Ashley Briefs

Chamber Music Charleston will hold a free family concert this afternoon at 4:30 at Second Presbyterian Church, 342 Meeting St. Read More

Tracking cancer

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

More than half of those diagnosed with cancer will undergo chemotherapy. For some it works. For others it doesn't. It can take months to find out which group you may be in. A simple blood test can give patients and doctors the answer. Read More

Sanford can declare victory and provide funds for jobless

Gov. Mark Sanford has made his point about the need for a performance audit of the state's Employment Security Commission. Now he should request the federal loan necessary to keep unemployment checks coming to out-of-work South Carolinians. Read More

Letters to the Editor

Saving Webb Center among focus of meeting

Finding a way to save the Charles Webb Center for developmentally disabled children was the subject of a meeting Tuesday that included Medical University of South Carolina President Raymond Greenberg, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley and state Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston. Read More

Charleston-based C-17 damaged when it runs off runway

A Charleston-based cargo plane ran off the runway Monday while landing in the pre-dawn dark in Afghanistan. No one was reported injured among the Air Force Reserve's 315th Airlift Wing crew and passengers aboard. Read More

Hutto sworn in to House seat

Scarborough has appealed election outcome

State Rep. Anne Peterson Hutto was sworn in Tuesday, almost two months after she defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Wallace Scarborough in their hotly contested District 115 race and about one month before the state House will decide if that election result will stand. Read More

2 charged with graffiti vandalism

Two graffiti suspects Sunday morning in downtown Charleston were caught green-and-pink-handed. Read More

Abbeville woman facing charges

GREENVILLE - Authorities said a woman who claimed someone was trying to kill her drove off in a patrol car when a deputy got out to help her, crashing soon after. Read More

Boy dies after falling from truck

FORT LAWN - A 7-year-old South Carolina boy has died after he fell from a stolen pickup truck. Read More

Scientists create monkey stem cells

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

The successful creation of the first induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell line from adult monkey skin may have important implications for direct reprogramming capabilities across different species. Read More

Evergreen cost cuts hit Charleston office

Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) Corp. said Tuesday that it will consolidate some North America administrative offices and cut its labor force, blaming a global slump in the ocean shipping business. Read More

Sophomore's 3-pointers help Clemson overcome Downey's career night

COLUMBIA - After an all-night, relentless assault on the basket by both teams, 20th-ranked Clemson attacked the hoop a little better and outlasted South Carolina, 98-87, Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 16,168 at Colonial Life Arena. "I thought it was a hard-fought competitive game between two state rivals," said Clemson coach Oliver Purnell. "One of the things I love about our team is how well they listen, but I don't think they got the message today when I told them how hard South Carolina was going to come out." Read More

Sexuality part of life, Dr. Ruth says

World-renowned sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer says sexuality is simply a part of life and must be included with other important issues of the day. Read More

Renaissance Weekend brings together leaders from various disciplines

Renaissance Weekend, a non-partisan family retreat, founded and hosted by Philip Lader, former U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James, brings together Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and other innovative leaders for discourse on issues such as religion, politics and science. Read More

Bonuses awarded by State Ports Authority draw criticism

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said the ports authority is wrongly rewarding profits instead of economic development by giving its executives $200,000 in bonuses. Read More

Evergreen Shipping takes cost-cutting measures

The downturn in the global ocean shipping business forced Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) to announce today that it is consolidating some North America offices and cutting employees. Read More

State schedules news conference at 2 p.m. to talk about unemployment

The standoff between the commission and Gov. Mark Sanford continued Tuesday, with only two days before the state might have to stop printing unemployment checks for 77,000 people. Read More

Three charged in Monday's bank robbery

Charleston police have obtained warrants to charge three men in Monday's robbery of a West Ashley bank. Those arrested included Alonzo Brown, the subject of a 90-minute standoff on in North Charleston which ended peacefully after Brown spoke to a North Charleston deputy police chief. Read More

SC woman charged with biting off part of man's ear

GREENWOOD - Authorities have accused a 43-year-old Greenwood woman of biting off a piece of a man's ear. Read More

SC resort fined for not paying laid-off employees

HILTON HEAD ISLAND - The state of South Carolina has fined a Beaufort County resort for not paying dozens of laid-off employees their for their vacation time. Read More

7-year-old SC boy dies after falling from truck

FORT LAWN - A 7-year-old South Carolina boy has died after he fell from a stolen pickup truck. Read More

$100,000 bond set for fireman in hit and run death

SAVANNAH, Ga. - A South Carolina judge has ordered a Savannah firefighter to be held on a high bond following his arrest for a fatal hit-and-run crash that left a bicycle rider dead. Read More

Man dies in house fire in Clinton

CLINTON - Laurens County officials say a man has died in a house fire in Clinton. Read More

Deputies: Abbeville woman drove off in patrol car

GREENVILLE - Authorities say a woman who claimed someone was trying to kill her drove off in a patrol car when a deputy got out to help her, crashing soon after. Read More

Explosion rocks Savannah

Cause of electrical blast that knocked out power, blew off manhole covers unknown

SAVANNAH — Crews were waiting for an area to cool off under the streets of downtown Savannah before they could start determining what caused an electrical explosion Monday that blew off manhole covers and knocked out power for hours to many stores, restaurants and homes. Read More

Breast disease to breast cancer

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Researchers found a benign breast disease (BBD), known as atypical hyperplasia, can significantly increase a young woman's risk of developing breast cancer even if there is no breast cancer history in her family. Read More

Suspect surrenders - Detectives investigating if man is linked to robbery

Update: Police have obtained warrants to charge three men in connection with Monday's bank robbery and standoff. Read more here

Woman charged in inmate's escape

A Charleston County jail inmate who escaped Friday was captured the next day, the Sheriff's Office reported Monday. Read More

Inland port on horizon

Possibility of 3,000 jobs has poverty-stricken area recasting its image

SANTEE - Melvin Bannister stood outside his house and was asked to imagine how his rural community might change when Jafza International begins building here next year. Read More

Use city directories in research

When looking for genealogical information, don't forget to search city directories, especially the older ones. The directories, which often were published annually, provide information on the residents and places such as businesses, churches and schools in a geographical area. Read More

Prison worker held hostage unharmed

BISHOPVILLE - An employee at a maximum-security prison in South Carolina appeared physically unharmed after being held hostage by an inmate for two hours. Read More

Culture focus of program

S.C. State launching program to bridge gap

ORANGEBURG - Finding ways to bridge an unintentional cultural divide in poor school districts between white teachers and black students will become part of a course offered by South Carolina State University, its education department chairwoman said. Read More

This year, resolve to do less to keep stress level down

Just two days until a new year, so you know what that means. Yes, New Year's resolutions, those heartfelt promises we make at the start of each year because we weren't able to stick with them through the course of last year. Read More

Police make arrest - Man charged in 3 downtown burglaries

A Charleston man has been charged with burglarizing three downtown businesses. Read More

Start the year resolute about reading

When our children were growing up, we had a family tradition of a festive New Year's Eve dinner and then a declaration of resolutions. We'd take turns going around the table while I made notes so we could check later in the year to see if anyone actually was resolute about the resolutions. Read More

Benefits for S.C. jobless in limbo

Governor, agency haggle over loan terms

COLUMBIA - Benefits for South Carolina's jobless residents hang in the balance as the governor and the state's unemployment agency officials haggle over how the department functions. Read More

Court affirms death sentence decision

COLUMBIA - The South Carolina Supreme Court has for a second time upheld a lower court's decision to throw out a death sentence for a man convicted of raping, torturing and killing a 72-year-old woman. Read More

Berkeley High School basketball tournament

Results from the Christmas in the Corner basketball tournament at Berkeley High School on Monday. Read More

Man gets leg, head bullet wounds

A shooting in a residential neighborhood of West Ashley left a 34-year-old man with bullet wounds to his head and legs late Sunday night, police said. Read More

Sore loser's wishful thinking

The U.S. economy is in big trouble. But before writing America off, Igor Panarin - and anybody foolish enough to take him seriously - should realize that we've rebounded from much bigger difficulties. Read More

Stabbing suspect turns himself in

A man wanted in a Sunday stabbing in North Charleston turned himself in Monday. Read More

Well water near coal ash spill may be unsafe; tests under way

KINGSTON, Tenn. — Some water samples near a massive spill of coal ash in eastern Tennessee are showing high levels of arsenic, and state and federal officials on Monday cautioned residents who use private wells or springs to stop drinking the water. Read More

Fixing bulging eyes

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

It's a devastating condition known to strike women in the prime of their lives. Graves' disease causes the body's immune system to attack itself. It can dramatically change a person's appearance -- and for one entertainer, it nearly ended her career. Read More

Deaths Summary

Payday lender seeks approval for lines of credit

CONCORD, N.H. - A South Carolina-based payday lender that says it can't make enough money under a new interest rate cap in New Hampshire now wants the banking commissioner's permission to change its loan offerings but not the high rates it charges. Read More

Laid-off state worker cutting back

Doug Wood found himself in a peculiar position last month. A news reporter asked him to describe the implications of the latest round of state budget cuts to hit the South Carolina Technical College System in Columbia. Five minutes earlier, Wood learned the cuts took his job. Read More

Clemson vs. USC not just another game

COLUMBIA - South Carolina guard Devan Downey obviously doesn't get this rivalry thing with Clemson. Read More

ROUNDBALL CLASSIC SUMMARIES

Parkinson's drug an effective treatment

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Parkinson's disease affects an estimated one million Americans. Now researchers have outlined the use for a drug that's been proven to provide relief from the disease. Read More

Why is S.C. unemployment rate so high?

Third-worst U.S. ranking has stumped the experts

COLUMBIA - South Carolina's workers have fared well historically when compared with the nation's jobless rate, bolstered by the strength of its economic diversity. But this time something is different, and state experts aren't sure why. The state's 8.4 percent unemployment rate ranks third highest in the United States and is projected to reach a staggering 14 percent, a placement that left College of Charleston economist Frank Hefner and a team of his peers stumped. Read More

Pulling together in hard times

I live in a small neighborhood in North Charleston very close to the Charleston Air Force Base. I have seen the effects that the current economic crisis has had on my neighborhood and the city in general. I have seen how the rise in food prices and other necessities has pinched the wallets of my neighbors and me. Read More

Wade holding his own for the Tigers

- It happens so fast and so often that you consider it automatic. The snap, the hold, the kick, it's good! Read More

Mend children's broken hearts with generosity

Start 2009 by focusing your family on a fat-skimming project. Not to lose weight, but to skim off excess layers of toys, gently used clothes and household items. Read More

An entertaining eve for everyone

The best New Year's Eve parties let you cast away the troubles of the previous year and start the new year with laughter, friends and food. This passing year, in particular, leaves plenty to be desired. It's a perfect opportunity to throw one of these New Year's Eve soirees. From family-friendly to grown-up naughty, one of these parties is sure to ring in an auspicious start to the new year. Read More

Fallout begins after slow season

200,000 stores expected to close in '09

NEW YORK - The fallout from the horrific holiday season for retailers has begun, with the operator of an online toy seller filing for bankruptcy protection and more stores are expected to do the same - meaning more empty storefronts and fewer brands on store shelves. Read More

Hawkeyes star Greene all that, and much more

TAMPA, Fla. - A year ago, Shonn Greene was moving couches. This year, he's moving piles. Greene is the Iowa junior who has come out of nowhere to become the best running back in America. Read More

Rare right whales calving off coast of South Carolina

The calves stick close to mom, nuzzling and playing, as the mammoths sweep through the seas. The ponderous, perilously endangered right whales are breeding offshore in what looks to be another good year. Read More

Council to vote on taxi meter rule

Under current rules, cabs have neither posted rates nor meters that charge fares according to distance

A controversial regulation to force taxicabs to carry meters and post fares is up for a vote at a special meeting of North Charleston City Council tonight. Read More

New procedure reverses scoliosis

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

A new procedure is stopping and reversing scoliosis in children -- without a brace. Read More

Hokies survive scare from Bucs

What a difference a year makes for the Charleston Southern men's basketball team. Read More

Little tax exemption

The first baby of the year may grab the media headlines, but it's the last baby of the year who yields the tax savings. Babies born before the stroke of midnight this New Year's Eve could save their parents thousands on their 2008 returns. Read More

Hutto to be sworn in as legislator

State Rep.-elect Anne Peterson Hutto will lose the 'elect' from her title at 3 p.m. today, when she is sworn in at Bowen's Island Restaurant. Read More

Help on way for textiles

Mill owners will get aid to upgrade their plants

NEW ORLEANS - The federal government will provide millions of dollars to U.S. textile mills in a multiyear effort to shore up the industry as overseas competition stiffens and recession tempers consumer demand for apparel products. Read More

Deaths and Funerals

Fixing bulging eyes - Research summary

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

2 Ginn Co. affiliates file for bankruptcy protection

Several Ginn Co. affiliates that were behind two of the company's Florida housing developments filed for bankruptcy last week, according to The Palm Beach Post on Monday. Read More

Curry takes command to thwart Cougars' late rally

Davidson's still the king. The College of Charleston gave the Wildcats a battle Monday night in front of a rowdy crowd of 5,368 at Carolina First Arena, but Davidson prevailed 79-75, thanks once again to the heroics of All-America guard Stephen Curry. Curry scored 29 points to go with nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals and took command of the game late when the outcome was in doubt. Read More

Israel's persisting dilemma

Responsibility for the latest flare-up of fighting in the Middle East falls on Hamas, the terrorist organization that rules the crowded Gaza strip, where 1.5 million Palestinians live. President Bush and Egypt's foreign minister agree on this point. So does Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to The Washington Post. Israel was right to respond. But the fighting probably marks the end of the most hopeful attempt in eight years to make peace between Israel and the Palestinian state. Read More

Letters to the Editor

Graham to switch to S.C. church

DALLAS - Evangelist Billy Graham is changing membership from a Dallas church to one near his retirement home in South Carolina. Read More

Pilot killed in crash of Marine jet

HAVELOCK, N.C. - A Marine jet crashed Monday about a mile short of a runway at an eastern North Carolina air base, killing the pilot, a Marine Corps spokesman said. Read More

Nonpartisan group to hold meeting

A nonpartisan Lowcountry group that formed recently in the wake of President-elect Barack Obama's victory plans to meet Saturday at a West Ashley coffee shop. The public is invited. Read More

Scana accelerates stock sale

Company's inclusion in Standard & Poor's index could mean additional $10 million

Scana Corp. scrambled over the last week to pounce on an unexpected opportunity and accelerate a stock sale that could reap as much as an extra $10 million for the utility owner. Read More

Family New Year's Eve

If you're looking for a family friendly (and alcohol-free) way to spend New Year's Eve, pack up the little ones and head to Marion Square for "Happy New Year, Charleston!" Read More

Ganz flying under radar in Big 12

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In any other conference, Nebraska's Joe Ganz would be a marquee quarterback. Read More

The case for Gamecocks' recently maligned defense

TAMPA, Fla. - It's right here in the handy, dandy standard- issue reporter's notebook. A reminder scribbled late on that very cold afternoon of Nov. 29. Recorded just outside the visitors' locker room at Death Valley. Read More

Forgive for health

To forgive and forget is not easy, but an expert at Baylor College of Medicine offers tips that can ease the process. Read More

Is baby mama trying to reel him in?

My brother has a 14-month-old daughter. He and her mother had a casual relationship. She wanted more, he didn't, and according to her, she accidentally got pregnant. He adores his daughter and has provided for her. Read More

Paper files brief in Floyd case

A circuit court judge erred when he ruled in favor of the Berkeley County School District over Superintendent Chester Floyd's performance evaluations in May, according to a brief The Post and Courier filed with the S.C. Court of Appeals on Monday. Read More

Business Briefs

NEW YORK - Wall Street retreated Monday as continuing violence in the Middle East reminded investors that the market could face problems beyond the recession. Read More

Trial for school bomb plot delayed

FLORENCE - A judge has again delayed the trial of a South Carolina teenager accused of plotting to blow up his high school. Read More

High Schools

Ideas can help kids beat vacation blahs

The holiday break can seem never-ending. By now, the kids are growing tired of the new toys and you're all starting to get on each other's nerves. Here are some ideas on how to get the kids (and you) through it. If you're staying at home, how about ... Read More

Tigers focus on pace

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Clemson had a "crisp" workout during Monday morning's 90-minute practice at Jacksonville University. Read More

Big bird's adventure

Charleston Animal Society took animal in, returned feathered friend to worried couple

Most of the emus at Tom and Diane Pearson's farm had numbers. But one of the tall, gawky birds was special. He had a name. Buddiemu, pronounced 'Buddy Emu,' had distinguished himself from the mob as the outgoing one. He would often stick his beak into his owners' pockets in search of corn. Read More

Two local teams in finals

It's been 12 years since a local team has been crowned champion of the Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic. That drought could come today with two local teams playing in the championship games. Read More

Obama essay

As 2009 rolls in, Americans soon will witness a historic presidential inauguration. Read More

Carpooling for fun and profit

Carpooling to help the environment hasn't resonated with many people in South Carolina. Maybe carpooling to help their budgets will be more appealing, especially in these tough economic times. We hope so, anyway. Read More

GMAC mum on debt swap

Financing arm of General Motors must raise capital to become bank holding company

NEW YORK - The financing arm of General Motors Corp. remained silent Monday on whether it had raised enough capital to become a bank holding company and be eligible for access to billions in federal bailout money. Read More

Deaths linked to children's cold meds?

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

More than 500 deaths each year are linked to children's cough and cold medicine. Read More

Alternating breast scans

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

The best breast cancer detection could be alternating scans. Read More

USC grad assistant making his case

TAMPA, Fla. - South Carolina's interim offensive line coach has said this Outback Bowl "isn't about him." Read More

Rare right whales calving off coast

Among 21 whales seen are at least 10 pregnant females and two calves. Meanwhile, large ships appear to be adhering to a controversial federal rule that slows them down through the whales' territory. Read More

Taxi meters to get council eye

A controversial regulation to force taxi cabs to carry meters and post fares is up for a vote at a special meeting of North Charleston City Council Tuesday night. Read More

Man surrenders peacefully to police

A man surrendered willingly to police after they surrounded his SUV near the railroad tracks near Dorchester and Meeting Street roads. Read More

Scana to offer shares of new stock

The parent of South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. is proposing to sell up to 2 million shares of new stock in conjunction with its inclusion this week in the S&P 500 Index. Read More

Old Crow Medicine Show coming to N. Charleston PAC

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday for the Old Crow Medicine Show concert at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. Read More

State officials say park reservations down

COLUMBIA - South Carolina officials say the drought and erosion have caused more problems for the state's park system than high gasoline prices and the economic downturn. Read More

Savannah firefighter charged in hit-and-run death

SAVANNAH, Ga. - A Savannah firefighter has been charged in a fatal hit-and-run wreck in South Carolina. Read More

Businesses evacuated after explosion in Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Police are evacuating businesses in downtown Savannah after an apparent underground explosion. Read More

Sanford says loan request waiting on agency deal

COLUMBIA - A spokesman for South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says a request for federal aid to pay benefits to out-of-work residents will be signed as soon as unemployment officials agree to certain conditions. Read More

High School Basketball

Tigers' Richt not really nameless

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. - Dressed in a bright red jersey, he looks out over the Clemson defense, threading a pass into the secondary as linebackers bring a blitz right in his face. Read More

Police praise high bail amounts

Two Chick-fil-A workers looked up while taking out the trash Nov. 28 and found themselves staring down the barrel of a .45-caliber pistol. Read More

Panthers pull out victory in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS - John Kasay came through in his last, best chance to guarantee the Carolina Panthers would have a playoff game on their home field, where they are unbeaten. Read More

Teams cap turnaround with crowns

From the ugliness of 1-15 to the beauty of an AFC East title. That's the Miami Dolphins' story this season. Read More

Recyclables prices plunge

Public and private facilities feel pain as demand for cardboard, plastic and aluminum falls

Charleston County's recycling program expects to bring in less money this year due to a global drop in the demand for recycled goods. The program is paid for, in part, with money the county makes from selling the sorted recycled materials, such as bundles of cardboard, old milk bottles and aluminum cans, said Gregg Varner, the county's solid waste director. Read More

Memos

Chris Wiksell of Caldwell Commercial Real Estate Services represented the buyer, Mengel Insurance and Administrative Services LLC, in the purchase of Suite 301, 1459 Stuart Engels Blvd. in Mount Pleasant. Read More

Pooling your ride resources

Web site lets people seek carpool partners

Carpooling is one way to save money, but it's not always as easy as it sounds. How many people want to pinch pennies enough that they're willing to take a chance and ride to work with a stranger? And it's not always easy to find people who work at the same place, live nearby and arrive and leave at the same time. Read More

Huskers' offense daunting

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The last time Clemson faced Nebraska, the Cornhuskers had one of the top rushing teams in the country. Read More

Laura Bush, Rice defend presidency

First lady says 'history will judge and we'll see later'

WASHINGTON — The two most influential women in President George W. Bush's White House, first lady Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, are strongly defending the president's legacy against critics who are calling his administration one of the worst in history. Read More

New pair of RBs on Clemson's board

One running back prospect has come off Clemson's board, but two others have popped up. Onterio McCalebb (5-11, 172) of Hargrave Prep, Va., apparently plans to stick with his football commitment to Auburn, but Clemson has picked up the interest on Daquan Hargrett (5-9, 185) of Miami and Tim Simon (6-1, 220) of Cordova, Ala. Read More

DeCosta was early force for preservation

"I grew up playing on the lumber pile, and I went to work as my father's workman when I was about 12 years old ... and I've been working ever since." Read More

Spurrier acknowledges it was a down year for SEC

TAMPA, Fla. - If you tuned in Sunday night to the Independence Bowl, you might have noticed something was missing: A Southeastern Conference representative. Read More

More than 1,200 expected for Renaissance Weekend

Some of the world's brightest minds are in town today for the 28th annual Renaissance Weekend retreat. Read More

Interim president, CEO takes personal approach

GREENVILLE - On his resume, Lynn Harton says he has the proven ability to create change and drive improved performance in organizations ranging in asset size from $13 billion to $100 billion. Read More

Business Calendar

Accidental overdoses tied to pain killers

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

The majority of people who die from accidental overdoses used and abused prescription drugs -- primarily pain relievers -- without a documented prescription, according to a new study. Read More

S.C. man ready to take plunge

New riverkeeper aims to organize nonprofit, recruit board of directors, raise money

COLUMBIA — The new Congaree riverkeeper admits he jumped into the deep end, but he's confident he can keep his head above the surface while making sure the water stays clean. 'I'm only getting started,' said Alan Mehrzad, a 25-year-old graduate student at the University of South Carolina. Read More

Cancer deaths cost U.S. billions

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

No matter how it's measured, the economic cost of cancer deaths in the U.S. runs in the billions, according to two new studies. Read More

Neck Area site cleanup sought

ON BUSINESS

State regulators are seeking feedback about the proposed reuse of a brownsfield site in the mostly industrial Neck Area. Read More

Accolades for Charleston in 2008

TOURISM

As 2008 closes, Charleston can look back on a year of top accolades from some of the most trusted names in tourism. Read More

Recalls

Product recalls announced last week. Details are available in most cases at www.cpsc.gov and other Web sites or telephone numbers listed. Read More

Christmas brightened by sunlight

Fayetteville resident uses solar power to light up his holiday lights display

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Sunshine lights up the crude, artificial Christmas tree looming 30 feet high in Ray Samples' front yard. This is the first year that Samples has operated his decorated tree off solar energy. Read More

5 people get big bonus

Stranger gives Hardee's employees $100 each

FORT MILL — Somebody had to work Christmas Day at Hardee's, right there at the top of Main Street in Fort Mill. Actually, five somebodies. Read More

2008: Unforgettable

It was, at best, two steps forward and two steps back for the Charleston economy in 2008, an eventful, tumultuous and unforgettable year by any measure. Read More

Combo therapy best for childhood anxiety

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

New research suggests a combination of behavioral therapy and drug therapy may be best for children with anxiety disorders. Read More

Corporate chaplain offers solace

WILMINGTON, N.C. — During one of his regular visits to a local Hardee's restaurant, Rev. Ron Lewis got an unusual request. As Lewis greeted the cashiers and cooks, the person who worked the drive-through window asked for his help. A man sitting in his car at the drive-through was threatening to kill himself. Lewis, a corporate chaplain, talked to the man until he calmed down and was able to drive home. Read More

Toward a safer energy future

Dollar-fifty gasoline was a Christmas present for American drivers and a boon to the economy. But it won't last. A prudent bet is that gas will be back up around $3 a gallon or more by the end of 2009, if not sooner. That will be good for Iran and Venezuela but not for the United States. Read More

Local organization reaching out to Maersk

A newly formed organization hopes to deliver a maritime message of unity to Maersk. To do so, the group, Citizens Related to the Port of Charleston, is organizing a community forum. The event is set for Jan 5. at the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium. It gets under way at 6 p.m. Read More

SPA, union, others work to keep Maersk business

In a rare move, union leaders and State Ports Authority officials came together with state legislators and Maersk Line executives in an effort to salvage the company's business in the Port of Charleston. Read More

Program first for Bucs

Anyone who has ever been in Charleston Southern's bandbox of a gym, affectionately known as the Buc Dome, can see why the school has never hosted a televised basketball game at home. Read More

Indigenous switch grass could be a boon to local economy

FLORENCE - If oil is black gold, then Dr. James Frederick is one of many trying to spin straw into a new kind of gold. Frederick is an agronomist with Clemson's Pee Dee Research and Education Center, located on farmland halfway between Florence and Darlington. Read More

Cougs get shot at Wildcats, Curry

It's inevitable that Davidson's winning streak in the Southern Conference will end. Read More

Dubuc erupts for four-goal game

Michael Dubuc scored four times as the South Carolina Stingrays won their third game in three days, a 6-3 victory over the Mississippi Sea Wolves on Sunday at the North Charleston Coliseum. "He certainly is a special player," coach Jared Bednar said. "He can do things with the puck that fe... Read More

Make the new year healthy

Congress' untimely raise

The struggling economy has been the central issue before Congress in recent weeks, but apparently its members aren't sufficiently attuned to the downturn to turn down an ill-advised pay hike. Read More

Distinctions

The Charleston Concert Association has announced its officers and board of directors for 2009. The officers are: Read More

Letters to the Editor

Online economic poll negative

RETAIL

With the economy on life-support, a majority of Americans are pessimistic about 2009, according to a recent GfK Roper Reports Outlook survey. Read More

Easing nerve pain after surgery - Research summary

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Troops mobilize, assault widens

Leaders to push forward with assault on Gaza

GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP — Israeli aircraft pounded Gaza for a second day Sunday, increasing the death toll to nearly 300, as Israeli troops and tanks massed along the border and the government said it had called up reserves for a possible ground operation. Read More

S.C. Lottery

Today's Games

Ex-boss looks rested

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said he was able to catch a little of Tommy Bowden's television debut as an in-studio analyst on ESPN on Saturday. Read More

Executive Items

The South Carolina Research Authority has made several promotions at its Institute for Solutions Generation. Read More

One person, one vote

Every lawful vote should count. But just once. And with election officials conceding that the system does not adequately prevent one person from casting ballots both here and in another state, steps should be taken to counter such voter fraud. Read More

Top 10 Online

The most-read stories on Charleston.net Read More

Sanford lets his ideology trump needs of unemployed

In a season when everyone wants to share and have a kind heart toward our less fortunate neighbor, our governor is casting himself in the role of Scrooge. Nothing less than his ideology could be as important as the more than 75,000 unemployed South Carolina residents who will have no funds on which to exist when unemployment insurance benefits run out at the end of the year. Read More

Deaths and Funerals

Health fads you better forget

'Services' may be bad for your wellness

The only thing that seems to spread faster than rumors about pregnant celebrities are sellers of sketchy science. Sure, something like an ultrasound video of your unborn baby sounds like fun. Isn't that what your doctor orders? But here's why those done without your doc's supervision and other easy-to-find health "services" may be unhealthy for your body, your wallet or both. Read More

Easing nerve pain after surgery

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Thousands of patients every year experience pain months, even years, after having a surgery or trauma. Now a new procedure can eliminate the hurt, numbness and burning sensations that some people experience after the OR. Read More

USC foe Hawkeyes took a little while to take flight

TAMPA, Fla. - South Carolina wasn't the NCAA's only bowl-eligible team stuck at home this time a year ago. Iowa can identify. A pair of 6-6 teams from power conferences didn't have a place to play in the postseason. Maybe they should've met in Kentucky somewhere and set up their own bowl? Read More

Police seeking suspect

Police are looking for a man accused of stabbing another man in the parking lot of a North Charleston nightclub early Sunday. Read More

Boating accident leaves man dead

A 23-year-old Summerville man died from head injuries Saturday night after a boating accident at Wapoo Cut boat landing. Read More

Greene helps Huskies roll

COLUMBIA - It was a nice homecoming for Kalana Greene, and if it wasn't exactly home, it was close enough. Read More

0-14 Spurrier didn't wish 0-16 on the Detroit Lions

TAMPA, Fla. - As bad as the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were - and the "creamsicle" uniforms don't begin to tell the ugly story - you would think Steve Spurrier might want to shake the distinction. Badly. Read More

Coming up

Blood disorder breakthrough

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

A gene that directly affects a certain type of hemoglobin production may lead to methods of modifying the severity of blood disorders like sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Read More

9 for '09

Include these all-star exercises in your workout routine for new year

As people set new fitness goals for 2009, CrossFit Los Angeles trainer Andy Petranek, who has worked with such stars as Jessica Biel and Ryan Seacrest, cuts through the clutter to offer nine of the best all-around moves to make sure you include them in regular workouts. Read More

A family grieves, waits

Months after Adrienne Clark's death, information is sparse as police continue investigation

Something nagged at Larry Keitt as he mowed the lawn at the rental home he owns on Cambridge Avenue in North Charleston. The green-and-white house on the corner of Accabee Road was vacant, and he was trying to spruce things up to attract a new tenant. But when he caught sight of a closed door to the shed in the yard, he thought it was odd. He had been leaving the door open and unlocked because someone had broken in several times. Read More

Deaths Summary

DeCosta was an early force for preservation

retired contractor Herbert DeCosta Jr., who died earlier this month at age 85, was a longtime contractor who exemplified the city's early preservation efforts. Read More

The ups and downs of business in 2008

It was, at best, two steps forward and two steps back for the Charleston economy in 2008 — an eventful, tumultuous and unforgettable year by any measure. Read More

Morris brothers head up dealership founded by father four decades earlier

When you talk about who's running Morris Nissan these days, two names come to mind: Bucky Morris and his brother David Morris. They are co-owners and vice presidents of the franchise, which has been at 1714 Savannah Highway since 1980 after relcoating from North Charleston. The pair are carrying on an operation built by their father, D.P. "Buck" Morris, a World War II veteran in the Pacific theater who opened the first local Nissan (then Datsun) dealership in the late 1960s. Read More

Retiree havens eye younger buyers to combat housing bust

"Active adult" developments across the U.S., residents are debating whether to scrap the age restrictions that have helped define their way of life for almost five decades. Proponents of "age desegregation," as it's known in the industry, say opening the doors to people under 55 is the only way their once-idyllic enclaves can stay afloat. But it is a hard sell among some residents. Read More

Lower fuel and home prices stall green building

One analyst thinks most major builders will continue to invest in green developments. But they'll likely need to find cheaper ways of doing it next year. Read More

Pumped-up dollar deflates sales overseas

The weak greenback had made all kinds of U.S. exports more affordable. But a strengthening in the currency is suddenly rendering those same American goods much more expensive abroad. Read More

Poetry brightens the Christmas season

Christastime is filled with poetry. Greeting cards with rhymed or metered messages arrive daily. The lyrics to Christmas carols and holiday songs are a kind of poetry. And the poems that are tied to the season are rich with symbolism and metaphor. These poems often remind us of the central meaning of Christmas, which too often gets lost in the hustle and bustle of shopping and parties. This is the time of year that we consider the people and things that mean the most to us. Read More

'Goliath Bone' fulfills promise on Hammer

Mickey Spillane always knew how the last Mike Hammer novel would end. For years, the real-life tough guy and mystery writer told friends that the coda for his iconic private eye finally would tie up the last loose end. If you ever read Spillane, you know what that means. Read More

Neighbor says men were friends

JOHNS ISLAND - Larry Matthews and Joseph Laboard were no strangers. They were friends. They'd known each other for years, drank beer together and even tussled a time or two, relatives and a neighbor say. But things quickly got out of hand Friday afternoon when the two men began arguing and wrestling outside a home on Spence Drive, leaving Matthews dead and Laboard charged with murder. Read More

Burger, Hicks to offer regular local columns

A new local column featuring two of The Post and Courier's most popular writers will begin appearing regularly on this page Jan. 6. Ken Burger, whose award-winning sports columns have run in the paper for more than 20 years, will write a new column that will focus on life in the Lowcountry. Burger's column will run on this page on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Read More

A lot riding on final day of NFL's regular season

Hanging in the balance

It's the final day of the NFL regular season, a day of many "ifs" because of all the playoff permutations. If Team X wins and Teams Y and Z lose, then Team X will make the playoffs - that kind of day. Here's a glance at the most meaningful games of Week 17: Read More

Driven to give; Woman helps boy, his family

Ohio native is moved by plight of toddler whose mother was killed by his father in June 2007

CHARLOTTE - Over the past 18 months, Jen Snyder has established a college fund, collected furniture and even helped get a home for the family of 4-year-old Blake Davis. Snyder didn't even know Blake until she saw him on television in June 2007. The Ohio boy's missing mother had just been found dead. The prime suspect was his father. "I was sobbing watching the press conference," said Snyder, 36, of Charlotte. "I thought, 'This little boy has no Mom or Dad.' " Read More

School pride, tough choices

The recent outpouring of concern over potential school closings in Charleston County sent this encouraging signal: Many local residents take deep pride in their communities' schools. District officials and school board members should take that public input into full and fair account when making the hard decisions to come. Read More

Lincoln High student speaks out

Miguel Brown: I'm afraid of being just a number at Wando

MCCLELLANVILLE - Lincoln High School sophomore Miguel Brown didn't want to forget anything, so he wrote down a page of reasons why his small, rural school shouldn't be closed. He's heard about the worsening economy and what it's meant to the Charleston County School District's budget. School leaders will have to ax $14 million from this year's budget, and they anticipate slashing next year's budget by $20 million. Read More

Book looks at impact of trumpet

Krin Gabbard, a profes-sional musician, has written a concise, passionate cul- tural history of the primary vehicle for America's musical voice. The author explores the idea of the trumpet, not just as a musical instrument, but also as a cultural touchstone, exploring how its use and development reflected and influenced the evolution of human culture throughout recorded history. Read More

Taking a look at '08 fishing highlights

Non-fishermen don't get it. They belittle things like watching fishing shows on television. I can only imagine their reaction if they discover hard-core fishermen "watching" fishing on the Internet! But a lot of Lowcountry fishermen were enthralled with web coverage of fishing events during 2008. Most notable was keeping track of the 50th annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, fished each June out of Morehead City, N.C. It's one of the richest billfish tournaments around and close enough geographically to attract a large crowd of South Carolina participants. Read More

Spray aims to reduce exposure to dust and chemicals

If the mere presence of dust triggers your allergies, then dusting is only going to make them worse. But cleaning chemicals also can contribute to the problem. Endust Free Dusting and Cleaning Spray is a fragrance-free, hypo-allergenic dusting and cleaning product that can reduce allergens on surfaces and in the air, preventing allergic reactions. Read More

Dillon pinning its future on education

Obama offered advice, inspiration

DILLON - The first day at J.V. Martin Junior High School already was proving complicated enough for new Principal Amanda Burnette in August of 2007. The school scrambled to build 14 mobile classrooms after the town condemned a wing of the school that was built in 1917. And then Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama's campaign wanted to drop by. Read More

High School Basketball

Members chip in on family's tale

Here I am, sipping eggnog at my in-laws' farm in Indiana, where it took our combined four children, who are 4 to 13, less than one minute to jell like jolly old friends. They haven't seen each other since summer, and now it's Christmas. So something gives. What is it about family? Read More

Animal shelter's reopening on hold

CONWAY - The president of the board that oversees the Horry County animal shelter says more needs to be done before the shelter can reopen. The shelter was closed earlier this month when an outbreak of the highly contagious virus distemper spread, forcing the shelter to euthanize more than 100 dogs. Read More

Travel by air getting tough

Congress considers legislation to protect airline customers

Making air travel affordable for the largest number of people has had unintended consequences, as deregulation often does. The inflation-adjusted price of an airline ticket may have fallen significantly since deregulation in 1978. But today, despite recent declines in fuel costs, airlines are like any other business scrambling to replace lost revenue, making up the difference with an array of fees ranging from fuel surcharges to fees for an exit row seat. Read More

This week's house plan

A front porch and sidelighted entry lead to the foyer of the Victorian-styled home. Its foyer flows into the great room. Sliding French doors open to the backyard from both the great room and the adjoining dining room. An open kitchen connects the dining room to a breakfast room that overlooks the front porch. Read More

One-on-One with Steven Johnson

When you were playing at the College of Charleston, the Cougars were an NAIA school. Did you ever think the school would get a 5,000-seat facility like the Carolina First Arena, and Clemson and South Carolina would both play in it in the same year? Read More

Revisiting 2008's golf highlights

Golf offered a lot of wonderful story lines in 2008. Padraig Harrington won the last two major championships of the year as well as PGA player of the year honors. Tiger Woods beat Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open, despite playing on a gimpy left leg that included a torn ACL and two stress fractures. Captain Paul Azinger led the U.S. to a long-needed U.S. Ryder Cup victory. Trevor Immelman won the Masters. Greenville's Jay Haas won another Senior PGA Championship. Read More

Cutting clutter

Develop strategy for reducing stress by getting household organized

Stymied by stacks of books? Wondering where to put the whatnots? Overwrought at the prospect of organizing? You don't have to be the messy half of the odd couple to realize the things in your home could be a lot more organized. Keeping a home neat as a pin may be desirable for most people but impractical for many. "We are a society of purchasers," says Mary Kay Taylor, a professional organizer who frequently sees the results of constant accumulation. Read More

American rifle key to nation

No other country is so closely associated with the rifle as is America. The rifle has been part of our heritage since the nation's inception. In 1772, George Washington had his portrait painted with one. Read More

Readers chew over tricks to making caramels

Alena Carlson of Summerville asked about making homemade caramels, and a few folks answered. One was Gerri Baughman of Summerville. She writes, "I was born and raised in the dry climate of Northern Arizona. We've been in the South for nearly 34 years and I've learned that you have to adapt recipes. Read More

Aggressive Ridgeland puts away Baptist Hill

Ridgeland High shook off an early holiday hangover, opening up a close game with a strong second half, en route to a 60-38 win over Baptist Hill High in the opening game of the Modie Risher Christmas Classic at Burke High School. Brenton Walker scored 13 points to lead a total of 10 players that reached the scoring column for the Jaguars. Dominique Nelson scored eight while Xavier Roberts had seven points. Read More

Staley, USC figuring out his role with the Gamecocks

TAMPA, Fla. - South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier confirmed Saturday that the Gamecocks are ironing out details to have former USC and NFL running back Duce Staley join the staff. "Yeah, we're working on that," Spurrier said after the completion of USC's first Outback Bowl practice in Florida. "There's some things that have to happen before that, but we'd love to have Duce as a member of the athletic department." Read More

John, Joel to tour

Elton John is looking to whip up a little something special for his upcoming Face 2 Face tour with fellow '70s piano man Billy Joel to make it more than just a greatest hits outing. Returning to the concert trail together starting next spring for the first time in six years, John and Joel want to inject new music into the mix. Read More

Good soil vital for growth

My wife eats beets. Willingly. My brother and I would do anything to avoid eating beets. Beets are important for growth, the old man would say. They make your blood red. We weren't allowed to leave the table until they were gone. I took the Band-aid approach and wolfed them down without breathing. My brother always made a stand. He would be at the table an hour later, arms folded, beets still on his plate. Read More

Fight at club leads to fatal shooting

LYNCHBURG - A 24-year-old man has been killed and three other people injured after a fight led to a shooting at a Lee County nightclub. Coroner Alford Elmore told The Item of Sumter that Laverne Toney was shot several times in the stomach early Friday morning and died before he arrived at the hospital. Read More

Friendly Costa Rica

San Jose starting-off point for country's adventures

San Jose, Costa Rica - You can tell a lot about a country by the people you meet. Gerardo "Jerry" Segura speaks reams about Costa Rica. The two of us struck up a conversation on the flight from Atlanta to San Jose. Jerry, as he asked to be called, quickly learned this was my first trip to his country, and he became an instant travel guide. Read More

Christmas cyclist dies in hit-and-run

BLUFFTON - Authorities say a man riding a bicycle in Bluffton on Christmas night was hit and killed by a driver who did not stop. Bluffton Police Lt. Bryan Norberg told The Island Packet of Hilton Head that the man was riding his bike on Bluffton Parkway around 8:15 p.m. Thursday when he was hit from behind. Read More

Fatal wreck victim from Summerville

A Summerville woman driving a 2007 Suzuki died Saturday afternoon on Interstate 26 when her car rear-ended a tow truck, said Dorchester County Coroner Chris Nisbet. Read More

Chiklis on fraud

NEW YORK - Michael Chiklis didn't lose money in the escalating Bernard Madoff scandal. But he did fall victim to a Ponzi scheme early this year. And now, sadder but wiser, he's developing a TV series fueled by experience. Chiklis has been gathering material from others also hurt by investor scams, "and if I had hair, it'd curl," says the actor, who starred in the recently concluded FX cop drama "The Shield." Read More

Citadel grad had massive influence

MIAMI - Citadel graduate Alvah H. Chapman Jr., one of South Florida's most influential corporate and civic leaders, has died at 87. Chapman was a third-generation newspaperman and former Miami Herald president/CEO. He was credited with helping mold not just the Herald, but modern Miami. It was a talent he had demonstrated from youth. At 20, he became Citadel regimental commander, the college's top cadet, and only three years later, a squadron commander in charge of 2,000 troops and 25 B-17 bombers, leading 37 bombing runs during World War II. Read More

Injury may keep Batista on shelf for Mania

A torn hamstring may prevent one of WWE's top stars from competing at next year's Wrestlemania. Batista is expected to be sidelined the next several months after undergoing surgery for a lingering hamstring injury. Batista was headed for a projected main-event spot against either John Cena or Randy Orton at the company's annual extravaganza next April. Read More

Society makes mark for women explorers

When Amelia Earhart flew to Washington in 1932 to receive a National Geographic Society medal honoring her solo trans-Atlantic flight, on board the plane with her was a triangular flag bearing the letters SWG. Read More

Charleston police search for shooter

Charleston police are seeking a man in connection with a shooting on Walnut Street that occurred around 4 p.m. Saturday. The suspect is described as a black male in his mid 20s wearing all black and a blue hat and riding a black bicycle. The suspect accused another man of throwing a brick at him earlier. Read More

Experts say '09 will be 'the year of travel deals'

Higher dollar abroad, economic slowdown fuel deep discounts

NEW YORK - The value of the U.S. dollar is surging, gas prices are at their lowest levels in four years, and hotel rates are softening. If you can afford a vacation, 2009 will be "the year of travel deals," predicts Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor of Travelocity. "As long as the economic slowdown continues, deals will abound for people who do have discretionary income to travel." Read More

Stay informed to find deals

Educated collectors find bargains. The more you know, the more likely you are to find a "sleeper" at a house sale or auction. And it is also important to handle a piece to judge weight, texture and quality. Recently, a group of five blown-glass champagne glasses were offered at auction. Each glass had a transparent "globe" on the stem with a tiny colored glass bird inside. The bowl and base of the glasses had lines of color swirled in the glass. Read More

Christmas Day just the beginning of celebration

'Today" in the ancient Christian tradition is a long time. "Today" almost always lasts more than 24 hours. In fact, "today" often is eight days long in the church. On Christmas Eve, we sang, "Today He who holds the whole creation in His hand is born of a virgin." On Christmas Day we sang, "Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, and the Earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One." Read More

Charlotte Christian's Hall puts on a clinic in victory

Charlotte Christian's Willis Hall put on a clinic Saturday night in the second session of the Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic. Approximately 2,000 fans turned out at West Ashley High School to watch the future College of Charleston player battle the Porter-Gaud Cyclones. The 6-5 senior scored 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and came up with two steals to lead his team to a 66-55 victory. "It's intense. It's a big-time tournament," Hall said. Read More

Food, weather, sports ... It's all better in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. - The best restaurant in Jacksonville is in St. Augustine. There's nothing to do there, unless you count Orlando as a suburb. As a sports town, let's see : Charleston has better college football and better college basketball than Jacksonville. The Jaguars stink. But the fishing is good. If it's not dreary or cold, as during Clemson's last two trips to the Gator Bowl. Read More

Diversity found in more white churches

RALEIGH - The Sunday service at Durham, N.C.'s King's Park International Church features a blast of hymns, gospel and praise music performed live and loud by band members who are as multiracial as the people in attendance. The church, one of the region's most diverse, is a prime example of a trend. A new study of U.S. religious congregations by a Duke University sociologist shows significant changes in the racial composition of churches within just nine years. Read More

DeCosta was force for preservation

Herbert A. DeCosta Jr.'s legacy in Charleston's ongoing preservation story is immeasurable. Serving for more than 50 years as an officer and president of the H.A. DeCosta Company (founded by his grandfather in the late 1800s), Herbert DeCosta helped design, build and restore houses, commercial buildings, schools and churches throughout the Carolina Lowcountry. Read More

Running back recruit Giles ready to join Gamecocks

TAMPA, Fla. - Billy Giles was a junior in high school when, as he says, he went south. And he's not referring to Miami. "The streets got me," he says, slowly shaking his head and looking at the ground below him. A promising college opportunity as an athlete, either in track or football, was torpedoed because of the poor decisions he made. Read More

Jacksonville is a shrine for true-blue Tiger fans

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - There should be a permanent sign outside this city that says, "Welcome Home, Clemson Fans!" The Tigers have played in eight Gator Bowls since 1948 and this place will always remind Clemson fans of that night in December 1978 when Danny Ford coached his first Tiger team to a victory over Ohio State. Read More

Author gets back in short story form

In the introduction to his latest collection of short stories, Stephen King writes that he had largely lost the ability to write shorter works until he guest edited the 2006 edition of "Best American Short Stories." Reading countless entries for that anthology awakened his short form skills and led to a prolific period for King. Most of the stories in "Just After Sunset" were written in that relatively brief, recent period of time. Read More

Stingrays rally on Dubuc's 12th

Michael Dubuc scored his 12th goal of the year, a game-winner in the third period to lead the South Carolina Stingrays over the Mississippi Sea Wolves 3-2 at the North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday night. "I didn't really like the way we played in the first period," said coach Jared Bednar. "But the final 40 were a different story. We really competed hard in the last two periods." Read More

Clemson's Blackwell gets chance to control defense

CLEMSON - David Blackwell knows he has a tough act to follow. As a co-defensive coordinator along with Ron West, Blackwell, a member of the Clemson coaching staff for the past six seasons, is getting to do something he has wanted to do for a while - put his own imprint on the Tigers' defense when it takes the field against Nebraska in Thursday's Gator Bowl. Read More

Deaths Summary

'Kieron' captures wonder

If you ever have wondered what it is to be a young boy growing up in Scotland, "Kieron Smith, Boy" should satisfy your curiosity. Booker Prize-winning author James Kelman delivers a thorough immersion in the world of "wee" Kieron (who prefers to be called Smiddy) as he struggles his way through the exhilaration and trial that is coming of age. Read More

Firefighters still seeing counselors

18 months after Sofa Super Store tragedy, many still need help coping with 9 deaths

Eighteen months after the deadly Sofa Super Store fire, a team of counselors still is working to help Charleston firefighters and their families cope with the blaze that killed nine men and shook a proud department to its core. About 140 Charleston firemen and their relatives have turned to the Charleston Firefighter Support Team for counseling help, and hundreds more have had some form of contact with the group since the June 18, 2007, blaze. Read More

Bulletin Board

The Charleston Preseason Baseball Camp will be held Jan. 17-18 at the College of Charleston's Patriots Point Complex. The camp is for ages 10 and up, and has individual and team rates. The camp director is John Rhodes of Diamond Devils Baseball. The camp coordinator and hitting director is Monte Lee, the new CofC coach. The pitching director is C of C assistant Dan Roszel. Instruction and observation by college and high school coaches, and professional players. Read More

League tennis key to game's growth

League tennis is big business, not just for local tennis facilities but also for the U.S. Tennis Association, other tennis organizations and the tennis hierarchy. It's doubtful that without the huge success and popularity of league tennis there would be so many excellent tennis facilities in every direction in the Charleston area. Read More

Real Estate Transactions

Garden Calendar

Chancellor, Hamlin notice very little changes with defense

When Clemson defensive coordinator Vic Koenning resigned earlier in the month, cornerback Chris Chancellor and safety Michael Hamlin were not sure what to expect for the Gator Bowl. Not only was Koenning the Tigers' defensive coordinator, but he was also the defensive backs coach. Koenning has since been hired as a co-defensive coordinator at his alma mater - Kansas State. Read More

Level playing field to create jobs

The nation has been losing jobs for more than 50 years to imports and off-shoring. As governor of South Carolina, I testified in 1960 before the old International Tariff Commission against textile imports from Japan. As a United States senator, my first bill to pass the Senate in 1968 was a jobs-protection bill that received a 68 bi-partisan majority. We passed four other job-protection bills through both Houses of Congress only to be vetoed. Read More

Belated, but deserved, 'honor'

It was a mistake on my part, and I'm sorry. Last month, I awarded my coveted cut-glass fly swatter to columnist George Will for the worst sentence of 2008. The award was well-earned, but it was premature. On Dec. 7, novelist Toni Bentley contributed a review of "Casanova" to The New York Times. Alert readers from Greenville, S.C., to Seattle sent this sample paragraph in nomination: Read More

S.C. voters want to play it safe

When South Carolina voters were asked to allow the state and municipal governments to invest in stocks to help fund retiree health care benefits, the voters said no. Considering that the two ballot measures were decided in November while the U.S. stock market was deep in a tailspin - having lost about a third of its value since the start of the year - the outcome was not a surprise. Read More

Letters to the Editor

Getting back in the swim

Various medical facilities in Charleston provide state-of-the-art health care for people who need it. And the South Carolina Aquarium provides state-of-the-art health care for turtles who need the same. Read More

Firelogs easy, clean alternative to wood

Q I have a regular fireplace I like to use, but I hate the hassle of using firewood. I was thinking of using the composite firelogs instead. Are they a good alternative for a nice fire and do they pollute a lot? Read More

Strategically placed candles turn on mood in household

Candles are associated with romance. Candles are associated with quiet time. Candles are associated with festivities. Candles are associated with prayer and meditation. Candles are universally understood. So why not use them more often? When lit, they do their magic, but even just sitting there on their pedestals of candleholders, they grace the platform on which they sit. Read More

Woody plant a challenge to identify

Every now and then, someone will try to play "Stump the Botanist," and bring us a really weird plant or plant part as a challenge. It can be tough, but we always get it, eventually. (I am setting myself up for it now!) And sure enough, last week, Nicholas Hoppmann, one of my former advisees, now working for me part-time, brought this in to see if he could rattle his old professor. It almost worked. Read More

Lighting, flat-screens key elements in decor

Refreshing our homes is really about applying one or two elements that invite a new perspective on the space. You can do this by changing the color on the walls, moving from paint to wallpaper or creating a glossy focal wall. It can be as simple as shifting the furniture around, changing the traffic flow and what you look at when seated or in bed. The decision to replace carpet with hardwood floors will have a dramatic effect on how your rooms look and feel. Read More

Sunday Calendar

Charity begins at home

Local nonprofits report uptick in giving despite faltering economic conditions

Americans might be confused and concerned about the state of the economy and their own financial futures, but in the Lowcountry, that concern is having only a spotty effect on charitable giving. Financial donations to nonprofits once again are going strong despite, or perhaps because of, the current economic downturn. After seeing declines in giving during September and October, many nonprofits are reporting an uptick in recent weeks, partly the result of increased need and partly because of what some describe as a reprioritizing of values. Read More

Author tells 'life story' of icon

"Thames" is a book that flows unapologetically, swirls and eddies, a book as capacious and idiosyncratic as the river itself. Peter Ackroyd, author of similar works such as "Albion: The Origins of the English Imagination" and "London: The Biography," tries his hand at telling the story of another symbol of quintessential Englishness, the River Thames. Read More

Despite his foibles, hard to discount Sam Adams' role

He's so overlooked among our Founding Fathers that Samuel Adams is known more today as the inspiration for a popular beer. Ira Stoll makes a noble attempt to elevate the status of the American revolutionary with a well-researched, meticulously detailed biography. Read More

Web site a guide for the season

Merry Christmas. No, honest, as in "the 12 days of" you know what between Dec. 25 and Jan. 5. If you doubt the accuracy of this statement, you can head over to the Web site of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. There you will find an interactive calendar that bravely documents the fact that, according to centuries of Christian tradition, the quiet season called Advent has ended and the 12-day Christmas season has begun. Read More

Combat rudeness with civility

Was your argumentative brother-in-law off on another political rant at Christmas? Did "sweet" grandmother comment on your weight as she handed you a piece of pumpkin pie? It seems everyone might need some mannerly advice. So we talked to P.M. Forni, author of "The Civility Solution: What to Do When People Are Rude." Read More

The crowded slowdown lane

Why can't the U.S. auto industry emulate the remarkable, sustained success of Toyota Motor Corp? That has been a familiar question for more than three decades — and has been increasingly asked lately during the ongoing debate about whether and how Washington should bail out our reeling Big Three. Read More

Deaths and Funerals

Yale professor to compose and read poem

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Elizabeth Alexander was a toddler in a baby stroller when her parents took her to hear Dr. Martin Luther King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington. Now, it's Alexander's turn to move the nation. Alexander, professor of African-American studies at Yale University, was chosen by President-elect Barack Obama to compose and read a poem for his inauguration Jan. 20. Read More

Citadel graduate Alvah H. Chapman Jr., a third-generation newspaperman, dies

Citadel graduate Alvah H. Chapman Jr., one of South Florida's most influential corporate and civic leaders, has died at 87. Chapman was a third-generation newspaperman and former Miami Herald president/CEO. He was credited with helping mold not just the Herald, but modern Miami. Read More

Neighbors say victim and suspect were friends

Larry Matthews and Joseph Laboard were no strangers. They were friends. They'd known each other for years, drank beer together and even tussled a time or two, relatives and neighbors say. But things quickly got out of hand Friday afternoon when the two men began arguing and wrestling outside a home on Spence Drive, leaving Matthews dead and Laboard charged with murder. Read More

I-26 wreck claims one life, backs up traffic between Summerville and Ridgeville

A bad wreck is snarling traffic on Interstate 26 near Mile Marker 185 between Summerville and Ridgeville. Read More

Cleaning up

You don't have to be the messy half of the odd couple to realize the things in your home could be a lot more organized. Keeping a home neat as a pin may be desirable for most people but impractical for many. Read More

Counseling program helps firefighters cope with fallout from blaze

Charleston firefighters hope that a counseling program instituted in the wake of the deadly Sofa Super Store fire will become a permanent source of help and support.

The program is a collaborative effort between the South Carolina State Firefighters' Association and the state Department of Mental Health, but it may soon be up to the city of Charleston to foot the program's full $360,000 annual budget.

Generosity abounds in economic hard times

Americans might be confused and concerned about the state of the economy and their own financial future, but in the Lowcountry that concern is having only a spotty effect on charitable giving. Financial donations to nonprofits are once again going strong, despite — or perhaps because of — the current economic downturn.

The new age of air travel

Welcome to the new age of air travel, one of dauntingly complex ticketing structures, heightened security, long lines, diminishing routes, outsourced customer service, aging (if meticulously maintained) aircraft, lengthy waits on the tarmac, and campaigns for a Traveler's Bill of Rights. Read More

Friendly Costa Rica

I had heard stories that Costa Ricans can be so friendly to visiting Americans (it's nice to be liked for a change) that if you ask directions, they won't just give them to you, they will lead you there. Read More

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Builders and designers tackle accounting and equity properties

Accounting course on A half-day business accounting course sponsored by the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association will be held Wed. Jan. 14. R. Patrick Welch, accountant and tax expert in Real Estate Development, will be heading the class Read More

Automotive industry should avoid "dead end"

Are you growing tired of bailout news? You have company. Take a word from a columnist who majored in economics: the economy WILL Come back. It always does with spectacular results. It is just a matter of time, patience and a return of confidence. Read More

CAR SHOW CALENDAR

Jan. 4 Coastal Carolina Corvette Club will hold its monthly meeting beginning at 2:30 p.m. to socialize and 3 p.m. for the club meeting. Read More

DESSERT ISLE

Small neighborhood on Ashley River a pleasing treat for those who discover it

It was eight years ago, but Pinehurst, N.C., transplant Cindy Clark clearly recalls the details when she and new husband Steve Clark scoured the Charleston area searching for a place to live. The task seemed daunting at first. Yet every time the newlyweds looked, they would return to a strip of then undeveloped land on the Ashley River in North Charleston, tromping through the underbrush with the developer. The site would become the 33-home Plantation Isle neighborhood, and the Clarks the first homeowners. Read More

4808 Highlander Lane

Ample house in comfortable Hollywood neighborhood a familial abode

The final design of Stono Ferry wasn't even finished when G.L. Buist Rivers Jr. and his wife Carroll W. Rivers built a 4,500-square-foot brick house in 1985 on 2.6 acres of mostly wooded land abutting a polo field. Buist Rivers, a prominent Charleston lawyer, died two years ago. His spouse, an artist, is selling the home because it's too much space for just her. List price of the two-story house with copper roof is $1 million. Read More

Venerable North Charleston rental complex offers peaceful surroundings

Two of the chief perks about where you live seem to contradict each other. People want to be near conveniences, such as restaurants, shopping center and supermarkets. Yet they also want to be removed from noise and traffic. Representatives of Planters Crossing, a fixture in North Charleston for 28 years, believe the 256-apartment complex can provide both. Read More

Auto magazine's 2009 all-star picks reveal variety at the top

Conjure up a top-notch car or truck, and it could be anything from a sporty model to a practical sedan or an edgy crossover. Automobile Magazine recognized this in naming 10 vehicles of various types for its 2009 All-Stars awards. The automotive lifestyle magazine released its findings earlier this month. Award winners will be featured in the magazine's February 2009 issue, available on newsstands Jan. 6. Read More

Car Talk

Four-wheel-drive truck owner worried about smoking brakes

Q. I have a four-wheel-drive 2005 Dodge Dakota with 32,000 miles on it. Since I had the front brake pads replaced four months ago, I have noticed a faint burning smell coming from the wheels after I drive to work. I took it back to the repair shop, and they could not find anything wrong. This weekend, I took it down a winding canyon road, and when I got to the bottom, there was smoke coming from the wheels, along with a strong burning smell. I took it to the Dodge dealer, and they can't find anything wrong with the brakes - nothing charred, no pulsation and plenty of pad left. Do you have any idea why my brakes are smoking? TOM: Well, usually brakes smoke for one of two reasons. Either they're being applied continually, or someone has offered them a good Cuban stogie. Read More

Help for renters on evictions

You're paying your bills, but your landlord isn't. And you're the one holding the eviction notice. This is becoming an all-too-familiar scenario for thousands of renters nationwide who have become the unintended victims of foreclosures. Banks are booting good tenants onto the streets with little to no notice after seizing a property from a delinquent owner, ignoring tenant leases. Read More

Deschanel, Carrey have 'fun' in 'Yes Man'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Zooey Deschanel is waging a losing battle. The actress is trying to answer a serious question about the energy she had to bring to her role in the new feature film "Yes Man." Most of her scenes are with the Tasmanian devil of comedy, Jim Carrey. She's seated next to her co-star. That proves to be a big mistake for the actress. Read More

Cats rescued from fire

Veterinarian treated felines free of charge

SPARTANBURG - Kalyn and Deann Ramey quickly got off the school bus and ran into their Woodruff home to cuddle their cats - pets that barely survived a fire in their home the day before. It was the first time the girls, ages 12 and 10 respectively, had seen their pets - Nim and Titan - since they left for school the day of the fire. Read More

High Profiles 2008

The Charleston tri-county area is a dynamic place. And like any place, it's defined by its people. For behind every story about the port, a hospital, the arts, a King Street business or the schools is a person, or team of people, striving to attain a goal, to improve the community, to make a dent. Read More

RV campground feeling the pinch

You often can gauge how the economy is doing by the number of RVs parked at the Oak Plantation Campground. Nestled under a canopy of oak trees along U.S. Highway 17 near Johns Island, the family-owned business caters to the motor homes of snowbirds and transient workers. Whenever there's a big job in town, like the Ravenel Bridge project a few years ago, the spaces are full of workers who live in campers and RVs. Read More

High School Basketball

Man dies in fight

Acquaintance of victim charged with murder

JOHNS ISLAND - A Spence Drive man is dead after a fight with an acquaintance Friday afternoon at his home, police said. Larry Matthews, 50, is thought to have died of injuries received during the altercation, Charleston County Deputy Coroner Brittney Martin said. She said no gunshot or stabbing wounds were apparent, and an autopsy to be performed today could reveal the cause of death. Read More

Halt megadump expansion

When the prospects of one megadump aren't enough to wake people up, maybe the prospects of two will do the trick. For more than a year, residents of Marlboro County have been fighting plans for a dump. It would begin at 932 acres but could grow to 5,000 acres with waste piled up some 300 feet. Read More

Detainee escapes from jail

A search was under way Friday for a man who was in a jail work-release program and escaped from a minimum- security area at the Charleston County Detention Center. Maurice Lavarr Fludd, 35, was in the jail on Leeds Avenue in North Charleston for a charge of contempt of court after failing to pay child support, authorities said. Read More

Panel urges private-DOT alliances

Idea seen as way to afford new roads

COLUMBIA - South Carolina faces a projected $22 billion shortfall in money for new roads over the next decade. But a committee led by state Senator Larry Grooms has recommended ways the state can deal with the shortfall by relying more on private companies to build and maintain roads. Read More

Deaths Summary

Many happy returns? Not so fast, more stores saying

ST. LOUIS - Heading to the mall to return an unwanted gift? Better hope it came with a receipt. If you don't, be prepared for some questions - or even to have your return denied. More retailers are requiring a drivers license or other government photo ID when you return or exchange merchandise. They feed your name into databases that flag people for repeated or suspicious returns. Read More

Electric patrol vehicles spark public interest

Everybody seemed to take notice of the tiny cars that barely made any noise. As North Charleston police officers patrolled in their newest cruisers, residents hardly could contain themselves. "Y'all going green?" a man called out on North Carolina Avenue. A youngster on Reynolds Avenue shouted "beep, beep" and got a horn toot in response. Read More

Parents fear daughter who was doing well at Webb center will slip

Allison Wright is still learning to talk and hold a spoon or crayon like other 2-year-olds, but she has become a bright-eyed and animated child who responds affectionately to people outside her immediate family. Her parents, Terrance and Shantoya Wright, worry that their daughter's progress will be derailed when the Charles Webb Center closes because of state budget cuts. Read More

Amazon says holiday sales are 'best ever'

SEATTLE - Online retailer Amazon.com called this holiday season its "best ever," saying Friday that it saw a 17 percent increase in orders on its busiest day, a rare piece of good news in a season that has been far from merry for most retailers. Read More

Commit to excellent schools

This year the property tax bill for my house in McClellanville is $1,141. As the tax bill points out, what we pay is reduced from $2,508 by a sales-tax credit and a state property tax relief benefit. Until 2005, we paid the $2,508. Read More

Investor who killed himself was wiped out

PARIS - The French financier who killed himself after losing more than $1 billion of his clients' investments to Bernard Madoff's alleged fraud also saw his own family's money disappear, his older brother said Friday. Read More

Wife killed on Christmas grew up in Walterboro

A fatal shooting on Christmas morning occurred after a couple had returned from a night club in North Charleston and started arguing, according to police documents. Bobby Sloan, 60, is accused of shooting to death his wife, Darlene Sloan, 50, outside a house at 561 Rutledge Ave. Though the couple lived near Atlanta in Forest Park, Ga., Darlene Sloan had grown up in Walterboro and had family in Charleston. Read More

Landfill looking to expand

New facility would accept only construction debris

SUMMERVILLE - A Dorchester County landfill is set to expand, unless somebody has valid objections. The Department of Health and Environmental Control is taking written comments through the end of the month and will schedule a public hearing to hear concerns. Oakridge Landfill is off U.S. Highway 78 between Ridgeville and St. George. About 750,000 tons of household garbage go there each year, according to DHEC. From the highway, it looks like a 50-foot mountain of dirt looming above the trees. Read More

Focused shoppers hit stores

For most, it was 'flat-out bargains' or bust

Two hours before the doors were set to open Friday morning, a Miami-area Wal-Mart parking lot was full of cars - and possibility. But in a Christmas shopping season in which many Americans were unwilling to spend, even a packed lot doesn't always translate into holiday cheer for stores. As stores offered rock-bottom prices and extended return policies, shoppers returned to the malls the day after Christmas. Read More

Cisco's Cafe in West Ashley to close next week after nearly 29 years

The final burrito

For 25 years, Harvey Johnson sliced up onions, served up burritos and prepared hot, Mexican-style meals as kitchen manager at Cisco's Cafe in West Ashley. After Jan. 3, the 46-year-old husband and father will no longer report for work at the Mexican restaurant on Sam Rittenberg Boulevard. Read More

Gifts keep doors open until Jan. 1

The struggling Boys and Girls Clubs of the Trident Area will be able to keep its centers in Charleston and Mount Pleasant open through the end of this month, thanks to last-minute donations from governments and civic leaders, but what happens New Year's Day? In Charleston, the organization received $5,000 from the city to keep its downtown Shaw Unit open over the holidays. In Mount Pleasant, Town Council member Billy Swails and several of his friends kicked in $1,000 each to continue services at 118 Royall Ave. Read More

Bowl system is outdated, but still good for America

Seems we talk every year about changing the college football format from the ageless bowl system to some sort of playoff system. In the past I've declared my preference for the latter, but I must admit that this time of year I have second thoughts. What would this country be, for instance, without the Motor City Bowl, Emerald Bowl, Alamo or Armed Forces Bowl? Read More

Putting pirates on the run

Through the centuries, pirates have looked for easy pickings when choosing their targets, and the 21st century pirates operating off the coast of Somalia are no exception. Finally, they are being called to account as the international community rallies to neutralize the threat to international commerce. Read More

Losing grip on home

Calls just keep coming for mortgage counselor

In 30 years as a mortgage counselor, Robert Mitchell has seen a lot of pain, but never like this. Every day now, Mitchell gets dozens of calls at his United Way office from people who are barely getting by, and are desperate for help as they try to avoid foreclosure. "People are trying to cut back on everything," he said. "Utilities, groceries; they are glad gas prices are going down." Read More

Wal-Mart will carry iPhone on Sunday

DALLAS - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Friday that it will begin to sell the iPhone 3G on Sunday. About 2,500 of its stores will carry a black, 8-gigabyte model for $197 and a 16-gigabyte iPhone in black and white for $297, with a new two-year service agreement from AT&T or qualified upgrade, Wal-Mart said Friday. Read More

Stocks up; odds of year-end rally dim

NEW YORK - Wall Street put together a moderate advance in light post-holiday trading Friday after the finance arm of General Motors got a government lifeline. But dreary holiday spending readings dimmed the chance of a big year-end rally, and the major indexes finished the week with losses. Read More

Morin powers Rays

Duluth, Ga. - Travis Morin had four points, including an insurance goal short-handed, as the South Carolina Stingrays defeated the Gwinnett Gladiators, 4-3, at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Read More

Consumers have power to rebuild and change country

The coming year, 2009, is shaking up to be a unique period in our country's history. We will begin climbing out of the economic hole we are in. But the only way to begin the climb is for consumers to understand this next generation of growth (economic and otherwise) will be very different then the one we just left. Read More

Gamecock's Captain has eye on NFL

TAMPA, Fla. - South Carolina junior cornerback Captain Munnerlyn is leaning toward leaving school early for the NFL, sources familiar with his situation are saying. "I don't know what he's going to do," said USC cornerbacks coach Shane Beamer, who's trying, for now, to keep Munnerlyn focused on Outback Bowl opponent Iowa and not the pros. "At the proper time, if he wants to explore his options, we'll help him and give him the best information we can. We'll help him come to a good decision." Read More

Forgotten Jenkins helps Gators chomp Cougars

Goose Creek's Philip Jenkins just might be the forgotten man when it comes to basketball in the Lowcountry. He's not as high profile as Pinewood Prep's Kenny Manigault and Milton Jennings, and he might not be as flashy as Porter-Gaud's Khris Middleton. But that's just fine with Jenkins, who had his typical performance - 25 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals - in the Gators' 63-43 victory over North Charleston in the opening round of the 16th annual Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic at West Ashley High School. Read More

Charleston-based publisher thriving with niche market

Local historians' passion keeps business alive

A Charleston-based company that specializes in small-run books on local histories is thriving during difficult economic times. The History Press works out of a former grocery store in downtown Charleston and sells its books in local stores and visitor centers in South Carolina and 19 other states. The State newspaper reported Friday that the company published 20 titles in 2004 and now has a list of 500 books. Sales exceeded 200,000 this year. Read More

Circle complete for Swinney, McCorvey

It started out as a typical Tuesday practice for Dabo Swinney. As an undersized, non-scholarship walk-on wide receiver at Alabama in 1990, Swinney had little or no chance of ever getting onto the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Swinney was relegated to the red practice field, which was reserved for Alabama's top defensive players and the "scout team" offensive players - underclassmen who were not going to play on game day and walk-ons. Read More

Deaths and Funerals

Obama's 'Enterprising' edge

Barack Obama's title will shift from president-elect to president on Jan. 20. But The Associated Press has already tagged him with another one: 'Geek-in-chief.' Presumably, the following definition from Webster's New World Dictionary would apply: 'A person regarded as being especially enthusiastic, knowledgeable and skillful in the use of computers.' Other contemporary definitions cite geeks as being obsessed with science fiction and comic books. Read More

Letters to the Editor

Waterworks cutting costs

Tighter controls on fuel and electricity usage, a hiring freeze and delayed capital improvements are some of the ways Mount Pleasant Waterworks is coping with the economic downturn. The utility has replaced eight gas-guzzling trucks with two hybrids used to scan meters. More time is spent planning the most efficient routes. The result has been a 22 percent reduction in gasoline usage and a 27 percent reduction in miles driven, said Clay Duffie, general manager. Read More

Police search for men who robbed Goose Creek bank

Two men robbed the F&B Bank on Thomason Blvd., one block from U.S. Highway 52, at 4:45 p.m., Goose Creek police said. Read More

Landfill expansion likely; public hearing scheduled

The Department of Health and Environmental Control is taking written comments through the end of the month and will schedule a public hearing to hear concerns.

Oakridge Landfill is off U.S. Highway 78 between Ridgeville and St. George. About 750,000 tons of household garbage a year end up there, according to DHEC.

A flood of mortgage-related calls for help

In 30 years as a mortgage counselor, Robert Mitchell has seen a lot of pain, but he said it's never been like this.

Every day now, Mitchell gets dozens of calls at his United Way office from people who are barely getting by, and are desperate for help as they try to avoid foreclosure.

Report on public-private partnerships for road construction complete

A committee that studied ways the state could turn to the private sector more to help build and maintain roads concluded its work this week and sent a list of recommendations to the Legislature.

Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, said South Carolina could meet future demands sooner and with less money if the Department of Transportation would be given the authority to expand its dealings with private companies.

Federal grant to help save SC presidential site

COLUMBIA - The National Park Service has given the Historic Columbia Foundation $335,000 to help repair the boyhood home of Woodrow Wilson. Read More

Voorhees in inauguration debate series

DENMARK - One of South Carolina's historically black colleges has been picked to participate in a debate series as part of the events surrounding President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration next month. Read More

Lawyers upset by loss of payments

COLUMBIA - Lawyers across South Carolina are upset after a state commission suspended payment of legal fees for attorneys who represent clients too poor to pay them. The State of Columbia reported that the Commission on Indigent Defense made the decision last week because of budget cuts. Read More

Center weighs its fate in loss of funding from state

MOUNT PLEASANT - Six unsupervised boys threw a ball to one another standing in a circle outside the Royall Avenue unit of the Boys and Girls Club. Make that 10. A few more boys jump out of an SUV that rolled up to the curb and pulled away. It's after 1 p.m. Tuesday and the center's door is locked, though the club's holiday program runs from 1 to 6 p.m. Read More

Sultry actress, singer dies at 81

S.C.-born entertainer's roles ranged from dancing with troupe to starring as Catwoman

NEW YORK - Eartha Kitt, a sultry singer, dancer and actress who rose from South Carolina cotton fields to become an international symbol of elegance and sensuality, has died, a family spokesman said. She was 81. Andrew Freedman said Kitt, who recently was treated at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, died Thursday in Connecticut of colon cancer. Kitt, a self-proclaimed "sex kitten" famous for her catlike purr, was one of America's most-versatile performers, winning two Emmys and nabbing a third nomination. Read More

Tragedy leaves North Charleston coach on sideline

When North Charleston High School basketball coach Tony Eady teaches life lessons to his players, he preaches family and school come first. Basketball is second. Eady, his family and his team are dealing with tragedy over the holidays as Eady's nephew, 23-year-old Jonathan Baxter, was killed in an accident Tuesday night on Interstate 26 in Dorchester County. Eady will not coach in today's opening round of the Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic when his team faces Goose Creek. Read More

Expert offers pointers on giving annual tips

If you're looking for ways to cut back this season, tipping might seem like a logical place to start. We checked with the Emily Post Institute's Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, to see if crossing the newspaper guy and hair stylist off your give-to list passes muster. Read More

Deaths Summary

Angel Tree program helps give Christmas to children of inmates

COLUMBIA - Thousands of children in South Carolina whose parents are in prison received Christmas gifts this year thanks to the Angel Tree. Inmates in the state's 28 prisons signed up for the program, which is run by the state chapter of Prison Fellowship Ministries. Gifts were donated by members of more than 250 churches. Read More

TV shift to leave some out

Over-air digital broadcasts may not reach about 2%

WASHINGTON - Nearly a fifth of the nation's full-power television stations will no longer reach at least 2 percent of viewers now covered by their existing analog signals after they switch to digital broadcasts in February, federal regulators say. Read More

Money's use a secret

21 companies that received at least $1B refuse to detail spending

WASHINGTON - Think you could borrow money from a bank without saying what you were going to do with it? Well, apparently when banks borrow from you they don't feel the same need to say how the money is spent. After receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers, the nation's largest banks say they can't track exactly how they're spending it. Some won't even talk about it. Read More

Relationships

I may be your spouse, your parent, your offspring, your friend or your colleague. Read More

Recipe takes wing

Chicken wings and football flock together, just like the holidays and college bowl games: still more than 25 to go before we put this season to rest. So there's plenty of chances to 'wing it' for those college football fans. Read More

Researchers find brain cells linked to learning

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Thanks to new imaging technology, scientists are able to see neurons that are critical to how people and animals learn from experience. Read More

Sewee announces January events

To register for programs at the Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center, 5821 U.S. Highway 17, Awendaw, call 928-3368. Upcoming programs include: Read More

How to talk to Nebraska and Iowa fans

Brace yourselves for chatter about winter wheat. Even before setting up bowl headquarters in Jacksonville or Tampa - probably at a crowded Rest Area this side of Yulee or in line at Disney - you will encounter them. Large but well-organized groups of Nebraska and Iowa football fans heading south for the sweetest piece of winter. Read More

Coping if you just survived a layoff

You're supposed to be one of the lucky ones. You survived your company's recent round of downsizing. Then why do you feel sad, angry and scared? Here's how to cope when co-workers lose their jobs: -- Know that your feelings are normal. Read More

Authorities seek suspect in robbery

North Charleston police identified a 44-year-old man as a suspect in the Christmas Eve robbery of First Citizens Bank on University Boulevard. Jeffrey Patrick Frye, who is wanted on a charge of entering a bank with intent to steal, is about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 190 pounds, police said. Read More

Band still needs $20,000 for trip

MANNING - A South Carolina high school band has only raised about half of the money it will take to travel to Washington, D.C., next month for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration. Read More

Hanahan Helps focuses on MUSC

With the help of Facebook, Hanahan High School alums from the 1980s and '90s have joined forces in the name of friendship and school spirit to give back to the community through a new endeavor, Hanahan Helps. Read More

What if that sweater just doesn't fit?

Here are a few tips for stress-free returns from the customer service team at Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News, Va. Read More

Orchestra to perform Dec. 31

The Summerville Community Orchestra will perform its New Year's Eve Gala Wednesday in Doar Hall at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Summerville. The evening begins at 9 p.m. with music, dancing, heavy hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Read More

Living green

Greening your diet can have a big impact. Read More

What we're listening to

'Volume One' by She & Him

I grew up listening to my mother's old Motown records and Johnny Cash LPs, so it's no surprise that I'm utterly smitten with 'Volume One,' the debut album from She & Him (Merge Records). Read More

As stocks tumble, gold takes off

DENVER - Investors who have forsaken shaky financial markets for the safety of gold must feel a little bit like prospectors. As the worst recession in at least a generation spreads, so too does the clamor for gold bars and coins, assets less likely to go up on smoke like so many derivatives and asset-backed securities. Read More

Shop in your own closet, find store bargains

COLUMBIA— Consumers tightening their proverbial belts are saving money by altering clothes already in their wardrobes and not stretching their budget with pricey purchases. Nick Nicolau, owner of Nick's Tailoring, has seen more people recycling their own clothing. Read More

Funeral home supports Chicora

McAlister-Smith Funeral Home-Cremation presented WINGS for Kids with a $500 grant award at Chicora Elementary School in North Charleston on Dec. 16. Read More

Bus rider wins a trip to Las Vegas

Summerville-to-Charleston commuter uses Link to get her to work and home

Summerville resident Crystal Owens was only focused on getting a ride to work in downtown Charleston. She ended up winning a trip to Las Vegas in the process. Owens, a regular rider of the TriCounty Link bus line, was named the winner of the commuter service's drawing for a trip to Las Vegas and one year of free rides. Read More

2 men injured in helicopter crash

GREELEYVILLE - Authorities say two men have been injured after their helicopter crashed in a field near Greeleyville. Read More

Fort Johnson's rich history

It was 300 years ago that Fort Johnson was first built to protect Charleston from invasions. The site was then called Windmill Poynt on Boones Island (now James Island). Thanks to recent research done by archeologist Carl Steen of Columbia and by Charleston historian Nic Butler, we now know that Fort Johnson, built, destroyed and rebuilt several times, played several significant roles in the country's history. Read More

Go nuts for good health

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Looking for a tastier way to be healthier? A new study suggests eating a traditional Mediterranean diet of cereals, vegetables, fruits and olive oil plus a daily serving of mixed nuts could be the key to better health. Read More

Stunned turtles max out aquarium

Four sea turtles stunned by the sudden cold off North Carolina were rushed to the South Carolina Aquarium recently, crowding its already full rehabilitation hospital. A dozen turtles are being treated, a record number. The new arrivals, two loggerheads and two green sea turtles, have maxed out the facility. Turtles are sharing tanks, shunted over to back-up tanks with improvised water circulation. Read More

Question of the week

What one thing do you hope to accomplish in 2009, little or big? Read More

Homeless vets lean on each other

Good Neighbor Center residents share holiday

Homeless Army veteran David Platt remembers spending Christmas 1981 in the bitter cold of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas. It was the first time the South Carolina native had seen snow, so he used it to kick-start his imagination, dreaming of Christmas back home. Read More

Fire department gets $98,000 for equipment

The Pine Ridge Fire Department in southern Berkeley County near Goose Creek and Summerville has been awarded a $98,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grant is for radio and pager monitoring devices, turnout gear, rescue struts and traffic vests and will allow the department's 38 volunteers to be outfitted in up-to-date protective gear. Read More

Congress' Ponzi scheme

Some good could come out of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scandal if it finally leads Americans to do something about the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program otherwise known as Social Security. Mr. Madoff alledgedly has confessed to running a 'giant Ponzi scheme' for a small pool of wealthy investors, reportedly losing $50 billion (see Eric J. Weiner's column on today's Commentary Page). Charles Ponzi gave his name to this kind of scam in the 1920s when he was caught paying off old investors with funds deposited by new ones. Read More

Don't pour a wall, spray it

New method more cost efficient than traditional construction, contractors say

Wonder what that hose is spraying on the new Remount Road off-ramp on Interstate 26? It's a wall. A 100-ton concrete wall. The retaining wall for the eastbound off-ramp by the Bank of America building is being built with Shock-crete, a new generation concrete application that uses air pressure and a pump to spread a congealing mass of the liquid stone. Read More

West Ashley Recreation

Jeff Gladwell, who served as chairman of the St. Andrew's Parks and Playground Commission for 17 years, was inducted into the agency's Hall of Fame at the annual St. Andrew's awards dinner on Dec. 13. Read More

Stem cells save kids with cancer

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

There are some types of childhood leukemia where chemotherapy and radiation don't work. These cancers are often fatal, even with aggressive treatment. Now doctors are turning to experimental stem cell therapies to give kids a fighting chance. Read More

Focused on future, coping with the meltdown

Laid-off graphic designer says he'll find a way to make it work

Slick, slack, slick, slack. Matthew Morse swishes the paint roller back and forth across the kitchen wall in his new downtown apartment. Sun streaming in. Middle of the day. Time on his hands. A few weeks earlier, Morse was behind his desk in one of the Lowcountry's preeminent advertising agencies, helping to craft sleek and catchy campaigns. Read More

Chew this, crush cravings

You could crush that 3 p.m. cookie craving just by chewing a little of this: gum. That's right, chewing gum can really put the kibosh on your afternoon appetite. Read More

East Cooper Recreation Report

Pro Level to hold baseball tryouts Pro Level Sports has announced plans to field USSSA and Nations Baseball travel teams this spring for ages 9-and-under through 18U. Roster spots and coaching positions in most age groups are open and available to any and all players in the Lowcountry. Read More

Not so fast! Boat landing closure developer's mistake

Ralph Earhart is a longtime kayak guide in Charleston who sometimes starts trips at Charleston County's Bulow Landing on Rantowles Creek. So he was shocked when he heard that developers of Poplar Grove closed a gate on the road to this picturesque public boat ramp. Read More

Stem cells save kids with cancer - Research summary

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

Tigers taught everyone lesson about Clemson

CLEMSON - A couple of days after Jeff Davis and the 1981 Clemson football team arrived in Miami for their Orange Bowl showdown with Nebraska, a reporter asked the Tigers' starting linebacker exactly where Clemson was located. At the time, Davis didn't think much about the query, but as the days went by and the build-up and anticipation for the game reached its zenith, the running joke among members of the national media was the location of the Palmetto state school in the foot hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Read More

Student headed to inauguration

Joseph Hatton, a student at Summerville High School has been accepted into the People to People Presidential Inauguration program, which will celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States in Washington, D.C. Read More

Some 'me' time helps relieve family stress

We women are great at multitasking. We are the superior beings of getting it all done, packaged nicely and presented perfectly. I've decided it's indeed part of our genetic make-up. Read More

Past TV habits weigh in at mid-life

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

A recent British study provides solid evidence that frequent TV viewing can lead to excess weight gain. It also shows your TV-viewing habits as a teenager can influence your body shape in mid-life. Read More

The 'Bush Shoe' boom

The ongoing global economic meltdown is being fairly blamed on the people who were supposed to be in charge of the U.S. economy - including President Bush. In fairness, though, most congressional Democrats - and some Republicans, too - tuned out prescient and repeated warnings by Mr. Bush and other administration officials about the risks stemming from the too-easy-credit policies of federal mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Read More

Holtz unleashed beast in Brewer in Outback Bowl

TAMPA, Fla. - Ryan Brewer wonders whether he should tell you. He pauses a couple of seconds to think about it. Shoot, it's been a family joke in the Brewer home for years. Why not pass it along? It was Christmastime 2000. Read More

Ford's video poker idea might be a winner

You would think those guys in Columbia don't like money. Every year, Sen. Robert Ford tells the General Assembly where they could find another $750 million to shovel into the budget. And every year, they ignore him - then go out and find new and creative ways to give away some more of the state's hard-earned revenue. 'All they want to do is cut, cut, cut,' Ford says. 'We can't cut any more.' Read More

Bail-by-plastic

In tight economy, bondsmen offer financing

SANTA ANA, Calif. - Bail bond agents are increasingly helping cash-strapped defendants get out of jail with ultra-cheap financing deals, a practice that worries law enforcement officials and insurers, and could endanger public safety. To bolster their businesses during the recession, a growing number of bondsmen nationwide are requiring upfront payments that are a fraction of the customary 10 percent premium amount, and sometimes with no collateral. Read More

Purse strings

Consider purchasing a sample dress from a bridal boutique. Read More

Holiday health myths

The following information is provided by a third party and has not been edited by The Post and Courier for content or accuracy.

This holiday season, many will decorate their homes with poinsettias and overindulge in cookies, but are traditions like these harmful to your health? Read More