The destruction of a Postal Van and the mail on board leads to time in prison. Timothy Turner, age 25, of Westminster, South Carolina, was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Anderson for maliciously destroying a vehicle carrying United States mail by setting it on fire. Last June, Turner stole a postal van parked on the campus of Clemson University that contained approximately 33 tubs to be delivered to various addresses at the University. After going through the contents of the van, Turner drove it to a rural area in Oconee County and set it on fire. The van and all of the mail items were completely destroyed. Judge G. Ross Anderson, Jr., sentenced Turner to five years in federal prison and a three year period of supervised release after imprisonment.
Former Colts coach Tony Dungy to speak to SC inmates
A famous football coach will be delivering a pep talk of another kind to state prisoners. Former Indianapolis Colts coach and inspirational author Tony Dungy has taken up prison mentoring since retiring in 2008. Dungy will be in Columbia to speak to inmates at the S.C. Department of Corrections March 16 at the agency’s headquarters in Columbia. Mr. Dungy, who led the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts to a victory in the 2007 Super Bowl, is scheduled to speak to about 550 minimum-security inmates.
Mr. Dungy retired from coaching in 2008 and has spent time since mentoring inmates, encouraging them to take responsibility for their lives. Most notably he helped NFL quarterback Michael Vick transition from prison back into the league. In addition to his prison ministry work, Mr. Dungy serves as an analyst for NBC’s “Football Night in America.” He also wrote best selling books called “Quiet Strength” and “Uncommon,” and is involved with multiple charitable organizations, including Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Mentors for Life and Prison Crusade Ministry.
Marine jet crashes off SC shore, 2 rescued (Audio)
Two Marine Corps pilots are safe today after being rescued off the South Carolina coast by the United States Coast Guard. Late Wednesday afternoon the F/A-18D Hornet went down into the Atlantic Ocean about 35 miles off the shore of Beaufort.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Christopher Evanson explains what happened: “The Coast Guard was notified by the Marine Corps Air Station at approximately 5:17 that one of their planes had gone down. The initial information that we received is that both engines on that airplane had died as the plane was coming back ashore following a routine training exercise. At that point, the pilots ejected. We were given initial reports that there were two parachutes that were seen in the area,” says Evanson. [Read more...]
School leaders rally at Statehouse (Audio)
Local school administrator rally under Statehouse porch(Education Dept Bldg can be seen in background, appearing almost like an incomplete column)
School Board members and district superintendents from all over South Carolina gathered at the Statehouse Wednesday to protest the cuts to education and call for state lawmakers to address the funding crisis by finding ways to raise revenues.
Zona Jefferson with the State Association of School Administrators said that local districts have done their part, to reduce costs and have left many positions vacant.
(Jefferson on school funding, under Statehouse porch MP3 4:53)
Jefferson at the Statehouse
School Board Association President Bruce Davis also serves on the Hampton School District Two board. He said that school funding has been reduced to the same level as in 1995, a time prior to the Education Accountability Act and the Charter Schools Act.
SC House passes ban on drivers texting (Audio)
The South Carolina House has given key passage to legislation that would prohibit text messaging while driving.
Positions on the issue were all over the board, from the original legislation banning texting as well as hand-held cell usuage, to an amendment which would only ban the practices for the youngest drivers.
Lexington County Republican Nikki Haley’s amendment would have prohibited texting and cell usage but only for those 18 and under. She asserted that there are plenty of other distractions awaiting drivers aside from using a cell phone. Haley says both cell phone usage or texting would be difficult for authorities to enforce.
(Haley on texting MP3 7:30)
Lawmakers tabled Haley’s amendment on a 74-30 vote.
The legislation, which passed on a 98 to 18 vote, carries a fine of $25 but no point violations. It began with a $100 fine and two points. Final reading is expected today(Thursday). The Senate is working on similar legislation.
House members were vocal on whether to delete the cell phone ban from the bill, but Democrat Robert Brown’s amendment passed on a voice vote that seemed almost split.
Aiken County Republican Don Smith, who chairs the subcommittee that handled the proposal, asserted that texting while driving is not just dangerous for teens, but for adults as well.
Republican Kris Crawford of Florence made his point against the legislation with several interesting amendments, including ones that would have fined drivers for eating while driving or operating an iPod music player.
Laurend County Republican Mike Pitts, a retired Greenville police officer, who was not in favor of banning hand-held cell phones, asked House members how many of them use their cell phones to talk to their constiuents, when they’re driving home from the Statehouse.
House Speak Bobby Harrell issued a statement after the Wednesday’s vote was taken that teen drivers are the most avid cell phone users and the most inexperienced drivers on the road. He says the combination of the two is a formula for disaster. Harrell says multiple studies have demonstrated the dangers of distracted driving, showing that it’s more hazardous than drunk driving.
