Two charged in death of university student

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CARROLLTON, GA. --- Carrollton police have charged two people with murder in connection with the killing of a woman believed to be a missing University of West Georgia student.

Police found a woman's body late Wednesday night and are working to determine whether it's 21-year-old Marcelle Elliott of Kennesaw.

Carrollton Police Capt. Jamison Sailors said Thursday that authorities have charged 29-year-old Farrah Strength and 31-year-old Joshua Clay, both of Carroll County, with murder.

They are being held at the Carroll County Sheriff's department and are expected to appear in court today.

Sailors said Strength and Elliott were acquaintances. Though police have not identified the body, Sailors said police believe that Strength called Elliott a week ago to lure her to Carrollton to kill her. Police would not say where the body was found or how they found it because investigators are still gathering evidence.

Deepening of harbor is moving along in House

CHARLESTON, S.C. --- Deepening the Charleston Harbor shipping channel in South Carolina has moved a bit closer to happening.

The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday approved language calling for expedited studies of the next harbor-deepening project in Charleston.

The language, added by U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., was included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2010. The House and the Senate still must approve.

The harbor shipping channel is now 45 feet deep but the South Carolina State Ports Authority wants a deeper channel to handle larger ships that will call once the Panama Canal is expanded in four years.

Man sentenced for shooting of officer

CHARLESTON, S.C. --- A South Carolina man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for shooting a federal law enforcement officer.

U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles says 31-year-old Terrell Mallard was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Charleston.

Mallard pleaded guilty in November to attempting to kill a federal officer.

Investigators say Mallard was hiding in a locked bathroom in a Charleston-area home in February 2009 when officers came to arrest him on a bank robbery warrant.

Authorities say Mallard started shooting when the door was knocked down, striking a federal officer.

Other officers fired back, wounding Mallard. Both he and the officer were treated at a hospital for their injuries.

-- Associated Press