Across the region

Reactor shut down at nuclear power plant

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HARTSVILLE, S.C. --- A control problem with a turbine at a nuclear power plant in South Carolina has shut the reactor down until the issue can be fixed. It's the third shutdown this year.

Raleigh, N.C.-based Progress Energy reported Thursday's incident at the H.B. Robinson plant in Hartsville to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Plant spokesman Andy Cole says the shutdown was triggered by a control problem with a turbine unrelated to the nuclear side of the plant. The reactor shuts down as a safety precaution during certain conditions at the plant.

Earlier this year, two fires in Robinson's electrical system led to a nearly four-month shutdown of the plant that included a planned refueling outage and some needed repairs. The reactor was restarted in mid-July.

Judge refuses late bid to buy Sea Island Co.

BRUNSWICK, GA. --- A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge refused to permit a late bid of about $199 million for the Sea Island Co.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge John Dalis on Thursday rebuffed the offer by Starwood Capital Group, which dropped out of the initial bidding.

Sea Island already had agreed to sell its golf courses, hotels, spa, beach club and other resort properties for a minimum of $197.5 million to a joint venture managed by Oaktree Capital Management LP of Los Angeles and Avenue Capital Group of New York.

Oaktree-Avenue beat out Starwood and KSL Recreation. After Sea Island filed for Chapter 11 protection from its creditors on Aug. 10, Starwood made its new offer.

Dalis said it would be inappropriate to let Starwood come in with a late bid.

Rex's budget proposal seeks teacher raises

COLUMBIA --- Outgoing Education Superintendent Jim Rex says his final budget recommendation includes a cost-of-living raise for teachers.

Rex said in a statement Friday that he sent his request to outgoing Gov. Mark Sanford, who also leaves office in January.

Rex says teachers haven't had a cost-of-living increase in two years. His proposal also includes money to improve buses.

Rex says the limited budget precludes adding money for preschool education and the end of federal stimulus money also endangers other programs.

Girl's family receives $1.5 million award

ATLANTA --- The family of a Georgia girl whose autismlike symptoms had been blamed on a combination of vaccines has been awarded about $1.5 million from a federal vaccine injury fund.

Federal health officials concluded in 2008 that childhood vaccines contributed to the development of autism symptoms of Hannah Poling, of Athens.

They only recently announced the settlement amount.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Poling's family will get the $1.5 million to cover care during the first year after the judgments, lost future earnings, and pain and suffering. The newspaper reports that an annuity contract would cover at least $500,000 in annual expenses to care for and educate Poling during her lifetime.

Government officials still insist that vaccines don't cause autism.

911 operator files lawsuit over firing

ATLANTA --- A 911 operator is suing the Fulton County government for $10.5 million after she says she was wrongly fired for sending an ambulance to the wrong address.

Gina Conteh's suit also names the county's former 911 director and three other employees as defendants.

It all stems from the August 2008 incident in which Johns Creek resident Darlene Dukes died after waiting an hour for that ambulance.

Conteh's attorney, Rory Starkey, says she took the blame when the Fulton County director and other upper management team members knew she was working a dispatcher job for which managers had previously deemed her unqualified.

Reservist is accused of exposing himself

COLUMBUS, GA. --- Harris County authorities have charged an Army reservist with child molestation and public indecency after he was accused of exposing himself to members of two Columbus High girls sports teams.

Authorities arrested 45-year-old Vaughn Cooper, an active duty sergeant first class, at Fort Benning after Harris County investigators broadcast his license plate number and description.

He faces eight counts stemming from three incidents last month.

Each time, a man in a Mazda3 pulled up beside the school bus driving the team home, flashed a laser pointer to get the girls' attention, turned on the interior lights in his car and exposed himself. He's charged with child molestation because some of the girls were younger than 15.

Reward is offered in school bus vandalism

UNION, S.C. --- Vandals punctured tires on about a dozen South Carolina school buses and police are looking for those responsible.

A bus driver discovered the damage at Union County High School about 5:30 a.m. Thursday.

School officials say about two dozen tires were damaged on the buses.

They estimate damage at $5,000.

The school district is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the vandalism.