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Additional area news

Web posted May 2, 1998

From Staff and Wire Reports

Shooting suspect facing charges

A Martinez man who police say shot an Augusta girl was indicted on multiple counts of aggravated assault by a Columbia County grand jury this week.

Berry Hayden Moore, 63, of Casa Linda Drive, was arrested March 26 after he allegedly fired several shots from a 9 mm pistol at a car in which Leah Williams of Curry Street was a passenger.

Wounded in both legs, 11-year-old Leah was taken to the Medical College of Georgia Hospital for emergency surgery.

In connection with the shooting, Mr. Moore also faces charges of aggravated battery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and discharging a firearm on a public road while under the influence of alcohol.

He was released April 14 from the Columbia County Detention Center on bonds totaling $83,800, police said.

Teachers plan to share ideas

``Teachers teaching each other'' is the focus of the second annual Spring Teachers Conference this weekend at the Sheraton Augusta Hotel.

The event -- dubbed ``Georgia: Home of Master Teachers'' -- is a direct outgrowth of teachers' requests, according to State Superintendent of Schools Linda Schrenko.

When she became superintendent, Mrs. Schrenko said Friday at the event's kickoff luncheon, she heard over and over from teachers that they wanted an opportunity to get together and share ideas and learn from each other.

More than 200 teachers, administrators and superintendents from across the state are attending the event, which lasts through Sunday. It coincides with National Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs Sunday through May 9.

Library dedication this Sunday

Sandersville, Ga., officials will dedicate the Rosa M. Tarbutton Memorial Library at 3 p.m. Sunday.

The $1.6 million library on South Harris Street represents the merger of the Washington County Library, which was in Tennille, and the Sandersville Public Library. There are more than 27,500 books in the 13,000-square-foot building, with space to hold up to 55,000, according to head librarian Dianne Meeks.

The library, which has been open since March 2, has already issued more than 3,000 library cards to area residents and checked out more than 7,000 books, magazines and tapes. It also features a computerized card catalog, Internet access and word processors through a network of computers.

Two-car accident kills area man

A two-car accident Wednesday killed a Batesburg-Leesville, S.C., man and left an Aiken man in critical condition.

John Shuler Reynolds, 79, of the 200 block of Elizabeth Street, was pronounced dead at the scene, after his car collided with another automobile driven by J.R. Williams, a resident of Aiken, according to Aiken County Coroner Sue Townsend.

The wreck happened at about 7 p.m. at the intersection of South Carolina highways 19 and 191.

School gets planning grant

Chukker Creek Elementary School has won a $5,000 National School of Excellence planning grant from the Greater Aiken Local Education Foundation.

The grant allows the school's administration and faculty to visit model schools statewide and study applications of past winners.

The school will be in a position to determine whether it will apply for the National School of Excellence Award during the 2000-2001 school year, the first year of eligibility.

Chukker Creek is the first Area 1 school to accept the challenge grant. Schools that receive such grants may receive additional funding to assist during the year of application.

Aiken County has one recipient of this national honor, Aiken Elementary.

Dead man may have eaten drugs

ATHENS -- A man who died early Friday after being arrested during a traffic stop may have swallowed cocaine, police said.

William Bide Shelton Jr., 26, of Comer, was stopped at the Clarke County-Oconee County line about 1 a.m. during a routine traffic check. He was taken to St. Mary's Hospital for drunken-driving tests and died at the hospital, said Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry.

The sheriff said witnesses told deputies that Mr. Shelton swallowed some cocaine so police would not find it during the traffic check.

Mr. Shelton struggled briefly with deputies as they took him into custody, but he showed no signs of distress until he got to the hospital, Sheriff Berry said.

Doctor fined for fraud

ANDERSON -- An Anderson doctor was fined more than a half-million dollars after pleading guilty to 45 counts of insurance fraud.

Dr. James Irby faced a maximum six years in prison, but plea-bargained with the state attorney general's office.

Under Thursday's agreement, Dr. Irby also must pay $320,000 in restitution for fraudulent Medicare and private insurance claims from 1995 and must serve five years' probation.

Prosecutor Catherine Christophillis said Dr. Irby administered diluted medications while charging insurance companies for the full dosage. ``He was basically pocketing the difference,'' she said.

Closed meeting called illegal

ROCK HILL -- A Rock Hill City Council committee's closed-door meeting was illegal, according to the South Carolina Press Association.

The committee, appointed to reduce a court backlog, met Thursday to evaluate Judge Mickey Camp, members said. But Judge Camp said members talked about more than his job performance, including whether there are enough judges and enough room to hold court.

According to the state's Freedom of Information Act, policy issues must be discussed publicly.

Sewage spills into creek

GREENVILLE -- A pump station failure allowed about 600,000 gallons of raw sewage to spill into a creek that feeds the Enoree River in Greenville County.

Human waste, toilet paper and industrial dyes spewed out of manholes behind the Pelham Park pump station Wednesday.

But Guy Tumblin, an environmental engineer with the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, said residents should not be alarmed.