Across South Carolina

March highlights need for paid holiday

COLUMBIA - A march in Greenville on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday should highlight the county's need to honor the slain civil rights leader with a paid holiday for workers, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Sunday.

The Rev. Jackson, a native of Greenville and the president of the National Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, said the march will be held Saturday - Dr. King's birthday. The federal holiday honoring Dr. King is on the third Monday of January.

The holiday is marked by all 50 states. In South Carolina, Greenville is the only county without a paid holiday.

County again begins trying to build port

RIDGELAND - Jasper County has renewed its efforts to build a $450 million deep water port on the Savannah River.

The County Council said Friday it had reached agreements on loans, development and management with a subsidiary of private port developer SSA Marine giving the Seattle-based company exclusive rights in the project.

The county also is offering $9.2 million to buy land for the port from the Georgia Transportation Department, according to county Administrator Andrew Fulghum.

If a settlement with Georgia cannot be reached, town officials have said they will take their case back to the state Supreme Court.

At least 100 will lose jobs at county plant

RICHBURG - At least 100 employees will lose their jobs at F. Schumacher & Co.'s Chester County plant as the company tries to sell its home fashion division.

The Chester County plant employs about 300 people to make pillows, bedding and related products for the Waverly Lifestyles Group.

The Chester plant is the company's only production site for the Waverly line of fabrics, pillows, bedding, window treatments and other products sold at stores such as Target, Belk and J.C. Penney.

There is no timetable for the sale, but officials say it could come at the middle of the year.

Man is charged with DUI after crash kills 2

MYRTLE BEACH - A 45-year-old man from Murrells Inlet has been charged with two counts of felony driving under the influence after a crash more than a week ago.

Stanley Dantonio was charged after an accident investigation team determined a 17-year-old involved in the crash along the coast Dec. 30 was not at fault, officials said.

Elyse Anderson and her boyfriend, also 17, died in the head-on collision, authorities said.

Mr. Dantonio, who had minor injuries, hit a Honda Accord before crossing the median and crashing into the Dodge Neon that Ms. Anderson was driving. The Honda driver was not hurt.