Sanford visits schools to push tax credits

ALLENDALE - Gov. Mark Sanford visited Allendale Elementary School on Thursday two months after using Allendale schools as examples in his State of the State speech of why South Carolina needs to pass school choice legislation.

Allendale schools, which were taken over by the state nearly six years ago for poor performance, still report some of the state's lowest standardized test scores.

Mr. Sanford praised the district's partnership with Edison Alliance, a division of Edison Schools Inc. Edison works with school districts across the country to improve pupil performance. Mr. Sanford's visit grew out of the governor's interest in the Edison partnership.

While talking to reporters, he pushed legislation that would give tax credits to parents who transfer their children out of public schools

Ban on gay marriage nears Senate debate

COLUMBIA - A supporter of a constitutional ban on gay marriages forced the issue closer to debate Thursday in the state Senate.

The constitutional amendment has cleared the House and would go before voters in 2006 if the Senate approves it. The amendment says marriage is "exclusively defined as a union between one man and one woman" and all other unions are void.

Opponents had hoped to keep that and related bills tied up in a subcommittee for at least a few more weeks.

But Sen. John Hawkins, R-Spartanburg, surprised the Senate on Thursday with a motion that pulled the issue out of the panel headed by Sen. Robert Ford, a Charleston Democrat who opposes the change.

Father threatened court, police say

UNION - A man who police say warned he would make last week's courthouse shooting in Atlanta "look like a picnic" has been charged with threatening court officials.

Judge Marc Westbrook denied bond Wednesday for 68-year-old Paul Thompson. The judge said he might set bond later, "but right now it's better not to have him out, to let things cool off."

Mr. Thompson was upset because his daughter had recently been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a number of drug charges, Union Public Safety Chief Sam White said.

Mr. Thompson first left a message with Chief White talking about the Atlanta shooting in which a judge and court reporter were shot and killed in a courtroom. The chief said Mr. Thompson warned him that if court were held Wednesday, something bad would happen.

Chief White returned the call Tuesday afternoon and Mr. Thompson repeated the threat after saying he had been drinking heavily.