Across South Carolina

Surfers discover body of man who drowned

FOLLY BEACH - A Folly Beach man drowned Thursday night in rough water off the coast, authorities said.

The body of 46-year-old Keith Bloodworth was found by surfers at about 7 p.m., Charleston County Coroner Susan Chewning said.

The last time anyone saw Mr. Bloodworth was at the beach at about 6:30 p.m., Folly Beach Police Chief George Tittle said.

About 30 minutes later, a surfer found Mr. Bloodworth in the water but could not reach him.

He washed ashore a few minutes later, and several teens tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him, Chief Tittle said.

Problems resolved at Keowee Hydro Station

SENECA - Oconee Nuclear Station has fixed a problem with one of the backup sources of electricity that recently shut down a couple of times, a company spokeswoman said.

Duke Power's Keowee Hydro Station was back in operation after officials replaced a relay switch they think caused the shutdowns at one of the station's two generating units.

One unit locked out last Saturday, which means a protective feature was enacted that prevents the unit from generating electricity,

"We have completed testing and monitoring of that change, and that went well," Duke spokeswoman Linda Conley said.

Justices say program applies to all workers

COLUMBIA - The state Supreme Court said Friday a lawsuit by four retirees over pension contributions applies to all state workers in the program.

The justices ordered the state to keep money contributed to the Teacher and Employee Retention Incentive program in an interest-bearing escrow account until the suit is settled.

The four employees sued the state after lawmakers changed the rules for the program to help pump more money into the retirement system.

Officials charge man in Internet sex crime

COLUMBIA - A 52-year-old man has been taken into custody after trying to set up a meeting to have sex with a minor over the Internet, Attorney General Henry McMaster says.

After Steve Wayne Gunter was arrested, police say they learned he had a sexual relationship with a Sumter teen and he was charged Thursday with other crimes, Mr. McMaster said in a news release.

In the first case, Mr. Gunter thought he was talking with a 14-year-old girl on the Web but was really talking to Aiken County deputies, Mr. McMaster said. As investigators looked into the first case, Mr. Gunter told them he had child pornography at his home. Authorities also learned he had been talking to a Sumter girl on the Web since she was 15 years old.