Clemson will study campus alcohol use

CLEMSON - Clemson University researchers want to hear from freshmen on campus about the situations that lead them to drink heavily in order to develop intervention programs to curb alcohol abuse.

Clemson is one of 15 universities nationwide awarded a three-year grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to develop local alcohol prevention efforts at their campuses that can be copied elsewhere.

Arsonist burns five buses outside school

GOOSE CREEK - A fire that investigators say was intentionally set destroyed one school bus and damaged four others in this Berkeley County town.

An employee of a nearby restaurant called 911 Sunday night after seeing flames in the Stratford High School parking lot. A bus was in flames when firefighters arrived at about 10:50 p.m., and the fire spread to four buses, a police report states.

DeLay funds tainted, Democrats tell GOP

COLUMBIA - The state Democratic Party on Tuesday called on Republicans in South Carolina's congressional delegation to return money they received from Texas Rep. Tom DeLay's political fundraising organization and asked Republican Rep. Joe Wilson to return contributions from a recent event Mr. DeLay attended.

"Our Republican congressmen need to separate themselves from Tom DeLay and his serious legal and ethical problems," said state Democratic Party Chairman Joe Erwin. "Tom DeLay's money is tainted, and these congressmen should give it back - now."

Among state Republicans, Mr. Wilson has received the most money from Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee.

Mr. Wilson does not plan to return any of it, said his spokeswoman, Emily Lawrimore.

Clemson can count property to get grant

COLUMBIA - Attorney General Henry McMaster says Clemson University can count real estate and equipment that it does not own toward its requirement to match millions of dollars in state research grants.

The opinion allows Clemson to credit land and a building owned by the Greenwood Genetics Center and equipment owned by the International Center for Automotive Research to qualify for funds authorized by the Legislature.