Across South Carolina

Juror's doubt leads to murder case mistrial

ANDERSON - The murder trial of Johnny Ray Gambrell has ended with a hung jury after one juror said he was unsure authorities had found the remains of Mr. Gambrell's wife.

The jury deliberated about seven hours Friday before Circuit Judge Lee Alford declared a mistrial.

Juror Steven Smith said the holdout questioned the credibility of a witness and was not sure that the charred remains found by investigators were Mr. Gambrell's wife, Lois, missing since August 2004.

Mr. Gambrell, 44, was charged in September 2004 after authorities said remains were found in the ashes of a fire behind his Williamston home.

Insurance underwriter won't renew policies

CHARLESTON - One of the state's biggest underwriters of workers' compensation insurance plans to stop issuing new policies in December and won't renew certain other polices next year.

Companion Property & Casualty Insurance Group, a subsidiary of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina in Columbia, said in a letter to independent agents this week that the Dec. 1 moratorium "will remain in effect until we see adequate evidence that sufficient changes are in motion to help return the marketplace to profitability."

The company blamed the moratorium on five years of losses and deteriorating business conditions.

Additional $2 billion allotted for interstate

MYRTLE BEACH - The annual federal transportation budget includes $2 million for Interstate 73, proposed to link Michigan and the Grand Strand.

The money approved Friday is in addition to $81 million for I-73 approved in the five-year highway bill that passed in July.

The road was designated by Congress in 1991 to connect Detroit and Charleston, but the route was revised to run between Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and Myrtle Beach.

School board drops award-winning leader

FLORENCE - Williamsburg County School Superintendent Kenneth Gardner has been let go just two years after he was named state school superintendent of the year.

The school board decided Friday to put him on leave. In its statement, the board said its actions were not a disciplinary measure. Instead, the members said, they thought the district's needs would be better served with a different leader.

Mr. Gardner won the state award in 2003 from the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.