Across the area

Owner of stores turns himself in

The owner of four Columbia County cell phone stores raided by police Friday surrendered to authorities Monday.

Christopher Michael Bettis, 28, of Aerie Circle in Evans, turned himself in to the Columbia County Detention Center, Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said.

Mr. Bettis was wanted after Friday raids at his T-Mobile stores turned up nearly 300 handbags, wallets, sunglasses and other merchandise suspected of being designer counterfeits. He was charged with insurance fraud and two counts of counterfeit trademark violations and is being held without bond, Capt. Morris said.

Road closed after chemical leak

Chemicals leaking from a railroad car Monday closed Goshen Industrial Boulevard. Authorities said they learned a "small wisp" of sulfur trioxide escaped from the rail car on the Norfolk Southern line about 8:30 a.m. The car was on its way to Solvay Advanced Polymers at 3702 Clanton Road, according to company spokeswoman Pam Barbara. No one was injured, she said.

Mayor plans State of the City address Thursday

Mayor Deke Copenhaver will deliver his State of the City address Thursday at the Augusta Botanical Gardens.

"As we have had an exceptional beginning to 2008, I am excited to share with citizens this State of the City address. Augusta is a city on the move and the sense of civic pride arising within our community is truly something to behold," the mayor said in a statement.

The public is encouraged to attend the speech, which will be at 11 a.m.

For more information, call (706) 821-1833 or e-mail knixon@augustaga.gov.

Rezoning advances in North Augusta

North Augusta City Council tentatively approved Monday the rezoning of three acres for commercial use in addition to a road intended for a proposed riverfront apartment development.

The measures were part of a larger project sought by developers, who have proposed more than 250 apartment units and about 55 houses on 30 acres near the U.S. Highway 1 bridge and River North Drive.

Residents of River North who attended the night meeting said they opposed the rezoning, citing what they called environmental, traffic and other quality of life concerns.

City of Augusta wins discrimination suit

The city of Augusta won an employment discrimination lawsuit filed by a former procurement department employee.

Amy King, who worked as a purchasing technician for about six weeks in 2003, alleged her termination was racially motivated.

U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood ruled that Ms. King failed to prove her firing was due to her race, white.

Judge Wood wrote in her Jan. 29 opinion granting the city summary judgment that while Ms. King's termination may seem severe, the city's reasonableness was not a legal issue.

Death of inmate was natural, coroner says

An inmate was found dead early Monday at the Aiken County Detention Center, according to a statement from the Aiken County Sheriff's Office.

Aiken County Coroner Tim Carlton said that Donnie R. Abney, 57, of Warrenville, died of natural causes. According to an autopsy, Mr. Abney died of "respiratory insufficiency due to a seizure, due to delirium tremors due to a chronic history of alcohol abuse," Mr. Carlton said in a statement.

Brown adviser must put up bond by Friday

The longtime James Brown adviser accused of misappropriating millions of the late singer's money can stay out of jail while appealing a charge of contempt of court -- provided he puts up a $433,000 bond by Friday.

The South Carolina Court of Appeals granted David Cannon's petition that enforcement of a 6-month jail sentence be stayed during his appeal. Mr. Cannon was found in contempt of court in December by 2nd Judicial Circuit Judge Jack Early, who is overseeing the legal challenges to Mr. Brown's estate.

Doctor's office worker charged with forgery

Police have arrested a woman they say used her employer's insurance checks to pay bills. Myra Parrish, 42, of the 600 block of Brigham Road, was arrested Friday and charged with five counts of first degree forgery, according to Richmond County Investigator Shane McDaniel. Ms. Parrish was a secretary at the office of Augusta family practice physician Dr. John Carr, Investigator McDaniel said. Ms. Parrish used five checks made out to her employer from insurance companies, stamped them with a company signature then cashed them for about $5,620, police said.

Authorities kick off driver safety program

SAVANNAH, GA. --- A weeklong campaign to reduce crashes between passenger cars and tractor-trailers kicked off Monday, beefing up law enforcement along Interstate 95 in Chatham County.

The program, called Georgia Targeting Aggressive Cars and Trucks, will saturate nearly 25 miles of the corridor this week.

The program is funded by a $261,000 grant from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

UGA looks into claim of attack by professor

ATHENS, GA. --- University of Georgia officials say they have removed a pharmacy professor from contact with students as they investigate a complaint.

However, they will neither confirm nor deny that they are investigating whether he physically attacked a student from Augusta.

Shawn Holaway, an assistant clinical professor in UGA's College of Pharmacy based in Albany, has been under investigation since November, UGA Associate Director of Legal Affairs Art Leed said.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution identified the student as Philip Almeter, 25, of Augusta, who said Dr. Holaway punched him several times at an off-campus party, without provocation.

"I thought the school was going to take care of it," he said. "But I've lost faith in their ability to do it."

After Legal Affairs received a complaint, the university prohibited Dr. Holaway from having contact with students other than through Internet lectures, Mr. Leed said.