Across the area

Educators association makes endorsements

The Richmond County Association of Educators has issued endorsements for the local Nov. 4 elections.

For the school board, the association endorsed Joe Scott in District 5 and Jimmy Atkins in District 8. Both are incumbents.

"Mr. Atkins and Mr. Scott have proven themselves to be friends of public education," association President Cheryl Willis said.

The group and the Georgia Association of Educators also endorsed Ed Tarver for the 22nd District state Senate seat, J.B. Powell for the 23rd District state Senate seat and Gloria Frazier for the 123rd District state House seat. All are incumbents.

Authorities identify man who died in crash

A man who died in a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 in Aiken County on Wednesday night has been identified as Jose Hector Gonzales-Hernandez, 31, of North Charleston, S.C., the Aiken County Coroner's Office said Thursday.

Mr. Hernandez was driving a 1998 International refrigerated box truck carrying produce, according to the statement. He was traveling east toward Columbia when the vehicle crossed into the median, bounded the retainer wires and was struck by a westbound 1998 Peterbilt tractor-trailer driven by Sylvester Taylor.

According to the coroner, the crash dislodged the front end of Mr. Hernandez's vehicle. An eastbound Nissan SUV, driven by Brad Pritchett of Graniteville, also entered the median and overturned after being stopped by the retaining wires. It is not clear at this time what the sequence of events were.

The surviving drivers were taken to Medical College of Georgia Hospital with injuries that weren't life-threatening.

Local philanthropist files for bankruptcy

An Augusta millionaire philanthropist who once led the state university system's board has filed for bankruptcy.

J. Timothy "Tim" Shelnut Sr. filed in June for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, listing $9.18 million in assets and $6.49 million in liabilities.

Mr. Shelnut raised himself from a high school dropout to a millionaire insurance executive who ran his own agency with 7,000 agents across the country. In 1998, he was named National Philanthropist of the Year after contributing $1 million to University Hospital's juvenile diabetes program.

Mr. Shelnut raised huge amounts of money for politicians of both major parties and donated his own money to campaigns. His donations to Linda Schrenko's gubernatorial campaign violated legal caps. The state Ethics Committee fined him $40,000, a debt listed in his bankruptcy petition.

Man still being sought in restaurant robbery

Police asked for the public's help Thursday in arresting a suspect in the robbery of an Augusta restaurant this week.

Richmond County sheriff's Investigator Tess Alexander-Brunson said investigators are looking to find the man who snatched a deposit bag from a worker at the Harvest Table restaurant, 1505 Gordon Highway.

At 9:47 a.m., an unarmed man wearing a white hoodie approached the restaurant worker at the rear of the store, snatched the bag and ran away.

Anyone with information leading to an arrest is asked to call (706) 821-1080 and ask for Investigator Alexander-Brunson.

-- From staff reports