Across South Carolina

SC fugitive arrested in Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga. - A man wanted on drug charges in South Carolina has been captured in Savannah.

Authorities say 32-year-old Kelly Lamont Anderson was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force as he was leaving a residence Tuesday after two weeks of investigation and surveillance.

Anderson is wanted by the Jasper County, S.C., Sheriff's Department on October 2007 warrants charging him with trafficking in cocaine and crack, marijuana possession with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm during commission of a violent crime. The state Department of Parole also sought him for violating probation.

Anderson was taken to the Chatham County jail to await extradition to South Carolina.

SC mom admits taking items from teen's DUI crash

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - A judge has sentenced a mother to jail for taking cans of an aerosol computer cleaner out of her daughter's wrecked car before police arrived.

The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg reported that 40-year-old Kelly Furr pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice. She was sentenced to three days in jail, suspended to time served.

Prosecutors say Furr made it to the scene of the 2007 wreck in Spartanburg before troopers arrived, and after finding out her then 19-year-old daughter had been huffing cans of computer cleaner, she took the used cans away.

Heather Hewitt was sentenced to up to six years in prison on a felony DUI charge.

Authorities say one woman in the car is semiconscious and confined to a wheelchair and a second lost an eye in the wreck.

Judge allows Hard Rock Park owners to liquidate

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - A federal bankruptcy judge says the owners of Hard Rock Park can liquidate their assets in the Myrtle Beach venture so creditors can be paid.

Court records show a Delaware judge approved the request Tuesday by Hard Rock Myrtle Beach Holdings LLC to convert its bankruptcy status to Chapter 7.

The $400 million, 55-acre park opened in April and was the biggest single investment ever in South Carolina tourism.

The company filed for Chapter 11 protection in September and had planned to reopen this year. The park went up for auction last month, but no bidder who could pay at least $35 million emerged, and the Chapter 7 request was made.

Economic experts say the park's owners had terrible timing for their opening because of rising gas prices.

State panel considers study trip to Virginia

COLUMBIA - Leaders of the state Employment Security Commission are considering a trip to Virginia to see how that state operates its unemployment benefits system.

The agency has been in a dispute with South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford for months. Mr. Sanford doesn't think the commission correctly computes the unemployment rate and wants detailed reports on people filing claims. He says Virginia has better methods.

Commission Executive Director Ted Halley says agency leaders will likely use a state van if they make the trip.

A spokesman for Mr. Sanford suggested the leaders meet on a conference call or over the Internet instead.