Girlfriend charged in South Carolina shotgun slaying
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Spartanburg County’s coroner is planning an autopsy after a man was killed by a shotgun blast to his chest.
Spartanburg police say 20-year-old David Allen Moholland was shot to death on Monday. His girlfriend was charged with murder. She is 21-year-old Erika Michelle Sutelman. Jail officials could not be reached Tuesday to find out whether she had an attorney.
Coroner Rusty Clevenger says an autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday.
No charges in fatal SC amputee dog mauling death
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. — Authorities say no charges will be filed in the death of an 80-year-old South Carolina double-amputee mauled to death by dogs earlier this month.
The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Tuesday that the four dogs that attacked Carlton Freeman on May 8 in Harleyville were feral and did not belong to anybody.
Aiken manhunt ends in man's capture
A three-hour manhunt in Aiken County on Monday night led to the arrest of a South Carolina man in the attempted armed robbery of a Whiskey Road liquor store and a nearby home.
Ray Charles Smalls Jr., 35, was charged with strong-arm robbery and jailed in the Aiken County Detention Center in connection with the holdup of the A+ Package Store and a home on Valley Drive.
Capt. Eric Abdullah, of the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, said Smalls entered the liquor store about 6:27 p.m. and gave the “impression he had a weapon.”
Georgia prison population declines
ATLANTA -- A year after relaxing sentencing for minor crimes, Georgia is seeing the first hints of an inmate-population decline.
The most visible signs are at the county level where the total number of inmates in county jails has shrunk from 39,825 in April 2010 to 35,978 last month, a 9.7 percent decline. Still, 19 jails have more inmates than they are designed to house, but in 2010, 31 of them were over capacity.
Golf adopts rule to ban anchored putting stroke
Golf's governing bodies approved a new rule Tuesday that outlaws the putting stroke used by four of the last six major champions, going against two major golf organizations that argued long putters are not hurting the game.
The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and U.S. Golf Association said Rule 14-1b would take effect in 2016.
"We recognize this has been a divisive issue, but after thorough consideration, we remain convinced that this is the right decision for golf," R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said.
McDuffie wreck kills SC man
THOMSON -- A three-vehicle accident Monday on the Wrens Highway killed a man and seriously injured a woman.
According to Trooper Matthew MacDonald of the Georgia State Patrol, a Crown Victoria sedan going west on the Thomson by-pass crossed over to Wire Road, ran a stop sign and was hit in the driver’s side by a northbound 18-wheeler that jack-knifed in the roadway and then slammed head on into a southbound Chevrolet HHR SUV.
Marshals arrest DC fugitive here
A Washington, D.C., man wanted for federal probation violation from a 1999 murder charge was picked up U.S. Marshals in Augusta Monday.
According to a news release, James Edward Brown served nine years for murder while armed before being released to three years probation.
A warrant was issued for probation violation on Jan. 4.
An investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Capital Area Regional Task Force, of the Savannah Division, led them to a residence in Augusta, where Brown was taken into custody without incident.
Augusta man accused of shooting good Samartian standing trial this week
Wayne Eggins Jr.’s good deed nearly killed him. He is now partially paralyzed, in constant pain and unable to have a normal life, but, as he testified Monday at the trial of the man accused of shooting him, “I’m alive.”
Stanley L. Fields, 20, has pleaded not guilty in Richmond County Superior Court to charges of aggravated assault, two counts of criminal attempt to commit burglary and a weapon violation.
Radiation oncology advances personalized medicine
She came to establish a Department of Radiation Oncology at Georgia Regents University, but Dr. Feng-Ming Kong believes it could soon become part of a therapy at the GRU Cancer Center that is not available anywhere else.
Many other universities have had such a department for 10 or 20 years, but it is being created at GRU at a time when radiation oncology is starting to get more attention and funding for research.
Commission vote on downtown parking expected
Whether downtown businesses and the public are allowed unlimited public parking on Broad Street faces a likely vote by the Augusta Commission on Tuesday.
A two-hour time limit on parking has long been unenforced, but the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office recently stirred the pot by “chalking” tires to measure how long vehicles have been parked, but issued no tickets, according to law enforcement. The city engineering department recently repainted curbs and restored two-hour parking signs removed years ago during a lighting project.
Williams considering another run for state senate
Add Augusta Commission member Marion Williams to a list of hopefuls considering a run for the Georgia Senate District 22 seat in 2014.
The outspoken commissioner said he is “contemplating” a run. He won’t make his decision
based on whether Sen. Hardie Davis, D-Augusta, runs again.
Former Commissioner Joe Bowles revealed last week that he’ll announce plans to seek the Senate seat when Davis reveals plans to run for Augusta mayor, something he has yet to officially do.
Year ends for three school districts this week
The 2012-13 school year ends for three local districts this week.
Columbia County schools is holding its last day Tuesday. The last day for Richmond County high school students is Thursday, which is a half day. The rest of Richmond County schools along with Burke County schools will hold their last day on Friday.
In Aiken County, the semester ends on June 6.
Healthcare professionals to attend training session Tuesday
About 50 Augusta healthcare professionals are registered to attend a two-hour training session Tuesday focused on conversations between providers and patients.
Hosted by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and its Strong4Life program, the session will teach skills for improving healthcare conversations especially concerning childhood obesity, nutrition and physical activity, according to a news release.
The event begins at 5 p.m. at the Kroc Center of Augusta, 1833 Broad St. It is jointly sponsored by the Augusta District Dietetic Association.
Advisory board mulls stance against SRS spent fuel storage
Savannah River Site’s Citizens Advisory Board is considering a draft recommendation opposing any future use of the site for storing spent nuclear fuel.
“The CAB would like to go on record saying that it is opposed to the use of SRS or any portion of the site for the storage of commercial nuclear wastes,” said the draft, shared Monday by the board’s waste management committee.
The draft is only at the discussion stage. A full vote on the position would be scheduled this summer.
Man accused of trespass and obstruction of an officer at Masters Tournament acquitted
A man accused of trespass and obstruction of an officer at this year’s Masters Tournament was acquitted of both charges Monday.
A Richmond County State Court jury found Larry P. Craft, 52, of Lyles, Tenn., not guilty of committing any crime at the Augusta National Golf Club on April 10.
A video of Craft’s encounter with officers may have accounted for the quick verdict Monday afternoon.
Deputy was at fault in fatal crash
Traffic investigators say an off-duty Richmond County deputy was at fault in the motorcycle crash that killed him.
Deputy Alton Creech was riding too fast for conditions when he approached westbound traffic on Interstate 20 that had slowed to enter the Belair Road exit shortly after 5 p.m. May 16, according to the final report on the crash from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
Lakeside begins search for new head baseball coach
Lakeside High School will be missing a familiar face around its baseball facility next year.
Jay Matthews has been a fixture in the program for 22 years, but Friday night he let the team know that he would not be back as head coach.
“Four years as a player, 12 years as an assistant and six as a head coach, I’ve had enough, I’m going to do a little fishing,” Matthews said.
Matt-hews was head coach from 2005-08 before walking away to take a teaching job at Riverside Middle School, but he returned when Lakeside needed a coach for the 2012 season.
Dogwood colt Palace Malice will run in Belmont
Dogwood Stable is giving Palace Malice another shot at a Triple Crown race.
The Aiken-based stable announced Monday that its 3-year-old colt will run in the $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 8, and jockey Mike Smith will ride him.
Palace Malice bolted to the lead in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago before fading to 12th place. He sat out the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.
Girl Scouts honor Women of Distinction
The Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia will honor six women and five girls at is annual Women of Distinction luncheon Thursday at the Legends Club.
“These women not only perform their jobs well, but they go above and beyond,” said Jamey Sprowls, the organization’s fund development manager. “They exemplify the Girl Scout promise and law.”
Audit questions MOX plant temporary worker expenses
The contractor building the mixed oxide fuel plant at Savannah River Site might have overbilled the government as much as $3.7 million for temporary subcontractor living expenses, according to a new report.
The payments to Shaw AREVA MOX Services, made from 2007 to 2012, were identified in an audit released Monday by the U.S. Energy Department’s Office of Inspector General.
The audit disclosed that MOX Services had not effectively managed its temporary living expense program and could have overbilled the National Nuclear Security Administration.
