Columbia digest

Local man rescued

William Garr is a lucky man.

The 51-year-old Martinez man was rescued earlier this month after spending hours in a tractor trailer dangling over the side of a bridge near Saluda, S.C.

Newberry County sheriff's Capt. Todd Johnson said the incident occurred at about 6:25 a.m. on South Carolina Highway 121 near the Newberry-Saluda county line, when the tractor trailer hit an icy spot and slid into the side of the bridge.

"The truck was hanging at probably an 85 to 90 degree angle, almost just straight down over the bridge," Johnson said.

Newberry police, firefighters and Emergency Management Service workers used tow trucks to secure the trailer. Then, a fire truck ladder was extended to the cab and an EMS worker harnessed Mr. Garr out of the truck.

"I hope he'll be counting his blessing for a long time to come," Johnson said.

North Belair Road alignment

Early indications from a Georgia Department of Transportation study of alternate routes for the extension of a four-lane connector from Washington Road to Furys Ferry Road aren't very popular with local residents.

DOT officials are still leaning toward taking the four-lane route down North Belair Road instead of Industrial Park Drive.

"It would probably put me out of business," said Jack Woods, owner of Tracker Jacks, an archery store located at the corner of North Belair and Furys Ferry roads. "It's going to take the biggest portion of my parking."

Joe Wheeler, a DOT design group manager, said he couldn't comment on the specifics of the project.

"We did ask the consultant to make a recommendation," he said. "But until such time that they've furnished all of the data that we've asked for, I'd rather not comment on what the study says because I'm not sure whether or not our management will follow the recommendation."

Wheeler said a final recommendation would be made later this month.

Still, Rep. Ben Harbin, R-Evans, said he thinks the will of the people should factor in.

"If they're not going to go the route that the people want, why don't they just take the money and go build some other road somewhere else?" he said.