South Carolina Headlines

Latest South Carolina news, sports, business and entertainment:

SC STIMULUS
Deadline looms for stimulus court filings

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina officials are preparing to
file their arguments over $700 million in federal stimulus money
and what should happen to it.
Friday is the deadline for Gov. Mark Sanford, Attorney General
Henry McMaster, Education Superintendent Jim Rex, a school
administrators group and a couple of students to have their
arguments filed in lawsuits tied to forcing Sanford to request the
stimulus cash.
U.S. District Judge Joseph Anderson plans to hold a hearing on
issues in three cases on Monday.
Sanford wants two state cases merged with the lawsuit he filed
against McMaster. The school administrators want Sanford's lawsuit
dismissed.
The federal stimulus law would send $2.8 billion to state
agencies and programs during the next two years. Sanford says only
he can request $700 million of that.

CRAIGSLIST-PROSTITUTION
Craigslist forgoes 1 motion against SC AG

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Craigslist has withdrawn its request that
South Carolina's attorney general be temporarily prevented from
pursuing prostitution-related charges against the company.
Attorney General Henry McMaster spokesman Trey Walker said
Thursday that Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster abandoned the bid after
the prosecutor agreed not to charge executives while a federal
lawsuit proceeds.
Buckmaster sued last week after McMaster threatened to prosecute
Craigslist executives if ads on the site lead to a South Carolina
prostitution case.
Buckmaster says McMaster's allegations have violated executives'
constitutional rights. The prosecutor has until July 22 to respond
to those allegations.

MYSPACE CONFESSION
Robber's MySpace boasting leads to conviction

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A man who confessed to robbing a South
Carolina bank in a message posted on MySpace has pleaded guilty.
Federal prosecutors said Thursday that 27-year-old Joseph
Northington of Roanoke, Va., will be sentenced later for using a
firearm during a crime of violence.
Authorities say Northington robbed a bank in North Augusta of
almost $4,000 in January while visiting a friend, who called
investigators after seeing surveillance pictures of Northington.
Prosecutors say before his arrest, Northington posted a message
to his MySpace account reading: "On tha run for robbin a bank Love
all of yall."
Northington faces seven years to life in prison. His attorney
did not return a phone call Thursday.
Northington's MySpace page is still up, his status listed as
"wanted."

TROPICAL WEATHER
Season's 1st tropical depression forms in Atlantic

MIAMI (AP) - The National Hurricane Center says a tropical
depression has formed off the mid-Atlantic coast, but it's not
expected to threaten land.
The National Weather Service counts the depression as the first
of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially begins June
1.
The depression's maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph.
Forecasters say it could strengthen to a tropical storm Friday but
then is expected to weaken or dissipate by Saturday.
Forecasters expect the depression to stay over the Atlantic,
where it's moving toward the east-northeast near 16 mph.
Around 11 p.m. EDT Thursday, the depression was centered about
255 miles south-southeast of Nantucket, Mass., and about 500 miles
south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

WIFE CHARGED
SC woman charged in murder for hire case

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) - A 21-year-old South Carolina woman is
facing charges after police say she tried to hire someone to kill
her husband.
The Greenville County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that April
Noel Barton of Travelers Rest is in jail on $20,000 bond. She was
charged Wednesday with solicitation to commit a felony and
conspiracy to commit a felony.
Authorities say a man who worked with Barton at a restaurant
contacted police after Barton asked him if he knew someone who
could kill her husband. Barton was arrested after conversations
with an undercover officer, with whom she agreed on a price and
discussed a place to dispose of her husband's body.
It's unclear if Barton has an attorney. A number listed for
Barton's home was disconnected.

BRIDGE SAFETY GRANT
SC university gets grant to develop bridge sensors

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - University of South Carolina researchers
say they'll used their share of a $14 million federal grant to help
develop sensors that can detect cracks and other signs of wear in
bridges.
The university announced its $4 million grant from the National
Institute of Standards and Technology on Thursday. Other recipients
include Physical Acoustics Corp. of Princeton, N.J., the University
of Miami and Virginia Tech.
University of South Carolina researcher Paul Ziehl says the
technology will help assess the structural health of the nation's
aging bridges.
A recent report shows the average U.S. bridge is 43 years old
and approaching time for replacement. Thirteen people were killed
when an interstate bridge collapsed in Minnesota Aug. 1, 2007.

END OF SCHOOL
SC school year wrapping up in some districts

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - School's out for summer for some South
Carolina students.
Friday is the last day of the school year for students in nine
of the state's 85 school districts.
Most districts wrap up the school year next week, though
students in a few districts will continue to attend class until the
following week.
Beaufort County has the latest start to summer for schools
following a traditional schedule, with its calendar showing
students in class through June 12.

CHARLESTON TO BERMUDA
Charleston-to-Bermuda sail boat race set to begin

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - It's time for the annual sail boat race
which launches from the South Carolina coast.
The Charleston-to-Bermuda sail boat race, also known as the
C-2-B, has a field of six boats, including the tall ship Spirit of
South Carolina. They will start from near the Charleston Maritime
Center on the Cooper River at noon Friday.
The awards ceremony for the 777-mile race will be held a week
from Saturday at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.
The event is hosted by the South Carolina Maritime Foundation
which operates the Spirit of South Carolina.