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SC high court upholds destroying gambling machines
12/20/2011

The South Carolina Supreme Court has upheld the destruction of seven video gambling machines even though lawyers for the owners of the devices argued authorities never proved that most of the machines were capable of playing outlawed games.

The justices ruled unanimously Monday in favor of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, which seized the machines after an undercover officer spent $40 playing one of the games and was able to get $15 back based on the number of free games she had won. State law bans payouts on games of chance.

But an attorney for the owner of the machines said it was not fair to let the government take his client’s property because the agent only videotaped herself playing one of the seven games that were seized and authorities could not prove the other six machines were able to play the illegal game.

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Child recovering from pit bull dog attack
12/20/2011

A family Christmas party near Walterboro took a violent turn Saturday when a

pit bull attacked a 4-year-old boy, shredding the back of his head and

sending him to the hospital for days.

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Judge says ruling to come on SC immigration law
12/20/2011

A federal judge said Monday he will rule by Dec. 31 whether to block any or all portions of South Carolina’s tough new immigration law from taking effect New Year’s Day. But he swiftly denied the state’s request that the law proceed as scheduled.

The U.S. Justice Department and civil rights groups want an injunction blocking the law’s Jan. 1 start, arguing that it’s unconstitutional and interferes with federal law. The federal government is challenging fewer sections than the American Civil Liberties Union, which wants the entire law thrown out.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel denied the state’s request that he suspend all court hearings on the case until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a challenge to Arizona’s similar law.

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Woman turns down drinks, gets hit by bowling ball
12/20/2011

Authorities say a Chester man was charged with attempted murder after he threw a bowling ball at a woman who refused his offer to buy her a drink at a Rock Hill bowling alley.

York County deputies told The Herald of Rock Hill that the 12-pound ball caused a cut to the woman’s forehead deep enough that officers could see her skull Sunday.

Investigators say 31-year-old Omar Stevenson left the bowling alley immediately, but was arrested a short time later. Deputies say he told them he lost his temper, was sorry and asked how the victim was doing.

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Bill seeks to regulate mo-peds
12/20/2011

Kelly Hudak and Bruce LaFollette sold their sport utility vehicle for a black 125 cc mo-ped last month.

In addition to reducing their carbon footprint and saving money on gas, the Myrtle Beach couple joins a legion of people in the area who rely on the two-wheeled vehicles as their only source of transportation. LaFollette said Friday that their’s gets 80 miles per gallon versus the 18 miles per gallon of their former.

The mo-ped

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Coastal Carolina to announce new football coach at Tuesday press conference
12/20/2011

Coastal Carolina University has called a news conference for 11 a.m. Tuesday on campus to announce the hiring of a new head football coach.

The announcement will come 11 days after CCU relieved David Bennett of his coaching duties after nine seasons, a decision that stirred strong reaction in the community and from former Chanticleer players despite the team’s 29-28 record over the last five seasons. Bennett was five seasons through a 10-year contract.

Associate athletic director for media relations Mike Cawood would neither confirm nor deny a rumored candidate for the position Monday night, and several Board of Trustees members said they either hadn’t heard the news yet or declined to confirm the identity of the coach when reached by phone. Calls to other university officials were not returned.

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One killed, two shot in Myrtle Beach area
12/20/2011

Police are investigating three separate shootings from the weekend, including one that left a man dead.

Michael Brown, 29, of Myrtle Beach died after being found about 3:30 p.m. Sunday facedown in a yard along Spivey Street near Futrell Park, Myrtle Beach police Capt. David Knipes said in a news release.

A person in the neighborhood flagged down a passing police officer and reported finding the man unconscious.

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Police | Man wanted for attempted murder
12/20/2011

POLICE

HORRY COUNTY

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Conway man sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2010 shooting death
12/20/2011

A 20-year-old Conway man was ordered to serve 17 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges related to the shooting death of a Myrtle Beach man, according to court and jail records.

Jimmy Darrell Gagum, 20, of Conway, pleaded guilty Thursday to voluntary manslaughter and third-degree arson in connection with the May 19, 2010, death of Edwin Salters, 21, of Myrtle Beach, according to court records.

Gagum was released from J. Reuben Long Detention Center to the custody of the state Department of Corrections on Monday, according to jail records.

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Save the Date | Health, helping others and more events in the Myrtle Beach area
12/20/2011

Items run on a space-available basis. Submit events at least one week prior to publication date. By mail: Community Calendar, The Sun News, P.O. Box 406, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578. By email: calendar@thesunnews.com. Email North Strand events to Jo Ann Mathews at jamathews124@aol.com. For information, call Lisa Urban, 626-0300.

GIVE SUPPORT

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Island Green Golf Club may reopen in near future
12/20/2011

Island Green Golf Club may be reopening early in 2012.

The Marlowe family, which owns and operates Wedgefield Country Club in Georgetown, has been negotiating a purchase of the property from Island Green’s ownership group based overseas.

Though a deal reportedly isn’t complete, the Marlowes feel confident enough about its consummation to begin offering 2012 annual memberships.

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Myrtle Beach Notebook | City’s sports tourism push continues with new fields
12/20/2011

Myrtle Beach city crews are working as hard as Santa’s elves this week, trying to finish up the last work on phases two and three of the sports-field complex at Grand Park.

Parking lots along Emmens Drive, a concessions and restroom building, two youth fields and three full-size fields complete with synthetic turf are all getting attention right now.

“It should be all done by the end of the year,” said assistant city manager Ron Andrews. Weather could play a factor, as it tends to do this time of year, but Andrews said if the work isn’t done by the time 2012 starts, it will be finished shortly after.

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Six Hospitalized, Others Feared Trapped After Collapse at Idaho Mine
12/15/2011

Six people have been hospitalized and an unknown number of miners are feared trapped underground after a collapse at the Lucky Friday mine in Mullan, Idaho, on Wednesday night.

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Base Names 4 Soldiers Killed in Helicopter Crash at Washington Army Base
12/15/2011

Joint Base Lewis-McChord has released the names of the four Army aviators killed when two helicopters crashed during training at the Washington Army base.

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Base Names 4 Soldiers Killed in Helicopter Crash at Washington Army Base
12/15/2011

Joint Base Lewis-McChord has released the names of the four Army aviators killed when two helicopters crashed during training at the Washington Army base.

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More Than 20 Fall Ill After Carbon Monoxide Fumes Fill Florida Ice Rink
12/15/2011

More than 20 children and adults fell ill Wednesday afternoon after dangerous carbon monoxide fumes filled an ice skating rink in Clearwater, Fla., 20 miles west of Tampa.

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Penn State Engineering School Gets $10 Million Gift
12/15/2011

A $10 million donation to Penn State is believed to be the largest such gift to the university since child sex abuse charges were filed last month against a former assistant football coach. The money will be used to bridge research projects in engineer...

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Shrine Bowl teams have final day of two-a-days (AUDIO)
12/15/2011

Wednesday was the last day of two-a-days for the Shrine Bowl teams.  They are scheduled to practice just once on Thursday and Friday. There was one minor injury Wednesday for the Sandlappers.  Offensive lineman Patrick DeStefano of Dorman dislocated a finger but is expected to be able to resume practice Thursday. AUDIO: Sandlappers coach Chuck [...]

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Spurrier Jr., Elliott pull out of Coastal Carolina job hunt
12/15/2011

USC recruiting coordinator and receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr., considered a strong candidate to replace David Bennett as football coach at Coastal Carolina, Wednesday withdrew his name from consideration Wednesday afternoon.  According to some sources, Spurrier Jr. was thought to be a virtual lock for the job from the moment Bennett was fired Friday night.  Meantime, [...]

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Recruiting Report 12.14.11
12/15/2011

USC head coach Steve Spurrier and assistant Steve Spurrier Jr. visited Goose Creek High School Wednesday to check in on the large number of prospects in Chuck Reedy’s program. The Gamecocks remain strongly interested in fullback Virgil Smalls who is in Spartanburg with the Shrine Bowl team. Reedy has said Smalls probably will have to [...]

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Report: Gov.’s Office pushed panel to opt out of insurance exchanges
12/15/2011

Emails show that South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley wanted a state panel to opt out of the health care reform law’s requirements– even though that committee received a $1 million grant so it could study ways to move South Carolina into compliance with the law. The Charleston Post & Courier reports emails they requested under the [...]

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McCullough – The Next Dwayne Allen?
12/14/2011

Dwayne Allen won this year’s John Mackey award for the nation’s top tight end.  Shrine Bowl standout Jay Jay McCullough hopes to follow in Dwayne’s footsteps at Clemson. TheClemsonInsider.com caught up with the future Tiger.

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Oliver Jones – Shrine Bowl Report
12/14/2011

Future Clemson offensive lineman Oliver Jones was one of the most physically dominant players at Monday’s Shrine Bowl practices. TheClemsonInsider.com goes one-on-one with Jones after practice:

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The Insider Report
12/14/2011

TheClemsonInsider.com brings you the latest Inside information on the Tigers.  What is the latest on Mike Bellamy?  Will Jonathan Bullard announce for the Tigers next week?  Will Clemson get a visit from the nation’s top defensive tackle?  Which Tigers has his million dollar smile back?  Get all these answers and much more in this week’s The [...]

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TCITV: Tuesday Shrine Bowl Highlights
12/14/2011

The Shrine Bowlers hit the practice fields once again Tuesday.  The weather was warmer and the installation process moved along for both squads. TheClemsonInsider.com was on hand for the action.  Check out some of the highlights of Tuesday’s action.

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