News In Brief - January 7, 2009

By Staff and Wire Reports - The Herald

Rural fire control panel to meet Thursday

The finance committee of the Board of Rural Fire Control will meet at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Fire Training Center, 2151 Ogden Road, Rock Hill. The purpose of the meeting is to begin the development of the 2009-2010 budget proposal.

-- Mary Jo Balasco

Three die in S.C. crash in Marlboro County

McCOLL -- South Carolina troopers said three people died after their vehicle ran off the road and hit a tree.

Marlboro County Coroner Tim Brown told WBTW-TV the victims were Dannie McDonald, 77, of McColl; her daughter, Trinka Tyson, 44, of Rockingham, N.C.; and Henry Harrington, 46, of McColl.

Troopers said McDonald was driving on S.C. 381 just outside McColl when she lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree.

S.C. leaders might study jobless system in Virginia

COLUMBIA -- Leaders of the South Carolina 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 Gov. Mark Sanford for months. 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.

A spokeswoman for Commerce Secretary Joe Taylor says he initially offered to see if the state plane was available, but rescinded the offer over budget considerations.

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

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

Ex-Clemson official: School sold computers

GREENVILLE -- A former Clemson University official suing the school over losing his job says the college sold surplus computers with confidential personal information on them and tried to hide it.

The Greenville News reported Tuesday that Eugene Troutman alleged in court documents that Clemson board Chairman Bill Hendrix said it would be "really bad publicity" if the public learned computers with sensitive data were being prepared for sale.

Troutman said he lost his job as executive secretary to Clemson's board after he spoke out about salary increases given to some university administrators.

Clemson spokeswoman Cathy Sams said the school doesn't know if any computers with sensitive information were ever sold. She said the school didn't try to hide anything.

New health clinic uses volunteer doctors

NORTH CHARLESTON -- A new health clinic staffed with volunteer doctors and others donating their time is opening its doors to care for the uninsured in North Charleston.

The nonprofit clinic, called the Dream Center Clinic, opened Tuesday and is modeled on the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic which opened on Hilton Head Island 15 years ago.

Since the Hilton Head clinic opened, the model had spread to other states around the nation.

Organizers say the goal of the Dream Clinic, organized by Seacoast Church, is to make sure everyone in North Charleston and Hanahan gets health care.