Report: Jury Finds Man Guilty in Hit-and-Run Death of USC Professor

Toby Morriss, an adjunct professor of photography at USC, died in the wreck on Knox Abott Drive.

A 48-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday after a Lexington County jury found him guilty in the 2010 fatal hit-and-run death of a University of South Carolina professor, according to a report from The State.  William Craig Caughman was driving the pickup truck that, in February 2010, hit Toby Morriss, an adjunct professor of photography at USC who was driving his motorcycle on Knox Abbott Drive, according to The State. Morriss was taken to the hospital where he died seven days later from complications from the wreck. Caughman left the scene of the wreck, according to The State, and later cut the doors off his pickup truck and tried to hide the truck under a tarp in his backyard.  Read more from The State.

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USC Police Seek Help Identifying Man in Burglary Investigation

Police say the man in this photo was seen in a Main Street building where several burglaries occurred.

University of South Carolina police are looking for a person of interest in connection with a series of burglaries in downtown Columbia.  The man in the surveillance photo was seen in a building on Main Street where a series of burglaries occurred between April 4 and 16, according to a Crimestoppers press release. Anyone who can help identify the man should contact contact Investigator April Owens with the USC Division of Law Enforcement and Safety or call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC. 

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Vandals Add Touch of Clemson to Williams-Brice

USC officials are investigating after a tiger paw was painted on the Gamecocks football field.

University of South Carolina officials are investigating after a tiger paw was found spray-painted in Williams Brice Stadium. The paw located on the 30-yard-line of the Gamecocks football field was found earlier this week at the school. USC cornerback, Victor Hampton posted the attached photo on his Instagram account Tuesday. USC officials are treating it as a vandalism on their home turf. According to WACH Fox, the words "Go Tigers" also were painted on a caboose outside the stadium. Will there be retaliation? Speak Out! Tell us what you think.

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Changes Coming to Assembly Street Near USC

A project to improve pedestrian safety on the street starts April 1.

The University of South Carolina is working to make it safer for students to cross Assembly Street.  The school is partnering with local and state officials on a $4.65 million makeover for a four-block section of Assembly Street between Blossom and Pendleton streets, according to the university. Work on the project starts April 1.  The project will shorten crosswalks, widen the median, improve sidewalks and add emergency call boxes and street lighting, eliminate parking in the median area, and eliminate left-hand turns at Greene Street. USC is contributing $2.7 million toward the cost of the project. The rest comes from the federal government. During construction, the university encourages students and faculty to cross Assembly Street …

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Trial Starts for Man Charged in Post-Gamecock Football Game Death

A judge warned spectators to keep their emotions in check, according to a report in The State.

The trial for a man charged in the death of another man he got into a fight with after the 2010 USC-Alabma game is underway, according to reports.  Opening arguments in the trial of 27-year-old Curtis Simms were set to begin at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, according to a report in The State. Simms is charged with involuntary manslaughter and breach of peace in the death of 20-year-old Allen Gasque. A judge told spectators they would have to keep control over the emotions, according to The State.  “This is heartbreaking, this is emotional,” Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein told spectators in the courtroom according to The State. According to the Richland County Sheriff's Department, Gasque was knocked into the roadway near Williams Brice Stadium in a …

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Man Charged in Post-Gamecock Football Game Death Goes to Trial

Curtis Simms, 27, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of another man after a Gamecock football game, will go to trial Monday or Tuesday.

A 27-year-old man who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of another man after the 2010 University of South Carolina-Alabama game is heading to trail Monday or Tuesday, according to reports.  Curtis Simms will go on trial in Richland County criminal court for the death of Allen Gasque, according to a report in The State. Richland County deputies say Gasque was run over by a friend's truck after being knocked down in a fight with Simms.  Gasque and Simms were both standing in the beds of two separate trucks in heavy traffic near the stadium before they got out and started fighting, according to The State. Simms hit Gasque in the face and knocked him in the roadway, according to a warrant obtained by The State. “As a result…

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Former Gamecock, Wife Lose Daughter to Liver Condition

After a four-month struggle, Landon and Allyson Powell of Greenville lost their little girl Izzy Friday night.

Duke Energy Donates 50k to Heritage Corridor

Gift will be used to help promote "Natural Tourism."

The South Carolina Heritage Corridor (SCHC) is a 14-county region that runs from Oconee County to the north, down the Savannah River and across to Charleston. Because it excludes Greenville and Columbia, the area may not be thought of as one that attracts visitors.  But in 2009, more than 9 million people visited the corridor and generated more than a billion dollars in economic impact and nearly 18,000 jobs. Despite these impressive numbers, the South Carolina Heritage Alliance (SCHA) thinks there is plenty of room for growth and hosted a press conference to discuss those opportunities. The SCHA brought together a team that includes the SCDOT, the University of South Carolina and Duke Energy. Together, they'll help promote the SCHC and …

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Forecast Grim for Richland County Economy

Experts agreed that the problems facing the country will have the greatest impact on Columbia compared to the rest of the state.

Amid endless talks of the approaching fiscal cliff, South Carolina residents can take solace in the prediction that the state is expected to continue upward growth in 2013. That is, unless you live in Richland County. The state capital and surrounding rural areas--Lexington County excluded--will continue to be hit by the aftermath of the 2007 recession, economists said.  Three factors could contribute to a faltering economy in Richland County in 2013 compared to the rest of the state: potential military sequestration, increased taxes and diminishing benefits for the long-term unemployed. Economist Doug Woodward said the future of Columbia’s economy would depend on the ability to overcome the effects of the recession in measurable terms …

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