TV host arrested for drug possession at state fair
Local radio and TV personality Cynthia Hardy was arrested for drug possession while entering the South Carolina State Fair on Wednesday, WIS reported.
Hardy arrived at the fair shortly before noon Wednesday to tape for her talk show, which airs on WACH FOX. When she walked through the fair gates, metal detectors went off. Richland County Sheriff’s deputies found a cigar case containing a “partially burned blunt” and another blunt. The two totaled about two grams of marijuana according to Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott.
Hardy was arrested and cited for simple possession of marijuana and escorted from the premises per the request of the fair, Lott said.
Hardy later admitted to having the marijuana in her purse in a WACH FOX interview and apologized.
Sodexo donates $4.3 million to Claflin
Sodexo Corp. has donated $4.3 million to Claflin University, the (Orangeburg) Times and Democrat reported.
The donation is the largest in the school’s nearly 150-year history and will be counted in its nearly $100 million capital campaign. Jim Jenkins, senior vice president of the company’s education division, announced the gift at the historically black university in Orangeburg Thursday night.
The gift lifted the capital campaign’s total raised since its start more than two years ago to $71 million. Its goal is to reach $94.6 million by December 2014.
The donation will help fund the construction of a new chapel, a molecular science and research center, the installation of “smart classrooms” and wireless Internet.
The capital campaign has doubled Claflin’s endowment.
Pelion man accused of holding woman captive
Bond has been denied for a convicted sex offender accused of holding a woman captive in his home for three months and sexually assaulting her multiple times a day, WIS reported.
Paul Thomas Rawl Jr., of Pelion, was arrested Tuesday on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, aggravated domestic violence and kidnapping.
An arrest warrant from the Lexington County Sheriff’s office said between July 1 and Oct. 14, Rawl assaulted the woman up to nine times a day. The woman had previously dated and lived with Rawl, according to Lexington County Sheriff James Metts, but when they “got back together,” Rawls kidnapped her and wouldn’t let her leave the home.
Rawls is also accused of force-feeding the woman anxiety medication, pointing a loaded bow at her, beating her and threatening her with death before assaulting her.