Columbia pastor announces senate campaign
Columbia pastor Det Bowers announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate this week, according to The State.
Bowers addressed a group of more than 60 people Tuesday, including family, friends and one reporter, to make his bid official. Bowers stepped down from his role at his church last year to meet with party leaders and raise money for his campaign.
The 61-year-old pastor is among seven Republicans who are challenging current U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-Seneca.
“America is the envy of all nations,” Bowers said. “They want your vaccinations. They want your education. They want your jurisprudence … your matchless Constitution … your precision freedoms.”
Among Graham’s challengers are Spartanburg state Sen. Lee Bright, Easley businessman Richard Cash, Orangeburg attorney Bill Connor, Charleston public relations executive Nancy Mace, former Spartanburg police officer Dave Feliciano and Columbia attorney Benjamin Dunn.
Three plead guilty in shooting of Clemson student
Three men pleaded guilty Tuesday in the 2012 shooting of a Clemson University student, according to The Associated Press.
The three men — 25-year-old Jaron Bradley Dalton, 20-year-old Jordan Charles Dalton and 20-year-old Bernard Kadeen Ramsey — pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, burglary and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
One other suspect, 19-year-old Lester Devaria Mosley Jr., is awaiting trial.
The three who pleaded guilty will be sentenced after Mosley’s trial.
The 2012 shooting killed 23-year-old Steven Gregory Grich, an engineering student at Clemson, in his home in Central. There were five others in the house at the time of the shooting, but none was seriously injured.
According to investigators, the suspects had planned to rob the victim’s roommate of what they believed was marijuana.
Congaree park boardwalk will not be open by summer
A section of the high boardwalk damaged in an ice storm at Congaree National Park will not be reopened before summer, according to The State.
Falling trees damaged three sections of the boardwalk during last month’s storm. Funds had been approved to replace the entire boardwalk this year, so park leaders opted not to repair the damaged section of the boardwalk before it was fully replaced.
The replacement process will start in April and continue throughout the summer. Visitor will not be able to complete the 2.4-mile boardwalk loop during construction, but hikers will be able to travel a smaller loop on the Sims Trail. However, due to at least one fallen tree, the Sims Trail is not suitable for wheelchairs.