Clemson student falls off ship mast, dies
A Clemson student has died after falling off of a mast on a cruise ship, The State reported.
Kendall Wernet, 20, climbed onto the forward mast of a cruise ship and fell off Monday. According to the Miami-Dade Police Department, he fell about the height of two of the ship's decks.
Wernet died of blunt force trauma to the head after falling. Right now, his death is being ruled an accident; however, the toxicology report is still being conducted. The results of the test could take up to a month to get back.
He was cruising on the Carnival Ecstasy when he entered a restricted area to climb the mast. He was treated by Carnival's medical staff before being transferred to the local hospital.
According to a Clemson University spokesperson, Wernet is the fourth Clemson student to die this year.
Lucas lone candidate for new House speaker
After a candidate dropped out, Hartsville Rep. Jay Lucas has become the only candidate for South Carolina's House of Representative's new speaker, WIS reported.
Lucas has been the acting speaker of the House since former speaker Bobby Harrell suspended himself after an indictment on nine misdemeanor charges.
Two members of the House, Kenny Bingham and Jim Merrill, were vying for the position, but recently backed off to endorse Lucas as the new speaker.
The official vote to elect a new speaker will occur after the November elections in an organized session of the House.
If Lucas is elected as speaker, he will become the first speaker from Darlington County and the first speaker from the Pee Dee region since 1934.
First case of Ebola virus hits U.S.
The first confirmed case of Ebola has hit the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WLTX reported.
Officials announced Tuesday that the patient has been diagnosed as critically ill and he has been isolated since his symptoms were recognized.
The man is located in the intensive care unit at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.
Doctors in the hospital learned of his condition after his recent trip to Liberia. The patient left the African nation Sept. 19 and returned to the U.S.. He reported no symptoms when leaving Liberia.
While it is not known if he spread the disease to anyone, the CDC is tracing his contacts. CDC director Thomas Frieden said that there is no danger of a widespread outbreak.
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