Obama urges FCC to rethink net neutrality
President Obama released a video Monday urging the Federal Communications Commission to ensure a free and open Internet to the American people, likening the resource to essentials like electricity and telephone service, according to The New York Times.
The FCC's standing rules on net neutrality were struck down in January in federal court. Since then, the commission has been in the process of rewriting their policies.
One week ago, Tom Wheeler, FCC chairman, penned a hybrid proposal that would classify broadband internet as a public utility. This angered companies like Verizon who currently don't benefit from massive internet usage by customers.
President Obama's statement puts pressure on the FCC to propose a resolution as soon as possible.
Suspects to be tried together in murder of mother of four at Columbia bakery
Two suspects in the July 2013 fatal shooting of Kelly Hunnewell will be tried together, The State reported. Hunnewell was 33 years old and the mother of four children.
Circuit Court Judge Robert Hood decided Monday that the two accused, Trenton Barnes and Lorenzo Young, would stand trial together. The two men are suspected of robbing Hunnewell's place of employment, a bakery in Columbia, and shooting her to death.
Troy Stevenson, a third defendant who is believed to be involved in the crime, will testify against Barnes and Young.
The three were arrested and charged with numerous crimes including attempted armed robbery, kidnapping and murder. At the time of the crimes, Young and Stevenson were both 18, and Barnes was 16.
Jury selection was projected to begin Monday at the Richland County Courthouse.
Citadel graduate struck, killed on I-26
Charleston police revealed Monday that Allen Lee Gilliam Jr., 34, was under the influence when he struck and killed 23-year-old Carson Neymoss on Nov. 9., WIS reported.
On Monday, Gilliam underwent surgery at MUSC. Though the surgery was minor and his injuries non-life threatening, officials will not hold a bond hearing until he is released from the hospital.
Police reports say that Neymoss was walking along I-26 around 12:40 a.m. Sunday when a vehicle turned on its flashers and pulled off the road to see if he needed help. Gilliam then came upon the stopped vehicle and swerved into the emergency lane in order to avoid a collision. He struck Neymoss, throwing him over the guardrail. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Neymoss graduated in May 2014 from The Citadel with a degree in political science.
Loaded handgun found in luggage at Columbia Metropolitan Airport
TSA agents uncovered a loaded handgun in a passenger's carry-on bag during a routine security scan over the weekend, The State reported.
The passenger, whose name has not been released, entered Columbia Metro Airport around 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Officers found a .380 caliber handgun, fully loaded, in his bag during a preliminary security scan.
The TSA confiscated the weapon, as well as the bag, and alerted airport police. The passenger was brought up on local charges.
According to TSA guidelines, firearms that are not loaded may be declared with the airline and stored properly in checked bags. At no point is a weapon allowed in a passenger's carry-on.
This is the third firearm confiscated by TSA officers at the Columbia Airport this year, just as many as were in 2013.
SCDOT employee accused of attempted traffic light sale
An employee of the South Carolina Department of Transportation was arrested and charged by State Law Enforcement Division officers after he tried to sell a traffic light, The State reported.
Joe Edward Butler, 55, of Elgin was arrested on suspicion of breach of trust Friday.
Butler was accused of selling the light for $7,000 to a cooperating witness. According to the warrant, the signal was valued at over $10,000, and Butler was not authorized to execute the sale.
Butler was later charged with breach of trust with fraudulent intent over $10,000.
According to the warrant, Butler provided a verbal confession.