Man shot outside NW Columbia home in drive-by shooting
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department were called to respond to a house on Pelican Drive in the middle of the day after a man was shot multiple times in front yard.
According to Sargent Kevin Lawrence of the RCSD, investigators found that the man was apparently standing in the yard when a dark-colored car drove by and opened fire, before driving down the street.
The shooting victim has been hospitalized and is currently being treated for his injuries.
Police have yet to identify any suspects in the shooting but investigators do believe that the victim was being specifically targeted.
—James Stewart, News Editor
Former USC director pleads guilty to embezzlement
Gail Shurling, the USC director of the former Center for Manufacturing and Technology, pleaded guilty to illegally obtaining $336,000 in federal grant money last Friday, according to The State.
Shurling was apparently dividing the money and spreading it out among her family members and friends.
According to prosecutors, Shurling was funneling federal grant money through a Shell corporation that had been set up in her mother’s name, who was known to have Alzheimer’s disease.
When investigators notified USC of Shurling’s alleged activities, the school fired her immediately and shut down all of the center’s activities.
—James Stewart, News Editor
Operation Oasis gives water to homeless as temperatures rise
With triple digit temperatures arriving in the Midlands this week, the Oliver Gospel Mission has begun the task of providing heat relief to the homeless, according to WIS.
Along with opening up their day room to provide the homeless shelter and rest from the hot days heat, volunteers are also pounding the pavement to provide bottled water to those who weren’t at the Mission.
“That I am aware of, there are only two or three public water fountains in downtown Columbia,” said Jeremy Laughead of the Oliver Gospel Mission.
The mission tries to canvas areas where they know large amount of the homeless will gather in the warmer afternoon hours, such as public parks or other civic buildings.
The mission has received several dozen cartons of water bottles, and says that it will continue to keep the day room open as well as pass out water bottles until temperatures dip back below 100 degrees.
Bottles of water can be donated to the mission at 1100 Taylor St.
—James Stewart, News Editor