The Aiken County Animal Shelter and Friends of the Animal Shelter, also known as FOTAS, are offering two new adoption specials this month to help speed up the process in which dogs and cats find forever homes.

"With the shelter still at full capacity, there is a critical need to create vacancies and move more orphaned canines and felines to the facility's adoption floor," said FOTAS President Jennifer Miller.

The Puppy Love 2 for 1 promotion, valid through Aug. 31, will allow adopters to adopt a puppy at the regular price of $70 and get a second puppy from the same litter for free. The adoption fee includes worming, vaccinations, neutering or spaying and micro-chipping.

This promotion not only boosts the chances for siblings to be adopted together to the same forever home but also ensures they each will have a constant companion even when they are left alone. According to experts, two puppies in a home socialize quicker and more easily.

"Because we have such a large population of puppies at the shelter right now, the timing is perfect for our adoption special," Miller said. "Last month's free cat adoption promotion was hugely successful in boosting the amount of cats that found forever homes, and we hope to equal or surpass that success with our August puppy special."

For cat lovers, the shelter is sponsoring a new feline promotion during August: 9 Lives for $9.

The special $9 feline adoption fee, which includes worming, vaccinations, neutering or spaying and micro-chipping, will be available through the end of the month. The shelter's cat adoption fee normally is $35.

While FOTAS and the shelter are glad to offer such promotions to the community, the rationale behind the specials is tragic.

"The reason for the overflow of animals at the shelter is that people are not getting their dogs and cats spayed and neutered," said Bob Gordon, FOTAS communications director and volunteer. "The resulting offspring of puppies and kittens are then often abandoned or given up for adoption."

Resources are available to help residents get their pets fixed.

Low-cost spay or neuter vouchers are available to Aiken County residents who qualify for financial assistance. Interested parties must come to the shelter and fill out applications for the vouchers.

FOTAS' Fix a Pet supplements the County voucher program and is available to citizens in need.

The SPCA also has a low-cost spay or neuter voucher program for qualified City of Aiken residents, which is funded by the City.

The Aiken County Animal Shelter is at 333 Wire Road in Aiken. Its weekday hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturdays, the shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Visit the FOTAS website at www.fotasaiken.org to view photos and profiles of all the available dogs and cats. For more information, call the shelter at 803-642-1537.

Kids and adults enjoyed a casual evening at the Clearwater Village apartments just off the Aiken-Augusta Highway on Tuesday.

The Aiken County Sheriff's Department has participated in the event for several years as a community project. The program is organized each year to observe National Night Out, which started in the U.S. and Canada more than 30 years ago.

"We've been coming for a long time," said Sheriff Michael Hunt. "It helps get the neighbors to learn about one another and the community. We have a fire truck and one of our dogs and are just mingling with everybody and having good fellowship."

Kids got to try on the firefighter uniforms and sit in the fire truck. A few chose to visit Chase, a friendly tracker dog. They also enjoyed hot dogs and sweets from volunteers and received balloons from Donna Jean - the "Balloon Queen."

Eliza Mosley, Clearwater Village's resident services coordinator, set up the event and even donned a hard hat to climb up on the fire truck to welcome people and give out prizes. Prize sponsors included McDonald's, Bi-Lo, Bobby's BBQ, Bruster's Ice Cream, the Clearwater First Baptist Church and the Midway Grill.

"It's a lot of work and a lot of fun, too," said Mosley. "I love doing it, and it's one day we can get all our residents and other people together for fellowship."

Deputy Don Henry has visited the schools since 1998 and, in recent years has served as School Resource Officer - except for a deployment with the National Guard.

Currently, Henry is an SRO at Midland Valley High School. He greeted younger children and gave them school supplies. He also exchanged a high five with Rachel Moment, a Midland Valley senior.

"I like coming here and hanging out with a family member," Moment said. "It's really fun for the little kids with the balloons and the firetruck, and fun even if you're older."

Senior writer Rob Novit has been with the newspaper since September 2001.

He is a native of Walterboro and majored in journalism at the University of Georgia.

Clyburn says The Citadel needs to remove Confederate flag

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina's only Democratic congressman says The Citadel should remove the Confederate flag from Summerall Chapel.

Sixth District Rep. Jim Clyburn met with reporters in Columbia on Wednesday. He said state lawmakers next year need to clear the way for removal of the Confederate Naval Jack from the chapel.

The school's board of visitors voted in June to remove the flag. But South Carolina's Heritage Act requires that state lawmakers approve the removal.

Multiple media outlets reported that Clyburn said he is not seeking removal of other Confederate statues or monuments at the Statehouse because they are historical.

Clyburn called the flag at The Citadel "a ticking time bomb.

State lawmakers removed the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds after the June shooting of nine people at a Charleston church.

Deputies: Hilton Head man shot in road-rage incident

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — A 21-year-old Hilton Head Island man has died after being shot in what the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office is calling a road-rage incident on the island.

Multiple media outlets report that Rhashard Spikes was pronounced dead early Wednesday after the Tuesday evening incident.

Officials say that before his death, Spikes told investigators he had yelled out his window after a driver travelling in the opposite direction veered into his lane, nearly causing a collision.

Spikes said he and the two passengers in his car later noticed the same silver-colored vehicle trailing them, with the driver firing at least two shots.

Capt. Bob Bromage says Spikes was struck at least once, but a scheduled autopsy could reveal another injury.

Authorities do not have a description of the driver or the passengers in the suspect vehicle.

SC activists to mark 50th anniversary of Voting Rights Act

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Progressive Network and the Rev. Jesse Jackson are marking the 50th anniversary of the federal Voting Rights Act with an event in Columbia.

The activists will hold a news conference Thursday at the historic home of the late Modjeska Simkins, known as the matriarch of the state's civil rights movement.

They contend voting rights are under attack and will point to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2013 decision that struck down a key provision of the 1965 law. That section had required states with a history of discrimination, including South Carolina, to get pre-clearance from the federal government before changing voting laws.

Democratic Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter will discuss a law passed last year that requires the State Election Commission to post all voting law changes on its website.

GRANITEVILLE — Rosalyn Greene was speechless when she was named the Aiken County Public Schools Teacher of the Year in April, and although she teaches English, she was almost at a loss for words again Wednesday after receiving a new car for earning the title.

Bob Richards Automotive presented Greene - who teaches seventh-grade English at Jackson Middle School - the car during a luncheon for new teachers to the District at Midland Valley High School.

She'll have her choice of a Nissan Altima, a Chrysler 200 Limited or a Toyota Camry to use for two years.

"I'm excited. It's really overwhelming," said Greene with the sound of the three cars' engines purring in the background and the new-car smell in the air. "When I came out and there were these three wonderful cars, it felt like the 'Price is Right.'"

Greene said receiving the car is a public acknowledgment of the hard work of every teacher in the District.

"I'm very grateful and super shocked and surprised. I'm especially grateful for all the support that Bob Richards gives the local schools, teachers and students," she said.

"I'm just a spokesperson for all of the wonderful teachers here. I couldn't do it without my teammates, my principal and my District. It's been wonderful to represent Aiken County."

Greene said she'll decided which car to choose after test driving them all.

"It's hard," she said, "like picking out a pair of shoes."

Greene can choose the car's color, too, but the Clemson graduate said it probably won't be orange like the lucky shoes she was wearing Wednesday.

Green is excited the new school year is about to start, too.

"This time of year, I always have butterflies in a good way; and I'm really energized to get back," she said.

Addressing this year's new teachers, Greene told a story about a student who often tried her patience during her first year in the classroom but who later named her his favorite teacher in the school's yearbook.

"The ones who try you the most, need you the most," Greene said.

First-year teacher Brooke Preston attended the first of two professional development days for teachers new to the district with her mentor, Heather Shuler. Shuler will be teaching second grade at Belvedere Elementary.

"I'm excited, but I'm also definitely going to be nervous on that first day," the USC Columbia graduate said. "I hope I'll get to know the students, and they'll get to know me so we can build that classroom community."

Preston said she's also excited to teach in her home community.

"It's going to be really exciting to give back," said Preston, who attended Aiken Elementary, Schofield Middle and South Aiken High.

Although Shuler isn't a first-year teacher, she will be teaching a new grade this year.

"I was first grade for 19 years; but I'm moving up to second grade this year, and I'm super excited," she said. "I'll be moving up with most of my kids. In the 19 years, I've seen the changes that take place in first-graders, so I can't wait to see how much my students will be able to do in second grade."

New District Superintendent Dr. Sean Alford also addressed the new teachers, mentors and other District employees.

"I consider myself to be a servant," he said. "That's my role as superintendent, to serve the students and the families of Aiken County. I encourage you to embrace that mindset.

"We're servants. We're here to make sure that in generations to come our communities, our county and our state continue to flourish and that our children and their children have safe and nurturing places to live where their families can thrive and enjoy a wonderful quality of life."

An Aiken native, Larry Wood is a general assignment reporter. He joined the Aiken Standard in September 2014.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Renowned violinist Roman Totenberg left his beloved Stradivarius in his office while greeting well-wishers after a concert in 1980. When he returned, it was gone.

Its case was later found in the basement of the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he taught. But Totenberg, who died three years ago at age 101, never saw the instrument again.

Totenberg thought he knew who stole the violin, but there was never enough evidence to pursue a suspect.

The trail went cold until this June, when his eldest daughter, Nina Totenberg, got a phone call from an FBI agent.

The agent said he was looking at the violin, which was in federal custody.

"I really could hardly believe it at the time," Nina Totenberg, the legal affairs correspondent for NPR, told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. "I said, 'I have to call my sisters. I'll tell them not to get their hopes up,' but he said, 'You don't have to do that. This is the violin."'

The violin, known as the Ames Stradivarius, was made in Italy in 1734 by Antonio Stradivari and is one of several hundred Stradivarius instruments known to exist. They can fetch millions of dollars at auction, including a record $15.9 million in 2011.

Authorities were set to announce details of the recovery Thursday at the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan.

Nina Totenberg said the violin surfaced in June when a woman had it appraised in New York and the appraiser immediately contacted authorities. The woman is the former wife of Philip S. Johnson, who died in California in 2011. She declined to comment to The Associated Press and asked that her name not be published. She has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Johnson's obituary described him as "a noted violinist of 40 years" but did not detail where or for whom he played. Totenberg said he was an aspiring violinist seen around her father's office at the time of the theft.

Totenberg said that, lacking evidence, police weren't able to obtain a warrant to search for the Stradivarius.

"There was nothing to be done, and eventually he just moved on and bought another violin and lived the rest of his life," she said.

A child prodigy in his native Poland, Roman Totenberg bought the Stradivarius in 1943 for $15,000 -- more than $200,000 in today's dollars -- and it was the only instrument he performed with until it was stolen. He kept performing into his 90s and taught at Boston University until he died.

"This loss for my father was, as he said when it happened, it was like losing an arm," said daughter Jill Totenberg, a public relations executive in New York. "To have it come back, three years after he died, to us, it's like having him come alive again."

The story of its theft and recovery is not uncommon for Stradivarius instruments, which are virtually impossible to sell on the black market, said David Schoenbaum, a retired history professor and violin expert who wrote a book called "The Violin."

"The things are very valuable, they're very portable and they are appealing, tempting to steal, and there are famous cases of violins that were stolen and remained stolen for many years," Schoenbaum said. "It's terribly hard to get rid of one. The whole world is on your tail, and if you go to a pawn shop, you'll get $35. You'd have to take it to a dealer, and the dealer would immediately call the cops."

Another famous Stradivarius, the Gibson, was stolen in 1936, and the thief, a journeyman violinist, confessed on his deathbed in 1985. It's now owned by violinist Joshua Bell.

A Stradivarius violin belonging to Erika Morini was stolen from her apartment in 1995 by someone who had a key to the locked bedroom closet where she kept it. Morini wasn't told about the theft before she died weeks later. The instrument has never been found.

The Ames Stradivarius had wear-and-tear that indicated it hadn't been professionally maintained, but it was in pretty good shape overall, suggesting it hadn't been played much, Nina Totenberg said.

Prosecutors don't plan to charge anyone in connection with the theft, Totenberg said, and the violin will be returned to the family. They plan to sell it, but not to a collector, she said.

"I'm just glad that the violin, once it's restored to its full potential again, will eventually be in the hands of another great artist," she said, "and its gorgeous voice will be heard in concert halls around the country."

The indoor football game scheduled for Saturday at the USC Aiken Convcation Center has been canceled.

The Aiken-based CSRA Gladiators Indoor Football team was scheduled to play, but canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, according to a press release.

All tickets purchased for the game will be refunded at the point of purchase.

Any tickets purchased at the Convocation Center box office, 471 University Parkway, must be present in order to receive a refund. If a credit card was used, the original purchaser must present the credit card used for the purchase along with an ID that matches the credit card.

Refunds will only be made in the same method of payment used to originally purchase the tickets at the box office.

Customers who purchased tickets through www.georgialinatix.com or over the phone at 1-866-722-8877 will receive a refund to the credit card used for purchasing tickets within five to 10 business days.

An Aiken man was arrested this week and charged in connection to the sexual exploitation of minors.

Christopher Clark Seigler, 33, is charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor third degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment for each count, according to press release from the offices of the S.C. Attorney General.

A search warrant was obtained and executed at Seigler's residence Tuesday by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, a member of the S.C. Attorney General's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Computer-related items were seized for forensic examination, according to the release. Investigators said Seigler possessed multiple images of child pornography.

The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.

Attorney General Alan Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law, the press release stated.

Tripp Girardeau is a beat reporter with Aiken Standard.

Deputies were called to a residence on Buldra Lane in Aiken early Thursday morning in response to a call from a man who claimed that his wife had attempted to kill him.

The victim told police that his wife came home early in the morning and woke him up yelling and acting crazy, according to a Aiken County Sheriff's Office incident report.

Deputies stated that the victim told police that he and his wife got into a verbal argument over her drug use; he said he believes she's using meth, according to the report.

The victim said his wife grabbed the keys to their car and tried to leave; he went to stop her because he didn't want her to drive under the influence, according to deputies.

The victim's wife would not listen to her husband who was trying to stop her from driving; she instead got in the car and attempted to run over him, according to the report.

The victim said he ran back to the porch on the front of the house to get away, police said. He said his wife tried to run him over twice, then left, according to deputies.

Deputies reported seeing tire marks in the yard, which coordinated with the man's story, according to the report.

No charges were filed.

These are the bookings recorded for the Barnwell County Detention Center for July 31 through Aug. 3, 2015. Some of the people listed may not have actually spent time in jail if they posted bond and were released. Although those listed have been arrested and charged, that does not mean they have been found guilty. All bookings may be viewed online by visiting www.aikenstandard.com and clicking on the "Crime" tab.

Shiean Bryant III, 25 — assault and battery second degree, petit larceny two counts, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana

Chasytie Lynn Mishoe, 23 — shoplifting

Pamela Yvonne Ray, 33 — trespassing after warning/refusing to leave

Phillip Larry Davis, 45 — simple possession of marijuana

Ivajean L. McCann, 36 — shoplifting third offense or more

Justin Charles Allen, 20 — simple possession of marijuana, trespassing after warning/refusing to leave, littering

Jessie James Dukes, 45 — uninsured vehicle bench warrant

Steven Norman Hargrove, 49 — traffic hit and run, simple possession of marijuana

Fabian Lofton, 26 — open container of beer or wine bench warrant

Manuel Aaron Raysor, 51 — assault and battery third degree

Robert Donald Recor, 50 — driving under the influence, leaving the scene of property damage

Leroy Weathersbee Jr., 55 — driving under suspension

Thomas Lee Charlton, 47 — driving under suspension

Gary Bernard Williams, 74 — sexual exploitation of a minor second degree seven counts, sexual exploitation of a minor third degree

According to reports provided by the Aiken County Sheriff's Office:

A Beech Island woman reported Wednesday that her father's house had been broken into on Douglas Drive. She told deputies her father was out of town, and she was unsure if items had been stolen.

A Beech Island man reported Wednesday that his rental car was stolen by unknown subjects from his front yard on Riverdale Drive. Deputies reported the keys to the car were still in the house, and they were unsure as to how the subject stole the vehicle.

Deputies reported noticing a Beech Island man walking on Graystone Drive on Wednesday. Deputies arrested the man after running his name and realizing he had a warrant out for his arrest. The man resisted, trying to head-butt and kick the deputies, according to reports. Deputies held the man down on the ground and called for a caged car for transport.

A North Augusta woman reported Wednesday that her boyfriend had become violent after she told him that they shouldn't be together anymore. The victim and her boyfriend got into an altercation at their home on Foxfire Court. The fight turned violent when he starting punching the victim in the face, chest, head and arms, according to reports. Deputies took pictures of her injuries. A warrant was issued for the arrest of the victim's boyfriend.

A North Augusta woman reported Wednesday that she found a vehicle with a busted window on Edgefield Road. The back window on the passenger's side had been broken out, and the ignition was ripped out with a screwdriver jammed into it.

A Warrenville woman reported she allowed her sister to spend the night at her home on Ivan Street on Wednesday. She told deputies her sister appeared to be under the influence of something when she had arrived. When the woman woke up in the morning, her sister was gone along with an array of items. The woman is pressing charges against her sister.

According to reports provided by the Aiken Department of Public Safety:

An Aiken man and a juvenile were arrested and charged with simple possession Wednesday after being pulled over by officers on Whiskey Road. Officers smelled marijuana in the car and asked the driver to exit the vehicle. The man told officers there was marijuana in the car, but it belonged to the juvenile.

An Aiken woman reported Wednesday that her car was stolen from the parking lot of a business on Richland Avenue. The car had broken down, and the woman parked it at the business about a week ago. She called police after she realized the mechanic she thought had picked up the vehicle did not have it.

An Aiken woman reported Wednesday that there was a suspicious person trying to harm her and the man she lives with on Colleton Avenue. The woman was acting strange and would not tell the officers anything. Officers reported that while they were trying to get information from the woman, the power went out. This caused the woman to reportedly become more paranoid. Officers said they believe the woman was under the influence of narcotics.

An Aiken woman reported Wednesday that her car was stolen after it had disappeared from the parking lot of a business on Richland Avenue. Officers could not locate the car. They are using the security footage of the parking lot to help locate the vehicle.

An Aiken man reported Wednesday that he witnessed two juveniles breaking into a car on Washington Circle. The front passenger's side window was busted out, and $25 was stolen from the center console. Officers patrolled the area but could not locate the two juvenile suspects.

Anyone born in the former Aiken County Hospital can be part of a group picture to be taken in front of the building at 828 Richland Ave. W. at 2 p.m. Saturday.

A photographer will be at the event, and photographs should be available to download on the "Aiken Natives" or "I Grew Up in Aiken, SC" Facebook pages.

People also can bring a family member or friend with a camera to take a picture.

Parking is available on the grounds or next door at the former Aiken County Council building. Participants also can park west of the old hospital in front of the building on Vaucluse Road that originally was nursing quarters and later housed Veterans Affairs.

The Aiken County Hospital opened in 1936 and closed in 1976, when a new, private hospital opened on University Parkway. The building housed County government offices from 1976 until they were moved to a new complex on University Parkway in 2014.

The building has been empty since then.

Its future is uncertain, although Aiken County Council has removed funds for demolition of the facility from its budget for now.

The rain date for the photograph will be at 2 p.m. Aug. 22.

For more information and updates, visit the "Aiken Natives" or "I Grew Up in Aiken, SC" pages on Facebook. The sites are closed groups, but membership is open to people who were born or grew up in Aiken or Aiken County.

A native of Aiken, Larry Wood is a general assignment reporter.

Photo at old Aiken Hospital is Saturday

Around Foreman Memorial Baptist Church in New Ellenton, Arthur J. "Art" Hanna wasn't just a member. He was a rock.

"He was one of those quiet people who did everything around the church," said Wendy Grigsby, the church's ministry assistant, who knew Hanna about 35 years. "He was the perfect church member. He was a giant to me."

Hanna, who was mayor of New Ellenton from 1992 to 1996 and worked on Aiken County Public Schools Advisory Boards for more than 25 years, died Tuesday at his residence.

His funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Foreman Memorial Baptist Church.

Hanna was known for his dedication to his church and the care he took to maintain its buildings and particularly the grounds.

"The grounds were so well cared for, and everything was up to his standard," Grigsby said. "You wouldn't know that just one person did it. You'd think it was a whole crew."

His attention to detail extended beyond the churchyard.

"When he was the mayor, he planted flowers at both ends of town, and his yard was always immaculate," Grigsby said. "He was a fine human being."

In addition to his church work, Hanna was a member of Gideon's International Aiken County East Camp, which is dedicated to Bible distribution and evangelism.

"He was a great spiritual man and a great public servant," said Levi Green, vice chairman of the Aiken County Board of Education, who served with Hanna on the original Area 5 Advisory Council for the Aiken County Public School District when it was established in the late 1970s.

Hanna, who previously served on the Area 1 council, was the first chairman for the Area 5 council and was a member until 2000.

Green said he and Hanna shared the same view of discipline in county schools.

"He was a strong disciplinarian," Green said. "We believed that discipline keeps the schools clear of problems so that teachers can actually teach their students instead of dealing with their acting up."

Green said Hanna's public service impacted the community.

"He worked across party and ethnic lines and had a great relationship with people of all colors," Green said. "If you met Art, you had a friend, I'm going to tell you. He was a great man."

An Aiken native, Larry Wood is a general assignment reporter. He joined the Aiken Standard in September 2014.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Latest on the first Republican debate of the 2016 campaign for president:

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6:15 p.m.

What's the first executive order they'll issue on the first day in the Oval Office?

For the candidates taking part in the early forum before Thursday's prime-time GOP presidential primary debate, the answer is simple: Get rid of those issued by President Barack Obama.

Says former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, "It's going to be a pretty busy day. ... It will be a real long day."

George Pataki says he undid many of the executive orders of Mario Cuomo when he took over as New York governor. "I would do this to Barack Obama's executive orders."

Former technology executive Carly Fiorini piled on. She says, "I would begin by undoing a whole set of things Barack Obama has done."

Among Obama's most unpopular executive orders among Republicans are his directives to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and defer the deportation of some people living in the country illegally.

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6:05 p.m.

The lesser-known Republican presidential contenders are eager to go after Planned Parenthood.

At the Cleveland debate of second-tier GOP candidates Thursday, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the Justice Department and IRS should investigate the group. He also called on Republicans in Congress to cancel federal funding for the organization, even if doing that sparks a government shutdown.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham denied Democratic charges that the GOP's concern about the group is part of a "war on women." The discussion was sparked by undercover videos that show Planned Parenthood officials talking about harvesting organs from aborted babies. Graham said that's the real war on women.

Former New York Gov. George Pataki is the lone candidate who supports abortion rights but even he called for defunding the group.

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5:50 p.m.

In the early forum, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is the first to launch a thorough critique of Democratic favorite Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying "she represents the third term of a failed presidency."

Graham said Clinton would not accelerate economic growth because, he argued, she would not sign the repeal of President Barack Obama's 2010 federal health care law.

Cutting even deeper, Graham underscored what national polls suggest is nagging doubt about Clinton's trustworthiness. He noted the questions about the personal email server she used as secretary of state.

"When Hillary Clinton says, 'I've given you all the emails you need,' it means she hasn't," Graham said.

Graham, who grew up poor, also poked at Clinton's claim that she left the White House "dead broke."

"I know the difference between being flat broke, apparently she doesn't," he said. "Hillary, I'll show you flat broke. That's not it."

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5:30 p.m.

The second-tier candidates are trying to show off their conservative credentials on immigration.

Contenders at the early presidential debate in Cleveland on Thursday were asked what they would say to a child whose family could be broken up by deportation.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum has proposed limiting legal immigration along with cracking down on illegal migration. He noted that his father had to wait in Italy for seven years before immigrating legally to the United States and reuniting with his family.

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry spoke about the importance of securing the border. Neither candidate said how they would address a child whose parents they'd deport.

Real estate billionaire Donald Trump surged in the polls after blasting people who enter the United States illegally.

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5:20 p.m.

Former technology executive Carly Fiorina is the only Republican presidential hopeful on the early debate's stage to have never held elected office, and she is playing up her outsider status.

George Pataki and Jim Gilmore are both former governors in the 2000s. They have been quick to distance themselves from current-day politics. New York's Pataki has been out of office since 2006, and Virginia's Gilmore since 2002.

Asked about the enthusiasm that celebrity businessman Donald Trump, current GOP frontrunner, is tapping into, Fiorina said, "the political class has failed you."

Like Fiorina, Trump's never held elected office.

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5:15 p.m.

Donald Trump didn't attend the early debate for second-tier Republican hopefuls. But he's looming over it.

The seven contenders who couldn't crack the top 10 in polls were asked early-on in the event about the billionaire real estate mogul's lead in the polls.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry complained that Trump is running a campaign based on celebrity rather than conservatism. He noted that Trump once supported universal health care.

Former Hewlett-Packer CEO Carly Fiorina noted that Trump once backed abortion rights and once supported allowing people in the country illegally to stay. He's also close to the Clintons.

But Fiorina also said Trump has tapped into an anger felt by voters sick of politics as usual.

Trump will be standing center stage during the prime time debate starting at 9 p.m.

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5:10 p.m.

The first line of questioning for the second-tier Republican presidential candidates is humbling at best.

In the opening minutes of Thursday's forum for candidates who didn't make the 9 p.m. main event, Fox News moderators Bill Hemmer and Martha McCallum ticked through a series of questions that effectively asked: Why are you running?

Former New York Gov. George Pataki weighed running in 2008 and 2012. He says about those campaigns, "I was ready to lead, but I wasn't ready to run."

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore says unlike eight years ago when voters elected then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, they're looking for experience in 2016.

"I think the times are different now," says Gilmore, who has been out of office for more than a decade.

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5:01 p.m.

And the first debate question of the 2016 campaign goes to ... Rick Perry.

The former Texas governor was asked why voters should choose him as the party's nominee at Thursday's pre-debate forum.

Taking part are the seven lower-polling candidates who didn't make the cut for the prime-time debate.

The main event starts at 9 p.m. with 10 candidates, selected based on their rank in five recent national polls.

Perry said being the powerful individual in the world requires an extraordinary amount of work, and said he's ready for the job four years after his first run for president.

There were only a few people in the seats at Quicken Loans Arena to watch the early debate, which includes Perry and three other current or former governors, a sitting senator from a crucial early-voting state, a former senator and the GOP's only female White House candidate.

Aiken City Councilwoman Lessie Price, a mayoral candidate on the Democratic ticket, will host the grand opening of her campaign headquarters this weekend.

The public is invited to attend the event, which will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at 410 Richland Ave. W. between Pendleton Street and Greenville Street. Price is expected to begin speaking at 10:30 a.m.

According to a press release, those who attend will have a chance to speak with Price about their hopes and concerns for Aiken and a chance to get involved with the campaign as a volunteer.

"We have proven that when we work together, nothing is impossible for the people of Aiken," Price said. "I am committed to sustaining the legacy of Aiken, both the charm and the success that all of us in Aiken have grown to love."

For more information, visit www.lessieprice.com or become a friend on Facebook. Inquiries can also be called in at 803-226-067, or emailed to Lessie@LessiePrice.com.

Price opening campaign office on Saturday

They may patrol the confines of the Savannah River Site, but firefighters with the site's management and operations contractor are also used outside the perimeter of the 310-square-mile facility.

Since 1989, the site has been a part of mutual aid agreements with neighboring fire departments, allowing them to share resources and manpower.

Today, the site's fire department has six mutual aid agreements: Aiken County Emergency Services, the Aiken County Fire Department, Allendale and Barnwell counties in South Carolina, and Richmond and Burke counties in Georgia.

The department is headed by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, or SRNS.

Since taking over the management and operations in 2008, SRNS firefighters have responded to 50 emergencies in the community as a result of these agreements.

In the past year and a half, the contractor has responded to seven medical emergencies in Aiken County, according to a press release.

The mutual aid agreement identifies the SRNS Fire Department as responsible for providing patient care and transport resulting from calls at the Cooperative Research Center, Aiken County Technology Laboratory, Applied Research Center and Hydrogen Technology Research Center located on Gateway Drive.

In addition to medical emergencies, mutual aid agreement calls for assistance from county fire departments include structure fires, wildfires and hazardous material spills.

Most recently, SRNS personnel responded on a large scale to the Allendale train derailment and hydrochloric acid spill in January.

"Aiken County appreciates SRS providing emergency response assistance, when requested, alongside our EMS personnel, ensuring the most expedient service is available for all residents of our county, both inside or outside the gates of SRS," said Tommy Thompson, the director of Aiken County EMS, in the press release.

More than 40 percent of SRNS firefighters volunteer with their local fire department.

Rob Still, the fire department chief for the contractor, added that everyone in the department is a certified hazardous material technician.

"We have a lot of training and expertise that we make available to the community, so if they have an incident, then we have highly trained and capable people who are able to go and assist in the local area without having to wait for resources from farther away," Still said.

Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Setting a combative tone, billionaire businessman Donald Trump grabbed the spotlight in the first Republican presidential debate, declaring he would not commit to supporting the party's eventual nominee and would not rule out running as a third-party candidate.

"I will not make the pledge at this time," Trump said. He also refused to apologize for making insulting comments about women, saying, "The big problem this country has is being politically correct."

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul immediately jumped in to challenge Trump on his refusal to commit to supporting the party nominee.

"He's already hedging his bets because he's used to buying politicians," Paul said, as a raucous crowd of 4,500 egged the candidates on.

Trump's blunt style was in line with the approach he's taken to his campaign throughout the summer, appealing to voters frustrated with career politicians and perplexing his rivals. He entered the first debate leading the polls in a field filled with governors and senators.

With Trump standing at center stage Thursday night, most of the contenders alongside him fought for attention without engaging him directly. Seventeen Republicans are seeking the party's nomination, but only 10 were invited by debate host Fox News to participate in the main event based on their showing in recent polls.

Immigration and counterterrorism dominated the early stages of the debate, two issues that highlight the deep divisions within the Republican Party.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a favorite of the party's establishment wing, defended his call for a path to legal status for some of the people living in the U.S. illegally. It's an unpopular position among some Republican voters who equate legal status with amnesty.

"The great majority of people coming here have no other option," Bush said.

Trump in particular has pushed the issue of immigration throughout the summer, drawing criticism for saying Mexican immigrants are rapists. He said Thursday that he had been told that by border patrol agents, and he took credit for immigration being an issue in the2016 campaign.

"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be talking about illegal immigration," he said.

Paul and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie engaged in a heated exchange over the USA Patriot Act and laws giving government access to Americans' phone records.

Christie, a former U.S. attorney, said he was the only person on the stage who had filed applications under the Patriot Act and gone before secretive courts for authority.

"I will make no apologies ever for protecting the lives and the safety of the American people," he said, arguing the government needs more tools, not fewer.

Paul, a staunch opponent of the surveillance programs, said he wanted to collect more records from terrorists, not law-abiding Americans. He said Christie's embrace of the counterterrorism policies amounted to "hugging" President Barack Obama, a reference to the governor's embrace of the president in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in the days before the 2012 election.

Also on stage Thursday was Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, whose victories over unions in his home state created his national profile. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the youngest candidate in the field at age 44, is trying to carve out a niche as a foreign policy authority, but has struggled to break through this summer -- particularly since Trump's surge.

Sen. Ted Cruz, surgeon and tea party favorite Ben Carson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich rounded out the debate lineup.

The crowded field meant limited talking time for candidates, many of whom were introducing themselves to Americans for the first time.

"I wasn't sure I was going to get to talk again," Carson quipped when the moderators came back to him.

The remaining seven candidates were relegated to a pre-debate forum, a low-key event in a largely empty arena, where candidates avoided debating each other and largely stuck to scripted responses on domestic and foreign policy.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and businesswoman Carly Fiorina opened the early event with biting criticisms of Trump.

Perry -- whose failed 2012 White House campaign was damaged by an embarrassing debate stumble -- accused Trump of using "his celebrity rather than his conservatism" to fuel his run for president.

Fiorina, the only woman in the GOP field, said that Trump had tapped into Americans' anger with Washington, but she challenged the businessman as lacking policy positions. "What are the principles by which he would govern?" she asked.

While the candidates pitch their visions for the Republican Party's future, they'll also be making the case that they would present the strongest general election challenge to Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination.

Clinton was scheduled to be traveling during the debate and didn't plan to make a statement afterward. Her campaign preemptively made the case that there was little difference between Trump's "outrageous" positions and the rest of the field.

"They all have an identical agenda," said Joel Benenson, Clinton's chief strategist.

Thursday's debate is the first of six party-sanctioned forums scheduled before primary voting begins in February. Fox News used national polls to determine which 10 candidates would be on the stage, and several candidates were grouped together in the single digits -- most separated by a number smaller than the polls' margin of error.

An alleyway system is in the plans to expand North Augusta's Greeneway.

Alta Planning and Design, working with North Augusta 2000, gave a public presentation in the Palmetto Terrace of the Municipal Center to share ideas that were given to them throughout the week. The design firm, which works nationally on trails, showed the vision of what the Greeneway can become as a revitalization tool in North Augusta's downtown.

"We were asking you to not think about timing or budget constraints; to dream with us how this alley system can work as a downtown connection," said Blake Sanders, Senior Landscape Architect at Alta Planning and Design. "The first thing we have to do is understand the character. Before we jump into the design process, we had to find out 'What is North Augusta?' We put some pieces together and found that North Augusta is the front door to South Carolina's river. We stuck that in our minds and in our back pockets and everything we do kind of related back to that."

Sanders and his design team worked to come up with visuals for the public, showing how the current drab alleyways can become restaurants, shops or parks for users of the Greeneway. Alta Planning and Design also didn't want to change the look of North Augusta, a city they said was "first class."

"The design process is very, very simple — we want to blend everything together," Sanders said. "We don't want to come in with preconceived ideas and push those down your throat. A good design and great solutions, which we seek, are the ones that the public came out and gave to us. All the ideas that were pitched to us, we looked to see that they met the vision, the character and that it was able to be implemented."

Mary Anne Bigger, Director of North Augusta 2000, said the plans to expand the Greeneway came from looking at how other cities utilized their trails.

"We went around and visited some other cities, got some ideas and started to figure out what we could do here in North Augusta," she said. "With that, we realized we had such a great asset in our Greeneway, wouldn't it be great if we could pull our Greeneway into our downtown area. After a lot of research and looking at other cities, we realized this is something we could possible do with the help of Alta Planning and Design. We entered into a partnership with them to come up with a plan to bring our Greeneway into our downtown, bring people into our downtown area and hopefully have a revitalization."

While the plans to expand the Greeneway are in the works, there is much work to be done. The next step for the project is for Alta Planning and Design to bring true cost estimates for Phase I, which includes forming the alleyway system for the Greeneway. That will then be presented to the City for approval.

T.J. Lundeen is a reporter for The North Augusta Star. Follow him on Twitter @lundeentj for more updates.

The state's annual sales tax holiday began at 12:01 a.m. Friday and will run through midnight Sunday.

During the annual event, the 6 percent state sales and use tax - and any applicable local sales and use tax - will not apply to many items.

The sales tax holiday applies to the following:

- clothing

- clothing accessories, including hats, scarves, hosiery and handbags

- footwear

- school supplies, including pens, pencils, paper, binders, notebooks, books, bookbags, lunch boxes and calculators

- computers

- printers and printer supplies

- computer software

- bath washcloths

- blankets

- bedspreads

- bed linens

- sheet sets

- comforter sets

- bath towels

- shower curtains

- bath rugs and mats

- pillows

- pillow cases.

The sales tax holiday does not apply to the following:

- jewelry

- cosmetics

- eyewear

- wallets

- watches

- furniture

- rental of clothing or footwear

- items for use in a business

- items placed on layaway or similar deferred payment and delivery plans.

For more information, go to the S.C. Department of Revenue's website at dor.sc.gov.

Cruz kicking off campaign tour in Mount Pleasant

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz is kicking off a weeklong campaign swing with a stop in South Carolina.

The U.S. senator from Texas is kicking off his "Cruz Country Tour" with a rally Friday at Liberty Tap Room in Mount Pleasant.

His campaign says Cruz is hitting eight southern states and holding more than 20 public events. He's slated to make stops in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas before wrapping up with an event August 13 in Oklahoma.

South Carolina is home to the first presidential primary in the South.

Rand Paul making campaign swing through South Carolina

ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) — GOP presidential hopeful Rand Paul is returning to South Carolina this weekend for several campaign events.

The U.S. senator from Kentucky is in Rock Hill on Friday for an event at Physician's Choice Laboratory Services.

Later in the day, he travels to Spartanburg for a gathering with Palladian View, a group founded by former state Republican Party Chairwoman Karen Floyd.

Evening events include a meet and greet in Laurens and a "Pints for Liberty" event at River Rat Brewery in Columbia.

On Saturday, Paul is scheduled to attend a Berkeley County GOP Breakfast in Goose Creek.

Richland County standoff with murder suspect ends in suicide

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Authorities say a suspect in a fatal home invasion in Newberry County committed suicide after a standoff with law enforcement in Richland County.

Richland County Coroner Gary Watts says 21-year-old Keon Kelly shot himself in the head Thursday in the upstairs of his Columbia home. Watts says no deputy fired their gun.

Multiple media outlets report the standoff began when deputies tried to arrest Kelly.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says Kelly held his brother hostage and refused to come outside. After releasing his brother, Kelly cut off negotiations.

Deputies entered after tear gas was shot in the home.

Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster says Kelly was wanted in the July 29 death of a 32-year-old man in Little Mountain. Two other suspects have been arrested and charged with murder.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added a solid 215,000 jobs in July, signaling a steadily rising job market and likely nudging the Federal Reserve closer to raising interest rates in September.

The Labor Department also said Friday that the unemployment rate held at a relatively low 5.3 percent for a second straight month.

Monthly job growth has averaged 211,286 so far this year, indicating that employers are confident that the six-year recovery from the Great Recession will sustain strong consumer demand and require more workers.

July's job growth roughly matched expectations, and the early reaction on Wall Street before trading opened was muted. Stock index futures dipped, and U.S. government bond yields were little changed.

"Another solid jobs report suggests the economy is gaining strength and keeps the Fed on track to raise rates as early as the next meeting" in September, Sal Guatieri, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, said in a research note.

Hiring has remained robust even though the economy's overall growth rate has been subpar and pay raises have been modest for many workers. Average hourly earnings in July increased just 2.1 percent from a year earlier.

The Fed has held its key short-term rate near zero since late 2008, a policy introduced after the financial crisis to try to energize the economy through stronger borrowing, investing and spending. Now, more than a half-dozen years into the recovery, Fed Chair Janet Yellen has suggested that the economy not only can tolerate but needs higher rates.

Even as the Fed has nearly concluded that the economy is strong enough to withstand higher borrowing rates, many Americans remain anxious about a recovery defined by modest economic growth and meager pay raises.

The misgivings about the economy were on display Thursday night at the first Republican presidential debate, where 10 candidates in Cleveland discussed the challenges of an unwieldy tax code and the pressures on American workers resulting from immigration and global trade.

The economy grew at an anemic 1.5 percent annual rate in the first half of 2015 -- nearly half a percentage point weaker than the average of the past three years.

Companies are laying off fewer and fewer workers: The monthly average of people seeking unemployment benefits remains nears a 15-year low, the government said Thursday. But average hourly wage growth of 2.1 over the past year has barely exceeded low inflation.

The pace of hiring has managed to help revive housing and auto sales, according to industry reports. Still, the absence of significant pay raises has limited the consumer spending that accounts for a majority of economic activity.

Still, the jobs report indicated that companies are anticipating higher consumer spending. Retailers added 35,900 workers last month and restaurants 29,300.

Rising home sales helped boost construction jobs by 6,000. Manufacturers added 15,000 employees, with food, plastics and rubber factories accounting for most of the increase.

Job security also appears to be improving. The business services sector -- which embraces everything from lawyers to accountants to engineers -- added 40,000 workers, even though the number of temporary employees on short-term contracts fell 8,900.

Lower gasoline and oil prices have yet to provide the kind of boost they have in the past. Energy companies responded to oil of less than $50 a barrel by cutting orders for equipment and pipelines, causing many manufacturers to slow their hiring. And instead of spending their savings at the gasoline pump, consumers have mostly pocketed the additional cash.

A strong dollar has also weighed on economic growth. The dollar has risen about 14 percent in value against overseas currencies in the past year, thereby cutting into exports by making U.S. goods costlier overseas.

Falling unemployment usually reduces the number of people available to hire, which then forces employers to boost wages. But many frustrated job seekers have stopped looking for work, perhaps only temporarily. This has made it hard to assess just how healthy the job market is and when pay might rise at a faster rate.

Roughly 8.3 million Americans are still looking for jobs. An additional 14.4 million people have left the job market -- either abandoning their job searches or choosing to retire -- since the recession officially began in late 2007. The result is that the share of adults working has fallen to 59.3 percent from 62.7 percent eight years ago.

One challenge is that workers have become less productive for each hour worked. This limits the willingness and ability of many companies to raise pay significantly, which can then prevent people sidelined by the recession from returning to the job market.

Productivity fell at a 3.1 percent annual rate in the first three months of 2015.