Savannah River Site liquid waste workers sealed the deal by capping off a cracked vault that started leaking radionuclides back in 2013.

Savannah River Remediation, the liquid waste contractor in charge of the project, reported this week that workers finished adding a clean grout cap and an elastomeric roof coating to all 12 cells in Saltstone Disposal Facility.

The facility houses the mixture of low-radioactive treated salt solution and cement and other products that help dilute the waste.

"Completion of this work mitigates the environmental risk of any potential radioactive contamination migration," a press release stated.

Construction of the Vault 4 disposal unit was completed in 1988, and it started receiving a low-level waste grout mixture, called saltstone, in 1990. Vault leakage was first noticed in February 2013, and Energy Department officials reported that the leakage stemmed from cracks in the roof of the vault.

Contaminated liquid had leaked through Vault 4 cracks and construction joints, and small damp spots had been observed on the outside of the vault walls caused by seepage of liquid through cracks in the concrete walls. The condition was further aggravated by rainwater in-leakage.

On July 31, 2013, SRS submitted a letter to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control outlining the issue and the site's repair efforts. The contractor provided a temporary fix while working to close Vault 4 by covering the 12 cells with a more permanent, elastomeric roof coating.

A clean grout cap was the first step toward installing the elastomeric coating, allowing the workers to safely access the roof while keeping radiation dose rates as low as possible.

"The recently installed elastomeric roof covering will prevent in-leakage of rainwater into the Vault 4 cells, which in turn will mitigate migration of radioactive contamination," the contractor reported in a press release.

Vault 4 continues to be inspected on a routine basis, and the vault is inspected monthly by the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the paper since June 2013. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Follow him on Twitter @DerrekAsberry.

The Defense Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site is in an outage due to an increase in flammable gas levels, but the issue caused no injuries and reportedly will not impact current tank closure work.

The outage began in April, and officials are hoping to have the facility up and running again this fall or winter, but have not yet set a date.

The facility, also known as DWPF, is a key part of the system for processing and immobilizing the high-level waste stored at the SRS tank farms. Workers transfer most of the radioactive waste to the facility where the waste is chemically processed.

Since 1996, the Department of Energy has produced about 4,000 canisters of vitrified waste and expects to produce about 4,600 more canisters over the remaining lifetime of the processing facility.

The facility is not producing canisters due to technical issues and is not expected to pour canisters for the rest of the fiscal year, according to the Department of Energy.

The Energy Department and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, an independent group within the executive branch that provides recommendations on DOE safety issues, reported the processing facility is in an outage due to antifoam issues.

Antifoam has traditionally been added to slow down foaming during the boiling of waste sludge and to prevent carry-over of radionuclides during processing. But in using the antifoam, Savannah River Remediation, the site's liquid waste contractor, learned that as the antifoam chemical degrades, its byproducts can be flammable.

"It was realized that the antifoam can degrade into flammable byproducts even at temperatures well below those in the melter, potentially impacting the flammability of process vessels upstream of the melter," said Dean Campbell, a spokesman for the contractor.

Other problems outlined by the safety board in relation to the processing facility include issues with specific administrative control implementation and safety analysis assumptions.

Issues were communicated to DOE, and Jessie Roberson, the vice chairman of the safety board, requested in a letter to SRS manager Jack Craig that a report be produced within 90 days that discusses solutions on issues surrounding the processing facility.

Campbell added that current work is expected to stay on schedule. Tank 16 is being filled with grout while Tank 12, the next tank in the closure process, is on schedule to meet the May 30, 2016, deadline for operational closure.

"Savannah River Remediation is working expeditiously to resolve these issues and resume safe operations of DWPF. Impacts to the production schedule will be determined when the facility is operational, but no long-term impacts are anticipated," Campbell said.

Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard.

Aiken Technical College will open its new Center for Energy and Advanced Manufacturing when the college formally opens on Monday, Aug. 17. That news was shared by President Dr. Susan Winsor at the monthly Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce breakfast Friday morning.

The facility will serve as a training center for Aiken County's nuclear and manufacturing workforce. In addition, it will house ATC's advanced manufacturing, welding, radiation protection technology and nuclear quality programs.

"Our future is bright with the number of manufacturing companies in our region," Winsor said. "It's a real opportunity to leverage this facility and work closely with leaders" inside Aiken County.

Rob Novit is a senior education reporter with Aiken Standard.

A Beech Island man reportedly assaulted Aiken County Sheriff's Office deputies Thursday while trying to resist arrest for trespassing.

Deputies arrested Tommy Bellamy, 28, who was living with his grandmother at a Pinelog Place residence.

Bellamy is charged with resisting arrest, assault and battery third degree and trespassing after notice.

Bellamy's grandmother called police stating she wanted him to leave, and he refused to do so, according to a Sheriff's Office report.

When officers arrived to the home, Bellamy pretended to be asleep on the porch, according to the incident report.

When deputies told Bellamy he was under arrest for trespassing, Bellamy immediately took off running, deputies said.

A short foot pursuit ensued behind the residence until Bellamy tripped and fell, the report stated.

Bellamy kicked the deputy and grabbed at his belt for weapons as deputies tried to handcuff Bellamy while he was on the ground, according to the report.

Bellamy was able to make his way back to his feet once more before he was finally brought down by use of a stun gun, according to the report.

Bellamy was transported to the Aiken County detention center.

Palace Malice, who hasn't raced since May, will return to action Sunday.

The two-time Aiken-Trained Horse of the Year is entered in the $100,000 Alydar Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in New York.

Owned by Dogwood Stable in partnership with Three Chimneys Farm, Palace Malice has the No. 6 post position in the 12-horse field. Also in the 1⅛-mile Alydar is Godolphin Racing's Bay of Plenty, who was trained in Aiken.

John Velazquez will ride Palace Malice, and Joel Rosario will be aboard Bay of Plenty, who is in the No. 1 post.

A 5-year-old horse, Palace Malice has been plagued by a series of injuries in 2015. He finished third in the Diablo Stakes at New York's Belmont Park nearly three months ago.

"He's had two or three very minor problems, but they've cost us some pain and time," said Dogwood Stable President Cot Campbell. "We've been getting him ready to get back up and going. We're very excited about getting him back, and we hope to have a great rest of the year with him."

Palace Malice won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap in 2014 and the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in 2013.

As children head back to school, families are often crunched for time, wishing they had more minutes to tackle everything on their daunting to-do lists.

That's why Great Clips has launched a Back-To-School #MoreMinutes campaign.

Now through Sept. 11, Great Clips is asking people what they would do with more time; and, by ran­dom acts of kindness, the company will give people #MoreMinutes during the back-to-school rush.

"We're excited to surprise and delight our customers with small gifts that will hopefully make a big difference in their busy back-to-school lives," said Great Clips CEO Rhoda Olsen. "We created the #MoreMinutes campaign because so many of our customers love the extra minutes we save them with Great Clips Online Check-In."

The Online Check-In app allows people to check in from their smartphones or computers, saving them wait time at the salon.

The #MoreMinutes campaign surprises so far have included:

- A surprise vet bill paid to a young woman who saved an orphaned baby alpaca after the animal's mother died

- A football uniform and Pop Warner registration for an 8-year-old boy who couldn't afford it

- Money to help a horse who was abandoned, malnourished and sick

To join in the fun, customers post a selfie of their Great Clips haircut on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and say what they would do with #MoreMinutes.

The Family YMCA of Greater Augusta has become the new provider for the Aiken-Barnwell Head Start program — both programs benefiting children ages 5 and younger in Aiken and Barnwell counties.

Head Start is a national, federally-funded program that offers educational and socialization skills for preschool kids of low-income parents at children's centers in both counties.

Following a competitive bid process, The Family Y will work with Head Start Director Shadie Hall.

"The Family Y will provide additional opportunities for children and families," Hall said. "They will have access to the Y and all the other services they provide," among them an array of health-related services and after-school initiatives.

The new collaboration will add two Head Start classes at the Freedman Parenting Center, an Aiken County School District facility.

The facility offers child care for parents seeking adult eduction diplomas or GED certificates.

Yet another agency, the state-funded Aiken County First Steps program, can provide additional services for parents.

Family Y has a center in Graniteville, as well as others in Richmond County and other Georgia counties.

The organization's new role means "we'll be able to assist and provide self-sufficiency for families as well as each individual child," said Mary Crowder, the senior vice president of child and youth services.

Family Y is receiving $3.6 million in federal and non-federal funds that will serve 476 children at seven Head Start centers in Aiken and Barnwell counties, according to a press release.

Hall said Head Start's staff of 90 people — including 26 teachers — will be retained.

Head Start has had a partnership with the Aiken County School District for many years.

The Freedman Center will house two Head Start classes, serving parents in the Valley area, as well as those in North Augusta. The center in that community will close.

With Head Start classes offered at Freedman, a parent may have the opportunity to have a baby or toddler transition to a Head Start class.

Anna Daughty's daughter, Ava, was born two months ago. Daughty soon will start classes at the Byrd Learning Center in Graniteville. She can study for a GED certificate, which can offer a gateway to Aiken Technical College and other post-secondary schools.

Her daughter "will be here (at Freedman), and it helps a whole lot," Daughty said. "I don't have to worry about a place for her to go while I get my schooling done."

The Family Y involvement will provide a huge change, and "that's a good thing," said Cherell Butler, the Freedman Center director. "We'll still serve our parents; and with Head Start classes here, we're hoping this will help their parents, too."

First Steps can support working parents, bridging the gap for those living just above the poverty level, by providing them scholarship vouchers for child care services.

The agency also offers readiness services for young children, including home visitations, said Director Marcia Nash.

In the press release, Family Y President/CEO Danny McConnell said, "We'll be able to prepare many more young children and their families for a bright future with the services that Head Start provides."

Senior writer Rob Novit is the Aiken Standard's education reporter and has been with the newspaper since 2001.

The National Wild Turkey Federation's Turkey Shoot sporting clays tournament is one of the largest competitions of its kind in the nation.

Hundreds of shooters are scheduled to participate in the event, which will be held Aug. 13-16 at the Wild Turkey Federation's new Palmetto Shooting Complex.

The Complex is part of the organization's $18-million Hunting Heritage and Outdoor Education Center, which is under construction and scheduled for completion in 2017.

The general public is invited to attend the Turkey Shoot and, for nominal fees, can try out several shooting games, including Make-A-Break and Wobble Trap.

The Turkey Shoot "has developed an incredible following and offers a family-type atmosphere," said Wild Turkey Federation CEO George Thornton. "People return year after year to see friends and join in the fun."

The Turkey Shoot's former site was the Meadows National Gun Club in Forsyth, Georgia.

This year, $100,000 in cash and prizes will be available.

There will be a 200-target main event, sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, on both Aug. 15 and 16, and a 50-target FITASC event is on the Turkey Shoot's schedule each day. Among the competitions set for Aug. 14, 15 and 16 are pump and side-by-side, 5-stand and sub-gauge.

"Golf with a gun" is a popular description of sporting clays. The course typically has shooting stations laid out on natural terrain in a large area. It is designed to offer many different types of shots and targets.

For more information about the Turkey Shoot, go online and visit www.nwtf.org/events/turkey-shoot.

The Wild Turkey Federation is at 770 Augusta Road. The organization's telephone number is 803-637-3106.

Dede Biles is a general assignment reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the newspaper since January 2013.

Affordables Apparel is growing. The small retail chain's newest store opened in downtown Aiken on Aug. 1.

"We think our model is a successful one that we can take anywhere," said Lyndon Amick, who purchased the business in 2012. "We have a variety of different quality products at a lower price point. You can put together an outfit at Affordables Apparel for around $100."

Founded in 1969 in Charleston, Affordables Apparel originally was known as Lowell's. Its name changed to the current one in the 1980s.

"When I bought Affordables Apparel, there were four stores," Amick said.

Three were in the Charleston area, and one was on Pawleys Island. Then, under Amick's direction, Affordables Apparel added stores on Hilton Head Island and in Savannah, Georgia, before moving into Aiken and establishing a seventh.

"Even though Affordables Apparel is a chain, we have a feeling that is more like a boutique than a department store," Amick said. "The focus of our business is customer service. We want every lady who comes in to get great advice and have a positive experience, whether they buy something or not."

Brands sold at Affordables Apparel include Clara S. by Clara Sunwoo, Habitat and IC Collection.

"We carry hundreds of different lines," Amick said. "Some we have consistently, but sometimes we bring in brands for the fall that we didn't have in the spring. We are constantly changing what we offer.

"You can dress up or dress down in our clothes," Amick added. "They have a little bit of both for the dressy and the casual in them."

Sizes range from extra small to 2X and from 0 to 16.

Affordables Apparel also sells fashion accessories such as shoes, jewelry and scarves.

Amick lives in the country between Batesburg and Saluda. His wife, Melanie, appears modeling clothes in many of the photos on Affordables Apparel's website: www.affordablesapparel.com.

"This is a family business," Amick said.

The hours of operation at Affordables Apparel's Aiken location are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The store's address is 113 Laurens St. S.W., Suite No. 104.

For more information, call 803-335-3760.

Dede Biles is a general assignment reporter for the Aiken Standard.

CHARLESTON — South Carolina is back in the game to host predetermined NCAA championships now that the Confederate flag has been lowered from the Statehouse grounds.

A group of top tourism leaders visited Indianapolis this week to let the association know that the state is ready and willing to bid on and host such events following the NCAA ban that had been in effect almost 15 years.

Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish visited NCAA headquarters on Wednesday with members of the South Carolina Sports Alliance, a group working to promote sports tourism.

Parrish said they discussed the state's athletic facilities and bidding for future events with 30 NCAA officials who handle championships.

He told The Associated Press on Friday the state might have a step up on hosting events such as basketball tournament games because it's been so long since South Carolina has done so.

"If everything else is equal in terms of the bid package because we are new and people haven't been here in a long time I think that gives us an edge," he said. "It may not be on paper but I think that gives us a psychological edge."

Lawmakers voted to remove the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds after the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at a Charleston church in June. The white gunman charged with numerous counts including murder and hate crimes had posed with Confederate flags.

The flag was removed July 10 and, the same day, the NCAA dropped its ban that went into effect in 2001. Mark Emmert, the president of the NCAA said lowering the flag "sends an important message of respect for and dignity of every person."

The AP left messages with the NCAA inquiring about the meeting with the tourism representatives.

Attracting NCAA men's basketball regionals is highly competitive and the events can mean millions of dollars for host communities. There are arenas in Columbia, Greenville and Charleston large enough to host NCAA tournament games.

Athletics spokesman Joe Galbraith said Clemson officials have had preliminary discussions with tourism officials in Greenville about hosting a regional event. And the University of South Carolina has spoken about with Columbia-area tourism leaders about the possibility of hosting at Colonial Life Area, said Athletics Department spokesman Charles Bloom.

The last time a men's NCAA basketball regional was held in South Carolina was in 2002 at what is now the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville. During that event, a crowd of about 125 protesters from the NAACP marched outside the area calling for removal of the Statehouse flag even as about 20 flag supporters demonstrated across the street.

The tournament had been awarded to Greenville before the NCAA ban and the group's executive committee decided it could remain there.

Associated Press Sports Writer Pete Iacobelli contributed to this story from Columbia, S.C.

WASHINGTON (AP) — GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump said Friday he can't recall using words such as "dog," ''fat" and "disgusting" to insult women he believes have slighted him, but such language litters his Twitter feed and other public comments he's made for years.

The issue took center stage at the first Republican debate of the 2016 campaign for president, when Fox News moderator Megyn Kelly asked Trump about his use of such language and whether it reflected the "temperament of a man we should elect as president."

Trump largely dismissed Kelly's question at the debate, and in a series of interviews Friday on network television, the billionaire businessman questioned whether he had actually used the words as Kelly had alleged.

"You know, some of the statements she made about the women, I don't recognize those words whatsoever," Trump said on ABC's "Good Morning America." ''We're going to take a very serious look at it."

Trump has a long history of lobbing insults at those he feels have treated him unfairly, and advises those who buy his books to do the same.

"For many years I've said that if someone screws you, screw them back," he wrote in "Trump: How to Get Rich." ''When somebody hurts you, just go after them as viciously and as violently as you can."

When doing so, he has repeatedly targeted women and their physical appearance.

"Rosie O'Donnell's disgusting, I mean both inside and out. You take a look at her, she's a slob. She talks like a truck driver," he said in 2006 during an interview with "Entertainment Tonight." ''I'd look her right in that fat, ugly face of hers, I'd say, 'Rosie, you're fired"' from her television show, "The View."

During the debate, Trump acknowledged making such comments -- but only about O'Donnell. When Kelly said Trump's comments had gone beyond O'Donnell and asked about his use of such insults on Twitter, Trump replied that he didn't "have time for total political correctness."

Before dawn Friday, Trump had retweeted a post calling Kelly a "bimbo."

The post was later deleted, but a review of Trump's writings, televised interviews and Twitter feed show he's long used such language to describe women -- and occasionally men.

In tweets sent last year, Trump called Huffington Post editor Arianna Huffington "a dog who wrongfully comments on me" and said she is "ugly both inside and out!"

In 2012, Trump wrote on Twitter of singer Bette Midler: "But whenever she sees me, she kisses my ass. She's disgusting."

Trump has also said the same of men. "Little (at)MacMiller, I'm now going to teach you a big boy lesson about lawsuits and finance. You ungrateful dog!" he tweeted in 2013 at a rapper who wrote a song titled "Donald Trump."

And to former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank in 2011: "Barney Frank looked disgusting -- nipples protruding -- in his blue shirt before Congress. Very very disrespectful."

During the debate, Kelly also referenced a boardroom scene from Trump's NBC's realty show, "Celebrity Apprentice," in which Trump was told by one contestant that a female teammate had gotten down on her knees to beg.

"That must be a pretty picture, you dropping to your knees," Trump said in response.

In the book, Trump declared that, "All the women on 'The Apprentice' flirted with me -- consciously or unconsciously. That's to be expected."

And he had this to say about women's victories on the show: "It's certainly not groundbreaking news that the early victories by the women on 'The Apprentice' were, to a very large extent, dependent on their sex appeal."

On some occasions Trump appears to have recognized he's gone too far. In April, he retweeted, then deleted, a tweet that read, "If Hillary Clinton can't satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?"

Four individuals, three who are Aiken residents, who are allegedly connected to the soft lockdown in Columbia County this morning are currently being interviewed at the Aiken Department of Public Safety by Columbia County officers, according to Lt. Jake Mahoney.

Mahoney said four male individuals of "adult age" were stopped on Palm Drive in Aiken by Public Safety following the alleged incident in Columbia County earlier today that started with a video on SnapChat, a social media app.

WRDW News-12 reported the Columbia County Sheriff's Office said the lockdown started with a video on SnapChat that showed someone firing a handgun out of a car window.

Columbia County Sheriff's Office Cpt. Steve Morris told WRDW there was video from the parking lot at Lakeside High School. Officials said there was also a video recorded outside of the school.

Morris told the Aiken Standard Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt received a call from an unidentified person who saw the video, and Hunt called Columbia County Sheriff Clay Whittle.

According to a Columbia County Sheriff's Office press release, 18-year-old Aiken resident William Jeremiah Hawkins posted a series of SnapChat videos of a handgun being discharged from a vehicle.

In other SnapChats, Hawkins stated he was in Augusta, in the Lakeside High School parking lot and in Lakeside High School cafeteria, police said.

Police said no direct threats were made to any particular school, but out of caution, all area schools were put on lockdown.

One witness told police a white male in a dark colored Chevrolet Avalanche pointed a weapon at him while students were on the bus at Old Evans Road near Bobby Jones Expressway.

The suspect, police said, was tracked using a cellphone to Aiken.

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office told the Aiken Standard the individuals appear to be involved in crimes in both Columbia and Aiken counties, turning the investigation into a joint investigation.

Two other individuals in the vehicle are also Aiken residents. Those passengers include 17-year-old Aaron Lott, arrested for a burglary charge in Aiken.

Police said charges will be updated later.

Although Morris said weapons were removed from the vehicle when the car was stopped in Aiken, the Aiken Standard has not been able to confirm that with law enforcement agencies in Aiken.

Mahoney said all four individuals are cooperating with investigators.

"Investigators are still trying to determine whether the four individuals are indeed involved in the lockdown this morning," Mahoney said.

The Aiken Standard will update this story as more information becomes available.

Maayan Schechter is the Digital News Editor with Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.

The 2015 racing season has been a frustrating and unsuccessful one so far for Palace Malice, who has been plagued by a series of minor injuries.

In Sunday's Alydar Stakes, however, the two-time Aiken-Trained Horse of the Year will have the opportunity to rebound from his setbacks and get back into a competitive groove.

Palace Malice is the 5-2 morning line favorite for the $100,000 Alydar, which will be run at Saratoga Race Course in New York.

Owned by Dogwood Stable in partnership with Three Chimneys Farm, the 5-year-old bay will break from the No. 6 post position while facing 11 rivals. His rider will be John Velazquez.

"We expect a good race, and we have to see one to make any big plans for the future," said Dogwood President Cot Campbell. "He needs to win it or have a good excuse for why he didn't win."

Palace Malice captured the Grade I Belmont Stakes in 2013 and the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap in 2014. This year, however, he has only competed once, finishing third in the Diablo Stakes at New York's Belmont Park in May.

Afterward, Campbell said he was "a trifle disappointed" that Palace Malice didn't do better.

But based on how the horse has been behaving recently, Campbell is hopeful that Palace Malice is back in top form.

With Velazquez aboard, Palace Malice worked five furlongs in :59.30 at Saratoga on Aug. 2. It was the fastest training move at that distance for the morning.

"It was as good a work as he's ever had in his life," Campbell said. "He galloped out impressively. He just wanted to keep going, and he acted like he was doing it in the easiest possible way. It indicated that he is on the brink of a very good race."

Palace Malice is trained by Todd Pletcher.

Also entered in the Alydar is another Aiken-trained runner, Godolphin Racing's Bay of Plenty, who has the No. 1 post position. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, he will be ridden by Joel Rosario.

A 4-year-old colt, Bay of Plenty finished second in the Grade III Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct in New York last November.

In 2015, Bay of Plenty has captured an allowance/optional claiming race and finished ninth (next-to-last) in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont.

The post time for the Alydar is 5:50 p.m.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — Jurors in the Colorado theater shooting case reached a decision Friday on whether James Holmes should be sentenced to life in prison or the death penalty.

They deliberated for about six and a half hours over two days. The sentence will be announced at 5 p.m.

Jurors reached their verdict after the judge granted their request earlier in the day to re-watch a graphic crime scene video taken immediately after the massacre. The 45 minutes of footage, played during the trial, shows 10 bodies lying amid spent shell casings, popcorn and blood.

The same jurors rejected Holmes' insanity defense and convicted him of murdering 12 people and trying to kill 70 others three years ago inside a midnight Batman movie in suburban Denver.

The decision follows more than three months of often emotional testimony from those who survived the attack -- some in wheelchairs -- and the children and parents left to figure out their lives without their loved ones.

They recalled sometimes funny stories about their family members. But many also described how they or their relatives have struggled with depression, PTSD and nightmares since the shooting.

Defense attorneys argued the shooting was the result of a psychotic breakdown of a mentally ill young man. They said death is not an appropriate sentence for someone diagnosed with schizophrenia.

A psychiatrist who testified that Holmes knew the difference between right and wrong, and therefore was sane under Colorado law, also said Holmes would not have carried out the attack if he had not been mentally ill.

Jurors heard from Holmes' parents, who drew a contrast between the man who entered the theater dressed in body armor and the Holmes they knew as a boy, who was never violent and excelled at school. The defense showed jurors photographs of Holmes hanging out in the backyard with children from the neighborhood and playing in the surf near his home in California.

It was the first time Robert and Arlene Holmes spoke publicly about their love and support for their son, other than an appeal to try to save his life in an op-ed published just before jury selection started.

A decision to sentence the former neuroscience graduate student to die by lethal injection would have to be unanimous. Jurors also could decide life in prison without the possibility of parole is the best sentence because of his mental illness. If they can't all agree on a sentence, Holmes would be sentenced to life.

Survivors of the attack and victims' family members disagree on which sentence is appropriate. Some believe Holmes' execution would help ease their pain, while others worry about the decades of appeals that typically come with the death penalty.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — The latest in the sentencing phase of the Colorado theater shooting trial (all times local):

4:20 p.m.

Colorado theater shooter James Holmes has been sentenced to life after a jury failed to agree on a death penalty.

The jurors returned the sentence Friday. The same jury had rejected his insanity defense, finding Holmes capable of understanding right from wrong when he murdered 12 people and tried to kill 70 others in 2012.

Prosecutors argued that the former neuroscience graduate student deserved death for methodically planning the massacre.

But the previously decisive nine women and three men didn't agree on death for Holmes, whose lawyers blamed the attack on mental illness.

------

2:05 p.m.

Jurors in the Colorado theater shooting case have reached a decision on whether James Holmes should get life in prison or the death penalty.

They deliberated for about six and a half hours over two days before reaching a decision Friday. It will be announced at 5 p.m.

The same jurors rejected Holmes' insanity defense and convicted him of murdering 12 people and trying to kill 70 others three years ago at a suburban Denver movie theater.

During the sentencing phase, the defense told jurors that the shooting was caused by the psychotic breakdown of a mentally ill young man. The nine women and three men also listened to the stories of the children, spouses and parents of the 12 people killed and how their lives were changed forever by the attack.

Jurors would have to unanimously agree for Holmes to be sentenced to death.

------

11:10 a.m.

Jurors in the Colorado theater shooting trial will review a graphic crime scene video before deciding whether to give James Holmes the death penalty.

The panel of nine women and three men asked for the 45-minute recording Friday morning.

Defense attorneys objected that the gruesome images taken immediately after the massacre would be prejudicial. But Judge Carlos Samour, Jr. allowed it and said jurors would only have 50 minutes to watch the tape. He warned them not to let it prejudice their deliberations.

Jurors must decide whether Holmes should be executed for killing 12 during the 2012 assault, which also injured 70.

------

9:15 a.m.

Jurors have resumed deliberating whether Colorado theater shooter James Holmes should be sentenced to death or life in prison.

The panel of nine women and three men deliberated for about an hour Thursday before going home without reaching a decision. They continued Friday.

District Attorney George Brauchler told them death was the only appropriate sentence for Holmes, who was convicted of murdering 12 people and trying to kill 70 more during a crowded midnight movie premiere in July 2012.

But defense attorney Tamara Brady urged them to have mercy on Holmes, saying his schizophrenia and psychotic delusions drove him to kill.

Death sentences must be unanimous in Colorado. If even one juror disagrees with capital punishment for Holmes, he would be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

In the early 1980s, the wood stork was designated as an endangered species.

A year ago, the bird was removed from that list, much to the delight of Paul Koehler, director of the Silver Bluff Audubon Center in the Jackson area.

Still, the work stork remains "threatened," and that status is why the center will host is annual Storks and Corks benefit event, Koehler said.

It will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. today.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see the storks and enjoy a buffet dinner and wine. Tickets are $50, and proceeds will help the center's operations.

In 2014, the Associated Press described how wood storks are the only stork species that nest in the U.S. Its population for many years was centered in Florida. Due to destroyed habitats there, about 50 percent of storks can be found in the Carolinas and Georgia.

Storks and Corks benefit is today

NORTH AUGUSTA — 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 North Augusta 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."

Sanders and his design team worked to come up with visuals for the public, showing how 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 the group 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."

Mary Anne Bigger, director of North Augusta 2000, said the plans to expand the Greeneway came from looking at how other cities utilize 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?"

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 of North Augusta for approval.

Micheal Anthony Freeman, 25 — grand larceny more than $2,000 but less than $10,000

Brandon Dean Williams, 18 — simple possession of marijuana

Garrick Kelly, 23 — grand larceny value more than $2,000 but less than $10,000, burglary second degree

Joe Hunter Repass, 38 — unlawful carrying of a pistol, driving under the influence, no driver's license

Andary Lewis Doyle, 38 — disorderly conduct bench warrant, no moped license bench warrant, failure to comply bench warrant

Debra Ann Wooden, 54 — disorderly, trespassing after notice

Tommy Christopher Bellamy, 28 — assault and battery third degree, trespassing, assault, beat or wound a police officer serving process

Robert Davis Miniard, 32 — simple possession of marijuana

Walter Lee Colden, 67 — driving under suspension license no suspended for driving under the influence first offense commitment, disorderly conduct/gross intoxication

Joshua Ryan Welch, 41 — simple possession of marijuana

Willie Albert Seawright Jr., 19 — possession of a weapon during a violent crime if not also sentenced to life, attempted murder

Jacob Gallegos, 23 — hold for the Aiken Department of Public Safety

Jerrell Menderous Brooks, 33 — failure to pay child support

Nicholas Scott Stewart, 24 — violation of probation

Gregory Maurice Allen, 54 — shoplifting $1,000 or less

Leviel Lekie Priester, 30 — failure to pay child support

Clarence Allen Pennington, 49 — failure to pay child support two counts

Charles Edward King Jr., 48 — failure to pay child support

Carrington Demetry Smith, 28 — failure to pay restitution as ordered by the court

Erica Anne Gagnon, 24 — hold for Aiken Department of Public Safety warrants

A special event that is designed to bring churches and people in the community closer together after a disastrous fire will be held Sunday at Aiken's First Baptist Church and will be broadcast live on TV and online.

The Glover Grove Phoenix Unity Service will start at 4 p.m. and last about an hour.

Residents unable to attend may view the service live on Atlantic Broadband Channel 12 and on the Aiken Standard's website aikenstandard.com, just click on the special coverage bar.

The speakers will include the Rev. Bobby Jones, pastor of Warrenville's Glover Grove Missionary Baptist Church, which burned down in June.

Agents with the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division were unable to determine the exact origin or cause of the Glover Grove fire. They "observed no element of criminal intent," according to a press release.

Also scheduled to speak during the Unity Service are the Rev. Paul Bush, president of the Concerned Ministers Fellowship and pastor of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, and the Rev. Grant Wiseman, rector of St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church.

Light refreshments will be served after the service on the grounds of Aiken's First Baptist Church, 120 Chesterfield St. N.

Glover Grove, a predominantly black church, has 50 active members. Its post-fire worship services are being conducted at Christ Central Ministries Aiken/Graniteville's Hope Center.

The Glover Grove Phoenix Fund, which is part of the Glover Grove Phoenix Project, was established soon after the fire to raise money to rebuild Glover Grove church.

Contributions to the fund can be made at any branch of Security Federal Bank. Donations also can be mailed to Security Federal Bank, P.O. Box 810, Aiken, SC 29802.

For more information about the Unity Service, call 803-761-3109 or email wazzujuan@hotmail.com.

Dede Biles is a general assignment reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the newspaper since January 2013.

Aiken's Storytime in the Gardens will peel back its pages for the fall season on Sept. 1.

At 4 p.m. every Tuesday through Oct. 27, local senior adults will read age-appropriate books to children - ages 8 and under - at the sand patio in Hopelands Gardens, 135 Dupree Place.

The program is free, and City staff recommend bringing a blanket or chair to sit on. Snacks are also welcome.

Each family in attendance will receive a free copy of one of the books. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Storytime had more than 1,400 participants last year, and 880 books were given out to young readers, according to a press release. The program's theme for this season is "Pete the Cat."

The City is still seeking volunteers to sponsor the fall season.

The cost to sponsor is $175 per reading, and the price covers the cost of the books given away.

To sponsor a program, call 803-642-7650.

In case of inclement weather, the program will move to rooms 6 and 7 at the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, 1700 Whiskey Road.

For weather information, call 803-643-4661; for other inquiries, call 803-642-7631.

Maayan Schechter is the digital news editor with the Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.