Briefly

Manning teacher killed in crash

An art teacher from an elementary school in Manning died Saturday afternoon after her car ran off a rain-slicked Interstate 26 near Ridgeville.

Katherine E. Gould, 58, had left her daughter's home in North Charleston and was heading back to Manning when her car left the road and struck trees in the median, said Bill Salisbury, Berkeley County deputy coroner. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

Gould taught art at Manning Elementary School, Salisbury said. According to the school's Web site, she taught fourth through sixth grades and had lived in Manning since 1989.

Salisbury said Gould was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. He said the state Highway Patrol was investigating the cause of the wreck. A white dog was in the car at the time and was still missing late Saturday.

Input sought on beachfront issues

The Shoreline Change Working Group through Clemson University, in conjunction with the S.C. Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, will meet Oct. 20 and 21 to solicit public input on beachfront management issues along the coast.

The public may discuss issues, express concerns and suggest future directions for state programs relating to shoreline change and beachfront management.

The meetings will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at Mount Pleasant Municipal Complex, 100 Ann Edwards Lane, and at 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at Fort Johnson Marine Center, Fort Johnson Road.

Election officials to offer classes

To cut down on Election Day confusion, Charleston County election officials will offer two classes for party activists, candidates and poll watchers.

The one-hour course, titled "Do's & Don't's for Political Parties, Candidates, and Poll Watchers," is designed to clarify the state's election laws and how they are is applied during the balloting. Executive Director Marilyn Bowers said parties should consider appointing poll watchers soon so they can attend the sessions, where they can ask questions.

One class will be held from 2-3 p.m. Oct. 21; the second will be held from 6-7 p.m. Oct. 23. Both are at the Board of Elections and Voter Registration office, 4367 Headquarters Road in North Charleston.

New election set in Atlantic Beach

ATLANTIC BEACH — The South Carolina Supreme Court has decided Atlantic Beach should have a new election for mayor between the same candidates who ran in last year's disputed contest.

The Sun News of Myrtle Beach reported that Friday's decision surprised most people in the town, who expected the court to either support Town Councilwoman Retha Pierce's one-vote win or order a new election open to any qualified candidate.

In their ruling, the justices said the improper disqualification of several voters for incumbent Irene Armstrong cast doubt on the election, but they said a lower-court judge went too far by allowing anyone to run in a new election.

A date for a new election has not been set.

Father, son killed in house fire

LAURENS — A father and his young son have died in a house fire in Laurens.

Authorities said the fire was reported early Saturday and is under investigation.

Laurens County Coroner Nick Nichols told WPSA-TV that Nicholas Johnson, 29, and his son Nicholas Hill, 5, appeared to have died of smoke inhalation. Autopsies have been scheduled.