Caterpillar Inc. to Close Summerville Plant

(SUMMERVILLE, S.C.) -- Caterpillar Inc. announced Monday that it will shut down its plant in Summerville and put 280 people out of work in 2014, The Post and Courier reports.

Caterpillar, makers of engines and heavy equipment including excavators and backhoes, attributed the closing of the plant to decline in orders.

“Over the last few years, the company has worked to position the facility to be more competitive,” the company said in a statement. “However, it has concluded that the Summerville facility is not viable as a long-term operation.”

The Summerville plant focused mainly on dismantling and recycling heavy-duty transmissions.

The plant employs 255 full-time workers and 25 part-time workers. Representatives from Caterpillar say the workers will receive severance packages and job placement counseling in advance of the planned 2014 closing.

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Man Charged With Multiple Hit-and-Runs

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) -- A Columbia man is facing charges after allegedly being involved in several hit-and-run accidents on Sunday morning, The State reports.

Twenty-three-year-old Gerald Anderson, was allegedly driving his 2009 Chevrolet sedan in Columbia, when he hit a parked car around 2:30 a.m. He later crashed into a 2003 Ford Taurus in Lexington County after crossing into oncoming traffic.

Anderson and the driver of the Taurus were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Anderson is accused of driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and leaving the scene of a collision.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Gaston Officials Sentenced for Misuse of Public Money

(GASTON, S.C.) -- Two former Gaston town officials were sentenced to prison on Thursday after being found guilty of misusing public money.

According to the Midlands Crime Stoppers, former Mayor Larry Sharpe, town administrator Jennifer Poole and Poole's daughter, Jessica, cumulatively stole over $72,000 worth of public money, largely using falsified expense reports.

The three pleaded guilty in October to breach of trust charges, which held a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Sharpe will spend 18 months in prison and must pay $5,000 in restitution. Jennifer Poole will go to jail for three years and pay back $44,000. Jessica Poole will be sentenced on Friday.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Va. Man Arrested in Connection with White Knoll High Bomb Threat

(LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C.) -- A Virginia man was arrested in connection with a bomb threat at a South Carolina high school.

According to the Midlands Crime Stoppers, Tyler Hering, 20, was arrested in connection with a threat made at White Knoll High School in Lexington, S.C., earlier this week. A search warrant was executed on Hering's home on Tuesday and he was charged with felony communication of a threat to bomb a place of assembly.

Authorities believe Hering chose the school randomly as he has no connection to White Knoll High.

The school was searched following the threat on Monday, but no threat was found.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Gov. Haley Signs Boeing Incentive Legislation

(CHARLESTON, S.C) -- Legislation signed by Gov. Nikki Haley on Tuesday will give Boeing Co. over $100 million in bond money to expand its operations in South Carolina.

Boeing announced two weeks ago that it would spend $1 billion and create 2,000 new jobs in the next eight years at its facilities in North Charleston, according to the Post and Courier.

The incentive money will cover the cost of buying and developing land for Boeing's operations near Charleston International Airport, which, according to the Post and Courier, already employs upwards of 6,000 employees.

The Charleston County Council will also debate additional incentives for Boeing, including increased tax breaks for each job created, in the coming weeks.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio