Local governments will receive about $200,000 in state funds to fight potential military base closings in South Carolina.

A new round of military cuts will be announced in May 2005 in the federal Base Realignment and Closure program.

The General Assembly appropriated $200,000 in state funds for the 2003-04 fiscal year. The cities of Columbia, Sumter and Beaufort, as well as Charleston County, will receive $50,000 each to protect installations through studies or public relations efforts.

The Governor's Military Base Advisory Committee and the S.C. Military Base Task Force have been studying ways to protect the state's military bases.

"Based on the judgment of these panels, I believe $200,000 is a worthwhile and entirely appropriate investment to help protect what is essentially a $4 billion industry in this state," Gov. Mark Sanford said.

Dmv Workers Receive Service Training

Division of Motor Vehicles offices across the state were closed Wednesday while workers received customer service training in Columbia.

DMV offices are undergoing a number of changes in upcoming months, including adding greeters at office doors.

People will be able to renew driver's licenses and identification cards and change addresses online beginning in June.

Six regional DMV offices also will be open Saturdays in Florence, Aiken, Irmo, Greenville, Charleston and Rock Hill beginning June 7.

Employees say changes at the agency might ease customer frustration.

"One of the biggest fallacies of the DMV is we're there to mistreat people, and that's not true," said Mike Howell, who works in the Greenville office.