York Gov. Mark Sanford signed into law a bill that lowers the legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers to 0.08 percent, down from 0.10 percent.

If the Legislature hadn't passed the bill, the federal government would have withheld about $63 million for road projects during the next four years.

"I don't like the federal government dictating terms to states anymore than the next guy, but you don't leave dollars in Washington when people's lives are at stake," Sanford said.

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell said Sanford had to sign the bill into law for the federal money, but 0.10 percent was sufficient.

"Being forced to do this by the federal government is wrong," McConnell said.

He is pleased, though, the law includes the Senate's version that allows people to challenge blood-alcohol tests in court.

"Alcohol doesn't affect people in the same way," he said.

Forty states have the .08 percent limit, the governor's office said.

Man working on light switch is electrocuted

A 19-year-old worker was electrocuted Wednesday while trying to wire a light switch at a Columbia home, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said.

Duane R. Smith of Lugoff was dead on arrival at Palmetto Health Richland, Watts said.

Smith, a Branham Electric employee, was working in the attic of a home at 3700 Yale Ave. when the 2:20 p.m. incident occurred, Watts said. Another worker was in the home at the time, though Smith was alone in the attic, he said.

Watts said his office referred the investigation to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

City redevelopment workshop is planned

The city of Columbia and the East Central City Consortium will sponsor a neighborhood design workshop from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday as part of a major redevelopment effort.

The workshop is meant for residents of Barhamville Estates, Booker Washington Heights and Benedict College and members of the Edgewood Neighborhood Council, Eva P. Trezevant Neighborhood Club and Jones McDonald Community Club.

The information will be used to create a plan for the future for those neighborhoods.

For more information, call the F.A. Johnson Consulting Group at (803) 799-2057.

Man gets nine years for fatal car accident

BEAUFORT A man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for a drunken-driving crash that killed a Marine more than a year ago.

Jesse Lee "Buddy" Bennett III, 36, pleaded guilty Wednesday to reckless homicide and felony driving under the influence. He had originally been charged with murder.

Bennett was sentenced to nine years in prison for the homicide charge and must serve slightly more than four years before he is eligible for parole.

A construction worker said Bennett was going about 80 mph in April 2002 when he struck the back of a car driven by Capt. Carlton Bradley Sanders, 30. Sanders was stopped by workers in the construction zone.

Furman ending campus drinking ban

GREENVILLE Furman University won't be a dry campus anymore as it ends a 177-year alcohol ban.

The college has adopted a new policy that allows alcohol at private, catered events at three campus buildings and its golf course beginning Aug. 30.

Alcohol won't be allowed in dorms or at public sports events.

The university was affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention until 1992. It started out as an academy and seminary.

Furman president David Shi said that the university is getting more requests for wedding receptions and that most people want to serve alcohol.

The change, approved by Furman's trustees in May, came after a yearlong study.

Students can learn about responsible drinking with the change, Leighan Rinker, Furman's board of trustees chairman, said.