COLUMBIA

South Carolina’s plan to drastically alter its $4.8 billion Medicaid program drew more criticism from legislators and the public Tuesday night, in one of the first open forums on the issue.

“Most of the legislators I know are offended by this,” said Rep. Leon Howard, D-Richland, speaking to about 120 people at Saint Johns Baptist Church in Columbia.

“I can tell you this — either the people who drew this up didn’t know what they were doing or they had some evil intent,” said Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland.

Gov. Mark Sanford in June asked the federal government for permission to overhaul Medicaid. Sanford says the state cannot sustain Medicaid’s growth rate.

“Be cautious how you use that word, evil,” Sanford spokesman James McGuire retorted. “We are trying to do the right thing.”

The House will hear more about the Sanford Medicaid plan in a special meeting today.The state NAACP, forum sponsor, plans to hold additional public sessions Aug. 23 in Charleston, Aug. 30 in Greenville and Sept. 11 in Marion.

BEAUFORT

• Ports Authority says no to private port

A divided State Ports Authority board said Tuesday that it would not become involved in a privately run port project, effectively killing the concept for projects it planned in Jasper County and Charleston.

The 5-3 vote approved a motion from Carroll Campbell III that limits private participation in those projects, The Beaufort Gazette reported for its edition today.

Jasper County leaders long have argued that a private developer should build a $450 million port project on the Savannah River but battled with the State Ports Authority, which says it has exclusive rights to develop ports. That argument will be made next month before the state Supreme Court.

CLOVER

• Former police officer charged with misconduct

A former Clover police officer has been charged with obstruction of justice and misconduct in office after investigators say he kept for a few months stolen jewelry found after a traffic stop.

The rings went missing after Hemen Edward Gower chased and caught a man who had robbed a Clover jewelry store, police said.

One of the stolen rings was recovered at the scene, but Grower didn’t turn in the other jewelry until months later, Lt. Randall Horn said.

Grower, 50, turned himself in Friday, police said. He was fired from the force three months ago for unrelated reasons, Horn said.

PINOPOLIS

• Man drowns in Lake Moultrie

A Sangaree man has drowned after he jumped into Lake Moultrie to try to save his wife, who had fallen off their boat.

Hugh Stallworth, 61, died about 4 p.m. Sunday in about 35 feet of water, said Lt. Robert McCullough with the Natural Resources Department.

Debra Stallworth, 50, was picked up by a passing boat a few minutes later.

She slipped off the back of a boat in the middle of the lake, said Bill Salisbury, Berkeley County deputy coroner.

Neither of the Stallworths wore a life jacket, McCullough said.

Contributing: staff writer Roddie Burris; The Associated Press