U.S. Sen. John Thune, the South Dakota senator who gained national attention last November for unseating Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, will be the keynote speaker April 9 at the annual Silver Elephant Dinner sponsored by the South Carolina Republican Party.

State GOP chairman Katon Dawson said he is thrilled that Thune is coming to Columbia.

“His campaign was a shining example of all you can accomplish when you have both the right candidate and the right message.”

Dawson considers the dinner as the kickoff for the 2008 GOP presidential primary.

• Wilson to discuss Social Security

Midlands constituents of U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., can talk about the future of Social Security at several meetings in his district Monday.

The meetings will last an hour:

• 10 a.m. — Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Palmetto Room; 930 Richland St.

• 4 p.m. — USC, Russell House Theater

• 6 p.m. — Irmo High School Cafeteria, 6671 St. Andrews Road.

Wilson’s district includes Lexington and part of Richland counties; Allendale, Barnwell, Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper counties; and parts of Aiken, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.

• Monument begins S.C. tour in Columbia

The Ten Commandments monument will be on tour in South Carolina from Monday through March 27.

This is the same monument that made the national news in 2003 when it was removed from the Alabama Judicial Center after it had been placed there by Roy Moore, former chief justice of Alabama.

The monument will be on display at the Ben Lippen School at Columbia International University from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday.

The monument will then go to the following locations:

Tuesday, north side of the South Carolina State House, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Grace Baptist Church and Grace Christian School in West Columbia from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday, Faith Christian School/Faith Assembly of God in Summerville, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, Marion Square in downtown Charleston, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and on March 27, Easter Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Community Bible Church in Beaufort.

For more information about the tour, visit the South Carolina sponsor’s Web page at http://www.gileadmedia.com/.

• Ex-officer charged in domestic dispute

A former Union police officer was charged with threatening to kill his wife and cut her vehicle tires, according to the State Law Enforcement Division.

Thomas Eugene Bishop, 38, of 665 Lovers Lane Road, Union, was charged Thursday with criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, warrants said.

• Bush names S.C. man to planning board

FLORENCE — President Bush has appointed a Florence businessman to a commission that helps plan and oversee federal land and buildings in the Washington area.

Herbert F. Ames, who owns a commercial real estate and marketing consulting firm, was appointed to the National Capital Planning Commission, according to a release from the White House on Friday.

Ames has been appointed to a six-year term that ends in 2011.

Contributing: Lee Bandy, Lauren Markoe, Christina Knauss and Lauren Leach