Charges Dropped Against High School Principal

Former Ware Shoals High School principal Jane Blackwell is out of legal hot water today as all charges against her were dropped on Monday.

Blackwell had been charged with obstruction and lying to police investigators last year concerning a cheerleader sex scandal that allegedly involved a former employee at the high school.

Law enforcement officials on Monday, however, stated that there was insufficient evidence to justify proceeding with investigations and a trial for Blackwell.

The Ware Shoals School Board voted last year to remove Blackwell as principal of Ware Shoals High School but reassigned her to a different position in the school district office. There is no word as to whether or not Blackwell will attempt to get back her old job.

Concerning the scandal that prompted the entire episode concerning Blackwell, the Judge in the case issued a gag order following apparent reckless reporting of events concerning the case by local news outlets.

That gag order is still in effect regarding the scandal and the persons involved.

Trooper Blooper Leads to Resignations at the Top

After a video from 4 years ago surfaced which showed a Highway Patrol officer threatening to kill African-American suspects and referring to them in a racially derogatory manner, the repercussions were felt all the way to the top offices of the state's Public Safety division this week.

S.C. Governor Mark Sanford was only recently informed about the incident--and the tape--and was clearly outraged that the officer was not fired but given anger management and diversity training instead.

Sanford maintains that state Public Safety Division Director Jim Schweitzer and Highway Patrol Commander Russell Roark are directly responsible for the failure to adequately address a major breach of state trooper protocol.

The pressure mounted on the two men until finally they turned in their resignations to the Governor on Friday.