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STATE BRIEFS Camera tapes sex, not dumping ANDERSON (AP)-It was meant as a tool to stop illegal dumping. But it’s become a one eyed voyeur spotting people who have no idea they’re being taped. And that has civi^ libertarians up in arms. Six months ago, Anderson County concealed a small camera to catch people illegally dumping trash. Not a single littering case has been documented by the “groundhog.” However, the camera has caught several people engaged in sex acts. “We’ve caught stuff on that camera that would curl your toes,” said Gerry Shealy, the county’s public safety director. “It’s things that people apparently don’t realize someone’s watching on a camera.” One man was videotaped walking in the woods naked, then sitting on the tailgate of his truck drinking a beer. Several other people were unknowingly recorded in the throes of passion. The groundhog, whose location is top secret, is a $6,000 pencil-sized device buried in the ground. It is set off by a motion detector and transmits the images to a videocassette recorder nearby. The images can be viewed in real-time or played back. When unveiled in February, the camera was touted as a way to help gather hard-to-find evidence against people who dump trash illegally in remote areas. County officials say most of the illicit behavior caught on tape isn’t criminal, though they do suspect some instances involved prostitution. Shealy said there are no plans to turn over the tapes to authorities. . Most legislators return mail money Columbia (AP) — Dozens of S.C. House members have returned mail reimbursement money after reports earlier this month showed a scramble to cash in on a legislative perk. As of Wednesday, 55 of the 68 House members who received a total of $124,398 for bulk postage on newsletters mailed to voters had returned the money. Thirteen legislators who received checks totaling $22,400 have yet to return the money. That group includes at least three representatives who mailed material before the fiscal year ended June 30. The rush to spend the mail money came as legislators left town after slashing $500 million from the state budget. During the 2000 session, the House allowed members to be reimbursed for the first bulk mailing. However, House Speaker David Wilkins has approved a committee recommendation ending the practice. Almost $79,000 of the bulk mail funds went to House members who were customers of Mail Marketing Strategies, a company owned by House Majority Leader Rick Quinn, R-Richland. Quinn said he told House members it wasn’t worth “having to deal with the political issues” of using the money. He returned funds as well. It happened: News you might have missed MONOPOLY FRAUD: Four of the eight people arrested by the FBI for a scam involving McDonald’s “Monoply” and “Who Wants to be a Millionair” prize contests are South Carolina residents. STATE RESIGNATION: Stephen Benjamin, head of the states Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services, will step down from his position Aug. 31. He is expecting to run for attorney general. FIREFIGHTER FRAUD: Timothy William Ray, 28, a volunteer firefighter, was charged Wednesday with one count of embezzlement of public funds and one count of breach of trust for allegedly stealing about $800 from the Sand Hill Volunteer Fire Station, said State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Hugh Munn. NATION BRIEFS Elizabeth Dole Registers in N.C. SALISBURY, N.C. (AP) Elizabeth Dole took another step Friday toward entering the race for the Senate seat held by Jesse Helms when she registered to vote in the North Carolina town where she grew up. “This is one of the things you need to do,” the former labor secretary and American Red Cross head said outside her mother’s Tudor-style home, which she listed as her residence with the Rowan County board of elections. “I will make my decision very soon,” she said. “Soon after Labor Day.” Dole, 65, has not lived in North Carolina in decades and had long been registered to vote in Kansas, the home state of her husband, former Sen. Bob Dole. On Thursday, she notified elections officials in Russell County, Kan., that she was ending her voter registration there. The letter was dated Wednesday, the same day Helms, 79, announced he would not seek a sixth term in 2002. Her potential opponents gave a preview of what could become a campaign issue when they suggested that Dole might not be a true North Carolinian. Pet Python Kills 8 Year-Old Girl IRWIN, PA. (AP) - An 8-year old girl died after her family’s pet Burmese python wrapped itself around her neck and suffocated her. The 10-foot-long snake was one of five owned by the family, police said. Amber Mountain’s mother left home for a short time on Wednesday and returned to find that the snake had escaped from its cage. The girl was unconscious and had no pulse when paramedics arrived. She died at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Friday night, the Allegheny County Coroner’s office said. The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office and Irwin police are investigating. Phone calls to the family’s home were not immediately returned Saturday. It is legal to keep exotic snakes as pets in Irwin, southeast of Pittsburgh. It Happened: News You Might Have Missed NORTH DAKOTA EXPLOSION: An explosion destroyed the last of the Minuteman missile silos marked for destruction under the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, leaving a 90 foot hole filled with broken concrete and twisted steel in a * North Dakota field. OHIO COP KILLED: A police officer was shot to death and his partner was wounded as they tried to serve a summons against a man who later died after a shootout with police, authorities said. CHICAGO CRIME TIES: The city’s former detectives chief is portrayed in court papers as having organized crime ties for decades, with mob informants claiming he shook down bookies and burglars and took regular payoffs. POLYGAMIST SENTENCED: Convicted polygamist Tom ■ Green was led to prison Friday to serve a five-year term after saying he has no regrets or apologies for a lifestyle in which he fathered 30 children with his five wives. Preston Residence hall tries out “house”system CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 come involved. The only time they’re seen is in the hall on the way to and from their rooms.” Faculty and students on the Columbia campus created Preston Residential College in 1995 so stu dents could have a small college experience within a big universi ty Preston was designed to emu late USC’s first residential college, Rutledge. In 1805, Rutledge housed students, faculty and staff, and contained classrooms and a chapel. Preston is known on campus for allowing students to interact with faculty, as well as other stu dents, in a relaxed setting. Residents dine together four nights a week and take part in ac tivities such as teas, banquets, tal ent shows and intramural sports. - Forty faculty members, known in Preston as “faculty associates,” also participate in these events. Preston residents are often above-average students who are involved in activities outside the college. Getting involved in every thing else makes it easy for resi dents to forego involvement in Preston, especially if opportuni ties are not readily available. “I noticed there was a lack of in terest in college activities las spring,” Catanese. “I knew I wan ed to do something about it.” Catanese is quick to say sh wasn’t responsible for the entii project. But it was she and Do Greiner, a faculty associate an English professor, who began tall ing about a new system over dir ner 'at Prestor! Dining hall las spring. “Somehow it happened whei 'Me were talking about the Harr; Potter books,” Catanese said. “Si we ended up naming some of thu houses after nqmes of Harr; Potter characters, which is kirn of funny.” The Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, compose a chi] dren’s series that has become poj ular among adults. “It’s great to see how it has al come together,” said Barnette “Every step of it is an experiment and so far it’s working.” Sophomore Nate Furr is a nev resident of Preston. He said his ex perience so far “has been incredi ble. Everyone is so open about gel ting to know you ... I love hov complete strangers just want ti hang out.” So far, Perkins said she’: pleased with the response fron students and faculty about thi house system. “You never know how thing: will go in Preston,” she said laughing. “But we’re extremely ex cited about the enthusiasm every one has shown, and how involvec they’ve been so far.” You could score tickets to the Rose Bowl. Hit our Web site or call I 877 COLLEGE to sign up for one of AT&T’s College Plans. And register for a chance to win one of two Grand Prize trips for you and three friends to the 2002 Rose Bowl. Winners get: ►► Game tickets, parade tickets ►► ABC hospitality party, game analyst meet ►► Airfare and ground transportation and greet,* production trailer tour* ►► Six days, five nights accommodations ►► Other great prizes include » $500 spending money* *250 120-minute prepaid calling cards » Kick-Off Luncheon passes *250 Rose Bow|T-shirts No purchase necessary. Open to US. residents who are registered full-time or part-time college students. 18 years of age or older as of August 3,2001. Void where prohibited. For Official Rules, visit wwwatt.com/coHere. Sweepstakes ends November 9 2001 ©7001 AT&T. All Rights Reserved. . —1---t-4-1-jJ