The State from Columbia, South Carolina • 13

The State Columbia, South Carolina Capital Report Good morning THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW against having to work during Indian summer. Temperatures this afternoon probably won't break the record of 82 for the date, but they'll get close under warm, sunny skies. Thermometer readings tonight will drop to the low 50s. VETERANS will be honored in spectacular fashion today as a colorful parade makes its way along Main Street, beginning a at noon. The parade will include more than 1,000 marching troops, military vehicles and bands, color guards, drill teams and a flyover by F-16 jets.

All of South Carolina's veterans groups will be represented in the parade, which Columbia officials have predicted will be the biggest and best yet. A TRAVELING EXHIBIT of art work by high school students from the 1985 Governor's School for the Arts is on display this month in Edens Gallery at Columbia College. At the University of South Carolina, Melton Observatory will be open again tonight from 9:30 to 11. An astronomer will answer questions and explain to visitors what they can see through the telescope. GOVERNOR RILEY and some of his staff will be working at the State House today, even though it's a state holiday.

Education task forces created Two new task forces one to problems among South Carolia dents and the other to study a 1 newly accreditation system have been S.C. Department of Education. Charlie G. Williams, state intendent, said students' reading Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills tackle reading public school stuproposed school created by the education superscores on the during the past three years have not kept pace with gains shown in math and science. He said the Task Force on Reading Improvement will provide a "bold new thrust" to improving student achievement in reading by working with parents, business and industry to encourage more reading and better reading habits.

A second 50-member task force will develop details for accreditation system. The new system, take effect in the 1988-89 school student performance and effecmanagement in schools, as well accreditation factors. Bell trial to open in Saluda Motion to move trial expected from defense By PETER O'BOYLE III State Staff Writer The trial of Larry Gene Bell, charged with kidnapping and murdering a Lexington County teenager, begins today in a Saluda County courtroom. Bell's lawyer, Jack Swerling of Columbia, is expected to ask immediately for a change of venue to move the trial somewhere else in the state. Swerling will argue that the massive publicity surrounding the slaying of 17-year-old Shari Smith makes it impossible for Bell to receive a fair trial: so close to Miss Smith's home county of Lexington.

Miss Smith had arrived home from a party the afternoon of May 31 that celebrated her upcoming high school graduation and was going to the mailbox when, authorities believe, she was grabbed or enticed to get into Bell's automobile. A massive search by law enforcement agencies and volunteers went on for days until the killer telephoned the Smith home and said the body could be found in Saluda County. Because investigators could never determine where the slaying actually took place, they assumed Miss Smith was killed in Saluda County. Therefore, the trial is taking place there. Circuit Judge John Hamilton Smith likely will wait until several jurors have been questioned about their knowledge of the crime before deciding whether to move the trial.

Potential jurors will be asked whether Monday, November 11, 1985 they have already made up their minds on Bell's guilt or innocence based on what they have read, seen or heard in the news media. Jurors also will be questioned on their views concerning capital punishment, because prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against Bell if he is convicted. Twelve jurors and several alternates will be chosen from a pool of 175 registered voters in Saluda County. The trial is expected to last nearly two weeks. The jurors will be sequestered throughout the trial, and tight security is planned for the courthouse.

Everyone who enters the courtroom will be searched. Authorities have not said whether Bell will be lodged at the Saluda County jail or will be transported daily from Central Correctional Institution in Columbia, where he was imprisoned after his arrest June 27. Larry Gene Bell Faces murder, kidnap charges Hardeeville TV station in midst of cable fray By BILL HORNUNG Special To The State HARDEEVILLE Industry officials say a new South Carolina television station, which has been denied access to local cable systems, has become an example of how broadcasters are being unfairly treated since a federal appeals court struck down "must-carry" regulations July 19. When WTGS, Channel 28 of Hardeeville, signed on Sept. 1, it became one of the first stations to pay for access to a cable system when it agreed to lease a channel for $2,000 a month from Cablevision of Savannah.

Before the ruling, cable operators were required to carry all local stations, even if programming was duplicated, such as when two affiliates of the same network were considered "mustcarry" stations. The cable industry applauded the ruling, saying the often-forced duplication of network programming was a major complaint among customers. "There's no rationale to it," John Bailie, general manager and part owner of WTGS, said of several local cable companies' refusals to put the new, independent station on their systems. Bailie said his station's programming of classic movies and syndicated series should be welcomed relief to cable operators' complaints of overlapping network shows. Bailie also charged and might go to court to settle the matter that cable operators are locking him out to the market because WTGS is considered a competitor for advertising dollars.

Preston Paddon, president of the Association of Independent Television Stations, said several other stations since have been denied cable use but have kept the fact "a deep, dark secret" to protect their relationships with advertisers and investors. "The broadcasting industry owes John Bailie a lot of gratitude for having the courage to speak up," Paddon said. Hospitals in Clinton, left, and Laurens would close Should a new hospital be approved by voters, it would be Doug State Remembering fallen comrades Members of the U.S. armed forces killed in action during service to their country were honored Sunday in a Veterans Day program at Edisto Memorial Gardens in Orangeburg. Chapters of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans sponsored the ceremony.

Slain salesman's car yielding no evidence By HOLLY GATLING Hamil's, Sauls said. State Staff Writer The car of a Florence salesman who was shot to death and dumped in a Jasper County graveyard has been found at another cemetery about a mile away. But no fingerprints or clues to the identity of the killer of Jack Hamil have developed, Jasper County Coroner Martin Sauls III said Sunday. Hamil, 60, a jewelry salesman, was shot to death sometime after 9 p.m. Thursday, and his body was dumped near Haphazard Cemetery, located on Okeetee Hunting Club about a mile from Ridgeland.

A man walking in the area found the body about 8 a.m. Friday, Sauls said. Investigators located Hamil's white 1985 Ford Escort station wagon Saturday afternoon next to Grahamville Cemetery, located east of Ridgeland, Sauls said. The car apparently had been wiped clean of fingerprints, including the proposed which is planned to year, would analyze tive leadership and as more standard The community, he said, is "apprehensive" because the killer seems to have knowledge of the area. Although Hamil's wallet containing an undetermined amount of cash was missing, $415 was found in his back pocket.

His body, found in an overgrown firebreak, had been dragged about 20 yards from a narrow path, Sauls said. Hamil spoke with his wife about 6 p.m. Thursday and told her he was waiting at his motel room in Ridgeland to see some people interested in buying jewelry, Sauls said. Hamil last was seen about 9 p.m., Sauls said, and apparently did not sleep in the motel room. At the motel, investigators found a suitcase Hamil was believed to be carrying.

Three others are missing, Sauls said. Hamil died of an "execution-style" shot to the back of the head from a weapon, he said. Summerville, Fort Mill, Chapin win band honors The Summerville, Fort Mill Among a dozen Class AAA and Chapin high school marching bands, Fort Mill High School won bands won state championships in first place, Camden High School their respective classes Saturday placed second and Clover High during competition sponsored by School finished third. the South Carolina Band Directors Competition in Class A A A AA and Association. Class A was Saturday at LugoffIn Class AAAA, Summerville Elgin High School.

defeated second-place Spring Val- Chapin placed first, followed ley High School by less that two by Saluda High School and Lugofftenths of a percentage point, Elgin High School, in Class AA, spokeswoman Barbara Johnson association President Bill said. Connell said. Walterboro High School won Results of the Class A competithird place in the Class AAAA tion weren't available Sunday. competition, which included 19 Bands were judged on their bands and was held at Spring Val- musical ability, marching and ley along with the AAA competi- showmanship and could receive a tion. maximum of 100 points.

When WTGS signed on Sept. 1, it became one of the first television stations to pay for access to a cable system. Before a recent federal court ruling, cable operators were required to carry all local stations. Broadcasting lobbyists said they would ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the alleged restraint of trade by cable operators who refuse to add new local stations to their systems.

The broadcasters also contend that cable operators discriminate by charging some stations for cable access. WTGS has agreements with seven of about a dozen cable systems it would have been linked to automatically before the court ruling. But Plantation Cablevision, the system serving one of WTGS's major markets at nearby Hilton Head Island, is awaiting survey results and further legislative or regulatory action before putting the new station on the system. "It's a conclusion they've come to on they're own," Charles Renwick, Plantation general manager, said in response to Bailie's charges. Advertising revenues are a minor part of Plantation business, he said, adding, "If we had an unlimited channel capacity, there would be no problem" in adding WTGS.

Plantation's, 12-channel system is full, but Renwick said it is likely duplicated network affiliates will be dropped after a survey of subscribers is completed in the next few weeks. Renwick said WTGS won't be added auto- Williams See Cable, 5-B Photos by John State if new facility is built constructed between the two cities in Laurens County A tale of three hospitals Laurens County already owns two; voters will decide whether to build third By JOHN COLLINS ments and the other half by taxpayers, county Newberry Bureau LAURENS Laurens County voters, will decide whether to continue to operate two hospitals eight miles apart or build a $14 million replacement facility midway between Laurens and Clinton. County Council members said they will set a date today for a binding referendum that will ask voters whether the county should issue up to $12 million in general obligation bonds to build a 90- bed, consolidated hospital on county-owned land along U.S. 76. The board of Laurens County Health Care System, which operates the 96-bed Bailey Memorial Hospital in Clinton and the 64-bed Laurens District Hospital in Laurens, hopes to raise the remaining $2 million from a philanthropic organization, such as the Duke Endowment, said system Administrator Clem Ham.

The board requested the referendum, which is expected to be held in January, after 2,850 registered voters petitioned County Council last month to hold an advisory referendum on the issue. Organizers of the petition drive say they believe the voters not County Council or hospital officials should decide whether a new facility will be built. Under the proposal, half the bonds would be retired with room revenues and contractual agree- administrative assistant Gary Page said. He said a consolidated hospital would cost the owner of a $50,000 house about $14 in additional property taxes each year. Ham said a new hospital could be a bargain compared with the expense of continuing to operate two aging and increasingly unprofitable duplicate facilities.

Laurens District Hospital was built in 1960 and remodeled in 1971. Bailey Memorial was built in 1962. Both hospitals serve about 30 patients a day, Ham said. The two hospitals were merged into one system in 1982, and Ham said both have been profitable. But, before the merger, he said, Bailey Memorial showed a steady loss for nine years.

He said a new hospital would save $700,000 a year just by combining services. Page and Ham said that, if the new hospital is approved, Bailey Memorial likely would be turned into a nursing home and Laurens District either would be sold for use as a private nursing home or converted into county office space. A countyowned nursing home already exists on the Bailey Memorial property. Ham said health-care planners say the county needs 80 more long-term nursing home beds to care for its growing population older than 65. He said the board considered several options, Becky, H.

Wayne Copeland They pushed for countywide vote including renovating one of the hospitals and closing another and having a private hospital corporation build and operate a facility. Critics say the health system board has kept county residents in the dark as it reached its decision. H. Wayne and Becky Copeland, who operate a See Hospital, 5-B.