FLORENCE, S.C. (AP) _ Police say a man has been shot and killed after a home invasion in Florence. Investigators said three men banged on the back door of the home around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, and were let in by the victim's daughter.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ The number of people killed on South Carolina's roadways has gone up for the first time since 2007.

Surveillance video recently released shows images of Beverly Hope Melton entering a convenience store to pay for gas, as a suspected attacker, also caught on tape, proceeds to abduct, rape and beat her to death with a baseball bat, according to authorities.

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) _ Authorities say heavy drinking led to the death of a 19-year-old Clemson University student at an off-campus apartment last month. Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley released a toxicology report Thursday confirming that alcohol poisoning killed Tyler Karolczyk on Nov. 12, three days before his 20th birthday.

A new sex store changes its name to appease outraged neighboring businesses and residents.

Board members for the Department of Health and Environmental Control are meeting to discuss replacing the agency's retiring director.

CAMDEN, S.C. (AP) _ Authorities say an 18-year-old man stopped for speeding had contraband he intended to take to a South Carolina prison. Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews says an officer stopped a minivan Dec. 23 going 89 mph in a 70 mph zone. Matthews says the officer recognized the driver from a previous traffic stop and saw tobacco and cell phones in the van.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ South Carolina's highest court has affirmed the guilty plea and death sentence of a man condemned to die for strangling a Clemson University student with her bikini top.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ South Carolina prosecutors are hoping for an additional $1.6 million for domestic violence cases at the level where they say it's needed the most.

Returning an unwanted gift can make for an awkward post-holiday season for you and the gift-giver, especially if you are unaware of what experts refer to as post-Christmas gift etiquette.

A woman is suing a South Carolina bar because a bartender didn't check her age before serving her on the night of the 2009 wreck that paralyzed her.

Large crowds are expected at the memorial service for an Aiken police officer shot and killed during a traffic stop.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley came into office promising a commitment to transparency, but the deletion of emails by staffers has brought new criticism that she has fallen short on that key campaign issue.

Angels play a major role in the Christmas story, but a new Associated Press-GfK poll shows they are a year-round presence for most, with 77 percent of adults saying they believe in their existence.

The last time Christmas fell on a Sunday was in 2005. As this weekend approaches, some Midlands churches scramble to alter their plans, as they attempt to decide which day, Saturday or Sunday, is more appropriate.