Local

People are already in line to see the new doctor at the new Carenet primary care clinic, which will open Thursday.

Longtime Carenet volunteer Bernadette King said people have been making appointments to see Dr. Nimal Perera, a board-certified family physician.

"We already have 50 people who want to come," King said, laughing. "They are so excited that we'll have a doctor - one primary care doctor they can see."

Perera is the first paid doctor to join Carenet's effort to provide primary care to anyone who needs care.

INDIAN LAND - Indian Land High School band director Mathew Willis would like students and parents to think beyond marching band when they consider instrumental music.

"If the focus is always on marching band, the program will cease to exist after a few years," he says. He recognizes that there are many talented students out there who are simply not interested in marching band.

County officials have public safety and progress on building a new courthouse on their minds for 2008.

Public safety needs need to be addressed for the Panhandle in 2008, County Administrator Steve Willis said.

In 2007, the county took a look at the general needs of manpower in various departments in relation to the growth the county has seen, especially in Indian Land.

New staff was added to the probate office, voter registration and other county offices. The county added a full-time deputy coroner and hired more sheriff's deputies.