Having seen a previous posting on the Orangeburg list pertaining to the problems w/reading obits online at The State newspaper (Columbia, SC) , I was alerted to this letter in today's paper (see below). I hope more of us will write management and implore them to return to posting all obits each day on line. Of course, I'd prefer they'd make them available for a week at a time before charging, but the $$$$$$ seem to rule the day. Pity. Obits are SO important to genealogical research. A few years ago The State eliminated family members of the deceased by did restore that feature after a lot of folks complained. Maybe we could make some headway with this corrent problem! Here's their address and policy: Letters on timely topics may be e-mailed to stateeditor@thestate.com, faxed to (803) 771-8639 or mailed to Letters to the Editor, The State, P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, S.C. 29202. They should be concise and legible. Please do not send e-mail attachments. Please sign letters and include your address and daytime phone number. Letters will be edited. We do not guarantee publication. Following is a copy of the letter in today's paper. ~~~~~~~~~ Posted on Tue, Apr. 09, 2002 Obituaries Should Be Available Free Online I'm sure The State's powers that be have a good reason for removing the obituary information from its online service, but what is the reason for charging to read it the next day? If it is available online for a fee, why is it not available the day it's reported in the paper? What is the point of having any information online if you are going to suggest one go buy a paper from a rack to get the "rest of the news." Please don't make me resort to purchasing The Post and Courier. TAMARA BOLDING Hanahan

Columbians have had major problems with this newspaper ever since it was sold to Knight-Ridder. In my opinion, it's now a sorry newspaper that doesn't have a clue about impartially in reporting the news. Good luck in a letter writing campaign to a newspaper with an biased pre-set agenda. Monya Havekost Undergraduate degree in journalism Fayette Co. AL list manager MUSGROVE surname list manager THOMPSON surname list manager ASTON surname list manager Researching: ANDERSON, ANDERSEN (Norway), ASTON, BISHOP, DODSON, FYLLINGSNES (Norway), GRANT, HARRIS, HOWELL, LESLIE, McDONALD, MILLIGAN, MORTON, MUSGROVE, OWEN, SMOOT, SOUTH, THOMPSON and WEBSTER.