The Agenda: Harrell suspends himself, gets suspended; Who'll replace him?; DSS said father was "overwhelmed"

Turns out that under state law, House Speaker Bobby Harrell couldn't suspend himself unilaterally yesterday as he tried to do originally, so in a painfully awkward letter issued late yesterday, Speaker Pro Tem Jay Lucas, operating under the authority as presiding officer of the House, assumed when Harrell's indictment was filed Wednesday, suspended him officially. [P&C]

A number of his Republican colleagues, including Berkeley Rep. Jim Merrill are said to be vying to replace Harrell's position on the dais. [The State]

State Democrats are making the case that House Rep. Stephen Goldfinch should also be suspended over federal charges he's facing that a company he ran illegally sold stem cells, but House Clerk Charles Reid said that the charges don't rise to the level of necessitating a suspension. For his part, Goldfinch said the criminal charges shouldn't be relevant in his re-election bid. [South Strand News]

The city unanimously granted conceptual approval to the Digital Corridor's new Flagship 3 building to go up in NoMo near the corner of Morrison and Conroy St. [CRBJ]

The 'overwhelmed' father accused of killing his five children and then driving to Alabama to dump their bodies reportedly made a stop at an Upstate Dunkin Donuts over Labor Day weekend, parking by the dumpster at the shop to mask the reported "stench of death" that was apparent in the car. [P&C, WYFF, AP]

Congressman Trey Gowdy says the first public hearing for the special committee investigating the 2012 attacks in Benghazi will be held next week, on September 17. [G'ville News]

The P&C's Andrew Knapp has the heartbreaking account of slain Charleston County deputy Joseph Matuskovic's final hours before he died on duty in West Ashley at the hands of a drunken man who shot his military-style rifle through the door of his apartment when the deputy and his partner knocked. [P&C]

Some frustrated school administrators say the state dragged their feet as individual schools sought waivers from new federal healthy food guidelines for schools, leading to no S.C. schools getting exemptions that would include allowing familiar school fundraisers, such as doughnuts or candy sales. [WYFF]

According to a dossier posted on @CofCSports yesterday, new CofC basketball coach Earl Grant's musical tastes should line up well with Kresse and Cremins. Favorite song: Drake's "Hold On, Were Going Home."

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The Agenda: Harrell suspends himself, gets suspended; Who'll replace him?; DSS said father was "overwhelmed"