LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES (Aging of Loans by Loan Classification) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	$ 6,336	$ 8,475
60-89 Days	2,385	4,424
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	795	424
Nonaccrual	47,861	52,956
Total Past Due	57,377	66,279
Current	2,922,200	2,790,816
Total loans	2,979,577	2,857,095
Commercial, financial and agricultural [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	506	447
60-89 Days	661	394
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	197	80
Nonaccrual	11,508	10,523
Total Past Due	12,872	11,444
Current	632,990	589,260
Total loans	645,862	600,704
Real estate construction and development [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	0	0
60-89 Days	178	0
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	0	0
Nonaccrual	4,191	4,914
Total Past Due	4,369	4,914
Current	71,240	116,748
Total loans	75,609	121,662
Residential mortgage [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	3,770	4,262
60-89 Days	1,320	2,637
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	252	162
Nonaccrual	15,326	20,063
Total Past Due	20,668	27,124
Current	600,629	545,040
Total loans	621,297	572,164
Home equity [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	1,087	2,256
60-89 Days	123	963
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	320	182
Nonaccrual	6,979	7,361
Total Past Due	8,509	10,762
Current	367,775	338,562
Total loans	376,284	349,324
Multi-family residential [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	0	0
60-89 Days	0	0
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	0	0
Nonaccrual	726	1,793
Total Past Due	726	1,793
Current	125,584	119,511
Total loans	126,310	121,304
Commercial real estate [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	916	1,423
60-89 Days	51	391
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	0	0
Nonaccrual	9,127	8,283
Total Past Due	10,094	10,097
Current	1,079,336	1,038,137
Total loans	1,089,430	1,048,234
Consumer and installment and net deferred loan fees [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	57	87
60-89 Days	52	39
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	26	0
Nonaccrual	4	19
Total Past Due	139	145
Current	15,780	18,010
Total loans	15,919	18,155
Loans held for sale [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Past Due [Line Items]
30-59 Days	0	0
60-89 Days	0	0
Recorded Investment > 90 Days Accruing	0	0
Nonaccrual	0	0
Total Past Due	0	0
Current	28,866	25,548
Total loans	$ 28,866	$ 25,548