Government

Columbia, South Carolina—On Wednesday evening, Governor Henry McMaster will give his yearly State of the State address at the South Carolina State House, highlighting the year's top legislative goals. Proposals to raise the minimum pay for state teachers to $50,000 and lower the state income tax rate to 6% are two anticipated themes for the upcoming fiscal year. In his speech last year, McMaster criticized labor unions while highlighting South Carolina's robust economy, budget surplus, and fast population growth. Given that McMaster officially became the longest-serving governor in South Carolina history on Wednesday, this year's speech has extra meaning. Due to the extra time he served after former Governor Nikki Haley resigned in 2017 to take a position as U.S. Ambassador to the United N...

(WNY News Now) Amid worries over a $3 trillion freeze, Governor Kathy Hochul promises legal action and bipartisan cooperation to safeguard New York's federal money. In response to a government directive that threatens to freeze $3 trillion in federal funds, Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statement addressing common concerns: Millions of New Yorkers have expressed their concerns that this unprecedented action would defund their local law enforcement agencies, deny them access to health care, prevent them from repairing roads and bridges, and much more in the hours since the federal government released its memo threatening to cut $3 trillion in federal funding. The federal government promised New York this money, and they have to fulfill their half of the agreement. In order to make sure tha...

With notable accomplishments in employment, labor force participation, and job development, South Carolina ended 2024 on a positive note. The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) reports that December witnessed a record number of residents employed, the greatest labor force in the state's history, and a continuous decline in the unemployment rate. Employment Trends Show Positive Growth According to the December seasonally adjusted employment statistics, there were 2,417,169 South Carolinians working, which is 4,580 more than in November 2024 and an astounding 21,742 more than in December 2023. The labor force of the state, which comprises those who are employed and those who are actively looking for work, increased by 2,583 over the previous month to 2,536,654. The labor fo...

As part of ongoing construction projects headed by United Blythe Joint Venture (UBJV), the City of Tega Cay has announced significant adjustments to traffic patterns on I-77 and the interchange at SC 160. The modifications, which are scheduled to start on Sunday, January 26, are a component of Phase 2 of the construction project and are intended to enhance safety and traffic flow. In the upcoming week, drivers should be ready for lane closures and changes to traffic patterns. Timetable of Modifications: 1. Phase 2 will begin on Sunday, January 26th, when southbound traffic on I-77 will move to the outside shoulder. 2. The new I-77 Northbound on-ramp will open to traffic on Monday night, January 27. 3. As part of the next phase, traffic on I-77 Northbound will move to the outside shoulder o...

Wesley Keith Zimmer, 30, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was arrested on January 24, 2025, on several offenses pertaining to child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. As part of their continued efforts to prevent online crimes against children, the South Carolina Attorney General's Office and local law enforcement conducted a collaborative investigation that led to the arrest. Among the charges against Zimmer are CSAM manufacturing, distribution, and possession. Evidence from the investigation revealed that the person had been exposed to explicit content online that showed children. Numerous illicit files were discovered when authorities confiscated electronic equipment from Zimmer's home for forensic examination. The case emphasizes how ...

Columbia, S.C. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) and Lt. Governor Pamela Evette honored a number of York County local governments and organizations today for their successful cooperation in watershed planning and protection. The Watershed Evaluation Team (WET) delegates were given SCDES' Power of Partnerships Award by Lt. Governor Evette and SCDES Interim Director Myra Reece. Stakeholders from several York County governments, including the City of York, York County, the City of Rock Hill, the Catawba Regional Council of Governments, the Catawba Indian Nation, the City of Fort Mill, and the City of Tega Cay, make up WET, a working group. In order to better understand and manage York County's water resources, these stakeholders came together in 2022 to form WE...

COLUMBIA, S.C. National Maternal Health Awareness Day is Thursday, Jan. 23, and the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is emphasizing the need to understand and address the causes of maternal deaths, most of which are preventable. In the US, South Carolina has the eighth-highest maternal death rate. South Carolina's overall pregnancy mortality rates decreased by 16.3% in 2020. But Black women now die at four times the rate of white women, widening the racial inequity gap. During the year following birth, when new moms experience a range of mental and physical upheavals, many of these deaths take place. Danielle Wingo, Director of the DPH Bureau of Maternal and Child Health, said, "It's encouraging to see a decline in pregnancy-related deaths in our state, as we did in 2...

(WNY News Now) The constitutional restrictions on federal attempts to seize state and local law enforcement for immigration enforcement have been confirmed by New York Attorney General Letitia James and ten other state attorneys general. NEW YORK In response to a memo from a Trump political appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice regarding state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement, New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Rob Bonta led a coalition of 11 attorneys general in releasing a joint statement: Long-standing Supreme Court decisions have established that the U.S. Constitution forbids the federal government from occupying states in order to impose federal laws. The court decided in Printz v. United States that the federal go...

(WNY News Now) New York Attorney General Letitia James reiterates the state's commitment to defending immigrant rights while denouncing the latest immigration enforcement memo from the U.S. Department of Justice. The U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) memo urging state and local law enforcement agencies to support federal immigration enforcement activities was sharply criticized by New York Attorney General Letitia James. As an effort by the federal government to coerce state and local officials into approving mass deportations, James denounced the letter. Attorney General James stated that the President is attempting to compel state and local governments to carry out his mass deportations. We will not allow New York to be coerced into breaching the law in order to keep a campaign pledge...

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace has declared that she is giving running for governor of her state significant consideration in 2026. Mace, who has served as the representative for South Carolina's 1st District since 2020, feels that her background in the state legislature and her solid connections in Washington have equipped her for this possible run for governor. Mace highlighted her dedication to conservative values and her goal of having a big influence at the state level in a recent interview. She has been an outspoken advocate for President Donald Trump and intends to run for governor with his support. Mace's popularity among social conservatives has been enhanced by her support of Trump and her positions on important social issues, like as her resolution prohibiti...