Dolly, who died Tuesday at 80, was beloved across cultural boundaries: by conservative Southern Christians, who appreciated her faith; feminists, who admired her independence; country-music traditionalists, who loved her music; and members of the LGBTQ community, who were grateful for her support.

It is often said offhandedly, as though it explains why some people struggle while others do not. Beneath the phrase is an assumption that poverty reflects something about a person’s willingness to work, and perhaps even something about their character. The neighbor facing eviction, the mother at the food pantry, or the man sleeping beneath the overpass are not victims of circumstance. In this telling, they are simply living with the consequences of their own choices.

Flock cameras accumulate information into databases that generally have no bearing on one's criminal intent or activities for upwards of a month at a time. While police officers already have access to people's vehicle information when investigating a traffic violation or alleged criminal activity, Flock goes beyond that and collects details about everyone's vehicles despite those individuals not having been suspected or accused of any criminal activity.

Dr. Annie Andrews, the best candidate for US Senate to replace the late Lindsey Graham. She’s a pediatrician with an impressive record serving families in her community, testament to her ideal of service and strong integrity, seeded in good, solid values

That admonition is necessary, but also faintly unnerving. AnMed has offered little more than the standard language of institutional regret — the sort of statement that promises concern without quite yielding information — and has said almost nothing about when the attack will be resolved, how many patients have been affected (and how), or what surgeries and treatments may have been delayed in the process.

The consequences are dire. Inaccessible care in rural areas is linked to worse health outcomes, with life expectancy varying up to fifteen years depending on ZIP code. With nearly half of the state’s rural hospitals operating in the red, rural communities need serious investment in health infrastructure.

The South Carolina senator, who died July 11 at the age of 71, belonged to two of Washington’s most famous “gangs”: the bipartisan Gang of 14 and the Gang of Eight. Their mission wasn’t political warfare but political problem-solving.

You’ve seen it by now. It bears a sweeping claim: “Where the Revolutionary War Was Won.”

Allow me to propose a modest amendment.

The plate should really read: “Upstate South Carolina: Where the Revolutionary War Was Won.”

The Commissioner of Agriculture should be a farmer, not a government bureaucrat who talks farming. This job requires someone who understands the challenges facing producers because they have faced those same challenges themselves.

The date was not chosen by accident. Juneteenth endured as the holiday’s name because it captured both the historical moment and the long struggle behind it

Wilson’s record speaks for itself from public safety, legal and constitutional defense, human trafficking and child protection, as well as military leadership. He led the charge for passage of Ashley Hall bill and Emma’s law regarding safety, he augmented the Human Trafficking Task Force. Alan took on the issue of illegal immigrant with gusto, he fought the overreach of the federal government. Wilson’s office led the charge to tackle human trafficking.

Among the most striking were social media posts featuring candidates posing with military-style rifles, firing weapons at shooting ranges or otherwise presenting themselves as warriors in the nation’s ongoing cultural battles. For many South Carolinians, such displays represent independence, constitutional liberty and support for the Second Amendment. For others, particularly victims of gun violence, they communicate something quite different.

During the early election cycle I saw at least two candidates within 10 feet of the door of the Anderson County Board of Registrations and Elections office downtown shaking hands and talking to folks on their way to vote.

If any Democrat can win in November, it is Jermaine…not because of money or skin color, but because hope can and has trumped fear countless times throughout our nation’s short history.

"Neither my conscience nor common sense will allow me to stop an election that is already underway," said Cash. "I understand the anger and frustration that we could not pass our redistricting bill any faster, but the rule of law is the bedrock principle of our constitutional republic and, I'll emphasize, it is also a bedrock principle of conservatism."

Pastures tended by farming families for generations are being surveyed and staked. The announcement signs go up first, rendered in the optimistic typography of the developer’s imagination: “Coming Soon. New Homes from the Low $300s. A Community Built for You.” What those signs do not say, and are not required to say, is what was there before.

I have been blessed as the County Council District 7 Representative for many years yet would like to say that I have no vested interest in any data centers or their supporting internet businesses. I am not a salesperson supporting internet services, and rely only on real educated experiences to influence my decisions. With limited studies, concerns for environmental impacts, exorbitant water and electric needs, and the current public outcry, I would certainly vote AGAINST Data Centers in Anderson County.

Only a few days after the United States Supreme Court’s decision Louisiana to redraw districts, essentially killing the 1965 Voting Rights Act, South Carolina seems poised to eliminate the one Black voice in its delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, echoing the words of George Wallace standing on the steps of the University of Alabama and Lester Maddox handing out pickaxes to the KKK, had this to say in defense of the decision: “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”

Our schools have always been the heartbeat of our community. They are the places where our children find their voices, our athletes find their grit, and our future leaders discover their spark. However, to keep that heart beating strongly, we must occasionally take a hard look at the foundation upon which we are building.