Latest News & Updates

Updated data regarding COVID-19 from the South Carolina Hospital Association. see data

"Over the next two weeks, two free Covid-19 (viral, not antibody) testing events will be held by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) on Hilton Head Island." read more

The $562 million of new paving includes projects in all of the state’s 46 counties and is in addition to the $1.3 billion of road, bridge and safety project work SCDOT is currently implementing. Paving the state’s roads is the largest of the 10-Year Plan’s four programs, which include rural road safety, replacing or repairing bridges, and Interstate widening. read more

The last thing anyone wants to think about is Hurricane Season, but planning ahead of time is so important. This 2020 guide from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division has a ton of useful information to have on hand, including what you need in order to evacuate with your pets, evacuation routes (go ahead and save them in your phone), emergency contact numbers + more. click here for guide

″I think the people have spoken. I think they like the fact that we have a piece of a strong delegation and they like the results,” he said. read more

A comprehensive strategy that provides testing for this novel virus and will enable us to prevent spread of this disease with emphasis in testing in underserved areas, addressing hotspots, and tracking progression of this highly contagious virus. read more

Updates on what's happening in the Legislature this week, as well as news and local issues, including: absentee voting, COVID-19 funding, military spouses + more. read more

“The measure allows any qualified South Carolina voter to vote absentee either by mail or in person at county election offices. The state typically requires that absentee voters meet certain requirements such as being age 65 or older, having a disability or caring for someone who is ill." read more

Gov. McMaster has appointed Sen. Tom Davis to serve on an advisory group called accelerateSC. Its purpose is to consider and recommend economic revitalization plans for SC in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. read more

Physicians at the MUSC Health University Medical Center successfully infused their first COVID-19 patient with convalescent plasma on April 18. The patient is the first person in the Lowcountry and only the second person in South Carolina to receive this investigational therapy, which took place less than 24 hours after the blood product was provided by a compatible donor. Read More

SBA is collecting the requested information in order to make a loan under SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program to the qualified entities listed in this application that are impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The information will be used in determining whether the applicant is eligible for an economic injury loan. If you do not submit all the information requested, your loan cannot be fully processed. SEE ASSISTANCE

As always, many thanks to those responding to last week’s column. My comments on the preliminary budget were such that we had no less than a dozen folks check out the “to be debated” budget from the office. That document is the one we are currently debating. I am more than a little interested in what the comments are when the preliminary budgets are returned. Read More

Longtime Republican incumbent Bill Herbkersman has filed for reelection. Read More 

The House’s budget-writing committee included $100,000 for a new dementia coordinator at the Department on Aging who would seek federal funding for services.“It’s such a devastating thing for so many families, and we see more and more of it as the population in South Carolina ages,” said Rep. Bill Herbkersman, a Beaufort Republican who chairs the Ways and Means’ health care subcommittee. Read More