South-Carolina
Drought conditions spread across South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) – Recent hot and dry conditions have resulted in the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources upgrading all 46 of the states counties to some level of drought.
Charleston, Berkeley and Beaufort Counties are currently classified as incipient, while Dorchester and Colleton Counties are classified as moderate.
Hardest hit are 15 counties in the Pee Dee Region, including Williamsburg and Georgetown Counties, which have been upgraded from no drought to severe drought. State Climatologist Hope Mizzell said such an increase is unprecedented.
“The weather hasn’t exactly followed the rules over the last month,” Mizzell said. “We experienced a wet winter, a relatively wet spring and then June hit. The rain stopped and thermostat soared.”
Water levels in the Black River and the Little Pee Dee River are reaching critically low levels and conditions will continue to worsen without above normal rainfall in the coming weeks. Since early June, many parts of the state have received less than 2.5 inches of rain.
Joe Ghent, who represents the Pee Dee on the South Carolina Drought Response Committee, said most early planted corn in the region has been lost due to drought. The U.S. Farm Agency in South Carolina said many counties are looking at a 50 percent yield reduction in the corn crop.
If drought conditions continue, the 2024 cotton, soybean and peanut crops will also be affected.
High temperatures and low rainfall have also resulted in an increase in wildfire activity. Between June 1 and July 7, the South Carolina Forestry Commission responded to more than 200 wildfires, 77 percent higher than the state’s 10-year average.
The high number of fires is the result of the rapid evaporation of moisture in plants and soil due to elevated temperatures.
To prevent forest fires, the South Carolina Forestry Commission recommends that South Carolinians postpone outdoor burning whenever possible.
Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.
South-Carolina
Tessa Johnson injury update for Dawn Staley, South Carolina vs Kentucky
South Carolina women’s basketball starting guard Tessa Johnson was not listed on the injury report Feb. 28 for the Gamecocks’ final regular-season game at Kentucky.
Johnson was practicing on Feb. 27 after missing the 112-71 win over Missouri, but coach Dawn Staley wouldn’t confirm her status for the next game.
No. 3 South Carolina (28-2, 14-1) travels to play No. 18 Kentucky (21-8, 8-7 SEC) on March 1 (2 p.m. ET, SEC Network) to close the regular season.
South Carolina called it an “upper body contusion” on social media not long after she was listed as out on the SEC injury report that published an hour before tipoff vs Missouri.
Staley joked that media would post on social media that Johnson was practicing with the starters, setting the tone that she isn’t hiding the latest on Johnson’s health.
Johnson is a junior guard averaging 13.1 points and 3.5 rebounds. She leads the SEC in 3-point shooting at 45.5%, which is also eighth in the nation.
Johnson struggled in her two most recent games. She went combined 2-of-13 for six points against Alabama and Ole Miss, just after going 8-of-13 for 21 points against LSU.
Staley said sophomore reserve post/center Adhel Tac is day to day dealing with a lower leg injury. Tac hasn’t played since Feb. 5. She’s still using a medical scooter to move around and has been sitting out practices. She was listed as out again vs Kentucky.
Tessa Johnson injury update, status for Kentucky
The Wildcats have talented guards who can score and defend, in addition to post players like 6-foot-5 center Clara Strack, who averages 16.4 points and 10.2 rebounds. Tonie Morgan scores 14.4 points and dishes a nation-high 8.3 assists a game.
Johnson is third in the nation in 3-point shooting at 45.5%. By posing a threat behind the arc, players like Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot get more action in the paint.
Raven Johnson hit a career-high four 3-pointers against Missouri and Maddy McDaniel drained two, but there’s no denying how much Johnson elevates the offense.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
South-Carolina
Men’s Golf Visits South Carolina for Colleton River Collegiate
BLUFFTON, S.C. – Kentucky men’s golf begins the month of March at the Colleton River Collegiate this Sunday and Monday at Colleton River Club (par 72, 7403 yards).
UK joins a 15-team field for the 54-hole event, which will consist of 36 holes of continuous play on Sunday, followed by 18 holes on Monday. An 8 a.m. shotgun start will kick things off on Sunday, while Monday’s final round will begin with another shotgun start, this time at 7:45 a.m.
UK is paired with Indiana, Kansas State and Ohio State for the first day of play.
The Wildcats will utilize the same starting five, albeit in a different order, as was featured at the Watersound Invitational just two weeks ago. There, the Cats finished seventh in a loaded field and found themselves as high as third place during the final nine holes.
Sophomore Jacob Settles had the best showing of his collegiate career, finishing tied for seventh at 5-under par, while senior captain Jack Schoenberger had his highest finish of the season, placing tied for 14th at 2-under.
Jacob Lang, Luke Coyle and Cole Stockard will complete UK’s starting five alongside Settles and Schoenberger, the fourth time in six events the Wildcats have featured this starting unit.
Freshman Cameron Phillips will tee it up as an individual once again after an impressive showing in the same role at the Watersound where he tied for 29th and had two rounds under par.
Fans can follow along with live scoring on the Scoreboard Powered by Clippd website.
Kentucky Lineup:
- Jack Schoenberger: Senior, Alpharetta, Ga
- Jacob Lang: Sophomore, Alvaton, Ky.
- Jacob Settles: Sophomore, Winchester, Ky
- Luke Coyle: Junior, Campbellsville, Ky.
- Cole Stockard: Freshman, Dalton, Ga.
Ind. Cameron Phillips: Freshman, Portsmouth, Ohio
Competing Schools (15): Chattanooga, Cincinnati, ETSU, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Kentucky, Memphis, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers
For the latest on UK Men’s Golf follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram @UKmensgolf, and online at ukathletics.com.
South-Carolina
Biden visits Columbia, thanks SC Democrats for 2020 primary support
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Former President Joe Biden spoke Friday at the Columbia Art Museum in downtown Columbia at an event hosted by the South Carolina Democratic Party to honor his more than 50 years with the party and to mark his 2020 South Carolina Democratic primary victory.
Biden entered the South Carolina primary having lost Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. His win in the state gave his campaign momentum heading into the rest of the primary calendar.
“People in this room brought my campaign back from the brink — a lot of pundits, people in the press had given up on me,” Biden said.
Biden said South Carolina’s support was central to his path to the presidency.
“If I could just get to South Carolina I could win the nomination, and I knew if I won the nomination I’d win the presidency because I knew what Bill Clinton and Barack Obama knew before me — South Carolina picks presidents,” Biden said.
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said Biden’s performance in the state went beyond a primary win.
“Biden didn’t just win, he delivered,” Spain said.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., whose endorsement of Biden ahead of the 2020 primary was a key moment in the campaign, attended the event. Clyburn praised Biden’s record of public service.
“There is no American ever who has demonstrated through his service more substance — and I might add sustenance — than Joseph Robinette Biden,” Clyburn said.
Biden also directed remarks at the current Trump administration and called on Democrats to turn out for November’s midterm elections to help flip the House or Senate.
“There’s no time to give up — it’s time to get up, get up, get up, continue to fight,” Biden said.
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Copyright 2026 WIS. All rights reserved.
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