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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POLK COUNTY, Tenn. — More Tennesseans could soon be able to request library books be removed under a bill making its way through the General Assembly.

The new piece of legislation aims to expand an existing law that lets libraries choose who can submit requests for review of a book.

Friday we spoke with the chairman of the Polk County Library Board, who says he worries this legislation infringes upon First Amendment rights.

“There are groups that I feel that can take advantage of this process,” Timothy Woody says.

Chairman of the Polk County Library Board Timothy Woody says while this bill wouldn’t drastically change how Polk County operates, he’s concerned about how it could be used in other parts of Tennessee.

“Libraries all across the state of Tennessee, for lack of better terms, are being attacked in some areas. Groups are coming into libraries, and they’re trying to get books banned. They’re pushing these reconsideration forms over and over and over and trying to get books taken out of libraries.”

According to the American Library Association, book challenges reached record highs nationwide in 2022 and 2023 with Tennessee among the states reporting some of the highest numbers in recent years.

Teen reads book on floor of library. Getty Images.

In 2025, the University of Maryland says the top reasons for banning books had to do with content that was sexually explicit or inappropriate for certain age groups.

But a bill making it’s way through the Tennessee General Assembly would let any resident in any county to ask a library to “withdraw, move, or reclassify an item.”

That request would go before the library board, which then has 90 days to respond.

In Polk County, Woody says they currently operate under a collection development policy that lays out exactly how materials are selected and how they’re challenged.

Anyone requesting a review must fill out a reconsideration form detailing their concerns.

Woody says strong policies like Polk County’s are what protect libraries from outside pressure.

“Your library boards have to be open minded and non biased when it comes to any type of views…”

This issue is sparking concern on social media.

One user commenting on our Facebook post wrote, “If you don’t like a book, don’t read it.” Another called the proposal “a slippery slope.”

Woody says he understands those concerns.

“It is an infringement on our First Amendment rights.”

Although censorship is considered a First Amendment violation, some limitations are constitutionally permissible. According to Middle Tennessee State University, a court of law may take community standards into account when deciding whether materials are obscene and thus subject to censorship.

EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — A major change is coming to how vehicles are titled and registered in Texas, with local officials and border-area dealerships bracing for questions, delays and the possibility that some buyers could take their business out of state.

Beginning March 5, 2026, Texans applying for an original vehicle title and registration will need proof of identity and proof of legal status in the United States.

The Texas Motor Vehicle Board approved a new rule requiring county tax offices to verify that documentation before processing those transactions.

“If the person doesn’t have valid ID, we cannot register their vehicle,” said Ruben Gonzalez, the El Paso County tax assessor-collector.

Gonzalez said the rule is mandatory statewide and is not a local policy, but a state mandate he is required to follow as an agent of the DMV.

Under the rule, buyers must present a REAL ID-compliant Texas ID or other federally recognized documents, including a passport or permanent resident card.

Gonzalez said the rule takes effect March 5 for new titles and registrations, but proof of legal status for registration renewals will not be required until Jan. 1, 2027.

“We’re going to give a year’s time for those people to qualify, but more so to allow the entities, businesses like lean holders and dealers and the county offices to be trained on what’s an acceptable form of documentation to accept from people that are renewing online or in our offices,” Gonzalez said.

Destiny Venecia reports on Texas to require proof of identity and legal status for vehicle titles, registrations (Credit: KFOX14)

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Local dealerships said they are working to adapt, but some employees and customers are uneasy about the change.

Luis Fierro, president of the El Paso Hispanic Independent Automobile Dealer Association, said, “My personnel is a little bit scared to make a mistake. Within the dinner community, they’re all scared, they’re all lost in the system. They’re trying to figure out, as we all believe, an ID was a real ID. Now we find out that what we knew that was good to be used is no longer good.”

Border-area dealerships also worry customers could buy and register vehicles in New Mexico, taking taxes and fees out of Texas.

“Customers are scared of the new implementation, that they’re going to take their business to New Mexico, pay their taxes in New Mexico, and handle the registration and renewals in the state of New Mexico and avoid Texas,” Fierro said.

County leaders said the concern extends beyond lost sales to lost revenue for Texas counties.

“It’s going to be a loss of revenue because if they go to New Mexico, we can’t collect our fees that are due because they’re all they’re running using our highways,” Gonzalez said.

County officials said they expect an increase in questions and possible delays in the first few months after the rule takes effect March 5, 2026.

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