SOUTH CAROLINA (WPDE) — South Carolina’s 2025-2026 shellfish harvesting season will close May 27 at one-half hour after sunset, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

The closure includes oysters, clams, mussels and other bivalves from state and public shellfish grounds.

Officials said the seasonal shutdown is due to warmer water temperatures, which can increase bacteria levels and make shellfish unsafe to eat.

Recreational harvesting will remain closed through the summer and is expected to reopen Oct. 1.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will continue its Oyster Recycling and Enhancement program year-round, collecting shells to help rebuild oyster reefs. Volunteers can also take part in summer reef restoration projects, which support water quality and marine habitats.

For more information about shellfish harvesting regulations, click here.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – A new poll from The Trafalgar Group offers an early snapshot of the Republican primary field in South Carolina’s race for governor.

The survey of 1,089 likely Republican primary voters was conducted May 2 to May 5 and lists a 2.9 percentage-point margin of error.

Who leads

In the poll’s test ballot, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette drew 25.2 percent support, followed by Attorney General Alan Wilson 23.1% percent.

The next tier included U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman 19.6 percent and U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace 15.2 percent.

The remaining candidates were Rom Reddy 10.1 percent, state Sen. Josh Kimbrell 4.2 percent and Jacqueline Dubose 2.7 percent.

What to know

Poll results can change quickly as campaigns ramp up, endorsements are made and more voters tune in.

The Trafalgar Group said the poll was conducted among likely GOP primary voters with a 95 percent confidence level.

What’s next

FOX Carolina will continue tracking new polling, endorsements and candidate announcements as the 2026 election cycle unfolds.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with FOX Carolina. For more free content like this, download our apps.

A former college football star is now fighting cancer at 38 years old.

Stephen Garcia, a quarterback for four years at South Carolina, revealed on social media Wednesday that he was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer.

A GoFundMe page, organized by his wife Maria that has already garnered nearly $100K in donations, said that after a trip to the emergency room and multiple imaging tests, Garcia was diagnosed with cancer and was set to begin chemotherapy. He is now on an “aggressive” track, and “he will be meeting with specialized liver and colon surgeons to determine the next steps in his treatment plan.”

Garcia took to Facebook to share the GoFundMe link and said he is confident he will be able to overcome the diagnosis.

“Wasn’t overly excited to share this news but it is what it is. We have a great team of doctors and staff that’s confident we can beat this! It’s the only option,” he wrote. “If there’s one lesson to be learned, get checked and don’t be afraid to visit the doctors office when you don’t feel 100%.”

He later thanked everyone for their support on his Instagram story.

Garcia had a prolific career with the Gamecocks, throwing for 7,597 yards and 49 touchdowns. In 2009, as a sophomore, he led the SEC with 239 completions before throwing a career-high 3,059 yards with 20 touchdowns during the next campaign, as South Carolina finished at No. 22 in the final poll of the season.

His 20 wins rank tied for third-most in program history. Garcia later spent time in the CFL, AFL and AAF after his college football days.

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said he is “praying” for the former QB.

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“I talked to Stephen about an hour ago, actually, and he was in great spirits,” Beamer said Wednesday in Columbia, according to The State. “Then texting back and forth since we talked on the phone about an hour ago and told him to attack this thing with the same mindset that he’s attacked everything going back to when he was a player here and still is now as a human being.

“Told him I got his back, and we all have his back. Just praying hard for him right now.”