South-Carolina

Atlanta man arrested after driving nearly 3 hours to take down Confederate flag in SC: Officials

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2024

Atlanta man arrested after driving nearly 3 hours to take down Confederate flag in SC: Officials

An Atlanta man is facing a trespassing charge after authorities said he drove nearly three hours to South Carolina to vandalize a Confederate flag.

The incident happened on Saturday in Spartanburg, South Carolina, about 33 miles northeast of Greenville, according to a document filed by the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Someone called the sheriff’s office that day about trespassing on Interstate 85 southbound at the 76 mile marker, the document reads. A deputy arrived and spoke to a witness who said the 23-year-old man climbed a fence and tried to lower a Confederate flag.

The deputy spoke to the man, who admitted he climbed the fence because he does not agree with the Confederate flag.

The deputy said the man also had tools such as a Dremel and drill bits.

The deputy wrote there are “no trespassing” signs along the fence that the man climbed over, adding that a day before the flag incident, someone vandalized the same Confederate flag.

When the deputy asked the man if he had been on the property that Friday night, he said he had not. He did, however, admit to driving from Atlanta to Spartanburg County to lower the flag.

“Daniel was very upfront and cooperative during questioning,” the deputy wrote.

The man was arrested, taken to jail and issued a ticket for trespassing.

“The tools and Daniels cell phone were seized for evidence purposes for both the trespassing and vandalism,” the deputy wrote.

The flag was originally erected by the Sons of Confederate Veterans in 2022, according to television station Fox 5 Atlanta. The organization’s Spartanburg chapter owns the property.

The meaning of the Confederate flag

The Confederate flag was flown during the Civil War when the following states separated themselves from the nation in the defense of slavery: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Today, while the flag represents racism to some Americans, others recognize it as a sign of their heritage.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

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South-Carolina

Introducing USC’s Storm Stop & Shake Cheer Club!

Published

6 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Press Room

Introducing USC’s Storm Stop & Shake Cheer Club!

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – The University of South Carolina now has a club stomp and cheer team, the first club of its kind at the college.

Our Billie Jean Shaw went live outside the WIS News station with Captains Anaiya and Tiana to discuss the start and organization of the Storm Stomp and Shake cheer team!

The group also showed glimpses of their dancing with a live performance!

Watch the performance below:

The University of South Carolina now has a club stomp and cheer team, the first club of its kind at the college.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.

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South-Carolina

South Carolina vs UConn prediction, analysis, Final Four expert picks for women’s March Madness

Published

1 day ago

April 1, 2026

Press Room

South Carolina vs UConn prediction, analysis, Final Four expert picks for women’s March Madness

The women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament continues with Final Four action Friday as No. 1 South Carolina and No. 1 UConn battle for a spot in the national championship

USA TODAY Sports’ college basketball experts have analyzed all the angles and determined a path to victory for each side. Here’s everything you need to know — including how to watch, betting odds and analysis — before the Final Four matchup tips off.

Stay up to date with USA TODAY’s team of journalists covering the women’s NCAA Tournament throughout the 68-team dance.

South Carolina will win Final Four game vs UConn if…

Mitchel Northam: The Gamecocks have to own the glass, make their 3-pointers and try to get Sarah Strong in a bit of foul trouble.
Nancy Armour: Joyce Edwards is going to need to have the game of her life, offensively and defensively.
Meghan Hall: It keeps up the defensive pressure through 4 quarters; It slows down Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong
Heather Burns: if it locks down Azzi Fudd on defense and hold her to under double digits in scoring.

UConn will win Final Four game vs South Carolina if…

Mitchel Northam: If Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd can poke a few holes in South Carolinas defense and build an early lead, UConn might roll to a comfortable win.
Nancy Armour: So long as Sarah Strong isn’t in foul trouble or getting triple-teamed, I don’t see how UConn can be stopped.
Meghan Hall: It keeps South Carolina out of the paint; It slows down Raven Johnson and Joyce Edwards
Heather Burns: if they rebound and take care of the basketball.

South Carolina vs UConn: 1 Stat to watch

Mitchel Northam: There’s two areas in which UConn has shown some vulnerability this season: rebounding and defending the 3-pointer. South Carolina is elite in both areas, ranking fourth nationall in 3-point shooting percentage this season and inside the top 15 in seven different rebounding statistics.
Nancy Armour: Can Joyce Edwards keep Sarah Strong in check? She hasn’t been able to the first two times they’ve played.
Meghan Hall: Which team wins the turnover battle
Heather Burns: Point of turnovers. If UConn can lock down on defense and score in transition, they will win.

South Carolina vs UConn Final Four prediction

Mitchel Northam: South Carolina
Nancy Armour: UConn
Meghan Hall: UConn
Heather Burns: UConn
Cydney Henderson:

1 South Carolina vs 1 UConn

Opening Moneyline: UConn (-305), South Carolina (+245)
Opening Spread: UConn (-6.5)
Opening Total: 136.5

How to Watch South Carolina vs UConn in the Final Four

No. 1 South Carolina takes on No. 1 UConn at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3 at 7:00 PM The game is airing on ESPN.

Stream March Madness on Fubo

2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament full schedule

March 18-19: First Four
March 20-21: First Round
March 22-23: Second Round
March 27-28: Sweet 16
March 29-30: Elite 8
April 3: Final Four
April 5: National Championship

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South-Carolina

Rom Reddy shares his vision for the governor’s office

Published

2 days ago

April 1, 2026

Press Room

Rom Reddy shares his vision for the governor’s office

Businessman Rom Reddy has joined the Republican primary race for South Carolina governor.
Reddy positions himself as a political outsider, contrasting with what he calls the “ruling class.”
His campaign priorities include eliminating the state income tax and increasing the governor’s executive authority.
Reddy is self-funding his campaign and will not accept donations or seek endorsements.

Editor’s note: The Greenville News invited all current gubernatorial candidates to a sit-down interview on their campaigns and plans for the governor’s office.

Rom Reddy, founder of DOGE SC, became the latest Republican to join the governor’s race on March 16.

He said what sets him a part from other candidates is that he is not a part of the “ruling class,” a term he uses to describe political figures who have held power for many years. His competitors in the Republican primary race are U.S. Reps. Ralph Norman, District 5, and Nancy Mace, District 1, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, and State Sen. Josh Kimbrell, Spartanburg.

Reddy recently sat down with The Greenville News for a conversation on why he thinks he is the right candidate for office.

Who is Rom Reddy?

Rom Reddy is an Isle of Palms businessman who became a political figure in South Carolina after launching DOGE SC, a political action committee modeled after the federal government’s Department of Government Efficiency.

In his early career, Reddy worked for Exxon Chemical after graduating from the Wharton Business School. According to the candidate, he held several different positions within the company before becoming the general manager of a joint Exxon and Dow Chemical venture.

He said he ended up buying the Exxon facility in Summerville, South Carolina with a business partner — launching his start as an entrepreneur.

“After that I built businesses, sold businesses (and) started businesses,” Reddy said, noting that the companies he has built or restructured focus on manufacturing, artificial turf and packaging.

Reddy’s career shifted to politics when he launched DOGE SC in 2025. According to Reddy, DOGE SC was in part born out of a property rights issue over the construction of a seawall on his Isle of Palms beachfront home. Reddy is involved in an ongoing legal dispute about the legality of a seawall he built on his property.

“It just kind of evolved from there,” Reddy said. “It just caught fire and kept growing and growing and growing.”

Making the decision to run for governor

Reddy said he was not planning on running for the governor’s office, but he felt compelled to enter the race after not seeing a candidate emerge that supported the DOGE SC agenda. According to DOGE SC’s website, the organization’s goal is to advance causes like eliminating the state’s income tax, reduce the number of state agencies, and remove the legislature’s ability to elect judges.

“The last thing I want to do was be in political office,” Reddy said.

The Lowcountry businessman decided to enter the race on March 16, the start of the candidate filing period in South Carolina. He describes his opponents as part of a “ruling class” that has been in power for a long time, saying that he offers something “different” to South Carolinians.

“I felt like someone from the outside need to be in to really make change in the state,” Reddy said. “No one stepped in, so finally we said we’re going to step in.”

Stance on endorsements and campaign donations

Reddy said upon launching his gubernatorial campaign that he will not accept campaign donations and will not make plays for endorsements. He believes accepting campaign donations from large political action committees feeds into corruption in politics.

“It just corrupts the whole process.”

As for endorsements, Reddy said he cannot control who voices their support for his campaign, but he won’t be pushing for any candidate’s endorsements.

“Why would I want an elected official telling you how to vote for another elected official?” Reddy said, remarking that voters should make the decision on who to vote for themselves based on a candidate’s policy stance. “We shouldn’t dumb the process down.”

Top issues and campaign priorities

Many of Reddy’s policies reflect the DOGE SC platform, including phasing out the state’s income tax and changing the state’s process for electing judges. Reddy also wants to give the governor more executive authority in the state, which is an agenda point that sets him apart from other Republican candidates.

To give the governor more power, Reddy wants to create a cabinet under the governor’s oversight that would take over some of the responsibilities of state agencies. He also wants to create an Office of the Citizen for a direct line of communication between South Carolinians and the governor.

“We’ve got to reassert executive authority,” Reddy said.

Other agenda points focus on boosting the state’s education, infrastructure, crime rates and median family income. To improve the state’s road conditions, the candidate wants to create a South Carolina Department of Transportation commissioner position, which would be governor-appointed. He also wants to limit the number of state-owned roads and cut SCDOT regulations.

“We keep doing the same thing over and over again and look where it’s gotten us.”

Who else is in the race?

Reddy is running against Evette, Norman, Wilson, Kimbrell and Mace in the Republican gubernatorial primary. There are also three Democratic candidates competing for their party’s nomination: Greenville businessman and former Bill Clinton staffer Billy Webster, State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, Richland, and Charleston attorney Mullins McLeod.

The South Carolina primary election is June 9,. Whoever wins the Republican and Democrat nominations will face off in the general election on Nov. 3.

Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com

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