South-Carolina
Duke University Offering Free Tuition For North And South Carolina Families Earning Below $150,000

Topline
Duke University will offer full tuition grants to undergraduate students from North Carolina and South Carolina whose families meet certain income restrictions beginning this fall, the university announced Tuesday, as the cost of college education in the U.S. continues to skyrocket.
Duke University will begin offering full tuition grants to undergraduate students whose annual … [+]
Barbara Alper/Getty
Key Facts
Students from the Carolinas whose annual family incomes are $150,000 or less will be eligible for the grants, the university said.
Duke will also offer financial assistance for housing, meals and course materials to students from the Carolinas with family incomes of $65,000 or less—eliminating the need for student loan assistance for university costs on top of tuition.
The new aid—which will be funded through unspecified university resources—will be available to eligible undergraduate students from the Carolinas who are currently enrolled at Duke, as well as future students.
Undergraduate tuition for the 2023-2024 school year is $31,725 per semester or $63,500 for the year, according to the university’s website.
Big Number
340. That’s how many students Duke University expects will benefit from the program in the next academic year. The university had just over 6,500 undergraduate students in fall 2022, with more than 1,100 of them North Carolina residents—about 16% of the undergraduate student population. The university said another 160 students from the 2022-23 academic year were from South Carolina.
What To Watch For
The university predicted it will enroll more eligible students from the Carolinas in the next five years. In the upcoming school year, Duke will increase grant assistance by about $2 million and will likely invest an additional $6 million to $7 million per year to help meet the increased need in the next five years.
Key Background
Tuesday’s announcement comes at a time when university tuition costs continue to rise. Tuition and fees at private national universities have jumped 134% and out-of-state tuition and fees at public national and state have risen 141%, according to U.S. News & World Report. The average cost of one year of tuition at a private university is $44,433, nearly $20,000 less than at Duke. Meanwhile, millions of borrowers are awaiting a Supreme Court decision on whether they could receive up to $20,000 in debt relief under President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. The program has been on hold since last August due legal challenges and the court is expected to decide in late June or early July whether to uphold or strike down the proposal.
Further Reading
A Look at College Tuition Growth Over 20 Years (U.S. News & World Report)

South-Carolina
Feds Arrest South Carolina State Lawmaker RJ May – FITSNews

South Carolina state representative RJ May III – the focus of an ongoing federal child pornography investigation – was taken into custody by federal and state law enforcement agents on Wednesday afternoon (June 11, 2025) outside of his West Columbia, S.C. home.
May – clad in a white t-shirt and gym shorts – was handcuffed and placed in the black of a black Nissan Titan truck accompanied by a pair of Chevy Suburbans shortly before 5:00 p.m. EDT. The convoy departed from his neighborhood to whereabouts unknown.
May’s wife, Beth May, was present during her husband’s arrest – pacing the sidewalk outside their home and appearing to record or photograph what was transpiring on her cell phone.
News of May’s arrest was exclusively reported by FITSNews‘ Andy Fancher. It comes less than two weeks after we reported his arrest was “imminent.”
***
??EXCLUSIVE: SOUTH CAROLINA REP. TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
?Lexington County, South Carolina
Disgraced South Carolina Rep. R.J. May III was taken into custody on a federal arrest warrant shortly before 5 p.m. EDT Thursday at his West Columbia home.
According to sources, May has been… pic.twitter.com/Awm0NeySbp
— Andrew Fancher (@RealAndyFancher) June 11, 2025
***
“According to sources familiar with its progression, criminal indictments against the conservative lawmaker are indeed ‘imminent’ – with May likely to be arrested and indicted on multiple counts related to this inquiry ‘before the end of spring,’” we reported on May 30.
May, 38, originally of Newport News, Virginia, is the former vice chairman and top political strategist of the S.C. Freedom Caucus. As of this writing, he is the elected representative for S.C. House District 88 in Lexington County. However, once May is indicted on a crime of “moral turpitude,” he will be automatically suspended from office per the S.C. Code of Laws § 8-13-560.
That suspension would last until May “is acquitted, convicted, pleads guilty, or pleads nolo contendere.”
In the event of a conviction, the office is declared vacant and a special election ensues. In the event of an acquittal or dismissal of charges, the official “is entitled to reinstatement and back pay.”
***
While a warrant for May’s arrest was reportedly issued on Wednesday afternoon (June 11, 2025), our media outlet has not obtained a copy of the document detailing the charges against him – nor has any law enforcement agency associated with the investigation advised us as to the date or time of an arraignment.
We have received conflicting reports on the timing of May’s arraignment on the charges he is facing, with some reports suggesting he could appear before a federal judge as soon as 10:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday (June 12, 2025).
As FITSNews first reported last summer, federal and state law enforcement agents descended upon May’s West Columbia, S.C. home on the morning of August 5, 2024. Upon arrival, they executed a search warrant in connection with an ongoing federal investigation into child sex abuse materials (CSAM, a.k.a. “child porn”).
Our media outlet subsequently confirmed the focus of the raid – and shortly thereafter confirmed that multiple devices had been seized in connection with it. We further confirmed that federal investigators with the special investigations unit (HSI) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were securing additional warrants which would enable them to search these devices.
***
RELATED | NANCY MACE SEEKS SANCTIONS OVER ‘ILLEGAL’ DEPOSITION
***
Assisting HSI in its inquiries were assets of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
Weeks later, federal prosecutors acknowledged being in possession of “various electronics identified as one Lenovo laptop, one Amazon tablet, four cell phones, four hard drives, four SD cards, two DVD-Rs and nineteen thumb drives” which were “seized by agents of (HSI) on August 5, 2024.”
Once indicted, the presumption of innocence applies to May as it applies to all defendants. He is considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system – or until such time as he may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to any of the charges filed against him.
This is a development story… please check back for updates.
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
***
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South-Carolina
SC lawmakers to take a closer look at modernizing, improving state roads

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – One of the issues South Carolina lawmakers say they hear about all the time from constituents is the shape of the state’s roads.
They have some ideas on how to improve them but want to first hear directly from South Carolinians on what challenges they face during their daily commutes.
It will be part of the work of a new committee at the State House, which will take a closer look at the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
House Speaker Murrell Smith, who established the new South Carolina Department of Transportation Modernization Ad Hoc Committee, said its formation is not meant to criticize SCDOT but to improve and modernize it.
“This job is not to fix potholes. This is not to widen roads. Those are all being done right now. But it’s to build a foundation for long-term growth, safety and opportunity,” Smith, (R–Sumter), said.
It comes as South Carolina’s growth shows no signs of stopping.
But its infrastructure has not always kept up.
“When our road system was built, it was probably built with 2.5 million to 3 million people in mind,” Smith said, compared to the approximately 5.5 million people estimated to now call South Carolina home. “We have 71,000 miles of state roads, being one of the largest road systems per capita in this whole country, and so we have a lot of challenges.”
Areas where the Speaker wants the committee to focus include congestion, permitting reform and SCDOT’s organizational structure.
He also wants them to figure out whether South Carolina needs to revisit its decades-old toll statute and look at how it raises money to fix infrastructure, including potential new resident fees and raising the registration fee that electric vehicle owners pay.
“I do not think that we need to raise the gas tax. We just came off the gas tax increase over the last few years. If you look at where South Carolina is in comparison to other states, we’re right in the middle,” Smith said.
Not mentioned was determining whether the state should turn over control of more roads to local governments.
Gov. Henry McMaster believes that question is worth taking a closer look.
“I think that’s a good idea,” McMaster told reporters. “The specifics would have to be determined, but as you know, we have in South Carolina seems like all our roads are state-owned roads. There are some very large states that don’t have as many miles of state highway miles.”
Over the months ahead, this committee will be traveling around the state and holding public hearings.
Its goal is to have legislation and recommendations ready by the time the full General Assembly reconvenes in Columbia next January.
In response to the committee’s formation, the South Carolina Department of Transportation said it has made significant progress since the passage of the landmark 2017 roads bill, which implemented an increase to the state’s gas tax, which funds infrastructure improvements.
Nearly $7 billion in road and bridge construction is underway now, according to SCDOT.
“We recognize that there is more work to do and we look forward to working with the Study Committee to build upon that progress. South Carolina has grown and changed tremendously and we are committed to delivering a transportation system that will serve our state for generations to come,” the agency said in a statement.
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South-Carolina
South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for June 9, 2025

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at June 9, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 9 drawing
30-33-40-43-52, Powerball: 25, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from June 9 drawing
Midday: 2-5-5, FB: 8
Evening: 7-8-9, FB: 7
Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from June 9 drawing
Midday: 4-8-6-5, FB: 8
Evening: 7-4-7-8, FB: 7
Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 9 drawing
Midday: 06
Evening: 04
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from June 9 drawing
09-20-24-33-36
Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from June 9 drawing
01-07-24-50-59, Powerball: 11
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:
For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.
Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.
SC Education Lottery
P.O. Box 11039
Columbia, SC 29211-1039
For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.
Columbia Claims Center
1303 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.
For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.
When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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