South-Carolina
In ruby red South Carolina, ‘like-minded’ Democrats to meet, mobilize at annual convention

Two key Democratic governors are coming to the Palmetto State to speak at the South Carolina Democratic Party’s annual two-day event in Columbia.
The 2025 event features Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who will speak May 30 at the Palmetto Blue Dinner and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz gives the keynote address May 31.
Christale Spain, the Democratic Party state chairperson, said Moore and Walz were chosen because of their growing national presence.
She said Moore stands out because of the work he’s doing in Maryland and his emergence as a young leader among Democrats. Walz was the Democratic Party’s 2024 vice presidential nominee on the ticket with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, the nominee for president.
The state party will select its officers for the upcoming year during the convention held at the state fairgrounds. Spain is running unopposed for chair.
Each county will also send delegates to the convention to represent their area’s interests. A total of 1,758 delegates will attend the convention.
Greenville County Democratic Party Chair Stacey Mars is attending the convention as one of the 180 delegates from Greenville County. Mars said that anyone who is a member of the state’s Democratic Party is eligible to serve as a delegate.
She said she is excited to see Spain’s reelection because the state chair has been an active presence in county party races since taking on the leadership position.
Mars said the convention is important because it helps anyone new to the party become familiar with its platform and candidates.
“We are in the minority, so it always helps being around like-minded individuals,” Mars said.
South Carolina’s Electoral College has voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election since 1980. Almost 60% of South Carolinians who voted in the 2024 election cast ballots for Donald Trump, according to the South Carolina Election Commission.
According to party officials, the weekend convention creates an important opportunity to strategize and expand the party’s base in the state.
Delegates will vote on the party’s resolution and convention rules for the year. This resolution report, written by the Platform and Resolutions Committee, outlines the party’s stance on key issues.
The committee report advocates for the passage or expansion of national legislation, such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act or the Affordable Care Act. It also addresses topics that the party wants to see addressed on the state level, including improved access to early childhood education and an expansion of Medicaid coverage.

South-Carolina
South Carolina Elections Commission deputy executive director fired after internal investigation

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – The deputy executive director for the South Carolina Elections Commission has been fired amid an ongoing SLED investigation.
According to a spokesperson from the elections commission, Paige Salonich was fired after an internal investigation was made into her conduct. She was initially suspended while the investigation was ongoing.
In Salonich’s termination letter, the elections commission said that she was caught by agency security cameras placing “an unauthorized device in the SEC training room a clear violation of state and agency policy,” on Sept. 17.
In the letter, the commission said that placing the unauthorized device “constitutes the unauthorized use and misuse of state property and raises serious concerns regarding trust, confidentiality, and workplace integrity.”
Salonich also allegedly used profane language and raised her voice at leadership on Sept. 17, saying that she “was being held hostage at you own (explicit language) job,” and that she “would never be a hostage in this (explicit language) place again,” per her termination letter.
Her termination comes after former Executive Director of the South Carolina Elections Commission, Howard Knapp, was also fired on Sept. 17.
SLED is currently investigating Salonich’s placement of the unauthorized device.
The full letter can be found below.
This is a developing story. Stay with WIS for the latest details.
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South-Carolina
Firefighter hospitalized after McDonald’s restaurant catches fire in South Carolina

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WBTV) – A firefighter was hurt after a McDonald’s restaurant caught fire in South Carolina on Tuesday.
The Sept. 23 fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. at the McDonald’s on Cedar Springs Road in Spartanburg, per sister-station WHNS.
The local fire marshal told WHNS that the injured firefighter was taken to the hospital, but was released later Tuesday morning. The nature and extent of the firefighter’s injuries were not immediately clear.
According to online information, that McDonald’s was open until 12 a.m. Despite the fire starting only a half hour after closing time, WHNS reported that nobody was inside the restaurant when flames broke out.
The fire marshal said the fire started in the restaurant’s HVAC system above the ceiling tiles. Drone video taken by WHNS appeared to show black marks on the McDonald’s roof; however, officials said the roof did not collapse.
Once the fire was put out, two paper signs were taped to the restaurant door. One said “CLOSED” while the other said “WARNING THIS BUILDING IS UNSAFE.” It is unclear how much damage was caused by the flames, or long the McDonald’s could be closed.
The restaurant is about 15 minutes off I-85 Business, on the southern side of Spartanburg.
Also Read: Historic train depot burns down amid early-morning fire in South Carolina
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Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.
South-Carolina
South Carolina High School Football Top 25

There wasn’t a lot of shakeup in the fourth. week of the 2025 season. We did see ac top five battle between Northwestern and South Pointe that produced a new No. 2 in Irmo. Two new additions to the Top 25 are A.C. Flora and Stratford.
Previous rank: 1
Defeated Gray Collegiate 42-14; next at Oceanside Collegiate
Previous rank: 3
Defeated Carolina Forest 51-21; next at Myrtle Beach
Previous rank: 4.
Defeated then-No. 2 Northwestern 27-23; next at No, 24 A.C. Flora
Previous rank: 5
Idle; next at Chapin
Previous rank: 2
Lost 27-23 to then-No. 4 South Pointe
Previous rank: 6
Defeated Strom Thurmond 37-13; next vs. Gilbert
Previous rank: 7
Defeated Westside 42-6; next vs, Palmetto
Previous rank: 8
Defeated North Myrtle Beach 53-14; next at Socastee
Previous rank: 10
Defeated Woodmont 48-6; next vs. Chesnee
Previous rank: 11
Defeated Lexington 36-30; next at T.L. Hanna
Previous rank: 12
Defeated Chapin 45-22; next vs. Fairfield Central
Previous rank: 13
Defeated Chester 34-14; next vs. Southside Christian
Previous rank: 14
Defeated Cane Bay 34-14; next at St. James
Previous rank: 16
Defeated Crestwood 28-0; next vs. Spring Valley
Previous rank: 17
Idle; next vs. Gray Collegiate
Previous rank: 19
Defeated Fort Dorchester 65-7; next vs. Crestwood
Previous rank: 20
Idle; next vs. Riverside
Previous rank: 21
Idle; next at Woodmont
Previous rank: 23
Defeated then-No. 9 Camden 56-13; next idle
Previous rank: 22
Idle; next at Cane Bay
Previous rank: 24
Idle; next vs. Boiling Springs
Previous rank: 25
Defeated Wren 40-27; next vs. Greenwood
Previous rank: 9
Lost 56-13 to Ridge View; next at Richland Northeast
Previous rank: unranked
Defeated Laurens 49-0; next vs. No. 3 South Pointe
Previous rank: unranked
Defeated Socastee 56-12; next vs. Colleton County
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