South-Carolina

Medical marijuana bill stuck in SC House as legislative work winds down

Published

2 years ago

May 1, 2024

Medical marijuana bill stuck in SC House as legislative work winds down

A yearslong effort to legalize marijuana strictly for medical use in South Carolina may have to wait another year.

There are less than two weeks left in the legislative session. As of Wednesday, that amounts to five days before lawmakers finish their work for the year.

And the bill championed by Republican Sen. Tom Davis that passed the Senate earlier this year remains stuck in a House committee.

“I intentionally, you know, got the Senate to move it up and move it quickly,” Davis told SC Public Radio. “It got passed out I think the first or second week in February to get it over to them in time. And, so, they’ve had over two months, and it’s just been sitting in committee. And, look, that is frustrating.”

Dubbed the “Compassionate Care Act,” the bill would only legalize marijuana for use in oils, patches, salves, and vaporizers.

It could only be prescribed by a doctor for certain uses. They include cancer, multiple sclerosis, sickle cell anemia, Crohn’s disease, neurological diseases, or disorders, like epilepsy, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Davis, a Beaufort-based senator, has advocated for medical cannabis use for a decade.

Two years ago, the Senate passed Davis’s proposal. The House threw it out on a technicality.

So, like in past years, Davis tightened the bill to appease wary colleagues.

“South Carolina is a more conservative state than California and New York and Illinois,” he said. “And, so, I don’t make any apologies for the fact that this is a very conservative, tightly regulated bill.”

Davis’ colleagues aren’t the only group the senator’s had to appease.

Most in law enforcement oppose it.

That includes State Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel.

“You know, I’ve heard some people say well, ‘Chief, we’ve got it in 33 other states, so what’s the difference?’ Well, we’re learning what’s happening in these 33 other states,” Keel testified last week at a S.C. House ad hoc committee. “We don’t have to be like them. South Carolina is different, and that’s why people are moving here, that’s why industry is coming here.”

In addition to his own warnings about the bill, Keel told lawmakers he might be willing to pull his opposition on one condition.

“The day that the FDA approves it, you’ll never see me downtown again. I’ll never be before another committee,” Keel testified.

There’s no way to say when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration might ever approve marijuana for medical use.

But Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that the Drug Enforcement Administration plans to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

It’s a huge policy shift that is sure to motivate proponents.

Supporters like Jeff Moore, the former 32-year director of the state’s Sheriff’s Association.

“It gave him a relief from the nightmares, the grief, the constant tears, and gave him a chance to put his life back together,” Moore told those same lawmakers last week about his son, a high school dropout who joined the Army at 18 and was deployed to Iraq.

Moore said he came home a different person after he witnessed the deaths of five friends and the death of a 6-year-old girl, killed by a grenade during a home search.

During a later deployment in South Korea, his son turned to alcohol.

That was his downfall, Moore said.

He moved to Michigan, where marijuana is legal, and was in and out of rehab.

Today he’s 36, married, holding a degree in psychology and sociology.

He now works with people who have substance abuse problems.

Moore credits his son’s turnaround in part to marijuana.

“He knows it because he’s been through it, he’s lived it and he’s come out the other end,” Moore testified through tears. “Wouldn’t you want that for your son? Wouldn’t you? I couldn’t be more proud of him. I couldn’t.”

Sen. Davis said that he’ll respect the outcome. He just wants to see a vote on the House floor.

If the bill fails to become law by May 9, it’ll have to be refiled next year.

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South-Carolina

South Carolina National Guard lifts suspensions for pilots in July Fourth flyover

Published

1 hour ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

South Carolina National Guard lifts suspensions for pilots in July Fourth flyover

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTV) – The South Carolina National Guard on Friday lifted the suspensions of eight pilots who took part in a July Fourth flyover.

Eight Apache helicopter pilots who flew in the 2026 Salute from the Shore event in Myrtle Beach on Saturday, July 4, were initially suspended by the National Guard. The agency said the suspensions stemmed from events that day, adding the nonpunitive safety measure was routine and not a disciplinary action.

South Carolina National Guard lifts suspensions for pilots in July Fourth flyover(Courtesy: WMBF)

In a July 10 news release, the Guard said it lifted the suspensions and praised the 59th Aviation Troop Command as an “exceptional helicopter unit, renowned throughout the Army and the National Guard for its unwavering commitment to excellence and soldier safety.”

“The subject events of July 4th are no exception, as our pilots remain deeply committed to excellence and the highest standards of safety,” Maj. Lisa Allen said in the release.

–> Also read: ‘Truly sickened’: Remains of missing South Carolina girl recovered; parents face additional charge

Allen did not specify what prompted the suspensions, but said returning the pilots to flight status would help the Guard maintain peak operational readiness.

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South-Carolina

South Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for July 9, 2026

Published

11 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

South Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for July 9, 2026

The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at July 9, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from July 9 drawing

Midday: 1-0-2, FB: 4

Evening: 7-2-5, FB: 5

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from July 9 drawing

Midday: 4-0-7-0, FB: 4

Evening: 7-5-7-0, FB: 5

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 9 drawing

Midday: 13

Evening: 02

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from July 9 drawing

05-11-23-25-39

Check Palmetto Cash 5 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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South-Carolina

SC is at the top for food waste in the nation. How you can make changes

Published

22 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

SC is at the top for food waste in the nation. How you can make changes

A recent study ranked South Carolina as the ninth most wasteful state in the nation, struggling with commercial, industrial, and household waste.
Food waste in the U.S. has a significant environmental impact, generating greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 37 million cars.

Each year, Americans discard nearly 60 million tons of food, the highest amount of any country in the world.

‘While the world wastes about 2.5 billion tons of food every year, the United States discards more food than any other country in the world: nearly 60 million tons — 120 billion pounds — every year,” according to the Food Waste in America in 2026 report from Recycle Track Systems, a waste management company.

That wasted supply represents lost meals for families already facing food insecurity, according to the Food Waste in America in 2026 guide. While also filling U.S. landfills and contributing to harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Tackling this growing problem requires solutions from restaurants, grocery stores, farms, and manufacturers, where overproduction and waste are most common.

Food waste remains one of the nation’s most challenging problems, but some states, like South Carolina, have bigger problems controlling it than others.

South Carolina ranks ninth for states with the largest food waste

From state to state, the struggle against food waste reveals stark differences in efforts to conserve food.

To measure which states are falling behind, Lawn Starter analyzed food waste using 37 key metrics, and the results show South Carolina is one of the states behind the rest.

The study shows the Palmetto State ranked among the most wasteful in the nation, placing ninth overall with a score of 46.1 out of 100. South Carolina also ranked 46th in commercial and industrial waste, 43rd in household waste, 36th in recycling and 19th in reduction efforts.

How South Carolina and other states got their rating

The rankings were based on four key metrics, according to the LawnStarter study.

Commercial and industrial food waste
Household food waste
Most food recycled
Food waste reduction efforts

South Carolina food waste statistics

In light of the Lawn Starter study, here are the food waste statistics for the Palmetto State.

The Palmetto State recorded the highest year‑over‑year increase in farm waste of any state, with a 41% jump in farm waste volume and a 103.9% surge in surplus crops value.
Storms in the 2024 hurricane season, including Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene, left fields damaged and unsellable crops considered waste.
South Carolina’s food recycling rate fell 1.15% to 29.03%, retail food waste climbed 4.17%, and residential waste barely declined, dropping only 2.59%, the smallest household reduction in the country.

Reducing food waste can help save the planet

Globally, discarded food accounts for 11% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Food Waste in America in 2026 guide.

In the United States, the impact is profound, the World Wildlife Federation states that the production of wasted food generates emissions equal to those of 37 million cars.

Experts with RTS state that if Americans continue on the same food loss path, environmental consequences could be catastrophic.

Ways to reduce food waste

In the United States and beyond, there are many ways to reduce waste, according to the Food Waste in America in 2026 guide. From improving household habits to strengthening recycling and recovery efforts.

Here are some suggested strategies to reduce waste.