South-Carolina
Water levels plunge as lake warning issued in South Carolina
Lake Marion’s water levels have plunged by more than four feet over the past few days as Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s water and power utility, rushes to make room for floodwaters from North Carolina.
Helene made landfall last Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of around 140 miles per hour near Perry, Florida, in the state’s Big Bend region.
The storm brought fatalities across several southern and southeastern states, with storm surges, devastating winds, and torrential rain that threatened several dams and flooded Asheville, North Carolina.
More than 100 people were killed by the storm, the Associated Press reported. Days later, damage and devastation remain, and North Carolina floodwaters are coming to South Carolina.
On Monday evening, Santee Cooper warned Lake Marion boaters that the lake’s waters may exhibit sudden changes over the next few days.
“Boaters beware: We’re drawing down the lakes to make room for a wall of water coming from NC,” the utility posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Lake water will fall and rise in the next few days. If you must be in a boat, use extreme caution, avoid the Spillway, and watch for rapid water currents.”
A press release from the utility said that “near-historic water flows” were expected to make their way downstream from the North Carolina flooding, amounting to inflows of 2 million gallons per second into Lake Marion. To make room for the water, the utility began lowering the lake’s volume by spilling water from the dam last week.
On September 27, Lake Marion’s water levels were nearly 75 feet. By Tuesday morning, they had dropped to just over 70 feet, a steep plunge compared to average water levels over the past few years. Water levels have mostly ranged from 73 to 76 feet during that time.
Holcy/Getty
The press release assured South Carolina residents that the utility’s dams are secure and not at risk of failure. Last week, Hurricane Helene’s torrential rainfall stressed several dams in North Carolina and Tennessee to the point of imminent failure.
Officials plan to spill water from Lake Marion at a rate of nearly 1 million gallons per second beginning on Tuesday to continue allowing room for the excess water.
Newsweek reached out to Santee Cooper via email for comment.
Although the dam is secure, Santee Cooper warned that flooding may occur in the Santee River floodplain by Thursday or Friday.
“This is a significant spill, and flooding should be expected in the same areas in Georgetown County as experienced in 2015 and 2020, when the utility also conducted major spills,” the press release said. “Flooding will be more significant in areas closer to U.S. Highway 17. The Santee Cooper team is working with local and state authorities to manage any related issues.”
Spilling will continue until further notice.
Top astronomy events for June 2026
From a trio of planets lining up with a crescent moon to a solstice bringing the beginning of summer, here are the top astronomy events to mark down in June.
It may have felt like summer in South Carolina these past few weeks, but it is just now the first official day of summer.
Days have become longer, and temperatures have pushed toward 100 on some days ahead of the first day of summer. Now the longest day of the year is here, and the hottest months in the South are ahead of us.
On June 21, Greenville and Upstate South Carolina will experience more than 14 hours of daylight, according to Time and Date. From there, days will start being shorter once again.
Here’s how much daylight Upstate South Carolina is expected to see for the summer solstice.
When is the first day of summer 2025?
Well, there are technically two answers.
The first official day of summer astronomically for 2026 is Sunday, June 21, which is when the Northern Hemisphere has the longest day of the year, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
But when we talk meteorologically, summer starts on June 1. The reason for this is that meteorologists divide the year into four seasons based on the months and the temperature cycle. Doing it this way also allows them to compare and organize climate data more easily. In this system, summer begins on June 1 and ends on August 31.
What is the summer solstice?
The summer solstice marks the astronomical first day of the summer season in June in the Northern Hemisphere.
This is also when the Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt toward the sun, according to the Almanac. This makes it the longest day with the longest period of sunlight hours and the shortest night of the calendar year.
It will begin at 8:25 UTC or 4:25 a.m. ET on June 21, according to EarthSky.org.
When is the longest day of the year?
The summer solstice is the longest day of the year. On June 21, it will be the day with the longest period of sunlight, with some areas in the Northern Hemisphere getting upwards of 15 hours of sunlight on that day, according to EarthSky.org.
In South Carolina, communities will see around 14 hours and 28 minutes of daylight on the longest day of the year, according to timeanddate.com, which tracks when sunrise and sunset occur in communities across the United States.
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 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 20 drawing
16-20-44-48-50, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from June 20 drawing
Midday: 3-8-7, FB: 6
Evening: 3-8-5, FB: 6
Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from June 20 drawing
Midday: 5-6-4-2, FB: 6
Evening: 3-5-4-4, FB: 6
Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 20 drawing
Midday: 06
Evening: 14
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from June 20 drawing
02-13-16-19-21
Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from June 20 drawing
11-12-25-42-57, Powerball: 20
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.
South-Carolina
With 77 days until South Carolina football kicks off 2026 season, a look back at No. 77 George Schecterly
South Carolina football will take the field for the first time in 2026 on September 5 against Kent State. Williams-Brice Stadium will play host to the Gamecocks and Golden Flashes at 12:45 p.m., just 77 days from today.
The No. 77 is often worn by offensive linemen. One of two tough-nosed offensive tackles in a fun Gamecock era wore the number, as George Schechterly played for the Gamecocks from 1978 to 1980.
Questions about this story? Kevin Miller is discussing it with subscribers on The Insiders Forum.
Schechterly actually began his career at Penn State, playing for legendary coach Joe Paterno. However, as a redshirt, he didn’t meet the conditioning requirements to stay with the Nittany Lions. South Carolina gave him a second chance, and the offensive lineman dedicated himself to getting better. It paid off in a big way.
Despite being a little undersized, Schechterly earned a starting job at right tackle for the Gamecocks. He played opposite left tackle Chuck Slaughter, and the duo excelled at sealing off defensive ends with reach blocks.
That proved to be a big deal for South Carolina, as a running back named George Rogers made defenses pay on toss sweep plays. Of course, Rogers wound up winning the 1980 Heisman Trophy, and Schechterly and Slaughter provided a lot of assistance. The toss sweep play worked so well that the fanbase often joked that the best ideas in the team’s playbook were “George Sweep Right” and “George Sweep Left.”
See other jersey countdown stories like this on GamecockCentral.com.
That same 1980 season, Schechterly was an All-Independent selection at tackle and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top overall blocker among Independent School blockers. He was USC’s only tackle ever to earn the honor, though several interior blockers did.
Following his graduation, Schechterly played briefly in the NFL, CFL, and USFL.
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