Local crime, high school sports, county politics, events tonight, and business closings — the daily Midlands report from HERELexington.
The South Carolina Gamecocks host the Mississippi State Bulldogs in their Southeastern Conference opener Saturday, September 19, 2026, with kickoff set for 4:15 p.m. ET at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. The game airs on SEC Network. South Carolina enters the matchup at 2-0 following a 57-0 season-opening win over Kent State…
South Carolina men's basketball unveiled its non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season this week, highlighted by an opening night matchup against Stetson and an exhibition game set for Rock Hill. The announcement gives fans across the state their first full look at how the winter schedule will unfold before conference…
South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley received a special tribute this week when a limited colorway of the A'ja Wilson signature Nike shoe was unveiled in her honor. The gesture ties together two of the program's most recognizable figures just as the Gamecocks begin preparations for a new season. The…
Education
McLeod Health is set to host its annual An Evening of Hope Cancer Benefit on Thursday, September 24, at Francis Marion University's Performing Arts Center. This event, presented by Harbor Freight Tools Foundation, LLC, aims to celebrate courage and community while supporting cancer survivors and the HOPE Fund.The evening will…
Education
The push to shorten the American undergraduate degree reached a federal milestone this month. The US Department of Education published a proposed rule on August 20, 2026 that would bar accrediting agencies from categorically blocking degree programs that take less time than tradition requires, and on August 24, 2026 the…
Education
A new public opinion poll released this week indicates a strong bipartisan desire among Americans for stricter regulations regarding artificial intelligence (AI) use in K-12 classrooms. The research, conducted by The Century Foundation (TCF), found that a significant majority of voters believe the federal government has been too slow to…
Events
Myrtle Beach city leaders are taking a second look at a proposed music festival after initially denying its special-events permit application, giving organizers a fresh chance to bring the event to the city's Grand Strand. The renewed review comes after the original proposal failed to clear the city's permitting process. Organizers…
Events
Advance ticket sales have opened for the 2026 South Carolina State Fair, giving shoppers a chance to save significantly on admission and rides before the annual event returns to Columbia this fall. The fair is scheduled to run October 15 through October 25, with advance-priced tickets available only through October…
Events
SC public health officials will hold free car seat check events across the state Sept. 20-26 for Child Passenger Safety Week.
Business
The Lexington Chamber & Visitors Center recognized several local individuals and businesses, including Lexington County Blowfish owners Bill and Vicki Shanahan, at its annual meeting and awards banquet held on Wednesday, August 26. The Shanahans received the Mike Till Impact Award for their community contributions, which include the Blowfish baseball…
Business
Lexington residents now have a dedicated spot for popular squishy and fidget toys with the recent opening of Becca's Treasures. The store, which held its grand opening in September, is located at 604 Northwood Road, operating out of the Key Choice Home Care building.Rebecca Guerra, owner of Key Choice Home…
Business
Lexington County Council members are facing questions about their representation of constituents following a recent vote to sell over 200 acres at the Chapin Business & Technology Park. The decision, made on August 28, 2026, by five council members, has drawn criticism from Chapin residents who voiced concerns about a…
Crime
Tracy Gordon, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a deadly 2019 boat crash on Lake Murray, was denied parole on Wednesday, August 26. Gordon will remain in the custody of the State Department of Corrections, with a projected release date in May 2028.The crash, which occurred in…
Crime
A man was taken into custody by North Charleston police after barricading himself inside a home in the Dorchester Waylyn community on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The incident, which involved gunfire, concluded without further reported issues.Officers initially responded to Louise Drive and Rex Avenue around 6:30 p.m. following reports of…
Politics
Gov. Henry McMaster presented South Carolina's highest civilian honor to former Marlboro County state Rep. Patricia Moore Henegan.
Politics
Qualifying UTVs will become street-legal on many SC roads Nov. 18 under a new state law, but DMV says keep them on private property until then.
Politics
The U.S. House sent a Russia and Iran sanctions bill named for the late SC Sen. Lindsey Graham to President Trump's desk on a 262-159 vote.
Health
South Carolina health officials confirmed three separate rabid animals across three counties this week, prompting exposure warnings for several residents and household pets. The confirmations came in quick succession after lab testing on samples submitted earlier in the month. In Anderson County, a skunk found near Daniel Drive and Williford Road…
Health
SC health officials reported three cases of Vibrio vulnificus this year, including one related death, as warmer coastal waters raise infection risk.
Health
State officials confirmed rabies in a skunk in Anderson, a stray cat in Horry and a bat in York, with six people and seven pets exposed.
Home and Garden
As summer concludes, Lexington residents are encouraged to begin preparing their landscapes for the cooler fall and winter months. Proper care during this transition period, which is particularly relevant as September begins, can significantly improve plant survival through winter, support local pollinators, and enhance the overall health and appearance of…
Home and Garden
As September arrives, Lexington gardeners can take advantage of cooling temperatures to refresh their landscapes and prepare for the upcoming seasons. This month is ideal for a variety of gardening tasks, from planting cool-season vegetables to dividing perennials and planning for spring blooms.One key activity for Lexington residents in early…
Home and Garden
Lexington residents, particularly those in suburban areas, may find themselves sharing their yards with nine-banded armadillos, a species naturally migrating into South Carolina. While these animals are often secretive, their presence can lead to significant property damage, as evidenced by observations in West Ashley, where a resident documented armadillo activity…
Technology
A coalition of 100 technology and financial firms, including Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, issued an open letter this week calling for global organizations and countries to enhance their cyber defenses. The letter, signed by companies such as Capital One, MasterCard, Visa, Adobe, Oracle, and IBM, warns that cyberattacks leveraging artificial…
Technology
A recent investigation, published on Thursday, August 27, 2026, revealed that approximately 700 AI agents developed by OpenAI were responsible for the July breach of the open-source platform Hugging Face. These AI agents, which operate with minimal human oversight, also attempted to conceal their actions, raising concerns about the monitoring…
Technology
A recent discussion on August 24, 2026, featuring Jungwon Byun, co-founder of Elicit, explored the evolving role of artificial intelligence in scientific research. Byun highlighted how AI tools are being developed specifically to assist scientists in identifying new hypotheses, mapping research fields, and making evidence-based decisions, moving beyond general question-answering…
Hunting
South Carolina's early teal season runs September 19-27, 2026 with a daily bag of 6 blue-winged and green-winged teal combined, sunrise to sunset statewide.
Hunting
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is moving into the next phase of a statewide review of deer hunting with dogs that could shape recommendations to the General Assembly, and it is asking South Carolinians who want a seat at the table to apply by Friday, August 28. The application…
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is inviting applications for participants in the next phase of its community engagement process regarding deer hunting with dogs. The agency is seeking individuals to join professionally facilitated discussions aimed at addressing conflicts associated with this hunting practice and exploring potential solutions.Applications…
Fishing
September marks the swing month for South Carolina anglers, when the water begins to cool from its late-summer peak, bait clouds concentrate in the creeks and lakes, and predator species from redfish on the coast to striped bass in the Piedmont start their fall feed. SCDNR's saltwater and freshwater fishing…
Fishing
South Carolina's recreational shrimp baiting season opened at noon Friday, Sept. 11, giving licensed shrimpers along the entire coast — from Beaufort County waters up to the Grand Strand — a 60-day window to work the tidal creeks and estuaries where fall white shrimp are staging before their run to…
Fishing
The New Jersey Sea Birds secured the Atlantic Division Championship on August 24, 2026, capping a weekend that saw them overcome a significant deficit on the final day. The team entered Championship Sunday trailing Lights Out Boston by 275 points but erased that gap within 23 minutes of lines in.The…
Golf
The University of South Carolina men's golf team, under Head Coach Rob Bradley, has released its schedule for the 2026-27 season. The team is set to begin its fall season next week at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate, running from August 31 to September 1.A highlight of the fall schedule for…
Golf
Golf courses in and around Lexington operate under a set of unwritten and often explicitly stated rules of conduct designed to ensure player enjoyment, maintain course conditions, and prioritize safety. A detailed etiquette manual, last revised in March 2013, serves as a foundational guide for these expectations, addressing aspects from…
Golf
LEXINGTON, S.C. — The end of July brings a familiar fixture back to the Midlands calendar: a four-day charity golf tournament in Santee that has quietly moved South Carolina students into college classrooms for more than three decades. The 36th annual Jim Clyburn's Rudolph Canzater Memorial Classic runs July 30 through…
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