Richmond Hill Blocks Nickel Refining at Former Caesarstone Site
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorRichmond Hill, GA – A proposed nickel refinery in coastal Georgia has hit another major obstacle, after Richmond Hill officials affirmed that nickel refining is not allowed under the existing zoning for the former Caesarstone facility in Belfast Commerce Park. The decision does not end every possible path for Westwin […]
South Carolina Early Voting Breaks Records — But Turnout Is Only the First Signal
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorColumbia, SC – Early voting is one of the clearest numbers in politics. It is also one of the easiest numbers to overread. South Carolina voters have been casting ballots at a record pace ahead of the June 9 primary, with the State Election Commission reporting more than 318,600 early […]
South Carolina Fake-ID Probe Leads to ICE Detention of 48 Workers, Six Indictments
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorColumbia, SC – According to state and federal officials, a two-year investigation into fake identification documents and identity theft led to the detention of 48 workers at a South Carolina metal casting business and the indictment of six people, including two managers at the plant. The operation took place Wednesday […]
USA Rare Earth Plans $1.2B South Carolina Magnet Factory as Federal Backing Expands
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorBlacksburg, SC – USA Rare Earth says it will invest $1.2 billion to build a rare earth magnet manufacturing and refined metals operation in Blacksburg, South Carolina, a project that state and company officials say could create about 490 jobs and expand domestic production of materials used in advanced manufacturing. […]
Georgia Supreme Court Clears One Hurdle for COVID-Delayed Executions
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorAtlanta, GA – The Georgia Supreme Court has cleared one legal hurdle that had continued to delay executions for a small group of death row inmates covered by a pandemic-era agreement. In a unanimous opinion issued Tuesday, the court reversed part of a Fulton County judge’s ruling that had kept […]
Georgia $11 Million Fraud Inmate Escapes Federal Prison Camp as Search Expands
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorJesup, GA – A federal inmate tied to one of Georgia’s most unusual fraud cases is missing from a minimum-security prison camp in southeast Georgia, prompting a search by federal authorities and renewed questions about how a man with that history was housed in a lower-security setting. According to the […]
Trump Endorses Pamela Evette as South Carolina Governor’s Race Enters Final Stretch
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorColumbia, SC – President Donald Trump has endorsed South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the state’s crowded Republican primary for governor, giving one candidate the prize nearly every major contender had been chasing. The endorsement came less than two weeks before the June 9 primary and just days after […]
South Carolina Bans Grade Floors as Schools Face New Pressure to Report Actual Student Performance
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorColumbia, SC – South Carolina parents may soon get a more direct view of how their children are performing in class, after Gov. Henry McMaster signed a new law barring public schools from using so-called “grade floors.” The change, which takes effect in the upcoming school year, prohibits school districts […]
Georgia High Schools Will Test Drones for Active-Shooter Response — But the Questions Are Bigger Than the Tech
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorAtlanta, GA – Five Georgia high schools are expected to begin testing a drone-based emergency response system this fall, according to reporting from WABE and information confirmed by the Georgia Department of Education. The pilot program will place remotely operated drones inside selected schools with the goal of responding during […]
Georgia Senators Announce Health Care Funding as Local Providers Face Capacity Questions
Aiman Tariq – Regional News EditorAtlanta, GA – Georgia’s two U.S. senators say millions of dollars in new federal funding will go toward hospital upgrades, health care training, neonatal equipment, public health services and family support programs across metro Atlanta, North Georgia and Athens. According to reporting from 11Alive, U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael […]