News and Views from Around the State: Monday, August 18, 2025

Irmo Little League All-Stars earned their way into the Little 
League World Series with a walk-off win and dominated
the first round. They play Las Vegas today at 3 p.m. in 

Williamsport, Pa. You can watch the game on ESPN. 

RICHLAND COUNTY: IRMO: SPORTS: Irmo dominates Braintree, Massachusetts 13-0 in first round of Little League World Series: Irmo All-Stars, representing the Southeast defeated the Northeast team, Braintree, Mass., 13-0 in four innings with a 10 run mercy rule calling the game. Irmo will play Las Vegas today at 3 p.m. in Williamsport. Pa. 

SOUTH CAROLINA: RICHLAND COUNTY: US SENATE: ELECTION 2O26: Lindsey Graham is coming to town: Lindsey Graham is scheduled to be the guest at a Town Hall meeting Tuesday hosted by the Richland County Republican Party. The meeting will take place at the monthly GOP meeting at 6: p.m. at the Willoughby Humphrey & D’Antoni Law Firm, 930 Richland St., Columbia, S.C. 29201. Graham is facing two challengers in the GOP primary, upstate businessman Mark Lynch and Charleston Attorney and long-time conservative political operative Paul Dans.

SOUTH CAROLINA: MILITARY: Gov. McMaster mobilizes 200 National Guard troops to D.C. to aid Trump’s anti-crime initiative: The South Carolina contingent will join 800 troops already in the nation’s capital to support the President’s “Restore Law and Order in the District of Columbia” initiative. West Virginia and Ohio have also agreed to sending guardsmen.

SUMTER COUNTY: American Legion Sumter Post 15 charter has been revoked by the South Carolina American Legion; Events suspended: American Legion Sumter Post 15 has been shut down after a serious of complaints that led to an investigation by the State American Legion followed by an unanimous vote to revoke the charter. All activities have been suspended. 

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PICKENS COUNTY: EASLEY: SPORTS: MOTORSPORTS: Supporters rally to turn legendary Greenville-Pickens Speedway into a historic site: Supporters gathered at the once popular speedway that is now closed in hopes to preserve the track as a historic site. The legendary track is the home to the first start-to-finish televised NASCAR race and where NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson, “The Silver Fox,” won his first track championship in 1959 winning 30 of 42 races that season. 

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News and Views from Around the State: Friday, August 15, 2025

SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY PATROL: ORANGEBURG COUNTY: SCHP Trooper Dennis Ricks dies from injuries: South Carolina Department of Public Safety announced that Trooper First Class Dennis D. Ricks passed awayWednesday night from injuries he suffered from being hit by a box truck duringa traffic stop on I-26. Ricks had been with SCHP since January 2023. Palmetto Examiner officers our condolences and prayers to the Ricks family. Serve and Connect has started a fundraiser with 100% of the proceeds going to Rick’sfamily.

SOUTH CAROLINA: US SENATE: Tim Scott praises Big Beautiful Bill for making Opportunity Zones permanent: More than 18,000 jobs created, nearly 4,000 housing units in South Carolina since 2017:  South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scotthighlighted the impact of his Opportunity Zones program passed in 2017 to encourage investment in economically distressed communities. Scott says $90 million dollars has been invested in these zones nationwide in less than 10 years. South Carolina has seen more than 18,000 jobs and nearly 4,000 housing units created in opportunity zones.

SOUTH CAROLINA: STATE HOUSE: S.C. Sen. Matt Leber accused of using government vehicle to transport more than one mistress Fits News Reports: Did State Sen. Matt Leber, R-Charleston, have more than one mistress and use government vehicles to transport them? New information uncovered by Fits News.

SOUTH CAROLINA: POLITCICS: GOVERNOR RACE: Democrat Candidate Mullins McLeod refuses to bow out after arrest video surfaces and pleas from Democrat State Party to drop out: The South Carolina Democrat Party releaseda statement asking Democrat candidate Mullins McCleod to drop out of the racefor governor, “After reviewing the transcript of dash cam footage from his recent arrest, it is clear that Mr. McLeod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his emotional and mental well-being instead of a campaign for governor. We offer him compassion and pray he finds the support he needs,” McCleod responded, Nuts! Kind of… He’sstaying in.

SOUTH CAROLINA: STATE HOUSE: Disgraced legislator accused of distribution of child porn resigns seat; Special election date set: R.J. May, a founding member of the S.C. Freedom Caucus, who was arrested June 11, 2025, on accusations and charges of distributing child sexual abuse material, has resigned his seat. A date for a special election for S.C. House District 88 to replace the lawmaker’s seat has been set for Dec. 23, 2025. Candidate filing will be from August 29 thru Sept 6. A primary if needed will be Oct. 21.

SOUTH CAROLINA: BUSINESS & DEVELOPMENT: Washington Post ranks two South Carolina airports among the best in the nation: Columbia Metropolitan Airport is ranked 16^th and Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is ranked 26^th in the nation in a Washington Post study that names “the50 best airports in America.”

BEAUFORT: TOURISM REAL ESTATE: Short-term rentals are skyrocketing as City looks to update regulations: Beauforthas seen a 42% increase in short-term rentals over the last four years, and someareas are being overwhelmed city officials say. The city currently has a 6% cap on short-term rentals in any given neighborhood, but some property owners have found a loophole operating multiple short-term rentals on one property that is not counted in the cap. Here’s the city’s current regulations on short-term rentals.

SOUTH CAROLINA: WEATHER ALERT: Tropical Storm Erin could reach Category 4 Hurricane by Monday, but currently no threat to South Carolina coast forecasters say: While forecasts have been fairly consistent, there is always uncertainty about what path a hurricane will take. So far, the South Carolina coast is in the clear, but let’s keep an eye on it.

MOUNT PLEASANT: WEATHER: Thunderstruck! A police officer in Mount Pleasant captured lightning striking a utility pole and blowing up a transformer on his dash cam while traveling on Highway 17. Crazy video! No injuries were reported. Power was out in the area for several hours.

BEAUFORT: WINE AND DINE: Downtown breakfast spot with tradition of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to be featured on FOX and Friends Tuesday: Blackstone Café in downtown Beaufort has a more than30-year-old tradition of staff and patrons gathering at 8 am to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. That’s awesomesauce! It’s also awesome the entire nation will have the opportunity to watch it as Fox & Friends will be there 6-9 am on Tuesday in part of their Main Street USA Tour.

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Richland County GOP Chairman Grinstead upsets State Party Chairman McKissick backed Connelly in close race for SCGOP National Executive Committeeman

Richland County GOP Chairman Tyson Grinstead 
stands outside the West Wing of the White House
after meeting with staff of the Trump Administration
and getting their blessing for his run for South 
Carolina Republican National Executive Committeeman. 
Grinstead won Saturday afternoon in a very close race. 
Photo Credit: Facebook

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
August 11, 2025 

COLUMBIA, S.C. (PE) – The election for South Carolina Republican National Executive Committeeman came down to the wire in Columbia Saturday with Richland County GOP Chairman Tyson Grinstead narrowly defeating former SCGOP Chairman Chad Connelly for the national position.

The election was voted on by the South Carolina Republican Executive Committee who gave Grinstead 25 votes to Connelly’s 21 votes and Cherokee County State Executive committeeman Joey Lemons receiving 2 votes.

“Thank you to the SCGOP Executive Committee for your support today. I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running,” Grinstead said. “I also want to thank the dozens of people who worked tirelessly over the last two weeks to make this happen. Together we can bring unity and success to the SCGOP!”

Grinstead’s win was a shocker and a surprising defeat to the current South Carolina Republican Chairman Drew McKissick, who was strongly backing Connelly for the position. Historically state party chairmen usually have great influences over the selection, but the defeat may be a sign McKissick is losing his grip on the state party he has controlled since 2017 and was reelected for his fifth term earlier this year.

The seat became vacant early last month with the sudden and unexpected death of Glenn McCall, a retired banker from Rock Hill, S.C., who held the position for seventeen years. Connelly was the clear frontrunner early on, but Grinstead pulled ahead after a meeting with the White House and receiving the blessing from the Trump team.

The Republican National Committee is the governing body of the Republican Party and is responsible for drafting the party platform and managing the branding and fundraising. It is made up of 168 members which includes a state party chair, 2 members of the national executive committee from all fifty states and U.S. Territories.

Grinstead joins McKissick and South Carolina national committeewoman Cindy Costa as South Carolina’s Republican representatives on the RNC. 

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About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

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What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com

 

SCGOP National Executive Committeeman race down to the wire; Richland GOP County Chair Grinstead looks to pull the Upset over State Party Chairman McKissick backed Connelly

 

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
August 8, 2025

While the South Carolina Governor’s race is heating up; drawing national attention, another lesser-known political contest with national implications in the Republican Party is also underway. That is the race for South Carolina Republican National Executive Committeeman which was left vacant by the sudden death of Rock Hill, S.C. Republican Glenn McCall who held the seat for seventeen years.

It was previously believed former SCGOP chairman Chad Connelly was a shoo-in for the seat with the backing of state party chairman Drew McKissick, and as conventional wisdom goes, party chairmen usually have great influence over the selection, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

In the last two weeks of the race, Richland County GOP chairman and underdog challenger, Tyson Grinstead, has turned the tables, according to my sources familiar with the election process, who also say the election could happen as early as Saturday before the GOP Silver Elephant Gala in Columbia.

Grinstead, who recently returned from the White House after meeting with members of the Trump administration, said he “had a great visit with staff at the White House.”

“The SCGOP needs to elect a National Committeeman who supports President Trump and his team, Grinstead posted on Facebook with a photo of him outside the WestWing. “That’s how you keep ‘First in the South’, and I’m already working to keep it!”

“First in the South” refers to the Palmetto State’s important position of holding the first republican presidential primary in the South. The winner of South Carolina’s first in the south presidential primary has secured the nomination in seven of eight contested primaries since its inception in 1980.

Connelly has argued his seniority veteran status and experience within the party is what really matters to help keep “First in the South” for South Carolina republicans and new face would have to work from the bottom.

“If people care about ‘First in the South’, they’re going to pay attention to seniority. They’re going to vote for me.” Connelly told FITS News last month. “I won’t walk in at number 168.”  

Grinstead doesn’t believe anyone owes their vote to experience alone and says he also has the experience in the trenches of Republican politics himself.

“Seniority doesn’t win. Fighters do. This job isn’t about who has been around the longest. It’s about who’s best prepared to protect First in the South and win for South Carolina,” Grinstead said. “For over 20 years, I’ve fought in the trenches of Republican politics; knocking on doors and organizing victories since 2002, leading early vote strategy in 2014, Three-time Trump Delegate and 2024 Electoral College member, building strong relationships across the RNC and White House.”

Grinstead said he’s the fighter that will keep South Carolina first on the national stage.

“Now, I’m ready to fight, fight, fight, for South Carolina and make sure no one takes our spot on the national stage,” he said.

The Republican National Committee is the entity responsible for drafting the GOP platform and branding/fundraising for “Republican” candidates. Its governing body is made up of 168 members, including a state party chairman, national executive committeeman and national executive committeewoman from all fifty states.

The South Carolina GOP executive committee who will elect either Connelly or Grinstead, is comprised of county executive committee members from all 46 counties, the state’s party chairman, first vice chairman, a national committeeman and a national committeewoman. The winner will need 25 votes to win.

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About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

 

What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com