The Arena • August 26 2024

USC Under Fire For Allowing Event Featuring Founder of Proud Boys

The University of South Carolina has come under fire recently for allowing an event to take place on its campus that features the founder of far-right white supremacy group The Proud Boys.

The Arena • August 16 2024

GOP State Rep. Matt Leber’s Wife Files for Charleston County School Board

Michele Leber, the wife of State Representative Matt Leber, who is currently running as the Republican nominee for SC Senate District 41, announced yesterday that she is running for Charleston County School Board.

The Arena • August 13 2024

Can Harris Prove to be Trump’s Achilles Heel?

As Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz continue to perform well in the polls and see record size crowds at their rallies across swing states, Donald Trump’s campaign seems to be unable to respond to Democratic victories.

The Daily Gamecock • July 31 2024

USC College of Education, SC Department of Education seek to alleviate statewide teacher shortage

The state of South Carolina has seen a drastic increase in the number of vacant positions within the field of education in recent years.
As the shortage continues to grow and affects public school students across the field, the state legislature and Department of Education, as well as state colleges and universities, have made efforts to identify the problems that teachers are facing and how to mitigate them.

The Daily Gamecock • July 29 2024

New developments in Five Points aim to increase safety, tourism

The Five Points neighborhood has seen a total of $5 million allocated in the past year for new developments that are looking to increase safety and grow tourism in the area.

The Daily Gamecock • July 29 2024

SC Department of Education removes AP African American Studies from class roster

The South Carolina Department of Education announced changes to its course offerings in a memo released to district superintendents on Tuesday, June 4.

The Arena • July 25 2024

What Young People in SC Are Saying About Kamala Harris

With the announcement that Kamala Harris had reached the number of pledged delegates needed to become the presumptive Democratic nominee, we at The Arena asked 22 college students and young adults across South Carolina their opinion on Kamala Harris and the 2024 presidential election.

The Arena • July 19 2024

MUSC Bans Gender-Affirming Care For All

In late May of 2024, the South Carolina General Assembly passed a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for all minors.

The Arena • July 6 2024

Ellen Weaver’s Culture Wars Rage On

Nearly two years into Ellen Weaver’s tenure as South Carolina’s Superintendent of Education, many of her accomplishments including advocating for teacher pay raises and expanding early literacy programs have been overshadowed by her problematic involvement in several cultural issues parroted by the far-right.

The Daily Gamecock • July 6 2024

All Good Books provides community space for businesses, bookreaders alike

Located near the center of Five Points sits one of the newest additions to Columbia’s local book scene, All Good Books. The bookstore aims to provide a unique gathering space for friends, clubs and companies in Columbia.

The Arena • July 3 2024

The Dark Side of Republican State Representative Matt Leber

Republican nominee for South Carolina’s State Senate District 41 Matt Leber’s website reads:  “​​Rep. Leber is a decorated combat veteran, husband, father, patriot, and limited government constitutional conservative who is dedicated to promoting South Carolina values and helping ordinary Americans thrive.” It should also add that he’s been accused of domestic violence, arrested for assault and stalking, and had his firearms seized by law enforcement.

The Arena • June 27 2024

With No More Republican Women in the State Senate, is a Total Abortion Ban Next?

With Katrina Shealy’s loss yesterday in her runoff election to Carlisle Kennedy, all three Republican “sister senators” have now been defeated in their primaries, largely due to their opposition to the 2023 abortion ban.

The Arena • June 17 2024

SC sets new rules for “age appropriate” books

The South Carolina State Legislature is set to approve a new budget proviso that would restrict materials found in state public libraries.

The Arena • June 13 2024

Controversial Pastor in GOP Runoff for Upstate Congressional Seat

Out of the seven Republican candidates who were running for retiring incumbent Jeff Duncan’s seat in the most conservative South Carolina Congressional District, two of them will be heading to a runoff election on June 25. The two candidates who will be running are lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard and nurse Sheri Biggs and pastor and founder of Christian television network The NOW, Mark Burns.

The Arena • June 12 2024

Sister Senators fall in SC primaries

With three out of the five “Sister Senators” facing tough reelection challenges this year after voting against the 2023 abortion ban, voters in their districts, for the most part, rejected them in favor of other candidates.

Lexington County Chronicle • June 5 2024

Sheriff candidates prepare for June 11 Primary

Ahead of the primaries on June 11, the four candidates running to be the Lexington County sheriff are reminding voters of their plans for the sheriff’s department if they win.

The four candidates running are incumbent Jay Koon and challengers Alan Driggers, Billy Warren and Garry Rozier.

The Arena • June 4 2024

Winthrop Poll Results: Majority of South Carolinians Favor Legal Abortion

With the release of the quarterly Winthrop Poll conducted from May 8 to 21, 1,174 survey respondents were asked several questions about their views on different topics, including abortion, required college classes, and former President Donald Trump’s legal issues.

Lexington County Chronicle • May 30 2024

Lexington County legislative officials divided on open carry bill

During this year’s executive session, the South Carolina Legislature passed on an open carry bill that was signed into law by Gov. Henry McMaster on March 7.

The Arena • May 19 2024

Listen to the Student Journalists

I have been a student journalist for nearly eight years of my life, three in high school broadcast news and almost four in two different editorially independent collegiate newspapers.

The Daily Gamecock • April 17 2024

Efforts ramp up across South Carolina to ban DEI programs, books in higher education, public K-12 schools

The state of South Carolina has seen a simultaneous effort to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs at higher education institutes as well as books at the K-12 level of education within the past year.

The Daily Gamecock • April 8 2024

Students return to fountain for third women’s basketball title celebration: 'Once in a lifetime college memory’

The buzzer sounded, signifying the end of the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship game, and the Thomas Cooper Library fountain became a sea of garnet and black.

Lexington County Chronicle • April 4 2024

Two Lexington County sheriff candidates discuss issues with crime, leadership

Two out of the four candidates running for Lexington County sheriff appeared at an event hosted by Lexington County Republicans on Thursday, March 28 to answer questions and hear concerns from local citizens.

The Daily Gamecock • January 29 2024

Biden speaks at SC's First in the Nation dinner ahead of upcoming presidential primary election

President Joe Biden spoke at the South Carolina Democratic Party's "First in the Nation" dinner in Columbia, SC on Jan. 27, 2024.

The Daily Gamecock • January 17 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on voting, social justice at King Day at the Dome

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Columbia on January 15 for Columbia's 24th annual King Day at the Dome.