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Latest Episodes:

Why this could be the year Jim Clyburn closes the 'Charleston loophole' Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn has for years been one of the most influential Democrats in Washington.

He’s the House Majority Whip, the highest-ranking Black member of Congress and the only Democrat in South Carolina’s delegation. And, right now, he’s in the midst of what’s likely to be one of his most significant terms in Congress since coming to Washington in 1993.

Clyburn has a wishlist of bills he’s hoping to pass — including one that would get rid of what’s been called the Charleston loophole — and he’s hoping President Joe Biden can help him get there.

After all, many people point to Clyburn as the person who got Biden into the White House in the first place.

This week on the podcast, political reporter Thomas Novelly helps us revisit Clyburn’s endorsement of Biden for president ahead of South Carolina's "First in the South" primary and take a closer look at some of the legislative wins Clyburn is hoping to secure — and what could stand in his way.

Listen now for more.

For more South Carolina politics news, from the Statehouse to Congress, you can subscribe to the Palmetto Politics newsletter.

Want to learn more about how we make this show? You watch the full recording of our event for The Post and Courier's Beyond the Headlines event that gave a behind-the-scenes look at this podcast. Watch the video here and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

How SC-based artist Beeple rocked the art world Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

North Charleston resident Mike Winkelmann made history.

Better known as Beeple, on March 11, he fetched a record-breaking $69.3 million for a single digital artwork through the art auction house Christie's.

That winning bid is the third-highest price paid at auction for a work by a living artist.

While the image of the work, which is titled "Everydays: The First 5,000 Days," can be easily viewed and downloaded online, the digital file auctioned off was a non-fungible token, or NFT. It lives on a blockchain, will only be sold by Beeple once, and its authenticity and ownership can be verified.

This week, we dove into the details of this Lowcountry-based artist's sale and what it says about the art world in 2021.

Reporter Kalyn Oyer shares what she learned while talking with Beeple himself ahead of the Christie's auction. Gerald Dwyer, who teaches about blockchain and cryptocurrencies at Clemson University, breaks down how NFTs work, and Post and Courier arts critic Maura Hogan examines some of the big questions this sale raises about ownership, visual art and the internet.

Listen now for more.

Want to learn more about how we make this podcast? Watch our Beyond the Headlines virtual event for insight on how this show gets in your feed every week.

The barriers to becoming a homeowner in Charleston Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

Becoming a first-time homebuyer in the Charleston area isn't easy.

And, thanks to surging home prices that brought the median cost in the tri-county area over $300,000, buying a home in the Charleston region didn't get any easier during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the price tag, there are other barriers keeping some would-be homebuyers from making that purchase.

Today on the podcast, we dig into a few of those barriers.

First, reporter Rickey Dennis breaks down some of the factors that continue to perpetuate a disparity in homeownership between White and Black South Carolinians and why closing that gap is key to addressing overall wealth disparities.

Reporter Andrew Brown joins to talk about student loan debt and how the climbing debt total is causing more people to push off purchasing a home. High rents in the Charleston region have exacerbated the problem, too, by making it more challenging to save for a down payment.

Listen now for more.

Beyond the Headlines: We're hosting a free virtual event from 12 to 12:30 p.m. March 18 to share a behind-the-scenes look at how this podcast is made. Get your free tickets here and check out other upcoming Beyond the Headlines events by visiting postandcourier.com/beyond-the-headlines/.

BONUS: Majority of SC now qualifies for COVID vaccine Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

Last week, Gov. Henry McMaster announced an expansion of coronavirus vaccine eligibility, making an estimated 2.7 million more residents qualify for appointments.

That includes essential workers, those 55 and older and people with certain underlying health conditions.

The news came as South Carolina reached the milestone of administering more than one million vaccines and the one-year mark from the first-ever COVID diagnoses in the state.

Health reporter Mary Katherine Wildeman walks us through who is eligible, how to get a vaccine appointment and what to expect as we move forward.

Listen now for more.

If you're a South Carolina resident who is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine during Phase 1B, book a vaccine appointment online by visiting vaxlocator.dhec.sc.gov or call 1-866-365-8110 for assistance from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).

The rise and decline of SC-born grocery chain Bi-Lo Mar 04, 2021

Show notes

The name "Bi-Lo" has been disappearing from storefronts across the state, and it's only a matter of time before all of them are gone.

Last year, it was announced the brand is being retired.

But Bi-Lo was once a thriving chain in the Southeast, one that got its start as a locally-owned company in South Carolina's Upstate, known for having a familial atmosphere and decorative fiberglass bulls.

Under the leadership of founder Frank Outlaw, 70 Bi-Lo stores were opened in the Carolinas. Then, under the ownership of a Dutch conglomerate, Bi-Lo entered a period of rapid of growth. At its peak, there were 300-plus stores under the Bi-Lo brand.

But that heyday didn't last.

On this week's podcast, Post and Courier Greenville reporter Conor Hughes recounts the rise and slow decline of the South Carolina-born grocery chain and explains why the brand became wrapped up in the identity of the town where it set up its headquarters.

A former Bi-Lo vice president also shares some of his memories of Bi-Lo's best years and how former employees have stayed in touch.

Listen now for more.

Note: The Bi-Lo distribution center in Mauldin was sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers by Royal Ahold in 2005. In this podcast, that sale was mentioned in the context of events that occurred several years later.

BONUS: Public servants at SC fire district served themselves Mar 01, 2021

Show notes

At a little-watched fire district in South Carolina's Upstate, public servants served themselves on the taxpayers' dime.

In the second installment of The Post and Courier's "Uncovered" series, reporters discovered how top officials were accused of stealing taxpayer money, showering themselves with perks, promoting a commissioner's spouse and retaliating against those who tried to speak up.

Reporters Avery Wilks and Joey Cranney explained how they used court, spending and ethics records to uncover a string of previously unreported misconduct at one of Greenville County's smallest public agencies.

Listeners will also learn how the county created a blueprint for minimizing corruption in these often unwatched special government districts.

Listen now for more, and check out the "Uncovered" homepage for more investigative coverage. You can find our episode about part one of the series here or in your podcast feed.

SC's Civil Rights history, through the lens of Cecil Williams Feb 25, 2021

Show notes

Cecil Williams had a front-row seat to South Carolina's Civil Rights history.

Look up photos of major events from the Civil Rights Movement, and his name will be on the photos.

Starting in his very early teens, he captured images of iconic people and moments: Thurgood Marshall getting off a train in Charleston, protestors marching outside All-Star Bowling Lanes before the Orangeburg Massacre and hospital workers in Charleston striking for fair pay.

In 2019, Williams opened his own Civil Rights museum in his hometown of Orangeburg. His photos fill the walls.

He'd become frustrated after advocating for years to have a museum like that built and figured if he was going to see it happen, he probably had to do it himself.

This week on the show, Cecil Williams reflects on his experience capturing history in real time and shares why he thinks Black South Carolinians who fought for equal rights during that era haven't been given their due in the history books.

Listen now for more.

To learn more about the Cecil Williams Museum or to take a virtual tour, visit cecilwilliams.com.

Post and Courier coverage celebrating Black History Month can be found at postandcourier.com/BlackHistory.

Understand SC is a weekly podcast from The Post and Courier that draws from the reporting resources and knowledge of our newsroom to help you better understand South Carolina. This episode was hosted and edited by Emily Williams.

Uncovering corruption in South Carolina Feb 18, 2021

Show notes

When people aren't looking, corruption can run rampant.

That's why The Post and Courier launched "Uncovered," a project shining a light on misconduct in South Carolina, especially in small towns.

For the first installment of the ongoing investigative series, reporters sifted through thousands of pages of spending records and ethics complaints, interviewed whistleblowers and consulted researchers and watchdogs about solutions. And the work has just started.

This week, reporters from the "Uncovered" team shared a behind-the-scenes look at their reporting and what it has brought to light so far.

Tony Bartelme explained the origins of the project and walked us through what an extravagant conference trip with board members from one of the state's five natural gas authorities looks like. And he broke down why the loss of local news sources can make it more possible for public officials to get away with questionable conduct.

Avery Wilks shared some background on South Carolina's ethics laws and why many have called for them to be strengthened.

Listeners will also learn what to expect next from "Uncovered," and how they can get involved.

Listen now for more.

You can listen to the first episode of The Post and Courier's new podcast, "12 Black Leaders to Know" here or learn more about that series here.

SC poised to pass 'heartbeat bill' banning most abortions Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

A bill that would effectively ban most abortions in South Carolina has been advancing quickly through the Statehouse. After past failed attempts, this appears to be the year the so-called "heartbeat bill" will be signed into law in the Palmetto State.

Similar laws have been passed in almost a dozen other conservative states, but none are enforced because of court challenges.

The same is bound to happen with South Carolina's ban, if it's passed, so the policies won't take effect anytime soon — if ever.

Political reporter Jamie Lovegrove has been following the bill's progression, and he explained why GOP gains in the General Assembly have allowed the bill to advance farther than it has before.

Mary Ziegler, a law professor at Florida State University and author of the 2020 book, “Abortion and the Law in America: Roe V. Wade to the Present,” explained the legal implications of the bill, which is expected to start off a lengthy court battle as soon as it's signed.

And reporter Sara Coello, who covers criminal justice in the Lowcountry, shares why Charleston County's new sheriff weighed in on one portion of this abortion ban in particular.

Listen now for more.

New, faster-spreading COVID variants in South Carolina Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

South Carolina was the first state in the U.S. to have a confirmed case of a new strain of the coronavirus first found in South Africa.

And it wasn't just one case but two, found in different regions in the state, and health officials said the cases aren't connected.

So, what does that tell us about the prevalence of this variant in the state, and what does the presence of this strain mean for the effort to vaccinate South Carolinians against the coronavirus?

We spoke with health reporter MK Wildeman about what we do and do not yet know about this strain, which has been found to be more easily spread than earlier versions of the virus.

Projects reporter Thad Moore explained what the state is doing to identify cases of these variants and how South Carolina and the rest of the nation compare when it comes to sequencing the virus's genetic material.

And entertainment and food and beverage reporter Kalyn Oyer breaks down how a local Chick-fil-A manager helped a vaccine distribution location run as smoothly as one of one of his fast food stores during a lunch rush.

Listen now for more.

For the latest news and data on the coronavirus in South Carolina, visit our COVID-19 dashboard. To follow coverage from the health and science team, subscribe to this weekly newsletter for free.

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