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S.C. Commerce seeking money for program with ties to Scout Motors

By RICK BRUNDRETT The S.C. Department of Commerce has submitted a total of nearly $80 million in state spending requests for next fiscal year, including $28.5 million for a program with ties to the Scout Motors project in Richland County. In its annual “Agency Budget Plan” submitted to the S.C....

Rick Brundrett

Written by
December 12, 2025

  • S.C. Commerce seeking money for program with ties to Scout Motors

    By RICK BRUNDRETT The S.C. Department of Commerce has submitted a total of nearly $80 million in state spending requests for next fiscal year, including $28.5 million for a program with ties to the Scout Motors project in Richland County. In its annual “Agency Budget Plan” submitted to the S.C....
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    December 12, 2025

  • State costs grow to $12.5M related to probes of disputed $1.8B

    By RICK BRUNDRETT The state-funded tab for investigations of and other matters related to the disputed $1.8 billion has grown to more than $12.5 million, according to the latest records reviewed by The Nerve. The new tally, which is based on records obtained under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act,...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    November 25, 2025

  • Cronyism returning to SC's top court?

    UPDATE: 11/20/25 - The state Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC) voted to qualify and nominate all four S.C. Supreme Court candidates for an associate justice seat, including ex-S.C. House Speaker Jay Lucas and sitting Associate Justice John Few, according to a JMSC release. An election in the Legislature is tentatively...
    Rick Brundrett

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    November 14, 2025

  • Bumpy rides: Thousands of pothole claims filed against SCDOT

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Editor’s note: This story is part of a two-article package published today. The other story can be found here. Since 2020, more than 11,500 pothole damage or injury claims have been filed against the S.C. Department of Transportation, though less than half were approved and resulted in...
    Rick Brundrett

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    October 31, 2025

  • How a pothole changed an Anderson man's life

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Editor’s note: This story is part of a two-article package published today. The other story can be found here. Chris Ellis says when he was racing dirt bikes as a kid, his biggest fears were hitting “a deer, grass in the road, or another vehicle.” “Never in...
    Rick Brundrett

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    October 31, 2025

  • Transportation deserts: Rural SC towns, cities lack private ride options

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Editor’s note: This story is part of a two-article package published today on rural transportation issues in South Carolina. The other story can be found here. The video component for both stories can be found here. If you want a ride from a “transportation network company,” such...
    Rick Brundrett

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    September 30, 2025

  • No-car rates higher among rural SC households

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Editor’s note: This story is part of a two-article package published today on rural transportation issues in South Carolina. The other story can be found here. The video component for both stories can be found here. In South Carolina in 2021, at least 10% of rural households...
    Rick Brundrett

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    September 30, 2025

  • Public cost of investigating disputed $1.8B grows to over $11M

    Editor’s note: This story is part of a two-article package today. The other story can be found here. By RICK BRUNDRETT More than $11 million in state funds have been spent on investigations of and other matters related to the disputed $1.8 billion, The Nerve’s latest review has found. The...
    Rick Brundrett

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    August 22, 2025

  • State treasurer, attorney general spar over outside legal fees

    Editor’s note: This story is part of a two-article package published today. The other story can be found here. By RICK BRUNDRETT S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis says he personally spent about $100,000 to defend himself in connection with the state Senate’s recent vote to remove him from office after the...
    Rick Brundrett

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    August 22, 2025

  • Lawfare is not the solution to Charleston's flooding issues

    Editor’s note: This article is an opinion piece written by Michael Burris, CEO of the South Carolina Policy Council – the parent organization of The Nerve. It’s high time for Charleston’s City Council to drop its beleaguered climate lawsuit and continue to focus on the real solutions to our flooding...
    Michael Burris

    Written by
    August 20, 2025