Latest Updates

  • Happy Holidays, Y'all!

     To Our Readers: The Nerve is not planning to publish new stories this week and next in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Thank you very much for all your support this year, and we are planning more hard-hitting stories for 2024 to hold politicians and other public officials...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    December 17, 2023

  • What S.C. officials don't 'really, really' want you to know about incentives

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 12/13/23 - Several hours after this story was published, Envision AESC announced in a state Department of Commerce press release that it would create an additional 450 jobs at its electric vehicle battery plant under construction in Florence County, bringing the total promised new jobs to...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    December 12, 2023

  • Supreme Court justice defends secretive disciplinary system

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 6/25/25 - In an order issued today, the S.C. Supreme Court announced that starting with the new fiscal year on July 1, summaries of all dismissed complaints against judges – the majority of complaints filed annually against judges statewide and which typically are kept secret – as...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    November 30, 2023

  • Electric bus maker required to do less for taxpayer-backed incentives

    By RICK BRUNDRETT When Proterra announced in February 2010 that it was locating a hybrid- and electric-bus assembly plant in Greenville, the then-CEO said the company selected South Carolina over some 30 states because of the “numerous benefits in terms of workforce capabilities and research and development support.” Former CEO...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    November 14, 2023

  • Hidden currents: How S.C. officials kept electric vehicle project secret

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 11/7/23 - Eight days after this story was published, voters in the town of Blythewood ousted incumbent Mayor Bryan Franklin, electing Town Council member Sloan Griffin as the new mayor by nearly 70% of the vote, according to state election results. Voters also rejected a re-election...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    October 30, 2023

  • Courting favor? Senator's cases before magistrates raise ethics questions

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 12/6/24 - S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kittredge issued an order generally banning magistrates from hearing any contested matter involving a state senator, whether as a lawyer or party, who has "direct authority" to recommend the magistrate for appointment by the governor. The order, which...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    September 29, 2023

  • S.C. senators maintain strong grip on local magistrates

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 10/16/23- Less than three weeks after this story and a companion investigative piece were published, Gov. Henry McMaster in a letter to the S.C. Senate called for reforms in the magistrate selection process, pointing out that his "relatively recent predecessors adopted or acceded to a custom...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    September 29, 2023

  • State agency surpluses total $4 billion to start fiscal '24

    By RICK BRUNDRETT When fiscal 2022-23 ended on June 30, the state’s general fund had a balance of less than $58 million – a relatively paltry amount compared to the $1.2 billion surplus reported a year earlier. But that doesn’t mean state government in South Carolina is poor. Far from...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    August 29, 2023

  • Federal school-choice suit raises questions about future court, legislative actions

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 10/26/23 - The South Carolina Education Association announced that the association, the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP and six public school parents filed a lawsuit asking the S.C. Supreme Court to nullify a state law passed earlier this year creating a school-choice program that...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    August 11, 2023

  • S.C. counties spending above population growth, inflation

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Oconee County Council Chairman Matthew Durham will tell you he ran on a campaign promise of low taxes and limited government growth. Durham, who was elected to County Council in 2020 and became its chairman this year, says he was alarmed that the county’s annual budget grew...
    Rick Brundrett

    Written by
    July 31, 2023