This week, on August 5, 2025, the South Carolina State Board of Education approved Superintendent Ellen Weaver’s request to take control of the Jasper County School District. The board’s vote allows the South Carolina Department of Education to dissolve the locally elected school board and assume full operational control of the district. The decision comes
BMW’s massive Spartanburg plant has something special under the hood. Powering its plant includes a system that reduces reliance on an already overtaxed energy grid. So why have you never heard about it? And more importantly, is it just a virtue-signaling venture, or is it a small glimpse into the future of independently produced power
As the American automotive industry continues to evolve, several new manufacturers have pursued an alternative go-to-market strategy to the traditional franchised dealer model by creating their own retail operations and selling directly to customers. That list includes Tesla, now one of the world’s biggest automakers, along with growing startups like Rivian and Lucid. It also
For years, Palmetto Promise Institute has supported Direct Primary Care (DPC) as a key reform to improve healthcare access, affordability, and doctor-patient relationships in South Carolina. With the introduction of H. 3966 by Rep. Davis (R-Moncks Corner), the General Assembly has another opportunity to solidify legal protections for this innovative care model. This legislation comes
Have you ever stayed in an Airbnb? Perhaps you or someone you know has rented out a property—or booked someone else’s through VRBO—either to save money or bring in extra income. Well, now in South Carolina you can do the same thing with your personal cars. Peer-to-peer car sharing allows individual car owners to rent out
Historically, Mississippi has ranked near the bottom of national indicators in areas such as education, healthcare, and economic mobility. The phrase “Thank God for Mississippi” became an expression of relief for South Carolina, reflecting the idea that, regardless of how poorly we were doing in The Palmetto State, at least The Magnolia State was performing
The Rise of Gig Work As work becomes more flexible, healthcare becomes more fragile. Today, over one-third of the American workforce (36%) earns a living through the gig economy, a system based on contract or “gig”-based work, often facilitated by online platforms (think Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, VRBO, Grubhub, Doordash, Fiverr, Thumbtack, Etsy etc.). This sweeping
When COVID hit, many parents who were suddenly homebound used that extra time to investigate what kind of education their children were receiving. In some cases, it didn’t require much sleuthing. After all, COVID forced parents to experience lessons and assignments in real time. Student achievement, course content, and funding at their zip code-assigned traditional
Medical tourism has been a buzzword in recent years, but this phenomenon doesn’t apply just to international travel. A growing number of Americans are crossing state lines in search of more competitive clinical costs. In a country with soaring medical prices, where charging patients $4,000 for Tylenol is not uncommon, South Carolina is becoming a
