Free Republic

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — UPDATE: Law enforcement moved in around 10 p.m. to disburse the encampment. Protesters said people were praying in tents as officers moved in to rip them open. Officers pushed the group off of the lawn until the protest broke up.

Iran could review its “nuclear doctrine” following Israeli threats to strike the country, a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander said on Thursday, as the world braces for an Israeli response to Tehran’s unprecedented April 13 drone and missile attack on it. Tehran has always insisted its nuclear program was strictly for peaceful purposes, a claim Israel and much of the Western world doubt.

Carl Erskine, who pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series, died Tuesday. He was 97.

COLUMBIA — A controversial energy bill is heading to the House floor over the continued opposition of consumer and environmental advocates, who say changes fell far short of addressing concerns over fast-tracking a new power plant in South Carolina. A House committee voted unanimously Wednesday to advance the legislation introduced last month by Speaker Murrell Smith of Sumter, R-Sumter. The bill gives permission for Dominion Energy and state-owned utility company Santee Cooper to partner on a possible 2,000-megawatt natural gas plant on the site of a former coal-fired power plant along the Edisto River in Colleton County. But in the...

Former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden issued opposing views on the future of Social Security on Monday. While Trump suggested the possibility of cutting “entitlements” on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Biden issued a 2025 budget proposal that states, “No benefit cuts.”

(Reuters) -Insurer Health Care Service Corp said on Wednesday it would buy Cigna's Medicare business that manages government-backed health insurance for people aged 65 and older for $3.3 billion in cash. The sale consists of Cigna's Medicare lines, including Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplement and Medicare drug plans, as well as a unit called CareAllies that works with physician groups and other healthcare providers.

LAURENS, S.C. (WSPA) – Congressman Jeff Duncan announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection to the House of Representatives. “Representing the 3rd District of South Carolina in this capacity has been a privilege and honor,” Duncan said in a statement. “Now, it is time for another man or woman to serve our District in the next Congress. I will not seek re-election to the US House of Representatives.” Duncan has represented South Carolina’s 3rd congressional district since 2011. He ran unopposed in 2022. “At some point in a career, one needs to step aside and allow others to bring...

West Virginia’s chief elections officer, now a candidate for governor, has again said the 2020 presidential election was rigged. “The election was stolen, and it was stolen by the CIA,” Secretary of State Mac Warner, a Republican, said Thursday night during a MetroNews debate for gubernatorial candidates.

North Carolina trial judges on Thursday blocked portions of a new law that would transfer Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s authority to pick election board members to the Republican-dominated General Assembly. Following a 90-minute hearing, the three state judges agreed unanimously to issue a preliminary injunction sought by Cooper. His lawyers argued that the alterations to the State Board of Elections and county boards in all 100 counties need to be stopped now or his directive in the state constitution to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed” will be harmed irreparably.

The seemingly constant emergence of artificial intelligence tools across the healthcare landscape has led the American Medical Association to publish guidelines about the technology, detailing best practices for limiting risks to both patients and clinicians. "The AMA recognizes the immense potential of health care AI in enhancing diagnostic accuracy, treatment outcomes, and patient care," Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, president of the AMA stated in a news release. "However, this transformative power comes with ethical considerations and potential risks that demand a proactive and principled approach to the oversight and governance of health care AI." The eight-page guide, published Nov. 28, highlights...

Medicare Advantage provides health coverage to more than half of the nation's seniors, but a growing number of hospitals and health systems nationwide are pushing back and dropping some or all contracts with the private plans altogether. Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers. Some systems have noted that most MA carriers have faced allegations of billing fraud from the federal government and are being probed by lawmakers over their high denial rates. "It's become a game of delay, deny and not pay,'' Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of...

OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Deputies are searching for a person of interest after a man drove through a gate and fence Thursday night at Oconee Nuclear Station. According to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, at around 8:06 p.m. deputies were called to the nuclear station after a man reportedly drove a 2002 Toyota Camry through the exit side gate on the Highway 183 side of the station. After hitting pop-up barricades, which were activated by security at the nuclear station, the man backed up and drove down a dirt road, where Duke Energy security reportedly tried to block the...

Local school boards across the state are currently responsible for what books and materials are available in their schools. However, the SC Department Of Education could soon change who has that authority. While controversy over the books allowed in school libraries continues, a notice given last month from the Department of Education proposed that school classroom and library materials need to align with the state’s set standards. In November of this year, the South Carolina Board Of Education will consider a first reading for who has control of choosing materials allowed in the schools. If the board votes in favor...

In the race for U.S. Senate, Gov. Jim Justice has a strong advantage over Congressman Alex Mooney in the Republican primary and an edge over incumbent Joe Manchin in a possible General Election matchup. And new polling shows that in the Republican race for governor, Delegate Moore Capito is leading a field that also includes Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, businessman Chris Miller and Secretary of State Mac Warner. Those snapshots are according to the most recent MetroNews West Virginia Poll results released this morning at the annual business summit hosted by the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The poll included...

After a week’s delay and some concern, West Virginia officials announced a new project to produce clean hydrogen from natural gas in Mason County and deposit greenhouse gas emissions beneath state-owned wildlife areas. The state Economic Development Authority today approved up to $62.5 million in forgivable loans for Houston-based Fidelis New Energy. Gov. Jim Justice then announced the project and introduced company leaders during an event at the state Culture Center.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A guidance document from the United States Department of Education could threaten two extremely popular youth outdoor programs in West Virginia schools. U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona moved to block funding from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to schools which offer hunter education and archery programs. Cardona’s guidance is in regard to the bi-partisan Safer Communities Act which passed last year. The act was approved with the help of 15 Republican Senators’ votes, including that of U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin was also a vote in favor of...

PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – An Upstate officer was killed in the line of duty Wednesday morning in Easley. According to the Easley Police Department, officers received a call for service around 5 a.m. to assist with a call regarding a mental health crisis near the railroad tracks on East Main Street. Two officers found the person around 6 a.m. on the train tracks and were attempting to get them off the tracks when an officer was hit by an Amtrak train. Easley Police identified the officer as 22-year-old Matthew Hare. “Officer Hare died saving the life of someone he...

As concerns grow about the health of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky state laws have already guaranteed his potential replacement will be a Republican.

The developers of Mountain Valley Pipeline have asked the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency intervention to allow the project’s construction to progress. The pipeline developers made their application late Friday to vacate the stays of the Fourth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Such applications represent a request for emergency action addressed to a specific justice, in this case Chief Justice John Roberts. Each justice is assigned to circuits to handle such applications, and Roberts has the Fourth Circuit, which includes the region where the pipeline is being developed. The 35-page filing is in...

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for his role in the largest corruption scandal in state history and taken immediately into custody, a judge declaring that "the court and the community's patience with Larry Householder has expired."