Latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Midlands

Tuesday, May 14, 2013  A Republican state senator is criticizing how the Department of Revenue paid its clean-up bills following the massive hacking of taxpayers' personal data.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013  Pentagon poised to trim number of civilian furlough days, expand pool of exempt workers

Monday, May 13, 2013  Columbia mayor Steve Benjamin announced Monday that he is running for a second term.

Monday, May 13, 2013  The Senate's 2013-14 budget could buy $15 million worth of new school buses for South Carolina's aging fleet.

Wednesday, May 08, 2013  Mark Sanford is headed back to Congress after reviving his political career and winning his old House seat.

Friday, May 03, 2013  The Senate Finance Committee has approved a budget proposal that expands full-day 4-year-old kindergarten, gives state workers a slight raise, and puts more troopers on the highways.

Thursday, May 02, 2013  The Senate Finance Committee has refused to expand Medicaid eligibility to more poor adults as part of the state budget.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013  A week before the special election in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, House Democrats launched another ad attacking former Gov. Mark Sanford's personal indiscretions. Sanford, meanwhile, picked up the endorsement of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who is considering a run for president.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013  Charleston County school officials are spending more than $420,000 a year to maintain five closed schools.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013  The Georgia Ports Authority has joined a South Carolina state agency in agreeing to a settlement that would end pending lawsuits over the proposed $652 million deepening of the waterway to the Port of Savannah.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013  The National Republican Congressional Committee says it's not spending any additional money to support Mark Sanford's bid for a congressional seat in South Carolina.

Monday, April 15, 2013  U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham raised more than $1 million during the first three months of 2013 and now has nearly $5.4 million in the bank as he prepares for re-election in 2014.

Friday, April 12, 2013  The tax deadline is upon us and while many are scrambling to get their taxes done, some have already received or have plans for their tax refund.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013  Democratic 1st District congressional candidate Elizabeth Colbert Busch says she disagrees with the $3.7 trillion federal budget President Barack Obama is sending to Congress.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013  The U.S. Postal Service says it will delay plans to cut Saturday mail delivery because Congress isn't allowing the change.