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

Tuesday, April 23, 2013  Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is blocking a Senate vote on President Barack Obama's energy secretary nominee to protest proposed budget cuts to a nuclear processing facility in Graham's home state.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013  President Barack Obama's proposed budget includes more than $1 million to continue studies for the $300 million deepening of the Charleston Harbor shipping channel.

Friday, March 15, 2013  South Carolina's Election Commission would get about $6 million in one-time money to buy laptops that can speed up precinct lines and save for a future replacement of voting machines under a budget plan proposed by the state House.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013  The South Carolina House has rejected attempts by Democrats to temporarily extend Medicaid eligibility to hundreds of thousands of poor adults.

Thursday, March 07, 2013  A proposed House bill would get rid of unemployment benefits for people who fail drug tests.

Tuesday, March 05, 2013  State lawmakers are proposing a bill to that would offer cervical cancer vaccine to adolescents.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013  The director of a national association of state computer chiefs says South Carolina is moving in the right direction on cyber-security following the massive breach at the Department of Revenue.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013  A state official says South Carolina's military communities are facing looming budget pressures that could slice into civilian and military jobs.

Saturday, January 19, 2013  Several bills filed over the past few years would allow the state to ignore federal laws on gun control and light bulbs and mint its own currency.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013  The state Senate's Democratic leader has proposed legislation funding a police officer in every public school in South Carolina.

Monday, January 14, 2013  A state lawmaker is proposing that state health officials offer the HPV vaccine and educational material to seventh graders in South Carolina

Tuesday, January 08, 2013  A Democratic senator has introduced legislation that apologizes to the people of South Carolina for the cyber theft of millions of taxpayers' personal data.

Thursday, December 20, 2012  Gov. Nikki Haley's proposed budget would spend more money on computer security and law enforcement.

Friday, December 14, 2012  In the wake of U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint announcing his resignation earlier this month, Lexington County lawmaker Rick Quinn proposed a bill for special elections should a state senator steps down.

Monday, October 29, 2012  With a little more than a week until the November election, penny tax talk in Richland County is heating up even more.