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

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

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  Senate budget deliberations are set to begin Tuesday in the full Finance Committee following weeks of subcommittee hearings.

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.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013  The superintendent of the statewide charter school district says he needs at least $12 million just to keep up with the system's growing student population.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013  South Carolina's prisons agency is seeking additional money to better protect officers who watch over the state's most violent inmates.

Monday, January 14, 2013  The University of South Carolina has named a chancellor for its online program that starts this fall.

Saturday, December 22, 2012  South Carolina's teacher recruitment agency says the state still faces an annual shortage of several thousand teachers.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012  South Carolina's agricultural agency has found another way to promote the State Farmers Market after losing $1 million from the state budget.

Monday, October 22, 2012  The director of South Carolina's Medicaid agency says he realizes his preliminary budget calling for nearly $200 million more in 2013-14 is likely an impossible request.

Thursday, August 30, 2012  South Carolina's lower-than-expected surplus means $15 million worth of projects disappears from the state budget.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012  South Carolina's chief accountant says there's no money for nearly $15 million worth of projects approved in the state budget.

Friday, August 17, 2012  A University of South Carolina professor is dropping his lawsuit in Richland County against a panel led by Gov. Nikki Haley in order to join a similar lawsuit at the state Supreme Court.

Thursday, August 16, 2012  SC unemployment agency paying $106M toward debt

Wednesday, August 15, 2012  The leaders of groups representing teachers and state employees are asking the state Supreme Court to take up its lawsuit against a panel led by Gov. Nikki Haley for ignoring the budget and hiking workers' health insurance premiums.