South Carolina’s murder rate increased by more than 52% in the last five years, according to new state crime numbers from the State Law Enforcement Division. The report highlights that statewide murders increased from 452 in 2019 to 552 in 2020. The report also suggested that 2020 brought the highest aggravated assault rate since 2011, with 42.8 of every 10,000 S.C. residents in 2020 being victims of aggravated assault, compared to 45.8 in 2011. More: The State, The Post and Courier
In other headlines:
I-26, I-20 interchange could get bump from $1T infrastructure bill. The U.S. House passed the $1 trillion infrastructure bill Monday, and it could bring billions of dollars into the state, including for the ongoing work at Columbia’s “Malfunction Junction.” Meanwhile, fixes have begun for the interchange this week, disrupting traffic across the state. More: The State
State school board group leaves national group after GOP push. The South Carolina State School Boards Association is withdrawing its membership from the National School Boards Association after calls from Republican state lawmakers, who went into a tizzy when the national group asked for federal help in dealing with threats to board members. More: The State
Legal fight over Biden vaccine mandate begins. GOP-led states Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Utah are among the plaintiffs in the Louisiana case where a federal court has temporarily blocked the federal vaccine-or-test mandate meant for private businesses. The move kicks off a legal fight to determine the survival of the order. More: Politico
How the 1619 Project became a political battleground. Republican lawmakers from South Carolina to Idaho proposed laws echoing the language and intent of national Republicans bristling at The New York Times‘ award-winning 1619 Project, which linked racism today with the nation’s early adoption of slavery. Next week, the Times will release a book expanding on the 2019 magazine issue. More: The New York Times
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