South Carolina Lede

On this edition of South Carolina Lede host Gavin Jackson speaks with Colin Demarest, reporter for the Aiken Standard, about the recently terminated MOX mixed oxide fuel fabrication facility project at the Savannah River Site.

The MOX plan was part of a 2000 agreement with Russia to convert 34 metric tons of weapons grade plutonium into reactor fuel. The project was originally estimated to cost $4 billion, but as of 2018 only 70 percent was completed and $12 billion would have been needed to finish it. Gavin and Colin discuss the history of the project as well as what may be on the horizon for the Savannah River Site.

On this episode of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Post and Courier Statehouse Reporter Andy Brown and South Carolina Public Radio's own Statehouse Reporter Russ McKinney to discuss the past and potential future of Santee Cooper, the state-owned utility which partnered with SCE&G on the failed $9 billion V.C. Summer nuclear project.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson speaks with Greenville News reporters Nathaniel Cary and Mike Ellis about their new series "Taken" about civil forfeiture by South Carolina law enforcement. The pair, along with fellow reporter Anna Lee, combed through more than 3,200 records to compile a comprehensive database of civil forfeiture incidents. Most of the seizures were tied to illegal activity while others have raised questions about the practice which has limited oversight and brings in millions of dollars in revenue.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson discusses the future of medical marijuana in South Carolina with Post and Courier Statehouse Reporter Andy Brown and South Carolina Public Radio's own Statehouse Reporter Russ McKinney. Debate over the issue rages on with advocates touting massive statewide support to legalize the drug for a handful of medical conditions while opponents, especially law enforcement, say a recently introduced conservative bill to allow prescription marijuana poses risks to the state.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Meg Kinnard, South Carolina reporter for the Associated Press, and Maayan Schechter, statehouse reporter for The State, to discuss Gov. Henry McMaster's recently released state budget and the unity among lawmakers to make education reform a top priority for 2019. They also look at the roster of Democratic presidential hopefuls visiting South Carolina as they gear up for the 2020 election.

Gov. Henry McMaster was sworn into his first full term as governor last week and laid out his vision for the next four years. On this episode of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by AP Reporter Meg Kinnard and Post and Courier Columbia Bureau Chief Andy Shain to look at what McMaster's plan is, the reaction to his inauguration speech, and what we can expect from his budget and upcoming State of the State address.

On this special edition of South Carolina Lede, recorded live at The White Mule in Columbia, SC, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Seanna Adcox, assistant Columbia bureau chief for the Post and Courier, and Jeffrey Collins, South Carolina reporter for the Associated Press, to preview the 2019 legislative session.

South Carolina Public Radio’s own Statehouse Reporter Russ McKinney also drops by to quiz Gavin and the audience on South Carolina history.

On this special edition of South Carolina Lede, recorded live at Munkle Brewing Co. in Charleston, host Gavin Jackson is joined by The Post and Courier reporters Jamie Lovegrove, Thad Moore and Caitlin Byrd to recap the top stories of 2018. The group discusses the midterm elections, the upset in the 1st Congressional District, the ongoing V.C. Summer boondoggle, the future of education in South Carolina and other surprises of the year.

South Carolina Public Radio’s own Statehouse reporter Russ McKinney also drops by to quiz Gavin and the audience on Lowcountry history.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Andy Brown, statehouse reporter with the Post and Courier, to discuss the latest on the controversial V.C. Summer nuclear project. The Public Service Commission wrapped up three weeks of hearings on the failed $9 billion project, and will soon determine how much SCE&G ratepayers are on the hook for as well as whether the ultility can be sold to Virginia-based Dominion Energy.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson speaks with Post and Courier Reporters Seanna Adcox and Thad Moore about the paper's new series "Minimally Adequate," which explores the bleak state of South Carolina's education system. The series analyzes how factors such as segregation, lowered standards, and funding cuts have resulted in a history of subpar education in the Palmetto State.

Free access to the entire project is available on The Post and Courier’s website here. 

On this last episode of South Carolina Lede before Thanksgiving, host Gavin Jackson looks back on the 2018 South Carolina midterm elections with Seanna Adcox, The Post and Courier's assistant Columbia bureau chief, and Russ McKinney, South Carolina Public Radio's own statehouse reporter. They profile the constitutional officers who were re-elected around the state, look at the state superintendent referendum that failed on the ballot, and discuss issues with South Carolina's outdated voting machines.

The midterms have come and gone and the South Carolina Lede breaks down the results just minutes after they were announced on election night 2018.

Host Gavin Jackson recaps the action from the state Republican watch party with reporters Jamie Lovegrove with The Post and Courier and Meg Kinnard with The Associated Press.

On this special edition of South Carolina Lede, recorded live at the Growler Haus in the Village of West Greenville, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Associated Press South Carolina Reporter Meg Kinnard and Post and Courier Statehouse Reporter Jamie Lovegrove to recap last week's lieutenant gubernatorial debate and preview this week's midterm elections.

South Carolina Public Radio's own Statehouse Reporter Russ McKinney also drops by to quiz Gavin and the audience about Upstate history.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by Charles Bierbauer, dean emeritus of the USC College of Information and Communications, and Andy Shain, Columbia bureau chief with The Post and Courier, to discuss the final gubernatorial debate between incumbent Republican Gov. Henry McMaster and Democratic candidate James Smith before next week's election.

South Carolina Public Radio's own Statehouse reporter Russ McKinney also stops by to quiz Gavin with South Carolina trivia in this week's Did You Know segment.

On this edition of South Carolina Lede, host Gavin Jackson is joined by The Post and Courier’s Jamie Lovegrove to recap the contentious first gubernatorial debate and preview the next one on Thursday—all of this inside of just two weeks until election day on Nov. 6. Also a look at the recent influx of potential 2020 Democratic candidates that were in and around the Palmetto State.

South Carolina Public Radio's own Statehouse reporter Russ McKinney also stops by to quiz Gavin with South Carolina trivia in this week's Did You Know segment.