Understand SC

Though it's barely begun, it's clear the new school year won't be the kind of fresh start that many imagined. As the delta variant of COVID-19 spreads rapidly in South Carolina, districts are faced with questions about how to keep their schools open for in-person learning while protecting students and staff. Education reporter Libby Stanford breaks down what the Charleston-area school districts are doing and how one district is going against state law to mandate masks.

There are plenty of numbers available that show the troubling point that South Carolina has reached in the COVID-19 pandemic. But sometimes it can be difficult to understand the grim reality behind those figures. This week, projects reporter Jennifer Berry Hawes and photographer and podcast co-host Gavin McIntyre share what they saw firsthand while visiting a local hospital's intensive care unit amid the current surge in COVID cases.

North Charleston residents have been calling for a racial bias audit of their police department for years. This week, we explain the results of the long-awaited report, which was presented to the community this month.

South Carolina's school districts have a potentially game-changing opportunity on their hands: Schools are getting a combined $3 billion in COVID-19 federal aid. Deciding exactly how that money will be used, though, will be difficult.

South Carolina is about a year out from the primary for its next governor’s race, but the contest has already generated a lot of conversation. Reporters Thomas Novelly and Jamie Lovegrove break down what we know about the major players in this race so far and how they're vying for South Carolinians' votes.

This week, we're bringing you more coverage from The Post and Courier's ongoing "Uncovered" series about corruption in South Carolina. Reporters Joseph Cranney and Avery Wilks explain how judges in the state have been able to remain on the bench for years, despite serious questions about their character and impartiality.

Two members of a prominent South Carolina legal family were shot dead in rural Colleton County in early June. Since then, information about what happened has been scarce. This week, Glenn Smith and Thad Moore of our Watchdog and Public Service reporting team break down what we do and don't know about this high-profile homicide investigation.

The latest installment of our ongoing "Uncovered" series about unreported corruption in South Carolina looks at why public servants often face little or no consequences when they're caught doing the wrong thing. Reporter Tony Bartelme also tries to answer the question of why officials cross ethical lines and what could be done to deter future misconduct.

The city of Charleston is considering changing its zoning to take chronic flooding problems into account. Low-lying areas would be made more off-limits to new building projects and less flood-prone areas would be zoned for denser development.

South Carolina's largest university is again on the search for a new leader after a plagiarism scandal prompted former USC President Bob Caslen to resign. This week, Columbia-based reporter Jessica Holdman and managing editor Andy Shain explain why Caslen's hiring was controversial and what might change with this next presidential search process.