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by WILL FOLKS
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This week’s big news was the ongoing fallout from a gang-related mass shooting on St. Helena Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina last weekend. Twenty people were shot – four of them fatally – outside of Willie’s Bar & Grill early Sunday morning (October 12, 2025).
Persons of interest have been identified in connection with the ongoing investigation into the shooting, but as of this writing no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. Research director Jenn Wood and I discussed the latest developments in this case – and where the investigation into the shooting could lead.
Jenn and I also recapped her amazing work (here, here and here) regarding an ongoing development scandal with purported ties to leaders at Clemson University. School officials and wealthy developers are saying one thing – but property records and documents are telling a different story.
Where’s the truth? We’re digging in search of it… as are numerous local leaders.
In other news, our Andy Fancher detailed the latest arrest of Upstate real estate mogul Ron Rallis – star of the recent “Days of our Congressman” scandal that upended Palmetto politics for months on end starting in the summer of 2022.
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Rallis – who was arrested in California earlier this year – continues to (literally) run into trouble with the law as he tries to navigate life following his high-profile spat with U.S. congressman William Timmons.
Finally, Dylan Nolan and I recapped a wild week at the S.C. Election Commission (SCVotes) – where leaders held an open meeting to directly address their recent termination of former executive director Howie Knapp. An even wilder week could be in store for the agency next week, we are told….
As always, our sincerest thanks to everyone who watched this week’s program. And please remember – your support drives absolutely everything we do. The lights, the cameras, the accountability … all of it is a direct result of your subscriptions. So, if you value the sort of independent, unapologetic coverage we provide – please help us out and consider subscribing today!
Oh, and if you are already a subscriber, please consider gifting a subscription to a spouse, family member, friend or co-worker. Again, your subscriptions make our entire enterprise possible…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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