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by WILL FOLKS
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The biggest news in South Carolina – and the biggest news in Hollywood – over the past week has been the untimely death of actress Hayden Panettiere in Greenville, S.C. on Sunday (August 17, 2026).
Panettiere, 36, was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. EDT at the Judson Mill Lofts just two miles southwest of downtown Greenville. While initial suspicions have revolved around a potential drug overdose, there has been no official word regarding the cause or manner of her death from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office (GCCO).
GCCO, along with the Greenville Police Department (GPD), is leading the investigation into Panettiere’s death with support from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Our research director Jenn Wood joined me this week to discuss the latest developments in Panettiere’s case, which has been covered extensively by our new field corresponded Troy Styles.
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In our next segment, chief photog and lead investigative reporter Andrew Fancher joined me to break down a recent court appearance featuring the disgraced leader of the S.C. State Election Commission (SCVotes) and his ex-deputy – both of whom are facing criminal charges tied to their termination from the agency last fall.
Andrew also shared a recap of the recent resolution of disgraced former S.C. sheriff Chuck Wright‘s state ethics charges.
Once again, big love to everyone who watches our show – and especially to all of you who subscribe to our media outlet. It’s your support that drives everything we do at FITSNews. The lights, the camera, the accountability… all of that is thanks to your views and your subscriptions.
So, if you appreciate our work – please subscribe today! And if you’re already a subscriber, please consider gifting a subscription to a friend… or grabbing some of our cool merch!
Catch you next week…
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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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SOUND OFF…
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