By Jessica Holdman | Reporter
Welcome to the weekend wrap.
I’ll be in Lexington today catching up with the nine Republican candidates seeking to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham.
In the meantime, catch up on an headlines you might have missed this week.
“We pursued a development strategy designed to deliver lasting value for our residents, businesses, educational institutions and public-sector partners. Octapharma is exactly that kind of investment, creating high-quality jobs across all education levels for generations to come.” - City of Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys, on $1.5 billion economic development deal inked by the city and York County
A preliminary rendering of pharmaceutical company Octapharma’s planned $1.5 billion facility in Rock Hill. (Photo courtesy of Octapharma)
By Jessica Holdman
A pharmaceutical company and a medical center will purchase 75 acres off Interstate 77 in Rock Hill, taking over land previously slated for a $500 million Carolina Panthers practice facility and team headquarters.
OTHER BUSINESS NEWS
Danny Ford II can stay on the ballot for the U.S. Senate primary for the time being, a judge ruled Friday, July 31, 2026. (Courtesy of Danny Ford II's campaign)
By Skylar Laird
A decertified candidate for U.S. Senate should stay a choice for voters for the time being, a Richland County judge ruled Friday, just five days before early voting starts.
MORE COURTS AND ELECTIONS NEWS
The funeral service for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham begins at First Baptist Church in Columbia Wednesday, June 29, 2026. (Photo by Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette)
By Jessica Holdman
The late Sen. Lindsey Graham was remembered Wednesday as a loyal, witty friend who embodied the American Dream and the state he loved.
“The reason Lindsey resonated with us is because he was us,” former U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy of Spartanburg said Wednesday during Graham’s funeral at First Baptist Church.
He “was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he was born with a plastic fork,” Gowdy said. “It is the story of America. It is the story of South Carolina that we punch above our weight.”
SAYING GOODBYE TO SEN. GRAHAM
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