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COLUMBIA, SC – No. 4/4 South Carolina opens play in the NCAA Tournament on Sat., March 21, at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks will play the winner of the First Four game between Southern and Samford in a 1 p.m. tipoff on ABC.

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Gamecock Notables

By the Numbers7 – Multiple Gamecocks have earned All-America status for the seventh-straight season.

9 – South Carolina has posted at least 30 wins in nine of the last 12 seasons, including each of the last five.

12 – Senior Raven Johnson needs 12 points to reach 1,000 in her career.

Gamecocks Against the FieldThis season, South Carolina has faced 13 of the 68 teams in the NCAA Tournament field, four of which are also in the Sacramento 4 Region, including both of its potential second-round opponents. The Gamecocks went 13-3 against those 13 teams.

In addition to their nine league rivals in the field – Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt – South Carolina played non-conference games against Clemson, vs. Southern Cal, vs. Duke and at Louisville.

The 13 teams include a No. 1 seed, two No. 2 seeds, two No. 3 seeds, a No. 4 seed, two No. 5 seeds, a No. 6 seed, a No. 7 seed, a No. 8 seed, a No. 9 seed and a No. 11 seed.

Home Sweet HomeThe Gamecocks are 562-168 (.770) in home games (some records prior to 1976-77 did not include location of games). Current head coach Dawn Staley is 250-35 at home for a program-best .877 winning percentage.

Playing in its 24th season at Colonial Life Arena, South Carolina boasts a 313-68 (.822) record in the building, including four undefeated seasons since 2013-14. Staley’s share of that record is 247-35 (.876).

South Carolina is 28-5 (.848) in postseason play at home, including a 20-8 (.714) mark at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks are 21-2 (.913) in NCAA Tournament games at home.

Tournament TalkSouth Carolina is in its 22nd NCAA Tournament and its 14th straight under head coach Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks are 55-18 overall in the event with 15 Sweet 16 appearances, nine Elite Eight seasons, seven Final Four showings and three National Championships.

The Gamecocks have been a regional No. 1 seed 10 times, including three seasons as the overall No. 1 seed (2022, 2023, 2024). They are 39-5 as a No. 1 seed.

In her 26th season as a head coach, Staley has taken a team to the NCAA Tournament 20 times. She is 49-16 at the event, including a 47-10 mark at South Carolina and a 21-2 mark over the last four tournaments.

All-American GirlsA trio of Gamecocks have received All-America honors this season, led by forward Joyce Edwards who has been on every list’s second team. She is just the eighth Gamecock sophomore all-time to earn All-America status, most recently joining Staley-era greats Aliyah Boston (2021), A’ja Wilson (2016) and Tiffany Mitchell (2014).

Senior Raven Johnson earned third-team honors from the Associated Press and honorable mention nods from USA Today and the USBWA. It is the first season she has received the label.

Senior Ta’Niya Latson claimed All-America recognition for the fourth straight season as she drew honorable mention honors from the Associated Press.

This season marks the seventh-straight that multiple Gamecocks have earned All-America status.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A bill regulating hemp products in South Carolina cleared its hurdle inside the state Senate after weeks of discussion and debate.

Wednesday night, Senators failed to pass the hemp regulation bill, leaving it’s future uncertain, but then revived it on Thursday evening.

Senators then passed an amended bill on Thursday under a deal that would allow low-potency, canned THC beverages to be sold at retail stores that have beer and wine licenses. Those beverages could include up to five milligrams of THC in a 12 oz. can and would need to be kept behind a counter.

Under the bill, higher-potency drinks like 12 oz. cans with up to 10 milligrams of THC, and 750 milliliter bottles would be allowed to be sold at liquor stores alongside gummies. The gummies, restricted to packs of four that are 10 milligrams each of THC, 40 milligrams total in a pack, would also need to be kept behind the counter at liquor stores.

“That’s the number one thing,” said Sen. Michael Johnson (R-York). “We want to regulate this product, make sure those who shouldn’t be around it aren’t and so that was the entire intent of today.”

“We are going to force alcoholics into liquor stores to get gummies,” said Sen. Ed Sutton (D-Charleston). “I think that is a very bad mistake.”

The measure would still need to formally pass the Senate through a third reading on Tuesday. The amended bill would then need to pass the South Carolina House of Representatives, which struggled to pass its own hemp regulations earlier this year.

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The South Carolina Department of Corrections announced the opening of the first vertical farm inside a U.S. prison, launching a new agricultural training initiative at the Camille Graham Correctional Institute in Columbia.

The four-container vertical farm, developed through a partnership with nonprofits Impact Justice and farm equipment manufacturer AmplifiedAg, is expected to produce more than 40,000 pounds of fresh produce annually. The harvest will be used to supply the prison, as well as low-income communities, with crops grown and maintained by incarcerated women.

The workforce development project aims to bring modern agricultural practices into rehabilitation programs inside prisons. Program participants will get classroom instruction and hands-on training, officials said at the project’s unveiling March 19.

Leaders said the initiative is designed to increase access to nutritional foods within the facility and give prisoners a chance to learn employable skills, including operating and maintaining advanced farming systems.

Impact Justice CEO Alex Busansky hopes the vertical farm will be a catalyst for “a national movement” to prove that these farms work, create opportunities and improve lives.

The organization will also work with S.C. agribusiness partners to help connect inmates with job opportunities upon release. The goal is to create a pipeline to employment.

The opening was attended by S.C. Department of Corrections Director Joel Anderson, S.C. Department of Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers and AmplifiedAg CEO Dave Flynn.

The farm is built out of retrofitted shipping containers and outfitted with LED grow lights, climate control systems and vertical growing racks. Crops such as leafy greens and herbs can be grown in the controlled environment. Vertical farming is the process of growing groups in vertical layers within an enclosed environment, using soilless systems like hydroponics. Vertical farms enable year-round high crop yield with up to 95 percent less water and significantly less land.

The greens grown in the vertical farms mature within a 36-day period, as opposed to the average 55 days in a traditional field.

Two other farms in Oakland and Chowchilla, California, are poised to receive a similar system. A third farm will be opened at the Impact Justice office in Oakland, as well.

Officials emphasized that programs like this play a role in reducing recidivism rates — or someone returning to prison after release — by providing practical skills and a sense of purpose. They hope the initiative will serve as a model for programs nationwide.

Celebrating Women’s History Month with an Immersive Business Conference for Women Authors and Publishing Professionals — March 26–28, 2026 • Columbia, SC

COLUMBIA, SC, UNITED STATES, March 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Women in Publishing Summit announces the inaugural in-person WIP LIVE: #WIPCON conference, March 26–28, 2026, at the Courtyard by Marriott Columbia Downtown at USC—a deliberate choice to honor Women’s History Month! Founded to amplify women’s voices, Women in Publishing Summit was built on the belief that women who have a story to tell deserve every resource, connection, and strategy necessary to bring that work into the world at full volume. With 35,000+ email subscribers, 8,000+ Facebook group members, 1,000+ annual virtual summit attendees, and 200,000+ podcast downloads, WIP has become one of the most engaged communities in independent publishing. WIPCON is its fullest in-person expression.

“WIPCON was built differently. You leave with work done—content created, collaborations identified, a revenue strategy mapped. Not plans. Results.” —Alexa Bigwarfe, Founder A Working Conference — Not a Passive One WIPCON is not a traditional writing or publishing conference. Over 2.5 days, women authors and publishing professionals stop consuming and start building — leaving with real content, a mapped revenue strategy, identified collaboration partners, and a 90-day action plan.

Thursday, March 26: Welcome Happy Hour and networking mixer (6:00–8:00 PM)

Friday, March 27: LEARN: Expert-led sessions on storytelling, social media strategy, visibility, and revenue — closing with the Genius Games, an interactive experience to identify strengths and collaboration partners.

Saturday, March 28 — BUILD: Small-group implementation labs with the same experts: Social Media and; Content, Sales and Collaboration, and Visibility and Speaking. Closes with a 90-Day Collaborative Action Plan.

Sunday, March 29 — VIP Day (capped at 15): 1:1 strategy sessions, mentorship, and content filming.

Featured Speakers: Alexa Bigwarfe • Porsché Mysticque • Julie Lokun • April Pertuis • Tayler Simon • Annette Flavel • Cayce LaCorte • Raewyn Sangari • Jennifer Wilkov • Tara Abbott • Parchelle and; Portia Michele Osumaré.

Event Details: Dates: March 26–28, 2026 • Location: Courtyard by Marriott Columbia Downtown at USC, 630 Assembly St, Columbia, SC 29201

Tickets: $347 General Admission • Register: writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/wincon-26/ Info: womeninpublishingsummit.com/columbia • Media: support@womeninpublishingsummit.com

About Women in Publishing Summit: Founded by Alexa Bigwarfe, Women in Publishing Summit exists to amplify women’s voices, elevate women’s stories, and build a community where women in publishing are better together. WIP hosts an annual virtual summit with 40+ workshops, monthly programming, and a growing ecosystem of resources for authors and publishing professionals at every stage.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Several Midlands school districts have announced school closures and eLearning days for Monday due to potential severe weather across the region.

LEXINGTON 3

Lexington County School District Three announced it will shift to an eLearning Day due to potential severe weather on Monday.

The district says there will be no work for students to do on Monday. Instead, students will receive their make-up eLearning assignments on Tuesday, March 17th. Students will have the option to complete their eLearning assignments on their own time. All assignments will be due by no later than Thursday, April 2nd.

All after-school events, including sports practices, sports games, meetings, adult education classes, etc., scheduled for Monday, March 16th, are cancelled.

LEXINGTON ONE

Lexington One is switching to eLearning on Monday, March 16, 2026

All after-school events and activities are canceled, and campuses are also closed for the day.

You can click here to review the district’s eLearning guidelines and directions.

LEXINGTON TWO

Lexington Two is closing all offices and schools on Monday, March 16.

All afternoon and evening activities are also canceled on Monday, including athletic events, extracurricular activities, after-school programs, and adult education classes.

DISTRICT 5 OF LEXINGTON AND RICHLAND COUNTIES

LR5 will not have school due to previous scheduling.

ORANGEBURG COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Orangeburg County School District will observe an eLearning Day. All after-school programs, extracurricular activities, athletic practices, and games scheduled for tomorrow are canceled due to the expected weather conditions.

LEE COUNTY

Lee County School District has designated Monday, March 16, 2026, as an eLearning Day.

KERSHAW COUNTY

Kershaw County School District is shifting to an e-Learning Day for Monday. All Monday after-school activities and sporting events are also cancelled.

WIS will update this article with more school changes once announced.

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