I did not have a leopard escaping from the Greenville Zoo on my bingo card for 2026!
Greenville Zoo’s leopard tranquilized, returned after escaping exhibit
Leopard Escapes Zoo
Category: Local
Pinball Wizards
South Carolina has finally legalized pinball for minors after decades of outdated restrictions.
Originally invented during the Great Depression as a game of chance (without flippers), early pinball machines led many places to ban it for kids due to its gambling-like nature. Flippers in the late 1940s turned it into a game of skill, and by the late 1970s, nearly every state had lifted bans on minors playing—except South Carolina.
A new law signed by the governor last month removes pinball from the list of “status offenses” banned for those under 18. Efforts to change this had been ongoing since 2015 (a full decade). Though the ban was rarely enforced and kids played anyway, it created legal risks for business owners (especially bars worried about liquor licenses).
Saffron Robes on a Rainy Road
‘Walk for Peace’ Pilgrimage Passes Through Rock Hill
ROCK HILL, S.C. — On a gray, sodden Wednesday morning, a striking splash of deep orange moved steadily along the wet asphalt of York County. It was a sight that caused many local drivers to do a double-take: Buddhist monks, serene and focused, walking the shoulder of the highway amid the January chill.
These monks are part of a dedicated group currently undertaking a massive “Walk for Peace,” a cross-country pilgrimage aimed at spreading a message of unity, compassion, and non-violence.
The group’s journey today took them through Rock Hill on their way north toward Fort Mill and Charlotte. The monks, clad in traditional saffron and maroon robes, navigated the slick roads in simple sandals, a testament to the arduous nature of their undertaking.
This trek is no small feat. The group is in the middle of a roughly 2,300-mile journey that began in Fort Worth, Texas. Their ultimate destination is Washington, D.C., where they hope to arrive by mid-February to deliver their message of peace to the nation’s capital.
Their presence in Rock Hill highlighted the very sort of unity they seek to promote. On Tuesday night, the walkers found shelter and hospitality at the Catawba Baptist Church in Rock Hill before setting out again on Wednesday morning.
While the visual of the monks walking is powerful, they are supported by a team in a vehicle following closely behind. The support vehicle currently houses their unofficial mascot, a rescue dog from India named “Aloka”—often referred to as the “Peace Dog”—who is currently resting up after recent surgery.
Local residents who spotted the walkers today witnessed a quiet, moving demonstration of faith in action. As the rain continued to fall, the monks marched northward, one step at a time, toward Washington.
Crash at Viva Chicken in Greer
A scary scene unfolded this past Sunday evening, January 4, at the Viva Chicken on Pelham Road. An SUV crashed through the front entrance and glass windows of the restaurant.
Emergency crews, including the Boiling Springs Fire Department and Greenville County EMS, responded promptly to the scene. Officials reported eight total injuries, with three people transported to the hospital for treatment as priority patients.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the accident. Sending our thoughts to those who have been injured and hoping for a quick recovery.
North Carolina Ends Cashless Bail
A Victory for Public Safety and Common Sense
On December 1, 2025, North Carolina officially shut down the dangerous experiment known as cashless bail. With the stroke of a pen, Governor Josh Stein signed “Iryna’s Law,” ending the practice of letting violent and repeat offenders walk free on a simple promise to show up in court later.
This reform was born out of tragedy. In August 2025, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was riding the light-rail train in Charlotte when she was randomly stabbed to death in broad daylight. Her alleged killer? A man with a long rap sheet who had been released just months earlier on a written promise to appear after yet another arrest. No money posted. No GPS monitor. No real consequences. Just another catch-and-release cycle that ended with an innocent young woman murdered in a horrific, preventable attack.
Enough was enough.
“Iryna’s Law” eliminates written promises to appear, requires secured bonds or strict monitoring for violent crimes, and forces judges to put their reasoning in writing when they release dangerous defendants. It also adds mental-health screenings and accountability for magistrates who repeatedly put the public at risk.
The results speak for themselves: violent criminals will no longer be free to re-offend while awaiting trial. Communities—especially in high-crime areas like Charlotte—will finally get the protection they’ve been begging for. A recent Carolina Journal poll found that nearly three out of four North Carolinians support holding judges accountable when their lenient decisions result in more victims.
This isn’t about punishing poverty; it’s about punishing predators. Low-risk, non-violent defendants still have reasonable paths to pretrial release. But if you’re charged with a violent felony or you keep cycling through the system, society has a right—and now a legal duty—to keep you off the streets until your day in court.
Iryna Zarutska came to America seeking safety and a new life. She never got the chance to live it. Thanks to the courage of North Carolina lawmakers in passing this law, fewer families will have to endure the pain she now carries forever.
Rest in peace, Iryna. Your death was not in vain. North Carolina just became a safer place because of you.
Overhead Highway Sign Collapses on I-77 near Charlotte, NC
It looked like a scene straight out of an action movie, but for drivers on I-77 South late Friday night, it was terrifyingly real.
Just before 11 p.m. on November 28, a massive overhead sign gantry near Exit 3 (Arrowood Road) came crashing down onto the highway after an impaired driver slammed into one of its support columns. The twisted metal pinned a vehicle underneath, trapping its driver inside a crumpled car beneath tons of steel.
Charlotte Fire Department crews worked frantically for over an hour to cut the driver free. Both the trapped motorist and another person were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. As of Sunday evening, no updates on their conditions have been released.
According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the driver who caused the crash was impaired. The impact was so violent that the entire sign structure buckled and fell across multiple lanes, instantly shutting down all southbound traffic just south of the city.
For nearly seven hours, I-77 South was a parking lot. Detours funneled thousands of vehicles onto surface streets like Nations Ford Road and Arrowood, turning a typical Friday night into a logistical nightmare. The highway finally reopened around 5 a.m. Saturday, after NCDOT crews removed the mangled sign sections and inspected the remaining supports.
Fugitive Monkeys on the Loose in South Carolina
Over 40 monkeys escaped from a research facility in South Carolina on Wednesday, prompting warnings for nearby residents to secure their doors and windows. As of Friday morning, the fugitive monkeys had not been captured.
New Panthers Owner
I had no idea the Panthers franchise is worth over 2 Billion 💵 Why did they need public financing for stadium renovations?
David Tepper expected to become new Panthers owner
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Train Collision in SC
Tragedy near Columbia, SC this morning. Prayers for those who are injured…
Amtrak, CSX train collision in South Carolina leaves 2 dead, over 100 injured, officials say
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