Military & Budget: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the renaming of Joint Base Charleston to honor Sen. Lindsey Graham to call for a $1.5 trillion 2027 military budget, saying Graham backed the request. Politics: Rep. Sheri Biggs is pitching defense and healthcare priorities as South Carolina’s Senate race heads to a runoff, highlighting a “Made in America Defense Act” and support for military families’ travel. Law Enforcement & Courts: SCDOR agents arrested 23 people across Aiken, Barnwell, and Edgefield counties on tax charges after a 10-month investigation, alleging evasion through false withholding claims and failure to file returns. Education Access: The Meeting Street Scholarship is going statewide, expanding to all 46 South Carolina counties with $18.7 million in recurring state funding for eligible high school seniors. Health Care Access: A new report says maternity care deserts affect more than 180,000 women across Georgia and South Carolina, with gaps in labor-and-delivery services driving higher burdens and NICU strain. Local Growth & Jobs: Prysmian announced an $80 million Lexington County expansion expected to add about 135 jobs, while Trison Wells is investing $3.37 million in Colleton County to create 30 new jobs. Public Safety: Spartanburg County council members discussed a potential data center moratorium and whether it should include NorthMark/Valara, with some saying there’s no legal basis to stop the project.