Morning Answer Daily

(AP) The Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place for nearly 50 years in a decision by its conservative majority to overturn Roe v. Wade. Friday's outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.

The decision, unthinkable just a few years ago, was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court that has been fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump.

The ruling came more than a month after the stunning leak of a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito indicating the court was prepared to take this momentous step.

It puts the court at odds with a majority of Americans who favored preserving Roe, according to opinion polls...

All of us at 94.5 The Answer send our Thoughts and Prayers to the Family of Deputy Aldridge and the Spartanburg Sheriff's Office

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. — A South Carolina deputy has died after being shot while responding to a domestic call, according to Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger.

Deputy Austin Derek Aldridge, 25, died just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night "from an injury received after being ambushed," Clevenger said.

"Please keep the family of Deputy Aldridge and his extended family at the Sheriff's Office in your thoughts and prayers during their time of loss and grief, Clevenger said. "Deputy Aldridge‘s widow and family have asked for privacy in the initial stages of her grief."

Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said Aldridge had been with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office for around three years. He said the deputy is a good young man...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A restaurant employee in North Carolina was fired after being accused of putting possible drug-laced treats in to-go bags.

The Red Robin employee was fired after several customers reported finding what appeared to be marijuana edibles in their to-go orders from the restaurant in Charlotte.

One customer said she got what looked like a Rice Krispy Treat, along with a card promoting Kellz Sweet Treets: The Incredible Edibles...

Thank you to all the Answer Insiders for making Patriots For America an amazingly successful event!

Check out our photos from the Patriots For America event with Mike Gallagher, Dennis Prager and Joey Hudson.

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (CNN) — Three weeks after the Horry County, South Carolina, Council voted to designate June as Pride Month, the council voted unanimously to rescind the resolution that proclaimed support and acceptance of the LGTBQ+ community.

The resolution passed unanimously as part of the county's consensus agenda on May 17. Councilman Johnny Vaught told CNN in an email, "No one on council caught it because the resolution just said 'pride month.'"

Vaught said the council began to receive backlash from the community after it passed the resolution.

"Councilmen got many emails expressing dismay that council would vote for an LGBTQIA month in such a conservative county. We brought the resolution back up at the next meeting and it was unanimously voted down. Councilmen voted the way their constituents demanded. End of story," Vaught said...

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Polls are open in South Carolina for the primary election. They opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.

Today's primary will determine who goes on to campaign for the Palmetto State's elected offices in November's general election.

Throughout the day you can find election updates as they come in...

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control sent out a plea Friday as COVID-19 levels across the state and the nation begin to rise: Get vaccinated, boosted and wear a mask if you live in areas with rising coronavirus levels.

In a release, DHEC urged residents to track community-level spread in the county where they live and work and follow the prevention steps to take based on the latest data...

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina drivers will soon pay even more at the pump in the form of a gas tax as gas prices reach unprecedented heights.

Starting July 1, motorists will pay an extra 2 cents per gallon for gas when the final increase of the state's motor fuel user fee goes into effect.

That increase of 2 cents per gallon from the current 26 cents per gallon people already pay at the pump will amount to a 28-cent fee.

It's the sixth consecutive year for the increase, according to the state's Department of Revenue.

The national average price for a gallon of gas on Wednesday is $4.95, according to AAA Gas Prices website. The site had South Carolina's average price at $4.56...

When D-Day veterans set foot on the Normandy beaches and other World War II sites, they express a mix of joy and sadness. Joy at seeing the gratitude and friendliness of the French toward those who landed on June 6, 1944. Sadness as they think of their fallen comrades and of another battle now being waged in Europe: the war in Ukraine.

As a bright sun was rising over the wide band of sand of Omaha Beach on Monday, 78 years on, U.S. D-Day veteran Charles Shay expressed thoughts for his comrades who fell that day. “I have never forgotten them and I know that their spirits are here,” he told The Associated Press...

(WYFF) SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. — With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer, waterparks around the Upstate are opening up for the season.

Several waterparks are still looking to fill open positions, facing some staffing shortages.

Discovery Island opens on Saturday, and managers say they're still looking for more people to keep things afloat.

"We are still seeing staffing issues this year," Discovery Island Aquatics Manager Beth Scheimann said. "We're actually less staffed this year than last year, so probably a little bit worse this year."

Scheimann says she's still looking for 10 lifeguards at Discovery Island.

Shipwreck Cove Waterpark in Duncan opened Memorial Day weekend and was packed Tuesday...

PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. — A Memorial Day weekend vigil was held in Pickens County on Sunday, to honor 104 service members from Pickens County who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The vigil was held at the brand new Semper Fi Barn, located at 314 Smith Memorial Highway.

Dog tags honoring the 104 service members were also made with their names, home of record, where they died, the date of their death and their age.

Tom Von Kaenel, Semper Fi Barn president, said the barn has been almost two years in the making, with a target date for this Memorial Day weekend to open...

LAURENS, S.C. — An Upstate middle school student has been charged following an online threat Wednesday afternoon, according to Capt. Scott Franklin, with Laurens Police Department.

At around 4:45 p.m., police received information about a perceived threat that was made on a social media chat chain between students of Sanders Middle School, Franklin said.

The threat was directed to Laurens County School District 55, according to Laurens District 55 Superintendent Dr. Ameca Thomas.

According to Franklin, within three hours investigators identified all the involved students and were able to determine the student who made the threat...

To help holiday travelers, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) prohibits lane closures on interstate highways for non-emergency highway work during the Memorial Day Weekend holiday travel period. These restrictions will be in place from 6 a.m. Friday, May 27, until 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 31.

With continued progress due to SCDOT's Strategic 10-Year Plan to rebuild South Carolina's roads and bridges, more work zones are in place all across South Carolina. SCDOT reminds motorists to remain alert and use caution...

(CNN via WYFF) - President Joe Biden said Monday he doesn't believe an outbreak of monkeypox is as risky as the COVID-19 pandemic, tempering comments he made a day earlier that people should be "concerned."

"We have had this monkeypox in large numbers in the past. We have vaccines to take care of it," Biden said during a visit to Tokyo.

"I just don't think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with COVID-19."

Still, he said "people should be careful."

On Sunday, Biden had said everyone should be concerned about the spread of monkeypox.

"They haven't told me the level of exposure yet, but it is something that everybody should be concerned about," he told CNN...

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Greenville's newest park is set to open Thursday.

Unity Park features four state-of-the-art playgrounds, including a 4,100-square-foot splash pad, two expansive green spaces, covered picnic tables and a 10,000-square-foot welcome center with restrooms, a first-aid station and flexible event space.

The 60-acre park also features basketball courts and a historic baseball field located on the site of the former Mayberry Park, which was built in 1925.

Three pedestrian bridges span the Reedy River, which flows through the middle of the park...

RALEIGH, N.C. — Voters in North Carolina head to the polls Tuesday in just one of five midterm elections to be held this week.

Former President Donald Trump is trying to sway races for U.S. Senate and House in a state he won twice, but narrowly.

Trump endorsed U.S. Rep Ted Budd for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Richard Burr, surprising many at last year’s state GOP convention. Budd’s top competitors in the 11-way primary are former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, who had actively sought Trump’s support, and former Gov. Pat McCrory, who is considered a moderate in the race but is best known nationally for signing a “bathroom bill” targeting transgender people in 2016 that cost the state billions...

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Simpsonville woman accused of killing her three-year-old foster child has been convicted and sentenced to life behind bars.

Ariel Robinson was accused of killing her 3-year-old foster child, Tori Smith, in January 2021.

She was charged with homicide by child abuse.

A jury convicted her of the charge after less than an hour-and-a-half of deliberation Thursday afternoon.

Robinson was the winner of "Worst Cooks in America" on Food Network...

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — If you noticed a plume of smoke near the Walmart in Spartanburg on Wednesday afternoon, you are not alone.

WYFF News 4 was sent several videos of the smoke with folks asking if the Walmart on East Main Street was on fire.

Dispatchers tell us that a pile of trash behind the store was on fire.

No injuries have been reported....

ELGIN, S.C. — Five earthquakes were reported Monday in or near Elgin, South Carolina.

The first was reported at about 1:30 a.m. in Elgin. According to the USGS, the quake was 3.29 magnitude.

The U.S. Geological Survey called the quake "notable" on its Facebook page.

As of 9 a.m. Monday, more than 4,300 people responded to the "Did you feel it?" question on the USGS website.

The second one was reported at 4:39 a.m. in Elgin and was a 1.6 magnitude.

The third quake was reported at about 5:10 a.m., also in Elgin...

SALEM, S.C. — Residents in one Upstate neighborhood voiced their concerns about a nearby gun range that they feel is causing more harm than good.

The noise from the range not only has neighbors frustrated but also a nearby farm owner concerned for her livestock.

Octavia Childress has lived on her farm for more than 30 years.

She said the noise has already impacted her horses.

"What's happening from the sound of the guns being fired over there. It frightens my horses. I would expect any day for them to charge through the fence," Childress said.

Or even worse...