Morning Answer Daily

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Greenville police say a crash has caused a section of Wade Hampton Boulevard to be closed Tuesday morning.

Officers said a vehicle crashed into a utility pole at the intersection of Wade Hampton Boulevard and Batesview Drive.

Police alerted WYFF News 4 to the crash about 3:40 a.m.

Duke Energy crews are also on scene inspecting the damage...

MARSHALL, N.C. — When schools in one North Carolina county reopen later this month, new security measures will include stocking AR-15 rifles for school resource officers to use in the event of an active shooter.

Spurred by the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead in May, school officials and Madison County Sheriff Buddy Harwood have placed one of the semiautomatic rifles in each of the county’s six schools. Each of the guns will be locked inside a safe, Harwood said.

The North Carolina school district and sheriff’s office are collaborating to enhance security after the Uvalde shooting revealed systemic failures and “egregiously poor decision-making,” resulting in more than an hour of chaos before the gunman was finally confronted and killed by law enforcement, according to a report written by an investigative committee from the Texas House of Representatives...

Fans of NBC's "Days of our Lives" will soon have to go someplace else to watch their favorite soap opera.

NBC announced Wednesday that the long-running daytime drama will move to the Peacock streaming service starting Sept. 12.

The sands of time have been falling through the famed hourglass for more than 14,000 episodes on NBC, stretching back to its premiere on Nov. 8, 1965.

The network says the "Days" move to the streaming service is being made to better reflect how viewers watch the show.

"Days of our Lives" has already been streaming on Peacock the day after an episode is aired, but, beginning Sept. 12, Peacock will be the new home for the soap, with new episodes each weekday.

LANDRUM, S.C. — There is a unique home for sale in the Upstate.

It's so unique it has been posted on the 'Zillow Gone Wild' Instagram page.

Some may call it the round house.

It's located at 26 Coastline Drive in Inman and is selling "as is" for $650,000.

The listing says, "Rare opportunity on Lake Bowen with this unique round house. This is for sure a contractor or handy man's dream. Majority of building materials on site to complete remodel. Home is being sold as-is where-is. There is 73 ft of water frontage, a dock in place and a patio down by the water near the dock. What an awesome opportunity. Schedule your showing today."...

ATLANTA — The Atlanta music festival Music Midtown, which draws tens of thousands of concertgoers and blockbuster musicians each year, "will no longer be taking place this year," organizers announced in a tweet Monday.

Though the organizers did not cite a reason for calling off the festival, various media reports citing industry and festival sources said the cancellation was due to a recent interpretation of Georgia's gun law, which permits firearms in public spaces, including parks.

Weapons and explosives of any kind are prohibited at the festival, according to its website. Gun rights advocates had mounted a pressure campaign against that position, calling into question the festival's ability to restrict firearms since Georgia allows guns to be carried in parks...

ANDERSON, S.C. — With the upcoming school year around the corner, kids aren't the only ones getting ready to go back to school.

Law enforcement officers are brushing up on training to be ready for the new year too.

The Anderson County Sheriff's Office held its annual 40-hour training this week, dedicated specifically to school resource officers.

33 SROs were put through simulated training drills back to back, with as many real-life factors as possible.

"If this were real, I've got to do my job because there are people's lives at stake," School Resource Officer Jason Fort said.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asheville police arrested a man early Wednesday morning after they said he cut off part of another man’s ear.

Bill Davis, with the Asheville Police Department, said Eric E. Griffin, 51, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and possession of cocaine. 

Davis said police were called about 1:30 a.m. after Griffin used a knife to attack another man at a home on Swannanoa Avenue.

The victim was taken by Buncombe County EMS to Mission Hospital for treatment of a severe laceration to his right ear.

As officers were processing the scene, they found a part of the victim’s ear in the home and took it to Mission Hospital, Davis said...

SAPPHIRE, N.C. — There are thousands of bears in North America, and some are more willing to get up close in person.

However, officers with Blue Ridge Public Safety in North Carolina want to help you prevent a bear from getting too close.

Just days ago, a bear in Sapphire, North Carolina, climbed into someone's car and completely destroyed the inside.

On Tuesday, viewers in Greenville sent videos of bears around their homes.

"Right now we’re seeing them all hours. They're out looking and they don't care who is out. They will go to our dumpster out back and everybody is at the restaurant next door just watching them," Blue Ridge Public Safety Captain Angela Longgood...

WATERLOO, S.C. — State police have released new information about a deadly shooting they say involved a 51-year-old Clinton man and Laurens County deputies.

The shooting happened at about 1:30 a.m. Monday on Shore Loop Road in Waterloo, the Laurens County Sheriff's Office said.

Laurens County Chief Deputy Coroner Patti Canupp said Daniel R. Strange of Clinton, died after he was flown to Prisma Greenville Memorial Hospital...

ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. — The Anderson County Sheriff's Office says a deputy was taken to the hospital after they were potentially exposed to fentanyl.

The department said the deputy was responding to an incident on Rock Moss Drive when it happened.

Officials said the deputy is awake and alert but is experiencing breathing difficulties.

The investigation is still ongoing...

(via WYFF) Who doesn't love winning? Who doesn't love free stuff? 

Scammers know the answer to those questions, and that's why they continue to circulate emails that appear to come from popular stores.

One email appeared to be from the Home Depot and claimed the recipient had won a Craftsman generator through a store loyalty program.

The recipient said he clicked on the ad and "foolishly gave out some info with one of my bank cards."

He said when someone tried to use the card information, the card was declined. He didn't lose any money and is now waiting for a new card.

One of the first signs this is a scam is the email address. It came from the domain "appluminar.com," which has nothing to do with Home Depot...

ELGIN, S.C. — Some scientists say water seeping deep into the ground may be causing a swarm of earthquakes in the midlands region of South Carolina.

More than 60 earthquakes have been recorded since December in an area near the towns of Lugoff and Elgin, about 20 miles northeast of Columbia. 

Now, some geologists suggest that an initial December quake may have allowed water from the Wateree River to seep into new cracks opened by the quake, setting off additional temblors.

Pradeep Talwani, a retired geologist and former director of the South Carolina Seismic Network at the University of South Carolina, suggests that the additional quakes may be caused by hydroseismicity, the effect of water impacting earthquake faults...

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Georgia’s second-largest school district on Thursday approved a policy allowing some employees who aren’t certified police officers carry guns in schools, but excluded teachers from those who can be armed.

The 4-2 vote by suburban Atlanta’s Cobb County school board split along partisan lines as opponents including gun control activists shouted “Delay the vote!” and “Shame!”

Georgia schools have been able to arm teachers and other personnel under a state law passed in 2014. After a 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, a handful of Georgia’s 180 districts, all with much lower enrollments, had approved policies to arm non-officers on campus. The move in the 106,000-student Cobb school district, one of the nation’s 25 largest, is explicitly a response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 students and two teachers last May...

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Two more restaurants in the Upstate have announced closures.

New England Seafood Of Greenville closed earlier this month.

A Facebook post on the restaurant's page didn't give a reason for the closure but did say they are considering doing a food truck.

And from the comments on the post, that would be a welcome sight for people who enjoyed the restaurant.

Many from New England said they relied on the restaurant to help them enjoy a piece of home.

"I too am heartbroken," one person commented. "Your restaurant was the only place that served great 'whole belly' fried clams. I'm from New England and yours tasted just like the ones I grew up with. I pray that you get your food truck going and PLEASE be sure you serve REAL Fried 'Whole Belly' Clams! I miss stopping by your restaurant for my 'Fried Clam fix'!"...

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Wells Fargo on Woodruff Road in Greenville County in the Publix Shopping Center was robbed at gunpoint today, according to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office.

They said a man with sandy blonde hair, wearing a black dress shirt, black pants and a black and white hat presented a gun and took off with cash.

The robbery happened just before 3 p.m. Monday, deputies said.

No one was hurt.

Call the sheriff's office if you see a man matching this description or know anything about this crime...

ANDERSON, S.C. — One person has died following a shooting at the Anderson Mall, in Anderson, South Carolina.

That's according to the Anderson County Coroner's Office.

The coroner said Shy'heem Re'quan Kalil Clemons, 19, died Sunday afternoon at Greenville Memorial Hospital.

Anderson Police Chief Jim Stewart said the shooting happened at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Stewart said Clemons was shot in the head and was flown to Greenville Memorial Hospital...

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has confirmed two cases of monkeypox infection in the state.

One in a person in the Midlands region and another in a person in the Lowcountry region.

DHEC officials say the affected individuals will be monitored until they are no longer infectious to prevent spread of the virus and will be isolated if needed. Appropriate care will be provided as needed.

“We understand residents have concerns about how this virus might impact our state,” said Dr. Linda Bell, State Epidemiologist. “We expected infections to eventually occur in South Carolina as part of the larger international outbreak, which is why DHEC has been planning a response for weeks. That said, monkeypox doesn’t spread easily and we believe the risk to the general population remains low at this time...”

PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. —

The search for an 80-year-old Pickens County man with dementia has entered a new phase.

Francis Alward was last seen Wednesday in the Pumpkintown Highway area wearing khaki pants, a blue shirt and black shoes.

The Pickens County Sheriff's Office has been working with the Pumpkintown Fire Department and other agencies as well as members of the community. The search has focused heavily on six miles of property around where he was last seen.

Chuck James, Chief Deputy of the Pickens County Sheriff's Office, said Monday that the search has shifted to a more targeted approach coordinating with volunteer groups that are also searching the area as well as family members and local churches...

(via Fox News)  (Click the story to see the list!)

So many great places — so little time. 

Skyrocketing gas prices have consumers looking twice at their fuel budget, yet Americans are determined to hit the road. Fuel costs may actually boost domestic tourism and 4th of July holiday travel plans, experts say. 

Car travel "will set a new record despite historically high gas prices with 42 million people hitting the road" this week for Independence Day vacations, according to AAA. 

The Deloitte summer travel survey reports that 84% of American travelers will take an overnight trip, 57% will enjoy a road trip and just 15% will travel internationally, largely due to uncertainty over ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

Given all of this, here’s a look at 50 fabulous spots across the country, with one must-see location in each state. Taken together, these selections reveal our heroic history, industrial achievement and natural beauty that, woven together, tell the story of our American nation...

(Credit: The Blaze) A giant Afro hair pick with a clenched "black power" fist was unveiled in New Orleans on Friday in celebration of Juneteenth – the holiday paying tribute to the last American slaves being freed. However, the eyebrow-raising statue was widely panned online.

The 28-foot-tall hair pick weighing 7,000 pounds is titled "All Power to All People," and was created by artist Hank Willis Thomas.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell – a Democrat – touted the hair pick statue as "breathtaking" on Twitter.

"As Juneteenth approaches, we celebrated with an unveiling in Lafayette Sq," Cantrell tweeted. "This sculpture is very fitting for this time & place as we celebrate the freedoms that we have gained We know that it doesn’t come without struggles, fights, and protests for 200+ years..."