Data Centers & Public Safety: Spartanburg County’s Public Safety Committee held a second hearing on data centers, focusing on the NorthMark project and pushing for “credible evidence” on environmental and safety risks; no vote was taken. Lake Murray Water Management: Dominion Energy will begin a Lake Murray drawdown this fall, lowering levels to about 350 feet by December through late January 2027 to curb aquatic vegetation and protect water quality, with boaters urged to use extra caution. Air Quality Watch: New wildfire smoke could raise particulate levels in the Piedmont, with health warnings for people with asthma or heart conditions to monitor AirNow. Solar & Clean Energy Industry: ES Foundry in Greenwood earned ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 certifications after an audit with zero major nonconformities, while Silfab Solar in Fort Mill hired a new health-and-safety director for operations in SC and Washington. Manufacturing & Materials: Tyson Steel Building Products selected Pickens County for its first SC facility (Liberty), investing $15.15M for about 20 jobs, and USA Rare Earth broke ground on an $1.2B magnet and rare-earth metals plant in Blacksburg expected to create about 490 jobs. Rights of Nature: The Waccamaw Tribe became the first South Carolina governmental body to recognize the Rights of Nature, extending protections to the Yadkin-Pee Dee watershed. Community Litter Action: Kingstree installed a butterfly sculpture designed to hold collected litter, funded through a PalmettoPride grant, as a public reminder to reduce trash.