Palmetto Report

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- There are a number of construction projects underway on the Winthrop University campus, which are causing issues for some students, faculty and staff. Winthrop has started working on its campus beautification initiative; a construction project focused on renewing and revitalizing the campus grounds. The project is currently focused on replacing the tiles on the path in between the West Center and the DiGiorgio Campus Center. James Grigg, associate vice president of facilities management at Winthrop, joined the Palmetto Report to give an update on the construction projects.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — The Pathways Community Center in Rock Hill has joined with a number of community partners to develop and present an immersive art exhibit, which is intended to raise awareness and break the stigma surrounding homelessness. The "Humanizing Homelessness" exhibit will be on display May 12-19, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m, at the Lowenstein Building, located at 300 Technology Center Way in Rock Hill. Alex Greenawalt, the director of Pathways who has been working to organize the event, was a guest on the Palmetto Report podcast to the exhibit.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) – Changes to the Winthrop University board of trustees’ bylaws last summer, which removed the student and faculty representatives from the board, have drawn criticism, including from some who have seen the changes firsthand. The changes, which were unanimously approved in June 2021, called for the creation of student, faculty and staff “liaisons” to the board. “Previous to this, there were two positions that represented the students and faculty respectively; a student representative and a faculty representative,” said Chase Duncan, managing editor of The Johnsonian, who was a guest on the Palmetto Report podcast.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) – Students from across York County were able to showcase their skills, singing songs and performing music, over the weekend at the 3rd annual All On Board Coalition student talent, which was open to students in grades from 7-12. All On Board uses the event, which was held April 29 in Rock Hill, to connect with young people and raise awareness of the group's mission to prevent youth substance abuse in York County. "The talent show was a huge success, which was exactly what we wanted," said Ashli Watts, executive director of the nonprofit, who was a guest on the Palmetto Report podcast.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Winthrop University's streaming radio station returned to the air with a student staff this spring after three semesters of limited operations, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and technical problems. Eagle Air, which is operated by the mass communication department, broadcasts 24 hours a day via web stream and and the free TuneIn internet radio app and features popular and college music spanning seven decades. Typically, the station has had a student staff, which serve as hosts and announcers at various times throughout the weekday. However, students were unable to host live shows on Eagle Air since the spring 2020 semester, prior to the start of the pandemic. Mark Nortz, senior instructor of mass communication and co-adviser to Eagle Air, appeared on the Palmetto Report podcast to discuss the station's history and the return of the student staff.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) – As COVID-19 moves from the pandemic phase to endemic and restrictions across the globe are reduced, the study abroad program at Winthrop University has returned and school officials are looking to recruit students to participate. Prior to the pandemic, Winthrop sent hundreds of students to study abroad over the last decade, as the university has student exchange agreements with eight foreign colleges and partnerships with at least 13 other schools. Taylor Evans, the study abroad adviser at Winthrop, joined the Palmetto Report to discuss the program and explain the new COVID-19 protocols that students should prepare for, if they plan to study abroad.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) – The Winthrop University esports team continues to compete, despite not having a full-time coach to work closely with students, after former head coach Josh Sides stepped down from his position in December last year. Chuck Rey, Winthrop's interim athletic director and head volleyball coach, has stepped in to help oversee the team, which players say has been helpful. Matthew Hoshauer, a freshman computer science major who leads the Super Smash Brothers subdivision of Winthrop’s esports team, joined the Palmetto Report to discuss the challenges the team has faced without a coach.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Winthrop University says it's making preparations to become a "laptop campus" by August, which would require every student to have a laptop for the 2022-23 school year. The school says it's making upgrades to its Wi-Fi system in residence halls and academic buildings and the Winthrop Bookstore will begin selling laptops, which meet the university's specifications. The move comes after the school's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to make the transition from campus-wide desktop computers to laptops, at a quarterly meeting Oct. 29. Andrew Besmer, an associate professor of computer science, and Michael Rego, a computer science major, joined the Palmetto Report to discuss the transition.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) – Winthrop University is hosting its annual senior exhibition, which features the work of senior students who are completing their degree requirements in the Department of Fine Arts. The exhibit entitled “Menagerie,” which opened April 4, will be on display until May 6 in the Rutledge Gallery and Lewandowski Student Gallery. Winthrop seniors Grayce Kellam and Griffin Cordell joined the Palmetto Report to discuss their experiences in the art department and their contributions to the exhibit.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) – Winthrop University’s campus programming board, the DiGiorgio Student Union (DSU), celebrated Hispanic Heritage month -- Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 -- by hosting two back-to-back events highlighting Hispanic culture. Hispanic students make up about 5% of the student body at Winthrop, but in recent years, some students have said they've felt underrepresented on campus. The Palmetto Report's Abigail Helm speaks with Willie Bush, Winthrop’s assistant for campus programming, about what the university is doing to promote Hispanic heritage.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Jeuel Bannister Esmacher was a junior at Winthrop University -- known then as Winthrop College -- in 1943 when the military took over Bancroft Hall to set up classes and living space for the Army Air Corps Cadet Training Program. It was at that time, during the height of World War II, when Esmacher, now 97, was first introduced to cryptology.

Esmacher -- who currently lives in Anderson, but grew up in Starr, S.C. -- was one of 10,000 women who worked for the Army and Navy as codebreakers during World War II. Her story was unknown, until it was featured in the 2017 award-winning and New York Times best-selling book, "Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II," which interviewed several women about their secret work during the war.

The Palmetto Report's Audrey Burriss speaks with Esmacher about her experience as a codebreaker.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Winthrop University's first in-person commencement ceremony since December 2019 is set to take place with five separate ceremonies that will span three days from May 6-8. Each ceremony will have a capacity of about 1,400 people in the Winthrop Coliseum, with an allotment of four guests per graduate. The Palmetto Report's Kristal Herrin speaks with Tim Drueke -- assistant provost for curriculum and program support at Winthrop and chair of the commencement committee -- about the plans for the ceremonies and his role in leading their execution.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- The Winthrop University Office of Student Activities held its annual leadership conference, which is intended to educate students on leadership skills, provide networking opportunities and create self-awareness. The LIFT Conference -- short for Leadership Institute for First-Timers -- is a student led, one-day professional development seminar held every spring semester for undergraduate and graduate students. The Palmetto Report's Da’Vette Peoples speaks with Calvin Joyner, assistant director for student organizations and leadership at Winthrop, about the conference.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, pet adoption rates have soared across the country, as many adoption centers have reported an increase in people wanting some form of companionship, due to an increased amount of isolation that people have been experiencing. The Palmetto Report's Alex Romano speaks with Katie Harrelson, manager of the Mac Tabby Cat Café in Charlotte, N.C., about how the pandemic has impacted the number of adoptions at the café.

(Tega Cay, S.C.) – Mr. Putty’s Fun Park in Tega Cay recently opened its first haunted house, which features a cast of Winthrop University students and alumni. The attraction called the "Frightmare on Dam Road" opened Oct. 2 and organizers say it's the only haunted house in York County. The Palmetto Report's Emily Hildebrand speaks with Robert Casatelli, the general manager and designer of the haunted house, about the attraction.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- While the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the lives of most everyone, one group has been particularly affected: musicians. Performing live has become the way that the overwhelming majority of musicians make money and many of them are feeling the financial and artistic consequences of being forced off of the road. Rock Hill, S.C.-based producer and musician Sam Booth, who performs with Texas-based Christian band The Gladsome Light and up-and-coming country artist Kameron Marlowe, said some of his tour dates were abruptly cancelled right as the lockdowns started. The Palmetto Report's Matt Thrift speaks with Booth about the music scene post COVID-19.

"Addiction is a disease, but it's manageable, it's treatable and it's something that people can recover from and still have an awesome life. So we want to shatter that stigma in any way we can," said Alex Greenawalt, prevention director at Keystone Substance Abuse Services in Rock Hill.

The petition on Change.org also called for a "vote of no confidence" after what Crunkilton called "alarming and disappointing actions" associated with the hiring of interim President George Hynd.

The petition has caught the attention of many in the Winthrop community, collecting more than 1,600 signatures, as of May 6.

Crunkilton, who was a guest on the Palmetto Report podcast, said he and many others within the student body felt left in dark about the board's handling of the change in leadership.

Feb. 16, two male teenagers, one who was 17 and the other who was 18, were shot at the Clinton College gym in Rock Hill around 1 a.m. WSOC-TV reported the gym was rented for a birthday party by a group that was not affiliated with the school.

Neither victim was a student at Clinton College and both were expected to be okay. There were no fatalities and no Clinton College students, faculty or staff were hurt during the shooting, the school said.

At Winthrop, the incident generated a discussion about campus safety and school violence.

“Continuing to educate students staff on being vigilant of your surroundings, listen to your gut if it’s telling you something doesn’t feel right, and how do you get help if there is a concern,” said Melissa Reeves, associate professor of psychology at Winthrop, who was a guest on the Palmetto Report podcast.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- A report conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found approximately 1 out of 9 Americans (11.1 percent) were food insecure in 2018 and according to experts it's a "huge problem" in Rock Hill and York County.

One group working to combat the problem is Pilgrim’s Inn, a nonprofit organization founded in 1984, which also strives to help and empower the homeless, families in need and those struggling with food and financial insecurity.

According to Juanita Lester, the executive director of Pilgrim’s Inn, food insecurity can be defined in multiple ways depending on every individual’s situation.

“In some cases, food insecurity may be defined as not having access to food. In others, it’s not having access to healthy or adequate food. Or it could be not being able to determine what types of food are best for you because of health issues or other types of issues that mandate you eat a certain type of diet,” said Lester.

Statistics collected by Pilgrim’s Inn show the food pantry provided food to 3,702 people in 2019. officials said the elderly and disabled are often the most impacted by food insecurity.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Former Winthrop University President Dan Mahony resigned from his position, effective March 1 after five years of service, in order to become president of the Southern Illinois University system. On Dec. 3, students, faculty and staff received an email from the university's board of trustees informing them about the change in leadership.

Mahony -- who spoke exclusively to the Palmetto Report, during a podcast, to discuss his departure and reflect on his time at Winthrop -- said it was difficult for him to leave the school.

“I was in the last year of my contract, I didn't expect it to be extended so that obviously had an impact on my decision to look at other opportunities,” said Mahony. "Frankly I was little concerned that people would think I was abandoning them or leaving for reasons that I was unhappy with them at Winthrop, the people, the faculty, staff and students. That was obviously not the case."

Kelsey appeared on the Palmetto Report podcast to discuss the season and upcoming conference tournament.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- With the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary just days away, Joe Biden continues to maintain a narrow lead in the state, according to data from the latest Winthrop University Poll.

The poll, released Feb. 21, found 24 percent of likely voters said they support the former vice president, while 19 percent said they favored U.S. Sen. (Vermont) Bernie Sanders.

"Overall (it's) bad news for Biden," said Dr. Scott Huffmon, director of the Winthrop Poll and a professor of political science. "For him only being ahead by single digits. Now he is ahead by double digits among African American voters, so that's his saving grace at the moment, but he is still far, far weaker than he should be."

Rounding out the field, billionaire businessman Tom Steyer garnered 15 percent, former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg 7 percent and U.S. Sen. (Mass.) Elizabeth Warren 6 percent. The remaining two candidates each drew less than 5 percent of support.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- As voters in New Hampshire prepare to vote in a primary election this week (Feb. 11) and the results of the troubled Iowa caucuses continue to be scrutinized, soon all eyes will turn to South Carolina and its "first in the South" primary Feb. 29. Dr. Scott Huffmon, director of the Winthrop University Poll, says former Vice President Joe Biden continues to hold a lead in South Carolina. Huffmon spoke to the Palmetto Report to discuss the Winthrop Poll and the upcoming primary. "So far, we’ve only done one and it has been a Democratic presidential primary poll. We’re hoping to do another in a few weeks, but South Carolina, unlike Iowa and New Hampshire, South Carolina has Joe Biden in the lead," said Huffmon. The most recent Winthrop Poll, released Oct. 1, showed Biden (37 percent) leading Mass. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (17 percent) and Vt. Sen. Bernie Sanders (8 percent) among likely S.C. Democratic voters.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Human trafficking is a problem that persists in the Carolinas, as North Carolina is ranked 7th worst in the nation for human trafficking, with Charlotte having the most reported cases in the state.

The International Labor Organization estimates 20 to 30 million people are trafficked each year. According to experts, Interstate 85 plays a large role in the amount of trafficking that goes through the Charlotte area.

Kyle Hern with Justice Ministries -- a nonprofit in Charlotte that serves victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation through outreach, emergency services and transitional care -- was a guest on the Palmetto Report to discuss the topic.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 888-373-7888 or you can text "help" to 233733.

The hotline is operated 24 hours, 7 days a week and is available in more than 200 languages, including English and Spanish.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Rock Hill offers a number of resources to encourage entrepreneurship in technology, as many people are interested in launching their own startup and becoming their own boss. For example, there is the Technology Incubator at Knowledge Park and the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce, which are both available to help entrepreneurs successfully launch their ideas. “Tech entrepreneurship has definitely grown in our community, being that there are a number of resources we have available for entrepreneurs," said Bernice Huskins, associate vice president of the York County Regional Chamber.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Winthrop University President Dan Mahony will leave his position, effective March 1, to become president of the Southern Illinois University system, the school announced Dec. 3. There had been speculation about Mahony’s future at Winthrop, after he told faculty during a meeting Nov. 22 that his contract expired in 2020, but he was unable to discuss his negotiations with the Board of Trustees. Anna Sharpe, editor in chief of the Johnsonian student newspaper, was a guest on the Palmetto Report to discuss her reporting on the situation. "Initially I was surprised, but I don't want to say that I didn't see this coming, because I've looked into (his contract status)," said Sharpe.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Earlier this year, Rock Hill hosted the annual state convention and civil rights conference for the S.C. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for the first time in 25 years. The four day event, Oct. 10-13, was highlighted by a visit from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who was given the Flame of Freedom Award in recognition of his 50 years of service and leadership. Dorene Boular, president of the Rock Hill branch of the NAACP, was a guest on the Palmetto Report to discuss the convention. Boular said the event focused on the 2020 election and census and included workshops on election protection, gerrymandering and voter registration.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — STEM career fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — have long had difficulty attracting women, especially women of color. For example, Forbes reported that women held just a quarter of the 5 million tech jobs in 2015 and women of color, especially African-Americans and Hispanics, represented less than 10 percent of those positions, according to the nonprofit Computing Technology Industry Association. Additionally, only 2.9 percent of black women, 3.6 percent of Latinas and 4.8 of Asian women earn STEM degrees in the U.S. This is also an issue at Winthrop University, despite the school’s efforts to promote diversity among its faculty, where there are only two African-American women among the faculty in Arts and Sciences. We spoke with Dr. Takita Sumter, dean of the college and professor of chemistry, about the issue.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — Students at Winthrop University, and across the country, are beginning to prepare final exams as the fall semester is quickly coming to an end. At Winthrop, exams are scheduled from Dec. 4-10 and the school’s Academic Success Center is available to offer students academic guidance and tutoring as they prepare for finals. “Throughout the semester, as a student you’re doing what you can to make sure you’re understanding the material, asking questions when you aren’t (understanding it), then as it comes closer to exam week it’s more about refreshing the information, than learning it for the first time,” said Jasmine Howze, an academic coach with the Academic Success Center. Howze, who was a guest on the Palmetto Report, said students should study for an hour at a time, rather than trying to cram a semester’s worth of information into a few hours, and take breaks.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Childhood obesity is a "serious problem" in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including among very young children. According to research published in the journal Pediatrics in 2018, 26 percent of children ages 2 to 5 are overweight and more than 15 percent are obese. Researchers, looking at data from 1999-2016, also found more than 40 percent of 16 to 19-year-olds are obese. “Children born in the year 2000 and since...will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents”, said Elizabeth Weikle, a licensed registered dietitian and adjunct professor of human nutrition at Winthrop University.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Former elite runner Mary Cain, who trained with Nike’s now disbanded Oregon project from 2013 to 2017, recently made allegations in an op-ed for The New York Times of mental and physical abuse that she experienced during her time at the training group. Cain, 23, said coaches, lead by head coach Alberto Salazar, convinced her that she had to keep losing weight, ridiculed her body and weight in front of her teammates and other athletes at competition and ignored her when she expressed feelings of depression and self-harm. Dr. David Schary, sports psychology professor at Winthrop University and consultant for Winthrop Athletics, appeared on the Palmetto Report to discuss the topic. He said the double standards for men's and women’s bodies in sports are a reflection of the double standards placed on bodies in society.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Winthrop University is launching a new degree program, which is geared toward adults, including military veterans, who are at least 25 years old and have attained an associate degree or have at least 60 transferable credits. The new bachelor of professional studies program will launch in spring 2020 after it was given the final approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Dr. Scott Amundsen, associate professor and director of the professional studies program, said the program is flexible and affordable, because it includes a special tuition rate that is 30 percent lower than the regular rate.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Renew Our Community (known as the ROC), a nonprofit homeless shelter in Rock Hill, shut down its operations last month due to a lack of funding. The ROC, which was founded by Dale Dove, opened its doors in 2011 as a center that assisted the homeless and others in York County gain access to shelter, clothing, food, training and spiritual support. Over the years, the number of clients has grown tremendously from 10 a day to 125 a day, according to Iris Smalls-Hubbard, executive director of the ROC. She said the number of homeless living in York County is estimated to be around 500 people.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — In the last three years, the resale market for clothing has grown at 21 times the pace of the mainstream apparel market, according to research collected by the online thrift store thredUP. This growing market is predicted to reach $51 billion by 2023, in part because of millennials and Generation Z, who have really turned thrifting, which has been around for a long time, into a fashion trend. According to Dr. Jane Thomas, a professor of marketing at Winthrop University, thrifting has become much more socially acceptable than it was 30 years ago. “Today it’s something people, a consumer, would brag about and say ‘I got this at a thrift store and let me tell you about the great bargain I got,’” said Thomas, who was a guest on the Palmetto Report to discuss the trend.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — Winthrop University provides many opportunities for its students, including the chance to get published in the school’s literary magazine. The Anthology, housed in Winthrop’s office of student publications, is published once per year and focuses on literature, photography, design, art and poetry. The publication has been the university’s literary magazine for about 100 years, according to its website, and since the 1990s, The Anthology has also featured visual art. The Palmetto Report's Matt Thrift spoke with the people behind the magazine, including editor-in-chief Téa Franco and faculty adviser Jason Tselentis, to get a look at how the publication is put together.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- South Carolina will soon play a key role in the 2020 presidential election, as the state will host the "first in the South" primary Feb. 29. As a result, a number of Democratic candidates have been traveling to the state to campaign and reach out to voters. Most recently, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren made stops in Rock Hill. Additionally, Sanders, in September, and California Sen. Kamala Harris, earlier this year, visited the Winthrop University campus for campaign events. "Nationally, I think the 20-some candidate Democratic field is going to narrow. Not everybody is going to be able to raise enough money to get to stay in the race, to run the advertising and the things they need to do," said Dr. John Holder, an adjunct professor of political science at Winthrop. Holder, who is teaching a class this semester on the presidency, was a guest on the Palmetto Report to discuss South Carolina's role in the presidential race.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- A South Carolina lawmaker plans to file a bill later this year that would ban discrimination based on wearing hair in a natural style, which could included curls, dreadlocks, twists or braids. Rep. Kambrell Garvin (D-Richland) will file the "CROWN Act" (Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair) to ban discrimination of facial features, hair textures, hair types, hairstyles and protective hairstyles. The bill is similar to laws that were passed earlier this year in California and New York, which prohibit race-based hair discrimination, and a number of other states have proposed similar legislation. “My definition of natural hair is hair that has not been altered, it operates in its natural state in a sense that hasn’t had any chemical sort of application,” said Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an assistant professor at Winthrop University. Dixon-McKnight, who teaches a course called Black Women in America, was a guest on the Palmetto Report to discuss the topic.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- The Charlotte Area Paranormal Society (CAPS) has been investigating unexplained activity across the Carolinas since 2005. The non-profit group’s goal, according to its website, is to document and prove the validity of haunted places through research and investigations. In the spirit of Halloween, the Palmetto Report spoke with Tina McSwain, founder and executive director of CAPS, about hauntings, some the group's investigations and her favorite ghost stories. "I wanted a more scientific approach to the study of paranormal activity, so I formed CAPS," said McSwain. The group uses digital voice recorders, thermal imaging cameras and electromagnetic field detectors to document and search for evidence of the paranormal. "We believe ghosts are actually energy, so if you're looking for energy, then you would see that," she said, of the thermal images the cameras can produce.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- The Charlotte Area Paranormal Society (CAPS) has been investigating unexplained activity across the Carolinas since 2005. The non-profit group’s goal, according to its website, is to document and prove the validity of haunted places through research and investigations. In the spirit of Halloween, the Palmetto Report spoke with Tina McSwain, founder and executive director of CAPS, about hauntings, some the group's investigations and her favorite ghost stories. "I wanted a more scientific approach to the study of paranormal activity, so I formed CAPS," said McSwain. The group uses digital voice recorders, thermal imaging cameras and electromagnetic field detectors to document and search for evidence of the paranormal. "We believe ghosts are actually energy, so if you're looking for energy, then you would see that," she said, of the thermal images the cameras can produce.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and South Carolina is now ranked the fifth deadliest state in the nation for women who are killed by men. According to the Washington, D.C. based Violence Policy Center, there were 52 women killed by men in the state in 2017, which was a rate of 2.01 women per 100,000 thousand men, based on an analysis of homicide data. South Carolina has been in the top ten for women murdered by men for the past 20 years. Myesha Belcher, volunteer coordinator for Safe Passage in Rock Hill, was a guest on the Palmetto Report to discuss the issue. “The causes for domestic violence are power and control; that’s the two main things that people want when they are abusers,” said Belcher. Safe passage offers support to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse in York, Chester, Lancaster and Union Counties.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Democrats in Washington are calling for President Donald Trump's impeachment after a whistleblower’s complaint that Trump pressured the president of the Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a potential rival in the 2020 election. Considering this is such a rare occurrence the Palmetto Report explored the topic of impeachment with Dr. John Holder, an adjunct professor of political science at Winthrop University who is teaching a class this semester on the presidency. Holder spent 10 years in Washington working for three members of the South Carolina congressional delegation and he is the former secretary of the York County Democratic Party. Only two American presidents, Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, have been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, but both were acquitted in the Senate, which requires a two-thirds vote for removal from office. Richard Nixon resigned before a vote on impeachment was taken, thus, no president has been removed from office by impeachment. "There was never a two-thirds majority (in the Senate) to impeach Clinton (and remove him from office). Andrew Johnson was saved by one vote. That is the closest it has ever come," said Holder.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Student loan debt, at about $1.5 trillion, is now the second-largest debt market in the U.S. behind home mortgages, with the average student carrying more than $33,000 in student loans upon graduation. Additionally, a national survey of more than 18,000 undergraduate students at 52 colleges and universities, conducted by Ohio State University, found 70 percent reported feeling stressed about their personal finances. Earlier this year, the U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission, part of the U.S. Department of Treasury, issued a report that recommended that colleges and universities start to require financial literacy courses. Dr. Jimmy Cheng, an assistant professor of finance at Winthrop University who who specializes in financial planning, was a guest on the Palmetto Report to discuss the struggles students face managing money.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- The use of big data -- including information from maps, spreadsheets and large databases -- is becoming more important in the field of journalism. That was the message Gavin Off, data reporter at the Charlotte Observer, gave to students during a presentation last month at Winthrop University. "We're still journalists, we're still reporters, but we want to ask the data questions, to pull out information, to write better stories," said Off, who was a guest on the Palmetto Report. The Guardian's reporting on NSA files leaked by Edward Snowdon, Bloomberg's story on the deadliest jobs in America and the San Francisco Chronicle's examination of the effect of Airbnb on the city's housing market are often cited as some of the best examples of data journalism.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — Charles Perry, the 2019 S.C. Press Association Journalist of the Year and a Winthrop University alum, told students they need to acquire a myriad of skills to work in the field of journalism, during the school’s annual Mass Comm Week. “Students need to be able to not only write clearly, write powerful stories, but they also need to be able to take compelling photographs, shoot and edit video. They really need to be generalists,” said Perry, who spoke with the Palmetto Report about his career. He was the keynote speaker at the three-day event hosted by the Department of Mass Communication, which included a series of speakers and panel discussions, Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. Perry, who graduated from Winthrop in 2005 with a degree in mass communication, was honored as the department’s distinguished alumnus. He serves as the editor of myhorrynews.com and the Carolina Forest Chronicle, a weekly newspaper in Horry County, where he covers county government, the justice system and agriculture.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — National Hispanic Heritage month is Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and Hispanics represent about 5 percent of the population in South Carolina. According to the U.S. Department of Education, undergraduate enrollment for Hispanic students has doubled to 3 million from 2000 to 2015. However, Hispanic students only represent 4.8 percent of those enrolled at Winthrop University, as compared to about 62 percent for whites and 29 percent for African-Americans. The Palmetto Report spoke with two Hispanic students to learn more about their experiences at Winthrop.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — An Alabama man has become the state’s first death related to lung disease associated with vaping, officials announced Wednesday (Oct. 2). It’s the 17th vaping-related death in the U.S. after officials in Virginia and New Jersey announced confirmed cases the day before (Oct. 1). Amanda Harris, reporter for The Herald in Rock Hill, spoke with the Palmetto Report to discuss the issue and its impact in South Carolina. Harris covers health and education in York, Chester and Lancaster counties. In February, she reported on students in Clover who were caught vaping in school. So far, vaping-related deaths have been reported in 14 states, including California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska and Oregon. Harris said she thinks the recent deaths may encourage people to think twice about using electronic-cigarettes. “I think more awareness is needed, so people understand that these (e-cigarettes) are not safe, even though they’re not a regular cigarette,” she said.

Additionally, a recent survey, by health researchers in Boston, found 20 percent of college students have thought about suicide and 9 percent have attempted. "It's an issue here at Winthrop," said Baldwin. "Almost 40 percent of our appointments in counseling services, that we saw last year, were with a student who was considering suicide at some level."

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Winthrop University has joined the growing number of schools to host a varsity esports program. Esports, which is competitive video gaming, has grown in popularity in recent years with international tournaments, millions of viewers worldwide and millions of dollars in prize money. Josh Sides, the head coach of Winthrop’s esports team, appeared on the Palmetto Report to discuss the new program. Sides is also a founding member of an advisory committee for the National Association of Esports Coaches and Directors. As of February, there were roughly 125 colleges in the U.S. that have an esports program, including five schools in South Carolina.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Winthrop University is one of several NCAA Division I schools throughout the country experiencing a decline in athletic attendance, especially in men’s basketball. The Winthrop Coliseum holds up to 6,100 fans, making it one of the larger arenas in the Big South Conference, however, the university fails to fill the seats on a consistent basis. Winthrop averages 2,121 people per men's basketball game and the Big South as a conference is ranked 29 out of 32 in terms of attendance when compared to the other Division I conferences.  Matt Martin, associate athletic director for external affairs, spoke to the Palmetto Report about Winthrop's efforts to improve attendance.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) -- Winthrop University students in the Department of Design are preparing to present their senior portfolios, which will showcase their work over the past four years. The senior portfolio show has traditionally been the capstone activity for graduating illustration and graphic design students, but this year it will also include interaction design and interior design students.

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — Winthrop University is working to increase the number of students who study abroad and recruit more international students to the school. The move comes after the number of international students at Winthrop has steadily declined in recent years and the number of students who study abroad has remained stagnant. The Winthrop Plan, put forth by President Dan Mahoney, includes a stated goal of increasing diversity by expanding student recruitment internationally.