July 2026

COUNTY CELEBRATIONS

S.C. Counties Go Back in Time to Celebrate Independence Day & 250 Years of Freedom

Counties across the state marked this Fourth of July holiday with a bit more fanfare than in recent years. This Independence Day was also the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Many places in South Carolina were significant sites during the Revolutionary War, and counties seized the opportunity to celebrate the historic milestone in style.

More photos are available in our online gallery.

Clockwise from top left: Patriot Hall presented "The Promise: Untold Stories of South Carolina's Black Patriots" as part of Sumter County's Revolutionary War 250th Anniversary celebrations; Newberry County dedicated an American Revolution monument, for which many donned costumes; York County hosted a Revolutionary War re-enactment of Huck's Defeat at Historic Brattonsville; Beaufort County honored Black revolutionaries, including Beaufort-native Robert Smalls, and got a little competitive with a hot dog-eating contest; Re-enactors in period costumes celebrated the signing of a joint proclamation recognizing Carolina Day as June 28, the 250th anniversary of America's first major victory in the Revolutionary War.

Clockwise from top left: Berkeley County supported the 250th celebration in Moncks Corner, in which historian Jeff Neale and Moncks Corner Mayor Thomas Hamilton represented historical and modern patriot attire; Neale also read from the Declaration of Independence during a Berkeley County Council Meeting; Fairfield County celebrated this Fourth of July with a stunning drone display; Bamberg County, joined by re-enactors dressed in period attire, unveiled a Revolutionary War monument honoring those who fought for our nation's freedom; Georgetown County marked the occasion by opening a time capsule sealed in 1976.

NEWS

SCAC P&L Insurance Trust Welcomes Colleton County as Newest Member

The SC Counties Property & Liability Trust would like to welcome Colleton County.



The non-profit, member-owned and focused SC Counties Property & Liability and Workers’ Compensation Trusts are tailored to meet the needs of county government and the challenges they face. Learn more.

PUBLICATIONS

Summer Issue of County Focus Is Here

EVENTS

We'll See You at the Annual Conference

SCAC looks forward to hosting you at the Annual Conference and Institute of Government at Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms from July 27-30, 2026.

Be on the lookout for a "know-before-you-go" email for Annual Conference and Institute of Government attendees.

SCAC App/Conference Program

Download the SCAC App and Enter to Win a Prize!

The SCAC app has the most up-to-date information, including the full schedule, locations and speaker information. Search for "sc counties" on the App Store or in Google Play.

If you've previously downloaded the app and still have it on your phone, please be sure to click "More" in the bottom right corner and change the event to the 2026 Annual Conference.

Show an SCAC staff member at the registration desk that you've downloaded the app and drop in your business card for a prize drawing!

It's not required that you login, but if you'd like to so you can add sessions to your calendar, you can use the email address associated with your record in SCAC's member database. For most people, this is their county email address. If you have trouble logging in, please email Jennifer Haworth.

The program is also available as a PDF on the Annual Conference webpage.

Helpful Links

2026 Annual Conference webpage

Wild Dunes Resort Map and Amenities

Download and Print Check-In and Transportation Information (pdf)

Deadline Approaching for SCAC Awards

There's less than one month left to submit your county's projects for the 2026 SCAC Awards Competition!

The deadline for submissions for the 2026 J. Mitchell Graham Memorial Award and Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Regional Cooperation Award is Aug. 10. All applications must be submitted online at sccounties.org/awards.

The SCAC Awards webpage includes a toolkit, frequently asked questions, a library of past presentations and winning applications, as well as more resources to help entrants prepare and submit their projects.

If you have any questions about the awards program, contact Susan Turkopuls at sturkopuls@scac.sc or 803-252-7255 ext. 115.

GRANTS

RIA State-funded Grants to Continue into 2027

The South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) announced that its three state-funded grant programs will continue in the fiscal year that began July 1. Although the state budget has not yet been finalized, RIA estimates that $34 million to $44 million will be available during two competitive rounds of funding.

The deadlines to submit applications for RIA grants are Sept. 14, 2026, and March 22, 2027.

The pilot Viability Improvement Program for small systems also will continue this year.

Download the applications and instructions for applying on the RIA website.

SCAC ON SOCIAL MEDIA

As beach season hits its peak, we're celebrating Horry County for making the beautiful South Carolina shoreline accessible. 🏖️

Through its free beach wheelchair service, residents and visitors can request specialized wheelchairs at beach accesses throughout unincorporated Horry County. Reservations are required at least two days in advance.

Because everyone deserves the chance to enjoy a day at the beach. 💙

Learn more: https://www.horrycountysc.gov/about-our-beaches/

We love to spotlight our counties that preserve history while investing in their future.

Laurens County recently celebrated the ribbon cutting of its renovated historic courthouse, originally built in 1837–1838. Now reimagined as a multiuse community space, the courthouse will host council meetings, educational programs, community events and private gatherings. A new visitor center also showcases the structural history and significance within the Laurens Historic District.

This project reflects Laurens County's commitment to preserving local history, strengthening community connections and creating spaces that serve residents for generations to come.

#CountySpotlight #SCCounties 

Meet our summer intern, Terry Baker, a student in the Master of Public Administration Program at the University of South Carolina, who is working with our Research and Training team over the next couple of months.

Terry has already learned a great deal about local government and recently visited Chesterfield County to help out with a video shoot featuring Association President Mary Anderson.

Originally from Manning, Terry is a graduate of Charleston Southern University with interests in public policy analysis and government research. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sports and is a member of the Gamecocks’ cheerleading team. We're glad to have Terry as part of Team SCAC this summer and look forward to all he'll accomplish during his internship. 

STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST FROM SCAC

Already a subscriber? Select which emails you want to receive from SCAC and cut down on clutter in your inbox.

Manage emails

Not subscribed but you'd like to be? Sign up for SCAC's mailing list.

Sign up for emails