Defense Contractor Attorney Near Greenville, SC

South Carolina is home to two of the nation’s best places to visit, a new report finds.

Charleston ranks No. 3 and Greenville is No. 7 on a list of cities travelers love the most, according to results published July 8.

While Charleston has spent years ranking as a fan-favorite destination, Greenville received a nod for making a “strong debut” on the list from Travel + Leisure.

To choose the best U.S. vacation spots, the magazine teamed up with researchers at Proof Insights. From Oct. 21, 2024, to Feb. 24, it received hundreds of thousands of responses in an online reader survey. For cities, scoring criteria included “sights/landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping” and value, according to the magazine’s website and details shared with McClatchy News via email.

In the resulting World’s Best Awards, Charleston was the highest-ranking South Carolina destination in the best U.S. cities category. Travel + Leisure said fans raved about its architecture and charming downtown.

“After 12 straight years at the top of the list, this coastal escape has moved into the third spot,” the magazine wrote. “Still, there’s much to adore about the Holy City, which is brimming with history and Southern hospitality.”

Meanwhile, Greenville was praised for being a hidden gem in the Southeast, a region that boasts several destinations in the top 10.

“A newcomer to the list, this mid-size city was described as one of the South’s ‘best kept secrets,’” the magazine wrote. “Visitors appreciated the high number of locally owned restaurants and the proximity to the outdoors — the Reedy River, which flows right through downtown, also provides a peaceful setting.”

Across the country, places that offer travelers a glimpse into the past and a taste of regional foods received high marks in the rankings.

“When choosing city escapes in the United States, travelers continue to seek destinations with pedestrian-friendly streets, dynamic arts and culture institutions, and excellent food,” the magazine wrote in its report. “For many visitors, it was also important to have access to activities that suit everyone, whether you’re traveling as a couple, with friends, or as a multigenerational family.”

Nationwide, the top-ranked vacation spot was Santa Fe, New Mexico. The other destinations that round out the top five:

In addition to boasting winners in the best cities category, places in South Carolina made their mark in the top 10 on other World’s Best Awards lists. Here’s where those destinations landed in the continental U.S. rankings:

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GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - A lawsuit has been filed against a South Carolina gubernatorial candidate.

Documents in the South Carolina Public Index show Frank George Rogers “individually and derivatively as a member and on behalf of Exodus Aircraft, LLC” filed a civil lawsuit against Senator Josh Kimbrell, his wife Liliya Kimbrell, Thomas Blake Whitaker, and a company called Exodus Airways.

The lawsuit says Senator Kimbrell and Frank Rogers each has 50% ownership interest in Exodus Aircraft.

The lawsuit was filed on Thursday and claims Senator Josh Kimbrell used Exodus Aircraft’s corporate funds to pay for his political campaign expenses.

FOX Carolina reached out to Senator Kimbrell for comment:

We’re witnessing a regrettable, uncorroborated case of lawfare from a disgruntled, absent business partner with no function or daily involvement in our operations. I’m confident that the facts will come to light, leading to full vindication.

Senator Kimbrell is running for SC governor.

The lawsuit claims the Kimbrells and their former banker, Thomas Whitaker used a series of complex financial transactions to funnel Exodus’s corporate funds into a company called Exodus Airways. The lawsuit continuously dubs Exodus Airways a “Sham Bogus” and claims Airways is a bogus limited liability company secretly organized by Senator Kimbrell.

Exodus Airways does not maintain a legitimate principal place of business, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims Kimbrell used Exodus Airways to divert Exodus Aircraft’s corporate proceeds by “capitalizing upon the confusion caused by the strikingly similar name intentionally selected by Kimbrell.” The lawsuit claims Sen. Kimbrell opened bank accounts for Exodus Airways at Pinnacle Bank, “where his banker-friend Whitaker worked and could assist with the diversion.”

Over $2 million of corporate Exodus Aircraft funds was fraudulently diverted into Exodus Airways, the lawsuit claims.

You can read the lawsuit below.

We are working to get a statement from Whitaker as well.

Stay with FOX Carolina News on this developing story.

Copyright 2025 WHNS. All rights reserved.

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Some patients are ditching insurance and paying out of pocket for an MRI because it’s cheaper and more convenient.

Greta Fuller says her 10-year-old son is a busy athlete, balancing his time between swimming, football, soccer, and basketball. But in the fall of 2024, his activities came to a halt because he was experiencing abdominal pain.

“We went to lots of different doctors,” Fuller said. “We had been to MUSC. We had tried a chiropractor and different supplements.”

Initially, her doctor recommended a CT scan, but she wanted an MRI because she didn’t want her son exposed to radiation.

“The doctor had a hard time getting insurance to approve the MRI,” Fuller said.

She didn’t want to waste time, and her doctor told her about Imago MRI in Greenville.

“I called that day and was able to get him in that day,” Fuller said. “We got results that evening.”

Imago doesn’t take insurance. Instead, patients pay out of pocket. Prices are listed on their website. A no-contrast MRI scan is about $500.

“That was amazing because we had talked with friends who’ve spent $2000 after insurance for MRIs,” Fuller said.

She’s not the only patient choosing to pay out of pocket. Palmetto Proactive Imaging Center in Spartanburg is another self-pay location that recently opened.

DJ Horton took his son, Grey, to this clinic for an MRI.

“Our need came from some pain that he had in one of his knees; he is very active,” Horton said.

They were given a discounted rate because they have a membership with Palmetto Proactive primary care.

“We had both knees, and I think out of pocket it was about $300-400 per knee,” Horton said.

The cost for a non-member MRI at Palmetto Proactive is usually $500-$600. It’s often a far cry from what hospitals charge.

“There is so much red tape and complexity in the traditional insurance route that this is just a great option,” Horton said.

Hospitals are required to post their prices online. Patients can often look up the cost using the price estimator tool or by searching “hospital price transparency.” I looked up how much it would cost for me to have an MRI on the leg in Greenville. The two big hospital systems would charge around $2,200 out of pocket. Each offered a discount for paying without insurance.

But, if I used my insurance, the cost was about $3,500 because no discount was offered, and I have not met my deductible.

Palmetto Proactive Dr. Chris McCarthy says they are able to offer it cheaper because they have no middlemen in their system.

“By cutting out the headaches of the insurance system and the hospital system, not having a facility fee that hospitals tend to add on,” Dr. McCarthy said.

I asked if the technology was just as good as what a patient may have in a hospital setting.

“We have a 1.5 tesla, which is the unit,” Dr. McCarthy said.

This is the strength of the MRI. He says 1.5 T is standard. The MRI machine at Imago is 3 T.

Both parents say their kids got the treatment they needed after the MRI and are healthy again.

“We thought this was a much better economic decision, but also way more than that,” Horton said.

“We were just really thankful to be able to get that done quickly, and affordably, and have some information, some thoughts on how to move forward,” Fuller said.

If a patient gets an MRI at one of these clinics, it does not go towards their insurance deductible. Palmetto Proactive primary care doesn’t take insurance and instead uses a model of direct primary care. You can watch our previous coverage here.

Copyright 2025 WHNS. All rights reserved.

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The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), an invasive insect known for damaging grapes, hops, stone fruits and hardwood trees, has been detected for the first time in South Carolina. Clemson University’s Department of Plant Industry (DPI) confirmed the presence of the pest in the cities of Greenville and Seneca.

The insect, originally from Asia, has now spread to at least 18 other states, including nearby North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. Although the spotted lanternfly poses no direct threat to humans or animals, its presence raises concerns for South Carolina’s agriculture and forestry sectors.

Clemson officials will work with other state and federal agencies to search for and destroy the insect and may seek access to private property for surveillance and treatment.

“Success in fighting the spotted lanternfly will be built on cooperation between state and federal collaborators. South Carolina Department of Agriculture, South Carolina Forestry Commission, Clemson Extension and Clemson researchers have been great partners in fighting other invasive insects, and we will continue to share information and resources as we fight this one,” said Stephen Cole, executive director of Clemson Regulatory Services.

What to look for

According to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), signs of the spotted lanternfly include:

The spotted lanternfly lays eggs on nearly any stationary surface, including man-made objects, making it easy for the pest to hitchhike to new areas unnoticed. The pest is believed to have arrived in the United States via imported goods from Asia, first appearing in Pennsylvania in 2014.

Since then, the insect has become a significant threat, particularly to the wine, fruit and ornamental plant industries. DPI officials urge South Carolinians to remain vigilant, inspect vehicles and outdoor equipment, and report any suspected sightings.

“Spotted lanternfly being found in South Carolina is somewhat inevitable considering it has been found up and down the East Coast and in our neighboring states,” said David Coyle, associate professor and state Extension specialist in Clemson’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation. “As with so many other invasive insects and plant diseases, once it arrived from overseas, it has been hitching a ride on vehicles, shipping containers, pallets and other means. This is why we are urging people to inspect vehicles and cargo.”

Report sightings

To report a spotted lanternfly sighting or learn more, visit www.clemson.edu/invasives.

Since the first U.S. detection of the spotted lanternfly in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014, federal, state and local agencies have mounted a coordinated national response aimed at slowing the spread.

Federal coordination and leadership

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) leads the national response, providing guidance and coordination among affected states. APHIS’s efforts include: