Higher Ed Costs & Earnings: A new analysis finds adults with some college or an associate degree earn the most in Maryland (median $55,301), while the national earnings gap between bachelor’s holders and those with some college/associate degrees averages about $18,539 a year—fueling fresh debate over whether four-year degrees are worth the price. Telecom & Rural Lifelines: Verizon has petitioned the FCC to end copper landline service in 18 states and D.C., drawing pushback from BellTel retirees who warn it could hurt older and vulnerable customers during outages. Food Safety: Another nationwide recall hits South Carolina consumers: more than 160,000 pounds of raw pork, beef and goat products were recalled after being produced without federal inspection and bearing false USDA inspection marks. Cybersecurity/Healthcare Data: South Dakota AG Tong led a $2.3 million multistate settlement with Labcorp over the AMCA debt-collector data breach tied to exposed patient information. Local Development: A developer is seeking Hendersonville city rezoning for a 288-unit multi-family complex near I-26, with annexation plans tied to sewer service. Banking: Bank of South Carolina Corporation declared a $0.25 quarterly dividend and earned national recognition among community banks. Manufacturing & Jobs: Winthrop will receive a $250,000 Rock Hill grant to launch South Carolina’s first bachelor’s program in advanced manufacturing engineering. Gas Prices Watch: GasBuddy reports South Carolina’s regular gas averaged $3.98 for the week ending Sept. 19, with the lowest Orangeburg station at $3.49.