COVID-19 update: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 704 new cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths connected to the virus on Wednesday.

The percent positive rate was 16.8 percent.

As of 5:03 p.m. Aug. 19, via S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control: Confirmed cases in S.C.: 107,274 (+704 new cases since Tuesday)
Positive tests in Charleston County (total): 12,992 (+102)
Negative tests in S.C.: 799,171
Deaths in S.C. from COVID-19: 2,248 (+45)

Top stories:

$700,000: The value of education technology never returned to Charleston schools

“Paid actor,” he said: A member of Berkeley County Council said he was paid by a contractor to dress in traditional Middle Eastern garb as part of a law enforcement training exercise, but declined to say who paid him. Social justice groups are calling for more scrutiny of the situation. Source: P&C

Halls Chophouse founder Bill Hall died this morning, a company VP said in a letter to staff. Source: Charleston City Paper

What we’re reading:

Greenville News: Lottery lawyer for $1.5 billion Simpsonville ticket winner indicted on fraud charges

The Verge: The Lincoln Project is stealing memes — and the online left isn’t happy

NYT: Inside the Boogaloo: America’s Extremely Online Extremists

Charlotte Observer column: “On this SC island, the post office is personal”