Joey Hudson / Just The Truth

Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

When you hear “YMCA,” do you immediately think about a gym, swimming pool or basketball court?

There is a whole lot more happening at the YMCA.

I sat down with Trey Oakley of the YMCA of Greater Spartanburg to talk about the organization’s mission, its Christian foundation and the work being done every day to strengthen children, families and the Upstate community.

The YMCA of Greater Spartanburg has roots going all the way back to 1869, and today its work includes youth development, after-school programs, summer camps, swimming and water safety, programs for cancer survivors, opportunities for adults with learning differences or physical limitations, efforts to address food insecurity and financial assistance for families who otherwise might not be able to participate.

Trey and I also discuss what the YMCA means when it talks about putting Christian principles into practice, the challenges facing families today and how people can get involved through membership, volunteering and financial support.

If you think the YMCA is simply a place to work out, I think this conversation may surprise you.

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Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

There’s a new restaurant taking off in Greenville—and the location is unlike just about anything else in town.

I sit down with longtime Greenville restaurateur Trish Ballentine  and Lauren Good to talk about their newest venture, Hangar 28 Kitchen & Events, located at the Greenville Downtown Airport.

I’ve known Trish for many years and have watched her own and operate restaurants throughout the Greenville area. In this conversation, we talk about what brought her back into the restaurant business, why she chose this unique airport location, and what she’s learned after years in Greenville’s rapidly changing restaurant scene.

We also get into the food at Hangar 28, the emphasis on scratch cooking, weekend breakfast, cocktails and the restaurant’s unique aviation atmosphere.

And Hangar 28 isn’t just about food. Trish tells us about the approximately 3,500-square-foot event venue overlooking the airport and her plans for private events, corporate gatherings, fundraisers, live music and more.

If you live in the Upstate—or you just enjoy discovering unique locally owned restaurants—this is one you'll want to check out.

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Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

Three stories today that raise some fundamental questions about politics, justice and accountability in America.

The House has passed legislation aimed at cutting off certain federal funding to colleges that boycott Israel—but the overwhelming majority of House Democrats voted against it.

Then, nearly 25 years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed—the accused architect of 9/11—still has not been tried and sentenced. How is that possible?

And here in South Carolina, the state Supreme Court has ruled that a civil rights organization cannot be punished for releasing certain information about the state's execution process that had already been made public.

🇮🇱 HOUSE PASSES BILL TARGETING COLLEGE BOYCOTTS OF ISRAEL

The House of Representatives has passed legislation aimed at preventing certain federal funds from going to colleges and universities that participate in boycotts of Israel.

Most House Democrats opposed the legislation.

We'll look beyond the political rhetoric and examine what the bill actually does, why Republicans supported it and why so many Democrats voted against it.

The vote also comes amid continuing disagreements within the Democratic Party over Israel.

Is this simply a disagreement over how the federal government should respond to boycotts?

Or does the vote reveal something larger about how the Democratic coalition's relationship with Israel is changing?

We'll dig into it.

🇺🇸 25 YEARS AFTER 9/11 — WHERE IS THE JUSTICE?

Think about this.

We are approaching the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001.

Nearly 3,000 people were murdered.

America went to war.

We spent trillions of dollars.

Thousands of American military families sacrificed during the wars that followed.

And yet Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11 attacks, still has not faced a completed criminal trial.

How can that be?

The case has been consumed by years of legal disputes involving his treatment in CIA custody, the admissibility of evidence and confessions, plea agreements, military commissions and endless courtroom battles.

Now another ruling involving Mohammed's confession has once again complicated the prosecution.

We'll walk through how we got here and ask the question many Americans—especially families who lost loved ones on 9/11—may be asking:

How can the American justice system take a quarter-century to resolve one of the most consequential terrorism cases in our nation's history?

⚖️ SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT RULES IN EXECUTION RECORDS CASE

Here in South Carolina, the state Supreme Court has issued an important ruling involving the state's execution process, government secrecy and the First Amendment.

The dispute involved information about executions that the state argued was protected by South Carolina's shield law.

But there was a significant complication:

Some of the information had already been made public.

The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that a civil rights organization could not be punished for sharing certain execution-related information that was already publicly available.

We'll explain what information was involved, why the state wanted to restrict its release and what the ruling could mean for future disputes over South Carolina's execution secrecy law.

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Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

It was a remarkable day in Congress.

House Democrats helped defeat an effort to advance a constitutional amendment that would permanently cap the U.S. Supreme Court at nine justices. The vote comes as some Democrats continue advocating for expanding the Court.

Then another vote is getting plenty of attention: 192 House Democrats voted against a resolution condemning the Democratic Socialists of America and denouncing socialism.

We’ll look beyond the headlines and tell you what these measures actually said—and how members of Congress voted.

Plus, the Justice Department wants answers about skyrocketing beef prices, an emotional congressional hearing puts a human face on the immigration debate, and one South Carolina city has just been named among America’s best towns to visit.

⚖️ THE BATTLE OVER THE SIZE OF THE SUPREME COURT

Should the Supreme Court permanently remain at nine justices?

Republicans attempted to move forward with a constitutional amendment that would cap the number of Supreme Court justices at nine.

The effort failed.

This comes as prominent Democrats—including South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn—have discussed expanding the Court. Clyburn recently said he believes 13 justices would be a “pretty good number.”

Supporters of expanding the Court argue that Congress has changed its size before and say reform is justified.

Opponents call the idea court packing and argue that expanding the Court for political reasons could create a cycle in which whichever party controls Washington simply adds more justices.

We’ll explain what happened and why this debate could become increasingly important.

🗳️ 192 DEMOCRATS VOTE AGAINST ANTI-SOCIALISM RESOLUTION

Another House vote is generating controversy.

A resolution condemning the Democratic Socialists of America and denouncing socialism received significant Republican support, but 192 House Democrats voted against it.

Rather than stopping with the headline, we’re going to look at what the resolution actually said.

What exactly were members being asked to condemn?

What reasons did opponents give for voting against it?

And what does this vote tell us about the continuing debate over democratic socialism inside American politics?

🥩 DOJ INVESTIGATES SOARING BEEF PRICES

If you’ve bought steaks, hamburger or just about any other cut of beef lately, you already know this story.

Beef is expensive.

Now the Justice Department is investigating eight major grocery retailers as well as the nation’s four largest meatpackers as the government examines competition and pricing throughout the beef supply chain.

The key question is straightforward:

Why are consumers paying so much?

Is this primarily a supply-and-demand problem caused by America’s historically small cattle herd?

Are processors and retailers contributing to higher prices?

Or is it some combination of factors?

The DOJ wants answers—and so do American consumers.

🇺🇸 FATHER DELIVERS EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY ON IMMIGRATION

One of the most emotional moments on Capitol Hill this week came from Marcus Coleman, whose daughter was permanently disabled following a crash involving a truck driver described in congressional testimony as being in the country illegally.

Coleman appeared before a House subcommittee and accused Democratic lawmakers of “grandstanding” when discussing illegal immigration.

Whatever your politics, his testimony brings the immigration debate away from statistics and political arguments and back to the real people whose lives can be permanently changed.

We’ll show you what he told Congress and discuss the larger debate surrounding immigration enforcement and public safety.

🌴 ONE OF AMERICA’S BEST TOWNS IS RIGHT HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Finally, we’ll end with some good news from the Palmetto State.

CNN has named a South Carolina community one of the best towns to visit in America.

And no—it’s not Charleston this time!

Which South Carolina town made the list?

We’ll reveal it and explain why it’s getting national attention.

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Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

President Trump is rolling out additional prescription drug discounts that he says could save Americans more than $600 billion over the next several years.

Today, we’ll look at what the administration is proposing, who could benefit, and whether those projected savings will actually show up at the pharmacy counter for everyday Americans.

Plus, Michelle Obama is getting attention online after a surprisingly candid comment about her daughters leaving home, another alleged abuse of Flock license plate camera technology raises serious privacy questions, and a federal appeals court ruling could force South Carolina lawmakers to rethink part of the state’s mail-in voting law.

💊 TRUMP TAKES AIM AT PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES

President Trump announced additional prescription drug discounts this week and says the changes could produce more than $600 billion in savings over the next several years.

That is an enormous number.

But the question most Americans really care about is much simpler:

Will I actually pay less for my prescriptions?

We’ll break down what the administration is proposing, where the projected savings come from, which medications could be affected and what consumers should watch for as the changes are implemented.

👋 MICHELLE OBAMA: “I DON’T MISS THEM”

Michelle Obama is getting plenty of attention online after talking about what happened when daughters Malia and Sasha finally left home.

She says former President Barack Obama cried.

Michelle?

Not so much.

She joked that her reaction was essentially:

“BYE!”

The comment came during a podcast conversation with Jon Stewart and has generated plenty of discussion online.

Parents everywhere may have an opinion about this one.

📸 ANOTHER FLOCK CAMERA ABUSE CASE

And we have another troubling allegation involving Flock automated license plate readers.

A former Indiana sheriff’s deputy has been charged after authorities say he abused access to the system to track his girlfriend for more than a year.

Investigators allege he conducted more than 2,000 searches for her license plate.

Two thousand.

This is exactly the type of case fueling the growing debate over automated license plate readers.

Supporters say the technology is an incredibly useful crime-fighting tool.

Critics say databases containing the movements of millions of innocent Americans create enormous potential for abuse when proper safeguards aren’t in place.

We’ll look at what authorities say happened and ask the larger question:

Who is watching the people who have access to these systems?

🗳️ SOUTH CAROLINA MAIL-IN VOTING LAW FACES COURT CHALLENGE

A federal appeals court has ruled that South Carolina’s absentee voting rules for older voters discriminate against younger voters.

South Carolina law has allowed voters age 65 and older to vote absentee based solely on their age, while younger voters generally must qualify under another approved reason.

The court’s decision raises an obvious question for the General Assembly:

What happens now?

Will lawmakers expand no-excuse absentee voting to younger South Carolinians?

Will they change the senior provision?

Or will the state continue fighting the decision in court?

We’ll examine what the ruling says and what it could mean for South Carolina elections going forward.

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📱 Firmin Ford Text Line: 864-477-JOEY (5639)

Your texts are always welcome, and you can also leave a voice message that could be aired on a future podcast.

Subscribe for daily political analysis, breaking national news, South Carolina politics and conversations about the issues affecting American families.

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Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

Today's show starts with another Supreme Court victory for the Trump administration as construction of the White House ballroom is allowed to continue while the legal battle plays out.

Then we're tackling a question you may have heard from friends, family members or President Trump's critics:

“What has Donald Trump actually accomplished during his second term?”

We're going through 25 examples you can examine for yourself.

Plus, an astonishing amount of money is pouring into the 2026 midterm elections. The 20 biggest donors have reportedly contributed a combined $1.2 BILLION so far.

And South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick joins us to discuss what comes next now that the GOP's November ballot is set.

🏛️ SUPREME COURT ALLOWS WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM CONSTRUCTION TO CONTINUE

The Supreme Court has once again sided with the Trump administration, allowing construction on President Trump's White House ballroom project to continue while litigation proceeds in the lower courts.

It's an important distinction: the Supreme Court's action doesn't necessarily resolve the underlying legal dispute.

But for now, construction can continue.

We'll talk about the legal challenge, what the administration argues and why this project has generated such a heated political and legal fight.

🇺🇸 WHAT HAS TRUMP ACCOMPLISHED? LET'S LOOK AT 25 EXAMPLES

This may be today's most useful segment.

You've probably heard someone ask:

“What has Donald Trump actually accomplished since returning to the White House?”

Instead of simply responding with political rhetoric, we're going to examine 25 specific actions and accomplishments from Trump's second term.

We'll look at the economy, immigration and border security, energy, foreign policy, government spending, regulation and other major areas.

Get your notepad ready.

Whether you're a Trump supporter, a critic or somewhere in between, these are 25 examples worth knowing so you can decide for yourself how the administration's record stacks up.

💰 $1.2 BILLION — WHO'S FUNDING THE 2026 MIDTERMS?

Think there's too much money in politics?

Wait until you hear these numbers.

The 20 largest donors in the 2026 midterm election cycle have reportedly poured approximately $1.2 BILLION into House and Senate races so far.

We're going through the list.

It includes some of America's wealthiest individuals, major technology interests, cryptocurrency money and powerful political organizations trying to influence who controls Congress.

But here's the larger question:

How much influence does $1.2 billion buy in American politics?

And when you follow the money, what does it tell you about the priorities of the people and organizations writing these enormous checks?

🗳️ DREW MCKISSICK: WHAT'S NEXT FOR SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICANS?

The primaries are finished. The runoff is over. The Republican ticket is set.

So what happens now?

South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick joins us to talk about the party's strategy heading toward November.

We'll discuss voter turnout, party unity after some hard-fought Republican primaries, the races the GOP will be watching most closely and what South Carolina Republicans need to do between now and Election Day.

The campaign doesn't end when the primary ends.

In many ways, that's when the next campaign begins.

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Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

Today's show starts with a growing feud between President Donald Trump and one of Canada's most prominent political leaders. Then we'll look at Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's controversial new requirements for city contractors, examine whether the developing U.S.-Canada trade war could raise prices for American families and create political problems ahead of the midterms, and discuss Congressman James Clyburn's call to expand the U.S. Supreme Court from nine justices to thirteen.

🇨🇦 DOUG FORD TAKES ON PRESIDENT TRUMP

Ontario Premier Doug Ford clearly isn't thrilled with President Trump these days.

Appearing on ABC's This Week, Ford criticized Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America.”

The dispute may sound humorous—and there's certainly plenty to have fun with—but it comes amid a much more serious deterioration in the relationship between the United States and Canada.

And that brings us to the bigger question:

How far is this feud going to go, and who ultimately pays the price when two of the world's largest trading partners start putting tariffs on each other's products?

🌆 CHICAGO'S NEW CONTRACTING RULES

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed an executive order requiring companies doing business with the city to disclose information about the demographics of their leadership.

Contractors will also be asked to disclose certain relationships with federal law enforcement agencies, including ICE.

Johnson says Chicago should use the enormous purchasing power of city government to advance the city's priorities.

But this raises an interesting question about the proper role of government contracting.

Should the city be choosing the best company at the best price—or should political and social considerations also determine who gets taxpayer-funded contracts?

And what happens when a company's relationship with federal law enforcement becomes part of that calculation?

We'll dig into what the order actually requires.

💰 COULD THE CANADA TRADE WAR HIT YOUR WALLET?

This may ultimately be the biggest political story of the day because it affects something Americans deal with every single day: prices.

New tariffs involving Canada could affect industries ranging from manufacturing and automobiles to construction materials, agriculture and consumer goods.

Tariffs aren't paid by some mysterious government account. Depending on how businesses respond, at least some of those additional costs can eventually work their way through the supply chain and reach consumers.

So we're going to look beyond the political rhetoric and ask the practical question:

What could this developing trade war actually cost the average American household?

And there's a political question attached to it.

If voters begin seeing higher prices in competitive states because of the dispute with Canada, could Republicans pay a price at the ballot box in the upcoming midterm elections?

We'll look at which industries and states could be particularly vulnerable.

⚖️ CLYBURN WANTS 13 SUPREME COURT JUSTICES

South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn appeared on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday and endorsed expanding the Supreme Court.

Clyburn says he'd like to see the current nine-member court expanded to 13 justices, calling thirteen a “pretty good number.”

Supporters of expansion argue that Congress has changed the size of the Supreme Court before and that the current political and judicial environment warrants significant reform.

Opponents call it court packing and warn that once one party expands the Court to gain an ideological advantage, the other party could simply do the same thing when it returns to power.

And that's the question we'll discuss:

If Democrats expand the Court to 13, what stops Republicans from eventually making it 15—or Democrats from later making it 17?

Where does it end?

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Just the Truth Podcast with Joey Hudson

Goodwill is getting into the hardware business!

Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina has launched Retool & Supply, a new specialty hardware concept located inside its Pelzer, South Carolina store.

So what exactly can you buy there?

Think tools, hardware, lawn and garden equipment, supplies and plenty of potential bargains for DIYers, homeowners and weekend warriors.

I sat down with Chunsta Miller of Goodwill Industries to find out how the idea for Retool & Supply came about, where the merchandise comes from and why Goodwill decided to launch the concept here in the Upstate.

But there's another side to this story that sometimes gets overlooked.

Goodwill isn't simply selling donated merchandise. Revenue generated through its stores helps support career training, employment services and programs designed to help people develop skills and get back into the workforce.

We talk about that mission, Goodwill's growing number of specialty stores and what happens when you donate something as simple as an old power tool that's been sitting unused in your garage.

And, of course, we find out what kind of bargains you might discover at Retool & Supply.

📍 Retool & Supply
Inside the Goodwill store in Pelzer, South Carolina

For more information about Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina, visit GoodwillSC.org.

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