Here is the latest South Carolina news from The Associated Press

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (AP) — A federal meeting on opening areas off the coast of the Carolinas to drilling has attracted dozens of people, including two congressmen. The federal Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management sponsored the meeting in Mount Pleasant to gather public comment on opening offshore waters to oil and gas exploration later this decade.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina House has refused to give up to $10 million to 22 counties to cover part of their cleanup costs from last winter’s ice storm. But reimbursements could still make it into the state budget.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Senate has passed a ban on powdered alcohol. The Senate voted 37-4 to give key approval Wednesday to a bill prohibiting the sale or use of alcohol in powered form. The bill faces one more procedural vote before it is sent to the House.

NEW YORK (AP) — Bank of America is announcing plans to buy back $4 billion in stock after getting conditional approval from the Federal Reserve. The bank announced Wednesday that the buyback will be done through June 2016.