Ashley Miller

I am a reporter at The Sumter Item, focusing on Clarendon County government and education

BASJMC Major in Journalism with a minor in Psychology

About Me

I officially graduated from USC in May 2022 as a multimedia journalist. I have been working at a local, daily newspaper, for a year now, covering three counties. Mainly focusing on Clarendon County government and education. I am trying to pursue a career in investigative journalism, with a focus on digital reporting. I am comfortable with interviewing, writing, photography, and editing. 

Growing up in the small town of Lancaster, S.C., has taught me a lot about people and how to respect others. 

I have always been a crime junkie, and love to listen to crime podcasts, read crime stories, etc. I am a dog mom to a two-year-old blue pit bull named Otis.

Path to Journalism

My love for journalism began at a very young age. I remember running to the door as a child, to get the weekly newspaper for my great-grandmother. She used to read the comics to me because I could only understand the pictures. When I learned how to read, I would stop at the newspapers boxes out on Main Street and read the paper on the way home. 

 In high school, I was the editor-in-chief of our school newspaper, The Bruin Pride. I loved working on that newspaper. We learned how to use InDesign, Photoshop and many other programs. In my first year of college at Kent State, I worked for Fusion Magazine. That experience taught me how to take better photos, and to write for a magazine.

Is Clarendon County now seeing red? Pedalino will be 1st Republican in county’s House seat; Coker ousts Blakely on council

In a district long held by Democrats, a Republican now takes the South Carolina state House seat for the first time in four decades.

Republican challenger Fawn Pedalino won the House District 64 seat with 55.12% of the vote, or 7,758 votes, over first-term incumbent Kimberly Johnson's 6,303 votes, or 44.78%, on Tuesday.

Pedalino said she wants to participate in making new laws during her time in office, changing old laws and studying what outcome laws will have on the people of her district an

My resume

My awards/recognitions

In my first year of my journalism career, I have learned a lot about my writing, noticed growth in my stories and overall have noticed be growing more confident in my storytelling. One thing that helped me realize that was winning second place at the South Carolina Press Association awards for educaiton beat reporting. This was for my story using a FOIA request to uncover the Clarendon County Superintendent's salary, stipeds and changes to his contract without public knowledge. This was also for reporting on Clarendon and Lee County schools recieved seperate amounts for $42M to replace schools and consolidate schools. I have also been recognized by Ralph Norman, a member of Congress, along with other co-workers. 

Photos