Beyond the News
Special Projects
SC Open INFO / SC Public Information Commons
SC Open INFO is a special initiative of the South Carolina Public Information Commons, a 501(c)(3) and a community knowledge initiative dedicated to expanding equitable access to public information and strengthening civic participation across the state.
We serve as a statewide public resource—collecting, organizing, and translating government data, public records, and community-sourced information into clear, accessible formats that residents can understand and use.
Our work includes filing and publishing FOIA requests, developing issue explainers, curating open-data resources, and providing localized reporting that highlights the policies, decisions, and community conditions affecting South Carolinians. We regularly host voter education programs, public forums, community workshops, and informational events designed to build civic awareness and empower individuals with the tools they need to engage in public life.
By transforming raw data and public information into digestible articles, visual materials, and community educational resources, the South Carolina Public Information Commons ensures that essential knowledge remains open, accessible, and actionable—supporting a more informed public and a stronger, more transparent democracy.
The Bailey Compendium / Archive 55
The Bailey Compendium did not begin as a wiki. It began as an archive to preserve the stories entrusted to me by my community, along with the knowledge I gained through studying them, analyzing them, and interrogating what they revealed. It became a record of history. I built it so their stories could live on, with their contributions and knowledge preserved and available to the next generation.
Field Notes by Michael Bailey
Field Notes is where I set down the lessons life has whispered along the way, reflections gathered from years spent asking questions, building things, and learning to see the world through both a lens and a deadline. These notes rise from lived moments: the grind of entrepreneurship, the wonder of creation, and the quiet truths found only in the spaces between.
www.fieldnotesbymichaelbailey.com