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Tonight, I’m proud to tell you that the state of the state is strong," said S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster near the beginning of his State of the State Address, Wednesday, from the S.C. State House.
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On the day set aside to honor a legend of the past, local and national leaders gathered in Columbia to focus on the future.
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To kick off the New Year, the West Columbia Public Works and Sanitation departments increased the recycling effort, along with reminding residents to recycle smart.
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Former Lexington County Councilman Ned Tolar died at Lexington Medical Center Sunday. He was a businessman and he represented West Columbia and part of Lexington – District 8 – while on council. Tolar left council in 2018, replaced by Glen Conwell.
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The State House lawn near the intersection of Gervais and Main Streets was packed Saturday with people calling for further restrictions on abortion.
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National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is Thursday.
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The West Columbia Tiger Football Program, ages 10-and-under won the National Championship in Orlando, Fla. on Dec. 19.
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Around two dozen people gathered at the State House Saturday as part of a nationwide series of demonstrations demanding that the U.S. government withdraw all its troops from the Middle East.
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Second District U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson held a press conference to outline his 2020 Legislative Agenda, Friday, at his West Columbia office.
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Malcolm Gordge and Sloan Griffin will vie for one open seat on Blythewood’s Town Council in a special election on Feb. 11. The filing period for candidates ended Monday.
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Blythewood residents won’t be paying higher taxes to support town projects, according to newly-elected mayor Bryan Franklin.
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Blythewood residents who want to vie for one open seat on the Town Council have 10 days to file an intention of candidacy statement beginning Friday, Dec. 6.
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Howard Duvall, an incumbent, and Sara Middleton will face each other in a run-off election on Nov. 19, for an at-large seat on Columbia City Council.
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Bryan Franklin will be the new mayor of Blythewood next year.
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Tem Miles has been elected the next mayor of West Columbia. Miles received 1,277 votes to 456 for Madison Duncan, Tuesday. Miles will replace outgoing Mayor Bobby Horton who did not run.
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The City of West Columbia cut the ribbon on the much-anticipated Carraway Park at the Riverwalk, Monday morning. It's at 212 Hudson Street, and described as “A Place for All Children to Play Together.”
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Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher has identified the individual who died in a single-vehicle accident that occurred in the 200 block of Cedar Road in Lexington just before noon Wednesday.
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There are a lot of kids in West Columbia looking forward to Thursday evening because it’s Halloween. From Wonder Woman and Dr. Seuss to Goldilocks and Spiderman, the streets will be filled with children.
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Cayce City Manager Tracy Hegler was the guest speaker at the Cayce-West Columbia Chamber Breakfast Tuesday. It was held at Cayce United Methodist Church.
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President Donald Trump will be traveling to the Midlands next week. He is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum. The event will be held Friday at Benedict College (1600 Harden St.).
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The City of West Columbia has new and enhanced ways to pay utility bills and traffic citations. The new system gives the ability to view water and sewer account details and pay traffic and code enforcement citations online. There is also a new pay by phone option.
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Columbia is now officially South Carolina’s largest Certified Community Wildlife Habitat.
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Former Lexington County Councilman Bill Banning has passed away.
Photos obtained from Town of Blythewood website. Three men will vie for mayor and five others will face off for two council seats in the Town of Blythewood’s general election Nov. 5. The deadline for candidates to file for this fall’s election was Tuesday. On the ballot for the mayor’s office are Malcolm Gordge, Bryan Franklin and Keith Bailey. Gordge…
Allen Wallace photos. The first in the South presidential primary is more than eight months away, but the race to be the Democratic nominee is already in full swing. The eyes of many voters all over the country were on Columbia this weekend, as the city hosted 20 presidential hopefuls at the Palmetto State’s Democratic Party Convention. More than 2,000…
The S.C. Democratic Party’s annual convention is set for Saturday at the Columbia Convention Center. The convention is attracting 21 presidential primary candidates. Each candidate will be given seven minutes to address the crowd at the convention. More than 2,000 delegates and guests are expected to attend. The S.C. Democratic Party has partnered with MSNBC to telecast the event. The…
The Cayce City Council adopted a new ordinance to change the Cayce municipal election cycle to run in odd-numbered years. The change was approved by city council Wednesday. It was made after a request from the Lexington County Commission of Registration and Elections, said Ashley Hunter, City of Cayce spokeswoman. Currently, the City of Cayce municipal elections are held on…
Father and Sen. Nikki Setzler, with wife Ada Jane, and the whole Setzler family. Sunday is Father’s Day, and that offers the opportunity to show appreciation for the men who mean so much in our lives. The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. But it was not until 1972–58 years after…
Town of Lexington Council and Mayor. Lexington Town Council has voted to move council elections to off years. “Council voted unanimously to switch the elections to off years, so it does not conflict with statewide and presidential elections. The elections will be staggered every two years with the next election being in November 2021 for three seats, currently held by…
Richland County Coroner Gary Watts released the names of two people who died Saturday after being involved in a shooting incident. The incident occurred at Summit Townes Way in Columbia. Nivia N. Johnson, 38, of Summit Townes Way, died at the scene after being shot. An autopsy indicated that the cause of death was due to multiple gunshot wounds to…
Wikipedia photo-use permitted. Former vice-president and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden will be in Columbia, Saturday. The campaign stop with Joe and Jill Biden, his wife, is scheduled for Saturday, at the Hyatt Park Community Center. Doors for the event open at 3:30 Saturday afternoon. Biden will speak about “his vision for rebuilding America’s middle class and unifying America,” according to…
Kaziah Howard, Director of Public Awareness for SC 811. Photo provided. Lt. Governor Pamela Evette visited the office of South Carolina 811 on April 3 to deliver a proclamation, identifying April as Safe Digging Month in South Carolina. The proclamation comes as a response to the statistic that more than 40 percent of homeowners who plan to dig this year…
Allen Wallace photos. Hundreds of people endured a frigid morning in Columbia to attend the annual King Day at the Dome rally, and heard a U.S. senator declare that despite the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., racism remains alive in the nation and in its leadership. “It gives me no pleasure to tell you we now have a…
There’s a new sheriff in town for Kershaw County. Lee Boan was officially sworn in at a ceremony at the Kershaw County Courthouse Wednesday evening. Boan has previously been captain of operations with the Camden Police Department. He won the election in November, taking 67 percent of the vot…
Yolanda Anderson was elected to Richland School District One, Tuesday. Anderson received 18,670 votes or 44 percent of the vote. Also running were: Jackie Baker (16,085 votes-38 percent); and Dwayne Smiling (7,458 – 18 percent.) Amelia McKie, James Manning, Teresa Holmes, and Cheryl Parker were elected to Richland School District Two. McKie got 22,427 votes and 20 percent; Manning got…
Gipson, Harpootlian. Democrat Byron Gipson was elected to the office of Fifth Circuit Solicitor Tuesday. He defeated John Meadors Gipson received 95,479, or 72 percent, of the votes to Meadors 36,852 votes, or 28 percent. In the SC Senate District 20 race Democrat Dick Harpootlian defeated Republican Benjamin Dunn. Harpootlian got 20,269 votes or 52 percent to Dunn’s 18, 655…
US Rep. Joe Wilson. Incumbent S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson defeated Democrat Constance Anastopoulo Tuesday, winning a third four-year term as the state’s top prosecutor. Republican Molly Spearman easily won a second term as the state’s Superintendent of Education. She had no opposition on the ballot. Republican Mark Hammond of Spartanburg won his fifth term as secretary of state. Hammond…
A record number of absentee votes have been cast in the state, in the 2018 midterm election, according to the South Carolina Election Commission. More than 260,000 absentee ballots were issued statewide, and so far, more than 230,000 have been returned. In the 2014 midterm, approximately 157,000 ballots were cast. At the time that set a record for absentee voting…
Voters lined up outside Blythewood Middle School. Jeanne Reynolds photos. Overcast skies promising rain didn’t deter hundreds of voters who lined up early this morning outside Blythewood Middle School, a major polling location in the Blythewood area. The line just after the polls opened at 7 a.m. wrapped around two sides of the building. Inside, approximately 60 more people waited…
There are four open seats on the Richland 2 School Board. There are seven candidates running for the seats. The election is Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. The candidates are: Cheryl Caution Parker, Teresa Jones Holmes, James Manning, Amelia B. McKie, James A. Mobley, Craig Plank and Darrel President Sr. Categories: Columbia, Elections, Richland County
MacDougall and Williams. Incumbent Lexington Mayor Steve MacDougall is facing a challenge from Town of Lexington Councilman Ron Williams. The election is Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. MacDougall is in the hospitality industry as a manager of restaurants. In 2014, MacDougall defeated Lexington’s incumbent Mayor Randy Halfacre. Williams was elected to Lexington Town Council in…
Newton and Owen. Democrat Chakisse Newton and Republican Zoe Pruitt Owen are running to fill the District 11 seat on Richland County Council. The election is Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Newton defeated District 11 Councilman Norman Jackson in the June primary. Newton is a public relations professional and owner of Cardinal Consulting Owen is…
Gubernatorial candidates Henry McMaster, James Smith. From governor to agriculture commissioner, there are several candidates running for statewide offices. The general election is Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Below is a list of the candidates in some high-profile S.C. races that are on the ballot. In the South Carolina governor’s race Republican Gov. Henry McMaster…
Allen Wallace photos. Many political events focus on persuading people to vote for a particular candidate or party. Saturday at the State House, the message was different. Several local groups gathered, and not a word was said about what names anyone should check. The message was simply to vote. The March on the Polls rally was organized by March On,…
There could be a fresh face on the Lexington Town Council. In next Tuesday’s general election four candidates are running for three open seats. The top three vote-getters will be elected. The candidates running are: Hazel Livingston, Todd Lyle, Kathy Maness and Todd Shevchik. Shevchik, who is a former town councilman,is the only candidate who is not currently on council….
Elise Partin. There is an election in Cayce this year, but only the incumbents are running. Cayce Mayor Elise Partin will be on the ballot. She does not have an opponent. James “Skip” Jenkins is running for reelection to Cayce City Council, District Two. Phil Carter is running for reelection to Cayce City Council, District Four. Cayce has four council…
The Lexington County Registration and Election Commission will be open from 9 a.m. until noon, on Saturday, Oct 6. It will be open for anyone who needs to register to be able to vote in the November 6, General Election. For any additional information please call 785-8361, or please visit the Registration and Election office located at Lexington County Auxiliary…
Mickey Pringle of West Columbia City Council- Terry Ward photos. It took a while, but West Columbia City Council has a new member. Mickey Pringle, a just-retired high school principal, was sworn in on June 18, as the council member representing District 5. The seat was held by Boyd Jones before Pringle was elected. “I want to help create better…
Flag supporters. Photos by Emily Mooneyhan. Tuesday marked the third anniversary of the Confederate flag’s removal from the S.C. State House grounds. The flag was taken down from a monument in 2015 after Dylann Roof shot and killed nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. Advocates for the flag gathered in front of the State House, holding Confederate flags…
Glen Conwell Glen Conwell accomplished an improbable feat on June 12. The former Lexington Two School Board member won a three-way primary for the District 8 Lexington County Council seat. He defeated incumbent Ned Tolar and challenger Chuck Crouch on the first ballot. To win, Conwell had to get more than 50 percent of the vote. He is a Republican,…
Photos by Allen Wallace. Several hundred people gathered at the State House Saturday afternoon to protest the U.S. government’s immigration policies. The “Families Belong Together” rally was part of a national protest, with more than 700 events covering all 50 states and drawing hundreds of thousands of people, according to USA Today. In Columbia, speakers addressed the crowd from the…
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