At its first regularly scheduled meeting of 2026, Richland County Council re-elected Councilwoman Jesica Mackey as chair and Councilman Derrek Pugh as vice chair. Mackey, who represents District 9, and Pugh, who represents District 2, are entering the second year of their second terms on County Council. Both were firstContinue Reading
IRMO — Fans of soul and rock music can celebrate the legendary sounds of Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner this Saturday, Jan. 17, at Harbison Theatre, when acclaimed vocalist Alfreda Gerald takes the stage for a special tribute performance. Gerald brings decades of international performance experience, having shared the stageContinue Reading
Photo by Thomas Grant Jr. By Thomas Grant Jr. The opening schedule for 2026 has both Chapin basketball teams playing three straight road games to start Region 4-5A play. Up first was a visit to Dutch Fork to face the defending region champions. The Lady Eagles entered last Friday’s matchupContinue Reading
By Sarah Ostergaard LexRich5 Schools offers different programs at different schools. That said, most students attend their zoned school (and school zones are always a hot topic since Chapin is overcrowded, but the possibility of shifting school attendance lines toward Irmo causes much hooting and hollering) and families have theContinue Reading
By Radley West “You don’t need to be extreme, just consistent.” When most people think about reaching their fitness goals, they picture big changes, intense training schedules, strict diets, and dramatic transformations. While those stories make great headlines, the truth is that most real success comes from something far lessContinue Reading
By Jennifer Tardy You start the month feeling motivated and productive. Then, a couple of weeks in, your energy drops. You feel wired but exhausted, reach for caffeine, and wonder why your body suddenly feels sluggish. Many people assume low energy is a personal shortcoming—that if they pushed harder orContinue Reading
Pictured above is the author and James Dickey, June 24, 1995. By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net Each January, my thoughts turn to a fellow Georgian. James Dickey died January 19, 1997, of the same disease that took my mother’s life. On June 24, 1995, I interviewed Dickey for ReckonContinue Reading
Former interim principal and longtime assistant administrator Chad Raynor succeeds Cassy Young, who was appointed the district’s coordinator of support staff. IRMO — School District Five has appointed Chad Raynor as the new principal of Piney Woods Elementary School. Raynor replaces Cassy Young, who was recently named the district’s coordinatorContinue Reading
As we approach the 2026–2027 school year, School District Five is implementing a new redistricting plan that will take effect on July 1, 2026. This strategic initiative aims to better serve our students and community while minimizing disruptions. Our new school attendance map is now live on the district websiteContinue Reading
Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina recognized Miriam Atria in the Congressional Record on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, during the 119th Congress, honoring her distinguished career and recent retirement from Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism. Appreciating Miriam Atria “I am grateful to recognize Miriam Atria on her recent retirementContinue Reading
Press conference addresses the good and not-so-good in terms of criminal activity over the previous year By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott held a first-of-the-year press conference, January 6, addressing countywide crime trends – the good and the not so good – going into 2026. LottContinue Reading
South Carolina Black Belt Hall of Fame presents several awards during ceremonial dinner in the Upstate By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Guests and inductees of the S.C. Black Belt Hall of Fame (SCBBHOF), the Palmetto State’s premier martial arts organization, gathered for the Hall of Fame’s annual awards dinner atContinue Reading
Photo: Osprey at Anthony Shoals with a fish too big to lift. By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net Three birds hold me in their thrall. The osprey, whippoorwill, and oft-slighted buzzard. I love the whippoorwill’s lilting call. The noble osprey and its distinctive M-shaped wings stands out, and the utilitarianContinue Reading
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced that Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, will mark the opening of the nation’s 2026 tax filing season. Taxpayers will have until Wednesday, April 15, 2026, to file their 2025 federal income tax returns and pay any taxes due. The IRS expects to receive approximatelyContinue Reading
Undergraduate and graduate students studying American history can apply for a $25,000 scholarship through the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31. The DAR America 250 Scholarship will award one-time $25,000 scholarships to 10 students in 2026 in recognition of the 250th anniversaryContinue Reading
By Jennifer Tardy You are committed to your health—but sometimes it can feel like you are playing catch-up. You do many of the right things, but often only after something goes wrong. The truth is that some of the most powerful shifts in energy, hormone balance, and immune resilience doContinue Reading