By Sarah Ostergaard What is your idea of a strong education? Please answer that question for yourself before continuing to read this article. I welcome your thoughts; feel free to reach out. Almost 3 years ago, I wrote that the “American purpose of an education is to prepare young peopleContinue Reading
South Carolinians are invited to roll up their sleeves and help clean up their communities during the 2026 SC Sweep, a 10-day statewide anti-litter campaign organized by PalmettoPride. Taking place March 21–29, the campaign coincides with the start of spring, when many residents are already spending more time outdoors. Families,Continue Reading
Community leaders, changemakers and book lovers are invited to an evening of conversation and connection as Alencia Johnson visits Columbia for a fireside chat and book signing centered around her new book, Flip the Tables: The Everyday Disruptor’s Guide to Finding Courage and Making Change. The event will be hostedContinue Reading
A new large-scale mural celebrating the skyline and culture of Columbia now greets visitors at Columbiana Centre. The installation was commissioned through the Columbia Streams Art program in partnership with the shopping center. The project highlights local artistic talent while transforming one of the mall’s most visited gathering spaces intoContinue Reading
By Jennifer Tardy, CHN, IPHM March is National Nutrition Month, and if there’s one thing I hear from people over and over again, it’s this: “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to eat anymore.” One expert recommends eating low-carb. Another suggests high-carb. Some swear by keto, while others thriveContinue Reading
Photo: Blue flag irises carpet Red Bluff Bain in blue come spring. By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net The rains of late and spring’s approach set my mind on the Carolina bays, those coastal plain wetlands of mystery and life. The elliptical depressions are filling with water and the greatContinue Reading
Milestone event will celebrate Conservation, Commerce, and Leadership in South Carolina Individual tickets are now on sale for the 10th-annual Global Eco Adventures (GEA) EcoBall. The dinner and awards ceremony will be held on EARTH DAY, Wednesday evening, April 22, 2026, at 6:30 p.m., 701 Whaley Street in Columbia, SouthContinue Reading
The annual Irmo Cherry Blossom Festival will return Saturday, March 21, 2026, offering a full day of spring activities for the community. The family-friendly festival will feature cherry blossom viewing and picnicking, a traditional Taiko drum performance, a plein air art session where artists create outdoors, and a showcase ofContinue Reading
Get ready, West Columbia — the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is rolling into town. The City of West Columbia invites the community to a special event featuring the famous 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels Thursday, March 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at West Columbia City Hall, 200 N.Continue Reading
Natalie “Summer” Harwood, a Columbia native, recently earned national recognition after being named the champion of the Bota Box “Wing It” competition held in San Francisco during Super Bowl weekend in February. Harwood first entered the East Coast round of the cooking competition with her Black Cherry Smoke chicken wings,Continue Reading
Guests can enjoy local food vendors throughout the weekend, including The Coffee Truck serving coffee Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Hometown Hotdogz offering classic favorites Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. As an added incentive, the first 100 customers who spend $100 will receive a freeContinue Reading
LEXINGTON — The Lexington County Department of Public Works is inviting residents, businesses and community stakeholders to attend a series of open house meetings as part of the development of the county’s Transportation Improvement Plan. The long-range planning effort focuses on preserving and enhancing Lexington County’s transportation system to improveContinue Reading
The District 5 Foundation made the decision to cancel this year’s Springfest 2026 event at Dutch Fork High School. The board decided to concentrate efforts towards other fundraising events and is not taking the cancellation lightly. “Due to unforeseen circumstances District 5 Foundation Springfest 2026 must be canceled,” said D5 FoundationContinue Reading
By Jennifer Tardy Recently, a client told me she couldn’t understand why she was gaining weight. “I’m barely eating,” she said. Her typical day looked like this:Breakfast: coffeeLunch: something lightSnack: a protein barDinner: pretty clean On paper, it looked disciplined.On the scale, she was up eight pounds. So we lookedContinue Reading
By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net A lulu of a lady sold my parents a set of the World Book Encyclopedia. Miss Lulu Goolsby to be exact. It changed my life living in rural Georgia as I did. I read that set from A to Z at least three times.Continue Reading
IRMO — Richland Northeast High School’s Silver Cadets Marching Band will host Battle In the Met, a drumline competition, on Saturday, March 7, from 2–8 p.m. in the RNE gym. Doors open at 1 p.m. The event will feature 16 high school drumlines competing for top honors, with DJ DelContinue Reading