By Akil E. Ross, Sr., Ed.D.Superintendent How do you know when times have changed? I knew times were changing after attending the School District Five teacher and staff hiring event on Saturday, January 11th. The event was attended by many highly qualified educators and role models, which built my excitementContinue Reading
The Board of Directors of the South Carolina Philharmonic announced yesterday that Music Director Morihiko Nakahara has renewed his contract with the organization through June 30th, 2029. A native of Kagoshima, Japan, Morihiko Nakahara has served as Music Director of the South Carolina Philharmonic since 2008. During the 2024-2025 season,Continue Reading
IRMO – Registration for the 4-year-old tuition-based pre-kindergarten program, EXCEL (Exposing Children to Early Learning), in Lexington-Richland School District Five at Irmo Elementary begins on February 10, 2024. Enrollment will be on a first-come, first-served basis and will be limited to 20 students. All additional children will be placed onContinue Reading
February 3, 2025 [Columbia, SC] — Columbia Eye, the Midlands largest medical surgical ophthalmology practice, is proud to announce the overwhelmingly positive results of a year-long patient customer service survey. Throughout 2024, Columbia Eye used a third-party platform to survey patients in several measures of customer service. The results showedContinue Reading
IRMO – Irmo High School’s director of school counseling Dorothya Nero has been selected as the 2025 School Counselor of the Year in South Carolina by the Palmetto State School Counselor Association (PSSCA). The award is given annually to a school counselor who has demonstrated their ability to provide leadershipContinue Reading
LEXINGTON, S.C. – Lexington County deputies have arrested a man accused of attacking a woman outside her home and stalking her at her job. Joey Miles Strickland, 41, is charged with first-degree assault and battery, kidnapping, and stalking, according to arrest warrants. “The sequence of events between Strickland and theContinue Reading
Catherine Huddle’s argument for partisan school board elections is misguided on so many fronts. First, she used the argument that only 58% of the actual voters, who turned out in November 2024, voted in school board elections. That is actually a good thing in this day age. The 42% whoContinue Reading
CIS is proud to feature 6th-grade student Sooa Son for her remarkable achievement of beingselected to the Midlands Region Orchestra. This prestigious selection is a significantaccomplishment, as many students aspire to be chosen, but few are selected. The Midlands Region Orchestra is a two-day event that brings together the strongestContinue Reading
LEXINGTON, S.C. – A White Knoll High School teacher is accused of assaulting a student at the school. Fritzie Suerto Refamonte, 45, is charged with third-degree assault and battery, according to an arrest warrant. “When we became aware of this incident, we opened an investigation and determined Refamonte allegedly assaultedContinue Reading
IRMO – The Chapin Middle School Symphonic Band has been invited to perform as a featured ensemble at the South Carolina Music Educators Association’s (SCMEA) Professional Development Conference in Columbia on February 8, 2025. “It is a great honor for our Chapin Middle School Symphonic Band to be selected to perform atContinue Reading
At least $50,000 raised for Richland County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 unit By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Deputies with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), RCSD K-9s, and friends and supporters of RCSD and local law enforcement gathered at Columbia Flag & Sign Company in West Columbia for the first-ever “Dog-a-thonContinue Reading
The South Carolina Council on the Holocaust and USC’s Anne Frank Center will host a remembrance program honoring the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Saturday, January 27, at 10:30 a.m. at the Pastides Alumni Center in Columbia. The event will feature keynote speeches from NBC’s Chuck ToddContinue Reading
Adults in Richland, Lexington, and Aiken Counties are getting more opportunities to improve their reading, writing, and math skills thanks to Literacy SC, formerly known as Turning Pages SC. For over 57 years, the nonprofit has helped individuals overcome literacy barriers, and now it’s expanding its mission to include newContinue Reading
The much-anticipated Columbia Open Studios event is set to return on April 5 and 6, 2025, offering art enthusiasts a unique opportunity to explore the creative spaces of local artists in Richland and Lexington Counties. Hosted by the 701 Center for Contemporary Art, the weekend-long, self-guided tour highlights the vibrantContinue Reading
Richland County is now accepting applications for grants aimed at preserving the county’s natural resources and historic sites. Nonprofits, neighborhood organizations, government agencies, commercial entities, and other groups are eligible to apply for the Historic Preservation and Natural Resource Grants, provided by the Richland County Conservation Commission. These grants, whichContinue Reading
The COMET has announced the passing of its Vice Chair, John V. Furgess, Sr., a respected leader, advocate, and voice for the community. Furgess joined The COMET as a senior board member and was elected as Vice Chairman in 2022, a position he was reelected to in 2024. He alsoContinue Reading