SCDNR’s Lance Corporal Mike Norris becomes the Palmetto State’s Top Cop for 2024 By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Lance Corporal Gene “Mike” Norris III, a law enforcement officer (game warden) with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), received the state’s highest law enforcement honor – the Governor’s State LawContinue Reading
COLUMBIA, SC – April 30. The City of Columbia, in partnership with Statues for Equality and local community partners, unveiled a bronze statue honoring legendary basketball coach Dawn Staley at 4 p.m. on April 30. The statue stands proudly at the intersection of Senate and Lincoln Streets, beside the UniversityContinue Reading
Congratulations to Academy For Success student Justice Harris. He was named the Chapin Sunrise Rotary Student of the Month! He was celebrated for his performance inside and outside of the classroom.Continue Reading
Lexington-Richland School District Five announced its new Teacher of the Year and Support Employee of the Year during a May 12 ceremony. Brooke Bridges, a kindergarten teacher at Piney Woods Elementary School, was named School District Five’s 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year during the district’s Employee Recognition Program. Cami Ruppe,Continue Reading
Two students from Lexington-Richland School District Five have earned National Merit Scholarships. Gavin Rittgers (Spring Hill High, Snap-On Incorporated Scholarship) and Skye Veil (Dutch Fork High, Hubbell Foundation Scholarship) were named winners of this year’s National Merit Corporate-Sponsored Scholarships. These scholarships were financed by about 124 corporations, company foundations, andContinue Reading
Chapin High School has been recognized as a 2024-25 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. It is among a select group of high schools across the U.S. to be recognized for their commitment to inspiring and engaging their students to unlock their potential through their PLTW (Computer Science, Biomedical Science,Continue Reading
IRMO, S.C. – The Lexington-Richland School District Five FFA chapter has earned top honors as a Gold Chapter in South Carolina through the National Chapter Award Program. This prestigious recognition highlights the chapter’s commitment to excellence and its success in implementing the mission and strategies of the National FFA Organization.Continue Reading
IRMO, S.C. – A total of 112 students from Lexington-Richland School District Five have earned the distinction of being named South Carolina Junior Scholars for the 2024–2025 academic year. The South Carolina Junior Scholars program, developed by the South Carolina Department of Education in 1985–1986, recognizes eighth-grade students with exceptionalContinue Reading
A huge congratulations to Bennett Colby for an outstanding musical accomplishment! Bennett is one of only two 6th graders in the entire state to be selected for this year’s All-State Band & Orchestra—an impressive honor on its own. But Bennett didn’t stop there. He earned 1st chair in both All-StateContinue Reading
CHAPIN – The Friends of the Chapin Branch Library have awarded the 2025 Judy Carter Scholarship to Avery Smith, a graduating senior from Spring Hill High School. The Scholarship Committee—comprising Allison Bennett, Vicky Phillips, and Judy Rich—selected Smith from a talented pool of applicants. Friends President Susan Shealy, scholarship namesakeContinue Reading
WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson says she is “blessed” to be “in such elite company” By Alex Junes-Ward A’Ja Wilson, the all-time leading scorer in Gamecock women’s basketball history and the WNBA’s unanimous MVP for the 2024 season, received yet another lofty honor on Tuesday, April 22, when she became theContinue Reading
IRMO – Lexington-Richland School District Five has announced the finalists for its 2025–2026 Support Employee of the Year award: Shamone Chandler, a kindergarten assistant at Dutch Fork Elementary; Bridgette Gause, a cafeteria assistant manager at Ballentine Elementary; and Cami Ruppe, an instructional and clerical assistant at Oak Pointe Elementary. Chandler,Continue Reading
IRMO – Irmo High School’s Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter made a remarkable showing at the South Carolina FCCLA Spring State Conference, earning top honors and developing their leadership skills through interactive workshops and state-level competitions. Students competed in a variety of Students Taking Action withContinue Reading
IRMO – Over forty students from the Center for Advanced Technical Studies (The Center) competed in the South Carolina Technology Student Association (TSA) Conference. Students representing engineering and architecture disciplines, digital art and media production, electricity technology, and the VEX robotics team placed in their respective competitions. The Technological StudentContinue Reading
By Carmen Goulet CHAPIN, S.C. — The American Legion Auxiliary Chapin Unit 193 has proudly announced its five delegate selections for the 78th annual session of ALA Palmetto Girls State, set to take place June 8–14, 2025, at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. This respected program, sponsored by the AmericanContinue Reading
IRMO, S.C. – Two outstanding students from Lexington-Richland School District Five have received prestigious honors from the Midlands Education and Business Alliance (MEBA), highlighting their excellence in career and technical education. Avery Smith, a senior in the Law Enforcement Services program at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies, was namedContinue Reading