Columbia Edition
Columbia news reported, written and edited by Columbia journalists for readers in the Midlands.
Chapin, the self-proclaimed capital of Lake Murray, is experiencing a population boom. While Lexington County officials and community members have differing opinions on the best path forward, the Lexington County council proposed a potential overlay district to limit growth on Lake Murray during its meeting on June 22.
News to know
A statue of Christopher Columbus removed from a Columbia park a year ago over vandalism concerns could be headed for the SC State Museum.
City of Columbia encouraging COVID-19 vaccines with airfare lottery, public relations campaign.
After nearly two hours behind closed doors at a special meeting June 22, Lexington-Richland Five trustees appointed Akil Ross, a former Chapin High School principal named America’s best in 2018 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, as Christina Melton’s successor.
Business updates
Hobby Lobby is joining the many national retailers that have a location in the Harbison corridor.
Nobodies, the music club that opened earlier this month in a building owned by a downtown church, is searching for a new location, a partner i…
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EDITOR'S PICK
A lack of inquiry and immediate action by numerous law enforcement agencies means the public will likely never know whether it was a tragic accident or more serious negligence that led to the death of Jaden Phillips.
Latest Posts
Sitting at the top of the steps at the South Carolina Statehouse, John Sims sees both progress and work to be done. Read more
Nobodies, the music club that opened earlier this month in a building owned by a downtown ch… Read more
It’s tiki time at Bourbon. The whiskey bar's annual transformation into a kitschy, yet dream… Read more
“To rewrite history”? No. “To right history.” That’s the mission set out by the trailer for “Summer of Soul,” the new documentary directed by Questlove. Read more
Views expressed are those of our readers, not us. Read more
Nobodies, the music club that opened earlier this month in a building owned by a downtown church, is searching for a new location, a partner in the business confirmed to Free Times. Read more
In a June 22 letter, McMaster and other GOP governors wrote that the delayed release of the 2020 population counts are putting them "in a nearly impossible situation to redraw lines prior to the 2022 election cycle." Read more
More Politics
Only Gov. Henry McMaster's veto pen potentially stands in the way of $155.3 million for special projects being doled out. The Republican governor has five days to strike spending from the budget.
Columbia activist John Tyler is the latest to join the race for City Council.
The budget compromise legislators agreed to June 17 provides every K-12 teacher at least a $1,000 pay hike, all state employees a 2½ percent raise, and law enforcement officers an additional boost
Zacch Pickens could have a breakout year on South Carolina's defensive line, while Alex "Boogie" Huntley is hoping to really start his career after an injury-marred first season. Read more
Last week, my friend B.A. Hohman and I were on Bull Street driving back into the city from Camden where we had been installing “The Supper Table” art exhibit when we passed under the sign for Matilda Evans Street. We both felt chills go up our arms. Read more
Columbia's experiment with guaranteed income is risky because its success depends on individual choices made by individuals, many of whom don’t have a track record of making great choices. Congress' American Rescue Act is risky because its success depends on individual choices on sending $8.9 billion will be made by the SC Legislature, cities, counties, school districts and state agencies — many of which don’t have a track record of making great choices. Read more
I found out Confederate Memorial Day is a state holiday by accident. Read more
On Monday, Henry McMaster ended a 15-month exhibition of what can happen when South Carolina’s governor has a lot of power. Not just the kind of power most governors except ours take for granted. More. More even, on the state level, than the too-powerful U.S. president has. The governor’s performance provides some important lessons, and calls for a few reminders about how government is supposed to work. Read more
