By Rick Abercrombie Russell Ott, State Senator from District 26, spoke recently to the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo. Ott’s District encompasses Calhoun County and also includes parts of Lexington and Richland County. The district is characterized by booming industry while agriculture is prominent in the southern half. So theContinue Reading

IRMO, S.C. — CrossRoads Intermediate sixth grader Wesley Monroe has been named the March Student of the Month by the Lake Murray-Irmo Rotary Club. Principal Erin Doty praised Monroe for his contributions to the school community. “Wesley was chosen because of his leadership, creativity, and innovation at CrossRoads,” Doty said.Continue Reading

Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina hosted an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony March 13 for its new Midlands Clean Tech Accelerator Lab in Columbia. The Clean Tech Accelerator is designed to provide job training and placement opportunities, preparing participants for careers in the growing clean energy sector. Qualifying traineesContinue Reading

Troop 91 from Irmo participated in the “Scouting for Food” drive to help restock the shelves of Sharing God’s Love. Sharing God’s Love received more than 1300 pounds of food items and cash donations of $844. “Troop 91 has helped to fill-up our food pantry,” said Richie Eisenman of SharingContinue Reading

Samaritan’s Purse is celebrating the collection of more than 12.2 million Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts worldwide in 2025. The milestone reflects the generosity of millions of volunteers who packed shoeboxes with toys, school supplies and personal care items. In the United States, 10.9 million shoebox gifts were collected thisContinue Reading

Irmo Elementary fifth grader Blakeley Perry has been named the Lake Murray–Irmo Rotary Club’s Student of the Month. “Blakeley is a quiet leader in the classroom. She is always doing what she is supposed to be doing and sets a great example for her classmates,” Irmo Elementary Principal Shannon FincannonContinue Reading

Wheels Harbison Area Transit, a non-profit founded in 1989, was created to serve HUD housing residents by providing free transportation to elderly and disabled individuals in the Greater Harbison Area. The service helps residents travel to medical and dental appointments, pharmacies, grocery and discount stores, and other essential destinations. InContinue Reading

By Rick Abercrombie On October 24, Doug Renew, Chief Investigator for the Office of the Secretary of State, spoke to the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo. Renew’s area of concentration for his presentation included both the pitfalls and sensible guidelines for charitable giving, particularly during the holidays. Renew laid outContinue Reading

By Rick Abercrombie Representing Homeworks of America, local Executive Director Madelyn Smith spoke to St. Andrews Optimists October 10. The Optimists have partnered with Homeworks for several years and donate hands-on and financial support to the organization’s efforts. Smith oversees the work of both the Columbia and Lowcountry locations. Self-describedContinue Reading

Donations Accepted at Irmo Branch Library Through October 31 IRMO, S.C. – The Irmo Branch Library is partnering with the Lake Murray–Irmo Woman’s Club to collect donations for Midlands Orphan Relief, a nonprofit that supports children affected by abandonment, abuse, or neglect. Community members are encouraged to donate new orContinue Reading