Mullikin honored aboard the oldest still-serving warship in the United States Navy By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Dr. Tom Mullikin, director of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) received a rare honor during a break in meetings in Boston, Massachusetts, last week. While touring Boston’s historic Charlestown Navy Yard,Continue Reading

IRMO, S.C. — Residents and visitors are invited to welcome the arrival of spring at the 9th Annual Irmo Cherry Blossom Festival, scheduled for March 21, 2026, at Irmo Town Park. The annual festival celebrates art, culture, and community while honoring the beauty, fragility, and preciousness of life—symbolized by theContinue Reading

The Boardr, one of the nation’s premier skateboarding contest series, is returning to Irmo this spring, bringing high-energy competition and community spirit to the local skate scene. The two-day event is scheduled for March 27–28 at Friarsgate Skate Park, located at 1113 Friarsgate Blvd. Skateboarders of all ages and skillContinue Reading

Buddhist monks participating in the national Walk for Peace pilgrimage recently visited the Columbia area as part of their journey from Texas to Washington, D.C. The monks are traveling on foot to promote peace, compassion, and nonviolence through walking meditation and community engagement. During their time in the Midlands, theyContinue Reading

At its first regularly scheduled meeting of 2026, Richland County Council re-elected Councilwoman Jesica Mackey as chair and Councilman Derrek Pugh as vice chair. Mackey, who represents District 9, and Pugh, who represents District 2, are entering the second year of their second terms on County Council. Both were firstContinue Reading

By Sarah Ostergaard LexRich5 Schools offers different programs at different schools. That said, most students attend their zoned school (and school zones are always a hot topic since Chapin is overcrowded, but the possibility of shifting school attendance lines toward Irmo causes much hooting and hollering) and families have theContinue Reading

By Radley West “You don’t need to be extreme, just consistent.” When most people think about reaching their fitness goals, they picture big changes, intense training schedules, strict diets, and dramatic transformations. While those stories make great headlines, the truth is that most real success comes from something far lessContinue Reading

By Jennifer Tardy You start the month feeling motivated and productive. Then, a couple of weeks in, your energy drops. You feel wired but exhausted, reach for caffeine, and wonder why your body suddenly feels sluggish. Many people assume low energy is a personal shortcoming—that if they pushed harder orContinue Reading