Lake Sweep Nets Over 15,000 Pounds of Trash Keep the Midlands Beautiful (KMB) led a successful Lake Sweep/River Sweep on September 20, 2025, removing more than 15,170 pounds of litter, recyclables, and bulky debris from Lake Murray and nearby waterways. The cleanup is part of South Carolina’s annual Beach Sweep/RiverContinue Reading
Members of the St. Andrews Woman’s Club recently rolled up their sleeves to help spruce up the garden at the Irmo Branch Library. The group joined garden coordinator and community advocate Jane Hiller to weed, trim, and tidy the popular outdoor space, which serves nearby residents as well as aContinue Reading
By Rick Abercrombie St. Andrews Optimists welcome a variety of speakers over the course of a typical year, and many of those guests address topics that relate to interaction with the youth of the community. Jerry Dean Pate, who for many years was a Columbia radio and television personality, recountedContinue Reading
Spring Hill High School served as the host site for the Carolinas Weightlifting Championships on October 18–19, welcoming some of the region’s strongest student-athletes. The two-day event featured weightlifters from clubs across both North and South Carolina, including competitors with national and international experience. Athletes ranged from elementary-aged lifters toContinue Reading
Eight high-school seniors from Lexington-Richland School District Five took part in the Live2Lead leadership conference on October 16, thanks to an invitation from Bency Beals, founder of Ignite Leadership Solutions. Two students from each of the district’s high schools were selected for the event, which connects young leaders with globallyContinue Reading
My lost geisha By Tom Poland, A Southern WriterTomPoland.net It was the photograph in my father’s war album. Her white kimono. Hair black as onyx. Pale, serene face. Perfect bone structure. Gloss, a sheen upon her hair. On one side, a nameless GI. On the other, my father, not muchContinue Reading
Photograph becomes “Photo of the Week” in top national publication By W. Thomas Smith Jr. Sheriff Leon Lott (on the far right wearing a pink shirt with sheriff’s stars on his collar) was photographed with a group of Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) senior leaders, investigators, and administrative personnel inContinue Reading
The federal government shutdown that began at midnight on October 1 is already being felt by small business owners across the Midlands. While essential services continue, several key programs through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) — a vital resource for local entrepreneurs — have been paused until funding isContinue Reading
The St. Andrews Woman’s Club was honored at the October 21 Irmo Town Council meeting with an official proclamation recognizing its efforts to end domestic and sexual violence. Mayor Bill Danielson presented the proclamation at Irmo Town Hall, designating September 27, 2025, as an International Day of Service to EndContinue Reading
By Thomas Grant Jr. Ten Midlands high school football teams are featured in this week’s S.C. Prep Football Media Poll as the regular season enters its final week. Both Swansea and North Central reentered their respective classifications after key wins. Swansea climbed back into the Class 3A rankings at No.Continue Reading
The Columbia Philatelic Society (CPS) recently celebrated its 90th anniversary, marking nearly a century of fostering interest in stamp collecting and postal history across the Midlands. Founded in 1935, CPS is one of the oldest continuously operating stamp clubs in South Carolina. The organization currently has more than 50 activeContinue Reading