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
What is OBBBA? The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025, making tax provisions that were scheduled to expire at the conclusion of 2025 permanent under the law. The OBBBA directly impacts your tax situation, your retirement, funding and paying for education, andContinue Reading
By Thomas Grant Jr. A full slate of high school basketball featuring several ranked Midlands teams is scheduled for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, with multiple tournaments and showcase events set to tip off across the region. Two Columbia high schools will host single-day boys and girlsContinue 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
IRMO — Fans of soul and rock music can celebrate the legendary sounds of Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner this Saturday, Jan. 17, at Harbison Theatre, when acclaimed vocalist Alfreda Gerald takes the stage for a special tribute performance. Gerald brings decades of international performance experience, having shared the stageContinue Reading
Photo by GoFlashwin.com By Thomas Grant Jr. Archrivals Lexington and River Bluff find themselves tied in the Region 4-5A standings for girls and boys basketball. The ninth-ranked Class 5A Division I Lady Wildcats suffered a 69-59 home loss to fourth-ranked Division II Irmo last Friday. It rebounded Tuesday with aContinue 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