Richland County Month in Review: May

The following are highlights from Richland County Government in May:

• Richland County sold the historic Curtiss-Wright Hangar at its Jim Hamilton–L.B. Owens Airport (CUB) to a private developer, Hangar Owners, which plans to restore the hangar and lease it to the owner of Hunter-Gatherer Brewery & Ale House in Columbia for use as a microbrewery.
• Residents dropped off 85 tons of waste at the annual Richland Recycles Day event held at the SC State Fairgrounds. Nearly 1,000 vehicles dropped off more than 170,000 pounds of household hazardous waste, tires, paint, electronics, scrap metal and more to be recycled or responsibly disposed of.
• The installation of a Charters of Freedom monument – which features bronze replicas of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights – was celebrated with a patriotic ceremony. The monument is located in front of the Richland County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton St., and was donated by Foundation Forward, Inc.
• Richland County Housing Official Kecia Lara was recognized as “Member of the Year” and Building Department Deputy Director Michael Smith was named “Building Official of the Year” by the Building Officials Association of South Carolina at a statewide annual conference.
• Richland County officials broke ground for an intersection improvement project at Summit Parkway and Summit Ridge Drive. The project is funded by the Transportation Penny.
• Richland County’s GIS Department teamed up with the City of Columbia Park Rangers and Congaree Riverkeeper Bill Stangler to help map the population of the endangered rocky shoals spider lily along the Broad and Saluda rivers.
• Richland County’s Neighborhood Improvement Program hosted a community block party during which neighborhood groups spotlighted their activities and improvement projects, especially those that were funded through Neighborhood Improvement Program grants.
• Richland County celebrated National Public Works Week and National EMS Week in May with various events that focus on the important roles both departments play in residents’ daily lives.
• The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District celebrated a year of achievements at its annual banquet. Several students, teachers and community partners attended the event, with many presented with awards for their conservation efforts.
• China Jushi, the world’s leading fiberglass manufacturer, announced it will invest an initial $300 million into the local economy and create 400 new jobs to build a production facility in Lower Richland.