Noon Debrief to discuss military artifacts Gen. Sherman dumped into the Congaree – April 3
March 19, 2026
When Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman took Columbia in 1865, he captured a lot of stored Confederate munitions. Not wanting them to be used against his army as it marched farther…
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Southern Truth Tellers
March 18, 2026
By Tom Poland Each January, my thoughts turn to a fellow Georgian. James Dickey died January 19, 1997, of the same disease that took my mother’s life. On June…
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A window of remembrance
March 18, 2026
By Jeff Becraft Last week was the one-year anniversary of our Dad passing away. Mom passed away in 2022. My brother, Ed, sent out a message to all of…
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Relic Room celebrates the nation’s 250th birthday with Revolutionary War Day
March 16, 2026
The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum will celebrate 2026 Revolutionary War Day on March 28. It lasts from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. that Saturday, and admission is free.…
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Love, sacrifice, and joy
March 12, 2026
By Jeff Becraft There was no Friday email last week because grandkids came into town on Friday, and then on Monday, I had to head out because I had…
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A Good Whooping
March 11, 2026
By Tom Poland I am no stranger to the flyswatter, switch, belt, and paddle. I even got a good whooping with a paint brush. I ought to be a…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, georgetown-sc-gazette, golden-strip-news, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Summer Blink Book Review: “That Which Binds Us” by Cathy Rigg
March 10, 2026By Reba Hull Campbell When traveling light, I still indulge in the luxury of carrying a hard copy book with me. For a recent vacation trip, I chose Cathy Rigg’s…
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Army nurse to tell about her service in Vietnam
March 7, 2026
The Vietnam exhibit at the S.C. Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum pays tribute to all sorts of South Carolinians who served honorable in a variety of ways in Southeast…
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Choosing forgiveness
March 5, 2026
By Jeff Becraft Marine Clebe McClary fought in the Vietnam war. On their 19th mission deep in hostile territory, his platoon and he suffered a vicious attack from the enemy.…
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Osprey At Crooked Bridge
March 4, 2026
By Tom Poland Three birds hold me in their thrall. The osprey, whippoorwill, and oft-slighted buzzard. I love the whippoorwill’s lilting call. The noble osprey and its distinctive M-shaped…
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The Colors of Spain, European tour comes to Columbia for one night only
March 3, 2026Columbia audiences will get a rare first look at a European touring production this month when “The Colors of Spain” makes its U.S. premiere at the Koger Center for the Arts. Set for…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: entertainment, life, music, on-the-move, the-arts
Blink Book Review: “The Concise Guide to South Carolina Government” by Vincent Sheheen
February 26, 2026
By Reba Hull Campbell As a self proclaimed “policy nerd,” I was excited to receive “The Concise Guide to SC State Government” by Vincent Sheheen as a Christmas gift.…
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Mischief Along The Augusta Highway
February 26, 2026
By Tom Poland A restless boy grew up in the midst of forests and pastures. Outside of biking, reading, and exploring woods, the Augusta Highway entertained me. If Rambling…
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Taking time to remember
February 25, 2026
By Jeff Becraft Last weekend, Brenda and I got to go to Texas to see the three grandkids there… and see their parents. We flew back into Charlotte on…
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The Revolution in South Carolina
February 25, 2026
With all the talk about what happened 250 years or so ago, you’ve probably heard that more of the American Revolution’s battles were fought in South Carolina than in any…
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The Ghosts Of Winter
February 18, 2026
By Tom Poland Fall in full tumble gives us a kind of X-ray vision. We see that a leafless land is a lovely land, a surprising land. We see what…
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A connection between us
February 18, 2026
By Jeff Becraft I went to Walmart this week… twice in one day. I had to get the quota in. I don’t get as much of a quota as…
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SwordFest comes schwinging back on March 7
February 18, 2026
Here they come again, descending in hordes upon Columbia. Pirates. Soldiers from past centuries. Martial arts fighters. Modern sport fencers. Medieval knights in full armor. Jedi knights from a whole…
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Finding battlefields in the earth beneath us
February 16, 2026
The American Revolution is very much in the air these days, as we are reminded of what happened 250 years ago. And in many, many places in South Carolina, it’s…
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Lexington Chamber announces LEXPO “Best of Show” honorees
February 16, 2026
The Lexington business community “Scored Big” this year as the Lexington Chamber & Visitors Center hosted its most vibrant LEXPO business trade show to date. On Thursday, February 12, the…
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Enjoying the task
February 12, 2026
By Jeff Becraft Leadership is not about me or any individual. Leadership is about others. Several times I have referred back to the past during the YC era, of…
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Collard Green Memories
February 11, 2026
By Tom Poland Being the chap I was, collard greens’ smell and similarity to the stringy dark-green algae in fish ponds repulsed me. Mom would cook up a mess…
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Cast Iron Cornbread
February 5, 2026
By Tom Poland Born of fire, master of fire, and survivor of fire, my vintage cast iron cornbread mold fed many a soul. Best I figure it came to…
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Out in the snow
February 4, 2026
By Jeff Becraft The recent snow we had in South Carolina reminded me of a lot of things growing up. I grew up in Maryland and in our neighborhood, this was…
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The Sweetest Smoke A Man Was Ever To Smell
February 2, 2026
By Tom Poland To some, the smokehouse remains a symbol of the impoverished, rural South. Not me. I see it as a rustic savior, and I thank the late…
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My Lost Geisha
January 28, 2026
By Tom Poland 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…
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Going out for lunch
January 28, 2026
By Jeff Becraft One Friday, I decided to go out for lunch. I don’t do this a whole lot; I usually pack a lunch. But lately I have enjoyed…
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‘Tunnel Rat’ C.W. Bowman to speak at Richland Library
January 27, 2026
Vietnam veteran C.W. Bowman has fascinated audiences at the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum several times with lectures about his war experiences. Last year, in an offsite…
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One step at a time
January 22, 2026
By Jeff Becraft Recently, Brenda was going to head out of town the next day, and so I wanted to do something for her. I told her on her…
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Red Clay
January 21, 2026
By Tom Poland Drizzle drifted and spritzed as if it were January except it was October. Mists coated my camera. In its viewfinder red mud glistened in rain that…
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Here’s to using the “good stuff” in 2026
January 21, 2026
By Reba Hull Campbell Who doesn’t love a good mess after bringing out the “good stuff” we never use … like enjoying dinner using the family china or silver and…
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The decision to bring joy
January 15, 2026
By Jeff Becraft Back around Christmas time, we went to New Jersey to see Brenda’s mom and sister. In fact, we had Christmas Eve dinner from a travel plaza…
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The Last Open Door
January 14, 2026
By Tom Poland For the first time in my life I was alone in my church. The old Regulator wall clock ticked away as I ticked away the families…
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The good, the bad and the ugly about ‘Light-Horse Harry’ Lee
January 14, 2026
He was the father of Robert E. Lee. And so much more. Mike Burgess, an outspoken, award-winning high school history teacher, will deliver a free lecture about Revolutionary War hero…
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Sardis Road
January 7, 2026
By Tom Poland Back roads never disappoint me. Such was the case with a road, paved just a tad, but deliciously dirt the rest of the way. As I…
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Cowpens, where the Patriot forces beat Tarleton – Local Talk on Jan 16
January 4, 2026
The year 1780 had seen mostly bad news for the Patriot cause in South Carolina. The British captured one American army in May at the siege of Charleston. The redcoats…
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Building bridges
December 31, 2025
By Jeff Becraft Back when Caroline Children’s Home was still open. I would go over on Sunday afternoons and do some activities with the kids. One Sunday afternoon, I…
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Lizard’s Thicket continues Southern tradition with New Year’s Day meal serving over 10,000 across the Midlands
December 31, 2025
Lizard’s Thicket, a family-owned and operated restaurant rooted in Southern tradition, will once again ring in the New Year by serving the traditional Southern New Year’s Day meal: pork chops,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: food, life, on-the-move, restaurant, social-scene
Kids Made Toys Once Upon A Time
December 19, 2025
By Tom Poland Christmas is coming. Toys will be high on many a list. My grandsons have outgrown toys but not that many years ago I got them remote-controlled…
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Beauty out of ashes
December 19, 2025
By Jeff Becraft The Christmas season brings a variety of responses from various people. Some people are filled with joy and gladness… and others feel discouraged and depressed. We…
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The importance of remembering
December 11, 2025
By Jeff Becraft I have two favorite golf gloves. Now I don’t play golf very often. In fact, I’ve only played golf twice this year. But one of those…
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Cold, Cold, Cold
December 10, 2025
By Tom Poland A thirteen-year relationship was dying. Here comes one of those songs that arrives at a hurtful time. The song seemed written for us. You grieve, heal,…
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The medicine of laughter
December 4, 2025
By Jeff Becraft One of the things that we do at Our Place of Hope is… we laugh. It is a very important dynamic. Now, Our Place of Hope…
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My Fried Chicken History
December 3, 2025
By Tom Poland As evening shadows fell, I made my way home through woods. Overpowering the peppery smell of autumn leaves, the chicken frying in Mom’s cast iron skillet…
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How the night before Thanksgiving became one of the heaviest drinking nights of the year
November 25, 2025The night before Thanksgiving has become known for heavy drinking, crowded gathering spots and increased risky behavior among young adults returning home for the holiday. National traffic safety data consistently…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: education, government, health-care, life, on-the-move
Congaree Land Trust announces conservation of 221 acres in Kershaw County
November 25, 2025
Preserving Birthplace of South Carolina’s State Dog KERSHAW COUNTY, SC — The Congaree Land Trust (CLT) announced the conservation of an additional 221 acres of land in Kershaw County. Pine…
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Love involves sacrifice
November 25, 2025
By Jeff Becraft My best pair of jeans have a hole in each knee. Lest you think I am that hip, they are not skinny jeans. And I did…
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Highway Song, Part II
November 25, 2025
By Tom Poland A Sunday Drive Highways 321 and 301 meet my criteria for back roads. Little traffic. Lots of abandonment. Old stuff getting older. Those 1950 snowbirds heading…
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Learn about German POWs in South Carolina
November 20, 2025
You’ve seen movies about Americans in German POW camps during World War II — “The Great Escape,” “Stalag 17,” and so forth. But did you know that more than 8,000…
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Highway Song, Part I
November 20, 2025
By Tom Poland A Sunday Drive I hadn’t seen him in 10 years. Him would be the preacher who buried Dad and Mom. He was preaching down South Georgia…
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