Lander receives grant for Race and Identity Dialogue series
December 8, 2020Lander University will present a Race and Identity Dialogue series of virtual presentations and discussions beginning in January. The series is supported by funds from the National Endowment for the…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: conversations, education, life, on-the-move, the-arts
Two local businesses hosting socially distanced visits with Santa
December 7, 2020Sitting on Santa’s lap and sharing a Christmas wish list is just one of the many activities that has been impacted by the coronavirus this year. With a number of…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: life, on-the-move
Q+ Architects expands leadership team: Robyn Rogers, Spencer Hutchinson named firm associates
December 7, 2020Quackenbush Architects + Planners named Robyn Rogers and Spencer Hutchinson firm associates, expanding their roles to reflect the firm’s growing list of projects and clients. “As key members of our…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: architecture, business-services, conversations, employment, life, on-the-move
No Crying At Christmas
December 3, 2020By Tammy Davis As a first-year teacher, December found me worn out and looking forward to the Christmas break. That last day of school was a cold, dreary one,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
Amazon announces 2020’s Best Books of the Year
December 3, 2020On November 19, Amazon announced 2020’s Best Books of the Year, selecting Brittany K. Barnett’s “A Knock at Midnight” as the top pick. The inspiring true story is a brilliant…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts
Nature’s Engineers
December 3, 2020By Tom Poland Back when I worked in wildlife cinematography, I tried to film the beavers on an old woodland pond back home. I’d get up before dark and…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Sea Cadets raise new jack over USS Columbia memorial
December 1, 2020Who were those masked young people at Memorial Park in Columbia recently, and what were they doing? Those were members of the Columbia (CL-56) Palmetto Division of the Sea Cadets,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, military, non-profit, on-the-move
Healthy Holiday Travel, Fun Starts With You (Literally)
November 23, 2020By Dr. Cynthia Feldman, PharmD, MBA As fall blurs into a long holiday season, lots of things can make us feel pretty icky, and we pharmacists are trained to be…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: life, on-the-move
Dreams and Dreamers and Drive-Thru Safaris. Part Two in a Series About Eudora Farms
November 23, 2020By Tammy Davis Imagine getting a private tour of Disneyland led by Walt Disney himself. That’s how I felt as I walked the Eudora Farms property in Salley, SC,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
The Sad Ballad Of Moses Corley
November 23, 2020By Tom Poland Each Thanksgiving, I Remember Moses We all cross paths with a person we can’t forget. And so, a man by the beautiful name of Moses Corley…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Camels and Ostriches and Zebras, Oh, My! Part One – My Big Adventure at Eudora Farms
November 19, 2020By Tammy Davis When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong. I kept seeing posts on Facebook about a drive-thru safari park in Salley, SC. Lots of excitement about that…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
Where Big Trees, History, and Preservation Live
November 19, 2020By Tom Poland October 26 found me on a history adventure courtesy of Ralph Scurry. Ralph and I met at a book talk in Edgefield several years ago. Ralph…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Quackenbush Architects receive 3 2020 AIA Columbia Design Awards
November 18, 2020Quackenbush Architects + Planners received three American Institute of Architects Columbia awards for its innovative work on the Center for Health and Well-Being at the University of South Carolina, a…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: architecture, business-services, construction, economic-development, education, life, local-industry, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
South Carolina’s Hammock Coast gears up for festive holiday season
November 17, 2020The “Most Wonderful Time of Year” is nearly upon us and while Christmas celebrations in 2020 will be different, they will be no less special along South Carolina’s Hammock Coast.…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: hospitality, life, local-industry, on-the-move
Honest Columbia-area homebuyers return forgotten coins worth $15,000
November 11, 2020When an Irmo, SC couple recently sold their house to James and Clarrisa Munford, they were sure they had tied up all the loose ends before the sale. Repairs had…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move
Country Mice and City Mice and A Little College Football History
November 10, 2020By Tammy Davis Clemson’s star quarterback Trevor Lawrence tested positive for COVID. That was the headline for sports talk radio as we headed to the upstate, or God’s-country as…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
When The Apothecary Worked Magic
November 10, 2020By Tom Poland Remember the old drugstores? Most have faded into the night. They retreated to a place called “Obscurity” but I recall them with fondness and I feel…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Names, Let’s Get Them Right
November 4, 2020By Tammy Davis This is not a story about politics. It’s a story about good manners and respect, something we all seem to be lacking right now. I’ve been…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
A Page Right Out Of Americana
November 4, 2020By Tom Poland My excursions along backroads always reveal two nostalgic sights: the rusting tin and decaying wood of crumbling barns and old pickup trucks beneath sheds. They’re going…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Things That Scare Us
October 29, 2020By Tammy Davis Halloween has always been a stress-free holiday. Until 2020. To trick or treat or not? That is the question. Like most 2020 issues, there is no…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Black Cats, Bad Luck, & Worse Luck
October 29, 2020By Tom Poland Was it left to right, or right to left? When a black cat crossed the highway in front of Dad, he made a sweeping “X” movement…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Mayor Steve Benjamin presents Keys to the City to former owners of Yesterday’s Restaurant
October 27, 2020In Recognition of the Restaurant’s Decades of Economic & Cultural Contributions to Five Points & City of Columbia On Tuesday, October 27 Mayor Steve Benjamin will present the Keys to…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: economic-development, life, on-the-move
All Kinds of Heroes
October 22, 2020By Tammy Davis Part Three of a Series on the Life of American Hero Major James Capers, Jr. Part Two here. He finally convinced the girl of his dreams…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
LCSO K-9 Unit Fundraiser this Saturday
October 21, 2020Join the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit this Saturday at Tractor Supply (917 E. Main St. Laurens) for our family friendly fundraiser! Activities for the kids, raffles, food, and…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: food, law, life, on-the-move
Doko, the film festival for high schoolers, goes all-virtual for 2021
October 20, 2020In its third year, the Doko Film Fest is going completely virtual. The film competition for students aged 14 to 18 – the first such event for high school-aged filmmakers…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: education, life, on-the-move, the-arts
Strange, Promising Life Forms
October 19, 2020By Tom Poland Here I am biking along a nature trail, when a juvenile delinquent squirrel shoots across my path with a cigarette in his mouth, only it wasn’t…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
Just Say Something announces winners of the 4th Annual Red Ribbon 5K at Sugar Creek
October 15, 2020Just Say Something, a community-based organization, kicked off Red Ribbon Week (October 23rd-31st) with the 4th Annual Red Ribbon 5K in Sugar Creek. The Sunrise Red Ribbon 5K at Sugar…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: education, life, non-profit, on-the-move, sports
Sports Sound Bites Coming to the BUZZ!
October 13, 2020It was a match made in Steamers. Brenda Stewart and Monte Dutton met for breakfast at the Clinton cafe on the Square to see the sites, those being LaurensCountyBUZZ.com and…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: laurens-county-sports, life, on-the-move
Pumpkin Carving Contests and Erin Brockovich’s Bosom
October 12, 2020By Tammy Davis Back in its hay day, The State newspaper hosted an annual pumpkin-carving contest for employees. I’m crafty and clever but could never win a prize. One…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
The Epitome Of Elegance
October 12, 2020By Tom Poland Not that many years ago I wrote about Cape Romain Refuge in Aida Roger’s original trend-setting volume, State of the Heart South Carolina Writers on the…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
The Stoplight Project aims to help people express social distance comfort levels
October 11, 2020NDB Association & Event Management recently announced the creation of The Stoplight Project, a campaign to bring awareness to the varying degrees of social distancing comfort levels in local communities.…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: business-services, churches, government, health-care, hospitality, life, marketing-and-communications, non-profit, on-the-move
Masks, A Review
October 8, 2020By Tammy Davis Part Eleven of the Corona Chronicles Before Corona, I loved writing reviews about movies, restaurants, and concerts. I never thought I would write a review…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
Down South – Sheltering Along The Back Roads
October 8, 2020By Tom Poland March 13, 2020 seems an eternity ago. That day my niece, Benton, got an unwelcome big 4-O birthday gift—a national emergency courtesy of COVID-19. “How lucky…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Remembering 911
October 1, 2020By Tammy Davis The Museum Came to Us Any other year, I would have taken the kids on a field trip to the museum. In 2020, the museum had…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
What’s Happening Around the Main Street District in October
October 1, 2020Congratulations Hotel Trundle & Boudreaux on Receiving the South Carolina Historic Preservation’s Honor Award The combination of the boutique Hotel Trundle and BOUDREAUX’s architectural studio was recently recognized by South Carolina…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: business-services, food, hospitality, life, on-the-move, retail
Shelter Rock, Rock of Ages
September 30, 2020By Tom Poland DATELINE NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY—Boulders loom over land, gray and long like sperm whales. One, like some stallion’s back, seems ready for a colossal saddle. Massive rocks…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Trident United Way working to inform Tri-County high cost of living
September 28, 2020Self Sufficiency Standard study highlights our region as one of the highest costs of living areas in S.C., further emphasizing the vital work Trident United Way does to improve…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc Category: economic-development, education, life, non-profit, on-the-move, philanthropy, residential-real-estate
Local organizations partner for community-wide Day of Action event, Sunday September 27th at 5pm, Barnet Park
September 24, 2020On Sunday September 27th at 5pm United Way of the Piedmont, the Spartanburg County Public Library, the Spartanburg Clergy Initiative and The Purpose Place will host a community activation in…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: conversations, life, non-profit, on-the-move
Lockdown Comes To Town, Part Three
September 23, 2020By Tom Poland The Bistro’s Before & During Tale Some Normalcy Returns I stopped by on another Friday evening. A cloudless evening gave the Bistro On The Boulevard’s columns…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: food, life, the-arts
A Mess On My Hands, Part Two
September 23, 2020By Tammy Davis A Story About The Volunteers Who Helped Clean Up Columbia’s Big Mess Part Two in a Series, Looking Back at the Thousand Year Flood The…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
Lockdown Comes To Town, Part Two
September 23, 2020By Tom Poland The Bistro’s Before & During Tale Restaurants Close First A lot of moving parts make up a restaurant. Operating a restaurant is complex. Bistro On The…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: food, life, the-arts
Looking Back – The Day Columbia Flooded, Part One
September 16, 2020By Tammy Davis Part One in a Series About the 2015 Thousand Year Flood The Thousand Year Flood hit five years ago. Hard to believe. The first time…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, the-arts
Lockdown Comes To Town, Part One
September 16, 2020By Tom Poland The Bistro’s Before & During Tale During this cool strange spring there comes to me a blistering afternoon in 2019 when a train locked down Lake…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: food, hospitality, life, the-arts
Kopis’ Dant named to Best and Brightest Under 35
September 15, 2020Sarah Dant, an account manager with software developer Kopis, has been named to Greenville Business Magazine’s Best and Brightest Under 35 List. Dant joined Kopis as an Account Manager in…
Read MorePosted in: upstatebizsc Category: conversations, life, on-the-move
Classroom Cameras and Wooden Stars
September 10, 2020By Tammy Davis Even In Pandemic, We Need To Connect Part Ten of the Corona Chronicles Shopping the Classroom Teachers call it shopping the classroom. When one teacher…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: education, life, the-arts
An Atlantis Of Our Own
September 10, 2020By Tom Poland Atlantis sank into the sea around 380 B.C. So said Plato. Its founders were half god and half human. Its lush islands contained gold and silver…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
A Hero On and Off The Battlefields
September 2, 2020By Tammy Davis Part Two of a Series About Bishopville, SC Native, Major James Capers, Jr. In the 1970s, he was the face of the Marines. Literally. The…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Highway 79, A Historic Route
September 1, 2020By Tom Poland Driving north on Highway 79 you see beautiful country in a region rich with history yet a tad poor looking. Don’t let the lack of development…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: life, the-arts
Laurens County Sheriff’s Office Distributes Bookbags and Supplies
September 1, 2020Last Friday, August 28th, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office teamed up with Eighth Circuit Solicitor David Stumbo to collect school supplies for local children. Staff and volunteers of both offices…
Read MorePosted in: laurenscountybuzz Category: law, life, on-the-move
Zoom series to feature Teddy Roosevelt’s tales of American heroism – Sept. 3
August 31, 2020Before he was president, before he even charged up San Juan Hill, Teddy Roosevelt co-wrote a book about American heroes. Joe Long, curator of education at the South Carolina Confederate…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: life, on-the-move