Those who influence us

  January 25, 2024

By Jeff Becraft   It is interesting how we can influence one another.  (Interesting is really not the word… it is deeper than that.)  But someone who has greatly influenced…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

Clawfoot Tubs Hold Memories

  January 25, 2024
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   When I see a clawfoot tub, which is rare, four memories surface. First, I go back to my grandfather’s old homeplace. Next I go back to…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

The joy of the handwritten letter

  January 24, 2024

  By Reba Hull Campbell When I was growing up, the family mailbox was a magic chamber that delivered cards with good wishes, postcards from interesting places and an occasional…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: life, on-the-move

Veteran to speak of role of Army chaplains at Relic Room

  January 24, 2024

One day in November 1967, U.S. Army Chaplain Charles J. Watters’ unit was involved in heavy combat with the enemy in the vicinity of Đắk Tô, South Vietnam. Among many…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, military, on-the-move, veterans

So what are you going to do now?

  January 18, 2024

By Jeff Becraft   “So what are you going to do now?” That’s what someone said to me one time when I had just described a situation that years ago,…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

Ron Hagell to tell how he collected intelligence in Vietnam

  January 18, 2024

The movies notwithstanding, intelligence work has little to do with drinking shaken martinis while wearing a designer tuxedo. In the real world, in wartime, it’s about things like sweating in…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, military, on-the-move, veterans

Ageratum, Wood, & Water

  January 17, 2024
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland On a Sunday walk I spotted a splash of blue. Blue wildflowers. They say blue flowers are sometimes difficult to grow in gardens. “They say.” That was…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

New pediatric dentist opens second office in Chapin

  January 12, 2024

The Town of Chapin will officially have a new Pediatric and Teen Dentist as Chapin Pediatric & Teen Dentistry will host their Grand Opening on January 18, and is now…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: chamber, entrepreneurship, health-care, life, on-the-move

A tale of three vacuums

  January 11, 2024

By Jeff Becraft   We have three vacuum cleaners… and I will try and explain the tale of the three vacuums. Vacuum #1 is a cannister style vacuum.  The kind…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

Workplace Friends Best Come Naturally

  January 10, 2024
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   I stumbled across an old magazine feature of mine and it made me recall stops I’d made along that long, winding road called “Career.” Some memories…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

SC Green Industry Association Hosts Annual Conference & Trade Show

  January 8, 2024

The South Carolina Green Industry Association will bring together over 100 exhibitors and 17 industry speakers to cover an extensive range of landscape topics during its annual two-day Conference and…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: agriculture, business-services, engineering, environmental, hospitality, life, on-the-move

Footballs, gas stations, and embracing opportunities

  January 3, 2024

By Jeff Becraft One of the highlights of my YC  (Youth Corps) era might surprise some people.  After all the amazing experiences during those 17 years, this one happened at…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

Like A Scene From An Old Western

  January 3, 2024
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   It was 1985 when I spent three days in Reno. I didn’t shoot a man just to watch him die, Johnny, but I conjured up images…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

Improv and Idols at Harbison Theatre this January

  January 2, 2024

Improv and Idols at Harbison Theatre This January: Rumours are stirring that you won’t want to miss this! We’re kicking off the new year with some iconic performances headed to…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: entertainment, hospitality, life, music, on-the-move, the-arts

Conifers’ Fragrant Pull On Memory

  December 20, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   I read that fragrances stimulate recall more so than any other sense. I knew from experience that it had to be true. You and I, we’re…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

Ring in the New Year with Capital City Fireworks!

  December 19, 2023

The City of Columbia will hold the annual “Capital City Fireworks” display to ring in 2024 on Sunday, December 31st. The fireworks display will begin right after midnight, and the…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: hospitality, life, on-the-move

Oh, Christmas Tree

  December 19, 2023

  By Reba Hull Campbell Christmas trees can gin up pretty strong emotions and opinions in people at this time of year. First, there’s the “live” vs. “artificial” tree debate.…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

The main thing

  December 14, 2023

By Jeff Becraft (Originally published on MidlandsBiz February 10, 2023) One of my mentors says, “Too many choices and too many voices.”  He is right. Taking a shower is a…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move

There’s Just Something About A Barn

  December 8, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   On Highway 378 between Lincolnton and Washington, Georgia, stands a barn. I say a barn. It’s a home built to look like a barn. Or maybe…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, the-arts

Christmas card syndrome

  December 7, 2023

By Jeff Becraft   This was actually first put out there in 2020… but I have come across several people who are really down, discouraged and lonely… so I would like…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, non-profit, on-the-move, the-arts

Your Special Tree

  December 6, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   The Work Behind It When I was a boy, come Thanksgiving, we observed a tradition that’s decidedly different today. Dad would mix some two-cycle gas, sharpen…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

Little surprises

  November 30, 2023

By Jeff Becraft   Life is filled with little surprises. Last week, I was on my way home from work and I decided to stop by a grocery store. As…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

My Father’s Razor

  November 29, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   November 15 my father will have been gone twenty years. Twenty years. Seems like yesterday when he lay in a bed at MUSC in Charleston. Seems…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

Treating people like people

  November 21, 2023

By Jeff Becraft   Last week we had our Gala for Our Place of Hope. We brought in a guy by the name of Luke Knowles. Now, I was part…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

The Morning Routine

  November 21, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   Come daybreak, my preferred time to get moving, I check on my neighbor’s flag. I check to see that his place is ok after another night…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move

The Work Of Hands

  November 16, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   Folks say the future belongs to “Knowledge Workers.” A so-called knowledge worker is someone who manages information within a specific subject area. I suppose I’m a…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move

The importance of being there

  November 16, 2023

By Jeff Becraft   Have you ever experienced something that you thought was extremely important or significant or incredible… and then you try to explain it to someone else?  And…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move

Columbia College hosts Columbia Fire Department

  November 14, 2023

On November 8 and 9, 2023, Columbia College hosted the Columbia Fire Department for their semi-annual Search and Rescue Training. Earlier this year, Columbia College announced several capital projects, including…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: construction, education, environmental, life, on-the-move, utilities

Election Reflection and Gratitude

  November 9, 2023

By Reba Hull Campbell I spent my early career years involved on the front lines of campaigns. The days before Election Day always gin up lots of emotions, good memories…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

It is a great day to look up

  November 9, 2023

By Jeff Becraft   I already had today’s email written… but that was until my experience this morning. This morning I went to the memorial service for Bob Hudson.  There…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

Have Fireflies Left Us?

  November 9, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland Among sedges and along tree lines, across lawns and fields they’ll soon cease blinking. Maybe they’ve already ended their nights of miraculous lights. The experts say they…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move

Coming Full Circle

  November 2, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   I felt like I’d been tied to the whipping post. I was as low as the proverbial snake’s belly. May 30 a tornado destroyed my Athens,…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move

Not in Kansas anymore

  November 2, 2023

By Jeff Becraft   Recently, I started a new Facebook page in order to post weekly devotionals. I am not a big social media person. In fact, I made a…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

Historic Columbia announces November 2023 events

  November 2, 2023

Historic Columbia is excited to announce programming and events for November 2023. See the full list of November events below and be sure to leave room in your calendar to…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: hospitality, life, on-the-move

Catching Up With Lou Miller

  October 26, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   No. 87 lay on Buddy Bufford Field as still as a stone. Louis Miller, senior end, had broken ribs, but better days lay ahead. The undefeated…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

Are you sure it’s not you?

  October 25, 2023

By Jeff Becraft   There was no article last week… my wife and I went on an epic trip to see grandkids in Texas and the second part of that…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

Relic Room hosts 32nd SCMMS Toy Soldier Show – Oct 28

  October 24, 2023

On Saturday, October 28, the S.C. Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum will again host the South Carolina Military Miniature Society’s Annual Toy Soldier Show. This is the SCMMS’ 32nd…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, military, on-the-move, veterans

Taking a breath of gratitude

  October 19, 2023

By Reba Hull Campbell   Panic, fear and worry were only a few of the emotions I felt on a Tuesday afternoon in mid-September when my mother had a second…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

When the pieces don’t fit together

  October 18, 2023

By Jeff Becraft   The below conversation actually took place in our household one night. I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth to get ready for bed. There…

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Posted in: midlandsbiz   Category: life, on-the-move

Learning Along The Estuary

  October 18, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland The children of Sandy Island board a school bus boat for an eight-minute journey across the Waccamaw River to the mainland. There, they ride a traditional bus…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts

Waterfall Country

  October 12, 2023
Tom Poland

By Tom Poland   Several hikes proved easy. One proved tougher than nails. By the time we made it to the third waterfall of the day, an idea had firmly…

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Posted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc, laurenscountybuzz   Category: life, on-the-move, the-arts