Brenda Johnston, working with Hope's Promise Orphan Ministries (HPOM) in Namibia, Africa, is touring in the U.S. to raise awareness and funds for orphans in sub Saharan Africa. Johnston is Project Director for HPOM. There are approximately 34 million orphans in sub- Saharan Africa and 11 million are due to HIV/AIDS. More...

Republican Rusty DePass preceded Tenenbaum's lunchtime speech to the Columbia Rotary Club last Monday, Feb. 26. DePass shared his extraordinarily positive estimation of Democrat Tenenbaum's performance during her eight years as South Carolina Superintendent of Education. DePass declared Tenenbaum about the brightest bulb in the room, any room. More...

Mrs. Louise Preacher Tindal, age 93, died Sunday, February 25, 2007, at Springs Memorial Hospital in Lancaster, S.C. She was born January 21, 1914, in Brunson, S.C., the daughter of the late Henry Arren Preacher and Susanne Louise Schmidt Preacher and was the wife of the late James Earl Tindal. Mrs. More...

As a former educator I'd like to congratulate Warner Montgomery ("State takover will not save 'failing' schools," Feb. 23) on his insight into the real cause of failing schools. His article was the best and most insightful account that I've ever read. Thank you for an honest account of what is really happening in our society and in our schools. More...

The A.C. Flora Lady Falcons had a disappointing Saturday, losing the upper state championship to the J.L. Mann Lady Patriots 63- 47 in the S.C. Class 3A division held in Greenville's BiLo Center Feb. 24. The Lady Falcons lost the tip off to the Patriots and stayed behind the rest of the game. This was A.C. More...

USC is accepting registrations from volunteers to help excavate ancient archaeological sites along the Savannah River May 1- June 2. The expedition will be led by archaeologist Dr. Albert Goodyear, whose discoveries at the Topper site in Allendale County have captured international media attention. More...

The weather did not bode well for skiing; nor did Francesco's stories. As we drove north from Milan for several days of skiing in the Alps, our car was enveloped in a thick and monotonous fog. Francesco, meanwhile, regaled me with stories from his previous skiing trips. It seemed that broken ankles, dislocated shoulders, and fractured knees were common themes in each. More...

ART The Columbia Museum of Art will present From Pissarro to Picasso: European Works on Paper and A Foreign Affair: American Artists Abroad March 2- June 17. 799-2810 or www.columbiamuseum.org. The H.E. More...

Ninety years after the S.C. Army National Guard's last deployment to help protect America's southwest border from the outlaw Pancho Villa, Master Sgt. Phillip H. Jones, a wildlife photographer with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources is one of 2,000 South Carolina Army National Guard soldiers who will spend their annual training this year assisting the U.S. More...

NOTICE OF SALE IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA COLUMBIA DIVISION C/A # 3:06-1849-JFA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, vs. WEBBER U. CUNNINGHAM, ROSA MARY CUNNINGHAM, a/k/a ROSEMARY CUNNINGHAM, SILAS WASHINGTON d/b/a VISION CONSTRUCTION, MOORE, TAYLOR & THOMAS, P.A. More...

On Saturday Feb. 24 my friend, Coleman, and I went to see the film Ghost Rider at Carmike Wynnsong Cinemas. This is another movie based on a Marvel comic book series. The story begins at a circus where a young Johnny Blaze and his father are performing a motorcycle daredevil show. They jump over cars and through a ring of fire. More...