June 5, 2009 RSS feed / Front Page

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Prankster causes scenes in Big Apple

By Pamela Edwards pamedwards@sc.rr.com
Growing up, Charlie Todd never dreamed the pranks his family, friends, and co- workers played on each other would become his life's work. Todd lived in Columbia for the first 18 years of his life, graduating from Hammond School. More...

Opinion/Crime

Enjoy cartoons by Robert Ariail

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It's not a criticism; It's an observation

Fear itself
By Mike Cox

We own three dogs. Two are mutts that showed up one day and won't leave. Joni, our third Little Precious, was produced in a reputable union of purebred Shelties. She has a long and respected ancestral trail. More...

Thirty- something speaks

Quiet time under laundry
By Mike Maddock

I spent the vast majority of the Saturday over the Memorial holiday weekend folding clothes, but that's not the sad part. The sad part is I actually enjoyed it. More...

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Business

Duke hits up N.C. and SCANA scores S.C.

By John Temple Ligon temple@thecolumbiastar.com

Duke Energy Carolinas is asking the N.C. utility regulators for a 12.6 percent increase, which adds about $11 per month to the average residential customer's bill. More...

Scott Bills of Paul Mitchell Schools

By John Temple Ligon temple@thecolumbiastar.com

For men, a decent haircut is usually $20- 25 plus tip, and the tip can come to another $5, depending on the customer's criteria. But that's in the chair at a professional shop, some place in the urban mix of high- end shops and services. More...

Briefs

by John Temple Ligon

Eco- tourism According to a study recently released by USC's Moore School of Business, South Carolina's natural resources add nearly $30 billion annually to the state's economy. The report was prepared by economists Dr. Douglas P. Woodward and Dr. More...

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Society

S.C. Arts Commission director retires

Photos by John Temple Ligon By Natasha Derrick

A muggy spring breeze swept through the home of Pat and Susie VanHuss on May 26 as arts supporters from around the state gathered to honor the S.C. Arts Commission's outgoing director Susie Surkamer. More...

Ariail Chapter of Columbia College Association installs new officers

Contributed by The Ariail Chapter of the Columbia College Alumnae Association

The Ariail Chapter of the Columbia College Alumnae Association held its annual covered dish luncheon meeting on the college campus April 9 in Stackhouse Parlor of Alumnae Hall. More...

Happy 61st wedding anniversary to Archie and Mary Harrell

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Travel

A Middle East Expedition

Part 12: Cruising the Suez Canal
By Warner M. Montgomery Warner@TheColumbiaStar.com

I have a fixation on canals. There is something about man's attempt to join bodies of water for his own purpose that fascinates me. The Santee Canal, the first in the US, once connected the Cooper and Santee Rivers. More...

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Public Notices

Public Notices

NOTICE OF UNCLAIMED VEHICLES/PUBLIC SALE The following vehicles(s) are subject to towing, repair and/or storage liens, are declared to be abandoned pursuant to Section 56-5-5810, 56-5-5636 and 29-1540 SC Law as Amended, and are in the custody of More...

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES All persons having claims against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the indicated Personal Representatives, appointed to administer these estates, and to file their claims on For More...

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

NOTICE OF APPLICATION Notice is hereby given that Buckboard Restaurant, LLC, intends to apply to the South Carolina Department of Revenue for a license/permit that will allow the sale ON premises consumption of Beer, Wine, and Liquor, at 2820 Br More...

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No Pants Subway Ride

The New York No Pants! Subway Ride began in 2002 by Improv Ever ywhere with seven participants. This year the ride had 1200 participants on four trains during a snow storm. The next ride will be Januar y 2010. More...

News

Abe Lincoln has a shifty legend

By Warner M. Montgomery Warner@TheColumbiaStar.com

Don Thacker, who has been a social work professional at the Veterans' Hospital since 1969, claims to have been a neighbor of Abraham Lincoln in Kentucky. So much for honesty in this story…unless Don is much older than he looks. More...

Part 8: Commodore Gillon

By John Cely Congaree Land Trust cowasee@gmail.com

Nestled in the middle of an isolated woodland near the south bank of the Congaree River within the COWASEE Basin lies a simple granite marker to Alexander Gillon (1741- 1794), Commodore of the South Carolina Navy during the Revolutionary War. More...

It was a very good year

By Natasha Derrick

The Columbia Museum of Art had a banner year. At least that was the message given at the Columbia Art Association's 93rd annual meeting of membership held May 28. More...

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Government / Neighborhood

Richland County Council... to cut or raise taxes...that is the question

By Mike Cox Cox-star@sc.rr.com

Roll call Chair Paul Livingston, Vice Chair Damon Jeter, Joyce Dickerson, Val Hutchinson, Norman Jackson, Gwendolyn Kennedy, Bill Malinowski, Jim Manning, Greg Pearce, Kit Smith, and Kelvin Washington were present for the June 2 Richland County Co More...

West Columbia's budget is balanced; taxes will not be raised

By Benjamin Higgins higginsb2@yahoo.com

Call to Order The public hearing on West Columbia's general fund budget for fiscal year 2009- 2010 was called to order at 6:04 pm. West Columbia City Council members present included Mayor Bobby E. Horton, Mayor Pro- Tem Tommy Parler, Eric L. More...

Cayce City Council moves ahead with the Charrette Plan

By Kristin Lavender kblavender@gmail.com

Roll call Mayor Elise Partin; Mayor Pro- Tem Skip Jenkins; Councilmen Kenneth Jumper, Rick Myers, Steve Isom; City Manager John Sharpe, and Assistant City Manager Tammy Barkley were all in attendance. More...

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Education

Local swimmers attend national meet

By Elice Porter

Local swimmers excelled at the 7th Annual National Black Heritage Championship Swim Meet on Memorial Day weekend in Cary, North Carolina. More...

Richland One program named Obesity Prevention Champion

Contributed by Richland One Schools

Richland One's Office of Extended- Day Programs, which provides after- school and other services, has been named Palmetto Health's Champion of Obesity Prevention. More...

Winners named for college- sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards

Contributed by S.C. Department of Education

Forty- three seniors from South Carolina's public high schools are among the more than 2,800 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities across the nation. More...

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Events

Events

-ART Palmetto Painters, a SC Chapter of the Society of Decorative Painters, will hold its meeting June 13, 10 am, at Green Hill Baptist Church, 1734 Augusta Road, West Columbia. 781-2340. More...

S.C. First Novel prize winner to appear in Columbia June 24

Contributed by S.C. Arts Commission

South Carolina First Novel Prize Winner of 2009, Brian Ray, will appear at IF ART Gallery, 1223 Lincoln Street, June 24 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm for a reading and book signing to promote his first novel, Through the P ale Door. More...

Columbia QuadSquad Rollergirls host Scars and Scrapes

Contributed by Columbia QuadSquad

The women of the Columbia QuadSquad roller derby league will hold its "Scars and Scrapes" bout against the Atlanta Rollergirls' own Denim Demons, Sunday, June 14, at Jamil Temple, 206 Jamil Road, Columbia. More...

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Beauty in the Backyard

Swan Lake Iris Gardens, a refreshing daytrip

smell flowers
By Arlene Marturano marturanoa@yahoo.com

Families pack a picnic and bags of stale bread. Gardeners take their cameras and journals. Birders and butterfly watchers stow binoculars, field guides, and note pads. Photographers bring cameras, tripods, and filters. More...

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