Shandon Presbyterian Church will culminate a yearlong celebration of its centennial with a special worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 15. Several former pastors will participate in the worship service. A reception will follow, and pastors will share their memories of Shandon. Throughout the past year, the church has hosted a number of events to commemorate the occasion with […]
Daniele Schmechel shares her memoir Across the Clouds
As a native of France, Daniele Schmechel learned to ski and mountain climb at an early age, soon becoming knowledgeable of both the heights and depths of the majestic French Alps. As a poet, author, artist, and spiritual leader, she has perceived the peaks and valleys as a metaphor for her life and writing. While an infant, she narrowly escaped […]
Travel by steam-powered locomotive
The golden age of railroads is making a come-back at the South Carolina Railroad Museum (SCRM) this coming Saturday, May 14, when a fully-operational steam-powered locomotive leaves the station near Winnsboro, pulling train cars loaded with passengers. The engineer will yell “All aboard” four times at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Whichever excursion is chosen, passengers will […]
Celebrate National Park Service Centennial
Bioblitz at Congaree National Park to feature wide range of activitiesA cast of characters will soon converge at Congaree National Park. Scientists, with binoculars in hand; students, gazing intently at the treetops; a Native American storyteller, with mesmerizing tales of the natural world; prominent historical figures John James Audubon and Rachel Carson, bringing the past alive; all part of a very special event focused on all things birds. Wings Across […]
Columbia’s Robert Mills House
Historic houses are normally named after the family who built them or lived there the longest. For some this is not the case; however, and it can be a bit confusing. One of only five National Landmarks properties in Columbia, the Robert Mills House was designed by, but not lived in, that well-known South Carolina architect. Mills planned for the […]
Quirky Crimes in the Capital City
Richland County Covenant Road: A woman called police at noon Saturday after she said a man was continuously appearing at her home and “bothering” her. The woman told officers the man was someone she knew casually, but he would show up and want to talk and “hang out” and refused to leave when she asked him to. She said she […]
Of floods and families
“Off the Ground”Editor’s Note: This is the 25th installment in a series of articles by staff writer Cathy Cobbs chronicling her unique journey of the illness and death of her father and the loss of the family’s home in the Great Flood of 2015. This week she discusses her attempt to change the paradigm of being a flood “victim.” “I’ve gotta pick […]
ASK ANN…
Are there any archaeological sites in South Carolina?Not only do we have above ground archaeological sites, but we also have underwater archaeological sites. We even have a State Underwater Archaeologist who is responsible for the management of our immense archaeological heritage beneath the rivers and coastal waters of South Carolina. His/her duties include creating and managing a research database of state underwater archaeology sites, overseeing and implementing […]
Reducing the Whine
It’s not a criticism; It’s an observationHotel Mazarin is a hidden treasure in the New Orleans French Quarter. Suzy discovered the place a couple of years ago, and we stayed there last trip down. Liked it so much we’ve made Hotel Mazarin our official New Orleans hotel. While reserving a room for our recent Big Easy trip, the landlord succumbed to temptation and perused the Mazarin […]
Catching a wave of simplicity
40–SomethingI came home late from work one night and was greeted by a multitude of family issues. My wife wanted to talk about schedules and budgets. My oldest daughter, the senior, was complaining about AP exams, and my youngest daughter, the sophomore, was depressed about having her foot casted during soccer season. And then there was my 13-year-old son. His […]