January 2020 marks my 18th year at Historic Columbia (HC). Looking back at the changes that have taken place, I note the physical and interpretive shifts to the buildings and grounds, a growing footprint in the community far beyond the Robert Mills Historic District, and an increase in organizational support across all sectors. It is astounding what we have accomplished […]

West Columbia Augusta Road: A woman was arrested at 2 p.m. Friday after she was seen stuffing food in her clothes at a grocery store and walked out without paying. The store manager called police, but the woman had left before they arrived. An employee had gotten the woman’s license plate number, and officers followed up and went to the […]

The story goes like this. There was a man who loved Christmas, and he loved big, full, beautiful Christmas trees. He lived in time when you didn’t see tree lots on every corner. No, this man had to go out into the woods, chop down a tree, and bring it home to his family. One year he couldn’t find the […]

With the arrival of 2020, many potential homebuyers might already be eyeing the housing market. The U.S. economy will continue its expansion with real estate prices rising and a recession appearing unlikely, said economists at a National Association of Realtors (NAR) conference earlier this month. The nation’s economic outlook is promising says NAR’s chief economist, Dr. Lawrence Yun, citing healthy […]

My childhood involved two grandmothers as different as blue and red. My maternal grandmother lost her husband while raising five children, two in single digits. My mother’s three older brothers were working early to help pay bills. The oldest, my Uncle Kay, enlisted in the military for that same reason. The Gentry offspring were a devilish bunch. Joe was three […]

“Hey darlin’…what’s all this?” My husband, Marty, had walked in on me as I was sorting photos and had a bunch of paperwork spread all over the place. “Hi, honey…this is my ‘If I Die” file. I’m getting my life in order in case something were to happen to me. I figured I’d start out the new decade prepared.” “Your […]

The only problem with family Christmas parties is they’re a constant reminder of how I wound up with the short end of the stick when it comes to the height gene. I’m 5’7” tall, at least I was at my peak. Every single full-grown male member of my family in my generation or younger is at least four inches taller […]