Mold Remediation in Columbia, SC

We had a reader write in sharing a love for our historic marker map — which you should add to if you haven’t already — and asked if we would consider doing something similar for local holiday lights. Reader Stanton shared, “Every year we go driving around looking at Christmas lights. It would be nice to have suggestions for all those neighborhoods that decorate at level 10.”

So, we’re looking for you to inform us on this one. Readers and we alike are looking to grab hot cocoa, turn on the seat warmers, crank up the holiday music + go for a drive to explore festive displays right in our neighborhoods.

You’re in the driver’s seat. Where are some of Cola’s best (level 10) holiday light displays? Think: neighborhood, public, or residential displays. Submit your favorite place to see holiday lights in Cola to our local map by Thursday, Dec. 5.

We added the first points on the map, featuring three light displays around the Midlands you shouldn’t miss.

Fireflies Holiday Lights | Friday, Nov. 15 to Saturday, Jan. 4 — exclusion dates apply | Segra Park, 1640 Freed St., Columbia | $10+ | Read about what you can expect at this year’s holiday light show. Spoiler alert — it will feature more lights + entertainment for the whole family.

Holiday Lights on the River | Wednesday, Nov. 27-Tuesday, Dec. 31 | 6-10 p.m. | Saluda Shoals Park | $25+ | Journey through more than three miles of lights featuring colorful, animated light displays of all shapes and sizes

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden - Lights Before Christmas | Select nights Friday, Nov. 15 through Sunday, Jan. 12 | 5-9 p.m. | Riverbanks Zoo and Garden | $20+ | Take your photo with Santa, roast marshmallows at the Jingle Bell Bonfire, and be sure to wear your hat. Pro tip: it snows nightly at Riverbanks during the Lights Before Christmas.

Ready to add your own? Submit here.

A person who bought a Powerball ticket at a gas station near Interstate 26 prior to Wednesday’s drawing was one number away from winning the game’s $240 million grand prize, South Carolina Education Lottery officials said Thursday in a news release.

Although the ticket buyer didn’t win the game’s jackpot, the person will be rewarded with a $50,000 payday for coming so close, according to the release.

Now the search is underway for the winner.

The five-figure winning Powerball game was sold at the Murphy Express gas station/convenience store at 2818 Augusta Road in West Columbia, officials said. That’s in an area which is densely packed with retail businesses and restaurants just off Exit 111 on I-26.

The ticket matched four white ball numbers and the red Powerball number in Wednesday’s Double Play drawing, a feat that has odds of 1-in-913,129 of occurring, officials said.

Because the ticket buyer originally purchased the $1 Double Play option with their normal Powerball game, the five-figure prize was won in the second drawing held after the regular Powerball drawing, lottery officials said.

The winning numbers in Wednesday’s Double Play drawing were 14, 35, 43, 48, 54 and Powerball: 1.

The winner has 180 days to claim the prize, according to lottery officials.

The winner will be allowed to retain some privacy, as South Carolina is one of 11 states — along with Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Texas and Virginia — that allow lottery winners to remain anonymous.

“Sign the back of your ticket and put it in a safe location until you’re ready to come forward to claim the prize,” lottery officials said.

For complete information on claiming prizes, go to sceducationlottery.com.

The Murphy Express on Augusta Road is expected to receive a commission for selling the winning ticket.

Just outside of the Midlands area of South Carolina, there was another $50,000 winning ticket from Wednesday’s traditional Powerball drawing. That ticket was sold in Greenwood at the Hot Spot gas station/convenience store on U.S. 25 South, according to the release.

The winning numbers in Wednesday’s regular drawing were 1, 23, 25, 28, 61 and Powerball: 13.

Like the winning ticket in the Double Play drawing, this game matched four of the first five numbers drawn and the Powerball number, officials said.

Because there was no grand prize winner in Wednesday’s traditional drawing, the jackpot for Saturday’s Powerball drawing has risen to $260 million, according to the game’s website.

Anyone looking to buy a ticket must make a purchase by 9:59 p.m. Saturday for the 10:59 p.m. drawing. Tickets are $2, and could cost more with additional options.

The odds of winning Powerball’s grand prize are 1-in-293 million.

In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.

Kyle Kennard hasn’t made up his mind yet on if he will play in South Carolina’s bowl game.

In Charlotte on Monday night as a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award — given annually to the nation’s top defensive player — Kennard said he still has not made his decision about whether or not he’ll play in the Citrus Bowl.

Kennard told The State it will come down to a “consultation with my family.”

The Gamecocks will play Illinois in Orlando on Dec. 31.

Kennard, a Georgia Tech transfer, had a breakout season in his lone year for the Gamecocks. He finished with 28 tackles (15.5 for loss), a team-high 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

“I feel like South Carolina gave me a platform to do what I’ve been doing, so I’ll always be grateful and cherish that forever,” Kennard said. “I’ll cherish the relationships I’ve made here, even though it was a short period of time, as far as in the college football world, I’ve made lifelong connections and friends here.”

Kennard is one of several USC starters that could opt out of the game if they chose.

Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer said Sunday night that no player had come to him and said they weren’t playing in the bowl game. And that doesn’t mean some won’t eventually opt out.

Beamer said bowl prep will begin later this week after players are done with final exams. The Gamecocks are scheduled to arrive in Orlandon on Dec. 26.

“I met with some guys last week in my office individually about their decision,” Beamer said. “They’re still certainly on the fence.”

The Citrus Bowl is the only SEC-affiliated bowl game that gets to choose one of the conference’s teams. Whatever non-playoff SEC squad the Citrus Bowl wanted, it would get. And, well, it picked South Carolina over Alabama, Ole Miss and everyone else.

“That’s a strong statement,” Beamer said. “There’s a lot of SEC teams out there. A lot of them that are ranked that aren’t in the playoff. And for them to say, ‘We want the South Carolina Gamecocks,’ is just an awesome statement.”

The jubilation, too, extended beyond just the head coach. Beamer said — in an era where bowl games have lost some luster and opt-outs are common — there is a strong “ground swell” in the Gamecocks’ locker room to compete in the Citrus Bowl and earn a 10th win for just the fifth time in program history.

This story was originally published December 9, 2024, 5:22 PM.

Music legend Mary J. Blige is coming to Columbia next year for a concert, promoters said Monday in a news release.

Blige, called “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,” will bring her “The For My Fans Tour,” to Colonial Life Arena on Feb. 5, 2025. This is currently the Grammy and Emmy award-winning and Oscar-nominated performer’s only scheduled tour stop in South Carolina.

Tickets for the Columbia show will go on sale to the public on Friday at 10 a.m., but a multiple presale events will begin Tuesday at ticketmaster.com.

Information about ticket prices was not available.

Blige’s Colonial Life Arena concert is scheduled to include special guests NE-YO and Mario.

The tour will kickoff Jan. 30, 2025, in Greensboro, North Carolina, and will feature more Tar Heel State stops in Raleigh (Jan. 31) and Charlotte (Feb. 6) in addition to a performance in Atlanta, Georgia, on Feb. 3.

The tour comes on the heels of her new album “Gratitude,” which was released Nov. 15.

Blige has eight multiplatinum albums and has won nine Grammy Awards (in 37 nominations), as well as an Emmy award, and she also has two Academy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, and a SAG nomination, promoters said in the release. In October, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, according to the release.

Blige is known for her “gritty, urban-rooted style — fusing hip-hop, soul, and honest, frank lyrics,” promoters said.

Among her many hits are the songs “Family Affair,” “Real Love,” “You Remind Me,” “I’m Goin’ Down,” “Not Gon’ Cry,” “Be Without You” and “Just Fine.”

Blige is also a successful actress, starring as Florence Jackson in the 2017 Netflix breakout film “Mudbound,” earning her critical acclaim including two Academy Award nominations for Best Support Actress and Best Original Song, according to the release. She became the first person ever to be nominated in an acting and song category for the same film.

NE-YO is a three-time Grammy Award-winner whose musical catalog has generated a combined 23 billion streams, according to the release. His debut single, 2005’s “So Sick,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified quadruple-platinum.

Since then, the Motown Records/Compound Entertainment recording artist has racked up a collection of global hits including “Sexy Love,” “Closer,” “Because of You,” “Miss Independent,” and “Push Back.”

Mario is a Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling R&B singer, songwriter who has had hits with songs “Just A Friend,” and “Let Me Love You.”

In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.

This story was originally published December 9, 2024, 9:37 AM.

If you’ve ever strolled through Columbia's Riverfront Park, crossed the bridge and glanced to your left thinking, “This would be the perfect spot for a picnic,” it seems like the band Writ3rs Block took that thought and turned it into something remarkable.

Their signature event, Recess on the River, stands out as the most unique open mic experience in Columbia, set outdoors on the grass right beside the Congaree River. The band — comprising Richard Thomas on guitar, Blane the MC, and Olivia Zoe as the vocalist — brings a refreshing, original energy to the city’s music scene.

Follow Writ3rs Block on Instagram, @writ3rsblockmusic, to catch the next riverside concert, and get to know the musicians with our Q&A (edited for length):

Olivia Zoe: We are Writ3r's Block, and this is Recess on the River, which is a community event that we started doing this summer to just showcase other local artists and also just have a an inclusive, family friendly environment.

Blane: It's all about just building a community, nourishing the soil and seeing what comes from it. Man, a lot of times, movements start with community, you know, and the more that we can all share a space, all create a curated environment, the more that that just starts to catch momentum.

And the idea was really just like, man, what can we do if no one showed up? ... we could just play music by the river. We play outside, you know? And then the idea of recess occurred. We came out here in May, I think the first one, we had like six or seven people. And then throughout, we've had some upwards to like 80 to 100.

Richard Thomas: It’s all about fun. We're just getting out here, seeing what we can do.

Free Times: Alright, so you guys are a band yourself. Let's talk a little bit about that.

Blane: Writ3r's Block is all about just following your imagination. Sometimes we come against these blockades of creativity, but really it's just pushing us to be creative in a new way or try something different. There's a lot of different influences, from Olivia Zoe singer/songwriter to, you know, I love hip hop. Richard Thomas is a dope electric guitarist. So bringing all of those elements and, even down to some Southern rock influence and things like that.

Free Times: Was there a goal in mind when you started this, or was it just something cool to do?

Olivia Zoe: Whenever we first started, I would say there wasn't necessarily a goal. It was just something that we wanted to do. But as we continued to do this and started to watch it grow, we started to get ideas about what it could be in the future. Ideally, this would become something of a music festival, like a staple music festival in Columbia that always stays free and showcases local artists.

Blane: I think it's really important that people get an opportunity to see local shows. And the beautiful thing is, there's so much talent in Columbia.

Olivia Zoe: We've met so many people through doing this.

Free Times: so you said going forward that you ultimately would like this to be a festival, but in the meantime, is there a way that people can help or contribute?

Olivia Zoe: obviously, monetary donations are always welcome. But also, if you come to a recess event and you just bring a case of waters, because we provide water for everybody ... bring a blanket, bring a game.

Free Times: You want to leave us with any parting shots? Each one of you guys who has anything you want to say, anything you want to leave the people with?

Blane: Your imagination can be your best friend or your enemy. So show it love, give it time, treat it like a relationship. Let your imagination bloom within you and try the things that come to your mind. It might sound crazy, but you never know until you just do it. The right person might show up to be able to help you build it to how you truly see it. So treat your imagination like your best friend.

Olivia Zoe: Follow what feels silly, that's your inner child trying to guide you, trying to help you free yourself.

Richard Thomas: I just say, get out of your own way. Do what feels good, and don't put yourself down about it.

Blane: Support local. Man, shoutout the Free Times. Shoutout local artists. Shout out to the park rangers at Riverfront Park, man, they always show us love.