Millions of people nationwide are anticipating the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. It will be a spectacle to behold, but some people can’t behold it: the blind. For this reason, College of Charleston geology professor Cassandra Runyon, along with fellow C of C geologist Cynthia Hall and a colleague in Pennsylvania, developed a braille guide to the eclipse for blind and visually impaired people who want to know more about the event and what it entails. They were aided by blind College of

The Battle of Kings Mountain took place in rural South Carolina on October 7, 1780, just nine miles south of the present-day town of Kings Mountain, North Carolina. There, Patriot militia defeated the Loyalist militia during the Southern campaign of the Revolutionary War. The battle is known as a pivotal moment in the Southern campaign. According to the National Park Service , Thomas Jefferson called it "The turn of the tide of success.” Now, over 230 years later, local author and playwright

This week’s momentous decision by South Carolina Electric and Gas Company and Santee Cooper to abandon a project to build two, new nuclear reactors after spending billions of dollars, could cause economic and political ramifications for the state that could last years. It is believed that the final price tag for the project could have ended end up being $25 Billion. It’s original projected cost was $10 Billion. Monday’s announcements stunned the state. State regulators complained they were

This Thursday through Sunday, August 4th through 6th, is South Carolina’s annual Tax-free Weekend, and shoppers may save between $2 million and $3 million in sales taxes. Arthur Dunn of one Columbia Target store says it’s a busier time for his store than Black Friday, and he expects an increase in business over last year. The weekend is big for small stores, too, like Salty’s Board Shop, where owner Paul Goff expects to sell a lot of khaki pants and other school apparel, plus book bags and

Columbia is preparing for an estimated million visitors to come this month to witness a total solar eclipse, a scientific phenomenon that inspires awe and wonder in those who view it. The world goes dark in daytime as the moon completely covers the sun. Imagine what it must have been like for people in the past who didn’t necessarily understand what was happening. Our understanding of the solar eclipse has changed, says Michael Weisenburg, who oversees the special collection of books at USC's

This summer’s total solar eclipse is a rare event for the Palmetto State. Normally a total eclipse doesn’t return to the same spot for close to 400 years, but this will be the second in only 47 years for the folks in Sumter and the surrounding area. Hap Griffin remembers seeing the last eclipse as an 11-year-old on March 7, 1970. He said he still recalls how "blown away" he was in the backyard of a friend. Nearby, the Rev. Joel Osborne climbed a forest tower to take in the awesome celestial

When rising river waters inundated the small town of Nichols, donated funds from all over the country also came flooding in. With the help of a recovery steering committee, the town is using the funds to help its residents recovery through two programs: the Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Grant Program and the Unmet Needs Assistance Program. The two programs were created by Rita Pratte, SBP Disaster Recovery Advisor to the town. “I am working with the steering committee, helping them make

With participants across the country and world, the Girls Rock Camp Alliance is made up of organizations that hold annual camps to empower girls through rock music. In each week-long day camp, kids are assigned a musical instrument: bass, electric guitar, drums, key board, or vocals. Many campers have never picked up a musical instrument before. Mollie Williamson is the founder and executive director of Girls Rock Columbia . This will be Williamson's last camp as she steps down as executive

The National Park Service (NPS) wants to hear from residents concerning the upcoming Reconstruction Era National Monument in Beaufort County. The week of July 24, NPS will hold three public listening sessions as part of the development of a foundation document for the new park. Melissa English- Rias is acting Superintendent of the Reconstruction Era National Monument. She talks with SC Public Radio about the purpose of the sessions and how information from each session will help create the

Fort Jackson has just celebrated its centennial and, as the nation’s largest army training base, new recruits pour in regularly for basic training. Though they’re met their first day by a pack of screaming drill sergeants, privates Jose Solis and Wallace Castillo don’t mind. They’ve come for a purpose: to be trained and to learn to be professionals. They view the sergeants’ yelling as part of the system, and don’t take it personally. That’s good, says Drill Sergeant Queshawnia Franklin, because