Local News

‘Reading Rooster’ offers vibrant video book ideas

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A 79-year-old librarian in Columbia is becoming well known as the Reading Rooster for her YouTube video book recommendations for children, teachers and other librarians. Helen Fellers has spent more than 50 years getting books into kids’ hands as a storyteller, bookmobile driver and branch librarian. She is the coordinator of the South Carolina Center for…

SC closes year with higher-than-expected surplus

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) âone space€one space” South Carolina ended the fiscal year with a higher-than-expected surplus, handing legislators an additional $68 million to distribute next year. The fiscal-year closing report issued by the state’s chief accountant shows South Carolina collected more than enough taxes to fund every item on the Legislature’s priority list for surplus revenue. Comptroller Richard Eckstrom said…

Gay couple sues over SC same-sex marriage ban

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) âone space€one space” A legally married gay couple living in South Carolina is suing to have the state’s ban on gay marriage overturned. Highway Patrol Trooper Katherine Bradacs and Tracie Goodwin filed the lawsuit Thursday in federal court. They are suing Gov. Nikki Haley and state Attorney General Alan Wilson. Bradacs and Goodwin were married in Washington,…

Tea party group making stop in Columbia

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Another tea party group is spending some time in South Carolina this week. On Tuesday, the Tea Party Patriots are making a stop in Columbia for a news conference at the Statehouse. The Tea Party Patriots says it is a national grassroots coalition with more than 3,400 locally organized chapters and more than 15 million supporters…