Latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Midlands

Monday, May 13, 2013  The Senate's 2013-14 budget could buy $15 million worth of new school buses for South Carolina's aging fleet.

Friday, May 03, 2013  The Senate Finance Committee has approved a budget proposal that expands full-day 4-year-old kindergarten, gives state workers a slight raise, and puts more troopers on the highways.

Thursday, May 02, 2013  The Senate Finance Committee has refused to expand Medicaid eligibility to more poor adults as part of the state budget.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013  A bill that would have put a psychologist in every South Carolina school has evolved into the creation of another study committee.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013  Columbia native and former FBI Analyst Larry Sypolt has officially announced his candidacy for Mayor.

Thursday, March 28, 2013  Georgetown County deputies say an officer shot a dog because he feared for the safety of people in Andrews.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013  The South Carolina House has rejected attempts by Democrats to temporarily extend Medicaid eligibility to hundreds of thousands of poor adults.

Saturday, March 02, 2013  An apartment fire has left 16 people without a home.

Thursday, February 21, 2013  House Republicans will lay out their alternative to expanding Medicaid eligibility under the federal health care law.

Thursday, February 07, 2013  Advocates for expanding Medicaid say if legislators do not act, hundreds of thousands of poor South Carolinians will be left without health care coverage.

Thursday, January 31, 2013  School emergency drills have moved beyond the duck-and-cover exercises of the Cold War era. Today's drills practice brace students for the presence of armed intruders.

Monday, January 14, 2013  The University of South Carolina has named a chancellor for its online program that starts this fall.

Monday, January 14, 2013  A house fire has displaced two adults and two children, according to Columbia Fire Department officials.

Tuesday, January 08, 2013  A Democratic senator has introduced legislation that apologizes to the people of South Carolina for the cyber theft of millions of taxpayers' personal data.

Friday, December 21, 2012  A week after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Midlands residents plan to mourn the lives of those who died.