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

Wednesday, January 23, 2013  Hundreds packed the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center for The City of State Address Wdnesday night in Columbia.

Thursday, December 27, 2012  The City Council voted to hire Assitant city manager Teresa Wilson to take over for outgoing city manager Steve Gantt, when Ganntt retires in 2013.

Wednesday, September 05, 2012  Starting Tuesday, City of Columbia employees have a new option for health care.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012  The death of a Columbia man in a wheelchair who was hit by a truck in a Five Points intersection has Columbia officials taking a closer look at traffic safety. Since May, two people have now died and two others have been injured in vehicle versus pedestrian accidents near the intersection of Greene and Harden Streets.

Friday, December 09, 2011  The FBI is investigating Columbia's Community Development Department at the city's request.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011  On Tuesday a former Columbia business loan officer questioned a recent records release about a city loan program, a high-ranking city official is firing back.

Monday, September 19, 2011  A former Columbia business loan officer says the city isn't telling the whole story about a struggling loan program that has drawn the attention of the federal government.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011  Nearly a year after the State Law Enforcement Division announced it was investigating allegations of officer misconduct within the Columbia police department, both SLED and the FBI tell WACH Fox News the agencies have no record of an investigation ever taking place. It's the latest apparent contradiction surrounding the controversial arrest of attorney Jonathan McCoy outside a Five Points bar in October 2009.

Friday, June 24, 2011  Another city of Columbia employee who oversaw multiple federal loan programs has quit his job, WACH Fox News has learned. Larry Kea, a former Wachovia Bank auditor, joins former supervisor Scott Blackmon who resigned this week and now claims city officials ordered him not to say anything after he discovered multiple improprieties in the city's loan records.

Thursday, June 23, 2011  Scott Blackmon says he quit his city job this week overseeing Columbia loan programs now under investigation by the federal government because he doesn't "want to go to jail" due to what he says was pressure by city leaders to engage in what he says is illegal activity.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011  At a work session Tuesday, City manager Steve Gantt gave the council two options for next fiscal year's water and sewer budget; they can either opt to raise rates or issue bonds to pay for improvement projects. City leaders reluctantly agreed to advertise a 2011-2012 budget that includes the hike for the city's water and sewer operating budget and capital improvement program.

Monday, April 18, 2011  In an interview with WACH Fox, Columbia’ Mayor Steve Benjamin spoke on the possibility of a strong-mayorship.  Currently, Columbia's weak-mayor system is driven by city council and a city manager.  Mayor Benjamin expects the issue to come up with City Council soon.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011  Columbia City Council is talking about increasing water rates, although nothing is on paper yet.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011  A new position with the city of Columbia has been filled.  Columbia City Manager Steve Gantt says Mayor Steve Benjamin picked former campaign communications director Michael Wukela.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010  Reports say city officials are forecasting a $1 million shortfall just one month after announcing a budget surplus.  City Manager Steve Gantt says a tax hike may be the answer rather than cutting spending.