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

COLUMBIA (WACH) --  It was an exciting year in news here in South Carolina and the Midlands.

Winter weather kicked off the year.  The city known as being “famously hot” became blanketed in snow in February.

Residents in some parts of South Carolina received up to 8.5 inches of the white stuff.

In April, Columbia’s longest serving councilman pled guilty to tax evasion charges.

E.W. Cromartie was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison.

Also in April, after months of campaigning and two-way battle to become the Capital City's next mayor, attorney and businessman Steve Benjamin is elected in April.

Just hours after winning the runoff election, Benjamin was involved in an early morning car crash.

Benjamin wasn't hurt, but the other driver involved, Deborah Rubens was severely injured.

A police investigation found Benjamin was driving without his headlights when the accident happened.  Rubens was cited for driving without insurance.In June, the day before the polls opened for the primaries across the state, one of the men claiming he had an affair with then GOP candidate Nikki Haley sat down to back up his claim.

WACH Fox hired two separate independent polygraph examiners to conduct the test.

Lobbyist Larry Marchant officially tested inconclusive.

Blogger Will Folks also came forward with claims of having a physical relationship with Haley, but the allegations didn’t hurt her at the polls.

Haley is the first woman to be elected governor in South Carolina.

Haley wasn't the only politician making headlines, Alvin Greene shocked voters and politicians alike, when he won the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.

During his campaign, Greene suggested mass producing action figures of himself to get South Carolinians back to work.

His run for office is over for now; however, Greene has mentioned a possible presidential bid.

The USC baseball team won the College World Series this summer.

The gamecocks beat UCLA for the National Championship title, which is a first for the university in the three major sports.

In your opinion, what was the top story of 2010?  Vote in our poll below and tell us what you think.  See if others feel the same way.

Also, visit our Year in Review page for links to all of the stories and a national recap.