In the 1970s, a female rap group named The Sequence emerged in Columbia and broke into the big leagues. Now, they’re being recognized as “the first ladies of hip-hop” by Love, Peace and Hip-Hop, a local festival that celebrates the genre. The ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. on April 13 at Tapp’s Art Center, 1644 Main Street, where…
Columbia, S.C., has banned the use of bump stocks in the city, but not their sale. NPR’s Rachel Martin talks to Columbia’s mayor, Steve Benjamin, about the motivation behind the ordinance. All right. Let’s shift our attention to Columbia, S.C., which has now become one of the first U.S. cities to ban the use of so-called bump stocks. That’s the…
Columbia, South Carolina, has become the first city to pass legislation prohibiting use of bump stocks-gun accessories like those used by Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock to increase firing rates to quasi-automatic speed. After this fall’s mass shootings, regulation of the deadly add-ons has fallen to local governments in the wake of congressional stagnation on the issue. “It’s time for…
Mayor Steve Benjamin said Thursday devices that turn semi-automatic weapons into “mass murder machines” should be illegal, and he hopes a ban in South Carolina’s capital city prompts similar moves nationwide. Read more>>
Since President Trump announced the U.S. would exit the Paris Climate Agreement back in June, redoubled support for the agreement has come from the local level, with mayors from around the nation pledging their cities’ support for the Agreement. Read more>>
Up 13% from last year When it comes to providing a friendly environment for small-business owners, Columbia scored better than other major cities in South Carolina in a recent online survey, though the survey also uncovered areas that need improvement. Read more>>
It’s official – Trump is canceling the Clean Power Plan. But US cities, states and businesses are picking up the slack on climate protection. However, it’s not clear if this will be enough. United States President Donald Trump is negating the Clean Power Plan, widely recognized as former President Barack Obama’s linchpin legislation for reducing national greenhouse gas emissions. The…
Washington – The U.S. Conference of Mayors has begun using zip code data to show that elimination the federal tax deduction for state and local taxes would be harmful to middle-class families. The new data is being used to persuade congressional Republicans that elimination of the so-called SALT deduction would raise taxes for families in some locallities with average adjusted…
Construction equipment took the first swipes at Gonzales Gardens in Columbia on Wednesday, as demolition of the oldest public housing community in South Carolina began. A number of people who used to live in the apartments watched the first bricks tumble from the A-B building, after more than 1,000 people visited the apartments one last time over the weekend. “We’ll…
Columbia, South Carolina Mayor Stephen Benjamin will discuss the evolving role of American mayors in today’s political environment, race relations, immigration and other top issues facing American cities at The Harkin Institute’s Sussman Lecture on Oct. 30 at Drake University. Benjamin and the city of Columbia have confronted many of the social issues faced by local governments across the country,…