
WHAT'S HAPPENING

7th Annual

Featuring
Lee Roy Parnell
Live from Nashville

The City of West Columbia hosts its 7th annual Riverwalk Music Festival
on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at the West Columbia Riverwalk Amphitheater located
at 109 Alexander Road, beside the Gervais Street Bridge. The concert is
free and parking is available at several sites near the park at no cost.
Handicapped parking also is available.
The Riverwalk Music Festival kicks off at 2 p.m. with Buck Stanley,
followed by Loose Change at 3:30 p.m. Hometown favorite Rob Crosby takes
over from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Headliner Lee Roy Parnell performs from 7 to 9
p.m. A well-known Nashville singer-songwriter, Parnell is an accomplished
guitarist who has produced major hit records showcasing his special blend of
country, blues and Southern rock infused with a Texas twist. Parnell was
awarded the Orville H. Gibson Award for Best Male Guitarist in 1998. He
has two Grammy nominations, three CMA nominations and received the Star of Texas
Award for the preservation of Texas music. His number one hits include “I’m
Holding On” and “She Won’t Be Lonely Long.”
A special separate event this year is the Wine on the
River fundraiser sponsored by the West Columbia Beautification Foundation.
Savor a variety of wines featuring a cross-section of reds and whites (domestic
and imported) complimented by tasty hors d’oeuvres for $25 in advance or $30 at
the park. Purchase tickets online at
http://wcbfwineontheriver2013.eventbrite.com/, or from Customer Service at
West Columbia City Hall, 200 N. 12th Street (at Jarvis Klapman Blvd).
All proceeds benefit the West Columbia Beautification Foundation.
The West Columbia Riverwalk Music Festival offers a
marvelous cultural experience by merging the fluid sounds of music with a
sensational view of the Congaree River and the Columbia skyline. The West
Columbia Riverwalk Amphitheater is handicapped accessible and dog-friendly.
A variety of foods and beverages can be purchased on site. Music, fun and
laughter will fill the air as the festival draws people from all over the
Midlands region to enjoy great music and food in a unique venue at the edge of
the beautiful Congaree River.
For more information contact Mardi Valentino, Public Information
Officer, at the City of West Columbia (803) 939-8603 or
mvalentino@westcolumbiasc.gov. News release issued at 11 a.m. on March 14,
2013.

West Columbia Forms Community Advisory Committee
The City of West Columbia announces the formation of the
West Columbia Community Advisory Committee, which is comprised of citizens
representing the council districts and city’s business community. The
21-member committee will provide an organized framework to promote, preserve and
enhance the values and quality of life in West Columbia neighborhoods and
commercial areas.
The Community Advisory Committee meets on a monthly
basis with the time and date posted on the Committee’s page on the City of West
Columbia website at www.westcolumbiasc.gov. The next meeting will be
Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 6 p.m. in the New Brookland Room at the West
Columbia City Hall, located at 200 N. 12th Street in West Columbia
(corner of 12th Street and Jarvis Klapman Boulevard).
For further information contact Mardi Valentino, Public
Information Officer, at (803) 939-8603 or by e-mail at
mvalentino@westcolumbiasc.gov.
Issued at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, February 25, 2013.
West Columbia Police Officers Rescue Three Kayakers from Swollen
Congaree RiverThree kayakers are grateful today for the sharp eyes of a
West Columbia park ranger making his afternoon rounds at the West Columbia
Riverwalk. Ranger Steve Metro spotted an overturned kayak being swept down
river with one person clinging to it and two other persons grasping tree
branches in the rain-flooded Congaree River on January 18. Metro
immediately reported the dire situation to West Columbia Police Dispatch.
Four police officers quickly arrived on the scene and responded to the
life-threatening emergency by going into the freezing cold and fast-moving river
to attempt a water rescue. Within minutes the officers reached the two
victims hanging onto tree limbs and pulled them safely to shore where they were
treated for exposure by Lexington County EMS. Meanwhile, Metro ran
downriver along the Riverwalk path following the kayak until it came close
enough to shore for Metro to pull the third victim onto the river bank.
None of the kayakers sustained any life-threatening injuries.
Corporal Art Seboe, Patrol Officer 1st Class
Trip Holland, Patrol Officer 1st Class Mark Howard, Investigator Leah
Smith and Ranger Steve Metro will be recognized for their heroic actions in the
face of great personal danger at the Regular Council Meeting at 6 p.m. on
Tuesday, February 5, 2012 at the West Columbia City Hall.
For further information contact Mardi Valentino, Public
Information Officer at (803) 939-8603 or by e-mail at
mvalentino@westcolumbiasc.gov.
Issued at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 28, 2013.
http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=222905

Mayor Pro-Tem Jones Appointed
to National Steering Committee
Mayor Pro-Tem Boyd Jones has been appointed to the
National League of Cities (NLC) 2013 Community and Economic Development Steering
Committee. This Committee has the lead responsibility for
developing NLC federal policy positions on issues
involving housing, community and economic
development, land use, recreation and parks, historic preservation and
international competitiveness. The appointment was announced
January 3, 2013 by NLC President Marie Lopez Rogers, Mayor, Avondale, Arizona.
Mayor Pro-Tem Jones stated, “I am honored to
represent the City of West Columbia at the NLC. My appointment to such an
important national committee allows me an opportunity to work with developing
broad-based federal policies that can assist not only West Columbia, but other
small and mid-sized municipalities in South Carolina.”
As a member of the committee, Mayor Pro-Tem Jones will play
a key role in shaping NLC’s policy positions, while advocating on behalf of
America’s cities and towns on Capitol Hill, with the Administration, and at
home. The National League of Cities is the nation’s
oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as
centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and
advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218
million Americans.
Mayor Pro-Tem Jones has served as a member of the
West Columbia City Council since December 2005 and was elected mayor pro-tem in
December 2011. He represents Council District Five and is a life-long
member of Turner Memorial AME Church in West Columbia. Mayor Pro-Tem Jones
recently earned the Bronze Leadership Certificate through the NLC Leadership
Training Institute.
Issued at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 9, 2013.
Palmetto Pride Awards West
Columbia Beautification Grant for Fowler Park
The City of West Columbia received a Palmetto Pride Grant in the amount
of $3,100 for a beautification project at Eric Fowler Park. The
recreational area, located off Augusta Road at

City staff designed a thoughtful approach to providing color throughout
the park while skillfully screening nearby housing. The location of the
planting beds will maximize visual impact while preserving areas used for
recreation. Fowler Park can be accessed from Augusta Road at 17th
Street. Eric Fowler Park is one block on the right.

Lakeview Tigers Football Legacy Recognition
Click HERE for more information

West Columbia Adopt-a-Child
Star Tree
Individuals, churches or civic groups are encouraged
to visit the West Columbia Fire Department at 610 N. 12th Street to
choose a star-shaped ornament bearing a needy child’s name, age and gender.
Buy a gift, wrap it, and use the star ornament as a label then return it to the
Fire Station to bring smiles of joy to a young child this holiday season.
The Fire Department lobby will be open everyday
from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. beginning November 27, 2012 through December 17, 2012.
Please make this Christmas special for everyone.

GFOA Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting
News Release
City of West Columbia Recognized for Excellence in Financial Reporting
The City of West Columbia has been awarded the Certificate for
Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association
of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive financial report
(CAFR) covering fiscal year 2010-2011. The City of West Columbia has
earned the award from the GFOA for 21 consecutive years.
The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in
the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. The award
represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management
staff. City Treasurer Richard K. Hodge, CPA, is the city official primarily
responsible for the preparation and publication of the City’s award-wining CAFR.
The CAFR is judged by an impartial panel to determine if it meets the
high standards of financial reporting, including demonstrating a constructive
“spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate the City’s financial story.
The GFOA is a non-profit professional association serving approximately 17,500
government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, IL and Washington, DC.
For further information, please contact Mardi Valentino, Public
Information Officer at (803) 939-8603.

Free and Fast Track GED Program
News Release
Governor Haley Helps West Columbia Kick Off
Nationally Innovative GED Program
Governor Nikki Haley will be a special guest at a press
conference tomorrow when the city of West Columbia announces a formal
partnership with Christ Central Ministries, Inc. to offer the FREE and
Fast Track GED program to city residents. The press
conference will be at 10 a.m. on July 20, 2012 in the West Columbia City
Hall, located at 200 N. 12th Street in West Columbia.
Governor Haley will join other city and county dignitaries
and the leadership of Christ Central Ministries, Inc. to kick off the
FREE and Fast Track GED program that will assist adults in earning their
GEDs. The new program is an outreach of The Nehemiah
Project, a national pilot project created and supported by Christ Central
Ministries, Inc. to alleviate joblessness and help break the cycle of
poverty by elevating the educational level of individuals.
The FREE and Fast Track GED program is the first of
its kind in the nation to assist families and extended family members to
achieve greater employability through enhanced educational options that can
lead to an improvement in the overall quality of life for citizens.
West Columbia will utilize its city web site, include messages on
water bills, and give public endorsements to communicate information about
the program to students presently “at risk” of dropping out of school and
adults who have already dropped out of school and are unemployable.
The city also will provide accessible facilities for qualifying,
testing and tutoring GED applicants. The Nehemiah Project
will provide all materials and personnel needed for the FREE and Fast
Track GED program as well as mentoring and encouragement to individuals
seeking to improve their lives.
Issued at 12 p.m. on July 19, 2012.
