Columbia, SC is in the news as a backdrop to major national events: Alabama redistricting fight, a high-profile civil rights funeral, and a South Carolina death-penalty firing squad. Population: 136,632 (2020). County seat of Richland. A key Carolinas city.
Jesse Jackson's funeral services took place across Chicago, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C., honoring his legacy as a civil rights leader and activist. The events included lying in state, memorial services, and tributes from global leaders, emphasizing his lifelong fight for equality and justice.
Since mid-May 2026, Republican-led Southern legislatures have been moving to redraw U.S. House maps after a Supreme Court ruling weakened parts of the Voting Rights Act. Federal judges in Alabama have blocked a new map, South Carolina lawmakers have stalled a Trump-backed redistricting push, and Tennessee and Louisiana have enacted plans that would dilute Black-majority districts.
Dozens of federal and local officers have raided Burnstein von Seelen Precision Castings in Abbeville, arresting a plant manager and HR director as part of a state-backed investigation into identity theft and illegal hiring. ICE is detaining 48 workers while authorities review immigration statuses and pursue indictments for those involved in creating and selling fake IDs.