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R. Scot Duncan has done it again, revealing the impressive biodiversity and extolling the ecological virtues of Alabama and the entire Southeast. In “Southern Rivers: Restoring America’s Freshwater Biodiversity” (University of Alabama Press, 2024), he focuses on the environmental peril faced…

The Aiken County Animal Shelter continues to see too many cases of animal abandonment, neglect and abuse. It is heartbreaking to see innocent dogs and cats suffer because their owners didn’t protect them or became their tormentors. Surprisingly, most of these pets still love and cherish huma…

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“I used to be a classic workaholic, and after seeing how little work and career really mean when you reach the end of your life, I put a new emphasis on things I believe count more. These things include: family, friends, being part of a community, and appreciating the little joys of the aver…

For its distinctive history and charm, Beaufort is a grand place to visit just about any time of the year. However, this weekend, the coastal town has an added attraction, the biennial induction festivities of the South Carolina Academy of Authors. From May 3-5, the SCAA in consort with the …

Participating in a running race, like the Run United event this past weekend, can be an exhilarating experience. However, it can leave you feeling exhausted and sore. Most commonly associated with weightlifting, muscle soreness can occur after any strenuous exercise, including running furthe…

We seem to be heading headlong into summer. Now is the time to examine your yard and garden for empty spaces that need new plants. The Aiken Master Gardeners Association will be holding its annual plant sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 27, at Millbrook Baptist Church. Come early for …

In the bustling corridors of the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare, amidst the cheerful barks and soft purrs of furry friends, there's a silent army at work — its volunteers. These cape-less heroes form the backbone of the center's operations, tirelessly dedicating their time and effor…

The Run United event, which consists of a 5K (5 kilometers or 3.1 miles), 10K (10 kilometers or 6.2 miles), a half marathon (13.1 miles) and a kids fun run, is this weekend. Maybe you are among the people in our area have been training for it, or another event. As the event approaches, there…

Want to enrich your wildlife experience on a warm spring day when birds, insects and plants abound? If you do, go on a spoor hunt.

I may have sometimes stretched the facts a little bit. The subtitle of my book “Circling the Savannah,” for example, indicates that the volume focuses on cultural landmarks of the Central Savannah River Area. While the majority of the 36 places I describe in the book lie squarely in that geo…

I’m supposed to be writing a column today. But I’m not. I suspect it’s just me being rather unfocused and undisciplined. Or perhaps it’s the child in me being unruly and interested only in playing and messing about (I think she’s about four).

When Gray Moore was asked to fill in for golfer Tommy Fleetwood’s regular caddie at the 2024 Masters, with less than a week to prepare, he wasn’t sure he was up to the task. At 70, he’d be the oldest looper on the course.

Since the doors opened in the mid-’80s, the SPCA Thrift Store has been the definition of shopping with a purpose. The store’s journey began as a haven where locals could discover incredible deals while making a meaningful impact on the lives of homeless shelter animals at the SPCA.

Now that spring has arrived and the Masters just ended, lots of people in our area are talking about, and playing, golf. Over 25 million Americans played golf last year, making it one of the most popular sports to participate in. In fact, golf is the most popular sport played by adults over …

“'Crazy-busy' is a great armor, it’s a great way for numbing. What a lot of us do is that we stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we're feeling and what we really need can't catch up with us.” — Brene Brown

Want to participate in an exciting, possibly dangerous, field trip while trekking through a jungle or exploring an underwater cave? Would you like to stand alone in the dark in a Colorado pond surrounded by thigh-deep snow waiting for frogs to call? Or does a nighttime ride atop a logging tr…

The Aiken County Animal Shelter has three wonderful indoor-only cats available for adoption – Sabrina, Tom and Yoda – who can’t seem to catch a break.

Art songs are generally musical settings of poems, and there are fine examples to be experienced in the Aiken Symphony’s April 20 concert. Yet, even instrumental music can sometimes involve narrative. Such works fall into the category of program or programmatic music, and Maestro Scott Weiss…

The benefits of regular exercise include increased endurance, strength, and flexibility along with increased energy expenditure for weight loss and weight maintenance. These benefits will vary depending on the type of exercise you perform.

If you are looking for a canine companion, the Aiken County Animal Shelter has a great variety of dogs looking for loving homes. There are strays and surrendered dogs of many different breeds, sizes, colors, shapes and personalities waiting for a path to a better life.

When we think about fascinating animals, we tend to focus on places like Africa, Australia and the deep blue sea with their laughing hyenas, duckbill platypuses and giant squids, respectively. But some U.S. creatures, many of which people have never seen or even heard of, have notable featur…

Perhaps nothing is sadder than a life whose promise remains unfulfilled. Such was the case with countless young men who died in the AIDS pandemic in the 80s and 90s before a practical therapy was developed. One such individual was the 33-year-old mixed media artist Darrel Ellis, whose innova…

The discovery of maple syrup predates the arrival of Europeans on this continent by many years. Indigenous people of the Northeast – probably the Iroquois – were the first to discover the sweetness of maple sap and later taught the Europeans how to collect and then boil and essentially conde…

Diets don’t work! Exercise can actually make you gain weight! You can take supplements that will melt fat away while you sleep! Claims like these should make you wonder if someone is trying to fool you. Since today is April Fools’ Day, it is worth learning the truth about these common weight…

The twin belfries are empty now. Only one of the two has ever contained a bell. The other tower was added for the sake of architectural balance and symmetry, an aesthetic gesture rarely found in buildings designed as manufacturing space.

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